Tertullianus against marcion 1868 volume 7 of antenicene christian library. This week ive been reading some tertullian when ive had the chance. Iii, antimarcion the five books against marcion tertullian peter holmes. My original tract, as too hurriedly composed, i had subsequently superseded by a fuller treatise. Antenicene fathersvolume iiiantimarcionthe five books. The five books against marcion, written in 207 or 208, are the most comprehensive and elaborate of his polemical works, invaluable for gauging the early christian view of gnosticism. Every sentence, indeed the whole structure, arising from mar cions impiety and profanity, i now challenge in terms of that gospel which he has by. Tertullian against marcions problem of evil as early as 300bc, epicurus posed the problem of evil succinctly. Translations of the writings of the fathers down to a. Wherein christ is shown to be the son of god, who created the world. In particular, it brings together the writings of the early church fathers prior to the fourth century. Marcion wrote only a single work, antitheses contradictions, in which he set forth his ideas. O christ, most patient lord, who suffered this interference with your revelation for so many years, until marcion came to your rescue.
In order to fend off the relentless advance of marcionism, tertullian wrote a large tome, adversus marcionem against marcion. Marcionism was denounced by its opponents as heresy and written against notably by tertullian in a fivebook treatise, adversus marcionem against marcion, in about 208. I am embarking upon a new work to replace an old one. Adversus marcionem against marcion, an anatolian heretic who believed that the world was created by the evil god of the jews, adversus hermogenem against hermogenes, a carthaginian painter who claimed that god created the world. Jun 02, 2015 tertullian composed as least six works against marcion, including his prescription against heresies and five books against marcion which are extant today. It is a new work which we are undertaking in lieu of the old one. Preface utterly wanting in all the attributes of the true god. Following the track of my original treatise, the loss of which we are steadily proceeding 3076 to restore, we come now, in the order of our subject, to treat of christ, although this be a work of supererogation, 3077 after the proof which we have gone through that there is but. A brief statement of the preceding argument in connection with the subject of this book. Adversus marcionem treatise by tertullian britannica. Read this work originally printed in 1885, the tenvolume set, antenicene fathers, brings together the work of early christian thinkers.
Marcion preached that the god who sent jesus into the world was a different, higher deity than the creator god of judaism. Tertullian five books against marcion the ntslibrary. Tertullian vindicates the symmetry and deliberate purpose of his work against marcion. One who wrote the most about marcion was tertullian. Jan 18, 2014 marcion s most influential writing was a work entitled antithesis, described as there are no known copies of antithesis in existence. I tried to read it online but found it quite hideous for me to look at. Iii, antimarcion, the five books against marcion, book v i tertullian peter holmes. Marcion, aided by cerdon, teaches a duality of gods. How he constructed this heresy of an evil and a good god. Against marcion is a classic book written by tertullian. What we know about marcion s teachings comes mainly from the writings of those who opposed his heresy.
Tertullianus against marcion, volume 7 volume 7 of antenicene christian library volume 7 of antenicene christian library. In it tertullian lays the foundation for the oneness of god and of christ with god that will be built upon and will ultimately lead to the formulation of the. Marcion pressed this differentiation to what he saw to be a logical extreme. Tertullian, against marcion book i the god of marcion described and shown to be i. Apr 17, 2012 the five books against marcion introductory notes 155215 antenicene fathers vol. Although the marcionites did not view israels god as the prince of darkness, as did some of the more radical gnostic systems, they did regard him as just as opposed to the good god who is love. Tertullian against marcion v, 3 also passes over these verses but has a keyword of the original text of verse 9 in mind when he writes.
Tertullian has been identified by jo ann mcnamara as the person who originally invested the consecrated virgin as the bride of christ which helped to bring. The five books against marcion online christian library. Tertullian eloquently defends it as holy, and carefully discriminates between marcions doctrine and his own montanism. The flesh is not, according to marcion, immersed in the water of the sacrament, unless it be in virginity, widowhood, or celibacy, or has purchased by divorce a title to baptism, as if even generative impotents did not all receive their flesh from nuptial union. Since evil exists, either god is not good he does not wish to stop it, or he is not allpowerful though willing to stop it, he is not able or he simply does not exist at all. Gotta quote his opening to book five from against marcion.
Tertullian against marcions problem of evil yield to god. Against marcion by tertullian goodreads share book. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Five books against marcion by tertullian read online download listen summary formats about summary. But, tertullian was so outraged by the claims of marcion and his followers that he wrote his longest treatise in rebuttal of the claims of marcion entitled plainly, against marcion. Iii, antimarcion, the five books against marcion, book v by tertullian, translated by peter holmes i 155350 antenicene fathers vol. If you challenge us to your belief, pray tell us what things. Additionally, tertullian writes on the nature of the trinity, laying out the biblical view well before it was settled by councils. In writing against marcion and valintinus, tertullian set forth the biblical theology of god rather than the heretical view that somehow there was an ot god different from a nt god. This was a watershed document in christian history as had been irenaeus adversus haeresis. Whatever in times past we have wrought in opposition to marcion, is from the present moment no longer to be accounted of. Far from being at variance, they were in perfect unison with the writings of the old testament, and therefore testified that the creator was the only god, and that the lord jesus was his christ.
The development of the canon of the new testament marcion. Marcions writings are lost, though they were widely read and numerous manuscripts must have existed. My first edition, too hurriedly produced, i afterwards withdrew, substituting a fuller treatment. And, no doubt, even the real nativity of a god is a most mean thing. Since, however, the divine authority and the nature of the case, and common sense, do not admit this insane position of the heretics, we have here the opportunity of putting in a veto 3790 in the briefest possible terms, on the substance of christs body, against marcion s phantoms. And that, for marcion, was because the god who gave the law in the old testament was not the same god who provided the gospel of salvation through jesus. Nothing i have previously written against marcion is any longer my concern.
Home fathers of the church against marcion tertullian book iii. In the prescription against heretics, tertullian made a number of accusations concern marcions use of scripture, canon, and authority, perhaps the most clear being that marcion had induced. Otherwise, it is an idle thing when, after slaying men, he inveighs against them for the torture of a bullock. Pauls epistles, what he had proved in the preceding book with respect to st. Critical commentary on marcion s new testament antitheses, showing that there are no contradictions. The law of the jews and the gospel of christ were fundamentally at odds with one another.
Such must be the sentence to be pronounced against marcion s god. The epistle which we also allow to be the most decisive against judaism. How gracious and providential that god would grant wisdom to one such as tertullian to refute heresy in the early church. Since it has not been preserved, we must be content with deducing its contents from notices contained in the writings of opponents particularly in tertullian s 5 volumes written against marcion adversus marcionem. He ridiculed marcion s discovery of a hitherto unknown version of the gospels, which he recognised as a flagrant fiction. Tertullian s treatment of paul in against marcion of 207 ad. For against him did they wreak their fury after they had slain his prophets, even by affixing him with nails to the cross. In 2012, the host of early church 101 took on my quote from tertullian s against marcion from 207 ad where tertullian says paul was the apostle of the heretics. The archheretic marcion, jesus, and the jewish law the. Tertullian five books against marcion by tertullian. I knew i had three volumes of tertullian in my early christian writers set, so i took those down and found out this book was not in them.
448 824 1591 1406 1196 561 252 850 212 590 3 1241 245 1520 225 257 704 667 1466 1285 36 1064 1298 1460 617 164 1368 345 129 308 1491 602 899 380