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P. Derek Overfield PhD Thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText

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In Dial 87 Justin cites the same psalm when he<br />

explains that the 'gifts' referred to are the gifts of<br />

the Spirit which had been foretold by uoel.<br />

These<br />

gifts are, according to Justin, the direct consequence<br />

of ascension.<br />

The psalm text is cited here in a<br />

slightly different form:<br />

It is interesting that in both<br />

Dial 39 and 87 Justin sets the citation of Ps 67 :19 in<br />

the context of previously spoken prophecies.<br />

There is<br />

no indication in either passage that he is in any<br />

way dependent upont the epistle; indeed the context<br />

suggests the possibility that Justin is in fact citing<br />

the tradition which the author of Ephesians also uses.<br />

We cannot of course reject the possibility that Justin<br />

knew and was influenced by the version of the psalm as<br />

it appears in the epistle,69 but even if this is the<br />

case, it would appear from the context of both Dial 39<br />

and 87 that he is claiming that this version makes<br />

plain the prophetic element of the original psalm.<br />

The references that we have cited from<br />

Justin clearly indicate that this author is no more<br />

consistent in his view of the ascension than is the<br />

NT.<br />

He can describe it as an event distinct from<br />

that of resurrection (~I.21);<br />

an event capable of<br />

being witnessed (Apol 1.50; De Res 9); but elsewhere<br />

the resurrection and ascension are but two aspects of<br />

-355-

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