Receiving The Eucharist

Ἡμεῖς δὲ μετὰ τὸ οὕτως λοῦσαι τὸν πεπεισμένον καὶ συγκατατεθειμένον ἐπὶ τοὺς λεγομένους ἀδελφοὺς ἄγομεν, ἔνθα συνηγμένοι εἰσί, κοινὰς εὐχὰς ποιησόμενοι ὑπέρ τε ἑαυτῶν καὶ τοῦ φωτισθέντος καὶ ἄλλων πανταχοῦ πάντων εὐτόνως, ὅπως καταξιωθῶμεν τὰ ἀληθῆ μαθόντες καὶ δι’ ἔργων ἀγαθοὶ πολιτευταὶ καὶ φύλακες τῶν ἐντεταλμένων εὑρεθῆναι, ὅπως τὴν αἰώνιον σωτηρίαν σωθῶμεν. Ἀλλήλους φιλήματι ἀσπαζόμεθα παυσάμενοι τῶν εὐχῶν. Ἔπειτα προσφέρεται τῷ προεστῶτι τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἄρτος καὶ ποτήριον ὕδατος καὶ κράματος, καὶ οὗτος λαβὼν αἶνον καὶ δόξαν τῷ Πατρὶ τῶν ὅλων διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ Ἁγίου ἀναπέμπει καὶ εὐχαριστίαν ὑπὲρ τοῦ κατηξιῶσθαι τούτων παρ’ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πολὺ ποιεῖται· οὗ συντελέσαντος τὰς εὐχὰς καὶ τὴν εὐχαριστίαν πᾶς ὁ παρὼν λαὸς ἐπευφημεῖ λέγων· Ἀμήν. Tὸ δὲ Ἀμὴν τῇ Ἑβραΐδι φωνῇ τὸ Γένοιτο σημαίνει. Eὐχαριστήσαντος δὲ τοῦ προεστῶτος καὶ ἐπευφημήσαντος παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ οἱ καλούμενοι παρ’ ἡμῖν διάκονοι διδόασιν ἑκάστῳ τῶν παρόντων μεταλαβεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ εὐχαριστηθέντος ἄρτου καὶ οἴνου καὶ ὕδατος καὶ τοῖς οὐ παροῦσιν ἀποφέρουσι. Καὶ ἡ τροφὴ αὕτη καλεῖται παρ’ ἡμῖν εὐχαριστία, ἧς οὐδενὶ ἄλλῳ μετασχεῖν ἐξόν ἐστιν ἢ τῷ πιστεύοντι ἀληθῆ εἶναι τὰ δεδιδαγμένα ὑφ’ ἡμῶν, καὶ λουσαμένῳ τὸ ὑπὲρ ἀφέσεως ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ εἰς ἀναγέννησιν λουτρόν, καὶ οὕτως βιοῦντι ὡς ὁ Χριστὸς παρέδωκεν. Oὐ γὰρ ὡς κοινὸν ἄρτον οὐδὲ κοινὸν πόμα ταῦτα λαμβάνομεν· ἀλλ’ ὃν τρόπον διὰ λόγου θεοῦ σαρκοποιηθεὶς Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ὁ σωτὴρ ἡμῶν καὶ σάρκα καὶ αἷμα ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας ἡμῶν ἔσχεν, οὕτως καὶ τὴν δι’ εὐχῆς λόγου τοῦ παρ’ αὐτοῦ εὐχαριστηθεῖσαν τροφήν, ἐξ ἧς αἷμα καὶ σάρκες κατὰ μεταβολὴν τρέφονται ἡμῶν, ἐκείνου τοῦ σαρκοποιηθέντος Ἰησοῦ καὶ σάρκα καὶ αἷμα ἐδιδάχθημεν εἶναι. Oἱ γὰρ Ἀπόστολοι ἐν τοῖς γενομένοις ὑπ’ αὐτῶν ἀπομνημονεύμασιν, ἃ καλεῖται εὐαγγέλια, οὕτως παρέδωκαν ἐντετάλθαι αὐτοῖς· τὸν Ἰησοῦν λαβόντα ἄρτον εὐχαριστήσαντα εἰπεῖν· Τοῦτο ποιεῖτε εἰς τὴν ἀνάμνησίν μου, τοῦτ’ ἐστι τὸ σῶμά μου· καὶ τὸ ποτήριον ὁμοίως λαβόντα καὶ εὐχαριστήσαντα εἰπεῖν· Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ αἷμά μου· καὶ μόνοις αὐτοῖς μεταδοῦναι. Ἅγιος Ἰουστίνος Μάρτυς, Ἀπολογία Πρῶτη Source: Migne PG 6.428a-429a

But after we have thus washed him who has been persuaded by and has assented to our teaching, we lead him to the place where those who are called brethren are gathered, so that we may make heartfelt prayers in common for ourselves and for the illuminated man, and for all others everywhere, that we may be reckoned worthy, having learnt the truth, and by our works also, to be found good citizens and keepers of the commandments, so that we may be saved with an everlasting salvation. Having ended the prayers, we salute one another with a kiss. Then bread and a cup of wine mixed with water is brought to the presider of the brethren, and taking them he gives praise and glory to the Father of all things, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and he offers thanks at length that we are considered worthy to receive these things from Him. And at the conclusion of these prayers and thanksgivings all the people present assent to it by saying 'Amen,' which word 'Amen' in the Hebrew language means 'so be it.' When the presider has given thanks, and all the people have assented, those called deacons by us give to each of those present to partake of the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and to those who are not present they carry away a portion. And this food which is called the Eucharist among us no one is allowed to partake of but they who believe that the things which we teach are true, and who has been cleansed for the remission of sins and washed to regeneration, and who lives as Christ has taught. For we do not receive these things as common bread and drink, but in the way of the Word of God made flesh, Jesus Christ our Saviour, who had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise we have been taught that the food blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh. For the Apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have so delivered to us what was enjoined on them, that Jesus took bread, and having given thanks, said, 'Do this in remembrance of Me, this is My body.' And likewise, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, 'This is My blood,' and gave it to them alone. Saint Justin Martyr, First Apology

