Second Apology 5:
But if this thought should take possession of
someone that if we confess God as our helper, we should not, as we say, be
oppressed and persecuted by wicked people; this I will solve. God, when He had made
the whole world, and subjected earthly things to men and women, and arranged
the heavenly elements for the increase of fruits and change of the seasons, and
ordered the divine law for them—these things also He made for people to see—and
entrusted the care of men and women and of things under heaven to angels whom
He appointed over them. But the angels transgressed this order, and were
captivated by love of women, and produced children who are called demons. And
besides later they enslaved the human race to themselves, partly by magical
writings, and partly by fears and punishments which they occasioned, and partly
by teaching them to offer sacrifices and incense and libations,25
which they needed after they were enslaved with lustful passions; and among
people they sowed murders, wars, adulteries, intemperate deeds, and every evil.
Whence also the poets and mythologists, not knowing that it was the angels and
those demons who had been begotten by them that did these things to men and
women and cities and nations, which they related, ascribed them to God Himself,
and to those who were His offspring, and to the offspring of those who were
called His brothers. For whatever name each of the angels had given to himself
and to his children, by that name they called them. (St. Justin Martyr: The First and Second
Apologies [trans. Leslie William Barnard;
New York: Paulist Press, 1997], 76-77)
Justin is following an earlier Jewish or
Jewish-Christian interpretation of Gn 6:2–5, which is also found in the
Ebionite Pseudo-Clementine writings (Clem.
Hom. 6.10). The Hebrew of Gn 6:2–5 says that the children of God, having
been attracted by women, united with them and produced giants. In the LXX huioi theou and aggeloi theou are synonymous and sometimes alternatives (see J. S.
Sibinga, The Old Testament Text of Justin
Martyr: 1. The Pentateuch [Leiden, 1963], 146) and a tradition grew up in
Hellenistic Judaism that it was the union of angels and women that produced
giants (this was later challenged by Philastrius Haer. 107 and Chrys. On Gen.
Hom. 6.22). Justin, in substituting demons for giants, is following another
line of interpretation that may be reflected in Papias’s references to “the
angels which had formerly been holy” (Frag.
4). Later Jewish tradition vacillated in its interpretation of Gn 6. In Bresh.
R. on Gn 6:2 R. Simeon ben Jochai (c. 130–160 c.e.)
pronounces a curse on “the sons of God,” whom he refers to as “leaders.” The
Zohar on Gn 6:4 agrees with Justin—as do R. Judah (c. 200 c.e.) and R. Joshua ben Qoryah (Pirqe de
R. Eliezer 20:2). For Bresh. R. in Hebrew, see Zohar. 2 vols. (Lublin, 1882) and Encyclopedia Judaica 16. 1193–1215 (Jerusalem, 1971), s. v.
“Zohar.” (St.
Justin Martyr: The First and Second Apologies [trans. Leslie William
Barnard; New York: Paulist Press, 1997], Logos Edition)
Second Apology 6:
But
to the Father of all, who is unbegotten there is no name given. For by whatever
name He be called, He has as His elder the person who gives Him the name. But
these words Father, and God, and Creator, and Lord, and Master, are not names,
but appellations derived from His good deeds and functions. And His Son, who
alone is properly called Son, the Word who also was with Him and was begotten
before the works, when at first He created and arranged all things by Him, is
called Christ, in reference to His being anointed and God's ordering all
things through Him (διʼ αὐτοῦ πάντα ἔκτισε καὶ ἐκόσμησε); this name itself
also containing an unknown significance; as also the appellation
"God" is not a name, but an opinion implanted in the nature of men of
a thing that can hardly be explained. But "Jesus," His name as man
and Saviour, has also significance. For He was made man also, as we before
said, having been conceived according to the will of God the Father, for the
sake of believing men, and for the destruction of the demons. And now you can
learn this from what is under your own observation. For numberless demoniacs
throughout the whole world, and in your city, many of our Christian men
exorcising them in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius
Pilate, have healed and do heal, rendering helpless and driving the possessing
devils out of the men, though they could not be cured by all the other
exorcists, and those who used incantations and drugs. (ANF 1:190)
Cf. Col 1:15ff.; Jn 1:1–3. Justin refers the
title “Christ” to the office of agent in creation. The reference to Christ’s
being anointed reads awkwardly in the context here as this has no obvious
connection with His work in creation. There is, however, a close connection
between chriein and kosmein; Blunt, 112. Kosmein covers the thought of
“adornment” as well as “order” (cf. Theoph. Ad.
Autol. 1.12) and it is just possible that kechristhai here is active in meaning—in which case we should read
“with reference to God’s adorning and ordering all things through Him,” which
makes better sense. (St. Justin Martyr: The First
and Second Apologies [trans. Leslie William Barnard; New York: Paulist
Press, 1997], Logos Edition)
