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Dialogue with Trypho
Justin Martyr
Chapter 67 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 LXVII.—Trypho compares Jesus with Perseus; and would prefer [to say] that He was elected [to be Christ] on account of observance of the law. Justin speaks of the law as formerly. And Trypho answered , “ The Scripture has not
‹ Chapter 66 Chapter 68 ›,
‘
Behold
,
the
virgin
shall
conceive
,
and
bear
a
son
,
’
but
,
‘
Behold
,
the
young
woman
shall
conceive
,
and
bear
a
son
,
’
and
so
on
,
as
you
quoted
.
But
the
whole
prophecy
refers
to
Hezekiah
,
and
it
is
proved
that
it
was
fulfilled
in
him
,
according
to
the
terms
of
this
prophecy
.
Moreover
,
in
the
fables
of
those
who
are
called
Greeks
,
it
is
written
that
Perseus
was
begotten
of
Danae
,
who
was
a
virgin
;
he
who
was
called
among
them
Zeus
having
descended
on
her
in
the
form
of
a
golden
shower
.
And
you
ought
to
feel
ashamed
when
you
make
assertions
similar
to
theirs
,
and
rather
[
should
]
say
that
this
Jesus
was
born
man
of
men
.
And
if
you
prove
from
the
Scriptures
that
He
is
the
Christ
,
and
that
on
account
of
having
led
a
life
conformed
to
the
law
,
and
perfect
,
He
deserved
the
honour
of
being
elected
to
be
Christ
,
[
it
is
well
]
;
but
do
not
venture
to
tell
monstrous
phenomena
,
lest
you
be
convicted
of
talking
foolishly
like
the
Greeks
.
”
Then I said to this , “ Trypho , I wish to persuade you , and all men in short , of this , that even though you talk worse things in ridicule and in jest , you will not move me from my fixed design ; but I shall always adduce from the words which you think can be brought forward [ by you ] as proof [ of your own views ] , the demonstration of what I have stated along with the testimony of the Scriptures . You are not , however , acting fairly or truthfully in attempting to undo those things in which there has been constantly agreement between us ; namely , that certain commands were instituted by Moses on account of the hardness of your people’s hearts . For you said that , by reason of His living conformably to law , He was elected and became Christ , if indeed He were proved to be so . ”
And Trypho said , “ You admitted to us that He was both circumcised , and observed the other legal ceremonies ordained by Moses . ”
And I replied , “ I have admitted it , and do admit it : yet I have admitted that He endured all these not as if He were justified by them , but completing the dispensation which His Father , the Maker of all things , and Lord and God , wished Him [ to complete ] . For I admit that He endured crucifixion and death , and the incarnation , and the suffering of as many afflictions as your nation put upon Him . But since again you dissent from that to which you but lately assented , Trypho , answer me : Are those righteous patriarchs who lived before Moses , who observed none of those [ ordinances ] which , the Scripture shows , received the commencement of [ their ] institution from Moses , saved , [ and have they attained to ] the inheritance of the blessed ? ”
And Trypho said , “ The Scriptures compel me to admit it . ”
“ Likewise I again ask you , ” said I , “ did God enjoin your fathers to present the offerings and sacrifices because He had need of them , or because of the hardness of their hearts and tendency to idolatry ? ”
“ The latter , ” said he , “ the Scriptures in like manner compel us to admit . ”
“ Likewise , ” said I , “ did not the Scriptures predict that God promised to dispense a new covenant besides that which [ was dispensed ] in the mountain Horeb ? ”
This , too , he replied , had been predicted .
Then I said again , “ Was not the old covenant laid on your fathers with fear and trembling , so that they could not give ear to God ? ”
“ What then ? ” said I : “ God promised that there would be another covenant , not like that old one , and said that it would be laid on them without fear , and trembling , and lightnings , and that it would be such as to show what kind of commands and deeds God knows to be eternal and suited to every nation , and what commandments He has given , suiting them to the hardness of your people’s hearts , as He exclaims also by the prophets . ”
“ To this also , ” said he , “ those who are lovers of truth and not lovers of strife must assuredly assent . ”
Then I replied , “ I know not how you speak of persons very fond of strife , [ since ] you yourself oftentimes were plainly acting in this very manner , frequently contradicting what you had agreed to . ”
Notes 255 We have not seen that Justin admitted this; but it is not to be supposed that the passage where he did admit it has been lost, as Perionius suspected; for sometimes Justin refers to passages at other places, which he did not relate in their own place. —Maranus.
