I quote here only a good point about Justin, but the rest of the article would deserve a distinct discussion.
Can Justin contribute more efficiently to the debate? We find mention of Jesus’ trial under Pilate in chapters 30, 102, and 103 of Justin’s Dialogue with Trypho. It is nevertheless disturbing that Justin’s dialogue, centered entirely on scriptural arguments, should suddenly be so talkative about the Gospels in chapters 78, 102, and 103, focusing on the initial infancy and childhood chapters comprising Luke’s census and Matthew’s Herod. These canonical additions were completed in reaction to the Marcionite challenges and were only fully known at Rome in Tatian’s days. Furthermore, Justin is not even arguing here against his fictive opponent Trypho, as was the case in other chapters, but simply storytelling as a troubadour. Later harmonizing, so common for the purpose of confirming official data, could account for the impression one gets that the church in Justin’s days had loose, fragmentary information and not yet an authoritative ensemble that could be called a New Testament. Enforcing the impression that Justin’s works were corrupted, we find the two very disputable mentions of the Acts of Pontius Pilate (earliest known as a seventh-century manuscript) in his first Apology, so conveniently placed at the very end of their respective paragraphs.
Justin’s beliefs appear in his Dialogues:
“You have slain the Just One, and His prophets before him.” (Chapter 16) “After you had crucified him, the only man without sins and just” (Chapter 17) “The Jews deliberated on the Messiah, to crucify him” (Chapter 72) The death to which the synagogue of the evil condemned him (Chapter 104) You seized him and during Easter you crucified him” (Chapter 111).
Justin, contemporary to Peter-Acts, gives the same interpretation as Peter: ‘this man that you (the Jews) killed. A timeless event, without any date.
Justin’s beliefs appear in his Dialogues:
“You have slain the Just One, and His prophets before him.” (Chapter 16) “After you had crucified him, the only man without sins and just” (Chapter 17) “The Jews deliberated on the Messiah, to crucify him” (Chapter 72) The death to which the synagogue of the evil condemned him (Chapter 104) You seized him and during Easter you crucified him” (Chapter 111).
Justin, contemporary to Peter-Acts, gives the same interpretation as Peter: ‘this man that you (the Jews) killed. A timeless event, without any date.
(my bold)
After this, I give up to believe that Pilate appeared in the oldest Gospel story.
