The Chaldean Magi

Justin Martyr

The rationalization of Christianity with Platonic philosophy was initiated by Justin Martyr (c. 100 – c. 165), also known as Justin the Philosopher, was an early Christian apologist and philosopher. Justin’s conversion however, did not mean the abandonment of philosophical inquiry. On the contrary, he viewed Christianity as the “true philosophy.” The transcendent incomprehensible God of Plato is the God of the Bible, and he surmised that the Jewish scriptures must have been made available to Plato and the Greeks philosophers. The influence of Platonic philosophy becomes apparent in Justin Martyr’s theology. He uses the concept of the divine Logos to explain how the transcendent Father of all deals with the inferior, created order of things. The Son-Logos is necessary to mediate between the supreme Father and the material world. The divine Logos inspired the prophets and was present in Jesus Christ. Justin insists that the Logos is “other than” the Father, derived from the Father in a process which does not diminish the being of the Father, but in a manner in which one torch may be lit from another.

Most of his works are lost, but two apologies and a dialogue did survive. The First Apology, his most well-known text, passionately defends the morality of the Christian life, and provides various ethical and philosophical arguments to convince the Roman emperor, Antoninus, to abandon the persecution of the Church. Justin was martyred, along with some of his students, and is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church,[6] the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, Lutheran Churches, and in Anglicanism.

Dialogue of Justin Philosopher and Martyr, with Trypho, a Jew

Chap. LXX:

And when those who record the mysteries of Mithras say that he was begotten of a rock, and call the place where those who believe in him are initiated a cave, do I not perceive here that the utterance of Daniel [II:34], that a stone without hands was cut out of a great mountain, has been imitated by them, and that they have attempted likewise to imitate the whole of Isaiah's words? [XXXIII:16] For they contrived that the words of righteousness be quoted also by them. But I must repeat to you the words of Isaiah referred to, in order that from them you may know that these things are so. They are these: Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; those that are near shall know my might. The sinners in Zion are removed; trembling shall seize the impious. Who shall announce to you the everlasting place? The man who walks in righteousness, speaks in the right way, hates sin and unrighteousness, and keeps his hands pure from bribes, stops the ears from hearing the unjust judgment of blood closes the eyes from seeing unrighteousness: he shall dwell in the lofty cave of the strong rock. Bread shall be given to him, and his water [shall be] sure. Ye shall see the King with glory, and your eyes shall look far off. Your soul shall pursue diligently the fear of the Lord. Where is the scribe? where are the counsellors? where is he that numbers those who are nourished,-the small and great people? with whom they did not take counsel, nor knew the depth of the voices, so that they heard not. The people who are become depreciated, and there is no understanding in him who hears. (Isa. 33: 13-19) Now it is evident, that in this prophecy [allusion is made] to the bread which our Christ gave us to eat, in remembrance of His being made flesh for the sake of His believers, for whom also He suffered; and to the cup which He gave us to drink, in remembrance of His own blood, with giving of thanks. And this prophecy proves that we shall behold this very King with glory; and the very terms of the prophecy declare loudly, that the people foreknown to believ e in Him were foreknown to pursue diligently the fear of the Lord. Moreover, these Scriptures are equally explicit in saying, that those who are reputed to know the writings of the Scriptures, and who hear the prophecies, have no understanding. And when I hear, Trypho, said I, that Perseus was begotten of a virgin, I understand that the deceiving serpent counterfeited also this.

Chap. LXXVII:

According to the tradition of the Mithraic mysteries initiation takes place among them in so-called cave, ... a device of the evil one.

The First Apology

CHAP. XX. Heathen Analogies to Christian Doctrine:

And the Sibyl and Hystaspes said that there should be a dissolution by God of things corruptible. And the philosophers called Stoics teach that even God Himself shall be resolved into fire, and they say that the world is to be formed anew by this revolution; but we understand that God, the Creator of all things, is superior to the things that are to be changed.