Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho

“And when those who record the mysteries of Mithras say that he was begotten of a rock, and call the place where those who believe in him are initiated a cave, do I not perceive here that the utterance of Daniel, that a stone without hands was cut out of a great mountain, has been imitated by them, and that they have attempted likewise to imitate the whole of Isaiah’s263 The text here has ταῦτα ποιῆσαι ὁμοίως. Maranus suggests ᾽Ησαίου for ποιῆσαι; and so we have translated. words?264 Justin says that the priests of Mithras imitated all the words of Isaiah about to be quoted; and to prove it, is content with a single example, namely, the precepts of righteousness, which they were wont to relate to him, as in these words of Isaiah: “He who walks in righteousness,” etc. Justin omitted many other passages, as easy and obvious. For since Mithras is the same as fire, it manifestly answers to the fire of which Isaiah speaks. And since Justin reminded them who are initiated, that they are said to be initiated by Mithras himself, it was not necessary to remind them that the words of Isaiah are imitated in this: “You shall see the King with glory.” Bread and water are referred to by Isaiah: so also in these mysteries of Mithras, Justin testifies that bread and a cup of water are placed before them (Apol. i.).—Maranus. For they265 i.e., the devils. contrived that the words of righteousness be quoted also by them.266 i.e., the priests of Mithras. But I must repeat to you the words of Isaiah referred to, in order that from them you may know that these things are so. They are these: ‘Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; those that are near shall know my might. The sinners in Zion are removed; trembling shall seize the impious. Who shall announce to you the everlasting place? The man who walks in righteousness, speaks in the right way, hates sin and unrighteousness, and keeps his hands pure from bribes, stops the ears from hearing the unjust judgment of blood closes the eyes from seeing unrighteousness: he shall dwell in the lofty cave of the strong rock. Bread shall be given to him, and his water [shall be] sure. Ye shall see the King with glory, and your eyes shall look far off. Your soul shall pursue diligently the fear of the Lord. Where is the scribe? where are the counsellors? where is he that numbers those who are nourished,—the small and great people? with whom they did not take counsel, nor knew the depth of the voices, so that they heard not. The people who are become depreciated, and there is no understanding in him who hears.’267 Isa. xxxiii. 13–19. Now it is evident, that in this prophecy [allusion is made] to the bread which our Christ gave us to eat,268 Literally, “to do,” ποιεῖν. [The horrible charge of banqueting on blood, etc., constantly repeated against Christians, was probably based on the Eucharist. See Kaye’s Illustrations from Tatian, Athenagorus, and Theoph. Antioch., cap. ix. p. 153.] in remembrance of His being made flesh for the sake of His believers, for whom also He suffered; and to the cup which He gave us to drink,269 Literally, “to do,” ποιεῖν. [The horrible charge of banqueting on blood, etc., constantly repeated against Christians, was probably based on the Eucharist. See Kaye’s Illustrations from Tatian, Athenagorus, and Theoph. Antioch., cap. ix. p. 153.] in remembrance of His own blood, with giving of thanks. And this prophecy proves that we shall behold this very King with glory; and the very terms of the prophecy declare loudly, that the people foreknown to believe in Him were foreknown to pursue diligently the fear of the Lord. Moreover, these Scriptures are equally explicit in saying, that those who are reputed to know the writings of the Scriptures, and who hear the prophecies, have no understanding. And when I hear, Trypho,” said I, “that Perseus was begotten of a virgin, I understand that the deceiving serpent counterfeited also this.

