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The First Apology

St. Justin Martyr · c. 155 AD

1h 37m read
Ante-Nicene

Justin's major apologetic work addressed to Emperor Antoninus Pius, defending Christians against charges of atheism and immorality, and presenting Christ as the fulfillment of Greek philosophy. Justin closes by appending Hadrian's rescript; the two imperial letters that follow it were added by later copyists and are generally regarded as spurious.

Table of Contents

1Address2Justice demanded3Claim of judicial investigation4Christians unjustly condemned for their mere name5Christians charged with atheism6Charge of atheism refuted7Each Christian must be tried by his own life8Christians confess their faith in God9Folly of idol worship10How God is to be served11What kingdom Christians look for12Christians live as under God’s eye13Christians serve God rationally14The demons misrepresent Christian doctrine15What Christ himself taught16Concerning patience and swearing17Christ taught civil obedience18Proof of immortality and the resurrection19The resurrection possible20Heathen analogies to Christian doctrine21Analogies to the history of Christ22Analogies to the sonship of Christ23The argument24Varieties of heathen worship25False Gods abandoned by Christians26Magicians not trusted by Christians27Guilt of exposing children28God’s care for men29Continence of Christians30Was Christ not a magician?31Of the Hebrew prophets32Christ predicted by Moses33Manner of Christ’s birth predicted34Place of Christ’s birth foretold35Other fulfilled prophecies36Different modes of prophecy37Utterances of the Father38Utterances of the Son39Direct predictions by the Spirit40Christ’s advent foretold41The crucifixion predicted42Prophecy using the past tense43Responsibility asserted44Not nullified by prophecy45Christ’s session in heaven foretold46The Word in the world before Christ47Desolation of Judæa foretold48Christ’s work and death foretold49His rejection by the Jews foretold50His humiliation predicted51The majesty of Christ52Certain fulfilment of prophecy53Summary of the prophecies54Origin of heathen mythology55Symbols of the cross56The demons still mislead men57And cause persecution58And raise up heretics59Plato’s obligation to Moses60Plato’s doctrine of the cross61Christian baptism62Its imitation by demons63How God appeared to Moses64Further misrepresentations of the truth65Administration of the sacraments66Of the Eucharist67Weekly worship of the Christians68Conclusion69Epistle of Adrian in behalf of the Christians70Epistle of Antoninus to the common assembly of Asia (later addition)71Epistle of Marcus Aurelius to the senate, in which he testifies that the Christians were the cause of his victory (later addition)
Icon of St. Justin Martyr