Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

SECTION XXXII.

He also objected to the Appointment of Sacrifices.

THEY objected to the appointment of sacrifices, and to the distinction of meats into clean and unclean, and were also displeased with the orders given to the Jews, to spoil the Egyptians. In short, Tertullian says, they brought such, and so many objections against the law and the prophets, that they looked more like the objections of heathens, than of persons who embraced Christianity, though ever so heretical in their notions.

Against these, and many others of the same sort too numerous to mention, Tertullian defends the Old Testament by very good answers, as may be seen at large in his second book against Marcion, where he shews the moral laws to be excellent, and certainly derived from God, as it is related by Moses, who was prior to the famous heathen lawgivers, Lycurgus, Solon, &c. and who therefore could borrow from none of them.

SECTION XXXIII.

He mutilated the New Testament wherever it contained Quotations from the Old.

THEIR aversion to the Old Testament was indeed so great, that on this account they mutilated many passages in the New, in those books which they admitted, rejecting all which related to the law and the prophets, or which were quoted from thence, as plainly foretelling the coming of Jesus Christ, or which spoke of his Father as the Creator of the world.

Lib. 2. cap. 14. p. 375. 14. Ego, inquit, percutiam; et ego sanabo. Ego, inquit, occidam, et ego vivificabo; condens scilicet mala, et faciens pacem. Quâ enim soles illum mobilitatis quoque et inconstantiæ nomine reprehendere, prohibentem quæ jubet, et jubentem quæ prohibet. Id. Lib. 4. c. 1. 502. C. or 404. 35.

a Diximus de sacrificiorum rationali institutione, avocante scilicet ab idolis ad Deum officia ea quæ si rursus ejecerat, dicens; quo mihi multitudinem sacrificiorum vestrorum hoc ipsum voluit intelligi, quod non sibi ea proprie exegisset. Ad. Mar. Lib. 2. c. 22. p. 470. B. C. or 379. 11. Sacrificiorum quoque opera, et operationum et oblationum negotiosas scrupulositates nemo reprehendat, quasi Deus talia sibi proprie desideravit, qui tam manifeste exclamat, quo mihi multitudinem sacrificiorum vestrorum? Et quis exquisivit, ista ex manibus vestris? Sed illam Dei industriam sentiat, qua populum pronum in idololatriam et transgressionem ejusmodi officiis religioni suæ voluit astringere, quibus superstitio seculi agebatur, ut ab eâ avocaret illos, sibi jubens fieri quasi desideranti, ne simulacris faciendis delinqueret. Ib. c. 18. 467. D. 375. 28.

Et si lex aliquid cibis detrahit, et immunda pronuntiat animalia quæ aliquando benedicta sunt, consilium exercendæ continentiæ intellige; et frænos impositos illi gulæ agnosce, quæ, quum panem ederet angelorum, cucumeres et pepones Ægyptiorum desiderabat. Ibid. Lib. 2. c. 18. 467. D. 377.

20.

Sed et per istas caligines sequemur nequitiam, et in lucem extrahemus ingenia tenebrarum, objicientia creatori vel maxime fraudem illam et rapinam auri et argenti, mandata ab illo Hebrais in Ægyptios. Ib. L. 2. c. 20. 469. A. B. 378. 18. ΜΕΓ. Ο Θεος της γενέσεως εντεταλται Μωϋσει εκβαινοντι εκ γης Αιγύπτε, λέγων· Έτοιμοι γενεσθε την οσφυν εζωσμένοι, της πόδας ὑποδεδεμένοι, τας ραβδος εν ταις κερσιν ύμων, τας

VOL. IV.

