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An
Anti-Jewish Polemic
Justin Martyr
(ca. 100-ca. 165) was an important defender of the Christian movement.
Some of his writings contain bitter attacks on Jews and Judaism
and demonstrate how far the Christians had distanced themselves
from their Jewish origins.
In the passage quoted here, Justin speaks as a complete outsider
to the Jewish people, and, in an argument that would reverberate
in later centuries, he accuses the Jews of crucifying Jesus.
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For
the other nations have not been so guilty of wrong inflicted
on us and on Christ as you have been, who are in fact the
authors of the wicked prejudices against the Just One and
against us who hold by Him. For after you had crucified
Him, the only blameless and righteous Man, through whose
stripes there is healing to those who through him approach
the Father, when you knew that He had risen from the dead
and ascended into heaven, as the prophecies foretold would
take place, not only did you not repent of those things
wherein you had done wickedly, but you then selected
and sent out from Jerusalem chosen men through all the world
to say that the atheistical heresy of the Christians had
appeared and to spread abroad those things which all they
who know us not speak against us; so that you are the cause
of unrighteousness not only in your own case, but, in fact,
in the case of all other men generally. . . . Accordingly,
you show great zeal in publishing throughout all the world
bitter, dark, and unjust slanders against the only blameless
and righteous Light sent from God to men.
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