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| Chapter LXIV.—Justin adduces other proofs to the Jew, who denies that he needs this Christ. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Chapter LXIV.—Justin adduces other
proofs to the Jew, who denies that he needs this Christ.
Here Trypho said, “Let Him be recognised as Lord
and Christ and God, as the Scriptures declare, by you of the Gentiles,
who have from His name been all called Christians; but we who are
servants of God that made this same [Christ], do not require to confess
or worship Him.”
To this I replied, “If I were to be quarrelsome
and light-minded like you, Trypho, I would no longer continue to converse
with you, since you are prepared not to understand what has been said,
but only to return some captious answer;2188
2188 Literally, “but only sharpen yourselves to say
something.” | but now, since I fear the judgment of God,
I do not state an untimely opinion concerning any one of your nation, as
to whether or not some of them may be saved by the grace of the Lord of
Sabaoth. Therefore, although you act wrongfully, I shall continue to
reply to any proposition you shall bring forward, and to any
contradiction which you make; and, in fact, I do the very same to all men
of every nation, who wish to examine along with me, or make inquiry at
me, regarding this subject. Accordingly, if you had bestowed attention on
the Scriptures previously quoted by me, you would already have
understood, that those who are saved of your own nation are saved through
this2189 [man], and partake of His lot; and you would not
certainly have asked me about this matter. I shall again
repeat the words of David previously quoted by me, and beg of you to
comprehend them, and not to act wrongfully, and stir each other up to
give merely some contradiction. The words which David speaks, then, are
these: ‘The Lord has reigned; let the nations be angry: [it is] He
who sits upon the cherubim; let the earth be shaken. The Lord is great in
Zion; and He is high above all the nations. Let them confess Thy great
name, for it is fearful and holy; and the honour of the king loves
judgment. Thou hast prepared equity; judgment and righteousness hast Thou
performed in Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God, and worship the footstool of
His feet; for He is holy. Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel
among them that call upon His name; they called on the Lord, and He heard
them. In the pillar of the cloud He spake to them; for they kept His
testimonies and His commandments which He gave them.’2190 And
from the other words
of David, also previously quoted, which you foolishly affirm refer to
Solomon, [because] inscribed for Solomon, it can be proved that they do
not refer to Solomon, and that this [Christ] existed before the sun, and
that those of your nation who are saved shall be saved through Him. [The
words] are these: ‘O God, give Thy judgment to the king, and Thy
righteousness unto the king’s son. He shall judge2191
2191 Or, “to judge,” as in chap.
xxxiv. | Thy people with righteousness, and Thy poor with
judgment. The mountains shall take up peace to the people, and the little
hills righteousness. He shall judge the poor of the people, and shall
save the children of the needy, and shall abase the slanderer: and He
shall co-endure with the sun, and before the moon unto all
generations;’ and so on until, ‘His name endureth before the
sun, and all tribes of the earth shall be blessed in Him. All nations
shall call Him blessed. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who only
doeth wondrous things: and blessed be His glorious name for ever and
ever: and the whole earth shall be filled with His glory. Amen,
Amen.’2192 And you remember from
other words also spoken by David, and which I have mentioned before, how
it is declared that He would come forth from the highest heavens, and
again return to the same places, in order that you may recognise Him as
God coming forth from above, and man living among men; and [how it is
declared] that He will again appear, and they who pierced Him shall see
Him, and shall bewail Him. [The words] are these: ‘The heavens
declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork. Day
unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge: They
are not speeches or words whose voices are heard. Their sound has gone
out through all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. In
the sun has he set his habitation; and he, like a bridegroom going forth
from his chamber, will rejoice as a giant to run his race: from the
highest heaven is his going forth, and he returns to the highest heaven,
and there is not one who shall be hidden from his heat.’
”2193
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