Chapter LXXXV.—He proves that Christ is the Lord of Hosts from Ps. xxiv., and from his authority over demons.

“Moreover, some of you venture to expound the prophecy which runs, ‘Lift up your gates, ye rulers; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, that the King of glory may enter,’333    Ps. xxiv. 7. as if it referred likewise to Hezekiah, and others of you [expound it] of Solomon; but neither to the latter nor to the former, nor, in short, to any of your kings, can it be proved to have reference, but to this our Christ alone, who appeared without comeliness, and inglorious, as Isaiah and David and all the Scriptures said; who is the Lord of hosts, by the will of the Father who conferred on Him [the dignity]; who also rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven, as the Psalm and the other Scriptures manifested when they announced Him to be Lord of hosts; and of this you may, if you will, easily be persuaded by the occurrences which take place before your eyes. For every demon, when exorcised in the name of this very Son of God —who is the First-born of every creature, who became man by the Virgin, who suffered, and was crucified under Pontius Pilate by your nation, who died, who rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven —is overcome and subdued. But though you exorcise any demon in the name of any of those who were amongst you—either kings, or righteous men, or prophets, or patriarchs—it will not be subject to you. But if any of you exorcise it in [the name of] the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, it will perhaps be subject to you. Now assuredly your exorcists, I have said,334    Chap. lxxvi. make use of craft when they exorcise, even as the Gentiles do, and employ fumigations and incantations.335    κατάδεσμοι, by some thought to be verses by which evil spirits, once expelled, were kept from returning. Plato (Rep.) speaks of incantations by which demons were summoned to the help of those who practised such rites; but Justin refers to them only as being expelled. Others regard them as drugs. But that they are angels and powers whom the word of prophecy by David [commands] to lift up the gates, that He who rose from the dead, Jesus Christ, the Lord of hosts, according to the will of the Father, might enter, the word of David has likewise showed; which I shall again recall to your attention for the sake of those who were not with us yesterday, for whose benefit, moreover, I sum up many things I said yesterday. And now, if I say this to you, although I have repeated it many times, I know that it is not absurd so to do. For it is a ridiculous thing to see the sun, and the moon, and the other stars, continually keeping the same course, and bringing round the different seasons; and to see the computer who may be asked how many are twice two, because he has frequently said that they are four, not ceasing to say again that they are four; and equally so other things, which are confidently admitted, to be continually mentioned and admitted in like manner; yet that he who founds his discourse on the prophetic Scriptures should leave them and abstain from constantly referring to the same Scriptures, because it is thought he can bring forth something better than Scripture. The passage, then, by which I proved that God reveals that there are both angels and hosts in heaven is this: ‘Praise the Lord from the heavens: praise Him in the highest. Praise Him, all His angels: praise Him, all His hosts.’ ”336    Ps. cxlviii. 1, 2. [Kaye’s citations (chap. ix. p. 181) from Tatian, concerning angels and demons, are valuable aids to the understanding of Justin in his frequent references to this subject.]

Then one of those who had come with them on the second day, whose name was Mnaseas, said, “We are greatly pleased that you undertake to repeat the same things on our account.”

And I said, “Listen, my friends, to the Scripture which induces me to act thus. Jesus commanded [us] to love even [our] enemies, as was predicted by Isaiah in many passages, in which also is contained the mystery of our own regeneration, as well, in fact, as the regeneration of all who expect that Christ will appear in Jerusalem, and by their works endeavour earnestly to please Him. These are the words spoken by Isaiah: ‘Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at His word. Say, our brethren, to them that hate you and detest you, that the name of the Lord has been glorified. He has appeared to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple,337    In both mss. “people.” a voice of the Lord who rendereth recompense to the proud. Before she that travailed brought forth, and before the pains of labour came, she brought forth a male child. Who hath heard such a thing? and who hath seen such a thing? has the earth brought forth in one day? and has she produced a nation at once? for Zion has travailed and borne her children. But I have given such an expectation even to her that does not bring forth, said the Lord. Behold, I have made her that begetteth, and her that is barren, saith the Lord. Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and hold a joyous assembly, all ye that love her. Be glad, all ye that mourn for her, that ye may suck and be filled with the breast of her consolation, that having suck ye may be delighted with the entrance of His glory.’ ”338    Isa. lxvi. 5–11.

