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The compelling defense of the faith written to the Roman emperor around
150 AD by a notable early church martyr.
Sections: A reasonable appeal | You can kill us but not harm us | Investigate
us | You punish unjustly | We are not atheists | Look at those "Guardians
of the Gods" | Our kingdom is different | Custom or truth? | There
is a mystery here | A summary of our new way of life | Jesus' teaching
| We gladly pay our taxes | Others imitate our teaching | Look at what
you give credence to | We alone are hated | You even honor Samaritan Simon
as a "god" | Consider the abandoned children | God's regard
for humanity | The evidence of fulfilled prophecy | Christians alone are
punished in the revolt | Predictions proven true |
part 2 of this story | Justin
Martyr's life
To the Emperor Titus Aelius Adrianus Antoninus Pius Augustus Caesar,.
. . and to the sacred Senate, with the whole People of the Romans,
I, Justin, the son of Priscus and grandson of Bacchius, natives of Flavia
Neapolis in Palestine, present this address and petition in behalf of
all nations who are unjustly hated and unfairly abused, myself being one
of them.
A Reasonable Appeal
Reason instructs those who are truly pious and philosophical to honor
and love only what is true, and to refuse to follow traditional opinions
if they are worthless. Not only does sound reason direct us to refuse
the guidance of those who did or taught anything wrong, but the lover
of truth is compelled to choose to do and say what is right, even if his
life was threatened with death by such a choice.
You Can Kill Us-But Not Hurt Us
Since you are called pious and philosophers, guardians of justice and
lovers of learning, pay attention and listen to my address. If you are
indeed followers of learning, it will be clear. We have come not to flatter
you by this writing nor please you by our address, but to beg that you
pass judgment after an accurate and searching investigation. . .As for
us, no evil can be done to us unless we are convicted as evildoers or
proved to be wicked men. You can kill us. But you cannot hurt us.
Investigate Us
To avoid anyone thinking that this is an unreasonable and reckless declaration,
we demand that the charges against the Christians be investigated. If
these are substantiated, we should be justly punished. But if no one can
convict us of anything, true reason forbids you to wrong blameless men
because of evil rumors. If you did so, you would be harming yourselves
in governing affairs by emotions rather than by intelligence. . .It is
our task, therefore, to provide to all an opportunity of inspecting our
life and teachings. . .It is your business, when you hear us, to be good
judges, as reason demands. If, when you have learned the truth, you do
not do what is just, you will be without excuse before God.
Nothing is decided, either good or bad, simply by giving a name to someone.
The actions implied in the name are what is important. . .If we are found
to have committed no crime, either in the name we bear or in our conduct
as citizens, it is your duty very earnestly to protect us from unjust
punishment when we are not convicted. Neither praise nor punishment can
reasonably spring from a name unless a good or evil action is proved.
You do not punish those among you who are accused before they are convicted;
but in our case you consider the name [of Christian] itself as proof against
us. . .If any of the accused deny the name and say that he is not a Christian,
you acquit him, since you have no evidence against him as a criminal.
But if anyone acknowledges that he is a Christian, you punish him because
of this acknowledgment. Justice requires that you examine the life both
of the one who confesses and the one who denies so that his deeds may
show what kind of man each is. . .
You Punish Unjustly!
In our case, we pledge ourselves to do no wickedness, nor to hold atheistic
opinions, but you do not examine the charges made against us. Yielding
to unreasoning passion and the prompting of evil demons, you punish us
without reflection or judgment. For the truth shall be spoken. Of old
these evil demons, taking on appearances themselves, both defiled women
and corrupted boys. They showed such fearful sights to men that those
who did not use their reason to judge their actions were struck with terror.
Carried away by fear and not knowing that these were demons, they called
them gods. They gave to each the name which the demon chose for himself.
When Socrates tried, by true reason and examination, to bring these things
to light and deliver men from the demons, the demons themselves, through
wicked men, brought about his death. Charged with "introducing new
divinities" he was called an atheist and a profane person. In our
case they exhibit a similar activity. Not only among the Greeks did reason
(Logos) convince Socrates to condemn these things, but they were also
condemned among the Barbarians by Reason (or the Word, the Logos) Himself,
who took shape, became man, and was called Jesus Christ. In obedience
to Him we not only deny that they who did such things are gods, but assert
that they are wicked and impious demons, whose actions cannot even be
compared with good men.
