(NOTE: The electronic text obtained from The Electronic Bible Society was
not completely corrected. EWTN has corrected all discovered errors.)
Transliteration of Greek words: All phonetical except: w = omega; h serves
three puposes: 1. = Eta; 2. = rough breathing, when appearing intially
before a vowel; 3. = in the aspirated letters theta = th, phi = ph, chi =
ch. Accents are given immediately after their corresponding vowels: acute =
' , grave = `, circumflex = ^. The character ' doubles as an apostrophe,
when necessary.
THIS FILE CONTAINS:
1. Fragments of Justin Martyr's lost work on the Resurrection.
2. Fragments from other of Justin's lost writings.
JUSTIN MARTYR
FRAGMENTS OF THE LOST WORK OF JUSTIN ON THE RESURRECTION
[TRANSLATED BY THE REV. M. DODS, M.A.]
CHAP. 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.
CHAP. II.--OBJECTIONS TO THE RESURRECTION OF THE FLESH.
They who maintain the wrong opinion say that there is no resurrection
of the flesh; giving as their reason that it is impossible that what is
corrupted and dissolved should be restored to the same as it had been. And
besides the impossibility, they say that the salvation of the flesh is
disadvantageous; and they abuse the flesh, adducing its infirmities, and
declare that it only is the cause of our sins, so that if the flesh, say
they, rise again, our infirmities also rise with it. And such sophistical
reasons as the following they elaborate: If the flesh rise again, it must
rise either entire and possessed of all its parts, or imperfect. But its
rising imperfect argues a want of power on God's part, if some parts could
be saved, and others not; but if all the parts are saved, then the body
will manifestly have all its members. But is it not absurd to say that
these members will exist after the resurrection from the dead, since the
Saviour said, "They neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but shall be
as the angels in heaven?"(1) And the angels, say they, have neither flesh,
nor do they eat, nor have sexual intercourse; therefore there shall be no
resurrection of the flesh. By these and such like arguments, they attempt
to distract men from the faith. And there are some who maintain that even
Jesus Himself appeared only as spiritual, and not in flesh, but presented
merely the appearance of flesh: these persons seek to rob the flesh of the
promise. First, then, let us solve those things which seem to them to be
insoluble; then we will introduce in an orderly manner the demonstration
concerning the flesh, proving that it partakes of salvation.
CHAP. III.--IF THE MEMBERS RISE, MUST THEY DISCHARGE THE SAME FUNCTIONS AS
NOW?
They say, then, if the body shall rise entire, and in possession of all
its members, it necessarily follows that the functions of the members shall
also be in existence; that the womb shall become pregnant, and the male
also discharge his function of generation, and the rest of the members in
like manner. Now let this argument stand or fall by this one assertion. For
this being proved false, their whole objection will be removed. Now it is
indeed evident that the members which discharge functions discharge those
functions which in the present life we see but it does not follow that they
necessarily discharge the same functions from the beginning. And that this
may be more clearly seen, let us consider it thus. The function of the womb
is to become pregnant; and of the member of the male to impregnate. But as,
though these members are destined to discharge such functions, it is not
therefore necessary that they from the beginning discharge them (since we
see many women who do not become pregnant, as those that are barren, even
though they have wombs), so pregnancy is not the immediate and necessary
consequence of having a womb; but those even who are not barren abstain
from sexual intercourse, some being virgins from the first, and others from
a certain time. And we see men also keeping themselves virgins, some from
the first, and some from a certain time; so that by their means, marriage,
made lawless through lust, is destroyed.(1) And we find that some even of
the lower animals, though possessed of wombs, do not bear, such as the
mule; and the male mules do not beget their kind. So that both in the case
of men and the irrational animals we can see sexual intercourse abolished;
and this, too, before the future world. And our Lord Jesus Christ was born
of a virgin, for no other reason than that He might destroy the begetting
by lawless desire, and might show to the ruler(2) that the formation of man
was possible to God without human intervention. And when He had been born,
and had submitted to the other conditions of the flesh,--I mean food,
drink, and clothing,--this one condition only of discharging the sexual
function He did not submit to; for, regarding the desires of the flesh, He
accepted some as necessary, while others, which were unnecessary, He did
not submit to. For if the flesh were deprived of food, drink, and clothing,
it would be destroyed; but being deprived of lawless desire, it suffers no
harm. And at the same time He foretold that, in the future world, sexual
intercourse should be done away with; as He says, "The children of this
world marry, and are given in marriage; but the children of the world to
come neither marry nor are given in marriage, but shall be like the angels
in heaven."(3) Let not, then, those that are unbelieving marvel, if in the
world to come He do away with those acts of our fleshly members which even
in this present life are abolished.
