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Dialogue with Trypho

Justin Martyr

Chapter 131

About this work

A literary dialogue in which Justin recounts his conversion to Christianity and debates Scripture, covenant, messianic prophecy, law, and the identity of God’s people with a Jewish interlocutor.

Author: Justin Martyr
Date: Mid-2nd century
Origin: Rome
Genre: Dialogue

Chapter CXXXI.—How much more faithful to God the Gentiles are who are converted to Christ than the Jews.

“But I shall quote the passage by which

‹ Chapter 130 Chapter 132 ›

it

is

made

known

that

God

divided

all

the

nations

.

It

is

as

follows

:

‘

Ask

thy

father

,

and

he

will

show

thee

;

thine

elders

,

and

they

will

tell

thee

;

when

the

Most

High

divided

the

nations

,

as

He

dispersed

the

sons

of

Adam

.

He

set

the

bounds

of

the

nations

according

to

the

numbers

of

the

children

of

Israel

;

and

the

Lord’s

portion

became

His

people

Jacob

,

and

Israel

was

the

lot

of

His

inheritance

.

’

“

And

having

said

this

,

I

added

:

“

The

Seventy

have

translated

it

,

‘

He

set

the

bounds

of

the

nations

according

to

the

number

of

the

angels

of

God

.

’

But

because

my

argument

is

again

in

nowise

weakened

by

this

,

I

have

adopted

your

exposition

.

And

you

yourselves

,

if

you

will

confess

the

truth

,

must

acknowledge

that

we

,

who

have

been

called

by

God

through

the

despised

and

shameful

mystery

of

the

cross

(

for

the

confession

of

which

,

and

obedience

to

which

,

and

for

our

piety

,

punishments

even

to

death

have

been

inflicted

on

us

by

demons

,

and

by

the

host

of

the

devil

,

through

the

aid

ministered

to

them

by

you

)

,

and

endure

all

torments

rather

than

deny

Christ

even

by

word

,

through

whom

we

are

called

to

the

salvation

prepared

beforehand

by

the

Father

,

are

more

faithful

to

God

than

you

,

who

were

redeemed

from

Egypt

with

a

high

hand

and

a

visitation

of

great

glory

,

when

the

sea

was

parted

for

you

,

and

a

passage

left

dry

,

in

which

[

God

]

slew

those

who

pursued

you

with

a

very

great

equipment

,

and

splendid

chariots

,

bringing

back

upon

them

the

sea

which

had

been

made

a

way

for

your

sakes

;

on

whom

also

a

pillar

of

light

shone

,

in

order

that

you

,

more

than

any

other

nation

in

the

world

,

might

possess

a

peculiar

light

,

never

-

failing

and

never

-

setting

;

for

whom

He

rained

manna

as

nourishment

,

fit

for

the

heavenly

angels

,

in

order

that

you

might

have

no

need

to

prepare

your

food

;

and

the

water

at

Marah

was

made

sweet

;

and

a

sign

of

Him

that

was

to

be

crucified

was

made

,

both

in

the

matter

of

the

serpents

which

bit

you

,

as

I

already

mentioned

(

God

anticipating

before

the

proper

times

these

mysteries

,

in

order

to

confer

grace

upon

you

,

to

whom

you

are

always

convicted

of

being

thankless

)

,

as

well

as

in

the

type

of

the

extending

of

the

hands

of

Moses

,

and

of

Oshea

being

named

Jesus

(

Joshua

)

;

when

you

fought

against

Amalek

:

concerning

which

God

enjoined

that

the

incident

be

recorded

,

and

the

name

of

Jesus

laid

up

in

your

understandings

;

saying

that

this

is

He

who

would

blot

out

the

memorial

of

Amalek

from

under

heaven

.

Now

it

is

clear

that

the

memorial

of

Amalek

remained

after

the

son

of

Nave

(

Nun

)

:

but

He

makes

it

manifest

through

Jesus

,

who

was

crucified

,

of

whom

also

those

symbols

were

fore

-

announcements

of

all

that

would

happen

to

Him

,

the

demons

would

be

destroyed

,

and

would

dread

His

name

,

and

that

all

principalities

and

kingdoms

would

fear

Him

;

and

that

they

who

believe

in

Him

out

of

all

nations

would

be

shown

as

God

-

fearing

and

peaceful

men

;

and

the

facts

already

quoted

by

me

,

Trypho

,

indicate

this

.

Again

,

when

you

desired

flesh

,

so

vast

a

quantity

of

quails

was

given

you

,

that

they

could

not

be

told

;

for

whom

also

water

gushed

from

the

rock

;

and

a

cloud

followed

you

for

a

shade

from

heat

,

and

covering

from

cold

,

declaring

the

manner

and

signification

of

another

and

new

heaven

;

the

latchets

of

your

shoes

did

not

break

,

and

your

shoes

waxed

not

old

,

and

your

garments

wore

not

away

,

but

even

those

of

the

children

grew

along

with

them

.

Notes

517
Deut. xxxii. 7 ff.