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Dialogue with Trypho

Justin Martyr

Chapter 77

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 LXXVII.—He returns to explain the prophecy of Isaiah.

Then Trypho said, “I admit that such

‹ Chapter 76 Chapter 78 ›

and

so

great

arguments

are

sufficient

to

persuade

one

;

but

I

wish

[

you

]

to

know

that

I

ask

you

for

the

proof

which

you

have

frequently

proposed

to

give

me

.

Proceed

then

to

make

this

plain

to

us

,

that

we

may

see

how

you

prove

that

[

passage

]

refers

to

this

Christ

of

yours

.

For

we

assert

that

the

prophecy

relates

to

Hezekiah

.

”

And

I

replied

,

“

I

shall

do

as

you

wish

.

But

show

me

yourselves

first

of

all

how

it

is

said

of

Hezekiah

,

that

before

he

knew

how

to

call

father

or

mother

,

he

received

the

power

of

Damascus

and

the

spoils

of

Samaria

in

the

presence

of

the

king

of

Assyria

.

For

it

will

not

be

conceded

to

you

,

as

you

wish

to

explain

it

,

that

Hezekiah

waged

war

with

the

inhabitants

of

Damascus

and

Samaria

in

presence

of

the

king

of

Assyria

.

‘

For

before

the

child

knows

how

to

call

father

or

mother

,

’

the

prophetic

word

said

,

‘

He

shall

take

the

power

of

Damascus

and

spoils

of

Samaria

in

presence

of

the

king

of

Assyria

.

’

For

if

the

Spirit

of

prophecy

had

not

made

the

statement

with

an

addition

,

‘

Before

the

child

knows

how

to

call

father

or

mother

,

he

shall

take

the

power

of

Damascus

and

spoils

of

Samaria

,

’

but

had

only

said

,

‘

And

shall

bear

a

son

,

and

he

shall

take

the

power

of

Damascus

and

spoils

of

Samaria

,

’

then

you

might

say

that

God

foretold

that

he

would

take

these

things

,

since

He

foreknew

it

.

But

now

the

prophecy

has

stated

it

with

this

addition

:

‘

Before

the

child

knows

how

to

call

father

or

mother

,

he

shall

take

the

power

of

Damascus

and

spoils

of

Samaria

.

’

And

you

cannot

prove

that

such

a

thing

ever

happened

to

any

one

among

the

Jews

.

But

we

are

able

to

prove

that

it

happened

in

the

case

of

our

Christ

.

For

at

the

time

of

His

birth

,

Magi

who

came

from

Arabia

worshipped

Him

,

coming

first

to

Herod

,

who

then

was

sovereign

in

your

land

,

and

whom

the

Scripture

calls

king

of

Assyria

on

account

of

his

ungodly

and

sinful

character

.

For

you

know

,

”

continued

I

,

“

that

the

Holy

Spirit

oftentimes

announces

such

events

by

parables

and

similitudes

;

just

as

He

did

towards

all

the

people

in

Jerusalem

,

frequently

saying

to

them

,

‘

Thy

father

is

an

Amorite

,

and

thy

mother

a

Hittite

.

’

Notes

295
Ezek. xvi. 3.