4. that He would make a Priest for ever. To you only then
Original reason of divers laivs.
Just, first who received circumcision, gave tithes, and was blessed -, ^^J' by him, accordins;' to whose order God declared by David Ps. 110, ^ ' o -^ 4. that He would make a Priest for ever.
To you only then is circumcision necessary; that, as the prophet Hosea, one ^. 1, 9. of the twelve, says, Thy people should not he a people, and the nation not a nation.
All these were just men, and righteous in the sight of God, without even keeping the sabbath, as after them were Abraham and his posterity down to the time of Moses, when your nation was sinful and unthankful tow^ards God, making a golden calf in the wilderness, whence God, in condescension to that people's infirmity, commanded you, to prevent your committing idolatry, to ofifer sacrifice to His Name alone, which you obeyed not, but offered even your children to devils.
He moreover enjoined on you the observance of the Sabbath, that you might remember God ; as His own words declare, Ezek.20, saying. That ye may knoiv that I am God your Saviour.
Rea^soii ^^* " -^^^ lastly. He directed you to abstain from certain of the kinds of flesh, that when you ate and drank, you might still mrats. liave God before your eyes^: for you have ever been prone to depart from the knowledge of Him, as Moses also says,
Exod.
The people ate and drank, and rose up to play ; and again, if'ut* *^^^o^ ^^^ ^^d was filled, and "^ waxed fat ; and my beloved 32, 15. kicked, he waxed fat, and grew thick and broad, and forsook the God Who made him.
But that God permitted Noah, being a just man, to eat every kind of flesh, except that with the blood, which dies of itself, is recorded for you by Moses in the book of Genesis."
Gen. 9, And as Trypho was about to add, " as the green herb,'' I anticipated him, saying, "why do you not receive that expression, as the green herb, as God spoke it, that as He gave the herbs to man for good, so He gave him also the living creatures, that he might eat flesh ; but since we do not eat some kinds of lierbs, you assert that Noah was commanded y Ben. cites Clem. A\. Paed. i. c. 1. here in the LXX, but St. Chrysostom p. 149.
Teit. 2. against Marcion, c 19. cites the passage in the same manner Novatian de Cib. c.
Const.
Ap. as St. Justin in his tirst Homily to the vi. 20. and defends S. Justin's opinion Jews." (Tom, i. p. 386. A. 2
Ducseus,) against the objections of Spencer de Benedictine note.
Leg. Heb. t. l.p.265, * veKpiixatov. Vid. Schleusner in verb.
^EMirdvQ-r]. " This word is not found
Disti)}ction of meats.
SahhatJis,
even then to make a distinction.
This explanation however Diajl. cannot be received.
Now that every vegetable is a herb '^'''^^"and may be eaten, I could easily prove, nor is it worth while to spend time upon the question.
But if we distinguish between some kinds of them, and do not make use of all alike, it is not because some are common or unclean, but because they are bitter to the taste, or poisonous, or prickly; but every sweet and wholesome one we enjoy and partake of, whether growing by sea or by land.
God then commanded you by Moses to abstain from all animals that are unclean, and injurious, and outrageous^; for when you • Trapahad eaten manna in the wilderness, and had seen all the ^^i^^^marvellous works which God did for you, you made a golden calf, and worshipped it.
So that He ever justly says of you, foolish children, in whom there is no faith.
']^*^*- 21.
" And it was for your sins, and for the sins of yourlnstitufathers, as I said before, that God required you for a[J|^"g°^|j sign to observe the sabbaths, and laid His other commandbath. ments on you, as I said before; He also signifies, that it was for the sake of the Gentiles, that His name might not be profaned among them, that He permitted a remnant of you to remain to this day; as His own words may clearly prove to you.
He says thus by Ezekiel; / am the Lord your God: walk in my statutes, arid keep my judgments, and he not mingled with the customs of the Egyptians, and hallow my sabbaths ; and it shall be a sign hetiveen me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.
