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Dialogue with Trypho

Justin Martyr

Chapter 33

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 XXXIII.—Ps. cx. is not spoken of Hezekiah. He proves that Christ was first humble, then shall be glorious.

“And,” I continued, “I am

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not

ignorant

that

you

venture

to

expound

this

psalm

as

if

it

referred

to

king

Hezekiah

;

but

that

you

are

mistaken

,

I

shall

prove

to

you

from

these

very

words

forthwith

.

‘

The

Lord

hath

sworn

,

and

will

not

repent

,

’

it

is

said

;

and

,

‘

Thou

art

a

priest

forever

,

after

the

order

of

Melchizedek

,

’

with

what

follows

and

precedes

.

Not

even

you

will

venture

to

object

that

Hezekiah

was

either

a

priest

,

or

is

the

everlasting

priest

of

God

;

but

that

this

is

spoken

of

our

Jesus

,

these

expressions

show

.

But

your

ears

are

shut

up

,

and

your

hearts

are

made

dull

.

For

by

this

statement

,

‘

The

Lord

hath

sworn

,

and

will

not

repent

:

Thou

art

a

priest

for

ever

,

after

the

order

of

Melchizedek

,

’

with

an

oath

God

has

shown

Him

(

on

account

of

your

unbelief

)

to

be

the

High

Priest

after

the

order

of

Melchizedek

;

i

.

e

.

,

as

Melchizedek

was

described

by

Moses

as

the

priest

of

the

Most

High

,

and

he

was

a

priest

of

those

who

were

in

uncircumcision

,

and

blessed

the

circumcised

Abraham

who

brought

him

tithes

,

so

God

has

shown

that

His

everlasting

Priest

,

called

also

by

the

Holy

Spirit

Lord

,

would

be

Priest

of

those

in

uncircumcision

.

Those

too

in

circumcision

who

approach

Him

,

that

is

,

believing

Him

and

seeking

blessings

from

Him

,

He

will

both

receive

and

bless

.

And

that

He

shall

be

first

humble

as

a

man

,

and

then

exalted

,

these

words

at

the

end

of

the

Psalm

show

:

‘

He

shall

drink

of

the

brook

in

the

way

,

’

and

then

,

‘

Therefore

shall

He

lift

up

the

head

.

’

Notes

85
πεπήρωνται. Maranus thinks πεπώρωνται more probable, “hardened.”