Chp.65 - A Question Of Context Is The Answer

And Trypho said, “Being shaken4 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.’ ”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. 230). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company.

In honesty, Trypho is forced to conceded that he doesn't understand the Scriptures as he supposed. But he is still tied to the false understanding that God is only one person and therefore cannot share his glory with another person. But this understanding is based on a lack of exegetical labor to know the mind of God. This is a result of presuming to know God and fashioning a god according to the image of man.

Our minds are to be shaped by the Word of God, but this formation doesn't come without careful listening (Matt.11:15;13:9,43;Mk.4:9;Lk.8:8;14:35;Rev.2:29;3:6,13,22). Eve failed to do this in the garden and led her husband into the temptation of sin, and therefore Adam disregarded the voice of God to succumb to the love of his wife. Adam failed to crush the free-will of her head (the serpent), having been deceived by him, with the voice of God's power. Adam, having been "with her," had the opportunity to crush that lying serpent's head before Eve partook; and so they both ate to the perishing of the their souls.

They ate the BAD MEDICINE of the lie! They drank in the fruit of the serpent's POISON and did not hear the WORD OF GOD! And therefore exchanged the incorruptible beauty and image of God for a LIE! Romans 1:18–32 (NKJV) 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Now, it is the mind that is against the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ which God refuses to share his (eternal) glory with! For we see, here, in Paul's letter to the Romans, how God gave man over to a mind that is hostile to God (reprobate), and without the Spirit and image of God abiding in it (Rom.8:5-8). But since Trypho is willing to entertain Justin further, and is hard-pressed to learn and understand more, Justin labors to build up Trypho on a more solid and exegetical approach to the passage. "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." 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. 230). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. Again, Justin is throwing the book at Trypho, which is omnipotent on its own through the Spirit of God, rather than playing the hypocrite and pretending to know Trypho's heart; for the Word of God is powerful enough to expose Trypho's unbelief. So Justin flatters and gives Trypho the benefit of the doubt for his salvation's sake, but Justin will not flatter by use of the Word. Justin will unleash the full power and authority of God's Word through a careful exegesis of the text and let the chips fall where they may regarding Trypho's response to the Word.

"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: 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. 230). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. Isaiah 42:5–13 (Brenton LXX En) 5 Thus saith the Lord God, who made the heaven, and established it; who settled the earth, and the things in it, and gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to them that tread on it: 6 I the Lord God have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will strengthen thee: and I have given thee for the covenant of a race, for a light of the Gentiles; 7 to open the eyes of the blind, to bring the bound and them that sit in darkness out of bonds and the prison-house. 8 I am the Lord God: that is my name: I will not give my glory to another, nor my praises to graven images. 9 Behold, the ancient things have come to pass, and so will the new things which I tell you: yea, before I tell them they are made known to you. 10 Sing a new hymn to the Lord: ye who are his dominion, glorify his name from the end of the earth: ye that go down to the sea, and sail upon it; the islands, and they that dwell in them. 11 Rejoice, thou wilderness, and the villages thereof, the hamlets, and the dwellers in Kedar: the inhabitants of the rock shall rejoice, they shall shout from the top of the mountains. 12 They shall give glory to God, and shall proclaim his praises in the islands. 13 The Lord God of hosts shall go forth, and crush the war: he shall stir up jealousy, and shall shout mightily against his enemies. "And when I repeated this, I said to them, “Have you perceived, my friends, that God says He will give Him whom He has established as a light of the Gentiles, glory, and to no other; and not, as Trypho said, that God was retaining the glory to Himself?” 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. 231). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. What is written for us in this account is not entirely what took place first hand. What language was used in this discourse is obscure, but what remains, for us, is that Trypho understood, by this recited passage, that Yahweh gave his glory to this "mighty man" to make an end of this hostility (or war against God) through the "new" covenant that is established through him, because the old covenant only separated the sinful mind further from peace with God (Rom.7:9). Yahweh is giving this man (Jesus) the glory equal to that of himself to be the light to the nations and set free those who sit in darkness, because God will not share the (eternal) light of his glory, in which he first made man, with those who exchange it for lies, who worship the works of the evil mind of man. But those who love the glory of the LORD will worship in the image and pattern that he has shared with the sons of his kingdom (Jn.4:23,24). But to the mind of a Hebrew it should be clearly seen, in the Hebrew text, that YHWH himself will go forth (as a man) in verse 13.

Because this man is the very image of God, in the flesh and blood nature of the fallen man (death), his mind has been and will always be at peace in the Triune and eternal fellowship of God (Heb.1:3;2:14;2Cor.5:21). God has given this glory to no other, but there is still a glory of his own that he shares with mankind in the face of Jesus Christ (2Cor.4:6). He shares the Spirit of adoption and includes those of the fallen race to be grafted into the tree of his divine sufferings; for this is true godliness (2Tim.1:8;3:12;1Pet.2:21;4:1,13,15;5:9;Rom.8:17-18). "Then Trypho answered, “We have perceived this also; pass on therefore to the remainder of the discourse.” 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. 231). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company.