And ye provoked me to anger, and your children ivalked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them; ivhich if a man do, he shall even live in them.
But they polluted my sabbaths; and L said, L would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to accomplish my anger against them : and I did it not, that my name might not be entirely polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth: I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I ivould scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries, because they had not executed my judgments, and had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers'' inventions.
And I gave them statutes that icere not good, and judgments
Sacrifices not of themselves pleasing to God.
Just, ivherehy they shall not live : and I will pollute them in their }!Lt^ own gifts, when I shall pass over to destroy all that openeth the womb.
The sa2j2.
" Further, that it was for the sins of your nation and crifices |.|^g-^, idolatries, and not because He had any need of such lations. sacrifices, that God commanded you to do these things, hear what is spoken by Amos, one of the twelve Prophets,
Amos 5, crying, Woe unto them that desire the day of the Lord: to ^^d° 6 ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^* ^^'^* ^^y ^^ ^^^^ -^^^^ f^'^ y^'^^^ ^^ ^* darkness, and 1 to's.' not light.
As if a man did flee from a lion, and a hear met him; and if he sprang into his house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent hit him.
Shall not the day of the Lord he darkness, and not light, even very dark, and no brightness in it for them? I hate, I despise your feast days, and I ivill not smell in your solemn assemblies.
Though you offer me burnt off^erings and your meat offerings, I will 7iot accept theyn, neither will I regard the shew of your peace offerings.
Take away from me the multitude of thy songs and psalms; for I will not hear thy viols.
And judgment shall run down as water, and righteousness as a mighty stream.
Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness, O house of Israel? saith the Lord.
But ye have borne the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your nod Raphan, figures which ye made to yourselves; and I will cause you to be carried away beyond Damascus, saith the Lord, Whose name is God Almighty.
Woe unto them that live delicately and are at ease in Sion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria.
They which are named after the chiefs have made harvest of the rulers of the tiafions; the house of Israel came in unto themselves.
Pass ye all unto Calneh, and see: from thence go ye to Hemath the great; and then go down to Gath of the Philistines; to the best of all these kingdoms, if their borders be greater than your borders.
They that come to the evil day, they that come near, and arrive at the false sabbaths; that sleep upon beds of ivory, and fare sumptuously upon their couches; that eat the lamhs of the flock, and the sucking calves out of the midst of the stalls that rejoice at the sound of the viols.
They thought those things ivere to continue, and not to be carried away; they that drinh wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the
Prophets declare the Jeivs sacrifices vain.
chief ointments, and have not grieved for the affliction of Dial.
Joseph.
Therefore noiv shall they he the first to go captive with T^:ll^ the chief of the nobles that are going captive, and the dwelling place of the wicked shall be removed, and the jieighing of horses shall be taken aivay from Ephraini.
And againJer. 7, by Jeremiah, Gather together your fiesh and your sacri- ' ^^' fices, and eat.
For 1 commandjed not your fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land ofEgypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices.
And again by David in the forty-ninth Psalm, The God of gods, Ps, so. the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth foni the rising of the sun to the going doivn thereof Out of Sion, the perfection of His beauty, God shall come openly, even our God, and shall not keep silence.
A fire shall devour before Him, audit shall be very tempestuous round about Him.
He shall call the heaven from above, and the earth, that He may judge His people.
Gather His saints together unto Him, those that have made a covenant with Him with sacrifice.
And the heavens shall declare His righteousness : for God is Judge.
Hear, My people, and I will speak to thee O Israel, and I will testify unto thee : I am God, even thy God.
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices; but thy burnt offerings are continually before Me.
I will take no calves out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy fold^.
For every beast of the field is Mine, the cattle upon the hills, and the bullocks.
I know all the fowls of Heaven, and the beauty of the field is with Me.
If I be hu?igry, I will not tell thee, for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
Will I eat the fiesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats ?
Offer unto God the sacrifice of praise, and pay thy vows unto the Most High.