CHAP. IV.--MUST THE DEFORMED RISE DEFORMED?
Well, they say, if then the flesh rise, it must rise the same as it
falls; so that if it die with one eye, it must rise one-eyed; if lame,
lame; if defective in any part of the body, in this part the man must rise
deficient. How truly blinded are they in the eyes of their hearts! For they
have not seen on the earth blind men seeing again, and the lame walking by
His word. All things which the Saviour did, He did in the first place in
order that what was spoken concerning Him in the prophets might be
fulfilled, "that the blind should receive sight, and the deaf hear,"(4) and
so on; but also to induce the belief that in the resurrection the flesh
shall rise entire. For if on earth He healed the sicknesses of the flesh,
and made the body whole, much more will He do this in the resurrection, so
that the flesh shall rise perfect and entire. In this manner, then, shall
those dreaded difficulties of theirs be healed.
CHAP. V.--THE RESURRECTION OF THE FLESH IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE.
But again, of those who maintain that the flesh has no resurrection,
some assert that it is impossible; others that, considering how vile and
despicable the flesh is, it is not fit that God should raise it; and
others, that it did not at the first receive the promise. First, then, in
respect of those who say that it is impossible for God to raise it, it
seems to me that I should show that they are ignorant, professing as they
do in word that they are believers, yet by their works proving themselves
to be unbelieving, even more unbelieving than the unbelievers. For, seeing
that all the heathen believe in their idols, and are persuaded that to them
all things are possible (as even their poet Homer says,(1) "The gods can do
all things, and that easily;" and he added the word "easily" that he might
bring out the greatness of the power of the gods), many do seem to be more
unbelieving than they. For if the heathen believe in their gods, which are
idols ("which have ears, and they hear not; they have eyes, and they see
not"(2)), that they can do all things, though they be but devils, as saith
the Scripture, "The gods of the nations axe devils,"(3) much more ought we,
who hold the right, excellent, and true faith, to believe in our God, since
also we have proofs [of His power], first in the creation of the first man,
for he was made from the earth by God; and this is sufficient evidence of
God's power; and then they who observe things can see how men are generated
one by another, and can marvel in a still greater degree that from a little
drop of moisture so grand a living creature is formed. And certainly if
this were only recorded in a promise, and not seen accomplished, this too
would be much more incredible than the other; but it is rendered more
credible by accomplishment.(4) But even in the case of the resurrection the
Saviour has shown us accomplishments, of which we will in a little speak.
But now we are demonstrating that the resurrection of the flesh is
possible, asking pardon of the children of the Church if we adduce
arguments which seem to be secular s and physical:(6) first, because to God
nothing is secular, not even the world itself, for it is His workmanship;
and secondly, because we are conducting our argument so as to meet
unbelievers. For if we argued with believers, it were enough to say that we
believe; but now we must proceed by demonstrations. The foregoing proofs
are indeed quite sufficient to evince the possibility of the resurrection
of the flesh; but since these men are exceedingly unbelieving, we will
further adduce a more convincing argument still,--an argument drawn not
from faith, for they are not within its scope, but from their own mother
unbelief,--I mean, of course, from physical reasons. For if by such
arguments we prove to them that the resurrection of the flesh is possible,
they are certainly worthy of great contempt if they can be persuaded
neither by the deliverances of faith nor by the arguments of the world.
CHAP. VI.--THE RESURRECTION CONSISTENT WITH THE OPINIONS OF THE
PHILOSOPHERS.