πηρας εχοντες εφ' ἑαυτες, χρυσον και αργυρον και τ' αλλα παντα απενεγκασθε των Αιγυπτίων. ὁ δε Κύριος ήμων ὁ άμισθος· κ. τ. λ. Dia. Con. Mar. sec. 1. p. 16.

d De isto pluribus retractarem, si cum Ethnicis agerem, quamquam et cum hæreticis non multo diversa congressio stet. Ad. Mar. Lib. 2. c. 27.474. B. 382.47.

e Veni denique ad inspectationem doctrinarum, disciplinarum, præceptorum, conciliorumque ejus. Dices forsitan hæc etiam humanis legibus determinari. Sed ante Lycurgos et Solonas omnes, Möyses et Deus. Nulla posteritas non a primordiis accipit. Tamen non a tuo Deo didici Creatorem meum præscribere: non occides, non adulterabis, non furaberis, &c.—Ad hæc innocentiæ, pudicitiæ, justitiæ, et pietatis principalia consulta, accedunt etiam humanitatis præscripta. Non enim injuriæ mutuo exercendæ licentiam sapit, sed in totum cohibendæ violentiæ prospicit, &c. Ibid. Lib. 2. c. 17, 18. 467. B. C. 377. 1.

Et super hæc, id, quod est secundum Lucam, evangelium circumcidens, et omnia quæ sunt de generatione Domini conscripta auferens, et de doctrinâ sermonum Domini multa auferens, in quibus manifestissime conditorem hujus universitatis suum patrem confitens, Dominus conscriptus est.Non evangelium sed particulam Evangelii tradens eis. Similiter autem et Apostoli Pauli epistolas abscidit, auferens quæcumque manifeste dicta sunt ab Apostolo de eo Deo qui mundum fecit, quoniam hic Pater Domini nostri Jesu Christi, et quæcumque ex propheticis memorans apostolus docuit, prænuntiantibus adventum Domini.

In quibus manifestissime conditorem, &c. Respicere præcipue videtur hæc verba servatoris, Luc. x. 21. Confiteor • tibi, pater, Domine coeli et terræ, quæ Marcion corrupit, 'idemens vocem pater, et omittens terra. Vid. Grabei notas in hunc Irenæi locum, p. 104. note 5. Ox. 1702.

4 I

d

SECTION XXXIV.

He framed Antitheses to shew the Opposition of the Law to the Gospel.

C

THIS Creator, or God of the Jews, they considered as of a character very different from the good God, or the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and 'therefore they asserted that Christ came to 'destroy the law given by him, because it was opposite to the gospel. To establish this last point was the design of those Antitheses which were framed by Marcion, and which Ter tullian so frequently mentions. Though, as he rightly observes, it would be no difficult matter to form rival Antitheses against him, by shewing many glaring contradictions between one part and another of his opinions. To establish this same point, the contrariety of character between the God of the Jews and the God of the Christians, and the opposition between the law and the gospel, is the direct intent of a great part of the objections brought by the Marcionite, in the dialogue ascribed to Origen; some of which have already been quoted at large. Some others of the more remarkable I shall here transcribe, referring only to several of the remaining ones, because they are too many to be all inserted,

But this argument, as Tertullian justly observes, may be easily refuted, since such contrarieties as he produces will never prove that the being who gave the Jewish law is not the same with the God of the Christians. For those precepts and injunctions of the ceremonial law, produced by Marcion, as directly opposite to the gospel, were rightly calculated for that people to whom they were given, though they would be improper for those who are placed in very dif

• ΜΕΓ. Εκ τότε δείκνυται μη ων αγαθος ὁ δημιεργος. Dia. Ad. Mar. sec. 1. p. 23.

ΜΕΓ. Η αγαπη αρχη των Χρισιανων αρχει. Ibid. sec. 1.

P. 4.

• ΜΕΓ. Δεικνύω ὅτι ὁ Δημιεργος αλλά ενομοθέτησε, και ὁ Χρισος αλλά εναντια τετο Εαυτῳ εδεις ποτε εναντιέται εδε αντίκειται, ώσπερ αντίκειται το Ευαγγελιον τῳ νομῳ. Ibid. sec. 1. p. 14. ΜΕΓ. Ὅτι ὁ Χριςος ανέτρεψε τα τε Δημιεργο. και δεικνυμι ότι ανέτρεψεν. Ibid. p. 16.

ΜΕΓ. Δείξω ότι ηναντιωται το Ευαγγελιον τῷ νόμω. Ibid. p. 23.