Adding The Nations

Ἀλλὰ Ζαχαρίᾳ, ἐν παραβολῇ δεικνύντι τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἀποκεκρυμμένως κηρύσσοντι, πιστεῦσαι ὀφείλετε. Ἔστι δὲ τὰ λεγόμενα ταῦτα· Χαῖρε καὶ εὐφραίνου, θύγατερ Σιών, ὅτι ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἔρχομαι καὶ κατασκηνώσω ἐν μέσῳ σου, λέγει Κύριος. Καὶ προστεθήσονται ἔθνη πολλὰ πρὸς Κύριον ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ ἔσονταί μοι εἰς λαόν· καὶ κατασκηνώσω ἐν μέσῳ σου, καὶ γνώσονται ὅτι Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων ἀπέσταλκέ με πρός σε. Kαὶ κατακληρονομήσει Kύριος τὸν Ἰούδαν τὴν μερίδα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τὴν ἁγίαν, καὶ ἐκλέξεται ἔτι τὴν Ἰερουσαλήμ. Εὐλαβείσθω πᾶσα σὰρξ ἀπὸ προσώπου Kυρίου, ὅτι ἐξεγήγερται ἐκ νεφελῶν ἁγίων αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἔδειξέ μοι Ἰησοῦν, τὸν ἱερέα τὸν μέγαν, ἑστῶτα πρὸ προσώπου ἀγγέλου Kυρίου· καὶ διάβολος εἱστήκει ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ, τοῦ ἀντικεῖσθαι αὐτῷ. Kαὶ εἶπε Kύριος πρὸς τὸν διάβολον· Ἐπιτιμήσαι Kύριος ἐν σοί, ὁ ἐκλεξάμενος τὴν Ἰερουσαλήμ. οὐχὶ ἰδοὺ τοῦτο δαλὸς ἐξεσπασμένος ἐκ πυρός; Μέλλοντί τε τῷ Τρύφωνι ἀποκρίνεσθαι καὶ ἀντιλέγειν μοι ἔφην· Πρῶτον ἀνάμεινον καὶ ἄκουσον ἃ λέγω. οὐ γὰρ ἣν ὑπολαμβάνεις ἐξήγησιν ποιεῖσθαι μέλλω, ὡς μὴ γεγενημένου ἱερέως τινὸς Ἰησοῦ ὀνόματι ἐν τῇ Βαβυλωνίᾳ γῇ, ὅπου αἰχμάλωτος ὁ λαὸς ὑμῶν. Ὅπερ εἰ καὶ ἐποίουν, ἀπέδειξα ὅτι ἦν μὲν Ἰησοῦς ἱερεὺς ἐν τῷ γένει ὑμῶν· τοῦτον δὲ αὐτὸν οὐκ ἐν τῇ ἀποκαλύψει αὐτοῦ ἑωράκει ὁ προφήτης, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ τὸν διάβολον καὶ τὸν τοῦ Kυρίου ἄγγελον οὐκ αὐτοψίᾳ, ἐν καταστάσει ὤν, ἑωράκει, ἀλλ' ἐν ἐκστάσει, ἀποκαλύψεως αὐτῷ γεγενημένης. Νῦν δὲ λέγω ὅτι, ὅνπερ τρόπον διὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὀνόματος τῷ Ναυῆ υἱῷ καὶ δυνάμεις καὶ πράξεις τινὰς προκηρυσούσας τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡμετέρου Kυρίου μέλλοντα γίνεσθαι πεποιηκέναι ἔφη, οὕτω καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐν Βαβυλῶνι Ἰησοῦ ἱερέως γενομένου ἐν τῷ λαῷ ὑμῶν ἀποκάλυψιν ἔρχομαι νῦν ἀποδεῖξαι προκήρυξιν εἶναι τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡμετέρου ἱερέως καὶ θεοῦ καὶ Χριστοῦ, υἱοῦ τοῦ πατρὸς τῶν ὅλων, γίνεσθαι μελλόντων. Ἤδη μέντοι ἐθαύμαζον, ἔφην, διὰ τί καὶ πρὸ μικροῦ ἡσυχίαν ἠγάγετε ἐμοῦ λέγοντος, ἢ πῶς οὐκ ἐπελάβεσθέ μου εἰπόντος ὅτι ὁ τοῦ Ναυῆ υἱὸς τῶν ἐξελθόντων ἀπ' Αἰγύπτου ὁμηλίκων μόνος εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν γῆν καὶ οἱ γεγραμμένοι ἀφήλικες τῆς γενεᾶς ἐκείνης. Ὥσπερ γὰρ αἱ μυῖαι ἐπὶ τὰ ἕλκη προστρέχετε καὶ ἐφίπτασθε. Kἂν γὰρ μύρια τις εἴπῃ καλῶς, ἓν δὲ μικρὸν ὁτιοῦν εἴη μὴ εὐάρεστον ὑμῖν ἢ μὴ νοούμενον ἢ μὴ πρὸς τὸ ἀκριβές, τῶν μὲν πολλῶν καλῶν οὐ πεφροντίκατε, τοῦ δὲ μικροῦ ῥηματίου ἐπιλαμβάνεσθε καὶ κατασκευάζειν αὐτὸ ὡς ἀσέβημα καὶ ἀδίκημα σπουδάζετε, ἵνα τῇ αὐτῇ ὁμοίᾳ κρίσει ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ κρινόμενοι πολὺ μᾶλλον ὑπὲρ τῶν μεγάλων τολμημάτων, εἴτε κακῶν πράξεων εἴτε φαύλων ἐξηγήσεων, ἃς παραποιοῦντες ἐξηγεῖσθε, λόγον δώσετε. Ὃ γὰρ κρίμα κρίνετε, δίκαιόν ἐστιν ὑμᾶς κριθῆναι. Ἀλλ' ἵνα τὸν λόγον τὸν περὶ τῆς ἀποκαλύψεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ ἁγίου ἀποδιδῶ ὑμῖν, ἀναλαμβάνω τὸν λόγον καί φημι κἀκείνην τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν εἰς ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἐπὶ τὸν Χριστὸν ἀρχιερέα τοῦτον τὸν σταυρωθέντα πιστεύοντας γεγενῆσθαι· οἵτινες, ἐν πορνείαις καὶ ἁπλῶς πάσῃ ῥυπαρᾷ πράξει ὑπάρχοντες, διὰ τῆς παρὰ τοῦ ἡμετέρου Ἰησοῦ κατὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ χάριτος τὰ ῥυπαρὰ πάντα, ἃ ἠμφιέσμεθα, κακὰ ἀπεδυσάμεθα, οἷς ὁ διάβολος ἐφέστηκεν ἀεὶ ἀντικείμενος καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἕλκειν πάντας βουλόμενος, καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ θεοῦ, τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἡ δύναμις τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ πεμφθεῖσα ἡμῖν διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐπιτιμᾷ αὐτῷ καὶ ἀφίσταται ἀφ' ἡμῶν. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἀπὸ πυρὸς ἐξεσπασμένοι ἐσμέν, ἀπὸ μὲν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τῶν προτέρων καθαρισθέντες, ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς θλίψεως καὶ τῆς πυρώσεως, ἣν πυροῦσιν ἡμᾶς ὅ τε διάβολος καὶ οἱ αὐτοῦ ὑπηρέται πάντες, ἐξ ὧν καὶ πάλιν ἀποσπᾷ ἡμᾶς Ἰησοῦς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ· ἐνδῦσαι ἡμᾶς τὰ ἡτοιμασμένα ἐνδύματα, ἐὰν πράξωμεν αὐτοῦ τὰς ἐντολάς, ὑπέσχετο, καὶ αἰώνιον βασιλείαν προνοῆσαι ἐπήγγελται. Ὃν γὰρ τρόπον Ἰησοῦς ἐκεῖνος, ὁ λεγόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ προφήτου ἱερεύς, ῥυπαρὰ ἱμάτια ἐφάνη φορῶν διὰ τὸ γυναῖκα πόρνην λελέχθαι εἰληφέναι αὐτόν, καὶ δαλὸς ἐξεσπασμένος ἐκ πυρὸς ἐκλήθη διὰ τὸ ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν εἰληφέναι, ἐπιτιμηθέντος καὶ τοῦ ἀντικειμένου αὐτῷ διαβόλου, οὕτως ἡμεῖς, οἱ διὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὀνόματος ὡς εἷς ἄνθρωπος πιστεύσαντες εἰς τὸν ποιητὴν τῶν ὅλων θεόν, διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ πρωτοτόκου αὐτοῦ υἱοῦ τὰ ῥυπαρὰ ἱμάτια τοῦτ' ἔστι τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ἀπημφιεσμένοι, πυρωθέντες διὰ τοῦ λόγου τῆς κλήσεως αὐτοῦ, ἀρχιερατικὸν τὸ ἀληθινὸν γένος ἐσμὲν τοῦ θεοῦ, ὡς καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ θεὸς μαρτυρεῖ, εἰπὼν ὅτι ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι θυσίας εὐαρέστους αὐτῷ καὶ καθαρὰς προσφέροντες. Οὐ δέχεται δὲ παρ' οὐδενὸς θυσίας ὁ θεός, εἰ μὴ διὰ τῶν ἱερέων αὐτοῦ. Ἅγιος Ἰουστίνος Μάρτυς, Πρὸς Τρύφωνα Ἰουδαῖον Διάλογος Source: Migne PG 6.741a-745a