Those, then, who are called natural philosophers, say, some of them, as
Plato, that the universe is matter and God; others, as Epicurus, that it is
atoms and the void;(7) others, like the Stoics, that it is these four--
fire, water, air, earth. For it is sufficient to mention the most prevalent
opinions. And Plato says that all things are made from matter by God, and
according to His design; but Epicures and his followers say that all things
are made from the atom and the void by some kind of self-regulating action
of the natural movement of the bodies; and the Stoics, that all are made of
the four elements, God pervading them. But while there is such discrepancy
among them, there are some doctrines acknowledged by them all in common,
one of which is that neither can anything be produced from what is not in
being, nor anything be destroyed or dissolved into what has not any being,
and that the elements exist indestructible out of which all things are
generated. And this being so, the regeneration of the flesh will, according
to all these philosophers, appear to be possible. For if, according to
Plato, it is matter and God, both these are indestructible and God; and God
indeed occupies the position of an artificer, to wit, a potter; and matter
occupies the place of clay or wax, or some such thing. That, then, which is
formed of matter, be it an image or a statue, is destructible; but the
matter itself is indestructible, such as clay or wax, or any other such
kind of matter. Thus the artist designs in the clay or wax, and makes the
form of a living animal; and again, if his handiwork be destroyed, it is
not impossible for him to make the same form, by working up the same
material, and fashioning it anew. So that, according to Plato, neither will
it be impossible for God, who is Himself indestructible, and has also
indestructible material, even after that which has been first formed of it
has been destroyed, to make it anew again, and to make the same form just
as it was before. But according to the Stoics even, the body being produced
by the mixture of the four elementary substances, when this body has been
dissolved into the four elements, these remaining indestructible, it is
possible that they receive a second time the same fusion and composition,
from God pervading them, and so re-make the body which they formerly made.
Like as if a man shall make a composition of gold and silver, and brass and
tin, and then shall wish to dissolve it again, so that each element exist
separately, having again mixed them, he may, if he pleases, make the very
same composition as he had formerly made. Again, according to Epicurus, the
atoms and the void being indestructible, it is by a definite arrangement
and adjustment of the atoms as they come together, that both all other
formations are produced, and the body itself; and it being in course of
time dissolved, is dissolved again into those atoms from which it was also
produced. And as these remain indestructible, it is not at all impossible,
that by coming together again, and receiving the same arrangement and
position, they should make a body of like nature to what was formerly
produced by them; as if a jeweller should make in mosaic the form of an
animal, and the stones should be scattered by time or by the man himself
who made them, he having still in his possession the scattered stones, may
gather them together again, and having gathered, may dispose them in the
same way, and make the same form of an animal. And shall not God be able to
collect again the decomposed members of the flesh, and make the same body
as was formerly produced by Him?
CHAP. VII.--THE BODY VALUABLE IN GOD'S SIGHT.
But the proof of the possibility of the resurrection of the flesh I
have sufficiently demonstrated, in answer to men of the world. And if the
resurrection of the flesh is not found impossible on the principles even of
unbelievers, how much more will it be found in accordance with the mind of
believers! But following our order, we must now speak with respect to those
who think meanly of the flesh, and say that it is not worthy of the
resurrection nor of the heavenly economy,(1) because, first, its substance
is earth; and besides, because it is full of all wickedness, so that it
forces the soul to sin along with it. But these persons seem to be ignorant
of the whole work of God, both of the genesis and formation of man at the
first, and why the things in the world were made.(2) For does not the word
say, "Let Us make man in our image, and after our likeness?"(3) What kind
of man? Manifestly He means fleshly man, For the word says, "And God took
dust of the earth, and made man."(4) It is evident, therefore, that man
made in the image of God was of flesh. Is it not, then, absurd to say, that
the flesh made by God in His own image is contemptible, and worth nothing?
But that the flesh is with God a precious possession is manifest, first
from its being formed by Him, if at least the image is valuable to the
former and artist; and besides, its value can be gathered from the creation
of the rest of the world. For that on account of which the rest is made, is
the most precious of all to the maker.
CHAP. VIII.--DOES THE BODY CAUSE THE SOUL TO SIN?
