The Dialogue with Trypho, along with the First and Second Apologies, is a second-century Christianapologetic text, usually agreed to be dated in between AD 155-160. It is seen as documenting the attempts by theologian Justin Martyr to show that Christianity is the new law for all men, and to prove from Scripture that Jesus is the Messiah.[1]
Justin Martyr
The Dialogue utilizes the literary device of an intellectual conversation between Justin and Trypho, a Jew. The concluding section propounds that the Christians are the true people of God.
The identity of Trypho as rabbi Tarfon - the Hebrew name 'Tarfon' itself is likely derived from Greek Trifon (Trypho) - has been proposed, but many Jewish scholars do not accept the notion that Justin Martyr's Trypho is Tarfon.[2] They instead consider Trypho a fictional character invented by Justin for his literary purposes.[2][3]
Setting and structure
The setting is presented as a chance meeting between Justin and Trypho in Ephesus. Justin had just converted to Christianity from a philosophical background and Trypho had just fled the disturbances in Judea.[1]
When Justin suggests to Trypho to convert to Christianity, the dialogue becomes animated. Trypho criticizes Christians on a number of grounds, and Justin provides answers to each criticism.[1]
In the opening of the Dialogue, Justin relates his vain search among the Stoics, Peripatetics, and Pythagoreans for a satisfying knowledge of God; his finding in the ideas of Plato wings for his soul, by the aid of which he hoped to attain the contemplation of the God-head; and his meeting on the sea-shore with an aged man who told him that by no human endeavor but only by divine revelation could this blessedness be attained, that the prophets had conveyed this revelation to man, and that their words had been fulfilled. Of the truth of this he assured himself by his own investigation; and the daily life of the Christians and the courage of the martyrs convinced him that the charges against them were unfounded. So he sought to spread the knowledge of Christianity as the true philosophy.
Justin also accuses Jews of being blind, fleshly beings who cannot see beyond the text of religious law: “For your ears are closed, your eyes are blinded, and the heart is hardened,' Jeremiah has cried; yet not even then do you listen. The Lawgiver is present, yet you do not see Him; to the poor the Gospel is preached, the blind see, yet you do not understand. You have now need of a second circumcision, though you glory greatly in the flesh.”[4] This concept finds its origin in the New Testament: Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:13-15 that “to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.”[5]
In the Dialogue, Justin also wrote, "For I choose to follow not men or men's doctrines, but God and the doctrines [delivered] by Him. For if you have fallen in with some who are called Christians, but who do not admit this [truth], and venture to blaspheme the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; who say there is no resurrection of the dead, and that their souls, when they die, are taken to heaven; do not imagine that they are Christians."[6] This passage is sometimes cited as evidence that the early church subscribed to the doctrine of soul sleep, though some claim that Justin's emphasis is on saying that denial of the resurrection of the dead is what makes them non-Christian, especially considering that he claims that "even after death souls are in a state of sensation" in Chapter 18 of his First Apology.[7]
In his critical edition (with French translation), Philippe Bobichon demonstrates the particular nature of this text, equally influenced by Greek and Rabbinic thought.[8]
Dating
Because the text mentions Justin Martyr's First Apology, which was written sometime between AD 150-155, Dialogue with Trypho must have been written after it. The date of authorship has been suggested to have been written anywhere between 155-167,[9] with some scholars favoring 155–160,[10][11] or even a more specific date, c. 160.[12]
The Dialogue with Trypho and the two Apologies are universally accepted by scholars as authentic works of Justin. Though they are preserved only in the Sacra parallela, they were known to Tatian, Methodius of Olympus, and Eusebius and their influence is traceable in Athenagoras, Theophilus of Antioch, the Pseudo-Melito, and especially Tertullian. Eusebius speaks of two Apologies, but he quotes them both as one, which indeed they are in substance. The identity of authorship is backed up not only by the reference in chapter 120 of the Dialogue to the Apology, but by the unity of treatment. Zahn showed that the Dialogue was originally divided into two books, that there is a considerable lacuna in chapter 74, as well as at the beginning, and that it is probably based on an actual occurrence at Ephesus, the personality of the Rabbi Tarfon being employed, though in a Hellenized form.
