"I fell in love with the prophets and these men who had loved Christ; I reflected on all their words and found that this philosophy alone was true and profitable." Justin Martyr said this around the year 140 AD when he was speaking to a crowd. Justin Martyr began life as a Greek pagan and went through his life continuously looking for answers to his god questions. Today we will be talking about his early life, his search for a god, and his life as a Christian.
His early life began with his birth around the year 100 AD in Flavia Neapolis (ancient Shechem, modern Nablus) in Samaria (the middle portion of Israel, between Galilee and Judea.)He was raised by Greek pagans and at the seven years old started his formal education. His first teacher was a Stoic who “knew nothing of God and did not even think knowledge of Him was necessary.” The next teacher was a Peripatetic, and his main interest was receiving his fees. Then a Pythagorean teacher, but his required course of music, astronomy, and geometry seemed far too slow so Justin`s parents switched him for the last time to a Platonistic teacher, though intellectually demanding, his vigorous academics proved unfulfilling for Justin 's spiritually hungry heart.
Justin Martyr`s
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Later Justin moved to Rome, founded a Christian school, and wrote two bold apologies (i.e., defenses—from the Greek apologia). Justin 's First Apology, addressed to Emperor Antoninus Pius, was published in 155 and attempted to explain the faith. Christianity was not a threat to the state, he asserted, and should be treated as a legal religion. He wrote "on behalf of men of every nation who are unjustly hated and reviled." His efforts however proved to not be enough as the emperor ordered his death shortly