And call upon Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shall glorify Me.
But unto the sinner, God saith, What hast thou to do to declare My statutes, and to take My covenant in thy mouth? seeing thou hafest instruction, and easiest My words behind thee.
If thou sawest a thief, thou didst run along loith him; and didst cast in thy portion with the adulterer.
Thy mouth hath abounded with evil, and thy tongue hath framed deceit.
Thou didst sit and speak against thy brother, and didst set a stumbling-block against thine own mother s son.
These things hast thou done, and I II
Jewish rites ordained for a sinful people.
Just, kept silence : thou didst imagine wickedness, that I shall he ^'^^^"^' such a one as thyself.
I ivill reprove thee^ and will set thy sins in order before thine eyes.
Now consider these things, ye that forget God; lest He snatch you away, and there he none to deliver you.
The sacrifice of praise will honour Me, and there is the luay hy which I will shew him My salvation.
"He receives not your sacrifices then, nor did He command you to ofter them at first as standing in need of them, but on account of your sins.
The Temple too, as you call it, in Jerusalem, He did not condescend to term His house or court, as if He needed either, but that you even by thus cleaving to Eim might avoid idolatry.
This appears by the Tsa. QQ, words of Isaiah, What house have ye huiltMe? saith the Lord:
^' the Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool.
The 23. "If we will not acknowledge this, we must necessarily notion ^^^^ ^^^^° notions that cannot be admitted: either that dishothere was not the same God in the days of Enoch and all the 'God!' rest, who did not practise circumcision according to the flesh and keep the Sabbaths, and those other rites and ceremonies which are enjoined by the law of Moses, or that He did not care that all mankind should always perform the same righteous acts ; which suppositions are absurd and ridiculous.
AVe must therefore confess that it was for the sake of sinful men, that He, Who is always the same, commanded the same things to be observed, and can pronounce Him to be friendly to man, possessed of foreknowledge, needing nothing, just and good.
If this be not so, tell me, Sirs, what are your opinions on the subject ?" When none of them made any reply, I continued, "I will then repeat to you, Trypho, and to those who wish to become proselytes, that divine doctrine which I myself heard from the man of whom I spoked
Do you not see that the elements stay not working, nor do they keep any sabbaths ?
Remain as you were born ; for if before Abraham circumcision was not needful, nor sabbaths, feasts, and sacrifices, before Moses, neither are they so now, when
•* St.
Justin plainly refers to the meant of those who were hearers of person whom he had met by the seaTrypho, and might therefore be supside, and who converted him to Chrisposed to intend to receive circumcision, tianity, as related in sections 3— 8. and become Jewish pio-^elytes.
See Ben. takes 'jiroselytes' in the sense of p. i03. note g.
Christian prdselytes, but it may be
Righteousness is not by carnal circumcision.
according to the will of God, Jesus Christ His Son has dial. been born without sin of the Virgin Mary, who was of the T^^^j race of Abraham.
For Abraham himself too was justified, 4 'n. and received a blessing from God, for the faith which he had being yet in uncircumcision, as the Scripture says
; but circumcision was given to him for a sign of righteousness, and not for righteousness itself, as both Scripture and the nature of the case compel us to believe.
Hence it is justly said of your nation, That soul shall be cut off from his Gen. \7, people which is not circumcised on the eighth day.
And since women are incapable of receiving fleshly circumcision, we have a positive proof that it is given as a sign, and not as a work of righteousness.
For God has made that sex capable of performing all the duties of justice and righteousness.
We see indeed that the physical formation of the sexes is different, but we know that neither of them is righteous or unrighteous on that account, but in respect of the duties of holiness and virtue.
24. "And, my friends," I continued, *4t were in my power Christo prove that it was preached to us by God through these chcummeans, that the eighth day had in it some mystery rather <^'s'°°* than the seventh ; but that I may not appear to wander to other subjects, understand me, I intreat, that the blood of the former circumcision is now done away, and that we trust to the Blood of the Saviour.