Editions
English
Justin Martyr (1885). "Dialogue with Trypho" . In Roberts, Alexander; Donaldson, James (eds.). Ante-Nicene Christian Library. Vol. II. Translated by Reith, George. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark..
Justin Martyr (1995). Dialogue with Trypho, a Jew(PDF). Translated by Spade, Paul Vincent., from the Greek text in van Winden 1971.
Greek
van Winden, J. C. M. (1971). An Early Christian Philosopher: Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho. Philosophia patrum. Vol. 1. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
Bobichon, P. (2003). Dialogue avec Tryphon: édition critique (in French). Vol. 1. University of Fribourg. ISBN978-2-8271-0958-6.
Khazarzar, Ruslan (ed.). "Τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰουστίνου πρὸς Τρύφωνα Ἰουδαῖον Διάλογος". khazarzar.skeptik.net (in Ancient Greek).
^ abcReading the Old Testament with the Ancient Church: Exploring the Formation of Early Christian Thought; by Ronald E. Heine (Sep 1, 2007) pages 48-52
^ abClaudia Setzer, Jewish Responses to Early Christians (Nov 1, 1994) ISBN080062680X, p. 215
^Larry R. Helyer, Exploring Jewish Literature of the Second Temple Period (Jul 5, 2002) ISBN0830826785, p. 493
^Martyr, Justin (1867). Donaldson, Alexander Roberts & James (ed.). Dialogue with Trypho. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark.
^"Bible Gateway passage: 2 Corinthians 3:13-15 - New International Version". Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
^Philippe Bobichon (ed.), Justin Martyr, Dialogue avec Tryphon, édition critique, introduction, texte grec, traduction, commentaires, appendices, indices, (Coll. Paradosis nos. 47, vol. I-II.) Editions Universitaires de Fribourg Suisse, (1125 pp.), 2003; Philippe Bobichon, "L'enseignement juif, païen, hérétique et chrétien dans l'œuvre de Justin Martyr", Revue des Études Augustiniennes 45/2 (1999), pp. 233-259 text online
^Allert, Craig D. (2002). Revelation, Truth, Canon and Interpretation: Studies in Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho. Brill. p. 34. If 1 Apology lies between 151–154, and because the Dialogue mentions the Apology it is certain that the Dialogue was composed after that date. Any conjecture regarding a more exact date than 155–167 is only that. We must, therefore, be satisfied with an imprecise date for the Dialogue with Trypho.
^Wendel, Susan J (2011). Scriptural Interpretation and Community Self-Definition in Luke-Acts and the Writings of Justin Martyr. Brill. p. 11. Scholars generally agree that Justin wrote the Apologies around 150–155 CE and produced the final form of the Dialogue with Trypho at a slightly later date (~155–160 CE).
^Osborn, Eric Francis (1973). Justin Martyr. Tübingen. p. 8. The apologies were written shortly after 150 and the Dialogue was written between 155 and 160.
^Barnard, Leslie W. (December 4, 2008). Justin Martyr: His Life and Thought. Cambridge University Press. p. 23. The date of the Dialogue cannot be determined with accuracy. It is certainly later than the First Apology, which we have dated c. A.D. 151-5, which it quotes. Many scholars are of the opinion that a date c. A.D. 160 best fits the background of the Dialogue.
Further reading
Rokeah, David (2002). Justin Martyr and the Jews. Brill.