[85] Καὶ γὰρ τὴν προφητείαν τὴν λέγουσαν: Ἄρατε πύλας, οἱ ἄρχοντες ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐπάρθητε, πύλαι αἰώνιοι, ἵνα εἰσέλθῃ ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης, ὁμοίως εἰς τὸν Ἑζεκίαν τολμῶσί τινες ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐξηγεῖσθαι εἰρῆσθαι, ἄλλοι δὲ εἰς Σολομῶνα. οὐ δὲ εἰς τοῦτον οὐδὲ εἰς ἐκεῖνον οὔτε εἰς ἄλλον ἁπλῶς λεγόμενον ὑμῶν βασιλέα δυνατὸν ἀποδειχθῆναι εἰρῆσθαι, εἰς δὲ μόνον τοῦτον τὸν ἡμέτερον Χριστόν, τὸν ἀειδῆ καὶ ἄτιμον φανέντα, ὡς Ἠσαίας ἔφη καὶ Δαυεὶδ καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ γραφαί, ὅς ἐστι κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων διὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ δόντος αὐτῷ πατρός, ὃς καὶ ἀνέστη ἐκ νεκρῶν καὶ ἀνῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, ὡς καὶ ὁ ψαλμὸς καὶ αἱ ἄλλαι γραφαὶ ἐδήλουν, καὶ κύριον αὐτὸν τῶν δυνάμεων κατήγγελλον, ὡς καὶ νῦν ἐκ τῶν ὑπ' ὄψιν γινομένων ῥᾷον ὑμᾶς πεισθῆναι, ἐὰν θέλητε. κατὰ γὰρ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ τούτου τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πρωτοτόκου πάσης κτίσεως, καὶ διὰ παρθένου γεννηθέντος καὶ παθητοῦ γενομένου ἀνθρώπου, καὶ σταυρωθέντος ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου ὑπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ ὑμῶν καὶ ἀποθανόντος, καὶ ἀναστάντος ἐκ νεκρῶν καὶ ἀναβάντος εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, πᾶν δαιμόνιον ἐξορκιζόμενον νικᾶται καὶ ὑποτάσσεται. ἐὰν δὲ κατὰ παντὸς ὀνόματος τῶν παρ' ὑμῖν γεγενημένων ἢ βασιλέων ἢ δικαίων ἢ προφητῶν ἢ πατριαρχῶν ἐξορκίζητε ὑμεῖς, οὐχ ὑποταγήσεται οὐδὲν τῶν δαιμονίων: ἀλλ' εἰ ἄρα ἐξορκίζοι τις ὑμῶν κατὰ τοῦ θεοῦ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ θεοῦ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ θεοῦ Ἰακώβ, ἴσως ὑποταγήσεται. ἤδη μέντοι οἱ ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐπορκισταὶ τῇ τέχνῃ, ὥσπερ καὶ τὰ ἔθνη, χρώμενοι ἐξορκίζουσι καὶ θυμιάμασι καὶ καταδέσμοις χρῶνται, εἶπον. ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἄγγελοι καὶ δυνάμεις εἰσίν, οἷς ὁ λόγος ὁ τῆς προφητείας τῆς διὰ Δαυεὶδ ἐπᾶραι τὰς πύλας, ἵνα εἰσέλθῃ οὗτος ὁ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστὰς κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων κατὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πατρός, Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, ὁ λόγος τοῦ Δαυεὶδ ὁμοίως ἀπέδειξεν, οὗ καὶ πάλιν ἐπιμνησθήσομαι διὰ τούτους τοὺς μὴ καὶ χθὲς συνόντας ἡμῖν, δι' οὓς καὶ πολλὰ τῶν χθὲς εἰρημένων ἐπὶ κεφαλαίων λέγω. καὶ νῦν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐὰν τοῦτο λέγω, εἰ καὶ ἐταυτολόγησα πολλάκις, οὐκ ἄτοπον εἰπεῖν ἐπίσταμαι: