_Justin._[352] In his treatise addressed to the emperor Justin did not
call himself a philosopher as Aristides had done. In espousing the cause
of the hated and despised Christians he represented himself as a simple
member of that sect. But in the very first sentence of his Apology he
takes up the ground of piety and philosophy, the very ground taken up by
the pious and philosophical emperors themselves, according to the
judgment of the time and their own intention. In addressing them he
appeals to the [Greek: logos sophron] in a purely Stoic fashion. He
opposes the truth--also in the Stoic manner--to the [Greek: doxais
palaion].[353] It was not to be a mere _captatio benevolentiae_. In that
case Justin would not have added: "That ye are pious and wise and
guardians of righteousness and friends of culture, ye hear everywhere.
Whether ye are so, however, will be shown."[354] His whole exordium is
calculated to prove to the emperors that they are in danger of repeating
a hundredfold the crime which the judges of Socrates had committed.[355]
Like a second Socrates Justin speaks to the emperors in the name of all
Christians. They are to hear the convictions of the wisest of the Greeks
from the mouth of the Christians. Justin wishes to enlighten the emperor
with regard to the life and doctrines ([Greek: bios kai mathemata]) of
the latter. Nothing is to be concealed, for there is nothing to conceal.
Justin kept this promise better than any of his successors. For that
very reason also he did not depict the Christian Churches as schools of
philosophers (cc. 61-67). Moreover, in the first passage where he speaks
of Greek philosophers,[356] he is merely drawing a parallel. According
to him there are bad Christians and seeming Christians, just as there
are philosophers who are only so in name and outward show. Such men,
too, were in early times called "philosophers" even when they preached
atheism. To all appearance, therefore, Justin does _not_ desire
Christians to be reckoned as philosophers. But it is nevertheless
significant that, in the case of the Christians, a phenomenon is being
repeated which otherwise is only observed in the case of philosophers;
and how were those whom he was addressing to understand him? In the same
passage he speaks for the first time of Christ. He introduces him with
the plain and intelligible formula: [Greek: ho didaskalos Christos]
("the teacher Christ").[357] Immediately thereafter he praises Socrates
because he had exposed the worthlessness and deceit of the evil demons,
and traces his death to the same causes which are now he says bringing
about the condemnation of the Christians. Now he can make his final
assertion. In virtue of "reason" Socrates exposed superstition; in
virtue of the same reason, this was done by the teacher whom the
Christians follow. _But this teacher was reason itself; it was visible
in him, and indeed it appeared bodily in him._[358]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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