We Are Not Atheists
We are called atheists. We admit we are atheists, so far as gods of this
sort are concerned, but not with respect to the most true God, the Father
of righteousness, self-control, and the other virtues, who is free from
all impurity. We worship and adore both Him and the Son (who came from
Him and taught us these things, and the multitude of the other good angels
who follow and are made like unto Him), and the prophetic Spirit. We know
them in reason and truth and willingly proclaim to every one who wishes
to learn as we have been taught. . . .
Consider that it is for your sakes we have been saying these things.
It is in our power, when we are examined, to deny that we are Christians,
but we would not live by telling a lie. Impelled by the desire of the
eternal and pure life, we seek the dwelling that is with God, the Father
and Creator of all. We eagerly confess our faith, persuaded and convinced
that those who have proved to God by their works that they have followed
Him and loved to live with Him where there is no sin to cause disturbance,
can obtain these things. This then briefly is what we expect, what we
have learned from Christ and teach. In like manner Plato said that Rhadamanthus
and Minos would punish the wicked who came before them. We say the same
thing will be done but at the hand of Christ and in their same bodies
which will be reunited to their spirits to undergo everlasting punishment-
not just one thousand years of punishment as Plato said. . . .
Look at Those "Guardians of the Gods"
We do not honor with many sacrifices and garlands of flowers such deities
as men have formed and set in shrines and called gods. We see that these
are soulless and dead, and have not the form of God (for we do not consider
that God has such a form as some say that they imitate to his honor),
but have the names and forms of those wicked demons which have appeared.
Why do we need to tell you who already know into what forms the craftsmen,
carving and cutting, casting and hammering, fashion the materials? Often
out of dishonorable vessels, by merely changing the form and making an
image of the necessary shape, they make what they call a god. We consider
this not only senseless, but to be even insulting to God, who having indescribable
glory and form, gets His name attached to things that are corruptible
and require constant service. That the craftsmen of these are both dissipated
and. . . are skilled in every wickedness, you very well know. They even
corrupt their own girls working along with them. What infatuation that
dissolute men should be said to fashion and make gods for your worship,
and that you should appoint such men to be the guardians of the temples
where they are enshrined. You don't even recognize that it is unlawful
even to think or say that men are the guardians of the gods.
But we have received by tradition that God does not need the material
offerings which men can give, since He Himself is the provider of all
things. We have been taught, are convinced, and do believe that He accepts
those only who imitate the ideals which reside in Him-moderation, justice,
philanthropy, and as many virtues as are unique to a God who is called
by no proper name. We have been taught that in the beginning he of His
own goodness created all things out of unformed matter for man's sake.
If men by their works show themselves worthy of his design, they are considered
worthy. . . of reigning with him. . . .
Our Kingdom is Different
When you hear that we look for a kingdom, you suppose, without asking
any questions, that we speak of a human kingdom. But, we speak of that
which is with God. This is clear from the confession of their faith made
by those charged with being Christians. Though they know that death is
the punishment awarded to him who so confesses, if we looked for a human
kingdom we should also deny our Christ, so that we might not be killed.
We would attempt to escape detection, that we might obtain what we expect.
But since our thoughts are not fixed on the present, we are not concerned
when men cut us off. Death is a debt which in any case must be paid.
Custom or Truth?
More than all other men we are your helpers and allies in promoting peace.
We believe that it is equally impossible for the wicked, the covetous,
the conspirator, and for the virtuous, to escape the notice of God. Each
man goes to everlasting punishment or salvation according to the value
of his actions. If all men knew this, no one would choose wickedness even
for a little, knowing that he goes to the everlasting punishment of fire.
A man would by all means restrain himself and clothe himself with goodness,
so that he might get the good gifts of God and escape punishment. Those
who, because of the laws and punishments you impose, attempt to escape
detection when they offend (and they offend, too, under the impression
that it is quite possible to escape your detection, since you are but
men), those persons, if they learned and were convinced that nothing,
whether actually done or only intended, can escape the knowledge of God,
would by all means live decently on account of the penalties threatened,
as even you yourselves will admit. But you seem to be afraid that all
will become righteous and you will have no one to punish. This is something
that would concern those whose job is to execute but not good princes.
But, as we said before, we believe this is prompted by evil spirits.
