THE WORLD VS. THE OTHER WORLD

by Hierodeacon (now Hieromonk) Dionysios

May 1996

In this world, God is dead

And the only thought is of getting ahead

There is only concern for "Me."

We are blind and do not see.

We suffer and know not why

Thinking all things end when we die

How miserable such a life

Filled with chaos and strife.

Beyond this world, God is living

and the only thought is of giving.

There is only concern for all

Our eyes are opened, we are redeemed from our fall.

Though we suffer, we have God’s love

And His grace and Spirit descending as a dove.

How our joy and peace does increase

When we live for Him, and our passions cease.

THE FIRST APOLOGY OF SAINT JUSTIN MARTYR

by Hieromonk Dionysios

In the First Apology, Chapter 5, Saint Justin equates the pagan deities with demons. He states that the Logos spoken of by such Hellenics as Socrates is the same Word of God as mentioned in the Christian scriptures. That is, the Logos is and was Christ.

In Chapter 8, he describes the Christian life as being one in which the Christian is impelled by the desire for Eternal Life. The wicked go to a life of eternal torment. And he states that this is not only a Christian teaching but evident in Plato and other Hellenic sources. He continues discussing the folly of worshipping idols, saying that they are soulless and dead whereas the God of the Christians is the one who created all things ex nihilo (out of nothing.)

In Chapter 14, Saint Justin speaks of the change that comes by professing the Christian Faith, and says that demons have distorted Christian doctrine. Those who are Christians formerly hated their enemies, were fornicators, etc. but now do the opposite and aid to the betterment of society. He states that Christ Himself taught a strict moral code in relation to adultery and that even thoughts and not just the actions are transgressions. Important to the audience to whom Justin was writing, was the fact that Christ did not teach any form of rebellion against civil authority, but rather obedience. Thus, Christians should not be viewed as a threat or considered treasonists.

In Chapter 20, Justin draws the analogies to heathen doctrine, showing particularly the connection of Christianity to the ideas of the Stoics. Justin does later relate how demons have distorted the scriptures and invented mythologies to make the Truth appear as silliness and falsehood. This is expressed in Chapter 54 where he goes in depth about the stories of virgin birth, sons being begotten from Jupiter, etc. which seem to be closely similar to the beliefs proposed by the Christians. He does point out however the fact that in none of these mythologies does the sacrifice of the cross appear as this is something that would be frightful to the demons. It is rather their intention to distort truth and to discard the tools of salvation.

Saint Justin spends a number of chapters going through the prophecies of the Old Testament and also adds some of the teachings of Plato and shows their prophetic nature, pointing to Christ. He even states that the pre-Christian Greek philosophers were actually Christians because they believed in the Logos, who he equates with Christ. He mentions from Plato’s Timaeus the quote which reads, " and they placed Him (the Son of God) crosswise in the Universe."