from its text, which, in some cases, are both repeated
by Justin and found also in other writings”
("On the Canon,” p. 98). We regret to say
that Dr. Westcott, in laying the case before his readers,
somewhat misleads them, although, doubtless, unintentionally.
He speaks of Justin telling us that “Christ
was descended from Abraham through Jacob, Judah, Phares,
Jesse, and David,” and omits the fact that Justin
traces the descent to Mary alone, and knows nothing
as to a descent traced to Joseph, as in both Matthew
and Luke (see below, under h). He speaks
of Justin mentioning wise men “guided by a star,”
forgetting that Justin says nothing of the guidance,
but only writes: “That he should arise
like a star from the seed of Abraham, Moses showed
beforehand.... Accordingly, when a star rose
in heaven at the time of his birth, as is recorded
in the ‘Memoirs’ of his Apostles, the Magi
from Arabia, recognising the sign by this, came and
worshipped him” ("Dial.,” ch. cvi.).
He speaks of Justin recording “the singing of
the Psalm afterwards” (after the last supper),
omitting that Justin only says generally ("Dial.,”
ch. cvi., to which Dr. Westcott refers us) that “when
living with them (Christ) sang praises to God.”
But as we hereafter deal with these discrepancies,
we need not dwell on them now, only warning our readers
that since even such a man as Dr. Westcott thus misrepresents
facts, it will be well never to accept any inferences
drawn from such references as these without comparing
them with the original. One of the chief difficulties
to the English reader is to get a reliable translation.
To give but a single instance. In the version
of Justin here used (that published by T. Clark, Edinburgh),
we find in the “Dialogue,” ch. ciii.,
the following passage: “His sweat fell down
like drops of blood while he was praying.”
And this is referred to by Canon Westcott (p. 104)
as a record of the “bloody sweat.”
Yet, in the original, there is no word analogous to
“of blood;” the passage runs: “sweat
as drops fell down,” and it is recorded by Justin
as a proof that the prophecy, “my bones are
poured out like water” was fulfilled in
Christ. The clumsy endeavour to create a likeness
to Luke xxii. 44 destroys Justin’s argument.
Further on (p. 113) Dr. Westcott admits that the words
“of blood” are not found in Justin; but
it is surely misleading, under these circumstances,
to say that Justin mentions “the bloody sweat.”
Westcott only maintains seven passages in the whole
of Justin’s writings, wherein he distinctly
quotes from the “Memoirs;” i.e.,
only seven that can be maintained as quotations from
the canonical Gospels—the contention being
that the “Memoirs” are the Gospels.
He says truly, if naively, “The result of a first
view of these passages is striking.” Very
striking, indeed; for, “of the seven, five agree
verbally with the text of St. Matthew or St. Luke,
exhibiting, indeed, three slight various readings
not elsewhere found, but such as are easily explicable.


