Chp.66 - Returning To The Virgin's Everlasting Life

Our previous chapter demonstrated that Yahweh himself will come as a mighty "man." But the chapter depicted him as coming like a warrior to crush his enemies, and therefore makes it hard for those who know not the full counsel of the Scriptures to know how the Christ would accomplish this task. For those who are unfamiliar with whole context of Isaiah, such as the following chapters, like 53, we see this mighty warrior suffering a terrible death in order to make this peace with God. Therefore the answer is found in the whole of the context of Isaiah. But Justin only wanted Trypho to see, at this point, that it was YHWH himself who shares this "title" with the glory of this "mighty man." And on these grounds, Trypho presses Justin to move on to the virgin birth, knowing and understanding the whole context of Isaiah, which Justin bade him not to contradict against each other. But I shall not venture to suppose or to say such a thing; and if a Scripture which appears to be of such a kind be brought forward, and if there be a pretext [for saying] that it is contrary [to some other], since I am entirely convinced that no Scripture contradicts another, I shall admit rather that I do not understand what is recorded, and shall strive to persuade those who imagine that the Scriptures are contradictory, to be rather of the same opinion as myself. 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. 230). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. And so Justin has labored to show that Jesus, called Christ, is YHWH of very YHWH from the Old Testament Prophecies. But now Trypho and his friends are yet to be convinced that this man of Nazareth is the prophesied Messiah. So now that Trypho (superficially) concedes to the proper understanding of the text, which shows that YHWH is one God but shares this glory with another person, Justin can move on to identify this person who is promised to be born of the virgin.

But, from our perspective, Trypho is still flattering Justin with more questions, revealing his inability to hear. He is not truly conceding to this understanding; because if he was, he would not return to his presumptions, as we shall see in the next chapter; for he continues to only ask questions based on his fallible (understanding) systematic theology, which is strictly that God is one person, and therefore twists the Old Testament prophesies concerning the Christ to his own destruction, perishing in the blindness of his apostate fathers. And I, resuming the discourse where I had left off2 at a previous stage, when proving that He was born of a virgin, and that His birth of a virgin had been predicted by Isaiah, quoted again the same prophecy. . . . . . And I continued: “Now it is evident to all, that in the race of Abraham according to the flesh no one has been born of a virgin, or is said to have been born [of a virgin], save this our Christ.” 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. 231). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company.

Justin, now therefore, goes back and re-references Isaiah 7 & 8 that speak of the virgin birth to emphasize that the glory spoken of, in Isaiah 42, concerning the child, who is called Jacob and Israel in that portion, according to the Septuagint collection, whose glory cannot be given to another, is the glory through which the virgin shall give birth. So God, in this very passage, is equating Jacob, who was given the new name of Israel, to be the very glory of YHWH. But this is only possible through Israel giving glory to the child of the virgin who YHWH has chosen out of her (Gen.32:30). In this glory, the fullness of God is demonstrated in the earth. And it is clearly seen that God is three persons, co-equal and bearing one name--YHWH--subsisting as one essence. But this glory can be removed or forfeited through a denial of the child's rightful title as Immanuel (1Sam.4:21;Matt.21:43;Heb.12:16). So it is important for Trypho to hold onto this (understanding), and treasure this glory (the Trinity) in his heart. Only through the understanding (a systematic theology) of the Trinity is how we can make sense of the rest of the Scriptures. Apart from the three persons of the holiness of God the Scriptures are powerless to save (Jn.5:39;7:38). The Trinity is the horse, humanly speaking, that leads the carriage. Without the horse, the carriage isn't going anywhere. It is absolutely essential that the disciple of Christ acknowledge the three persons of Yahweh (1Jn.2:22-23). The virgin birth cannot be accepted without first submitting to the fact that God is three persons. All Christian doctrine hinges on the understanding of the Trinity.

So then, where do you stand on the Trinity debate? If God is not three persons, then Christ is not God; and if Christ is not God we die in our sins. But our conscience testifies that we are sin and full of sin. So then when looking into face of the Trinity, our sin is removed and placed upon the mighty warrior king, who was crucified by Pontius Pilate as the King of the Jews. And beholding him as resurrected from the dead and seated with the Father, we are filled with the resurrection life of the Holy Spirit who has the power to behold Yahweh--face to face--and LIVE!