γελοῖον μὲν γὰρ πρᾶγμά ἐστιν, ὁρᾶν τὸν ἥλιον καὶ τὴν σελήνην καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἄστρα τὴν αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἀεὶ καὶ τὰς τροπὰς τῶν ὡρῶν ποιεῖσθαι, καὶ τὸν ψηφιστικὸν ἄνδρα, εἰ ἐξετάζοιτο τὰ δὶς δύο πόσα ἐστί, διὰ τὸ πολλάκις εἰρηκέναι ὅτι τέσσαρα, οὐ παύσεσθαι τοῦ πάλιν λέγειν ὅτι τέσσαρα, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὁμοίως ὅσα παγίως ὁμολογεῖται ἀεὶ ὡσαύτως λέγεσθαι καὶ ὁμολογεῖσθαι, τὸν δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν γραφῶν τῶν προφητικῶν ὁμιλίας ποιούμενον ἐᾶν καὶ μὴ τὰς αὐτὰς ἀεὶ λέγειν γραφάς, ἀλλ' ἡγεῖσθαι ἑαυτὸν βέλτιον τῆς γραφῆς γεννήσαντα εἰπεῖν. ἔστιν οὖν ὁ λόγος, δι' οὗ ἐσήμανα τὸν θεὸν δηλοῦν ὅτι καὶ ἄγγελοί εἰσιν ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ δυνάμεις, οὗτος: Αἰνεῖτε τὸν κύριον ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν, αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις: αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν πάντες οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτοῦ, αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις αὐτοῦ. Καὶ Μνασέας δέ τις ὀνόματι τῶν συνελθόντων αὐτοῖς τῇ δευτέρᾳ ἡμέρᾳ εἶπε: Καὶ ἡμεῖς χαίρομεν πάλιν πειρωμένου σου τὰ αὐτὰ λέγειν δι' ἡμᾶς. Κἀγὼ εἶπον: Ἀκούσατε, φίλοι, τίνι γραφῇ πειθόμενος ταῦτα πράττω. Ἰησοῦς ἐκέλευσεν ἀγαπᾶν καὶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς, ὅπερ καὶ διὰ Ἠσαίου ἐκεκήρυκτο διὰ πλειόνων, ἐν οἷς καὶ τὸ μυστήριον πάλιν τῆς γενέσεως ἡμῶν, καὶ ἁπλῶς πάντων τῶν τὸν Χριστὸν ἐν Ἰερουσαλὴμ φανήσεσθαι προσδοκώντων καὶ δι' ἔργων εὐαρεστεῖν αὐτῷ σπουδαζόντων. Εἰσὶ δὲ οἱ διὰ Ἠσαίου λόγοι οὗτοι: Ἀκούσατε τὸ ῥῆμα κυρίου, οἱ τρέμοντες τὸ ῥῆμα αὐτοῦ. εἴπατε: ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν, τοῖς μισοῦσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ βδελυσσομένοις τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου δοξασθῆναι. ὤφθη ἐν τῇ εὐφροσύνῃ αὐτῶν, κἀκεῖνοι αἰσχυνθήσονται. φωνὴ κραυγῆς ἐκ πόλεως, φωνὴ λαοῦ, φωνὴ κυρίου ἀποδιδόντος ἀνταπόδοσιν τοῖς ὑπερηφάνοις. πρὶν ἢ τὴν ὠδίνουσαν τεκεῖν, καὶ πρὶν ἐλθεῖν τὸν πόνον τῶν ὠδίνων, ἐξέτεκεν ἄρσεν. τίς ἤκουσε τοιοῦτον, καὶ τίς ἑώρακεν οὕτως, εἰ ὤδινεν ἡ γῆ ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ, εἰ δὲ καὶ τέκοι ἔθνος εἰς ἅπαξ, ὅτι ὤδινε καὶ ἔτεκε Σιὼν τὰ παιδία αὐτῆς; ἐγὼ ἔδωκα τὴν προσδοκίαν ταύτην καὶ οὐ γεννώσῃ, εἶπε κύριος. ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ γεννῶσαν καὶ στεῖραν ἐποίησα, λέγει κύριος. Εὐφράνθητι Ἰερουσαλήμ, καὶ πανηγυρίσατε πάντες οἱ ἀγαπῶντες αὐτήν: χαίρετε πάντες ὅσοι πενθεῖτε ἐπ' αὐτήν, ἵνα θηλάσητε καὶ ἐμπλησθῆτε ἀπὸ μασθοῦ παρακλήσεως αὐτῆς, ἵνα ἐκθηλάσαντες τρυφήσητε ἀπὸ εἰσόδου δόξης αὐτοῦ.