Chp.70 - The Power Of Mithras Fails To Imitate The Power Of Christ

The spring of living water which gushed forth from God in the land destitute of the knowledge of God, namely the land of the Gentiles, was this Christ, who also appeared in your nation, and healed those who were maimed, and deaf, and lame in body from their birth, causing them to leap, to hear, and to see, by His word. And having raised the dead, and causing them to live, by His deeds He compelled the men who lived at that time to recognise Him. But though they saw such works, they asserted it was magical art. For they dared to call Him a magician, and a deceiver of the people. Yet He wrought such works, and persuaded those who were [destined to] believe on Him; for even if any one be labouring under a defect of body, yet be an observer of the doctrines delivered by Him, He shall raise him up at His second advent perfectly sound, after He has made him immortal, and incorruptible, and free from grief. 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. 233). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. In our last study I purposely aimed to avoid looking at the Greek and Roman allegorical gods to turn our attention to the Word of God, which is more sure (2Pet.1:10,19;Heb.1:1-4;1Pet.1:10). But for this study, I have changed my mind, as it will be more edifying if we understand Justin's debate formed out of a defense for the proper understanding of the Table of the Lord. But I want you to remember, from our last study, that without laboring to first know the Scripture's view of itself (that is to say God's view of the Scripture) apart from how the world perceives the Scriptures, we are not being faithful to understand them objectively. This is important for us to understand because arguments have been made that they have been written by mere men, yet these doubters trust in other men who discredit the infallibility and inerrancy of these Scriptures by just quoting more writings of other men. Thus, judging hypocritically, these holy men whom God chose to use to reveal his character and will, upon the standards of other mere men against the standard which the Scripture demands of itself. Therefore, the Scripture wants to be judged, but it wants to be judged by what it promises. What have the Scriptures promised but salvation? This is a call and a demand to know the Scripture's intent (Jn.20:31;1Jn.5:15). But it also promises damnation to those who twist and distort the writings and intentions of them (2Pet.3:16;Ps.56:5;Deut.16:19;Rev.22:18-19). “And when those who record the mysteries of Mithras say that he was begotten of a rock, and call the place where those who believe in him are initiated a cave, do I not perceive here that the utterance of Daniel, that a stone without hands was cut out of a great mountain, has been imitated by them, and that they have attempted likewise to imitate the whole of Isaiah’s1 words?2 For they3 contrived that the words of righteousness be quoted also by them.4 But I must repeat to you the words of Isaiah referred to, in order that from them you may know that these things are so. 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, pp. 233–234). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company.

And so Justin labors to remove the understanding of the lost through a proper love for the truth. This is the most loving thing someone can do, when they believe that the promises of these prophesies will be applied, just as they have been taught. He is no hypocrite who loves his neighbor (in truth). But he is a hypocrite who twists the truth to retain the love of his neighbor (James 4:4). This is what the Greek and Roman gods have done in stealing and emulating the thoughts of God as their own (Isa.55:8). Truth is not relative to the thoughts and purposes of man, but can only be relative to the Author and Creator of knowledge (Gen.2:9,17). Justin quotes a portion of Isaiah again to clear up the confusion that may surround the Lord's intentions regarding the will of this final kingdom of God, through which he brings times of refreshing and peace: Isaiah 33:13–19 (NKJV) 13 Hear, you who are afar off, what I have done; And you who are near, acknowledge My might.” 14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?” 15 He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, He who despises the gain of oppressions, Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, And shuts his eyes from seeing evil: 16 He will dwell on high; His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; Bread will be given him, His water will be sure. 17 Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; They will see the land that is very far off. 18 Your heart will meditate on terror: “Where is the scribe? Where is he who weighs? Where is he who counts the towers?” 19 You will not see a fierce people, A people of obscure speech, beyond perception, Of a stammering tongue that you cannot understand. By quoting this portion, Justin wants both Jew and Gentile to hear the power of God. The Jew, who is near, is to be fearful of the LORD's power, but those afar off (the Gentiles) are to see the sign of Lord in peace. The context calls for the sign (or identification) of a kingdom that comes not to take dominion through bloodshed but through the key of knowledge. The sign of this kingdom (or people if you will) is that they shall come apart from judgment in their hands and tongues. They come only to share the testament of the LORD. They will seek peace through a submission to the local language (tongue) and debate the truth of God with the highest of the judges of the land. They do not come taking dominion by buying up the land with a foreign tongue and an inflated coin. No, Israel's mission was not to exalt themselves superior in a foreign land but to make themselves inferior (slaves) as missionaries to explain the eternal nature of the LORD. God will show himself superior in the power of his sovereignty over any rebellion that rises up against his beauty (in Word), through which the enemies of the LORD will meditate on his terror (1Sam 5:3). But Israel failed to trust the might of the Lord, and did not display the beauty of the Lord, to cause the Gentiles to fear. When engaging in the peace offerings of the LORD, Israel did not give a proper mirror for the Gentiles to behold their sins and fear. So when the Gentiles looked into the mirror of Israel they only saw themselves in weaker days, and therefore believed they could over take this weak and beggarly nation. They saw nothing in Israel's God that made them a more superior nation than the gods of their own nations. They forgot what the LORD did to the Egyptians who abused the slaves of Yahweh. They forgot how God brought them into their own land and established their borders. They ignored the history of Israel's LORD. So, Justin explains the errors and misconceptions of their fathers, who used these pagan allegories to twist the intentions and Word of the LORD God of Israel for their own prosperity. Now it is evident, that in this prophecy [allusion is made] to the bread which our Christ gave us to eat,6 in remembrance of His being made flesh for the sake of His believers, for whom also He suffered; and to the cup which He gave us to drink,7 in remembrance of His own blood, with giving of thanks. And this prophecy proves that we shall behold this very King with glory; and the very terms of the prophecy declare loudly, that the people foreknown to believe in Him were foreknown to pursue diligently the fear of the Lord. Moreover, these Scriptures are equally explicit in saying, that those who are reputed to know the writings of the Scriptures, and who hear the prophecies, have no understanding. And when I hear, Trypho,” said I, “that Perseus was begotten of a virgin, I understand that the deceiving serpent counterfeited also this. 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. 234). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company.