But Zechariah who shows in parable the mystery of Christ, and announces it obscurely, you should believe. This is what he says: ''Rejoice, and be glad, O daughter of Zion, for, behold, I come, and I shall dwell in the midst of you, says the Lord. And many nations shall be added to the Lord in that day, and they shall be my people, and I will dwell in the midst of you, and they shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and He shall choose Jerusalem again. Let all flesh fear before the Lord, for He is raised up out of His holy clouds. And He showed me Jesus (Joshua) the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and the devil stood at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said to the devil, 'The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you.' Behold, is this not a brand plucked out of the fire?' 1 As Trypho was about to reply and contradict me, I said: 'First wait and hear what I say, for I am not to give the explanation which you presume, that there had been no priest named Joshua (Jesus) in the land of Babylon, where your people were captive. But even if I did, I have shown that if there was a priest named Joshua (Jesus) among your people, yet the prophet did not see him in his revelation, just as he did not see the devil or the angel of the Lord, with his own eye, while awake, but in an ecstasy, at the time of the revelation. But now I say that as Scripture says that the Son of Nave (Nun) by the name Jesus (Joshua) wrought powerful works and exploits which foretold what would be performed by our Lord, so I proceed now to show that the revelation made among your people in Babylon in the days of Jesus (Joshua) the priest, was a foretelling of the things to be accomplished by our Priest, who is God, and Christ, the Son of God the Father of all. Indeed, I was surprised, I say, why a little time ago you kept silence while I was speaking and did not interrupt me when I said that the son of Nave (Nun) was the only one of his contemporaries who came out of Egypt, who entered the Holy Land, along with the men described as being younger than that generation. For you swarm about and fix on sores like flies. For though one should speak ten thousand words well, if there be one little word that is not pleasing to you, either because it is not intelligible or precise, you care not for the many good words, but seize on the little word, and are most zealous in setting it up as something impious and criminal, so that when you are judged with the same judgment by God, you have much more to answer for because of your great audacities, whether evil deeds, or flawed interpretations which you draw forth by error. For with what judgment you judge, it is righteous that you be judged. But to give you the account of the revelation of the holy Jesus Christ, I take up again the discourse and say that that revelation was made for us who believe in Christ the High Priest, the crucified One, we who though we lived in fornication and all kinds of foul deeds, have by the grace of our Jesus, according to the will of His Father, stripped ourselves of all those filthy wickednesses with which we were imbued. And though the devil is always near to resist us, and wishes  to draw everyone to himself, yet the Angel of God, that is, the Power of God sent to us through Jesus Christ, rebukes him, and he departs from us. And we are as if drawn out from the fire when purified from our former sins, and saved from the affliction and from the fire by which the devil and all his helpers scorch us, from which Jesus the Son of God is again to deliver us, and clothe us with prepared garments, if we perform His commandments, for which He has promised to provide an eternal kingdom. For just as that Jesus (Joshua), who was called by the prophet a priest, evidently wore filthy garments because he is said to have taken a harlot for a wife, and is called a brand plucked from the fire because he had received forgiveness of sins when the devil that opposed him was rebuked, so we, who through the name of Jesus have believed as one man in God the Maker of all, have been stripped, through the name of His first begotten Son, of the filthy garments, that is, of our sins, and being inflamed by the word of His calling, we are the true high priestly race of God, as even God Himself gives witness, saying that in every place among the Gentiles sacrifices are offered to Him well pleasing and pure. And God does not receive sacrifices from anyone, except through His priests. Saint Justin Martyr, Dialogue With Trypho, 115-116 1 Zech 2.10-13, 3.1-2

Saving The Soul

Τὰ δὲ ἀκόλουθα τοῦ ψαλμοῦ· Σὺ δέ, Κύριε, μὴ μακρύνῃς τὴν βοήθειάν σου ἀπ' ἐμοῦ· εἰς τὴν ἀντίληψίν μου πρόσχες· ῥῦσαι ἀπὸ ῥομφαίας τὴν ψυχήν μου καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς κυνὸς τὴν μονογενῆ μου· σῶσόν με ἐκ στόματος λέοντος καὶ ἀπὸ κεράτων μονοκερώτων τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου· ὁμοίως πάλιν διδασκαλία καὶ προαγγελία τῶν ὄντων αὐτῷ καὶ συμβαίνειν μελλόντων. μονογενὴς γὰρ ὅτι ἦν τῷ πατρὶ τῶν ὅλων οὗτος, ἰδίως ἐξ αὐτοῦ λόγος καὶ δύναμις γεγεννημένος, καὶ ὕστερον ἄνθρωπος διὰ τῆς παρθένου γενόμενος, ὡς ἀπὸ τῶν ἀπομνημονευμάτων ἐμάθομεν, προεδήλωσα. Καὶ ὅτι σταυρωθεὶς ἀπέθανεν, ὁμοίως προεῖπε. Τὸ γὰρ Ῥῦσαι ἀπὸ ῥομφαίας τὴν ψυχήν μου καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς κυνὸς τὴν μονογενῆ μου· σῶσόν με ἐκ στόματος λέοντος καὶ ἀπὸ κεράτων μονοκερώτων τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου· ὁμοίως μηνύοντος δι' οὗ πάθους ἔμελλεν ἀποθνήσκειν, τοῦτ' ἔστι σταυροῦσθαι· τὸ γὰρ κεράτων μονοκερώτων ὅτι τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ σταυροῦ ἐστι μόνου, προεξηγησάμην ὑμῖν. Καὶ τὸ ἀπὸ ῥομφαίας καὶ στόματος λέοντος καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς κυνὸς αἰτεῖν αὐτὸν τὴν ψυχὴν σωθῆναι, ἵνα μηδεὶς κυριεύσῃ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ αἴτησις ἦν, ἵνα, ἡνίκα ἡμεῖς πρὸς τῇ ἐξόδῳ τοῦ βίου γινόμεθα, τὰ αὐτὰ αἰτῶμεν τὸν θεόν, τὸν δυνάμενον ἀποστρέψαι πάντα ἀναιδῆ πονηρὸν ἄγγελον μὴ λαβέσθαι ἡμῶν τῆς ψυχῆς. Καὶ ὅτι μένουσιν αἱ ψυχαὶ ἀπέδειξα ὑμῖν ἐκ τοῦ καὶ τὴν Σαμουὴλ ψυχὴν κληθῆναι ὑπὸ τῆς ἐγγαστριμύθου, ὡς ἠξίωσεν ὁ Σαούλ. Φαίνεται δὲ καὶ ὅτι πᾶσαι αἱ ψυχαὶ τῶν οὕτως δικαίων καὶ προφητῶν ὑπὸ ἐξουσίαν ἔπιπτον τῶν τοιούτων δυνάμεων, ὁποία δὴ καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐγγαστριμύθῳ ἐκείνῃ ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων ὁμολογεῖται. Ὅθεν καὶ οὗτος διδάσκει ἡμᾶς καὶ διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ τὸ πάντως ἀγωνίζεσθαι δικαίους γίνεσθαι, καὶ πρὸς τῇ ἐξόδῳ αἰτεῖν μὴ ὑπὸ τοιαύτην τινὰ δύναμιν ὑποπεσεῖν τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν. καὶ γὰρ ἀποδιδοὺς τὸ πνεῦμα ἐπὶ τῷ σταυρῷ εἶπε· Πάτερ, εἰς χεῖράς σου παρατίθεμαι τὸ πνεῦμά μου, ὡς καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀπομνημονευμάτων καὶ τοῦτο ἔμαθον. Καὶ γὰρ πρὸς τὸ ὑπερβάλλειν τὴν Φαρισαίων πολιτείαν τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ συνωθῶν, εἰ δὲ μή γε, ἐπίστασθαι ὅτι οὐ σωθήσονται, ταῦτα εἰρηκέναι ἐν τοῖς ἀπομνημονεύμασι γέγραπται· Ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ὑμῶν ἡ δικαιοσύνη πλεῖον τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. Καὶ ὅτι ἠπίστατο τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ πάντα παρέχειν αὐτῷ, ὡς ἠξίου, καὶ ἀνεγερεῖν αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ πάντας τοὺς φοβουμένους τὸν θεὸν προέτρεπεν αἰνεῖν τὸν θεὸν διὰ τὸ ἐλεῆσαι καὶ διὰ τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ σταυρωθέντος τούτου πᾶν γένος τῶν πιστευόντων ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ὅτι ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ ἔστη, τῶν ἀποστόλων, οἵτινες, μετὰ τὸ ἀναστῆναι αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν καὶ πεισθῆναι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ ὅτι καὶ πρὸ τοῦ παθεῖν ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι ταῦτα αὐτὸν δεῖ παθεῖν καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν προφητῶν ὅτι προεκεκήρυκτο ταῦτα, μετενόησαν ἐπὶ τῷ ἀφίστασθαι αὐτοῦ ὅτε ἐσταυρώθη, καὶ μετ' αὐτῶν διάγων ὕμνησε τὸν θεόν, ὡς καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀπομνημονεύμασι τῶν ἀποστόλων δηλοῦται γεγενημένον, τὰ λείποντα τοῦ ψαλμοῦ ἐδήλωσεν. Ἔστι δὲ ταῦτα· Διηγήσομαι τὸ ὄνομά σου τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου, ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας ὑμνήσω σε. οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν κύριον αἰνέσατε αὐτόν, ἅπαν τὸ σπέρμα Ἰακὼβ δοξάσατε αὐτόν, φοβηθήτωσαν αὐτὸν ἅπαν τὸ σπέρμα Ἰσραήλ.  Καὶ τὸ εἰπεῖν μετωνομακέναι αὐτὸν Πέτρον ἕνα τῶν ἀποστόλων, καὶ γεγράφθαι ἐν τοῖς ἀπομνημονεύμασιν αὐτοῦ γεγενημένον καὶ τοῦτο, μετὰ τοῦ καὶ ἄλλους δύο ἀδελφούς, υἱοὺς Ζεβεδαίου ὄντας, ἐπωνομακέναι ὀνόματι τοῦ Βοανεργές, ὅ ἐστιν υἱοὶ βροντῆς, σημαντικὸν ἦν τοῦ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον εἶναι, δι' οὗ καὶ τὸ ἐπώνυμον Ἰακὼβ τῷ Ἰσραὴλ ἐπικληθέντι ἐδόθη καὶ τῷ Αὐσῇ ὄνομα Ἰησοῦς ἐπεκλήθη, δι' οὗ ὀνόματος καὶ εἰσήχθη εἰς τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην τοῖς πατριάρχαις γῆν ὁ περιλειφθεὶς ἀπὸ τῶν ἀπ' Αἰγύπτου ἐξελθόντων λαός. Καὶ ὅτι ὡς ἄστρον ἔμελλεν ἀνατέλλειν αὐτὸς διὰ τοῦ γένους τοῦ Ἀβραάμ, Μωυσῆς παρεδήλωσεν οὕτως εἰπών· Ἀνατελεῖ ἄστρον ἐξ Ἰακὼβ καὶ ἡγούμενος ἐξ Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ ἄλλη δὲ γραφή φησιν· Ἰδοὺ ἀνήρ, ἀνατολὴ ὄνομα αὐτῷ. Ἀνατείλαντος οὖν καὶ ἐν οὐρανῷ ἅμα τῷ γεννηθῆναι αὐτὸν ἀστέρος, ὡς γέγραπται ἐν τοῖς ἀπομνημονεύμασι τῶν ἀποστόλων αὐτοῦ. οἱ ἀπὸ Ἀρραβίας μάγοι, ἐκ τούτου ἐπιγνόντες, παρεγένοντο καὶ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ. Ἅγιος Ἰουστίνος Μάρτυς, Πρὸς Τρύφωνα Ἰουδαῖον Διάλογος, Κεφ ΡΕ' , ΡϚ Source: Migne PG 6 720c-724c