Another Testament now, and a new law, has come out of Zion.
Jesus Christ circumcises all who are willing with knives of stone ^, as was taught of old, that this may become a righteous nation ; a nation keeping faith, laying hold on truth, and keeping peace.
Come with me, all ye who fear God, and desire to behold the prosperity of Jerusalem.
Come, let us walk in the light Issi. 2
5.6. of the Lord, for He hath released His people the house of Jacob.
Come all nations, let us be gathered together at that ^ St. Justin explains his meaning at with the precepts of Christ, Who is both more length in §§. 113. and 114.
As called a stone, and is the Stone that Moses circumcised the Israelites with was cut without hands, and by the the first circumcision, which was done preaching of His Apostles, by which bv ktiives of iron, and Joshua cireumthose who were previously wandering cised them with a second circuineision about in error are circumcised in heart, by knives of stone; (Joshua v. 2. SepThis circumcision is shewn, by tuagint version;) so are Christians eirJoshua's typical imitation of it, to be cumcised with a second circumcision intended by God to apply to the Jews, also, and by knives of stone ; that is, as well as to the followers of Christ.
H Q
100 Prophecy of the Jews seeking admission to the Church.
Jx-fST. Jerusalem, Avhich is now no longer beset with wars for the * sins of her people.
As the Lord says by Isaiah, / tvas 1—3. made mcmifest to them that seek Me not, I was found of them tliat ask not after Me ; I said, Behold Me, to nations wiiich called not 07i My name: I have spread out My hands all the day to a rebellious and gainsaying people, which walketh in a loay that is not good, hut after their own sins ; a people that provoketJi Me to anger to My face.
Jews ^5. " They who justify themselves, and boast that they are ^ '-^^ children of Abraham, hope to obtain even some small ^Ahr^liani's portion of the inheritance with you^ as the Holy Ghost (Ireii. speaks by Isaiah in their name.
Look down from heaven, and Is, 03, hehold Jrom the habitation of Thy holiness and glory.
Where end; and Z5 Thy zeal and Thy strength^ Where is the multitude of ^^'
Thy mercy, because Thou didst bear with us, O Lord/ For Thou art cur Father: for Abraham is ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledgeth us not.
But Thou, O Lord, our Father, deliver us ; Thy name is from everlasting upon us; O Lord, why hast Thou made us to err from Thy way ; and hardened our heart from Thy fear ?
Return, for Thy servants' sake, for the tribes of Thine inheritance, that we may possess a little of Thy holy mountain.
We are become as ive were at the beginning, when Thou didst not rule over us, and Thy name was not called upon us.
If thou shouldest rend the heavens; fear shall seize the mountains from Thee, and they shall be melted away, as wax is melted at the fire and the fire shall consume Thine enemies, and Thy name shall be made known to Thine adversaries; the nations shall he dismayed at Thy presence.
When Tdou shalt do glorious things, fear shall seize the mountains on account of Thee.
From the beginning of the zvorld we have not heard, iieither have our eyes seen any God besides Thee, and Thy works, which Thou shaH do, even mercy to those that repent.
He ivill meet them that ivork righteousfiess, and they shall remember Thy ways.
Behold, Thou art wroth, and we have sinned.
Wherefore ice have been led astray, we are all become unclean, and all our righteous7iesses are as filthy rags.
And we all do fall as leaves, by reason of our iniquities, so '^ Or 'with us,' as some conjecture.
Gentiles.' Ste §. 23.
Eut ht' may mean, * with converted
Jews and Gentiles alike saved through Christ.
the wind shall carry us away: and there is none that calleth Dial. on Thy name, none that rememhereth to take hold of Thee : — * for Thou hast hid Thy face from us, and hast delivered us up, because of our iniquities.
But now, Lord, return, because we are all Thy people.
The city of Thy sanctuary is become a wilderness ; Sion is as a desert, Jerusalem is a curse.
