I am insecure about proclaiming that the text of Dialogue with Trypho "proves" that Justin did not know Paul's letter to the foolish Galatians. I am much less secure (even more apprehensive), since this discussion began, claiming that neither author had read the other's manuscript, in view of the overlap text. The possibility that one or both authors did know of the other's text can not be excluded, in my opinion.ficino wrote:I'm not sure I understand your last sentence right, because in it you seem to take back your view that Paul follows and corrects Justin and that we are justified in reaching this conclusion.
I am most comfortable concluding that if Justin Martyr had a copy of Galatians before him, his text doesn't demonstrate that fact, and conversely if someone had a gun pointed to my head, with a command, pick one or the other to go first, else die, then, I would pick Dialogue with Trypho to have preceded Letter to Galatians, only because of the "faith vs. law" business. However, I don't have a gun pointed at me and I don't honestly know which came first. I can understand that the vast majority of folks believe that Paul wrote first, and he may have, but, I don't observe the evidence of it in the writings of Justin Martyr. I also don't think it is correct to argue that Paul MUST have written later than Justin, simply because Justin fails to cite Paul, or use his arguments.
I learned a lot from you. Thanks.