Anf-01 ii.ii.iii Pg 3
Deut. xxxii. 15.
Hence flowed emulation and envy, strife and sedition, persecution and disorder, war and captivity. So the worthless rose up against the honoured, those of no reputation against such as were renowned, the foolish against the wise, the young against those advanced in years. For this reason righteousness and peace are now far departed from you, inasmuch as every one abandons the fear of God, and is become blind in His faith,15 15 It seems necessary to refer
Anf-01 v.ii.xvi Pg 7
Deut. xxxii. 15.
and “become gross,” sets at nought His doctrine, shall go into hell. In like manner, every one that has received from God the power of distinguishing, and yet follows an unskilful shepherd, and receives a false opinion for the truth, shall be punished. “What communion hath light with darkness? or Christ with Belial? Or what portion hath he that believeth with an infidel? or the temple of God with idols?”601 601
Anf-01 viii.iv.xx Pg 3
Deut. xxxii. 15.
For it was told you by Moses in the book of Genesis, that God granted to Noah, being a just man, to eat of every animal, but not of flesh with the blood, which is dead.”1996 1996 νεκριμαῖον, or “dieth of itself;” com. reading was ἐκριμαῖον, which was supposed to be derived from ἐκρίπτω, and to mean “which ought to be cast out:” the above was suggested by H. Stephanus.
And as he was ready to say, “as the green herbs,” I anticipated him: “Why do you not receive this statement, ‘as the green herbs,’ in the sense in which it was given by God, to wit, that just as God has granted the herbs for sustenance to man, even so has He given the animals for the diet of flesh? But, you say, a distinction was laid down thereafter to Noah, because we do not eat certain herbs. As you interpret it, the thing is incredible. And first I shall not occupy myself with this, though able to say and to hold that every vegetable is food, and fit to be eaten. But although we discriminate between green herbs, not eating all, we refrain from eating some, not because they are common or unclean, but because they are bitter, or deadly, or thorny. But we lay hands on and take of all herbs which are sweet, very nourishing and good, whether they are marine or land plants. Thus also God by the mouth of Moses commanded you to abstain from unclean and improper1997 1997 ἄὸικος καὶ παράνομος.
and violent animals: when, moreover, though you were eating manna in the desert, and were seeing all those wondrous acts wrought for you by God, you made and worshipped the golden calf.1998 1998 “The reasoning of St. Justin is not quite clear to interpreters. As we abstain from some herbs, not because they are forbidden by law, but because they are deadly; so the law of abstinence from improper and violent animals was imposed not on Noah, but on you as a yoke on account of your sins.”—Maranus.
Hence he cries continually, and justly, ‘They are foolish children, in whom is no faith.’1999 1999
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge, Chapter 13
VERSE (6) - :2; 10:29; 17:20-23 De 32:15-18