Quite true, say they; yet the flesh is a sinner, so much so, that it
forces the soul to sin along with it. And thus they vainly accuse it, and
lay to its charge alone the sins of both. But in what instance can the
flesh possibly sin by itself, if it have not the soul going before it and
inciting it? For as in the case of a yoke of oxen, if one or other is
loosed from the yoke, neither of them can plough alone; so neither can soul
or body alone effect anything, if they be unyoked from their communion. And
if it is the flesh that is the sinner, then on its account alone did the
Saviour come, as He says, "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners
to repentance."(5) Since, then, the flesh has been proved to be valuable in
the sight of God, and glorious above all His works, it would very justly be
saved by Him.
We must meet, therefore, those who say, that even though it be the
special handiwork of God, and beyond all else valued by Him, it would not
immediately follow that it has the promise of the resurrection. Yet is it
not absurd, that that which has been produced with such circumstance, and
which is beyond all else valuable, should be so neglected by its Maker, as
to pass to nonentity? Then the sculptor and painter, if they wish the works
they have made to endure, that they may win glory by them, renew them when
they begin to decay; but God would so neglect His own possession and work,
that it becomes annihilated, and no longer exists. Should we not call this
labour in vain? As if a man who has built a house should forthwith destroy
it, or should neglect it, though he sees it falling into decay, and is able
to repair it: we would blame him for labouring in vain; and should we not
so blame God? But not such an one is the Incorruptible,--not senseless is
the Intelligence of the universe. Let the unbelieving be silent, even
though they themselves do not believe.
But, in truth, He has even called the flesh to the resurrection, and
promises to it everlasting life. For where He promises to save man, there
He gives the promise to the flesh. For what is man but the reasonable
animal composed of body and soul? Is the soul by itself man? No; but the
soul of man. Would the body be called man? No, but it is called the body of
man. If, then, neither of these is by itself man, but that which is made up
of the two together is called man, and God has called man to life and
resurrection, He has called not a part, but the whole, which is the soul
and the body. Since would it not be unquestionably absurd, if, while these
two are in the same being and according to the same law, the one were saved
and the other not? And if it be not impossible, as has already been proved,
that the flesh be regenerated, what is the distinction on the ground of
which the soul is saved and the body not? Do they make God a grudging God?
But He is good, and will have all to be saved. And by God and His
proclamation, not only has your soul heard and believed on Jesus Christ,
and with it the flesh,(1) but both were washed, and both wrought
righteousness. They make God, then ungrateful and unjust, if, while both
believe on Him, He desires to save one and not the other. Well, they say,
but the soul is incorruptible, being a part of God and inspired by Him, and
therefore He desires to save what is peculiarly His own and akin to
Himself; but the flesh is corruptible, and not from Him, as the soul is.
Then what thanks are due to Him, and what manifestation of His power and
goodness is it, if He purposed to save what is by nature saved and exists
as a part of Himself? For it had its salvation from itself; so that in
saving the soul, God does no great thing. For to be saved is its natural
destiny, because it is a part of Himself, being His inspiration. But no
thanks are due to one who saves what is his own; for this is to save
himself. For he who saves a part himself, saves himself by his own means,
lest he become defective in that part; and this is not the act of a good
man. For not even when a man does good to his children and offspring, does
one call him a good man; for even the most savage of the wild beasts do so,
and indeed willingly endure death, if need be, for the sake of their cubs.
But if a man were to perform the same acts in behalf of his slaves, that
man would justly be called good. Wherefore the Saviour also taught us to
love our enemies, since, says He, what thank have ye? So that He has shown
us that it is a good work not only to love those that are begotten of Him,
but also those that are without. And what He enjoins upon us, He Himself
first of all does.(2)
. . . . . . . .
CHAP. IX.--THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST PROVES THAT THE BODY RISES.
If He had no need of the flesh, why did He heal it? And what is most
forcible of all, He raised the dead. Why? Was it not to show what the
resurrection should be? How then did He raise the dead? Their souls or
their bodies? Manifestly both. If the resurrection were only spiritual, it
was requisite that He, in raising the dead, should show the body lying
apart by itself, and the soul living apart by itself. But now He did not do
so, but raised the body, confirming in it the promise of life. Why did He
rise in the flesh in which He suffered, unless to show the resurrection of
the flesh? And wishing to confirm this, when His disciples did not know
whether to believe He had truly risen in the body, and were looking upon
Him and doubting, He said to them, "Ye have not yet faith, see that it is
I;"(3) and He let them handle Him, and showed them the prints of the nails
in His hands. And when they were by every kind of proof persuaded that it
was Himself, and in the body, they asked Him to eat with them, that they
might thus still more accurately ascertain that He had in verity risen
bodily; and He did eat honey-comb and fish. And when He had thus shown them
that there is truly a resurrection of the flesh, wishing to show them this
also, that it is not impossible for flesh to ascend into heaven (as He had
said that our dwelling-place is in heaven), "He was taken up into heaven
while they beheld,"(4) as He was in the flesh. If, therefore, after all
that has been said, any one demand demonstration of the resurrection, he is
in no respect different from the Sadducees, since the resurrection of the
flesh is the power of God, and, being above all reasoning, is established
by faith, and seen in works.