• Separatio legis et Evangelii proprium et principale opus est Marcionis.-Nam hæ sunt antitheseis Marcionis.- i. e. contrariæ oppositiones, quæ conantur discordiam Evangelii cum lege committere, ut ex diversitate sententiarum utriusque instrumenti diversitatem quoque argumentatur Deorum. Ad. Mar. Lib. i. c. 11. p. 359. 10.

4 Cæterum ipsas quoque Antitheseis Marcionis cominus cecidissem, si operosiore destructione earum egeret defensio Creatoris, tam boni quam et judicis.-Compendio interim possum Antitheseis retudisse, gestientes ex qualitatibus ingeniorum, sive legum, sive virtutum discernere, atque ita alienare Christum a Creatore, ut optimum a judice, et mitem a fero, et salutarem ab otioso. Ad Mar. Lib. 2. c. 29. p. 476. A. D. p. 382, 3. Certe enim totum, quod elaboravit etiam Antitheseis præstruendo, in hoc cogit, ut veteris et Novi Testamenti diversitatem constituat, proinde Christum suum a Creatore separaturus, ut Dei alterius, alienum legis et prophetarum. Ibid. Lib. 4. c. 6. p. 506. B. p. 407. 13.

Nunc et de pusillitatibus, et malignitatibus, cæterisque notis, et ipse adversus Marcionem Antitheseis æmulas faciam.Mutavit sententias suas Deus noster, proinde quâ vester: qui enim genus humanum tam sero respexit, eam sententiam mutavit, quâ tanto ævo non respexit. Ibid. Lib. 2. c. 28. p. 475. B. C. D. p. 382. 36.

See scc. 14 of this chap. p. 598. n.. Sec. 23. p. 601.

n. . Sec. 31. p. 608. n. d. p. 608. n. 1. Sec. 32. p. 609. note, and in this page, note a and b.

8 ΜΕΓ. Ο προφήτης το Θεό της γενέσεως, πόλεμο συςαν τος προς τον λαόν, αναβας επι την κορυφήν τε όρες, εξέτεινε τας χειρας αυτο προς τον Θεον, ἵνα πολλές των πολέμω ανελη. Ὁ δε Κύριος ήμων, άγιος ων, εξέτεινε τας χείρας αύτε, όχι του ανελείν τες ανθρωπος, αλλα το σώσαι. Dia. Ad. Mar. sec. L. Ρ. 19. ΜΕΓ. Ὁ εν τῷ νομῳ Κύριος λέγει. Αγαπήσεις τον αγγαπώντα σε, και μισήσεις το εχθρον σε. Ο δε Κύριος ήμων, αγαθος ων, λέγει Αγαπατε τες εχθρος όμων, και ευχεσθε υπερ των διακοντων μας. Ibid. sec. 1. p. 20. ΜΕΓ. Ο προφητης το Θεό της γενέσεως, ἵνα πολεμῳ πλείονας ανελη, έζησε τον ήλιον, τα με δυσαι, μέχρι συντελεση αναίξων της πολεμώντας προς τον λαον. Ο δε Κύριος, αγαθος ων, λεγει,

os un TidUETW ETTI TW Tαçogyioμu iμw. Ib. p. 22. Vid. Dia. Adv. Mar. sec. 1. p. 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 32, 36, &c.

i Omnem sapientiam et omnem paraturam impii atque sacrilegi Marcionis, ad ipsum jam Evangelium ejus provocamus, quod interpolando suum fecit. Et, ut fidem instrueret, dotem quamdam commentatus est illi, opus ex contrarietatum oppositionibus, Antitheseis cognominatum, et ad separationem legis et Evangelii coactum, quâ duos Deos dividens, proinde diversos, alterum alterius instrumenti, (vel quod magis usui est dicere) Testamenti, ut exinde Evangelio quoque secundum Antitheseis credendo patrocinaretur. Sed et istas proprio congressu cominus-cecidissem, si non multo opportunius in ipso et cum ipso Evangelio, cui procurant, retunderentur. Quamquam tam facile est præscriptive occurrere, et quidem ut accepto eas faciam, ut rato habeam, ut nobiscum facere dicam, quo magis de cœcitate auctoris sui erubescant nostræ jam Antitheseis adversus Marcionem. Atque adeo confiteor alium ordinem decucurrisse in veteri dispositione apud creatorem, alium in novâ apud Christum. Non nego distare documenta eloquii, præcepta virtutis, legis disciplinas, dum tamen tota diversitas in unum et eumdem Deum competat. Ad. Mar. L, 4. c 1. p. 501. A. B, C. p. 403. 36.