Justin: ...And what follows in the Psalm: 'But you, O Lord, do not remove Your assistance from me; give heed to my help. Deliver my soul from the sword and my only-begotten from the hand of the dog; save me from the lion's mouth, and my humility from the horns of the unicorns,' 1 likewise again is teaching and prediction of the events which would befall Him. For I have already proved that He was the only-begotten of the Father of all things, being begotten from Him in a unique manner Word and Power, and afterwards becoming man through the Virgin, as we have learned from the Gospels. And that He would die by crucifixion is similarly foretold. For: 'Deliver my soul from the sword, and my only-begotten from the hand of the dog; save me from the lion's mouth, and my humility from the horns of the unicorns,' is indicative of the suffering by which He should die, that is, crucifixion. For the horns of the unicorns are a figure of the cross only, as I have already explained to you. And the prayer that His soul should be saved from the sword and the lion's mouth and the hand of the dog, was a prayer that no one should take possession of His soul, so that, when we arrive at the end of life we may ask the same things from God, who is able to turn away every shameless evil angel from the taking of our souls. And that souls survive I have shown to you from the calling up of the soul of Samuel by the witch, as Saul demanded. And it appears also that all the souls of the righteous and the Prophets fell under the dominion of such powers, as must indeed be admitted from the very deeds of the witch.Thus God teaches us by His Son to strive in every way to be righteous, and at death to pray that our souls may not fall under any such power. For giving up His spirit on the cross, He said, 'Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit,' 2 as I have learned also from the Gospels. For He exhorted His disciples to surpass the conduct of the Pharisees and if they did not they might be sure they would not be saved; and these things which were said are written in the Gospels: 'Unless your righteousness exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.' 3 That He knew His Father would give to Him all that He asked, and would raise Him from the dead, and that He urged all who fear God to praise Him because He had mercy through the mystery of Him who was crucified on all the races of believing men, and that He stood in the midst of His brethren, the Apostles, after He rose from the dead, and after they were persuaded by Him that before His passion He had told them that He must suffer these things and that they were announced beforehand by the Prophets, and they repented their flight from Him when He was crucified, and when He was with them they sang praises to God, as is made clear in the Gospels of the Apostles, the rest of the Psalm declares: 'I will declare Your name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You. You that fear the Lord, praise Him; all the seed of Jacob, glorify Him. Let all the seed of Israel fear Him.' 4 And when it is said that He changed the name of Peter, one of the Apostles, and when it is written in the Gospels about Him that this so happened, as well as His changing of the names of another two brothers, the sons of Zebedee, to Boanerges, which means sons of thunder, this was an announcement that He was the one by whom Jacob was called Israel, and Oshea called Jesus, that is, Joshua, under whose name the people who survived of those that came from Egypt were conducted into the land promised to the patriarchs. And that like a star He should arise from the seed of Abraham, Moses disclosed, saying, 'A star shall arise from Jacob, and a leader from Israel.' 5 And another Scripture says, 'Behold a man; the East is His name.' 6 Thus when a star rose in heaven at the time of His birth, as is written in the Gospels of His Apostles, the Magi from Arabia, informed by this, came and worshipped Him. Saint Justin Martyr,  from The Dialogue With Trypho, Chapters 105-6 1 Ps 21.20-22 2 Lk 23.46 3 Mt 5.10  4 Ps 21.23-25 5 Num 24.17 6 Zech 6.12

Truth And Doing Well

Τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰουστίνου φιλοσόφου καὶ μάρτυρος ἐκ τοῦ ε' μέρους τῆς Ἀπολογίας αὐτοῦ. Τὸ εὐ πράττειν ἡγοῦσαι, ὦ ἄνδρες, οὐκ ἄλλο τι εἴναι ἤ τὸ κατὰ ἀλήθειαν ζῇν· τὸ δὲ εὖ ζῇν ἤ κατὰ ἀλήθειαν οὐκ ἄνευ τοῦ κατανοῆσαι τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων φύσιν. Ἅγιος Ἰουστίνος Source: Justini Martyris, Opera, Tom II

