Saint Justin the Apologist and philosopher, June 1

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ

Ἰουστῖνον κώνειον ἦρεν ἐκ βίου,

Ὡς εἴθε πρῶτον τοὺς πιεῖν δεδωκότας.

Πρώτῃ Ἰουνίου Ἰουστῖνε ἐλλεβορίζῃ.

Saint Justin was born in Flavia Neapolis, Palestine in 100 AD. h. His parents, Greek pagans (his father was called Priscus Bacchius), saw to it that Justin received an excellent theological as well as philosophical education, which however was not enough to answer the questions that his restless soul was asking. God seeing the purity and sincere intention of his quests, responded miraculously. and one day when Justin was walking near the sea, he met an old man, who was deeply versed in the truths of the Holy Scriptures, who after the dialogue taught the Saint the Christian doctrine. When Antoninus Pius was emperor, Justin went to Rome, where he delivered an apology to the emperor, in which he set forth the basic teachings of Christianity and refuted all the accusations against Christians and proved the fallacy of idols, using arguments from the Holy Bible. Because of this action, he was also summoned as an Apologist. However, the Christ-like action of Justin, who did not stop preaching the word of God and writing works of an apologetic and pastoral nature, caused the condemnation of the pagans. For this reason, the great philosopher and devout Christian was arrested and after suffering various tortures, he was beheaded in 165 AD. distinguished not only as an apologist of the orthodox faith but also as an athletic martyr.

Biography

He was born in Flavian Neapolis of Samaria (modern Nablus) (ancient Shechem) in the early 2nd century. The son of Greek-speaking non-Jews (probably Roman pagans), he received a broad philosophical education from the schools of Stoicism, Peripateticism, Pythagoreanism, and Platonism. He studied rhetoric and philosophy in the schools of Gaza and Athens.

His conversion to Christianity

At first ethnic, he later fervently embraced Christianity, after a discussion with an old man - probably in Athens around 135 AD - related to the Platonic beliefs about transmigration and the immortality of the soul. He advised him to read the books of the prophets and apostles. When he went to Rome, he delivered to the then emperor Antoninus Pius an apology for his Christian faith. There he founded his own school, combined with devotional practice. His students were small in number, mainly of Asia Minor and especially of Phrygian origin. Among them were Tatian and possibly Irenaeus.

His martyrdom

According to the later Acts of Justin, he was arrested for his Christian faith and, after being tortured, beheaded around AD 165, during the time of Marcus Aurelius. It was most likely that the Cynic philosopher Crescis, who saw the rise of Justin's philosophical prestige, contributed to his arrest. He is considered and celebrated as a saint by the Orthodox, Catholic and Lutheran Churches on June 1st. In the cemetery of Priscilla in Rome, the inscribed slab covering his tomb was found, with the inscription: M(artys) Christou (I)OUCTINOC.

Justin's philosophy and theology

Justin begins as a Mesoplatonic philosopher to end up in Christianity.

His teaching about spermatozoa

According to Justin the complete and eternal truth is Jesus Christ, the Word of God. The grace of God granted seed of this truth both to the prophets of the Old Testament and to the Greek philosophers. Thus, anything formulated by the ancient Greek philosophers that does not contain contradictions but is true, is Christian. This selective attitude was determined by the conviction of possessing the truth in its entirety.

Justin against Greek philosophy

His attitude towards Greek philosophy echoes the spirit of the era which was characterized by an eclecticism. Thus he recognizes the great moral teaching of the Stoics, but rejects their materialistic, fatalistic and pantheistic conceptions. He also rejects Plato's teaching that the soul is immortal by its nature and not by God and that it can pass into other bodies.

God and the creation of the world

Adopting Plato's teachings about God, he characterizes him as ineffable, nameless, in the heavenly dwelling, he created the world from amorphous matter. Specifically, God created the world through another, lower God, through whom He revealed Himself to us. God created the world out of his kindness to people.

Anthropology

Men will become immortal if by their works they prove themselves worthy of his gift, which is the world. Both the soul and the body participate in immortality, since after physical death human bodies will also be resurrected. There will be two resurrections of the dead: with the Second Coming the first of the righteous and a universal one after a thousand years, when the final judgment will take place. according to one's actions.

His works

Many of Justin's works have been lost. The works that bear his name and have survived to this day are divided into three categories:

a) Those of unquestionable authenticity. His two Apologies belong to this category. The first is addressed to the Emperor Antoninus the Pious and his two adopted sons, Marcus Aurelius and Leucius Verus, while the second, drawn up a little later, is addressed to the Roman Senate and the emperor Marcus Aurelius. Here Justin, invoking the voice of justice, reconstructs the accusations against Christians, because only they in the entire Roman empire are persecuted for their religious opinions. At the same time, it projects the universal message of Christian teaching. These works influenced Tatiano and Athenagoras while Eusebius praises it. Also the Jewish Dialogue to Tryphon, considered the earliest Christian autobiography, presents a dialogue between Justin and Tryphon the Jew. It focuses on the supremacy of Christian teaching over ancient philosophical systems and the Mosaic law.

b) Those of doubtful authenticity. For these works there is controversy among researchers as to whether Justin is their author. However, there is agreement as to the time of their writing, which is believed to be no later than the 3rd century. Such works are the following: To a Hellene, Logos Parainetikos To a Hellene, On Monarchy, To Diogniton, excerpts from the work On Resurrection, as well as other smaller excerpts. Of particular importance for the history of the beginnings of hymnography would be the work of Psaltis, which would probably contain hymns of his own.

c) The works that were undoubtedly not written by Justin and are considered spurious. In this category belong the following: Exposition of the Right Faith (attributed to Theodoret), Responses to the Orthodox Concerning Their Necessary Issues, Christian Questions to the Greeks, Greek Questions to the Christians, To Zena and Serenus and Overturning of the Aristotelian Doctrines. For the last two there is no indication of the time of their writing, while the rest are certain to have been written after the Council of Nicaea.

Functional texts

Absolute

Ἦhos d'. You are lifted up on the Cross.

You have shown yourself to be a disciple of philosophy of shining lamps, of the knowledge of God, clearly arrayed against those who are adverse, for you have confessed the truth of knowledge, and of witnesses, by the exercise of your grace, with whom you always suffer Christ, O Justin, for our souls.

Kontakion

Sound b'. Safe them

The true one, the preacher of piety, and the eucleist, the orator of the mysteries, Justin the philosopher, with praises we eulogize because of the power of wisdom and grace, the word quaternized the faith, asking for divine forgiveness.

Megalynarion

By the grace of wisdom enlightened, as self-wisdom, who healed Christ, in favor of the glorious one, who exercised Justin, thus forever, glorify the glorious.