Revelation, truth, canon and interpretation : studies in Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho
Revelation, Truth, Canon, and Interpretation are four fundamental issues in pre-Nicene Christianity. This dissertation seeks to examine these in Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho. The INTRODUCTION indicates the impetus for this investigation and reviews the pertinent secondary sources and their contributions to these issues. A review of Justin's life and his extant writings is also included. CHAPTER ONE examines Justin's concept of Revelation. Justin's conversion to Christianity is placed in the context of his Middle Platonism. From this context we learn that, as a philosopher, Justin's primary goal was knowledge of God. The case Justin builds throughout the Dialogue is that the true philosophy, the incarnate Logos, is witnessed to only in the Prophets and the Apostles. The incarnate Logos is seen as the culmination in God's plan for salvation and is thus revelation. CHAPTER TWO examines Justin's concept of truth. From the genre that Justin chose and his understanding of the attainment of truth as the goal of a philosopher, we see that Justin saw truth as located in the Logos. Justin is differentiated from the Hebrew and the Platonic concepts of truth and continues the line of argument established in the
Allert, Craig D.
BT Doctrinal theology
Revelation, truth, canon and interpretation : studies in Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho. Revelation, Truth, Canon, and Interpretation are four fundamental issues in pre-Nicene Christianity. This dissertation seeks to examine these in Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho. The INTRODUCTION indicates the impetus for this investigation and reviews the pertinent secondary sources and their contributions to these issues. A review of Justin's life and his extant writings is also included. CHAPTER ONE examines Justin's concept of Revelation. Justin's conversion to Christianity is placed in the context of his Middle Platonism. From this context we learn that, as a philosopher, Justin's primary goal was knowledge of God. The case Justin builds throughout the Dialogue is that the true philosophy, the incarnate Logos, is witnessed to only in the Prophets and the Apostles. The incarnate Logos is seen as the culmination in God's plan for salvation and is thus revelation. CHAPTER TWO examines Justin's concept of truth. From the genre that Justin chose and his understanding of the attainment of truth as the goal of a philosopher, we see that Justin saw truth as located in the Logos. Justin is differentiated from the Hebrew and the Platonic concepts of truth and continues the line of argument established in the
revelation truth canon interpretation study justin martyr dialogue revelation truth canon interpretation fundamental_issue pre christianity seek_examine justin martyr dialogue introduction indicate impetus investigation review pertinent secondary_source contribution issue review justin life extant writing also_include examine justin concept revelation justin conversion christianity place_context middle platonism context learn philosopher justin primary_goal knowledge_god case justin build throughout dialogue true philosophy incarnate logos witness prophets apostles incarnate logos see culmination god plan salvation thus revelation two_examines justin concept_truth genre justin choose attainment truth goal philosopher see justin saw truth locate logos justin differentiate hebrew platonic concept_truth continue line_argument establish