From the holy Justin, the philosopher and martyr, from the fifth part of his Apology: 'One cannot do well, O men, unless one lives according to the truth; and one cannot live according to the truth without the knowledge of the nature of things.' Saint Justin Martyr, Fragment

Appearances And Knowledge

Τίς δ' ἐστὶν οὗτος, ὃς καὶ ἄγγελος μεγάλης βουλῆς ποτε, καὶ ἀνὴρ διὰ Ἰεζεκιήλ, καὶ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου διὰ Δανιήλ, καὶ παιδίον διὰ Ἠσαίου, καὶ Χριστὸς καὶ θεὸς προσκυνητὸς διὰ Δαυείδ, καὶ Χριστὸς καὶ λίθος διὰ πολλῶν, καὶ σοφία διὰ Σολομῶνος, καὶ Ἰωσὴφ καὶ Ἰούδας καὶ ἄστρον διὰ Μωυσέως, καὶ ἀνατολὴ διὰ Ζαχαρίου, καὶ παθητὸς καὶ Ἰακὼβ καὶ Ἰσραὴλ πάλιν διὰ Ἠσαίου, καὶ ῥάβδος καὶ ἄνθος καὶ λίθος ἀκρογωνιαῖος κέκληται καὶ υἱὸς θεοῦ, εἰ ἐγνώκειτε, ὦ Τρύφων, ἔφην, οὐκ ἂν ἐβλασφημεῖτε εἰς αὐτὸν ἤδη καὶ παραγενόμενον καὶ γεννηθέντα καὶ παθόντα καὶ ἀναβάντα εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν· ὃς καὶ πάλιν παρέσται, καὶ τότε κόψονται ὑμῶν αἱ δώδεκα φυλαί. ἐπεὶ εἰ νενοήκατε τὰ εἰρημένα ὑπὸ τῶν προφητῶν, οὐκ ἂν ἐξηρνεῖσθε αὐτὸν εἶναι θεόν, τοῦ μόνου καὶ ἀγεννήτου καὶ ἀρρήτου θεοῦ υἱόν. εἴρηται γάρ που καὶ διὰ Μωυσέως ἐν τῇ Ἐξόδῳ οὕτως· Ἐλάλησε δὲ κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος, καὶ ὤφθην πρὸς τὸν Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακώβ, θεὸς αὐτῶν, καὶ τὸ ὄνομά μου οὐκ ἐδήλωσα αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἔστησα τὴν διαθήκην μου πρὸς αὐτούς. καὶ οὕτω πάλιν λέγει· Μετὰ Ἰακὼβ ἄνθρωπος ἐπάλαιε· καὶ θεόν φησιν εἶναι· Εἶδον γὰρ θεὸν πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον, καὶ ἐσώθη ἡ ψυχή μου, λέγει εἰρηκέναι τὸν Ἰακώβ. καὶ ὅτι καὶ τὸν τόπον, ὅπου αὐτῷ ἐπάλαισε καὶ ὤφθη καὶ εὐλόγησε, καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Εἶδος θεοῦ, ἀνέγραψε. καὶ τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ὁμοίως, Μωυσῆς φησιν, ὤφθη ὁ θεὸς πρὸς τῇ δρυῒ τῇ Μαμβρῆ, καθημένῳ ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας τῆς σκηνῆς αὐτοῦ μεσημβρίας. εἶτα ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἐπιφέρει· Ἀναβλέψας δὲ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς εἶδε καὶ ἰδοὺ τρεῖς ἄνδρες εἱστήκεισαν ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἰδὼν συνέδραμεν εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτοῖς. μετ' ὀλίγον δὲ εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν ὑπισχνεῖται τῷ Ἀβραὰμ υἱόν· Τί ὅτι ἐγέλασε Σάρρα λέγουσα· Ἆρά γε τέξομαι; ἐγὼ δὲ γεγήρακα. μὴ ἀδυνατεῖ παρὰ τῷ θεῷ ῥῆμα; εἰς τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἀποστρέψω εἰς ὥρας, καὶ ἔσται τῇ Σάρρᾳ υἱός. καὶ ἀπαλλάσσονται ἀπὸ Ἀβραάμ. καὶ οὕτω περὶ αὐτῶν πάλιν λέγει· Ἐξαναστάντες δὲ ἐκεῖθεν οἱ ἄνδρες κατέβλεψαν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον Σοδόμων. εἶτα πάλιν πρὸς τὸν Ἀβραὰμ ὃς ἦν καὶ ἔστιν οὕτως λέγει· Οὐ μὴ κρύψω ἀπὸ τοῦ παιδός μου Ἀβραὰμ ἐγὼ ἃ μέλλω ποιεῖν. Ἅγιος Ἰουστίνος Μάρτυς, Πρὸς Τρύφωνα Ἰουδαῖον Διάλογος Source: Migne PG 6 768-769

But He who is that one who was once called the Angel of great counsel, and a Man by Ezekiel, and like the Son of Man by Daniel, and a Child by Isaiah, and worshipful Christ and God by David, and Christ and a Stone by many, and Wisdom by Solomon, and Joseph and Judah and a Star by Moses, and the East by Zechariah, and the Suffering One and Jacob and Israel by Isaiah again, and a Rod, and Flower, and Cornerstone, and Son of God, if you knew, Trypho, you would not have blasphemed Him, who has now come, and been born, and suffered, and ascended to heaven, who shall also come again, and then your twelve tribes shall mourn. For if you had understood what has been spoken by the Prophets, you would not have denied that He was God, Son of the only, unbegotten, unutterable God. For Moses says somewhere in Exodus something like: 'The Lord spoke to Moses and said to him: I am the Lord, and I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, their God; and my name I did not reveal to them, and I established my covenant with them.' 1 And thus again he says, 'A man wrestled with Jacob,' and he says it was God. 'I have seen God face to face, and my soul was saved,' 2 it tells us that Jacob said. And it is recorded that he called the place where he wrestled and He appeared and blessed him, the Face of God. And likewise Moses says that God appeared also to Abraham at the oak in Mamre, when he was sitting at the door of his tent at midday. Then he goes on to say: 'And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, three men were standing before him, and seeing them, he hurried to meet them.' 3 After a little time, one of them promises Abraham a son: 'Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I bear a child, being so old? Is anything impossible to the word of God? At the time appointed I will return, and Sarah will have a son. And they went away from Abraham.' Again he speaks of them: 'And the men rose up from there and looked toward Sodom.' 4 Then again to Abraham He who was and is says: 'I will not hide from my servant Abraham what I intend to do.' 5 Saint Justin Martyr,  from The Dialogue With Trypho 1 Exod 6.2-3 2 Gen 32.24, 30 3 Gen 18.2  4 Gen 18.16  5 Gen 18.17

