The Holy Martyr Justin the Philosopher
Justin was born of Greek parents in the Samaritan town of Shechem, later called Nablus, 105 years after Christ. He zealously sought wisdom among philosophers, at first with the Stoics and after that with the Peripatetics, with the Pythagoreans and finally with the Platonists. Even though Plato’s philosophy did not satisfy him, nevertheless, he adhered to it the longest time, not having anything else that would at- tract him more. By God’s providence Justin en- countered an honorable elder, who shook his faith in the philosophy of Plato and persuaded him that men cannot know the truth about God unless God reveals it and that God had revealed the truth about Himself in the books of Holy Scripture. Justin began to read Holy Scripture and became a thoroughly convinced Christian. However, he did not want to be baptized or to be called a Christian until he was personally convinced of the falseness of all the accusations that the pagans raised against the Christians. Coming to Rome in a philosopher’s cloak, he quickly attained great respect as well as many followers there. He was present at the martyrdom of St. Ptolemy and St. Lucian. Witnessing the tortures of innocent Christians, Justin wrote an
Apologia
of Christians and Christian teachings and presented it to Emperor Antoninus and to the Senate. The emperor read the
Apologia
with care and ordered the persecution of Christians to cease. Justin took a copy of the emperor’s decree and journeyed with it to Asia, where, with the help of this decree, he saved many persecuted Christians. After that he returned to Rome. When a persecution began under Emperor Marcus Aurelius, he wrote another Apologia and sent it to the emperor. A disreputable philosopher, Crescens, a Cynic, out of envy denounced him as a Christian because Justin had always overcome him in their debates, and Justin found himself in prison. Desiring the death of Justin and fearing that he would somehow justify himself before the court, Crescens seized the opportunity and poisoned Justin in prison. So ended the earthly life of this great defender of the Christian Faith, who took up his habitation in blessed eternity in the year 166.