They demand sacrifices and service even from those who live unreasonably.
But we presume that you. . . will not act unreasonably. But if you also,
like the foolish ones, prefer custom to truth, then do what you have power
to do. But rulers who esteem their power over the truth have only so much
power-like robbers in a desert. And you will not succeed. That is declared
by the Word (Jesus Christ). . . from whom we are assured of all the things
He taught us, since all that he foretold has come to pass. This is the
work of God-to tell of a thing before it happens. . . It is possible to
pause here and add no more, considering that we demand what is just and
true. But because we are well aware that it is not easy suddenly to change
a mind possessed by ignorance, we intend to add a few things. We wish
to persuade those who love the truth, knowing that it is possible to put
ignorance to flight by presenting the truth.
There is a Mystery Here
What sensible man, then, will not acknowledge that we are not atheists?
We worship the maker of the universe and declare, as we have been taught,
that He has no need of streams of blood and libations and incense. We
praise Him to the utmost of our power by prayer and thanksgiving for all
things with which we are provided. We have been taught that the only honor
that is worthy of Him is not to consume by fire what He has brought into
being for our sustenance, but to use it for ourselves and those who need.
With gratitude to Him we give thanks by prayers and hymns for our creation,
for our health, . . . and for the changes of the seasons. We present before
Him petitions that we can exist again in incorruption through faith in
Him. Our teacher of these things is Jesus Christ, who also was born for
this purpose and was crucified under Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea,
in the times of Tiberius Caesar. We reasonably worship Him, since we've
learned He is the Son of the true God Himself. . . Now (our opponents)
say we are mad to give a crucified man a place second only to the unchangeable
and eternal God who created everything. They do not discern the mystery
involved here but we hope you will give heed to it as we make it plain
to you.
A Summary of Our New Way of Life
We warn you to be on your guard. Those demons we have been accusing can
deceive you and divert you from reading and understanding what we say.
They aim to hold you their slaves and servants. Sometimes by appearances
in dreams and sometimes by magical trickery, they subdue all who don't
strongly oppose them for their own salvation. Since our persuasion by
the Word, we too stand aloof from them (i.e., the demons) and follow the
only unbegotten God through His Son. We formerly delighted in fornication
but now embrace chastity alone. We formerly used magical arts, but now
dedicate ourselves to the good and unbegotten God. We valued above all
things the accumulation of wealth and possessions, but now bring what
we have into a common stock, and share with everyone in need. Before we
hated and destroyed one another, and on account of their different customs
would not live with men of a different tribe. But now, since the coming
of Christ, live closely with them. We pray for our enemies and attempt
to persuade those who hate us unjustly to follow the good precepts of
Christ. We pray that they may become partners with us of the same joyful
hope of a reward from God the ruler of all. So we don't seem to be reasoning
irrationally, we consider it right. . . to cite a few precepts given by
Christ Himself. . . . Brief and concise sayings fell from Him, for He
was no sophist, but His word was the power of God.
Jesus' Teachings
Concerning chastity, he said such statements as these: "Whosoever
looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her
already in his heart before God."(1) [Justin continues quoting Jesus'
words from Matt. 5:29,32; 19:12; 9:13; 5:46,44; Lk. 6:28, 30, 34; ,Matt.
6:19; 16:26; 6:20. He gives further summaries of Christ's teachings from
Luke 6:29; Matt. 6:22, 41,16; 5: 34, 27, Matthew 5:28, Mark 12:30 and
Matt. 7:21, Luke 13:26, Matt. 13:42; 7:15,16,19.) . . . Those who are
not found living as He taught, are not considered Christians, even though
they profess with their mouths the precepts of Christ. According to His
word, those who do the works, not those who make profession, will be saved.
. . .
We Gladly Pay Our Taxes
Everywhere we, more readily than all men, try to pay to those appointed
by you both the ordinary and extraordinary taxes, as we have been taught
by Him. (Justin then interprets Matt. 22:17, 19-21). To God alone we give
worship, but in other things we gladly serve you, acknowledging you as
kings and rulers of men and praying that with your kingly power you also
possess sound judgment. . . .
