From Newsgroup: uk.religion.christian

AT the beginning of Justin Martyr's "Dialogue with Trypho", he describes
how he became dissatisfied with the various schools of philosophy -
though Platonism seems to come off best. However, while meditating on philosophy he encounters a strange old man, who seems to fill the role
of Socrates, in that he asks questions which slowly guide Justin to the
truth.

In Chapter V the old man makes this interesting remark:

"The souls of the pious remain in a better place, while those of the
unjust and wicked are in a worse, waiting for the time of judgment. Thus
some which have appeared worthy of God never die; but others are
punished so long as God wills them to exist and to be punished."

It does seem to me that Justin is teaching a temporal hell - the wicked
will exist and suffer punishment so long as God wills them to exist. Presumably when God's will is satisfied, the wicked will cease to exist
and, necessarily, their punishment will come to an end.

This, of course, fits in with what Justin says later on in the Dialogue (Chapter LXXX)

"If you have fallen in with some who are called Christians, but who do
not admit this, and venture to blaspheme the God of Abraham, and of
Isaac, and 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."

Needless to say, I agree with Justin on both those points.

God bless,
Kendall K. Down
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From Newsgroup: uk.religion.christian

On 19/07/2025 21:13, Kendall K. Down wrote:

AT the beginning of Justin Martyr's "Dialogue with Trypho", he describes
how he became dissatisfied with the various schools of philosophy -
though Platonism seems to come off best. However, while meditating on philosophy he encounters a strange old man, who seems to fill the role
of Socrates, in that he asks questions which slowly guide Justin to the truth.

In Chapter V the old man makes this interesting remark:

"The souls of the pious remain in a better place, while those of the
unjust and wicked are in a worse, waiting for the time of judgment. Thus some which have appeared worthy of God never die; but others are
punished so long as God wills them to exist and to be punished."

It does seem to me that Justin is teaching a temporal hell - the wicked
will exist and suffer punishment so long as God wills them to exist. Presumably when God's will is satisfied, the wicked will cease to exist
and, necessarily, their punishment will come to an end.

This, of course, fits in with what Justin says later on in the Dialogue (Chapter LXXX)

"If you have fallen in with some who are called Christians, but who do
not admit this, and venture to blaspheme the God of Abraham, and of
Isaac, and 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."

Needless to say, I agree with Justin on both those points.

Although you don't believe the wise old man's view, which is described
in the bible as Abraham's Bosom.



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From Newsgroup: uk.religion.christian

On 21/07/2025 11:42, John wrote:

Although you don't believe the wise old man's view, which is described
in the bible as Abraham's Bosom.

I don't believe every detail of what the WOM said, it is interesting
that he appears to believe in an end to the existence of the wicked,
something which is not explicit in the parable of Abraham's Bosom.

God bless,
Kendall K. Down
--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com



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