Justin is teaching that this prophecy alludes to the bread of heaven, which is given for the peace of Israel to avoid the cup of judgment. But since Israel rejected the bread through which she was to seek the fear of the LORD, who was "near" to them at this time, Christ was given to drink the damnation (the blood) of them who are "far off" and who yet need to understand the fear of the LORD. We can see in the image above that the dog and snake lick the blood that drips from the wound of the bull. This will have significance later as this alludes to the Table of the Lord and its sign of peaceful initiation of all men, but here judgment to the unworthy who partake in mockery of the Lord's promise of peace. For it is the fear of the LORD which knows that the understanding of mankind is like a rock. A rock has no feelings, no thoughts, and no understanding. This is what God is saying the heart of man is like toward his love for the people to whom to this "sign" or "mark" is given. Now therefore, this very thought is stolen and applied to the mysteries of Mithras, who is believed to be born out of a rock. This emulates what it means to be born again, but is without the power. Justin quotes Daniel as he uses the phrase, "a stone without hands was cut out of a great mountain," to signify the regeneration of Nebuchadnezzar, as he falls down before Daniel in fear of the superiority and worship of the God of Israel (Dan.2:35,45-49). But this was made possible only through the bread of heaven, as Nebuchadnezzar was used by YHWH to be his host and judge Israel and the other idolatrous nations. Nebuchadnezzar came at a time in Israel when her sins stained the character of the LORD's name in the height of her idolatry. But the LORD did not forsake those "people" who would be marked by this "sign," and who pursued diligently the fear of the LORD. Apparently, the traditions of the Mithras was popularized by the military in Rome. Most likely because they lusted his power and desired to take world dominion (by force) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraism#cite_note-geden_1-2). This is also apparent because the membership of this cult was restricted to men only. So therefore, seeking the power of this fabled god has been what has distorted the true meaning of being "cut from a rock," in the original context of the kingdoms that follow Nebuchadnezzar's reign. Therefore, each generation added its own twist to the original power of its meaning, and therefore was diluted down to the collective power of military men who will not be able to stand against the fury of the LORD's dominion, in which both Daniel and John refer to as the marriage supper of the LAMB (Rev.19:18;Dan.2:44). But this sign by which Isaiah refers to, and is distorted by the initiation rites of the Mithraic mysteries, is not the bloody destruction of the kings in rebellion against God, but was to be the sign of his mercy offered through the hosts of heaven and the faith of the saints. While this sign remains in the earth, the mercy of the Lord reigns, triumphing in the justice of the Lord's cross. But the Mithra-ites initiate their members through a false sign of peace, by which Christ is blasphemed by the slaughtering of a bull and the banqueting of its hide, through which her members receive the power (the grace if you will) to take dominion of the whole earth (by the literal force of a sword).

But this is a mockery of the sign of which Isaiah has spoken peace to the world (Lk.2:14;10:5-6); and this sign they do eat to their own damnation (1Cor.11:29;Rev.19:21). The virgin birth of this child will grow up to make peace apart from the bloodshed of his enemies, but nevertheless will empty himself of every drop of life in his veins to make a brotherhood that will endure outside of the everlasting burnings, which no man can endure (Matt.16:18). The sign of his (the Christ's) flesh will "initiate" the members whom the Father has chosen for eternal life (Jn.6:51,54,56). Therefore this Table is for the initiation of all mankind, but membership is reserved for the Baptized. The bread initiates life but the water cleanses from sin and death. Therefore, there is a distinction in the initiation rites that must not be distorted (Ps.51:2,7,10,14,19), as the most holy of all the commanders of Israel's historical military perceived. David and Isaiah both understood that dominion must not be taken through the power of the beast and chariot (Ps.20:7;46:9;Isa.22:18;31:1). Isaiah 33:13–14 (Brenton LXX En) 13 They that are afar off shall hear what I have done; they that draw nigh shall know my strength. 14 The sinners in Sion have departed; trembling shall seize the ungodly. Who will tell you that a fire is kindled? Who will tell you of the eternal place?

Matthew 10:21–42 (NKJV) 21 “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! 26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. 34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. 40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”