Resurrection Fragments

Fragmentary response to a fragmentary document.

(1) Justin adopts what can be called a christological hermeneutic. Christ is the Word, proceeding from the Father who is the truth. Hence, Jesus needs no proof to back him up, for he is the proof by which all else is judged.

(2) In many ways Justin sings from the emerging/missional choir. He denies that there is any "secular" sphere "because to God nothing is secular, not even the world itself, for it is His workmanship;" and hence he feels free to employ philosophical arguments. On the same line, he emphasises the goodness of the body as God's creation. Nonetheless, there is some of the anti-sexual ascetism of later Christian tradition in his claim that some refuse to marry, (and Jesus was born of a virgin) to abolish "lawless desire". This seems to be a reference to marriage not for the sake of having children and suggest that maybe not all the blame can be laid upon Augustine after all.

(3) Justin points to the futility of arguments between trichotomists and dichotomists, for at times he is able to speak of humans as "Body and Soul" and at other times as "body, soul and spirit."

(4) The arguments against the resurrection that Justin faced seem to be similar to ones we see today (i) it is impossible (ii) it is undesirable (iii) Jesus' resurrection was spiritual.

Justin and the Sole Government of God

This short tract typifies Justin's love-hate relationship with his Greek heritage. On the one hand, he attacks Greek idolatry, but on the other hand this attack is mediated through Greek poets.

Again there is an interesting theological point to ponder. How much truth is there to his suggestion that it is in the poetry of other religions that we may yet find the truth concerning the One God still present, albeit in an oblique form?

Justin and Greek culture ctd...

The rest of Justin's address carries on his love-hate relationship with Greek culture. Whilst on the one hand he can be quite disparaging, even to state that most if not all the philosophers are suffering in Hades and of no use, on the other hand he tries to find links between that culture and the Bible.

Hence Plato is said to have learned from Moses. Why is this not clearer in Plato's writings? At times, Justin suggests it is because Plato misinterpreted Moses, at others because he was afraid of suffering the same fate as Socrates.

Finally, Justin ends with a very enigmatic statement that the ancient Sybil prophesied the coming of Christ.

Link on Justin and OT

A more detailed look, by Brandon Watson, at how Justin uses a specific OT passage can be found here

Hortatory Address to the Greeks

Chapters 1-18 are a rather strange bunch. Justin begins by demolishing Greek religion, poetry and philosophy (not even the great Plato and Aristotle escape) by pointing to its internal contradictions and ridiculous features, yet in the end, still appeals to the same tradition to support the notion of monotheism.

Justin also engages in a rather weak argument concerning the antiquity of Moses. He obviously believes in the Septuagint legend, and places great value on it.

On a theological level it is interesting to note that Justin describes the inspiration of scripture as the Holy Spirit using the Biblical authors as a musician would use an instrument. I wonder whether he would allow the shape and nature of the instrument to effect the music played, i.e. move away from a dictation-theory of inspiration?

Discourse to the Greeks

After the long marathon of "Dialogue with Trypho" the fast sprint of "Discourse to the Greeks" in which Justin savages his Greek heritage, especially the immorality present in much of the mythology.

Concluding the "dialogue"

Justin concludes by going over many familiar points to establish that Church>Israel. One new argument is a typology by which Leah becomes Israel and Rachel the Church.

After some of the heat generated in the dialogue it was touching to see the cordial, even friendly tone on which it concluded.

Christology

In chapters 126-129 Justin rehashes familiar ground, claiming that appearances of God in the OT refer to the Son rather than the Father who is ineffable.

Clues of his christology lie in his insistence that whilst Father and Son are numerically distinct, they share in the same essence such as two flames coming from the same fire [in this case the Father being the original fire/flame]

Israel?

In chapters 122-125 Justin seeks to argue that the church is the true Israel, as Christ is the true Israel. In a rather bizarre line of argument he claims that Israel is originally a name belonging to Christ, which he granted to Jacob.

Justin repeats himself

As I read through chapters 103-121 of the dialogue (rather a generous term as Trypho does not get much of a say!) I must admit to sharing in Trypho's comment:

“You do well; and though you repeat the same things at considerable length, be assured that I and my companions listen with pleasure.”

Most of these chapters are devoted to reading references to Christ and Christians in the OT. Although I sympathise with Justin on this point, I am not so content with those passages where he seeks to establish this from what seems to be an "objective" point of view; but more at ease when he admits that "Would you suppose, sirs, that we could ever have understood these matters in the Scriptures, if we had not received grace to discern by the will of Him whose pleasure it was?"reminding us of the vital role of the Holy Spirit in any genuinely Christian hermeneutic.

In the midst of some of his more aggressive rhetoric against Jews, it is a relief to read him say
" Yet we do not hate you or those who, by your means, have conceived such prejudices against us; but we pray that even now all of you may repent and obtain mercy from God, the compassionate and long-suffering Father of all."

Justin on the cross

In chapters 89-102 we see Justin dealing with another of Trypho's insightful objections. As a Jew, Trypho objects to the fact that Jesus was the Messiah, if, as someone who was crucified he was cursed.

