Chp.64 - Trypho Entertains Justin But Still Denies Christ

Here Trypho said, “Let Him be recognised as Lord and Christ and God, as the Scriptures declare, by you of the Gentiles, who have from His name been all called Christians; but we who are servants of God that made this same [Christ], do not require to confess or worship Him.” 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. 229). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company.

Trypho continues to entertain Justin but at the expense of denying Jesus as the LORD over all. In this, Trypho still observes his ancestry as the superior race, believing that the only benefit of this Christ, by which Gentiles are saved, is that he subjects them to the Hebrew Scriptures. But in this confession he expresses his ignorance of God (and the Scriptures) by the pride of his heart in presuming to believe that the Hebrew culture is what made this man, called Jesus, the Christ of the Gentiles. So in the pride and arrogance of his self-exaltation he denies the need to confess and worship this man who was crucified as the King of the Jews by Pontius Pilate.

"To this I replied, “If I were to be quarrelsome and light-minded like you, Trypho, I would no longer continue to converse with you, since you are prepared not to understand what has been said, but only to return some captious answer;10 but now, since I fear the judgment of God, I do not state an untimely opinion concerning any one of your nation, as to whether or not some of them may be saved by the grace of the Lord of Sabaoth. Therefore, although you act wrongfully, I shall continue to reply to any proposition you shall bring forward, and to any contradiction which you make; and, in fact, I do the very same to all men of every nation, who wish to examine along with me, or make inquiry at me, regarding this subject. Accordingly, if you had bestowed attention on the Scriptures previously quoted by me, you would already have understood, that those who are saved of your own nation are saved through this11 [man], and partake of His lot; and you would not certainly have asked me about this matter." 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. 229). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. It is good for us to note that Justin is not an apologist first but rather a proclaimer of the Word. Justin wants Trypho to remember that he had declared to him the whole counsel of God, but is now prepared to defend the Gospel that he proclaimed. In other words, if there are things that are misunderstood by Trypho Justin is ready to clarify more deeply. But what is obvious now is that Trypho is only entertaining Justin that he may sharpen those questions which cause contradictions in the Christian witness. Justin is fully aware of this and welcomes those questions that he too is prepared to answer.

Though iron sharpens iron, at the end of day iron remains iron, and therefore apart from the will of the Spirit of God these kinds of dialogues will not edify the mind that is hostile to God. Nevertheless, this is one of the ordained methods that God has chosen to plow the hard soil of an unbelieving heart. Justin must labor in the preaching and teaching of the Word until Christ performs the understanding needed in the mind of Trypho's hard heart. Therefore, while Trypho continues to entertain, Justin must use every opportunity to sow the truth in precision like fashion to straighten out the twisted iron fence that Trypho has walled up with his mind to resist the Spirit of Truth.

Justin reminds him of Psalm 19 by which David bids us to look to the heavens which witness to the glory of God. All these were made by him and for him that he should come like a bridegroom out of his chamber for the bride of his choosing (Zech.12:10;Jn.19:37). This man has purchased his bride with his own blood. He is the strong man named Yeshua (strong deliverer/mighty savior) who will save his people from their sins (Matt.1:21;Isa.63:1). The strength of this man shall shield his bride from the heat of the LORD'S anger. But those who have despised his atonement (and spat in the face of his bride) will have no one to save them from his fury.

Psalm 19:4–5 (NKJV) 4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.

Luke 11:15–28 (NKJV) 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” 16 Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. 17 But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. 18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. 22 But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. 23 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters. 24 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” 27 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” 28 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

Jesus is the strong man who commanded these hypocrites to bind him to the Word of his power and to "sprinkle" his blood upon the weakness of their flesh in which they have trusted for their salvation (Jer.17:5). In other words, Jesus is telling those who believe that he is the prince of demons and heals by the sorcery of this world to arrest him and judge him according to the law of Moses for malpractice (blasphemy). The Pharisees being filled with unbelief and anger, in the offense of their dishonor, obeyed and did exactly what he told them to do, and by it he declared the glory of God from the heavens.

For this "strong man" is mighty to save like a bridegroom running a race to win the love of his bride by the blood and sweat of his brow. In this statement he is declaring himself to be LORD over all, even the demonic powers and rulers of this divided kingdom of the sons of men who are blinded by the prince and power of the air (2Cor.4:4;Eph.2:2). These are they who breath in the air of his lies and are separated from the breath of heaven which gives life to the soul (Ps.135:17;Acts 9:1). For to have eternal life they must breath in by the cross of his love and receive the Holy Spirit (Jn.20:22). In this, mercy triumphs over judgment; and by the law of his cross the heavens rejoice, for the cross is the grace of God that opens the door to reconciliation with God, and by the finger of God the breath of sin is choked out to die forever in a lake of fire. Those who murder and persecute his bride only scatter the spoil and inheritance of his reward for plundering the earth with his love.