The Virgin's Son

Καὶ τὸ Ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ λήψεται καὶ τέξεται υἱὸν εἰς τοῦτον προείρητο. εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἐκ παρθένου οὗτος, περὶ οὗ Ἠσαίας ἔλεγεν, ἔμελλε γεννᾶσθαι, εἰς ὃν τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα ἐβόα· Ἰδοὺ κύριος αὐτὸς ἡμῖν δώσει σημεῖον· ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ λήψεται καὶ τέξεται υἱόν; εἰ γὰρ ὁμοίως τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασι πρωτοτόκοις καὶ οὗτος γεννᾶσθαι ἐκ συνουσίας ἔμελλε, τί καὶ ὁ θεὸς σημεῖον, ὃ μὴ πᾶσι τοῖς πρωτοτόκοις κοινόν ἐστιν, ἔλεγε ποιεῖν; ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀληθῶς σημεῖον καὶ πιστὸν τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἔμελλε γίνεσθαι, τοῦτ' ἔστι διὰ παρθενικῆς μήτρας τὸν πρωτότοκον τῶν πάντων ποιημάτων σαρκοποιηθέντα ἀληθῶς παιδίον γενέσθαι, προλαβὼν αὐτὸ διὰ τοῦ προφητικοῦ πνεύματος κατὰ ἄλλον καὶ ἄλλον τρόπον, ἀνιστόρησα ὑμῖν, προεκήρυξεν, ἵνα ὅταν γένηται δυνάμει καὶ βουλῇ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων ποιητοῦ γενόμενον γνωσθῇ· ὡς καὶ ἀπὸ πλευρᾶς μιᾶς τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ἡ Εὔα γέγονε, καὶ ὥσπερ τἄλλα πάντα ζῶα λόγῳ θεοῦ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐγεννήθη. ὑμεῖς δὲ καὶ ἐν τούτοις παραγράφειν τὰς ἐξηγήσεις, ἃς ἐξηγήσαντο οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν παρὰ Πτολεμαίῳ τῷ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων βασιλεῖ γενομένῳ, τολμᾶτε, λέγοντες μὴ ἔχειν τὴν γραφὴν ὡς ἐκεῖνοι ἐξηγήσαντο, ἀλλ' Ἰδού, φησίν, ἡ νεᾶνις ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει, ὡς μεγάλων πραγμάτων σημαινομένων, εἰ γυνὴ ἀπὸ συνουσίας τίκτειν ἔμελλεν, ὅπερ πᾶσαι αἱ νεάνιδες γυναῖκες ποιοῦσι πλὴν τῶν στειρῶν, ἃς καὶ αὐτὰς βουληθεὶς ὁ θεὸς γεννᾶν ποιῆσαι δυνατός. ἡ μήτηρ γὰρ τοῦ Σαμουὴλ μὴ τίκτουσα διὰ βουλὴν θεοῦ τέτοκε, καὶ ἡ γυνὴ τοῦ ἁγίου πατριάρχου Ἀβραάμ, καὶ Ἐλισάβετ ἡ τὸν βαπτιστὴν Ἰωάννην τεκοῦσα, καὶ ἄλλαι τινὲς ὁμοίως. ὥστε οὐκ ἀδύνατον ὑπολαμβάνειν δεῖ ὑμᾶς πάντα δύνασθαι τὸν θεὸν ὅσα βούλεται. καὶ μάλιστα, ἐπειδὴ ἐπεπροφήτευτο μέλλειν γίνεσθαι, μὴ παραγράφειν ἢ παρεξηγεῖσθαι τολμᾶτε τὰς προφητείας, ἐπεὶ ἑαυτοὺς μόνους ἀδικήσετε, τὸν δὲ θεὸν οὐ βλάψετε. Ἅγιος Ἰουστίνος Μάρτυς, Πρὸς Τρύφωνα Ἰουδαῖον Διάλογος Migne PG 6 673

And, 'Behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,' 1 was spoken about Him. For if He was not to be born from a virgin, concerning whom Isaiah spoke, of whom did the Holy Spirit cry out, 'Behold, the Lord Himself shall give us a sign: behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son?' For if He also were to be begotten by intercourse like all other firstborn sons, then why did God say that He would give a sign which is not common to all firstborn sons? But that which is truly a sign, and which was to be made trustworthy to the race of men, that is, that the first begotten of all everything made through a virgin's womb would become incarnate and be a child, he anticipated by the Spirit of prophecy, as I have repeated to you in various ways, and predicted it, in order that when it came to be, it be known as the work of the power and will of the Maker of all things; just as Eve was made from a rib of Adam, and as all living beings were created in the beginning by the word of God. But in these matters you try to pervert the expositions which your elders gave in the time of Ptolemy king of Egypt, saying that the Scripture does not have the meaning as they explained it, but says, 'Behold, the young woman shall conceive,' as if great things were signified if a woman should give birth from sexual intercourse, which indeed all young women do, apart from the barren; but even these women, if God wills, He is able to make capable. For the mother of Samuel, who had not brought forth child, gave birth by the will of God, and also the wife of the holy patriarch Abraham, and Elisabeth, who bore John the Baptist, and other women like these. So that you must not suppose that it is impossible for God to do anything He wills. And most of all, when it was prophesied that this would be, you lot should not try to pervert or misinterpret the prophecies, since you will harm yourselves alone, not God. Saint Justin Martyr,  from The Dialogue With Trypho 1 Isai 7.14

Lessons in Health

Πρὸς σκληρὰν καὶ ἀπειθῆ καρδίαν λόγος ὑγιής οἰα εἰσερχεται, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἀντιτυπούμενος εἰς ἑαυτὴν ἐπανέρχεται.      Ὡς δὲ σώματος ἀγαθὸν ὑγεία, οὕτω ψυχῆς ἀγαθη γνῶσις, ὑγεία τις οὖσα ψυχῆς, καθ' πρὸς Θεὸν ὁμοίωσις γίνεται. Άγιος Ιωάννης ο Δαμασκηνός, Τὰ Ιἐρα Παραλληλα

To a hard and unfeeling heart teaching can bring no health but as something repelled by a hard body it returns to itself. 1 As health is the good of the body so knowledge is of the soul, which health being of the soul makes a likeness unto God. 1 Saint John of Damascus, from the Sacred Parallels 1. Attributed to Saint Justin Martyr

Correct Offerings

Ἀλλ' οὐ δέεσθαι τῆς παρὰ ἀνθρώπων ὑλικῆς προσφορᾶς προσειλήφαμεν τὸν Θεὸν, αὐτον παρέχοντα πάντα ὁρῶντες. Ἐκείνους δὲ προσδέχεσθαι αὐτὸν μόνον δεδιδάγμεθα, καὶ πεπείσμεθα καὶ πιστεύομεν, τοὺς τὰ προσόντα αὐτῷ ἀγαθὰ μιμουμένους, σωφροσύνην καὶ φιλανθρωπίαν, καὶ ὅσα οἰκεῖα Θεῷ ἐστι, τῷ μηδενὶ ὀνόματι θετῷ καλουμένῳ. Καὶ πάντα τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀγαθὸν ὄντα δημιουργῆσαι αὐτὸν ἐξ ἀμόρφου ὕλης δι' ἀνθρώπους δεδιδάγμεθα οἵ ἐὰν ἀξίους τῷ ἐκείνου βουλεύματι ἑαυτοὺς δι' ἔργων δείξωσι, τῆς μετ' αὐτοῦ ἀναστροφῆς καταξιωθῆναι προσειλήφαμεν συμβασιλεύοντας, ἀφθάρτους καὶ ἀπαθεῖς γενομένους. Ὂν τρόπον γὰρ τὴν ἀρχὴν οὐκ ὄντας ἐποίησε, τὸν αὐτὸν ἡγούμεθα τρόπον, διὰ τὸ ἐλέσθαι τοὺς αἱρουμένους τὰ αὐτῷ ἀρεστὰ, καὶ ἀφθαρσίας καὶ συνουσίας καταξιωθῆναι. Τὸ μεν γὰρ τὴν ἀρχὴν γενέσθαι, οὐχ ἡμέτερον ἦν· τὸ δ' ἐξακολουθῆσαι οἶς φίλον αὐτῷ αἱρουμένους δι' ὦν αὐτὸς ἐδωρήσατο λογικῶν δυνάμεων, πείθει τε καὶ εἰς πίστιν ἄγει ἡμᾶς. Καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἡγούμεθα εἶναι, τῷ μὴ εἶργεσθαι ταῦτα μανθάνειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ προτρέπεσθαι ἐπὶ ταῦτα. Ἅγιος Ἰουστίνος Μάρτυς, Ἀπολογία Πρῶτη Source: Migne PG 6.340c-341a

