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On the Resurrection, Fragments

Justin Martyr

Chapter 1

About this work

Author: Justin Martyr

Chapter I.—The self-evidencing power of truth.

The word of truth is free, and carries its

own

authority

,

disdaining

to

fall

under

any

skilful

argument

,

or

to

endure

the

logical

scrutiny

of

its

hearers

.

But

it

would

be

believed

for

its

own

nobility

,

and

for

the

confidence

due

to

Him

who

sends

it

.

Now

the

word

of

truth

is

sent

from

God

;

wherefore

the

freedom

claimed

by

the

truth

is

not

arrogant

.

For

being

sent

with

authority

,

it

were

not

fit

that

it

should

be

required

to

produce

proof

of

what

is

said

;

since

neither

is

there

any

proof

beyond

itself

,

which

is

God

.

For

every

proof

is

more

powerful

and

trustworthy

than

that

which

it

proves

;

since

what

is

disbelieved

,

until

proof

is

produced

,

gets

credit

when

such

proof

is

produced

,

and

is

recognised

as

being

what

it

was

stated

to

be

.

But

nothing

is

either

more

powerful

or

more

trustworthy

than

the

truth

;

so

that

he

who

requires

proof

of

this

is

like

one

who

wishes

it

demonstrated

why

the

things

that

appear

to

the

senses

do

appear

.

For

the

test

of

those

things

which

are

received

through

the

reason

,

is

sense

;

but

of

sense

itself

there

is

no

test

beyond

itself

.

As

then

we

bring

those

things

which

reason

hunts

after

,

to

sense

,

and

by

it

judge

what

kind

of

things

they

are

,

whether

the

things

spoken

be

true

or

false

,

and

then

sit

in

judgment

no

longer

,

giving

full

credit

to

its

decision

;

so

also

we

refer

all

that

is

said

regarding

men

and

the

world

to

the

truth

,

and

by

it

judge

whether

it

be

worthless

or

no

.

But

the

utterances

of

truth

we

judge

by

no

separate

test

,

giving

full

credit

to

itself

.

And

God

,

the

Father

of

the

universe

,

who

is

the

perfect

intelligence

,

is

the

truth

.

And

the

Word

,

being

His

Son

,

came

to

us

,

having

put

on

flesh

,

revealing

both

Himself

and

the

Father

,

giving

to

us

in

Himself

resurrection

from

the

dead

,

and

eternal

life

afterwards

.

And

this

is

Jesus

Christ

,

our

Saviour

and

Lord

.

He

,

therefore

,

is

Himself

both

the

faith

and

the

proof

of

Himself

and

of

all

things

.

Wherefore

those

who

follow

Him

,

and

know

Him

,

having

faith

in

Him

as

their

proof

,

shall

rest

in

Him

.

But

since

the

adversary

does

not

cease

to

resist

many

,

and

uses

many

and

divers

arts

to

ensnare

them

,

that

he

may

seduce

the

faithful

from

their

faith

,

and

that

he

may

prevent

the

faithless

from

believing

,

it

seems

to

me

necessary

that

we

also

,

being

armed

with

the

invulnerable

doctrines

of

the

faith

,

do

battle

against

him

in

behalf

of

the

weak

.