[ocr errors]

ferent circumstances under the gospel: and this temporary diversity, and seeming opposition, only make manifest the wisdom of that God who suits himself to the different circumstances of things, which very justly require an alteration of conduct.

SECTION XXXV.

Marcion received but eleven Books of the New Testament, and of the Gospels only that of Luke, and this mutilated.

MARCION received only eleven books of the New Testament, and these strangely curtailed and altered. He divided them into two parts, calling the one the Gospel, and the other the Apostolicon. The former contained only one of the four gospels, viz. that of St. Luke, and this mutilated and altered, and even interpolated in a great variety of places. He would not allow it to be called the gospel of St. Luke, erasing the name of that evangelist from the beginning of his copy. Some of his followers considered it as written partly by Christ himself, and partly by the apostle Paul. Marcion retrenched the first and second chapters entirely, and began his gospel at the first verse of the third chapter, and even read this different from our copies, viz. that in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Cæsar God descended into Capernaum, a city of Galilee.'

f

SECTION XXXVI.

He rejected the Genealogy and Baptism of our Saviour.

k

ACCORDING to Irenæus, Epiphanius, and Theodoret, he also rejected the genealogy and baptism of Christ. If we compare this with a passage of Tertullian, it seems not unlikely that

• Aufer titulum Marcionis, et intentionem atque propositum operis ipsius ; et nihil aliud prastat quam demonstrationem ejusdem Dei Optimi et judicis, quia hæc duo in solum Deu.n competunt. Nam et ipsum studium in eis exemplis opponendi Christum Creatori ad unitatem magis spectat. Quia nec mirum erat diversitas temporalis, si postea Deus mitior pro rebus edomitis, qui retro austerior pro indomitis. Ita per Antitheseis facilius ostendi potest ordo Creatoris a Christo reformatus. Ibid. L. 2. c. 29. p. 476. D. p. 383.7.

* ΜΕΓ. Δείξω ὅτι ἐν εσι το Ευαγγελίον. Dial con. Mar. sec. i. p. 12. ΜΕΓ, τῷ σῷ φαλίω ο πιςεύω Αποσολικῳ. ΑΔΑΜ. Προσενεγκε το αποτολικον σε. Ibid. p. 8. ΜΑΡΚ. τω εμώ αποσολινῳ πειθομαι. ΑΔΑΜ. Εχω το αποτολικον σε. Ibid p. 47 ΜΑΡΚ. Ημεις πλεον το Ευαγγελία, και το Αποσολικά ο δεχομεθα. Ibid. p. 58. Αυτάς δη τας τα προειρη μενα βιβλος, ὡς κεκτηται, μετά χειρας λαβων, το τε παρ' αυτών λεγόμενον Ευαγγελιον, και Απόςολικον καλεμενον. Εpi. Adv. Hær. 42. p. 310. C. D.

• Μονῳ δε κεχρηται τετῳ τῳ χαρακτηρι τῳ κατα Λεκαν Ευαγγελίω. 10 p. 309. D. Ούτος εκ μεν των Ευαγγελίων το κατα Λεκαν εδέξατο μόνον. Theo. H. F. lib. i. c. 24. p. 210. D. Nam ex iis commentatoribus quos habemus, Lucam videtur Marcion elegisse quem cæderet. Ter. Adv. Mar. lib. 4. cap. 2. p. 405, s. Itaque de his Marcion flagitandus, quod, omissis eis, Lucæ potius institerit. Ibid. cap. 5. p. 406, 40. Et alia multa quæ-a Lucâ dicta-quibus et Marcion et Valentinus utuntur. Non enim conceditur eis- -quædam quidem recipere ex his quæ a Lucâ dicta sunt- -quædam vero refutare. Iren. Adv. Hær. lib. 3. cap. 14. p. 236. 20. Ox. See also Dia. con. Mar. sect. 1. from p. 6—12.

