Chapter XXXVIII.—It is an annoyance to the Jew that Christ is said to be adored.
Justin confirms it, however, from Ps. xlv.
And Trypho said, “Sir, it were good for us if we obeyed our teachers, who laid down a
law that we should have no intercourse with any of you, and that we should not have even
any communication with you on these questions. For you utter many blasphemies, in that
you seek to persuade us that this crucified man was with Moses and Aaron, and spoke to
them in the pillar of the cloud; then that he became man, was crucified, and ascended up
to heaven, and comes again to earth, and ought to be worshipped.”
Then I answered, “I know that, as the word of God says, this great wisdom of God, the
Maker of all things, and the Almighty, is hid from you. Wherefore, in sympathy with you,
I am striving to the utmost that you may understand these matters which to you are para-
doxical; but if not, that I myself may be innocent in the day of judgment. For you shall hear
other words which appear still more paradoxical; but be not confounded, nay, rather remain
still more zealous hearers and investigators, despising the tradition of your teachers, since
they are convicted by the Holy Spirit of inability to perceive the truths taught by God, and
of preferring to teach their own doctrines. Accordingly, in the forty-fourth [forty-fifth]
Psalm, these words are in like manner referred to Christ: ‘My heart has brought forth a good
matter;280 I tell my works to the King. My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Fairer in
beauty than the sons of men: grace is poured forth into Thy lips: therefore hath God blessed
Thee for ever. Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O mighty One. Press on in Thy fairness and
in Thy beauty, and prosper and reign, because of truth, and of meekness, and of righteous-
ness: and Thy right hand shall instruct Thee marvellously. Thine arrows are sharpened, O
mighty One; the people shall fall under Thee; in the heart of the enemies of the King [the
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arrows are fixed]. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of equity is the sceptre
of Thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hast hated iniquity; therefore thy
God281 hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows. [He hath anointed
Thee] with myrrh,282 and oil, and cassia, from Thy garments; from the ivory palaces, whereby
they made Thee glad. Kings’ daughters are in Thy honour. The queen stood at Thy right
hand, clad in garments283 embroidered with gold. Hearken, O daughter, and behold, and
incline thine ear, and forget thy people and the house of thy father: and the King shall desire
thy beauty; because He is thy Lord, they shall worship Him also. And the daughter of Tyre
[shall be there] with gifts. The rich of the people shall entreat Thy face. All the glory of the
King’s daughter [is] within, clad in embroidered garments of needlework. The virgins that
280 [Hebrew and Greek, “a good word,” i.e., the Logos.]
281 Or, “God, thy God.”
282 στακτή.
283 Literally, “garments of gold, variegated.”
Chapter XXXVIII.—It is an annoyance to the Jew that Christ is said to be adored. Justin confirms it, however, from Ps. xlv.
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Chapter XXXVIII.—It is an annoyance to the Jew that Christ is said to be…