Reflect upon the end of each of the preceding kings. If their deaths
resulted in insensibility, it would be a godsend to all the wicked. But
since sensation remains to all who have ever lived and eternal punishment
is laid up for the wicked, make sure you don't neglect to be convinced
that these things are true. (There are common practices with which you
are familiar that should convince you that after death the soul still
experiences sensations. If you give credence to them then why not to us).
I refer to practices such as necromancy, divinations practiced through
immaculate (unborn) children, the evoking of departed souls, . . . (and
also consider the writings of authors such as) Empedocles and Pythagoras,
Plato and Socrates, and the pit of Homer and the descent of Ulysses to
inspect these things. . . (As for us) we expect to receive again our own
bodies, though they be dead and cast into the earth, for we maintain that
with God nothing is impossible.
Afterlife as Sure as This Life
To any thoughtful person would anything appear more incredible if someone
were to say that it was possible that from a small drop of human seed
bones, muscles, and flesh be formed into a shape such as we see? Let's
say this hypothetically: if you yourselves were not such as you now are
and born of such parents, and some one showed you a human seed and a picture
of a man and were to say with confidence that from such a substance such
a being could be produced, would you believe before you saw the actual
production? No one will dare to deny [that such a statement would surpass
belief]. In the same way, then, you are now incredulous because you have
never seen a dead man rise again. But as at first you would not have believed
it possible that such persons could be produced from the small drop, yet
now you see them so produced, so also judge that it is not impossible
that the bodies of men, after they have been dissolved and like seeds
resolved into earth should in God's appointed time arise again and put
on incorruption. . . . We have learned that it is better to believe even
what is impossible to our own nature and to men, than to be unbelieving
like the rest of the world. We know that our Master Jesus Christ said
that, "what is impossible with men is possible with God,"(2)
and, "Fear not them that kill you, and after that can do no more;
but fear Him who after death is able to cast both soul and body into hell."(3)
Hell is a place where those are to be punished who have lived wickedly
and who do not believe that those things which God has taught us by Christ
will come to pass.
Others Imitate Our Teachings
The Sibyl and Hystaspes said that God would dissolve corruptible things.
The Stoic philosophers teach that even God himself shall be resolved into
fire. They also say that the world will be formed anew by this revolution.
But we understand that the Creator of all things is superior to the things
that are to be changed. Therefore, if on some points we teach the same
things as the poets and philosophers that you honor, and on other points
we are fuller and more divine in our teaching, and if we alone provide
proof of what we assert, then why are we unjustly hated more than the
others?
When we say that all things have been produced and arranged into a world
by God, it seems like we are uttering the doctrine of Plato. When we say
that all will be burned up, it seems like we are uttering the doctrine
of the Stoics. When we say that the souls of the wicked, endowed with
sensation even after death, are punished and the souls of the good are
delivered from punishment and spend a blessed existence, we seem to be
saying the same things as the poets and philosophers. When we say that
men should not worship the works of their hands we are saying the very
things that the comic poet Meander and other writers have said for they
have declared the workman greater than his work.
Look at What You Give Credence to
We say the Word, the first birth of God, was produced without sexual union.
We say that He, Jesus Christ, our teacher, was crucified, died, rose again
and ascended into heaven. We are propounding nothing different from what
you believe regarding those that you esteem to be sons of Jupiter. You
know how many sons your esteemed writers ascribed to Jupiter. (For example
there was) Mercury the interpreting word and teacher of all; Aesculapius
a great physician who was struck by a thunderbolt and so ascended into
heaven; and Bacchus too, after he had been torn limb from limb. . . .
And what about the emperors who die in your midst that you deem worthy
of deification? You brought forth one who swore that he saw the burning
Caesar rise to heaven from the funeral pyre.
And what kind of deeds are reported of these reputed sons of Jupiter?
I do not need to tell those who already know. I'll only say that the reports
are written for the benefit and encouragement of young scholars. For all
consider it an honorable thing to imitate the gods. But far be it from
every well conditioned soul to believe concerning the gods that Jupiter
himself-the governor and creator of all things-was both a parricide and
the son of a parricide. Or to believe that Jupiter was overcome by the
love of base and shameful pleasures and came in to Ganymede and those
many women he had violated, and that his sons did the same actions. But,
as we said above, wicked devils perpetrated these things. We have learned
that those only are deified who have lived near to God in holiness and
virtue. And we believe that those who live wickedly and do not repent
are punished in everlasting fire.
