Dialogue with Trypho
Chapter 10: Trypho Criticizes Christians Only for This - Not Following the Law
And when they stopped, I addressed them again like this:—
Is there any other issue, my friends, for which we are criticized, besides this: that we do not live according to the law, are not circumcised in the flesh like your forefathers, and do not observe the sabbaths as you do? Are our lives and customs also spoken ill of among you? And I ask this: have you also believed that we eat men; and that after the feast, when the lights are turned off, we engage in promiscuous behavior? Or do you only condemn us for adhering to these beliefs and for having an opinion which you consider false?
"This is what amazes us," said Trypho, "but the things people talk about are not believable; for they are most against human nature. Moreover, I know that your teachings in the so-called Gospel are so wonderful and great, that I doubt anyone can follow them; for I have read them carefully. But this is what truly confuses us: that you, claiming to be pious and considering yourselves better than others, are not different from them in any specific way, and do not change your way of life from the nations, in that you observe no festivals or sabbaths, and do not practice circumcision; and further, resting your hopes on a man who was crucified, you still expect to receive some good thing from God, even though you do not obey His commandments. Have you not read, that the soul that is not circumcised on the eighth day shall be cut off from his people? And this was ordained for strangers and slaves equally. But you, disregarding this covenant recklessly, reject the associated duties, and try to convince yourselves that you know God, when in fact, you do none of the things that those who fear God do. If, therefore, you can defend yourself on these points, and show us how you hope for anything even though you do not observe the law, we would gladly listen to you, and we shall conduct other similar investigations."