(August 2, 2012 at 6:05 pm)Minimalist Wrote: A quick search of Early Christian Writings for Justin Martyr shows that as late as the 160's he did not mention any of the names Matthew, Luke or Mark in his apologias or the Dialogue with Trypho or "On the Resurrection." When he does mention "John" in Trypho it is in reference to John the baptist....not any alleged gospel writer.
Justin also knows nothing of any "Paul." Obviously in the mid 2d century that part of the story had not been invented, either.
Again the same applies here. Martyr was not known as an Evangelist. His known work centered around the establishment of the Church (Which meant established believers) because of this, thier is simply no need to go over the gospel account or it's characters. The Gospel plays a large role for the unbeliever, but is generally set aside after one accepts Christ.
It seems that there are many 'writers' who speak out against what they know of Christianity. Unfortunatly their knoweledge of the Church ends with the gospel they can not or will not accept, and i guess this leads them to believe that the whole of christianity past present and future. is only allowed to dewell on what they understand the church to be. That seems to be an evangelical movement that centers around casting the seed of the gospel. This is one function of the church, but by no means is the whole church forced to serve this way.
