Chapter LXV.—The Jew objects that God does not give His glory to another.
Justin explains the passage.
And Trypho said, “Being shaken430 by so many Scriptures, I know not what to say about
the Scripture which Isaiah writes, in which God says that He gives not His glory to another,
speaking thus ‘I am the Lord God; this is my name; my glory will I not give to another, nor
my virtues.’ ”431
And I answered, “If you spoke these words, Trypho, and then kept silence in simplicity
and with no ill intent, neither repeating what goes before nor adding what comes after, you
must be forgiven; but if [you have done so] because you imagined that you could throw
doubt on the passage, in order that I might say the Scriptures contradicted each other, you
have erred. 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. With what intent, then, you have brought forward the difficulty, God
knows. But I shall remind you of what the passage says, in order that you may recognise
even from this very [place] that God gives glory to His Christ alone. And I shall take up
some short passages, sirs, those which are in connection with what has been said by Trypho,
and those which are also joined on in consecutive order. For I will not repeat those of another
section, but those which are joined together in one. Do you also give me your attention.
[The words] are these: ‘Thus saith the Lord, the God that created the heavens, and made432
them fast, that established the earth, and that which is in it; and gave breath to the people
upon it, and spirit to them who walk therein: I the Lord God have called Thee in righteous-
ness, and will hold Thine hand, and will strengthen Thee; and I have given Thee for a cov-
enant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out
them that are bound from the chains, and those who sit in darkness from the prison-house.
I am the Lord God; this is my name: my glory will I not give to another, nor my virtues to
graven images. Behold, the former things are come to pass; new things which I announce,
and before they are announced they are made manifest to you. Sing unto the Lord a new
song: His sovereignty [is] from the end of the earth. [Sing], ye who descend into the sea,
and continually sail433 [on it]; ye islands, and inhabitants thereof. Rejoice, O wilderness,
and the villages thereof, and the houses; and the inhabitants of Cedar shall rejoice, and the
430 Literally, “importuned.”
431 Isa. xlii. 8.
432 Literally, “fixed.”
433 Or, “ye islands which sail on it;” or without “continually.”
Chapter LXV.—The Jew objects that God does not give His glory to another. Justin explains the passage.
615
Chapter LXV.—The Jew objects that God does not give His glory to another.…