* Et super hac id quod est secundum Lucam Evangelium circumcidens, et omnia quæ sunt de generatione Domini conscripta auferens. Iren. Ad. Hær. lib. 1. 27. [al. 29.] p. 104. Οχ. Ελευσομαι δε εις τα ύπ' αυτα γεγραμμενα, μαλλον δε ερῥαδιεργημένα. έτος γαρ εχει Ευαγγέλιον μόνον το κατα Λεκαν, περικεκομμενον από της αρχής, δια την το Σωτηρος συλληψιν, και την ενσαρκον αυτό παρεσίαν. & μόνον δε την

αρχήν απέτεμεν ὁ λυμηνάμενος ἑαυτον ήπερ το Ευαγγελιον, αλλά και το τέλος και των μέσων πολλά περιεκοψε των της αληθείας λόγων. αλλα δε παρα τα γεγραμμένα προςέθεικε. Epi. Ad. Hær. 42. No. 9. 30). C. D.

* Contra Marcion, Evangelio scilicet suo, nullum adscribit auctorem. Ter. Adv. Mar. lib. 4. cap. 2. p. 405. 3. De Titulo quoque funis ducendus est contentionis-Ego meum dico verum, Marcion suum. Ibid. c. 4. p. 405. 45.

* ΜΕΓ. Δείξω ἐν είναι Ευαγγελιον. ΑΔΑΜ: τις εσιν ὁ γραψας το Ευαγγέλιον τατο, ὁ εξης είναι έν; ΜΕΓ. Ὁ Χεισος. ΑΔΑΜ. αυτός ὁ κύριος εγραψεν, ότι εςαυρώθην και ανεσην τη τρίτη ημερα; έτω γράφει ; ΜΕΓ. Ὁ απόςολος Παυλος προσέθηκεν. ΑΔΑΜ. παρήν γαρ Παυλος εν τω σαυρωθήναι τον Χρισον; ΜΕΓ. αυτός έγραψεν τα Ευαγγέ λιον ἁπλως. Dia. con. Mar. sec. 1. p. 12. Nam et Luca digestum Paulo ascribere solent. Ter. Adv. Mar. lib. iv. cap. 6. p. 406. 39.

Anno quinto decimo principatûs Tiberiani proponit Deum descendisse in civitatem Galilee Capharnaüm. Ter. Adv. Mar. lib. 4. cap. 7. p. 407.31. Και αρχην τε Ευαγ γελια έταξε ταύτην, εν τω πεντεκαιδεκάτῳ ετει Τιβέριο Και σύρος, και τα έξης. Epi. Ad. Hær. 42. No. 11. p. 312. Α.

Et omnia, quæ sunt de generatione Domini conscripta, auferens. Iren. Adv. Hær. 1. i. c. 27. [al. 29.] p. 104. Ox. · Ό μεν γαρ χαρακτήρ τε κατα Λεκαν σημαίνει το Ευαγγε λιον, ώς δε ηκρωτηρίασαι, μήτε αρχην εχων, μήτε μέσα, μητε τελος, ἱματια βεβρωμένο ὑπο πολλών σήτων επεχει τον τρόπον. Ευθυς μεν γαρ εν τη αρχή πάντα τα απ' αρχής τῳ Λεκα πεπραγματευμένα, τοτ' εσιν ώς λέγει επειδήπερ πολλοι επεχείρησαν, και τα έξης. και τα περί της Ελισαβετ, και τα αγγελοσ ευαγγελιζομενο την Μαριαν παρθενον, Ιωαννε τε και Ζαχαριο και της εν Βεθλεεμ γενήσεως, γενεαλογίας, και της το Βαπτίσματος υποθέσεως. ταύτα παντα περικόψας απεπηδησε. Epi. Hær. 42. No. 11. p. 311. D. 312. Α.

