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“Justin Martyr on Christ and Socrates - Original Greek Language Text with English translation”
Apology, 2. 10
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Our doctrines, then, appear to be greater than all
human teaching; because Christ, who appeared for our sakes, became the whole
rational being, both body, and reason, and soul. For whatever either lawgivers
or philosophers uttered well, they elaborated by finding and contemplating some
part of the Word. But since they did not know the whole of the Word, which is
Christ, they often contradicted themselves. And those who by human birth were
more ancient than Christ, when they attempted to consider and prove things by
reason, were brought before the tribunals as impious persons and busybodies. And
Socrates, who was more zealous in this direction than all of them, was accused
of the very same crimes as ourselves. For they said that he was introducing new
divinities, and did not consider those to be gods whom the state recognised. But
he cast out from the state both Homer and the rest of the poets, and taught men
to reject the wicked demons and those who did the things which the poets
related; and he exhorted them to become acquainted with the God who was to them
unknown, by means of the investigation of reason, saying, “That it is neither
easy to find the Father and Maker of all, nor, having found Him, is it safe to
declare Him to all.” But these things our Christ did through His own power. For
no one trusted in Socrates so as to die for this doctrine, but in Christ, who
was partially known even by Socrates (for He was and is the Word who is in every
man, and who foretold the things that were to come to pass both through the
prophets and in His own person when He was made of like passions, and taught
these things), not only philosophers and scholars believed, but also artisans
and people entirely uneducated, despising both glory, and fear, and death; since
He is a power of the ineffable Father, not the mere instrument of human reason. |
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From Apology 2,10
Christ and Socrates
Christ and the Logos and Reason and Socrates
Migne Greek Text
Patrologiae Graecae Cursus Completus
Patrologia Graeca