“The Martyr”
Justin was a Christian apologist who confessed faith in his Lord even unto death, thus earning for himself the moniker “martyr,” which means “witness.” He earned this title not only because of his martyrdom but also because of the significant work and writing he did during his lifetime to defend Christianity to a Roman society that was hostile to Christians and their faith.
St. Justin’s own beginnings were not what you might expect, however. He was born into a pagan family, but his parents provided a strong educational foundation for him that set him on a lifelong path of pursuing the Truth. He became a philosopher and thus encountered the various schools of thought active in his own day. One day he encountered an old man who told him to read the Jewish scriptures and explained to him that everything he would need to know about truth could be found in them and in the Christ.
After hearing about Christianity, Justin started devouring the scriptures and, by the Holy Spirit, was converted unto Christ. He became one of the earliest Christian scholars whose work remains accessible to us today. He produced written apologies (defenses of the faith) to the emperor that explained why persecuting Christians was not only useless but even harmful to the empire. And in these apologies, Justin gives us details of not only the Church’s early worship but also how the Church understood Christ in the earliest centuries after his Ascension.
In his Apology, Justin confesses the doctrine of the true presence of Jesus’ body and blood in the Lord’s Supper. This is a significant witness to early Christian thought: our Lord’s presence with us in the Supper was not something Christians thought up over time but rather something that has been confessed from the beginning.
While incredibly helpful for many in his time and for us today, Justin’s ideas were not always well received. If the history is reliable, his unwavering teaching on chastity and the virtue of a life devoted to Christ caused the wife of Crescens, one of Justin’s opponents, to leave her husband. This made Crescens want to put an end to Justin. He was soon imprisoned and beheaded along with six other faithful Christians who gloried in the privilege to die for their Lord.
“This man who had won the truth the hard way, would never part with it, never forsake the Christian faith, come fire, come sword.” – Joseph A. Dunney
Brief History
Justin Martyr is commemorated by the Church on June 1st. Since he was an important orator and writer, one fitting activity by which to remember this saint and the good that our Lord permitted him to do is to read some of his works.
You can access some of his writings online here, including his famous Apologia. You also might consider reading his martyrdom account, which is available online and contained in the moving retelling of Justin’s life by Joseph A. Dunney
Collect
Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God: that, celebrating the heavenly birthday of Blessed Justin, Thy Martyr, we may, by his example, be emboldened in our faith toward Thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost: ever one God, world without end. Amen
Lessons
Epistle
Gospel
Resources
Issues, Etc. interview with the Rev. Dr. William Weinrich on St. Justin Martyr
Propers found in Daily Divine Service Book: A Lutheran Daily Missal, edited by the Rev. Heath Curtis
References:
1. Weedon, William. Celebrating the Saints. Concordia Publishing House. 2016.
2. Issues Etc. interview with the Rev. Dr. William Weinrich, 2016
Images:
1. Justin Martyr, André Thévet, France, 1584.
2. Source unknown. Image courtesy of https://www.saintsfeastfamily.com/copy-of-new-page-1
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