Chp.59 - Trypho Refuses Christ As The Eternal Word

Then Trypho said, “We do not perceive this from the passage quoted by you, but [only this], that it was an angel who appeared in the flame of fire, but God who conversed with Moses; so that there were really two persons in company with each other, an angel and God, that appeared in that vision.” Justin Martyr. (1885). Dialogue of Justin with Trypho, a Jew. In A. Roberts, J. Donaldson, & A. C. Coxe (Eds.), The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus (Vol. 1, p. 227). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. Trypho objects to Justin's application of Christ being the Angel who appeared to Jacob by looking to another passage where Moses is visited by the Angel. But, here, Trypho observes Yahweh and the Angel as two separate persons making Justin's point even clearer. The problem with Trypho is that, being a slave to the theology of his ancestors, he can't come to grips with Yahweh being three persons as one substance of one God. So as Christ--the eternal Word--functioning as an Angel, though observed as a distinct person, cannot be seen as Yahweh of very Yahweh in the burning bush passage or in the vision of Jacob according to Trypho's theology. But looking very intently at the passage we only observe one person speaking to Moses, not two, and yet the Father and the Holy Spirit are very present with the Angel--the eternal Word--in the burning bush.

Exodus 3:1–7 (NKJV) 1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” 4 So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” 6 Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. 7 And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. This passage begins very clearly, in summary fashion, stating that it was the singular Angel of the Lord who appeared to Moses. מַלְאָךְ The Hebrew word for Angel used here is malak (transliterated) which is the singular form of (Angel). Therefore the summary statement recorded for us is that it was only one person that "appeared" to Moses. Therefore, Trypho is presumptuous to assume that two persons appear to Moses. Now Moses can only observe this and record for us this infallible account through the observation of the Holy Spirit. So therefore, the Holy Spirit was present, but was operating through Moses to give us an infallible eye witness to this account. But the Father is not observed as the speaker to Moses, but is clearly present as He [observes] the actions of Moses (vs.4). But "we" need to behold the change of perspective as the person in bush calls out to Moses from a different perspective. In verse 4 the word for LORD is Yahweh, but it is here to show the absolute perspective of God from above, but the word for God is Elohim which is the perspective of the burning bush by which Yahweh calls out to Moses. This is to show us how the fullness of the Godhead--Yahweh--is present in the mouth of the Angel--the eternal Word--by which Christ is the singular person of God speaking in created "function" in order for Moses to hear the call of God. But this Angel of God must be observed no less than Yahweh, because out of the bush he is identified as, "the God of your father--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob," in other words, though distinct in person, he is the one God of his fathers. And in verse 7, this same God, still speaking from the bush, is identified by the Spirit to be Yahweh (singular absolute (Col.2:9)), stating, "And the LORD said: . . . ". Therefore, Christ "functions" in bodily form as an angel in his "preincarnate" state. All of this is to show that God can take on a created (flesh and blood) form to deliver his message, as he did in Jesus Christ (Jn.14:9). But Trypho will not be able to see this until his theology is reformed (2Cor.3:14). Simply preaching on sin cannot remove this veil that lies over the eyes of Trypho. Christ must be preached! We simply cannot be an invisible Ghost to preach this message. We must take on form and be visible to the eyes of men to properly preach this message!

1 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV) 16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. 2 Timothy 3:1–7 (NKJV) 1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness $$but denying its power$$. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 4:7–8 (NKJV) 7 But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. 1 Timothy 6:3–6 (NKJV) 3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, 4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, 5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. 6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:11–12 (NKJV) 11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. "I again replied, “Even if this were so, my friends, that an angel and God were together in the vision seen by Moses, yet, as has already been proved to you by the passages previously quoted, it will not be the Creator of all things that is the God that said to Moses that He was the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, but it will be He who has been proved to you to have appeared to Abraham, ministering to the will of the Maker of all things, and likewise carrying into execution His counsel in the judgment of Sodom; so that, even though it be as you say, that there were two—an angel and God—he who has but the smallest intelligence will not venture to assert that the Maker and Father of all things, having left all supercelestial matters, was visible on a little portion of the earth.”" Justin Martyr. (1885). Dialogue of Justin with Trypho, a Jew. In A. Roberts, J. Donaldson, & A. C. Coxe (Eds.), The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus (Vol. 1, p. 227). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. Justin responds to Trypho, that if it was the Father (the Creator of all things) alone who appeared to Moses, all supercelestial matters were left behind and undone to limit his existence to this portion of earth in a bush. In other words, for God to have appeared at all, in creation, he must subsist as three persons. But as we have seen from the burning bush passage the Father of all things was beholding this scene from the [heavenly] perspective. "And Trypho said, “Since it has been previously proved that He who is called God and Lord, and appeared to Abraham, received from the Lord, who is in the heavens, that which He inflicted on the land of Sodom, even although an angel had accompanied the God who appeared to Moses, we shall perceive that the God who communed with Moses from the bush was not the Maker of all things, but He who has been shown to have manifested Himself to Abraham and to Isaac and to Jacob; who also is called and is perceived to be the Angel of God the Maker of all things, because He publishes to men the commands of the Father and Maker of all things.”" Justin Martyr. (1885). Dialogue of Justin with Trypho, a Jew. In A. Roberts, J. Donaldson, & A. C. Coxe (Eds.), The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus (Vol. 1, p. 227). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. Here we see the understanding of Trypho "beginning" to open up, but we must concede that he has not yet perceived that this "Angel of God" is "equal" to that of the Father and Maker of all things. Functioning as the "Angel of the LORD" he is not necessarily eternally subservient, which in Trypho's mind, he is not ready to accept the Angel of God as Yahweh of Yahweh. Colossians 1:9–18 (NKJV) 9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the [express] image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. The Apostle Paul, here, wants us to see Christ on the same par as the Father in the "created" kingdom of the Son. In this kingdom, Christ "alone" is to be worshiped in equality with the Father. Therefore the Father has ordained that men shall call him [the Christ] the eternal Father: Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV) 6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

For he is not given "unto" the Father as a Son, but unto us--that is for our sake. And the Father has commanded that he shall be called Mighty God and Everlasting (Eternal) Father in this "created" kingdom. As we remain in our fallen condition of "flesh and blood" he is--unto us--the Son of God, but in the resurrection of His perfection--unto us-- he shall be the Eternal Father, but unto the Father he has always been and will be the Eternal Word. John 1:1–5 (NKJV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1:10–14 (NKJV) 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and [we beheld] His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. The Father has given him as the only Son, for our sake, that we may hear him (Lk.9:35;16:31;Mk.9:7;Matt.17:5;Jn.3:16) and become sons, hence he is the Only received son, and therefore he is the exclusive way of redemption (Jn.14:6;Matt.5:48). To obtain the righteous standard and requirement of the Father we must be "in Christ." To be observed as perfect by the Father we must be "in Christ," which is to say we are begotten by God through the Eternal Word--unto us--as the Only Son (1Pt.1:3,23;1Cor.4:15). 1 John 5:6–12 (NKJV) 6 This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.