But God does not require the material offerings which men can give, seeing that He is the provider of all things. And those only He receives, so we have been taught, and we are persuaded and believe, who imitate Him by bearing good things, temperance, and love of men, and as many things as dwell in God who is called by no proper name. And He being good in the beginning, created all things out of unformed matter for man, we have been taught, and if men by works show themselves worthy of His design, they are judged worthy of reigning with Him, being delivered from corruption and suffering. For just as in the beginning He created from nothing, so in like manner those choosing things pleasing to Him are judged worthy of incorruption and of fellowship. For coming into being in the beginning was not our doing, but to follow Him in those things which please Him we choose by means of the rational faculties which He has given to us, by which He both persuades and leads us to faith. And we would lead all men to do so, that they are not restrained from learning these things, but are even encouraged to do so. Saint Justin Martyr, First Apology

Belief And Possibility

Καὶ κατανοοῦντι ἀπιστότερον ἂν μᾶλλον δόξαι, ἤ εἰ ἐν σώματι μὴ ὑπήρχομεν, καί τις ἔλεγεν, ἐκ μικρᾶς τινὸς ῥανίδος τῆς τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου σπέρματος, δυνατὸν ὀστέα τε καὶ νεῦρα καὶ σάρκας εἰκονοποιηθέντα, οἶα ὀρῶμεν, γενέσθαι. Ἔστω γὰρ νῦν ἐφ' ὑποθέσεως λεγόμενον; εἰ τις ὑμῖν μὴ οὖσι τοιούτοις, μηδὲ τοιούτων, ἔλεγε τὸ σπέρμα τὸ ἀνθρώπειον δεικνὺς, καὶ εἰκόνα γραπτὴν, ἐκ τοῦ τοιοῦδε οἶόν τε γενέσθαι διαβεβαιούμενος, πρὶν ἰδεῖν γενόμενον, ἐπιστεύσατε; Οὐκ ἄν τις τολμήσειεν ἀντειπεῐν. Τὸν αύτὸν οὖν τρόπον, διὰ τὸ μήπω ἑωρακέναι ὑμᾶς ἀναστάντα νεκρὸν, ἀπιστία ἔχει. Ἀλλ' ὄν τρόπον τὴν ἀρχὴν οὐκ ἂν ἐπιστεύσατε ἐκ τῆς μικρᾶς ῥανίδος δυνατὸν τοιούτους γενέσθαι, καὶ ὁρᾶτε γινομένους· τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον λογίσασθε, ὅτι διαλυθέντα τὰ ἀνθρώπεια σώματα, κατὰ καιρὸν προστάξει Θεοῦ ἀναστῆναι, καὶ ἀφθαρσίαν ἐνδύσασθαι, οὐκ ἀδυνατον. Ποίαν γὰρ ἀξίαν Θεοῦ δύναμιν λέγουσιν οἱ φάσκοντες εἰς ἐκεῖνο χωρεῖν ἔκαστον, ἐξ οὖ περ' ἐγένετο, καὶ παρὰ ταῦτα μηνδὲν ἄλλο δὐνασθαι μηνδὲ τὸν Θεὸν, οὐκ ἔχομεν λέγειν· ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο συνορῶμεν, ὅτι οὐκ ἂν ἔπίστευσαν δυνατὸν εἶναι τοιούτους ποτὲ γενέσθαι, ὁποίους καὶ ἕαυτοὺς, καὶ τὸν συμπαντα κόσμον, καὶ ἐξ ὁποίων γεγενημένα ὁρῶσο. Κρεῖττον δὲ πιστεύειν καὶ τὰ τῇ ἑαυτῶν φύσει καὶ ἀνθρώποις ἀδύνατα, ἤ ὁμοίως τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀπιστεῖν, προειλήφαμεν· ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὸν ἡμέτρον Διδάσκαλον Ἰησοὺν Χριστὸν ἔγνωμεν εἰπόντα· Τὰ ἀδύνατα παρὰ ἀνθρώποις δυνατὰ παρὰ Θεῷ. Ἅγιος Ἰουστίνος Μάρτυς, Ἀπολογία Πρῶτη Source: Migne PG 6.356c-357b

And to the thoughtful nothing would seem more incredible, than, if we were not in the body, some one were to say that from a small drop of human seed bones and sinews and flesh would be able to be fashioned into that which we see. For let this now be said hypothetically: if you were not as you now are, nor had arisen from such things, and someone were to show you human seed and a picture of a man, and were to say that from the former the latter could be produced, before seeing that which is to come, would you believe? No one will dare to dispute it. In the same way, then, because you have never seen a dead man rise, you are now incredulous. But as at first you would not have believed it possible that such a thing could be produced from the small drop, and yet you see them so produced, so also think that it is not impossible that the dissolved bodies of men should in God's appointed time rise again and put on incorruption. For of what power worthy of God they speak of who say that each thing returns to that from which it was produced and that beyond this not even God Himself can do anything, we cannot say. But we do see this quite clearly, that they would not have believed it possible that they could have become such things as they now see both themselves and the whole world to be. That it is better to believe even what is impossible to our own nature and to men, than to be unbelieving like the rest, we have learned, for we know our Master Jesus Christ said, 'What is impossible for men is possible with God.' 1 Saint Justin Martyr, First Apology 1 Mt 19.26

Suffering Curses

Καὶ γὰρ πᾶν γένος ἀνθρώπων εὑρεθήσεται ὑπὸ κατάραν ὅν. Κατὰ τὸν νόμον Μωῦσέως ἐπικατάρατος γὰρ εἴρηται πᾶς ὅς οὐκ ἐμμένει ἐν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τοῦ νόμου τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτά. Καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀκριβῶς πάντα ἐποίνσωεν, οὐδ' ὑμεῖς τολμήσετε ἀντειπεῖν· ἀλλ' εἰσὶν οἵ μᾶλλον καὶ ἥττον ἀλλήλων τὰ ἐντεταλμένα ἐφύλαξαν. Εἰ δὲ οἱ ὑπὸ τὸν νόμον τοῦτον ὑπὸ κατάραν φαίνονται εἶναι διὰ τὸ μὴ πάντα φυλάξαι, οὐχὶ πολυ μᾶλλον πάντα τὰ ἔθνη φανήσονται ὑπὸ κατάραν ὅντα καὶ εἰδωλολατροῦντα, καὶ παιδοφθορῦντα, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα κακὰ ἐργαζόμενα; Εἰ οὖν καὶ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Χριστὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐκ παντὸς γένους ἀνθρώπων ὁ Πατὴρ τῶν ὅλων τὰς πάντων κατάρας ἀναδέξασθαι ἐβουλήθη, εἰδὼς ὅτι ἀναστήσει αὐτὸν σταυρωθέντα καὶ ἀποθανόντα, διὰ τί ὡς κεκατηραμένου τοῦ ὑπομείναντος κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Πατρὸς βουλὴν ταῦτα παθεῖν τὸν λόγον ποιεῖτε, καὶ οὐχὶ μᾰλλον ἑαυτοὺς θρηνεῖτε; Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὐτὸς παθεῖν ταῦτα αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου γένους ἐνήργησεν, ὑμεῖς οὐχ ὡς γνώμῃ Θεοῦ ὑπηρετοῦντες τοῦτο ἐπράξατε. Οὐδὲ γὰρ, τοὺς προφήτας ἀναιροῦντες, εὐσέβειαν εἰργάσασθε. καὶ μή τις ὑμῶν λεγέτω· Εἰ ὁ Πατὴρ αὐτὸν ἠθέλησε ταῦτα παθεῖν, ἵνα τῷ μώλωπι αὐτοῦ ἴασις γένηται τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οὐδὲν ἠδικήσαμεν. Εἰ μὲν οὖν μετανοοῦντες ἐπὶ τοῖς ἡμαρτημένοις, καὶ ἐπιγνόντες τοῦτον εἶναι τὸν Χριστὸν, καὶ φυλάσσοντες αὐτοῦ τὰς ἐντολὰς, ταῦτα φήσετε, ἄφεσις ὑμῖν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ὅτι ἔσται, προεῐπον· εἰ δὲ αὐτοῦ τε ἐκείνου, καὶ τῶν εἰς εἰεῖνον πιστευόντων καταρᾶσθε, καὶ ὁπόταν ἐξουσίαν ἔχητε, ἀναιρεῖτε, πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ τὸ ἐκείνῳ ἐπιβεβληκέναι τὰς χεῖρας ὑμῶν, ὡς παρὰ ἀδίκων καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν, καὶ μέχρις ὅλου σκληροκαρδίων καὶ ἀσυνέτων ἐκζητηθήσεται; Καὶ γὰρ τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν τῷ νόμῳ, ' ὅτι ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ὁ κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου,' οὐχ ὡς τοῦ Θεοῦ καταρωμένου τούτου τοῦ ἐσταυρωμνου, ἡμῶν τονοῖ τὴν ἐλπίδα ἐκκριμαμένην ἀπὸ τοῦ σταυρωθέντος Χριστοῦ ἀλλ' ὡς προειπόντος τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ὑφ' ὑμῶν πάντων καὶ τῶν ὁμοίων ὑμῖν μὴ ἐπιστάμενον τοῦτον εἶναι τὸν πρὸ πάντων ὄντα, καὶ αἰώνιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἱερέα, καὶ βασιλέα, καὶ Χριστὸν, μέλλοντα γίνεσθαι.  Ἅγιος Ἰουστίνος Μάρτυς, Πρὸς Τρυφονα Ἰουδαῖον Διάλογος