We Alone are Hated
Moreover, the son of God called Jesus, even if he were only man from normal
human reproduction, because of his wisdom is worthy to be called the Son
of God. All the writers call God the father of men and gods. If we assert
that the Word of God was born of God in a special way different from normal
human reproduction then this is not anything extraordinary to you who
say that Mercury is the angelic word of God. But if one objects that Jesus
was crucified, even here he is on a par with your reputed sons of Jupiter
who suffered as we have now enumerated. . . . And if we affirm that He
(Jesus) was born of a virgin, accept this in common with what you accept
of Perseus. And in that we say that He made whole the lame, the paralytic,
and those born blind, we seem to be speaking of deeds similar to those
that are attributed to Aesculapius.
And so this may now become evident to you-that the truth is found in
what we assert that is in conformity with what we have been taught by
Christ, and by the prophets who preceded him. (And we also wish to make
evident that) Jesus Christ is the only proper Son who has been begotten
by God. He is His Word and the first-begotten and power. He became man
according to his will. He taught us these things for the conversion and
restoration of the human race. . . .
In the first place we furnish proof because although we say things similar
to what the Greeks say we alone are hated. That is because of the name
of Christ. Though we do no wrong, we are put to death as sinners. Other
men in other places worship trees and rivers, and mice and cats and crocodiles
and many irrational animals. And the same animals are not esteemed by
all. But in one place one animal is worshiped and another in another place.
So all the animals are regarded as common and not divine by each other
because they do not all worship the same objects. And the only accusation
that you bring against us is that we do not reverence the same gods as
you do. . . .
Secondly we come from every race among men. We used to worship Bacchus
the son of Semele, and Apollo the son of Latona (who in loves with men
did such things it is shameful to even mention) and Prosperine and Venus,
or Aesculapius, or other gods. But now through Jesus Christ we have learned
to despise these even though we have been threatened with death for it
and we have dedicated ourselves to the unbegotten God. We are convinced
that (the God we worship) was never goaded by the lust of Antiope or other
such women. . . .
You Even Honor Samaritan Simon As a "god"
Thirdly, after Christ's ascension the devils put forward certain men who
said that they themselves were gods. These men were not persecuted by
you. They were even deemed worthy of honors. There was a Samaritan, Simon,
a native of a village called Gitto, who in the reign of Claudius Caesar,
and in your royal city of Rome did mighty acts of magic, by virtue of
the art of the devils operating in him. He was considered a god. As a
god he was honored by you with a statue erected on the river Tiber between
the two bridges. . . . Almost all the Samaritans, and a few from other
nations, worship him and acknowledge him as the first god. . . . There
is also Marcion, a man of Pontus, who is even alive today. He teaches
his disciples to believe in a god greater than the Creator. He, by the
aid of the devils, has caused many of every nation to speak blasphemies
and to deny that God is the maker of this universe, and to assert that
some other being, greater than He, has done greater works. . . . We know
that such men as these are neither persecuted not put to death by you
on account of their opinions. . . .
Consider the Abandoned Children
But as for us, we have been taught that to expose newly born children
is the part of wicked men. We have been taught this to avoid sinning against
God. First, because we see that almost all so exposed (not only the girls,
but also the males) are brought up to prostitution. As the ancients reared
herds of oxen, goats, sheep, or grazing horses, so now we see you rear
children only for this shameful use. . . . Any one who uses such persons,
besides the godless, disgraceful, and impure intercourse, may possibly
be having intercourse with his own child or relative or brother. There
are some who even prostitute their own children and wives. Some are openly
mutilated for the purpose of sodomy; they refer these mysteries to the
mother of the gods. Along with those whom you consider gods there is painted
a serpent, a great symbol and mystery. Indeed, the things which you do
openly and with applause, as if the divine light were overturned and extinguished,
these you accuse us of. In truth, this does no harm to us who shrink from
doing any such things, but only harms those who do them and accuse us
falsely.
God's Regard for Humanity
Among us the prince of the wicked spirits is called the serpent, Satan,
and the devil, as you can learn by looking into our writings. Christ foretold
that he would be sent into the fire with his crowd, and the men who follow
him, and would be punished for an endless period. The reason why God has
delayed to do this is His regard for the human race. He foreknows that
some are to be saved by repentance, some even that are perhaps not yet
born. In the beginning He made the human race with the power of thought
and of choosing the truth and doing right, so that all men are without
excuse before God, for they have been born rational and contemplative.