Bobichon, Philippe (2003). Dialogue avec Tryphon: Notes de la traduction, appendices, indices (in French). Vol. 2. University of Fribourg. ISBN9782827109586. volume 1 online volume 2 online
Bobichon, Philippe, "Œuvres de Justin Martyr : Le manuscrit de Londres (Musei Britannici Loan 36/13) apographon du manuscrit de Paris (Parisinus Graecus 450)" , Scriptorium 57/2 (2004), pp. 157–172 online
Bobichon, Philippe, "Justin Martyr : étude stylistique du Dialogue avec Tryphon suivie d’une comparaison avec l’Apologie et le De resurrectione", Recherches augustiniennes et patristiques 34 (2005), pp. 1–61 online
Bobichon, Philippe, "Comment Justin a-t-il acquis sa connaissance exceptionnelle des exégèses juives (contenus et méthodes) ?", Revue de Théologie et de Philosophie, 139, 2007, pp. 101–126 article online
February 06, 2023
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The Dialogue with Trypho along with the First and Second Apologies is a second century Christian apologetic text usually agreed to be dated in between AD 155 160 It is seen as documenting the attempts by theologian Justin Martyr to show that Christianity is the new law for all men and to prove from Scripture that Jesus is the Messiah 1 Justin Martyr The Dialogue utilizes the literary device of an intellectual conversation between Justin and Trypho a Jew The concluding section propounds that the Christians are the true people of God Contents 1 Identity of Trypho 2 Setting and structure 3 Dating 4 Authenticity 5 Editions 5 1 English 5 2 Greek 6 See also 7 References 8 Further readingIdentity of Trypho EditThe identity of Trypho as rabbi Tarfon the Hebrew name Tarfon itself is likely derived from Greek Trifon Trypho has been proposed but many Jewish scholars do not accept the notion that Justin Martyr s Trypho is Tarfon 2 They instead consider Trypho a fictional character invented by Justin for his literary purposes 2 3 Setting and structure EditThe setting is presented as a chance meeting between Justin and Trypho in Ephesus Justin had just converted to Christianity from a philosophical background and Trypho had just fled the disturbances in Judea 1 When Justin suggests to Trypho to convert to Christianity the dialogue becomes animated Trypho criticizes Christians on a number of grounds and Justin provides answers to each criticism 1 In the opening of the Dialogue Justin relates his vain search among the Stoics Peripatetics and Pythagoreans for a satisfying knowledge of God his finding in the ideas of Plato wings for his soul by the aid of which he hoped to attain the contemplation of the God head and his meeting on the sea shore with an aged man who told him that by no human endeavor but only by divine revelation could this blessedness be attained that the prophets had conveyed this revelation to man and that their words had been fulfilled Of the truth of this he assured himself by his own investigation and the daily life of the Christians and the courage of the martyrs convinced him that the charges against them were unfounded So he sought to spread the knowledge of Christianity as the true philosophy Justin also accuses Jews of being blind fleshly beings who cannot see beyond the text of religious law For your ears are closed your eyes are blinded and the heart is hardened Jeremiah has cried yet not even then do you listen The Lawgiver is present yet you do not see Him to the poor the Gospel is preached the blind see yet you do not understand You have now need of a second circumcision though you glory greatly in the flesh 4 This concept finds its origin in the New Testament Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3 13 15 that to this very day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their minds but when one turns to the Lord the veil is removed 5 In the Dialogue Justin also wrote For I choose to follow not men or men s doctrines but God and the doctrines delivered by Him For if you have fallen in with some who are called Christians but who do not admit this truth and venture to blaspheme the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob who say there is no resurrection of the dead and that their souls when they die are taken to heaven do not imagine that they are Christians 6 This passage is sometimes cited as evidence that the early church subscribed to the doctrine of soul sleep though some claim that Justin s emphasis is on saying that denial of the resurrection of the dead is what makes them non Christian especially considering that he claims that even after death souls are in a state of sensation in Chapter 18 of his First Apology 7 In his critical edition with French translation Philippe Bobichon demonstrates the particular nature of this text equally influenced by Greek and Rabbinic thought 8 Dating EditBecause the text mentions Justin Martyr s First Apology which was written sometime between AD 150 155 Dialogue with Trypho must have been written after it The date of authorship has been suggested to have been written anywhere