. . . . . . . .
CHAP. X.--THE BODY SAVED, AND WILL THEREFORE RISE.
The resurrection is a resurrection of the flesh which died. For the
spirit dies not; the soul is in the body, and without a soul it cannot
live. The body, when the soul forsakes it, is not. For the body is the
house of the soul; and the soul the house of the spirit. These three, in
all those who cherish a sincere hope and unquestioning faith in God, will
be saved. Considering, therefore, even such arguments as are suited to this
world, and finding that, even according to them, it is not impossible that
the flesh be regenerated; and seeing that, besides all these proofs, the
Saviour in the whole Gospel shows that there is salvation for the flesh,
why do we any longer endure those unbelieving and dangerous arguments, and
fail to see that we are retrograding when we listen to such an argument as
this: that the soul is immortal, but the body mortal, and incapable of
being revived? For this we used to hear from Pythagoras and Plato, even
before we learned the truth. If then the Saviour said this, and proclaimed
salvation to the soul alone, what new thing, beyond what we heard from
Pythagoras and Plato and all their band, did He bring us? But now He has
come proclaiming the glad tidings of a new and strange hope to men. For
indeed it was a strange and new thing for God to promise that He would not
keep incorruption in incorruption, but would make corruption incorruption.
But because the prince of wickedness could in no other way corrupt the
truth, he sent forth his apostles (evil men who introduced pestilent
doctrines), choosing them from among those who crucified our Saviour; and
these men bore the name of the Saviour, but did the works of him that sent
them, through whom the name itself has been spoken against. But if the
flesh do not rise, why is it also guarded, and why do we not rather suffer
it to indulge its desires? Why do we not imitate physicians, who, it is
said, when they get a patient that is despaired of and incurable, allow him
to indulge his desires? For they know that he is dying; and this indeed
those who hate the flesh surely do, casting it out of its inheritance, so
far as they can; for on this account they also despise it, because it is
shortly to become a corpse. But if our physician Christ, God, having
rescued us from our desires, regulates our flesh with His own wise and
temperate rule, it is evident that He guards it from sins because it
possesses a hope of salvation, as physicians do not suffer men whom they
hope to save to indulge in what pleasures they please.
OTHER FRAGMENTS FROM THE LOST WRITINGS OF JUSTIN
[TRANSLATED BY THE REV. A. ROBERTS, D.D.]
I.
THE most admirable Justin rightly declared that the aforesaid demons(1)
resembled robbers.--TATIAN'S Address to the Greeks, chap. xviii.
II.
And Justin well said in his book against Marcion, that he would not
have believed the Lord Himself, if He had announced any other God than the
Fashioner and Maker [of the world], and our Nourisher. But since, from the
one God, who both made this world and formed us and contains as tell as
administers all things, there came to us the only-begotten Son, summing up
His own workmanship in Himself, my faith in Him is stedfast, and my love
towards the Father is immoveable, God bestowing both upon us.--IRENAEUS:
Heresies, iv. 6.
III.
Justin well said: Before the advent of the Lord, Satan never ventured
to blaspheme God, inasmuch as he was not yet sure of his own damnation,
since that was announced concerning him by the prophets only in parables
and allegories. But after the advent of the Lord learning plainly from the
discourses of Christ and His apostles that eternal fire was prepared for
him who voluntarily departed from God and for all who, without repentance,
persevere in apostasy, then, by means of a man of this sort, he, as if
already condemned, blasphemes that God who inflicts judgment upon him, and
imputes the sin of his apostasy to his Maker, instead of to his own will
and predilection.--IRENAEUS: Heresies, v. 26.
