12 See chapter 9.
13 Justin Martyr, First Apology, XLVIII.
14 Ibid., XXX. For some specific Messianic prophecies, see XXXII-XXXV.
15 Ibid., XXXII.
16 Ibid., XXXV.
17 Ibid., L.
For at the time of His birth, Magi who came from Arabia worshipped Him, coming first to Herod, who then was sovereign in your land.^18 Here it is pointed out (17)that Arabian Magi visited Jesus at his birth and worshipped him, after (18)first stopping to see Herod, the ruler of the Jews.
Later, speaking of Jesus’ crucifixion, Justin writes: For when they crucified Him, driving in the nails, they pierced His hands and feet; and those who crucified Him parted His garments among themselves, each casting lots for what he chose to have, and receiving according to the decision of the lot.^19 Here Justin explicitly records several more events. He asserts (19)that Jesus was crucified, being nailed through both his hands and feet. (20)Again we find a reference to gambling for Jesus’ clothes by those who crucified him, with each person keeping the items which he had won.
Following Jesus’ death by crucifixion, the Gospel of Matthew reports that the Jews spread the story that the disciples came and stole his dead body (Matt. 28:11– 15). Justin explains that this story was still being proclaimed elsewhere by the Jews: Christ said amongst you that He would give the sign of Jonah, exhorting you to repent of your wicked deeds at least after He rose again from the dead . . . yet you not only have not repented, after you learned that he rose from the dead, but, as I said before, you have sent chosen and ordained men throughout all the world to proclaim that a godless and lawless heresy had sprung from one Jesus, a Galilean deceiver, whom we crucified, but his disciples stole him by night from the tomb, where he was laid when unfastened from the cross, and now deceive men by asserting that he had risen from the dead and ascended to heaven.^20 This interesting portion reports (21)that Jesus predicted that he would rise ahead of time,^21 and (22)exhorted the Jews to repent. (23)Even after Jesus rose from the dead the Jews did not repent but (24)spread the story that the disciples stole Jesus’ body after he was crucified, and that the disciples then lied about the resurrection.
(25)The disciples also taught that Jesus afterward ascended to heaven, which at least witnesses to the early Christian belief in this occurrence.
Lastly, Justin Martyr also witnesses to the facticity of the resurrection in another portion of Dialogue with Trypho: For indeed the Lord remained on the tree almost until evening, and they buried Him at eventide; then on the third day He rose again.^22 Here Justin records (26)that Jesus hung on the “tree” until evening,^23 (27)that he was buried at that time and (28)that he rose from the dead the third day afterward.
Justin Martyr records many other events from the life of Jesus, but often he reports that his data was gleaned from the Scripture.^24 These references here will suffice to provide numerous examples of Justin’s interest in Jesus’ actual life on earth.
18 Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, LXXVII.
19 Ibid., XCVII.
20 Ibid., CVIII; cf. XVII.
21 This is “the sign of the prophet Jonah” (see Matt. 12:38–40).
22 Dialogue with Trypho, XCVII.
23 Justin refers to it as a “cross” in CVIII, for instance.
Synopsis of Christian Sources
