identifies it with the lost Gospel to the Hebrews, in the words:--

"Much more probably, however, Justin quotes from the more ancient
source from which the Protevangelium and perhaps St. Luke drew their
narrative. There can be little doubt that the Gospel according to
the Hebrews contained an account of the birth in Bethelehem, and as
it is, at least, certain that Justin quotes other particulars from
it, there is fair reason to believe that he likewise found this fact
[28:1] in that work." (Vol. ii. p. 313.)

If, then, this be the Gospel from which Justin derived his account of
the Nativity, it seems to have contained all the facts for which we have
now to look into St. Matthew and St. Luke. It combined the testimonies
of both Evangelists to the supernatural Birth of Jesus.




SECTION V.

THE PRINCIPAL WITNESS.--HIS TESTIMONY RESPECTING THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST.


The next extract from Justin which I shall give is one describing our
Lord's Baptism. This account, like almost every other given in the
dialogue with Trypho, is mentioned by him, not so much for its own sake,
but because it gave him opportunity to show the fulfilment, or supposed
fulfilment, of a prophecy--in this case the prophecy of Isaiah that the
"Spirit of the Lord should rest upon Him."