IV
Expounding the reason of the incessant plotting of the devil against
us, he declares: Before the advent of the Lord, the devil did not so
plainly know the measure of his own punishment, inasmuch as the divine
prophets had but enigmatically announced it; as, for instance, Isaiah, who
in the person of the Assyrian tragically revealed the course to be followed
against the devil. But when the Lord appeared, and the devil clearly
understood that eternal fire was laid up and prepared for him and his
angels, he then began to plot without ceasing against the faithful, being
desirous to have many companions in his apostasy, that he might not by
himself endure the shame of condemnation, comforting himself by this cold
and malicious consolation.--From the writings of JOHN OF ANTIOCH.
V.
And Justin of Neapolis, a man who was not far separated from the
apostles either in age or excellence, says that that which is mortal is
inherited, but that which is immortal inherits; and that the flesh indeed
dies, but the kingdom of heaven lives.--From METHODIUS On the Resurrection,
in Photius.
VI.
Neither is there straitness with God, nor anything that is not
absolutely perfect.--From manuscript of the writings of JUSTIN.
VII.
We shall not injure God by remaining ignorant of Him, but shall deprive
ourselves of His friendship.
VIII.
The unskilfulness of the teacher proves destructive to his disciples,
and the carelessness of the disciples entails danger on the teacher, and
especially should they owe their negligence to his want of knowledge.
IX.
The soul can with difficulty be recalled to those good things from
which it has fallen, and is with difficulty dragged away from those evils
to which it has become accustomed. If at any time thou showest a
disposition to blame thyself, then perhaps, through the medicine of
repentance, I should cherish good hopes regarding thee. But when thou
altogether despisest fear, and rejectest with scorn the very faith of
Christ, it were better for thee that thou hadst never been born from the
womb.--From the writings of JOHN OF DAMASCUS.
X.
By the two birds(1) Christ is denoted, both dead as man, and living as
God. He is likened to a bird, because He is understood and declared to be
from above, and from heaven. And the living bird, having been dipped in the
blood of the dead one, was afterwards let go. For the living and divine
Word was in the crucified and dead temple [of the body], as being a
partaker of the passion, and yet impossible to God.
By that which took place in the running(2) water, in which the wood and
the hyssop and the scarlet were dipped, is set forth the bloody passion of
Christ on the cross for the salvation of those who are sprinkled with the
Spirit, and the water, and the blood. Wherefore the material for
purification was not provided chiefly with reference to leprosy, but with
regard to the forgiveness of sins, that both leprosy might be understood to
be an emblem of sin, and the things which were sacrificed an emblem of Him
who was to be sacrificed for sins.
For this reason, consequently, he ordered that the scarlet should be
dipped at the same time in the water, thus predicting that the flesh should
no longer possess its natural [evil] properties. For this reason, also,
were there the two birds, the one being sacrificed in the water, and the
other dipped both in the blood and in the water and then sent away, just as
is narrated also respecting the goats.
The goat that was sent away presented a type of Him who taketh away the
sins of men. But the two contained a representation of the one economy of
God incarnate. For He was wounded for our transgressions, and He bare the
sins of many, and He was delivered for our iniquities.--From manuscript of
writings of JUSTIN.
XI.
When God formed man at the beginning, He suspended the things of nature
on his will, and made an experiment by means of one commandment. For He
ordained that, if he kept this, he should partake of immortal existence;
but if he transgressed it, the contrary should be his lot. Man having been
thus made, and immediately looking towards transgression, naturally became
subject to corruption. Corruption then becoming inherent in nature, it was
necessary that He who wished to save should be one who destroyed the
efficient cause of corruption. And this could not otherwise be done than by
the life which is according to nature being united to that which had
received the corruption, and so destroying the corruption, while preserving
as immortal for the future that which had received it. It was therefore
necessary that the Word should become possessed of a body, that He might
deliver us from the death of natural corruption. For if, as ye(3) say, He
had simply by a nod warded off death from us, death indeed would not have
approached us on account of the expression of His will; but none the less
would we again have become corruptible, inasmuch as we carried about in
ourselves that natural corruption.--LEONTIUS against Eutychians, etc., book
ii.
