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The First Apology

Justin Martyr

Chapter 27

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 XXVII.—Guilt of exposing children.

But as for us, we have been taught that

‹ Chapter 26 Chapter 28 ›

to

expose

newly

-

born

children

is

the

part

of

wicked

men

;

and

this

we

have

been

taught

lest

we

should

do

any

one

an

injury

,

and

lest

we

should

sin

against

God

,

first

,

because

we

see

that

almost

all

so

exposed

(

not

only

the

girls

,

but

also

the

males

)

are

brought

up

to

prostitution

.

And

as

the

ancients

are

said

to

have

reared

herds

of

oxen

,

or

goats

,

or

sheep

,

or

grazing

horses

,

so

now

we

see

you

rear

children

only

for

this

shameful

use

;

and

for

this

pollution

a

multitude

of

females

and

hermaphrodites

,

and

those

who

commit

unmentionable

iniquities

,

are

found

in

every

nation

.

And

you

receive

the

hire

of

these

,

and

duty

and

taxes

from

them

,

whom

you

ought

to

exterminate

from

your

realm

.

And

any

one

who

uses

such

persons

,

besides

the

godless

and

infamous

and

impure

intercourse

,

may

possibly

be

having

intercourse

with

his

own

child

,

or

relative

,

or

brother

.

And

there

are

some

who

prostitute

even

their

own

children

and

wives

,

and

some

are

openly

mutilated

for

the

purpose

of

sodomy

;

and

they

refer

these

mysteries

to

the

mother

of

the

gods

,

and

along

with

each

of

those

whom

you

esteem

gods

there

is

painted

a

serpent

,

a

great

symbol

and

mystery

.

Indeed

,

the

things

which

you

do

openly

and

with

applause

,

as

if

the

divine

light

were

overturned

and

extinguished

,

these

you

lay

to

our

charge

;

which

,

in

truth

,

does

no

harm

to

us

who

shrink

from

doing

any

such

things

,

but

only

to

those

who

do

them

and

bear

false

witness

against

us

.

Notes

54
Thirlby remarks that the serpent was the symbol specially of eternity, of power, and of wisdom, and that there was scarcely any divine attribute to which the heathen did not find some likeness in this animal. See also Hardwick’s Christ and other Masters, vol. ii. 146 (2d ed.).
55
[Note how he retaliates upon the calumny (cap. xxvi.) of the “upsetting of the lamp.”]