For the whole human race will be found to be under a curse. According to the law of Moses: 'Cursed is every one that remains not in all the things written in the book of the law and does not do them.'1 And no one has accurately done them all, nor will you dare dispute this, but some more, and some less than others, have observed those things commanded. But if those who are under this law appear to be under a curse for not having observed everything, how much more shall all the nations appear to be under a curse who worship idols, who corrupt youths, and perform other evils? If, then, the Father of all wished His Christ, for the whole human race, to take upon Himself the curses of all, knowing that he would raise him up after He had been crucified and died, why do you speak about Him who submitted to suffer these things according to the will of the Father as if He were accursed, and do not rather lament yourselves? For although His Father caused Him to suffer these things for the human race, yet you did not do this in obedience to the will of God. For you did not perform pious acts by slaying the prophets. And let none of you say: 'If His Father wished Him to suffer these things, that by His wounds the human race might have healing, we have done no wrong.' If you repent of  sins, and acknowledge Him to be Christ, and keep His commandments, you may say this, for forgiveness of sins shall be yours, as I have said before, but if you curse Him and them that believe in Him, and, when you have the power, kill them, how is it possible that when you laid your hands on Him you shall not be marked as unrighteous and sinful men, utterly hard hearted and without understanding?  For the statement in the law, 'Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree,' 2 is not because He who has been crucified is cursed by God, but confirms our hope which depends on the crucified Christ, for God foretold that which would be done by you all, and by those like you, who do not know that this is the One who existed before all, who is the eternal Priest of God, and King, and Christ. Saint Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 1 Deut 27:26 2 Deut 21:23

Christ And The Philosophers

Μεγαλειότερα μὲν οὖν πάσης ἀνθρωπείου διδασκαλίας φαίνεται τὰ ἡμέτερα· διὰ τοῦτο λογικὸν τὸ ὅλον τὸν φανέντα δι' ἡμᾶς Χριστὸν γεγονέναι, και σῶμα, καὶ Λόγον, καὶ ψυχήν. Ὅσα γὰρ καλῶς ἀεὶ έφθέγξαντο καὶ εὖπρον οἱ φιλοσοφήσαντες ἤ νομοθετήσαντες, κατὰ Λόγου μέρος εὑρέσεως καὶ θεωρίας ἐστὶ πονηθέντα αὐτοῖς. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐ πάντα τὰ τοῦ Λόγου ἐγνώπρισαν, ὅς ἐστι Χριστὸς, καὶ ἐναντία ἑαυτοῖς πολλάκις εἶπον. Καὶ οἱ προγεγραμμένοι τοῦ Χριστοῦ κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον, λόγῳ πειραθέντες τὰ πράγματα θεωρῆσαι καὶ ἐλέγξαι, ὡς ἀσεβεῖς καὶ περίεργοι εἰς δικαστήρια ἣχθησαν. Ὁ πάντων δὲ αὐτῶν εὐτονώτερος πρὸς τοῦτο γενόμενος Σωκράτης τὰ αὐτὰ ἡμῖν ἐνεκλήθη. Καὶ γὰρ ἔφασαν αὔτὸν καινὰ δαιμόνια εἰσφέρειν, καὶ οὒς ἡ πόλις νομίζει θεοὺς, μὴ ἡγεῖσθαι αὐτόν. Ὁ δὲ δαίμονας μὲν τοὺς φαύλους, καὶ τοὺς πράξαντας ἂ ἔφασαν οἱ ποιηταὶ, ἐκβαλὼν τῆς πολιτείας καὶ Ὅηερον καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ποιητὰς, παραιτεῖσθαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐδίδεξε· πρὸς Θεοῦ δὲ τοῦ ἀγνώστου αὐτοῖς, διὰ λόγου ζητήσεως ἐπίγνωσιν προὺτρέπετο εἰπών· Τὸν δὲ πατέρα καὶ δημιουργὸν πάντων οὔθ’ εὑρεῖν ῥᾳδιον, οὔθ’ εὐροντα εἰς πάντας εἰπεῖν ἀσφαλές. Ἅ ὁ ἡμέτερος Χριστος δια τῆς ἑαυτοῦ δυνάμεως ἔπραξε. Σωκράτει μὲν γὰρ οὐδεις ἐπιστεύθη, ὑπέρ τούτου τοῦ δόγματος ἀποθνήσκειν· Χριστῷ δὲ τῷ καὶ ὑπὸ Σωκράτους ἀπὸ μέρους γνωσθέντι (Λόγος γάρ ἥν καὶ ἔστιν ὁ ἐν παντὶ ὢν, καὶ διὰ τῶν προφητῶν προειπὼν τὰ μέλλοντα γίνεσθαι, καὶ δι’ ἑαυτοῦ ὁμοιοπαθοῦς γενομένου καὶ διδάξαντος ταῦτἀ), οὐ φιλόσοποι οὐδε φιλόλογοι μόνον ἐπείσθησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ χειροτέχναι, καὶ παντελῶς ἰδιῶται, καὶ δόξης και φόβου καὶ θανάτου καταφρονήσαντες. Ἅγιος Ἰουστίνος Μάρτυς, Ἀπολογία Δεύτερα, Source: Migne PG 6.460b-461b

So greater than all human teachings ours do appear because Christ who appeared for us became the rational whole, both body and reason and soul. For whenever something was pronounced upon well and fittingly by philosophers or legislators, they labored to find and look upon some part of the Word. But since they did not know all of the Word, which is Christ, they often spoke in opposition to one another. And those who by human birth came before Christ, when by use of reason they tried to consider and contemplate and speak of things, were brought into court as impious persons and trouble makers. And Socrates, who was more zealous in this than all of them, was accused as we are. For they said that he was introducing new divinities, and that he did not acknowledge those whom the city deemed gods. But deceitful divinities and their works he cast out of his city and he taught men to reject Homer and the other poets; and he encouraged them to acquaintance of the God unknown to them by means of investigation of reason, saying, ' But the father and maker of all things it is not easy to find, nor, having found him, is it safe to speak.' These things our Christ did through His own power. For no one had faith in Socrates so that they would die for his teaching but in Christ, who was in part known even by Socrates, for the Word was and is in everyone, He who foretold the things to come through the prophets, and then in His own person, when He was made of like passions, He taught these things. And not only philosophers and scholars were convinced, but also artisans and people utterly uneducated, despising both glory and fear and death. Saint Justin Martyr, from the Second Apology