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| Chapter CXXI.—From the fact that the Gentiles believe in Jesus, it is evident that He is Christ.
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Chapter CXXI.—From the fact that the
Gentiles believe in Jesus, it is evident that He is Christ.
And as they kept silence, I
went on: “[The Scripture], speaking by David about this Christ, my
friends, said no longer that ‘in His seed’ the nations should
be blessed, but ‘in Him.’ So it is here: ‘His name
shall rise up for ever above the sun; and in Him shall all nations be
blessed.’2412
But if all nations are
blessed in Christ, and we of all nations believe in Him, then He is
indeed the Christ, and we are those blessed by Him. God formerly gave the
sun as an object of worship,2413
| 2413 So Justin concludes from Deut. iv.
19; comp. chap. lv. [The explanation is not very difficult
(see Rom. i. 28), but the language of Justin is
unguarded.] | as it is written, but no one ever was seen to
endure death on account of his faith in the sun; but for the name of
Jesus you may see men of every nation who have endured and do endure all
sufferings, rather than deny Him. For the word of His truth and wisdom is
more ardent and more light-giving than the rays of the sun, and sinks
down into the depths of heart and mind. Hence also the Scripture said,
‘His name shall rise up above the sun.’ And again, Zechariah
says, ‘His name is the East.’2414
And
speaking of the same, he says that ‘each tribe shall
mourn.’2415
But if He so
shone forth and was so mighty in His first advent (which was without
honour and comeliness, and very contemptible), that in no nation He is
unknown, and everywhere men have repented of the old wickedness in each
nation’s way of living, so that even demons were subject to His
name, and all powers and kingdoms feared His name more than they feared
all the dead, shall He not on His glorious advent destroy by all means
all those who hated Him, and who unrighteously departed from Him, but
give rest to His own, rewarding them with all they have looked for? To
us, therefore, it has been granted to hear, and to understand, and to be
saved by this Christ, and to recognise all the [truths revealed] by the
Father. Wherefore He said to Him: ‘It is a great thing for Thee to
be called my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and turn again the
dispersed of Israel. I have appointed Thee for a light to the Gentiles,
that Thou mayest be their salvation unto the end of the
earth.’2416
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