[70] Ὅταν δὲ οἱ τὰ τοῦ Μίθρου μυστήρια παραδιδόντες λέγωσιν ἐκ πέτρας γεγενῆσθαι αὐτόν, καὶ σπήλαιον καλῶσι τὸν τόπον ἔνθα μυεῖν τοὺς πειθομένους αὐτῷ παραδιδοῦσιν, ἐνταῦθα οὐχὶ τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ Δανιήλ, ὅτι Λίθος ἄνευ χειρῶν ἐτμήθη ἐξ ὄρους μεγάλου, μεμιμῆσθαι αὐτοὺς ἐπίσταμαι, καὶ τὰ ὑπὸ Ἠσαίου ὁμοίως, οὗ καὶ τοὺς λόγους πάντας μιμήσασθαι ἐπεχείρησαν; δικαιοπραξίας γὰρ λόγους καὶ παρ' ἐκείνοις λέγεσθαι ἐτεχνάσαντο. τοὺς δὲ εἰρημένους λόγους τοῦ Ἠσαίου ἀναγκαίως ἀνιστορήσω ὑμῖν, ὅπως ἐξ αὐτῶν γνῶτε ταῦθ' οὕτως ἔχειν. εἰσὶ δὲ οὗτοι: Ἀκούσατε, οἱ πόρρωθεν, ἃ ἐποίησα: γνώσονται οἱ ἐγγίζοντες τὴν ἰσχύν μου. ἀπέστησαν οἱ ἐν Σιὼν ἄνομοι: ἄνομοι, λήψεται τρόμος τοὺς ἀσεβεῖς. τίς ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν τὸν τόπον τὸν αἰώνιον; πορευόμενος ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ, λαλῶν εὐθεῖαν ὁδόν, μισῶν ἀνομίαν καὶ ἀδικίαν, καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἀφωσιωμένος ἀπὸ δώρων, βαρύνων ὦτα ἵνα μὴ ἀκούσῃ κρίσιν ἄδικον αἵματος, καμμύων τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἵνα μὴ ἴδῃ ἀδικίαν: οὗτος οἰκήσει ἐν ὑψηλῷ σπηλαίῳ πέτρας ἰσχυρᾶς. ἄρτος δοθήσεται αὐτῷ, καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ αὐτοῦ πιστόν. βασιλέα μετὰ δόξης ὄψεσθε, καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ὑμῶν ὄψονται πόρρωθεν. ἡ ψυχὴ ὑμῶν μελετήσει φόβον κυρίου. ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ γραμματικός; ποῦ εἰσιν οἱ βουλεύοντες; ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ ἀριθμῶν τοὺς τρεφομένους, μικρὸν καὶ μέγαν λαόν; ᾧ οὐ συνεβουλεύσαντο, οὐδὲ ᾔδεισαν βάθη φωνῶν, ὥστε μὴ ἀκοῦσαι: λαὸς πεφαυλισμένος, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι τῷ ἀκούοντι σύνεσις. ὅτι μὲν οὖν καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ προφητείᾳ περὶ τοῦ ἄρτου, ὃν παρέδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ ἡμέτερος Χριστὸς ποιεῖν εἰς ἀνάμνησιν τοῦ τε σωματοποιήσασθαι αὐτὸν διὰ τοὺς πιστεύοντας εἰς αὐτόν, δι' οὓς καὶ παθητὸς γέγονε, καὶ περὶ τοῦ ποτηρίου, ὃ εἰς ἀνάμνησιν τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ παρέδωκεν εὐχαριστοῦντας ποιεῖν, φαίνεται. καὶ ὅτι βασιλέα τοῦτον αὐτὸν μετὰ δόξης ὀψόμεθα, αὕτη ἡ προφητεία δηλοῖ. καὶ ὅτι λαός, ὁ εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεύειν προεγνωσμένος, μελετήσειν φόβον κυρίου προέγνωστο, αὗται αἱ λέξεις τῆς προφητείας βοῶσι. καὶ ὅτι οἱ τὰ γράμματα τῶν γραφῶν ἐπίστασθαι λογιζόμενοι, καὶ ἀκούοντες τῶν προφητειῶν, οὐκ ἔχουσι σύνεσιν, ὁμοίως αὗται αἱ γραφαὶ κεκράγασιν. ὅταν δέ, ὦ Τρύφων, ἔφην, ἐκ παρθένου γεγεννῆσθαι τὸν Περσέα ἀκούσω, καὶ τοῦτο μιμήσασθαι τὸν πλάνον ὄφιν συνίημι.