If any one does not believe that God cares for these things, he either
insinuates that God does not exist, or he will assert that though He exists
He delights in evil or exists like a stone, and that neither goodness
nor evil are anything. He implies good and evil are only the opinion of
men. This is the greatest blasphemy and wickedness.
[We also fear to expose children] for fear that some of them are not
picked up and we become murderers. But if we marry, it is so that we may
bring up children; or if we decline marriage, we live contentedly. So
you may know that promiscuous intercourse is not one of our mysteries,
one of our number recently presented to Felix the governor of Alexandria
a petition. In it he pleaded for permission for a surgeon to make him
a eunuch for the surgeons there said that they would be forbidden to do
this without permission. When Felix absolutely refused to sign for such
permission the youth remained single and was satisfied with his own approving
conscience and the approval of those who thought the same way he did.
. . .
The Evidence of Fulfilled Prophecy
Some might ask the question, couldn't He whom we call Christ, a man born
of men, have performed what we call His mighty works by magical art, and
by this appeared to be the Son of God? We will now offer proof, not trusting
minor statements. We are of necessity persuaded by those who prophesied
[of Him] before these things came to pass. With our own eyes we behold
things that have happened and are happening just as they were predicted.
This will, we think, appear even to you the strongest and truest evidence.
Christians Alone Punished in the Revolt
There were, then, among the Jews certain men who were prophets of God,
through whom the prophetic Spirit previously proclaimed things that were
to come to pass, before they ever happened. The kings who reigned among
the Jews at different times carefully preserved the prophecies as they
were spoken. The prophets themselves arranged the words in books in their
own Hebrew language. When Ptolemy king of Egypt formed a library and tried
to collect the writings of all men, he heard of these prophets. He sent
to Herod, who was at that time king of the Jews, requesting that the books
of the prophets be sent to him. Herod the king did send them, written
in the Hebrew language. When their contents were found to be unintelligible
to the Egyptians, he again sent and requested that men be commissioned
to translate them into the Greek language. When this was done, the books
remained with the Egyptians, where they are until now. They are also in
the possession of all Jews throughout the world. But though they read,
they do not understand what is said but regard us as foes and enemies.
Like yourselves, they kill and punish us whenever they have the power,
as you can well believe. For in the Jewish war which lately raged, Barchochebas,
the leader of the Jewish revolt, gave orders that Christians alone should
be led to cruel punishments, unless they would deny Jesus Christ and utter
blasphemy. In these books, then, of the prophets we found Jesus Christ
foretold as coming, born of a virgin, growing up to manhood, healing every
disease and every sickness, raising the dead, being hated, unrecognized,
crucified, dying, rising again, ascending into heaven, and being called
the Son of God. We find it also predicted that certain persons should
be sent by Him into every nation to publish these things, and that rather
among the Gentiles [than among the Jews] men should believe on Him. He
was predicted before He appeared, first 5000 years before, and again 3000,
then 2000, then 1000, and yet again 800. In the succession of generations
prophets after prophets arose.
Predictions Proven True
Moses, then, who was the first of the prophets, spoke in these very words:
"The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between
his feet, until He comes for when it is reserved; and He shall be the
desire of the nations. . . "(4). . . Listen to how Isaiah in exact
words foretold that He should be born of a virgin; for he said: "Behold
a virgin shall conceive, and bring forth a son, and they shall say for
His name, 'God with us.'"(5) Things which were incredible and impossible
with men, these God predicted by the Spirit of prophecy as about to come
to pass. . . .And the angel of God who was sent to the same virgin at
that time brought the good news, saying, "Behold, thou shalt conceive
of the Holy Ghost, and shalt bear a Son, and He shall be called the Son
of the Highest, and thou shalt call His name Jesus; for he shall save
his people from their sins"(6). . .The name Jesus in the Hebrew language
means sotar (Savior) in the Greek tongue. . . That the prophets are inspired
by no other than the Divine Word, even you, I think, will grant.
Footnotes:
1. Matt. 5:28
2. Matt. 19:26
3. Matt. 10:28
4. Genesis 49:10
5. Isaiah 7:14
6. Luke 1:32; Matt. 1:21
© 1994 Christian History Institute
part 2 of this story