Justin answers by (1) pointing to OT passages which he sees pointing towards the cross (2) claiming that the curse Jesus had on the cross referred to him being cursed by those who crucified him.

Considering current debates, it is interesting to see Justin's views on the atonement:

(1) Christ's death was on account of human sin.
(2) Jesus took upon himself the curse of humanity.
(3) This was according to the will of the Father.
(4) Christ's death is seen as the destruction of Satan, and evil angels and humans, but life for the righteous.

Another interesting nugget is the way in which Justin seeks to tie the virgin birth to the atonement:

" and that He became man by the Virgin, in order that the disobedience which proceeded from the serpent might receive its destruction in the same manner in which it derived its origin. For Eve, who was a virgin and undefiled, having conceived the word of the serpent, brought forth disobedience and death. But the Virgin Mary received faith and joy, when the angel Gabriel announced the good tidings to her "

Another good question from Trypho

In chapter 87 Trypho asks another of his good questions. Basically he wants to know how Justin can claim that Christ is pre-existent and at the same time apply Isaiah 11:1 to him, if this verse suggests that the root of Jesse has yet to receive "the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and piety: and the spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill Him".

For once, Justin gives a straight (not short chs 87-89!) answer and avoids patronizing Trypho. For Justin this means not that Christ needed these gifts; but rather that they find their fulfilment in him. Rather more controversially he argues in chapter 89 that the descent of the Spirit on Christ when he was baptised was not for his sake, but for the sake of the faith of humans.

Two significant theological points to make are:

(i) Justin sees the "charismatic" spiritual gifts as still being in operation, and women being recipients of such gifts alongside men.
(ii) Justin understands both angels and humans as having free will, and that they receive blessing or punishment according to how they exercise this free will.

Justin and Prophecy

In chapters 83-86 Justin continues to interpret the OT Christologically to justify the Christian faith. Whilst I sympathise with his approach, it is rather disconcerting to observe that he seems unaware that this is what he is doing. Hence, not all the arguments that he uses to defend the objectivity of his position (e.g. the superiority of the LXX over the Hebrew text of the OT) are convincing.

Justin's Eschatology

Justin's eschatology can be summarized in the following words from Chapter 80

"But I and others, who are right-minded Christians on all points, are assured that there will be a resurrection of the dead, and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then be built, adorned, and enlarged, [as] the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah and others declare."

As regards debates on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the following from Chapter 82 is of note:

"For the prophetical gifts remain with us, even to the present time."

Justin on the Virgin Birth

Chapters 67-78 provide us with a lengthy rather tedious discussion on the virgin birth. Trypho objects to this teaching claiming
(1) There are parallels in Greek mythology.
(2) The prophecy from Isaiah refers to a young woman and was fulfilled in Hezekiah.

Justin answers (1) with his concept of demonic imitation of Christian teaching
(2) He begins with a very unconvincing claim that the Jews distorted the LXX. He has a stronger argument in affirming that it is hard to see the prophecy fully fulfilled in Hezekiah, leading him to search for a Christological referent.

Discussing Old Testament Monotheism

In chapters 55-66 Justin continues to engage the remarkable patient Trypho, seeking to defend from the OT the divinity of Christ.

Justin builds upon certain Old Testament passages which point to a dynamic monotheism, especially those where the Angel of the Lord is referred to as God/Lord, and the passages in Proverbs where the Wisdom of God is hypostasised. He sees these as references to Christ, although he is not prepared to admit that one needs the New Testament to make such a conclusion.

However, the Christology that Justin develops is not without its own problems. His christology is subordinationist, and is worryingly concerned with insisting that the Son is "numerically distinct" from the Father. One can see how this could be pushed in an Arian direction to affirm that the Son does not share in the divine essence.

Blood?

In the midst of his describing Messianic prophecies, Justin makes what seems to be a strange Christological comment in chapter 54

"Christ derives blood not from the seed of man, but from the power of God"

using this to claim that

"Christ is not man of men, begotten in the ordinary course of humanity.”

Messiah

Chapters 47-52 see Justin debating Trypho on the Messiahship of Jesus. On the whole, Justin is more convincing when he seeks to claim that John the Baptist came in the Spirit of Elijah, less convincing when he tries to read a reference to two comings of Christ in Jacob's blessing of Judah in Genesis.

Another line of argument I do not know what to make of is the claim that Jesus' messiahship is supported by the fact that after John the Baptist no new prophet emerged amongst the people of Israel.

Can one keep the law

Chapters 46-47 deal with Justin's answer to Trypho's next question, concerning whether a Christian can keep the Mosaic law and still be saved. Justin's answer is that they could, but they shouldn't. In this he claims to be more moderate than many other Christians who cast off completely those who seek to keep the law.

Justin also views apostasy as a real possibility. That is, for Justin it is possible for someone who believed in Christ to reject him and thus no longer be saved.

Trypho inquires

Whatever one may think of Trypho, it is difficult to deny that he is able to ask good questions. His next question is what happens to those who died before Christ came.

Justin's answer is that they are saved according to their righteousness, but through Christ, who destroyed the power of the devil and of death.