Chapter LX.-Plato's Doctrine of the Cross.
And the physiological discussion122 concerning the Son of God in the Timoeus of Plato, where he
says, "He placed him crosswise123 in the universe," he borrowed in like manner from Moses; for in
the writings of Moses it is related how at that time, when the Israelites went out of Egypt and were in
the wilderness, they fell in with poisonous beasts, both vipers and asps, and every kind of serpent,
which slew the people; and that Moses, by the inspiration and influence of God, took brass, and
made it into the figure of a cross, and set it in the holy tabernacle, and said to the people, "If ye look
to this figure, and believe, ye shall be saved thereby."124 And when this was done, it is recorded that
the serpents died, and it is handed down that the people thus escaped death. Which things Plato
reading, and not accurately understanding, and not apprehending that it was the figure of the cross,
but taking it to be a placing crosswise, he said that the power next to the first God was placed
crosswise in the universe. And as to his speaking of a third, he did this because he read, as we said
above, that which was spoken by Moses, "that the Spirit of God moved over the waters." For he
gives the second place to the Logos which is with God, who he said was placed crosswise in the
universe; and the third place to the Spirit who was said to be borne upon the water, saying, "And the
third around the third."125 And hear how the Spirit of prophecy signified through Moses that there
should be a conflagration. He spoke thus: "Everlasting fire shall descend, and shall devour to the pit
beneath."126 It is not, then, that we hold the same opinions as others, but that all speak in imitation of
ours. Among us these things can be heard and learned from persons who do not even know the
forms of the letters, who are uneducated and barbarous in speech, though wise and believing in mind;
some, indeed, even maimed and deprived of eyesight; so that you may understand that these things
are not the effect of human wisdom, but are uttered by the power of God.
Justin Martyr's First Apology |
