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Dialogue with Trypho

Justin Martyr

Chapter 126

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 CXXVI.—The various names of Christ according to both natures. It is shown that He is God, and appeared to the patriarchs.

“But if you knew, Trypho,”

‹ Chapter 125 Chapter 127 ›

continued

I

,

“

who

He

is

that

is

called

at

one

time

the

Angel

of

great

counsel

,

and

a

Man

by

Ezekiel

,

and

like

the

Son

of

man

by

Daniel

,

and

a

Child

by

Isaiah

,

and

Christ

and

God

to

be

worshipped

by

David

,

and

Christ

and

a

Stone

by

many

,

and

Wisdom

by

Solomon

,

and

Joseph

and

Judah

and

a

Star

by

Moses

,

and

the

East

by

Zechariah

,

and

the

Suffering

One

and

Jacob

and

Israel

by

Isaiah

again

,

and

a

Rod

,

and

Flower

,

and

Corner

-

Stone

,

and

Son

of

God

,

you

would

not

have

blasphemed

Him

who

has

now

come

,

and

been

born

,

and

suffered

,

and

ascended

to

heaven

;

who

shall

also

come

again

,

and

then

your

twelve

tribes

shall

mourn

.

For

if

you

had

understood

what

has

been

written

by

the

prophets

,

you

would

not

have

denied

that

He

was

God

,

Son

of

the

only

,

unbegotten

,

unutterable

God

.

For

Moses

says

somewhere

in

Exodus

the

following

:

‘

The

Lord

spoke

to

Moses

,

and

said

to

him

,

I

am

the

Lord

,

and

I

appeared

to

Abraham

,

to

Isaac

,

and

to

Jacob

,

being

their

God

;

and

my

name

I

revealed

not

to

them

,

and

I

established

my

covenant

with

them

.

’

And

thus

again

he

says

,

‘

A

man

wrestled

with

Jacob

,

’

and

asserts

it

was

God

;

narrating

that

Jacob

said

,

‘

I

have

seen

God

face

to

face

,

and

my

life

is

preserved

.

’

And

it

is

recorded

that

he

called

the

place

where

He

wrestled

with

him

,

appeared

to

and

blessed

him

,

the

Face

of

God

(

Peniel

)

.

And

Moses

says

that

God

appeared

also

to

Abraham

near

the

oak

in

Mamre

,

when

he

was

sitting

at

the

door

of

his

tent

at

mid

-

day

.

Then

he

goes

on

to

say

:

‘

And

he

lifted

up

his

eyes

and

looked

,

and

,

behold

,

three

men

stood

before

him

;

and

when

he

saw

them

,

he

ran

to

meet

them

.

’

After

a

little

,

one

of

them

promises

a

son

to

Abraham

:

‘

Wherefore

did

Sarah

laugh

,

saying

,

Shall

I

of

a

surety

bear

a

child

,

and

I

am

old

?

Is

anything

impossible

with

God

?

At

the

time

appointed

I

will

return

,

according

to

the

time

of

life

,

and

Sarah

shall

have

a

son

.

And

they

went

away

from

Abraham

.

’

Again

he

speaks

of

them

thus

:

‘

And

the

men

rose

up

from

thence

,

and

looked

toward

Sodom

.

’

Then

to

Abraham

He

who

was

and

is

again

speaks

:

‘

I

will

not

hide

from

Abraham

,

my

servant

,

what

I

intend

to

do

.

’

“

And

what

follows

in

the

writings

of

Moses

I

quoted

and

explained

;

“

from

which

I

have

demonstrated

,

”

I

said

,

“

that

He

who

is

described

as

God

appeared

to

Abraham

,

to

Isaac

,

and

to

Jacob

,

and

the

other

patriarchs

,

was

appointed

under

the

authority

of

the

Father

and

Lord

,

and

ministers

to

His

will

.

”

Then

I

went

on

to

say

what

I

had

not

said

before

:

“

And

so

,

when

the

people

desired

to

eat

flesh

,

and

Moses

had

lost

faith

in

Him

,

who

also

there

is

called

the

Angel

,

and

who

promised

that

God

would

give

them

to

satiety

,

He

who

is

both

God

and

the

Angel

,

sent

by

the

Father

,

is

described

as

saying

and

doing

these

things

.

For

thus

the

Scripture

says

:

‘

And

the

Lord

said

to

Moses

,

Will

the

Lord’s

hand

not

be

sufficient

?

thou

shall

know

now

whether

my

word

shall

conceal

thee

or

not

.

’

And

again

,

in

other

words

,

it

thus

says

:

‘

But

the

Lord

spoke

unto

me

,

Thou

shalt

not

go

over

this

Jordan

:

the

Lord

thy

God

,

who

goeth

before

thy

face

,

He

shall

cut

off

the

nations

.

’

Notes

495
[By Isaiah. “Counsellor” in English version.]
496
Ex. vi. 2 ff.
497
Gen. xxxii. 24, 30.
498
Gen. xviii. 2.
499
Gen. xviii. 13 f.
500
Gen. xviii. 16.
501
Gen. xviii. 17.
502
Num. xi. 23.
503
Deut. xxxi. 2 f.