Justin Martyr
Apologia
noun
A formal written defence of one's opinions or conduct.
15 but in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 1 Peter 3:15
How should we best respond to attacks on our faith? How do we react when millennia old moral and cultural norms are challenged or even legislated against?
Since the beginning, Christianity has faced hostility and cultural despisers, no more so than in the early church when Christians were universally despised. They were considered unpatriotic, atheists, even cannibals. You would be hard pressed to find a more marginal, despised group in the Roman Empire than Christians.
In this context Justin Martyr, known as the first Christian apologist, provides us with masterclass in apologetics. Born around AD 110 in Samaria, Justin was a well-educated, well-travelled Gentile. Prior to his conversion to Christianity he was a disciple of the philosophy of Socrates and Plato. In his ‘First Apology’ Justin wrote to the Roman Emperor, Antonius Pius, his sons and the Roman Senate to answer the criticisms that had been made against Christians. In this letter we don’t see an angry, reactionary man caught up in a culture war. Rather we see a wise and mature Christian making a gentle and respectful defence of the faith that leads his readers straight to Jesus.
The letter can be divided into 3 sections:
1. Justin responds to the accusations made against Christians.
2. Justin shows from the Scriptures that Jesus is God.
3. Justin writes about what Christians do when they gather for worship on the Lord’s Day.
Justin opens his letter saying
“Reason directs those who are truly pious and philosophical to honour and love only what is true… it is incumbent on the lover of truth, by all means, and if death be threatened, even before his own life, to choose to do and say what is right.” (Chapter II).
He doesn’t accuse his readers, the Emperor, his sons and the Roman Senate of being dishonest and not interested in truth. Rather, he appeals to their reason and links piety, honour and love to truth. He then backs up his own love of truth and honour by saying
“we demand that the charges against the Christians be investigated, and that, if these be substantiated, they be punished as they deserve.”
He isn’t interested in defending professing Christians who have sinned to protect the reputation of the Church (chapter III).
Justin answers the charge of atheism (Christians were deemed atheists because they were not polytheists, that is they believed in one God, not many gods) in a way we would not expect. Rather than simply arguing that Christians are not atheists, he affirms that by their definition Christians are. However, Justin uses this as an opportunity to tell his readers who the true God is, why he is to be worshipped and why these many gods are worthless idols.
We see that his primary focus is on the Kingdom of God,
“When you hear that we look for a kingdom, you suppose, without making any inquiry, that we speak of a human kingdom; whereas we speak of that which is with God… For if we looked for a human kingdom, we should also deny our Christ, that we might not be slain; and we should strive to escape detection, that we might obtain what we expect. But since our thoughts are not fixed on the present, we are not concerned when men cut us off; since also death is a debt which must at all events be paid.” (Chapter XI).
Justin is keen to show the Emperor and Roman Senate that Christians are no threat to their rule. There is no thought of trying to win a culture war or start a revolution –
“And more than all other men are we your helpers and allies in promoting peace” (Chapter XII).
The only reference Justin makes to government is that Christians should be the most enthusiastic in their submission to those in authority and pay their taxes (Chapter XVII). He does not get distracted or become consumed with the moral issues and evils of his day (Chapter XXVII). But we shouldn’t take this as evidence that Justin was indifferent to moral evils. Moral evils are noted and he highlights that Christians are opposed to them because of their love for God and their love of their fellow man flows out of this love for God. Justin is always keen to return to the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Justin proves Christ’s divinity by demonstrating that all the predictions by the prophets have already or will take place. He shows how the types and shadows of the Old Testament are fulfilled in the New Testament in Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension (Chapters XXX –LIII).
The ‘Apology’ ends with Justin explaining Baptism, the administration of the sacraments, the eucharist and weekly worship. This is of course not accidental. Christians were viewed with great suspicion and many rumours spread about their ‘love feasts’ in which they ‘ate and drank’ someone’s body and blood. Justin is showing his readers that none of what is rumoured is true and in fact Christian fellowship and worship is very ordinary.
What lessons can we learn from Justin Martyr’s Apology?
Be gentle and respectful
In an age where there is pressure to be loud and controversial, Justin shows us how to be gentle and show respect to those who make false accusations against us. In being gentle and respectful, Justin not only pointed to his Saviour with his words but with his actions as he imitated Jesus. Justin answered all of the criticisms made against Christians directly. But in doing so he was careful not to point the finger directly at his readers and paint everyone with the same brush.
Know our triune God and his Word well.
It is evident that Justin Martyr knew the scriptures well. This wasn’t just an ability to memorise scripture. Justin understood that all of the scriptures are about Jesus (Luke 24:27). His firm grasp on the message of the Bible is evident in the simplicity of his apologetic method; Answer false claims about Christians and demonstrate that because of Jesus, Christians are good citizens; proclaim Jesus as the Son of God, the only redeemer of men.
Focus on the Gospel, not culture.
We are trying to win others for Christ, not our cultural or political creed. We see that Justin Martyr does not tell Caesar how to run his Empire. Nor does he provide overt cultural and political commentary with ‘gospel’ attached to legitimise it. As Christians, we are citizens of both the city of God and the city of man. We should be engaged in both culture and politics, but we must be careful that we do not get sucked in by culture or politics and become consumed by it. We should be weary when we see churches and ministries dominated by their views on politics and culture. Normally such ministries have either misunderstood the mandate of the Church or are using Jesus and His Gospel as little more than a prop to gain notoriety.
You can read more about Justin Martyr and as well as others in the following book:
The 40 Most Influential Christians... Who Shaped What We Believe Today by Daryl Aaron (£9.99)
Introducing Major Theologians: From the Apostolic Fathers to the Twentieth Century by Michael Reeves (£10.49)
Both can be purchased on the Covenanter Bookshop Website at the links below.
