Daily Old Testament and Early Christian Writings: Exodus 29 and Justin Martyr's First Apology 6-8

Exodus 29 – The ceremony for the dedication or ordination of priests follows: “Take a young bull and two rams with no defects. Then, using choice wheat flour and no yeast, make loaves of bread, thin cakes mixed with olive oil, and wafers spread with oil. Place them all in a single basket, and present them at the entrance of the Tabernacle, along with the young bull and the two rams” (29:1-2).

Aaron and his sons are to be washed with water at the entrance of the Tabernacle and dressed in priestly garments. They are to be anointed and given head-coverings. The young bull will be slaughtered by the priests and “some of its blood [shall be placed] on the horns of the altar with [their] finger, and . . . the rest [poured] at the base of the altar” (29:11-12). Some of the innards shall be burned on the altar and some burned “outside the camp as a sin offering” (29:14).

The two rams are to be offered up as well; after sprinkling its blood on the sides of the altar (29:16) and cut up, it shall be offered as a “burnt offering to the Lord” (29:18). The other ram shall be slaughtered and some of its blood rubbed on the “right earlobes of Aaron and his sons” (29:20) and on their right thumbs and big toes. Some blood shall be sprinkled on Aaron his sons and their garments to set them apart as holy (29:21).

There is more detail about the ceremony. Their ordination ceremony goes on for seven days (29:35) and each day another young bull is offered up as a “sin offering to purify them, making them right with the Lord” (29:36). After the ceremony every day, the altar shall be cleansed and purified. There are also to be burnt offerings of lambs along with wine and flour. These offerings too “are to be made each day from generation to generation” (29:42). And all of this is meant to bring the Lord into the lives of the people every day: “Then I will live among the people of Israel and be their God, and they will know that I am the Lord their God. I am the one who brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the Lord their God” (29:45-46).

Early Christian Writers

Justin Martyr (100-165 AD) – First Apology

6 – So if we are considered atheists for not believing in these demon-gods, then we confess that is true. But “with respect to the most true God, the Father of righteousness and temperance and the other virtues, who is free from all impurity” - we deny that we are atheists as to this God.

We worship and adore “Him and the Son who came forth from Him and taught us these things, . . . and the prophetic Spirit, we worship and adore, knowing them in reason and truth.”

7 – It is to the “deeds” of those who claim to be Christians that one should look. Just as ALL who claim to be “philosophers” are not equally wise, so too all those who call themselves Christians are not equally holy. “Wherefore we demand that the deeds of all those who are accused to you be judged, in order that each one who is convicted may be punished as an evil-doer, and not as a Christian; and if it is clear that anyone is blameless, that he may be acquitted, since by the mere fact of his being a Christian he does no wrong. For we will not require that you punish our accusers; they being sufficiently punished by their present wickedness and ignorance of what is right.”

8 – Justin says it is possible Christians could deny this, “but we would not live by telling a lie. For, impelled by the desire of the eternal and pure life, we seek the abode that is with God, the Father and Creator of all, and hasten to confess our faith, persuaded and convinced as we are that they who have proved to God by their works that they followed Him and loved to abide with Him where there is no sin to cause disturbance, can obtain these things.”

Then he makes a comparison between Plato and Christ, which is interesting. He says that Plato had basically to same message but instead of Christ, he said Rhadamanthus and Minos “would punish the wicked who came before them.”

“[W]e say that the same thing will be done, but at the hand of Christ.”

I find it very interesting actually, that Justin Martyr can see in the mythology of the Greeks a “type” of the Christian truth he has committed himself to. And he could also see in the philosophical vision of Plato a love of the same truth. To learn more about Rhadamanthus and Minos, check out http://www.theoi.com/Khthonios/Rhadamanthys.html.

He says the essential difference between the Platonic view of the punishment imposed – in his Republic – and the Christian view is that Plato thought the punishment should only last for a thousand years.

Daily Old Testament and Early Christian Writings: Exodus 27 and Justin Martyr's First Apology 1-2

Exodus 27 – The altar or “slaughter-site” [Schocken] shall be a square – five by five cubits, three cubits high. It is to be made of bronze and there are to be “horns” on each corner of bronze. Like the ark, it too shall have poles so that it may be carried.

The courtyard of the sanctuary should be enclosed with linen curtains hung on silver hooks and rings. The curtain shall be decorated “with beautiful embroidery in blue, purple and scarlet thread” (27:16).

“Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually. The lampstand will stand in the Tabernacle, in front of the inner curtain that shields the Ark of the Covenant. Aaron and his sons must keep the lamps burning in the Lord’s presence all night. This is a permanent law for the people of Israel, and it must be observed from generation to generation” (27:20-21).

While it may seem that I am including a lot of minutia in my paraphrasing and retelling, there is really a whole lot more detail; but it the kind of detail that provides a great deal of symbolism – details as to materials used, measurements and other things that for millennia have been interpreted and re-interpreted by those who see a great wealth of spiritual importance in the detail.

Early Christian Writers

Justin Martyr (100-165)

Introduction – Born in what is today Nablus (Palestine) into a Gentile/pagan family. Exposed early-on to Greek philosophy – Stoics and Pythagoreans and Plato. Met “an old man” who was a Syrian Christian and they talked philosophy and religion. He kindled in Justin an interest in the prophets, in whose writings he saw a foretelling of Christ, and this led him to a love of Christ that was deep and abiding. He was also influenced by the bravery of persecuted Christians.

He traveled to Rome where he started a school. Tatian was a student of his. Tatian would become a well-known, 2^nd century Christian theologian and author of the Diatessaron [Harmony of the Gospels]. In the reign of Marcus Aurelius, he was denounced by a “cynic philosopher” named Crescens, was tried by urban prefect Junius Rusticus and beheaded c. 165.

He was prominent in examining the idea of the Logos.

I use here the online edition of the Apology, which is available to the public on the site Christian Classics Etherial Library.

First Apology – Dated sometime between 147 and 161 AD.

1 – The letter/apology is addressed to Antoninus Pius, his sons and the Roman Senate “on behalf of those of all nations who are unjustly hated and wantonly abused, myself being one of them.”

2 – “Reason directs those who are truly pious and philosophical to honor and love only what is true, declining to follow traditional opinions, if these be worthless. For not only does sound reason direct us to refuse the guidance of those who did or taught anything wrong, but it is incumbent on the lover of truth, by all means, and if death be threatened, even before his own life, to choose to do and say what is truth, by all means, and if death be threatened, even before his own life, to choose to do and say what is right. Do you, then, since ye are called pious and philosophers, guardians of justice and lovers of learning, give good heed, and hearken to my address; and if you are indeed such, it will be manifested. For 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, not flattered by prejudice or by a desire of pleasing superstitious men, nor induced by irrational impulse of evil rumors which have long been prevalent, to give a decision which will prove to be against yourselves. For as for us, we reckon that no evil can be done us, unless we be convicted as evil-doers or be proved to be wicked men; and you, you can kill, but not hurt us.”