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The First Apology

Justin Martyr

Chapter 13

About this work

Justin addresses Roman rulers on behalf of Christians, challenging accusations against them while explaining Christian ethics, worship, baptism, Eucharist, prophecy, and belief in Christ in his own day.

Author: Justin Martyr
Date: c. AD 150–155
Origin: Rome
Genre: Apology

Chapter XIII.—Christians serve God rationally.

What sober-minded man, then, will not

‹ Chapter 12 Chapter 14 ›

acknowledge

that

we

are

not

atheists

,

worshipping

as

we

do

the

Maker

of

this

universe

,

and

declaring

,

as

we

have

been

taught

,

that

He

has

no

need

of

streams

of

blood

and

libations

and

incense

;

whom

we

praise

to

the

utmost

of

our

power

by

the

exercise

of

prayer

and

thanksgiving

for

all

things

wherewith

we

are

supplied

,

as

we

have

been

taught

that

the

only

honour

that

is

worthy

of

Him

is

not

to

consume

by

fire

what

He

has

brought

into

being

for

our

sustenance

,

but

to

use

it

for

ourselves

and

those

who

need

,

and

with

gratitude

to

Him

to

offer

thanks

by

invocations

and

hymns

for

our

creation

,

and

for

all

the

means

of

health

,

and

for

the

various

qualities

of

the

different

kinds

of

things

,

and

for

the

changes

of

the

seasons

;

and

to

present

before

Him

petitions

for

our

existing

again

in

incorruption

through

faith

in

Him

.

Our

teacher

of

these

things

is

Jesus

Christ

,

who

also

was

born

for

this

purpose

,

and

was

crucified

under

Pontius

Pilate

,

procurator

of

Judæa

,

in

the

times

of

Tiberius

Cæsar

;

and

that

we

reasonably

worship

Him

,

having

learned

that

He

is

the

Son

of

the

true

God Himself, and holding Him in the second place, and the prophetic Spirit in the third, we will prove. For they proclaim our madness to consist in this, that we give to a crucified man a place second to the unchangeable and eternal God, the Creator of all; for they do not discern the mystery that is herein, to which, as we make it plain to you, we pray you to give heed.

Notes

15
πομπὰς καὶ ὕμνους. “Grabe, and it should seem correctly, understands πομπὰς to be solemn prayers. … He also remarks, that the ὕμνοι were either psalms of David, or some of those psalms and songs made by the primitive Christians, which are mentioned in Eusebius, H. E., v. 28.” —Trollope.