* Και την γενεαλογίαν περικόψας τα πλεισα. Theod. H. F. 1. 1. c. 24. p. 210. D.

Jam eum prophetatum incipimus agnoscere, ostenden

a

he connected that part of the first and second verses of the third chapter which he retained with the thirty-first verse of the fourth chapter; because, in that passage, Tertullian upbraids Marcion with introducing Jesus into the synagogue, immediately upon his descent from heaven. If this was really the case, then there is some incorrectness in the account given by Epiphanius of the passages which were omitted, or mutilated, or altered by Marcion. For he says, he be gan his gospel at the first verse of the third chapter, and gives no particular passage, as altered or omitted by him, till he comes to the fourteenth verse of the fifth chapter. This, however, according to his own account, is somewhat inaccurate, for, in the passage quoted before, he himself had said that he rejected the genealogy and the baptism of our Saviour; the account of both which is in the latter part of the third chapter; for this reason one may the more readily admit the assertion of Tertullian in the sense above explained.

SECTION XXXVII.

He also rejected the History of the Temptation.

IF Marcion expunged the history of the temptation, it might be on the same account that some others rejected the lamentation of Christ over Jerusalem, and the relation of his agony in the garden, and of the angel strengthening him; as we are informed by Epiphanius and Hilary: they did this lest they should attribute too much of human weakness to our Saviour.

That the Marcionites did not admit the history of the temptation, seems very probable from a passage in Epiphanius," who gives an account of a dispute which he had with a certain follower of Marcion. When he produced this passage of scripture to prove that Christ was a real man, he received from him the following answer: that it was impossible for Satan to tempt Christ, • who was truly God, and, according to the opinion of Epiphanius, his Lord and Sovereign.'

The other story contained in this fourth chapter, of Christ's going into the synagogue at Nazareth, and reading out of the prophet Esaias, was also rejected. It appeared to them too fa vourable to the Jewish religion; and because it established the truth of this prophet's prediction; for our Saviour says, "this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.' There can therefore be no doubt but they expunged this, and all after, to the end of the 30th verse.

tem in primo ingressu venisse se, non ut legem et prophetas dissolveret, sed ut potius adimpleret. Hoc enim Marcion, ut additum, erasit. Sed frustra negabit Christum dixisse, quod statim fecit ex parte. Prophetiam enim interim de loco adimplevit. De cœlo statim ad Synagogam.' Ter. Adv. Mar. lib. 4. c. 7. p. 408. 1. Et tamen quomodo in Synagogam potuit admitti, tam repentinus, tam ignotus, cujus nemo adhuc certus de tribu, de populo, de domo. Ibid. p. 409. 10.

⚫ Anno quinto decimo principatûs, &c. Initium Evangelii hujus sic inchoavit Marcion, resectis capitibus precedentibus, junctoque principio hoc capitis tertii cum commate 31mo capitis 4. Millii. Test. in locum.

b Vide p. 611, note .

• Εντεύθεν εν έτος άρχεται, και ο καθ' είρμον παλιν επιμε νει, αλλά τα μεν, ὡς προείπον, παρακοπτει, τα δε προςίθησιν ανω κατω, εκ ορθώς βαδίζων, αλλα ερῥαδιεργημένως πάντα περινόςεύων, και εσιν, Απελθων δείξον σεαυτον τῷ ἱερει, και προσενεγκε περί το καθάρισμα σε, κάθος προσέταξε Μωϋσης. ένα η μαρτυριον, τετο υμιν, ανθ' & εἶπεν ὁ Σωτήρ, εις μρατύριον aurois. Epi. Hær. 42. p. 312. B. See Luke v. 14.

See p. 611, note1.

• Και εκλαύσε κειται εν τῷ κατα Λεκάν Ευαγγελία, εν τοις αδιόρθωτοις αντιγράφοις. Epi. in Ancor. n. 31. Copies which have not been corrected. See Fa. Simon's Criti. Hist. of the N. T. p. 1. c. 12. p. 111. Vide etiam Mill. N. T. in locum.

f Nec sane ignorandum nobis est, et in Græcis et in Latinis codicibus complurimis vel de adveniente angelo vel de sudore sanguineo nihil scriptum reperiri. Hil. Lib. 10. de Trin.

