Justin Martyr – Christian Apologist Barnard acclaimed Justin to be the “the first thinker after Saint Paul to grasp the universalistic element in Christianity,” and described his accomplishment as “the seedbed of the later Church” (as cited by Kesich, 1998, p. 97). This presentation will consider the life and theology of Justin Martyr, its importance for future theological development, and finally the applicability and impact in ministry today.
Justin Martyr – His Life Justin Martyr was born at Flavia Neapolis in the Palestinian region of Syria, an area inhabited mostly by pagans It is likely that his family members were pagans, as is reflected in his father and grandfather’s names. He was educated in philosophy, converted to Christianity
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He believes it is central to the Christian message; his writings in the First Apology discuss the death of Christ as prophesied in the Old Testament. His understanding of pagan mythology shows glimpses or foreshadowing of the cross in everyday life; this is consistent with his understanding of Christ as Logos, spanning time and space (Ensor, 2011, p. 219). As well, Justin references the cross many times in the Dialogue, once again emphasizing the truth of the Christian faith by the prophecy found in the Old Testament. Isaiah 53 is again highlighted supporting his belief in the salvific meaning and how important the sufferings of Christ and his death were to Justin (Ensor, 2011, p. …show more content…
His use of the prophetic message of Isaiah as divine logos rhetorically identifies the “True Israel” as Christ and all those who follow him, and well as the inclusion of the Gentiles, their spiritual journey, and designing the Christian community (Bates, 2009, pp. 1-3). Second, his understanding of the Trinity, as noted earlier, was judged against the standards of the Nicaea, presumably providing much debate to formulate the Trinity as agreed upon in the Nicene Creed. Lastly, his ability to blend the Gospel with Greek philosophy was crucial in understanding Logos: Christ as the Son of God, and Christ