Chp.87 - The Powers That Rested Upon Christ Testify Of His Pre-existent Divine Nature

Hereupon Trypho, after I had spoken these words, said, . . . Tell me, then, how, when the Scripture asserts by Isaiah, ‘There shall come forth a rod from the root of Jesse; and a flower shall grow up from the root of Jesse; and the Spirit of God shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and piety: and the spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill Him:’1 (now you admitted to me,” continued he, “that this referred to Christ, and you maintain Him to be pre-existent God, and having become incarnate by God’s will, to be born man by the Virgin:) how He can be demonstrated to have been pre-existent, who is filled with the powers of the Holy Ghost, which the Scripture by Isaiah enumerates, as if He were in lack of them?” 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. 243). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. This is the stumbling block of most who view God as an impersonal being, that He has no shape or image, or no personality to communicate his attributes. The Jews' sole understanding of God's person is based upon the creative Providence that God mediated through various theophanies, such as the burning bush and various dreams and visions (Heb.1:1-4). So, for a Jew, to understand God incarnated in the shape and form of a man was "traditionally" hard to grasp. Justin has already laid ground work that Christ would be "Emmanuel" (God with us), not just God in us by the Spirit; and so this is really a repeated question that will receive the same answer by Justin.

The problem with Trypho is that he can't get passed the theology he was shaped and molded into since the pattern of his childhood. In order for him to grasp this knowledge of God he must let go of everything he previously understood God to be. In reality he never knew God because the Scriptures were not the mirror through which he patterned his life; it was the teaching of the Pharisees that molded his relationship and conscience to the Hebrew Law. Therefore it wasn't the Law itself that he was conforming to, but rather the defiled consciences of his superiors. And so therefore, Justin addresses this by bringing out the fact that Israel has no more prophets "after the ancient custom;" which is to say that "the sign," not the principle, of the Sabbath, which the prophets instituted through the old mediation, has been abrogated. This sign gift was to set Israel apart from all other nations in order to be built up into the image of God (the pattern of knowledge of God), but where the prophets have failed Christ has succeeded in fulfilling "the signs." (Matt.5:17;21:43;Eph.2:15) Abrogation is not a destruction of the law, but rather a cancellation of its effect and original application. The law still stands in its relationship to sin, but not in its relationship to God. It has no weight or bearing upon God and so it only applies in its relationship to man. If God cancels out its moral obligation then it no longer has its original purpose over us--to condemn us.

Then I replied, “You have inquired most discreetly and most prudently, for truly there does seem to be a difficulty; but listen to what I say, that you may perceive the reason of this also. The Scripture says that these enumerated powers of the Spirit have come on Him, not because He stood in need of them, but because they would rest in Him, i.e., would find their accomplishment in Him, so that there would be no more prophets in your nation after the ancient custom: and this fact you plainly perceive. For after Him no prophet has arisen among you. Now, that [you may know that] your prophets, each receiving some one or two powers from God, did and spoke the things which we have learned from the Scriptures, attend to the following remarks of mine. 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. 243). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. Justin is basically saying that because Jesus of Nazareth has abrogated the Sabbath custom, in his life, death, and resurrection, there has not since been a prophet in Israel bearing the ancient signs (the temple, Sabbaths, sacrifices, etc.), because Christ prophesied its destruction upon his death (Mk.13:1-4;Jn.2:19). But Jesus gives his disciples no answer as to "the sign" of when these things will be because he himself is the sign of its fulfillment. He is the "heavenly temple." And therefore history has not proven him wrong. Justin is not really saying that there will no longer be any prophets in Israel, but that they will no longer [be able] to bring this sign "after [in the image of] the ancient custom." The future prophets who come to Israel will bear the sign of the new covenant in Christ's blood, calling Israel to repent of her abominations, beginning with the sin of laboring to restore the ancient custom, which is an insult to Christ (Rev.11:1-14;Heb.10:29) and will be the cause of the bowl judgments (Rev.15:1-16:1;Matt.24:15;Dan.12:11). Notice that after the death and resurrection of these two prophets there is a heavenly scene, from the eternal perspective, where there is rejoicing in heaven (the meeting in the clouds (1Thess.4:17)), but after this, no one (that is those who are alive and remain on earth) can enter the "heavenly temple" until the bowls of wrath are completed (Rev.15:8). Therefore this is the sign of the pre-wrath rapture in the literal death and resurrection of these two unnamed prophets of Israel confronting Israel's "national" (and visual) rejection of the new covenant in Christ. Their death were a result of their rejection of the abomination of the temple--Christ's sovereignty over us (Rev.11:7;13:4-7;2Thess.2:1-12). By acting as the promised Christ, reinstituting the daily sacrifices, this "beast," in the image of a man, declares himself to be the authority, equally with God, to set up the ancient pattern (custom), which opposes and exalts itself above the image of Christ Jesus.

Solomon possessed the spirit of wisdom, Daniel that of understanding and counsel, Moses that of might and piety, Elijah that of fear, and Isaiah that of knowledge; and so with the others: each possessed one power, or one joined alternately with another; also Jeremiah, and the twelve [prophets], and David, and, in short, the rest who existed amongst you. Accordingly He2 rested, i.e., ceased, when He came, after whom, in the times of this dispensation wrought out by Him amongst men,3 it was requisite that such gifts should cease from you; and having received their rest in Him, should again, as had been predicted, become gifts which, from the grace of His Spirit’s power, He imparts to those who believe in Him, according as He deems each man worthy thereof. I have already said, and do again say, that it had been prophesied that this would be done by Him after His ascension to heaven. It is accordingly said,4 ‘He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, He gave gifts unto the sons of men.’ And again, in another prophecy it is said: ‘And it shall come to pass after this, I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh, and on My servants, and on My handmaids, and they shall prophesy.’5 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. 243). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. Justin is summing up, here, that all the gifts that the prophets possessed rested in the one man, the one person, of Jesus Christ. He is the fulfillment of all the prophets and the law (Lk.16:16;24:44). And so, the impossibility of all these signs resting upon one man is from out of this world, literally (Jn.8:23). Therefore the prophets testify of his pre-existence as God over all (Jn.8:58). The signs he performed demonstrated all the attributes and characteristics of the Creator God whose name is Yahweh (Jn.3:2,11,13). But now, because of the increase and spreading of knowledge, the knowledge of God is being poured out on all flesh, and all who exercise their gift of knowledge in the "fullness" of His name bear the mark of His Spirit, yes, even His image (Matt.7:21-27;28:19;Rom.4:11;2Cor.1:22;Eph.1:13;4:30;2Tim.2:19;Rev.7:3-8;9:4).