By Justin Martyr, from The Ante-Nicene Fathers
Chapter 13 - Christians Serve God Reasonably
What sensible person would not acknowledge that we are not atheists? We worship
the Maker of the universe and declare that He needs no blood sacrifices, drink
offerings, or incense. We praise Him as much as we can through prayer and
thanksgiving for everything we have. We have learned that the only worthy way to
honor Him is not to burn up what He made for our food, but to use it for
ourselves and those in need, and to thank Him with prayers and songs for
creating us, for our health, for the different qualities of things, and for the
changing seasons. We also pray to live again in bodies that will never decay
Jesus Christ is our teacher of these things. He was born for this purpose and
was crucified under Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea during the time of
Tiberius Caesar. We reasonably worship Him because we have learned that He is
the Son of the true God. We give Him second place, and the prophetic Spirit
third place. We will prove this.
They call us crazy because we give second place to a crucified man after the
unchanging, eternal God who created everything. They do not understand the
mystery in this, which we will explain if you will listen.
Chapter 14 - Demons Misrepresent Christian Teaching
We warn you to be careful that the demons we have been talking about do not
deceive you and completely prevent you from reading and understanding what we
say. They want to keep you as their slaves. Sometimes through dreams, sometimes
through magic, they overpower those who make no effort to save themselves.
We too, after being persuaded by the Word, have turned away from demons and now
follow the only unbegotten God through His Son. We who once delighted in sexual
immorality now embrace purity. We who once practiced magic now dedicate
ourselves to the good God. We who valued wealth above all else now share what we
have with everyone in need. We who once hated and killed one another, who would
not live with people of different backgrounds, now since Christ came live
peacefully with them. We pray for our enemies and try to persuade those who
unfairly hate us to live according to Christ's good teachings, so they may share
our joyful hope of reward from God, the ruler of all.
But before we give you the promised explanation, we should cite some teachings
Christ himself gave. It is your duty as powerful rulers to examine whether we
have truly been taught these things and truly teach them. Brief and direct
statements came from Him, for He was no clever debater - His word was the power
Chapter 15 - What Christ Himself Taught
About purity, He said things like: "Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after
her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." And, "If thy right
eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for
thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should
be cast into hell." And, "Whosoever shall marry her that is divorced
committeth adultery." And, "There are some eunuchs, which were so born from
their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men:
and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of
heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it."
So according to our Master, all who marry a second time by human law are
sinners, as are those who look at a woman with lust. Not only those who actually
commit adultery are rejected by him, but also those who want to, since not only
our actions but also our thoughts are known to God.
Many men and women who have been Christ's followers since childhood remain pure
at sixty or seventy years old. I am confident I could find such people among
every race. And what about the countless people who have overcome immoral habits
and learned these things? Christ did not call the righteous or the pure to
repentance, but the ungodly, immoral, and unjust. He said, "I came not to call
the righteous, but sinners to repentance." The heavenly Father would rather see
sinners repent than be punished.
About loving everyone, He taught: "If ye love them which love you, what reward
have ye? do not even the publicans the same? But I say unto you, Love your
enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for
them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."
About sharing with the needy and not seeking glory, He said: "Give to him that
asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. And if
ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also
lend to sinners, to receive as much again. Lay not up for yourselves treasures
upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through
and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor
rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For what is
a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what
shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
And: "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. For he maketh
his sun to rise on the evil and on the good. Therefore take no thought, saying,
What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Are ye not much better than they? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not,
neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth
them. For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these
things shall be added unto you. For where your treasure is, there will your
heart be also." And: "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be
seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven."
