There seems to be no doubt that Justin Martyr understands the soul to be immortal. But when I say that Justin affirms the immortality of the soul, I am not claiming that he believes the soul exists immortally in the Platonic sense because he clearly rejects the Platonic view of the soul in most respects--despite the fact that he was a Neoplatonist. However,
Justin does believe that wicked souls are punished after death which requires that the soul live on post mortem. See Arthur J. Droge, "Justin Martyr and the Restoration of Philosophy," Church History 56.3 (1987): 303-319. He provides textual evidence that Justin retains certain Platonic doctrines in a mutated form, particularly, that the wicked will be punished after death. Compare Plato's Republic and the Myth of Er.
Admittedly, there is a passage in Dialogue with Trypho 80, wherein Justin denigrates those so-called Christians who believe their souls will ascend to heaven in the flesh after death. However, while Justin does appear to believe that the prophecies foretold in Isaiah will be fulfilled through the Christian congregation, he nonetheless argues that the ungodly will be consigned to eternal torment. Maybe such texts can be interpreted differently, but I would humbly submit that Justin affirms there is an immortal soul in some sense of the term--At least there is for the wicked.
See Dialogue with Trypho 130.
After reading Dialogue with Trypho 80, I am reminded that Justin Martyr does not have the gift of brevity. There he denigrates certain Christians who are actually "godless, impious heretics" "who say there is no resurrection of the dead, and that their souls, when they die, are taken to heaven." However he says that "right-minded Christians" believe that "there will be a resurrection of the dead, and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then be built, adorned, and enlarged." His loquacious style of communication is a bit hard to follow.
ReplyDeleteJim. It could be the English translation your reading. The Greek text is always far more interesting.
ReplyDeleteDial. 80.5 ἐγὼ δέ, καὶ εἴ τινές εἰσιν ὀρθογνώμονες κατὰ πάντα Χριστιανοί, καὶ σαρκὸς ἀνάστασιν γενήσεσθαι ἐπιστάμεθα καὶ χίλια ἔτη ἐν Ἰερουσαλὴμ οἰκοδομηθείσῃ καὶ κοσμηθείσῃ καὶ πλατυνθείσῃ, ὡς οἱ προφῆται Ἰεζεκιὴλ καὶ Ἠσαίας καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι ὁμολογοῦσιν.
Also, consider the context my brother, you will see he's responding to a direct question from Trypho (the Jew) about the Millennium hope, just a little earlier.
But after all, he is a Philosopher. And they do put on airs.
Dialogue with Trypho 130:
ReplyDelete"But we will not receive it of all your nation; since we know from Isaiah that the members of those who have transgressed shall be consumed by the worm and unquenchable fire, remaining immortal; so that they become a spectacle to all flesh."
Weedhacker: You're right that reading Justin in Greek gives you a different impression of his writings. Nevertheless, as you also say, he was a philosoper--trained in Stoicism, and Neoplatonic thought that was possibly founded by Plotinus (205-270 CE).
ReplyDeleteThanks Matt!
ReplyDeleteHi Edgar. Have been reading Justin's ideas about the immortality of the soul. And I agree 100% that he does for a fact teach this. I even checked the main MS of Justin's works BnF Grec. 450 (dated 13th century C.E.) on one of the main passages and there ha been no tampering. It checks out.
ReplyDeleteBut! There are some disturbing reasoning's that (in part) lead Justin to his conclusions and/or he appeals/points to as evidence for his theory.
Example. 1st Apol. 18. "For let even necromancy, and the divinations you practise by immaculate children, and the evoking of departed human souls, and those who are called among the magi, Dream-senders and Assistant -spirits (Familiars), and all that is done by those who are skilled in such matters- let these persuade you that even after death souls are in a state of sensation."
He appeals to spiritism. Unsound reasoning, surely you would agree?
Justin continues in his 1st Apol. 18, when he says:
ReplyDelete"let these persuade you that even after death souls are in a state of sensation; and those who are seized and cast about by the spirits of the dead, whom all call (δαιμονιολήπτους) daemoniacs or (μαινομένους) madmen; and what you repute as oracles, both of Amphilochus, Dodana, Pytho, and as many other such as exist; and the opinions of your authors, Empedocles and Pythagoras, Plato and Socrates, and the pit of Homer, and the descent of Ulysses to inspect these things, and all that has been uttered of a like kind."
He appeals directly to demon possession and madmen. Not sound reasoning.
Ezekiel 18:20 LXX ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ ἡ ἁμαρτάνουσα ἀποθανεῖται
Justin in Dial. 105.3-5 appeals to the account about Saul, Samuel, and the Witch at Endor, and promotes something very peculiar, belief that Demons can "steal" the souls of the righteous at/after death, and exert power over them after death.
ReplyDelete"And His [i.e. Jesus] plea that His soul might be saved from the sword, from the lion's mouth, and from the dog's paw, was a prayer that no one should have power over His soul, so that, when we approach the end of life, we [Justin's idea of true Christians] may beg the same favor of God, who can prevent (πάντα ἀναιδῆ πονηρὸν ἄγγελον μὴ λαβέσθαι ἡμῶν τῆς ψυχῆς) every bad and brazen angel from stealing our souls. [4] Now, I have proved that souls survive [after death] from the fact that Samuel's soul was invoked by the witch, as Saul demanded. And it seems that the souls of other just men and Prophets were subjected to such powers, as is evident from the facts in the case of this witch. [5] Thus, God through His Son also teaches us (for whom these things seem to have happened) always to do our utmost to become righteous (καὶ πρὸς τῇ ἐξόδῳ αἰτεῖν μὴ ὑπὸ τοιαύτην τινὰ δύναμιν ὑποπεσεῖν τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν) and at our death to pray that we may not fall into any such power." (Kevin Edgecome translation).
Again this is unsound reasoning, even if it appears to be based on Scripture.
Ezekiel 18:20 LXX ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ ἡ ἁμαρτάνουσα ἀποθανεῖται
Matt13weedhacker:
ReplyDeleteI would like to do more research on the passages you quote, but I agree that they're disturbing and it's surprising to see Justin employ such reasoning. You've probably read Semisch--think we talked about that book in the past--and I've reviewed his discussion about Justin within the past week. It would be interesting to see how these Justin commentators handle these parts of Justin's corpus. As always, I appreciate your hard work. Thanks for sharing.
For "immaculate children" see:-
ReplyDeletePGM VII. 540-78
PDM XIV. 1-92 (note 68)
PDM XIV. 395-427
Also
ReplyDeleteIrenaeus, Adv. Haer. 2. 32. 3.