SECTION VI.

The principal witness.—­His testimony respecting the death of Christ.

We have now to consider the various notices in Justin respecting our Lord’s Crucifixion, and the events immediately preceding and following it.  Justin notices our Lord’s entry into Jerusalem:—­

“And the prophecy, ’binding His foal to the vine and washing His robe in the blood of the grape,’ was a significant symbol of the things which were to happen to Christ, and of what He was to do.  For the foal of an ass stood bound to a vine at the entrance of a village, and He ordered His acquaintances to bring it to Him then; and when it was brought He mounted and sat upon it, and entered Jerusalem.” (Apol.  I. ch. xxxii.)

Justin in a subsequent place (Dial. ch. liii.) notices the fact only mentioned in St. Matthew, that Jesus commanded the disciples to bring both an ass and its foal:—­

“And truly our Lord Jesus Christ, when He intended to go into Jerusalem, requested His disciples to bring Him a certain ass, along with its foal, which was bound in an entrance of a village called Bethphage; and, having seated Himself on it, He entered into Jerusalem.”

Justin thus describes the institution of the Eucharist:—­

“For the Apostles, in the Memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and, when He had given thanks, said, ’This do ye in remembrance of me, this is My body;’ and that after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, ’This is My blood;’ and gave it to them alone.” (Apol. i. ch. lxvi.)

He thus adverts to the dispersion of the Apostles:—­

“Moreover, the prophet Zechariah foretold that this same Christ would be smitten and His disciples scattered:  which also took place.  For after His Crucifixion the disciples that accompanied Him were dispersed.” (Dial. ch. liii.)

He mentions our Lord’s agony as the completion of a prophecy in Psalm xxii.:—­

“For on the day on which He was to be crucified, having taken three of His disciples to the hill called Olivet, situated opposite to the temple at Jerusalem, He prayed in these words:  ’Father, if it be possible, lot this cup pass from Me.’  And again He prayed, ’Not as I will, but as Thou wilt.’” (Dial. xcix.)

His sweating great drops of blood (mentioned only in St. Luke), also in fulfilment of Psalm xxii.—­

“For in the memoirs which I say were drawn up by His Apostles, and those who followed them [it is recorded] that His sweat fell down like drops of blood while He was praying, and saying, ’If it be possible, let this cup pass.’” [34:1] (Ch. ciii.)

His being sent to Herod (mentioned only in St. Luke):—­