The house, our sanctuary, and the glory, ichich our fathers praised, are burnt with fire, and all our glorious customs^ are laid ivaste.
And upon these things Thou hast refrained Thyself, O Lord, and hast held Thy peace, and hast humbled its very exceedingly.'''
" What then," said Trypho, " do you mean that none of us shall inherit any thing in the holy mountain of God?"
26.
" I say not that," I replied, " but that they who have Salvapersecuted Christ, and who persecute Him still, and repent j°".3° not, shall have no part at all in the holy mountain ; whilst ^"d the Gentiles, who believe in Him and repent of their sins, through shall have their inheritance with the Patriarchs and Prophets, Christ. and all the righteous who are descended from Jacob
; even though they observe not the sabbath, and are not circumcised, nor keep the feasts, they shall assuredly share in the holy inheritance of God: for God speaks thus by Isaiah; I the Lord God have called thee in righteousness, and I will In. 42, hold thine hand, and will strengthen thee.
And I have given thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out the prisoners from the 2^rison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prisonhouse.
And again; Lift up a staiidard for the peop)le. i^or Is.' 62, behold, the Lord hath made it to be heard unto the end of the ^/° , '
«^ end;ancl world.
Say ye to the daughters of Sion, Behold, thy Saviour 63, i-7.
Cometh to thee, bringing His reward with Him, and His work before Him.
And He shall call this the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord.
And thou shalt be called a city sought out, and notforsaken.
Who is this that comethfrom. Edom, the red dye ofHis garments isfrom Bosor?
This that is glorious in His apparel, coming up in the greatness of His strength
'^ I discourse righteousness, and thejudgment ofsalvation.
Where- ^ Eeading eOr).
Thp word is not in nations hcwe rushed together, glorious;^' the LXX, leaving the sense ' gluriuus i, e, have taken the glory for their own thi»gs.' The M.ss. have eOvr].
'^ All the that was ours.
Why the Prophets insist on the sabbalh, Sfc, JtjsT. fore is thine apparel red, and thy garments as from a trodden
^^^'^- wine-press ?
Full of the trodden grape, I have trodden the ivine-press all alone, and of the people there was not a man with me.
And I have trampled them in my fury, and I have bruised them as the earth, and I have shed their blood upon the earth.
For the day of vengeance is come upon them, and the year of redemption is at hand.
And I looked, and there was none to help; and I considered, and there was none to assist: and miyie arm brought salvation unto me, and my fury ivas instant to me ; and I have troddeji them in mine anger, and I have shed their blood upon the earth.''
Why the 27. Then Trypho replied, " Why do you in your citations phets from the Prophets select only such passages as suit your insist on j^urpose, and make no mention of those which plainly command the observance of the sabbath? for it is thus spoken Is. 58, by Esaias; Tf thou shalt turn away thy foot from the sabbath,
' from doing thy pleasure on My holy day, and shall call the sabbath a delight, the holy of thy God; if thou shalt not move thy foot to thine oum work, and shalt not speak a ivord out of thy mouth, and shalt trust in the Lord; then He shall lift thee up to the good things of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father ; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.''
" I did not omit these and other like passages of the Prophets," I replied, '* as if they had made against me, my friends, but as you have perceived, and now perceive, that even if God had commanded you by all these Prophets to do the same things as He also commanded by Moses, He always repeats the same things because of the hardness of your hearts, and your ingratitude to Him, that you might even thus if possible repent and please Him, and no more sacrifice
Is. 1,23. your children to devils, nor make yourselves the companions of thieves, loving gifts, and following after rewards ; judging not the fatherless, nor suffering the cause of the widow to Is. 1, 1.5. come unto you, nor having your hands full of blood.
For the '
' daughters of Zion walked with stretched-forth necks, playing together with the twinkling of their eyes, and drawing their Rom.
'i, garments as they go.
And He cries. They are all gone out of 16* ^j\ the way, they are together become unprofitable ; there is none that understandeth, no not one.
With their tongues they have