January 11, 2013

Holy Fathers on the Name of God: St. Justin the Philosopher


“Moreover, in the book of Exodus we have also perceived that the Name of God Himself which, He says, was not revealed to Abraham or to Jacob, was Jesus, and was declared mysteriously through Moses. Thus it is written: ‘And the Lord spake to Moses, Say to this people, Behold, I send My angel before thy face, to keep thee in the way, to bring thee into the land which I have prepared for thee. Give heed to Him, and obey Him; do not disobey Him. For He will not draw back from you; for My Name is in him.’ Now understand that He who led your fathers into the land is called by this name Jesus (Joshua), and first called Auses. For if you shall understand this, you shall likewise perceive that the Name of Him who said to Moses, ‘for My Name is in him,’ was Jesus.

St. Justin the Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho the Jew, Ch. XXV