XII.
As it is inherent in all bodies formed by God to have a shadow, so it
is fitting that God, who is just, should render to those who choose what is
good, and to those who prefer what is evil, to every one according to his
deserts.--From the writings of JOHN OF DAMASCUS.
XIII.
He speaks not of the Gentiles in foreign lands, but concerning [the
people] who agree with the Gentiles, according to that which is spoken by
Jeremiah: "It is a bitter thing for thee, that thou hast forsaken me, saith
the Lord thy God, that of old thou hast broken thy yoke, and torn asunder
thy bands, and said, I will not serve Thee, but will go to every high hill,
and underneath every tree, and there shall I become dissolute in my
fornication."(4)--From manuscript of the writings of JUSTIN.
XIV.
Neither shall light ever be darkness as long as light exists, nor shall
the truth of the things pertaining to us be controverted. For truth is that
than which nothing is more powerful. Every one who might speak the truth,
and speaks it not, shall be judged by God.--Manuscript and works of JOHN OF
DAMASCUS.
XV.
And the fact that it was not said of the seventh day equally with the
other days, "And there was evening, and there was morning," is a distinct
indication of the consummation which is to take place in it before it is
finished, as the fathers declare, especially St. Clement, and Irenaeus, and
Justin the martyr and philosopher, who, commenting with exceeding wisdom on
the number six of the sixth day, affirms that the intelligent soul of man
and his five susceptible senses were the six works of the sixth day. Whence
also, having discoursed at length on the number six, he declares that all
things which have been framed by God are divided into six classes,--viz.,
into things intelligent and immortal, such as are the angels; into things
reasonable and mortal, such as mankind; into things sensitive and
irrational, such as cattle, and birds, and fishes; into things that can
advance, and move, and are insensible, such as the winds, and the clouds,
and the waters, and the stars; into things which increase and are
immoveable, such as the trees; and into things which are insensible and
immoveable, such as the mountains, the earth, and such like. For all the
creatures of God, in heaven and on earth, fall under one or other of these
divisions, and are circumscribed by them.--From the writings of ANASTASIUS.
XVI.
Sound doctrine does not enter into the hard and disobedient heart; but,
as if beaten back, enters anew into itself.
XVII.
As the good of the body is health, so the good of the soul is
knowledge, which is indeed a kind of health of soul, by which a likeness to
God is attained.--From the writings of JOHN OF DAMASCUS.
XVIII.
To yield and give way to our passions is the lowest slavery, even as to
rule over them is the only liberty.
The greatest of all good is to be free from sin, the next is to be
justified; but he must be reckoned the most unfortunate of men, who, while
living unrighteously, remains for a long time unpunished.
Animals in harness cannot but be carried over a precipice by the
inexperience and badness of their driver, even as by his skilfulness and
excellence they will be saved.
The end contemplated by a philosopher is likeness to God, so far as
that is possible.--From the writings of ANTONIUS MELISSA.
XIX.
[The words] of St. Justin, philosopher and martyr, from the fifth part
of his Apology:(1)--I reckon prosperity, O men, to consist in nothing else
than in living according to truth. But we do not live properly, or
according to truth, unless we understand the nature of things.
It escapes them apparently, that he who has by a true faith come forth
from error to the truth, has truly known himself, not, as they say, as
being in a state of frenzy, but as free from the unstable and (as to every
variety of error) changeable corruption, by the simple and ever identical
truth.--From the writings of JOHN OF DAMASCUS.
Taken from "The Early Church Fathers and Other Works" originally published
by Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. in English in Edinburgh, Scotland beginning in
1867. (ANF 1, Roberts and Donaldson.) The digital version is by The
Electronic Bible Society, P.O. Box 701356, Dallas, TX 75370, 214-407-WORD.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The electronic form of this document is copyrighted.
Copyright (c) Eternal Word Television Network 1996.
Provided courtesy of:
EWTN On-Line Services
PO Box 3610
Manassas, VA 22110
Voice: 703-791-2576
Fax: 703-791-4250
Data: 703-791-4336
FTP: ftp.ewtn.com
Telnet: ewtn.com
WWW:
http://www.ewtn.com.
Email address:
[email protected]
-------------------------------------------------------------------