between 155 167 9 with some scholars favoring 155 160 10 11 or even a more specific date c 160 12 Authenticity EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed May 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Dialogue with Trypho and the two Apologies are universally accepted by scholars as authentic works of Justin Though they are preserved only in the Sacra parallela they were known to Tatian Methodius of Olympus and Eusebius and their influence is traceable in Athenagoras Theophilus of Antioch the Pseudo Melito and especially Tertullian Eusebius speaks of two Apologies but he quotes them both as one which indeed they are in substance The identity of authorship is backed up not only by the reference in chapter 120 of the Dialogue to the Apology but by the unity of treatment Zahn showed that the Dialogue was originally divided into two books that there is a considerable lacuna in chapter 74 as well as at the beginning and that it is probably based on an actual occurrence at Ephesus the personality of the Rabbi Tarfon being employed though in a Hellenized form Editions EditEnglish Edit Justin Martyr 1885 Dialogue with Trypho In Roberts Alexander Donaldson James eds Ante Nicene Christian Library Vol II Translated by Reith George Edinburgh T amp T Clark Justin Martyr 1995 Dialogue with Trypho a Jew PDF Translated by Spade Paul Vincent from the Greek text in van Winden 1971 Greek Edit van Winden J C M 1971 An Early Christian Philosopher Justin Martyr s Dialogue with Trypho Philosophia patrum Vol 1 Leiden E J Brill Bobichon P 2003 Dialogue avec Tryphon edition critique in French Vol 1 University of Fribourg ISBN 978 2 8271 0958 6 Khazarzar Ruslan ed Toῦ ἁgioy Ἰoystinoy prὸs Tryfwna Ἰoydaῖon Dialogos khazarzar skeptik net in Ancient Greek See also EditDialogue of Jason and PapiscusReferences Edit a b c Reading the Old Testament with the Ancient Church Exploring the Formation of Early Christian Thought by Ronald E Heine Sep 1 2007 pages 48 52 a b Claudia Setzer Jewish Responses to Early Christians Nov 1 1994 ISBN 080062680X p 215 Larry R Helyer Exploring Jewish Literature of the Second Temple Period Jul 5 2002 ISBN 0830826785 p 493 Martyr Justin 1867 Donaldson Alexander Roberts amp James ed Dialogue with Trypho Edinburgh T amp T Clark Bible Gateway passage 2 Corinthians 3 13 15 New International Version Bible Gateway Retrieved 2022 10 12 Dialogue with Trypho Chapter 80 First Apology Chapter 18 Philippe Bobichon ed Justin Martyr Dialogue avec Tryphon edition critique introduction texte grec traduction commentaires appendices indices Coll Paradosis nos 47 vol I II Editions Universitaires de Fribourg Suisse 1125 pp 2003 Philippe Bobichon L enseignement juif paien heretique et chretien dans l œuvre de Justin Martyr Revue des Etudes Augustiniennes 45 2 1999 pp 233 259 text online Allert Craig D 2002 Revelation Truth Canon and Interpretation Studies in Justin Martyr s Dialogue with Trypho Brill p 34 If 1 Apology lies between 151 154 and because the Dialogue mentions the Apology it is certain that the Dialogue was composed after that date Any conjecture regarding a more exact date than 155 167 is only that We must therefore be satisfied with an imprecise date for the Dialogue with Trypho Wendel Susan J 2011 Scriptural Interpretation and Community Self Definition in Luke Acts and the Writings of Justin Martyr Brill p 11 Scholars generally agree that Justin wrote the Apologies around 150 155 CE and produced the final form of the Dialogue with Trypho at a slightly later date 155 160 CE Osborn Eric Francis 1973 Justin Martyr Tubingen p 8 The apologies were written shortly after 150 and the Dialogue was written between 155 and 160 Barnard Leslie W December 4 2008 Justin Martyr His Life and Thought Cambridge University Press p 23 The date of the Dialogue cannot be determined with accuracy It is certainly later than the First Apology which we have dated c A D 151 5 which it quotes Many scholars are of the opinion that a date c A D 160 best fits the background of the Dialogue Further reading EditRokeah David 2002 Justin Martyr and the Jews Brill Bobichon Philippe 2003 Dialogue avec Tryphon Notes de la traduction appendices indices in French Vol 2 University of Fribourg ISBN 9782827109586 volume 1 online volume 2 online Bobichon Philippe Œuvres de Justin Martyr Le manuscrit de Londres Musei Britannici Loan 36 13 apographon du manuscrit de Paris Parisinus Graecus 450 Scriptorium 57 2 2004 pp 157 172 online Bobichon Philippe Justin Martyr etude stylistique du Dialogue avec Tryphon suivie d une comparaison avec l Apologie et le De resurrectione Recherches augustiniennes et patristiques 34 2005 pp 1 61 online Bobichon Philippe Comment Justin a t il acquis sa connaissance exceptionnelle des exegeses juives contenus et methodes Revue de Theologie et de Philosophie 139 2007 pp 101 126 article online Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dialogue with Trypho amp oldid 1115716418, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