• Ορθόδοξοι δε αφείλοντο το ρητον, φοβηθέντες και μη νοη σαντες αυτό το τελος και το εσχιροτατον. Epi. Ibid. Hæc erasa videntur a quibusdam, qui verebantur Christo tribuere tam insignia humanæ infirmitatis argumenta. Jansen. Gand. Com. Evan. cap. 137.

* Και γαρ ποτε διαλεγόμενος τις των αυτε μαθητων Μαρτ κιωνισῃ τινι, και λεγων ώς εν τῳ Ευαγγελιω εχει, ότι παρε λαβεν αυτον εις την έρημον το πνεύμα πειρασθηναι ὑπὸ τα δια Βολύ, ήκεσα παρ' αυτό, ότι πως ηδύνατο Σατανας τον οντά Θεον, και μειζονα αυτά υπάρχοντα, και κυριον αυτό, ὡς ὑμεῖς λέγετε, πειράσαι, τον Ιησεν το αυτε δεσποτην Epi. Har, 42. p. 342. D. Α. Ελεγξ.

SECTION XXXVIII.

An Account of many other Alterations made by him in St. Luke's Gospel.

[ocr errors]

WE will proceed with the account as given us by Epiphanius, of the alterations, or omissions, or interpolations, which Marcion and his followers made in St. Luke's gospel. It appears from the passage before quoted, that where we read, "for a testimony unto them," Luke v. 14, Marcion read, that this may be a testimony unto you. In verse 24th he transposed 'the words επι της γης, making them follow αμαρτιας, instead of ανθρωπε, as they do in our present copies : this is so trifling a variation, that it probably arose rather from his finding it so in some copy than from any designed alteration. The next passage quoted by Epiphanius, chapter vi. 5, is read both here, and in the repetition of it prefixed to his refutation of Marcion from this text, exactly as in our present copies. The reason of his introducing this text could not be to point out a variation in Marcion's gospel, but hence to prove that the sabbath, an institution of the God of the Jews, was not opposite to what Christ came to establish; and that his calling himself the son of man, was on account of his having assumed human flesh. These are the only points which Epiphanius asserts against Marcion in his refutation of him, following this passage.

[ocr errors]

I would here observe, once for all, that there are many passages in Epiphanius which Marcion read the same as we do in our present copies; though perhaps upon a comparison with the present readings, some slight variation may appear, either in his making use of other words with the same meaning, or in placing them in a different order. This arose partly from Epi-phanius's quoting them by memory, and partly from his giving an abridgment of these passages. The reason of his introducing these, in which there is no variation from our present copies, was, as in the instance just produced, to found arguments on them against the tenets of the Marcionites.

h

g

The fourth instance of an alteration is from Luke vi. 17, where Marcion read ev autos instead οι μετ' αυτών. The sense however is here the same with one particle as with the other; for E may be only a Hebraism, and may signify with, as well as μɛr'.

k

1

In chap. viii. 19, Marcion expungedμтte, vai oi adenoi auT8 from this verse. μη και οι αδελφοι αυτε Tertullian speaks in such a manner as would lead one to think, that Marcion had made an addition to the gospel of St. Luke, by inserting from the gospel of Matthew that answer of our Saviour which we find related by Matthew, chap. xii. 48; "who is my mother, and who are my brethren ?" For he represents Marcion, as well as all the other heretics, who deny the nativity, as making use of these words, for their most common and favourite argument. But Marcion might use time of Epiphanius, because be takes no notice of them, as. he undoubtedly would if they had been there, since he mentions the very place. Neither is it easy to see how they will serve the cause of the Marcionites. Vid. Groti. in loc.

See p. 612. note. Epiphanius, in his refutation of Marcion, as drawn from this passage, seems to have read To δωρον in his copy after προσενεγκε. which however is not in our present copies. Epi. ib. p. 322. D.

Ο υἱος το ανθρωπο αφιέναι άμαρτιας επί της γης. Epi. ib. 312. B. y.

с

Epi. ibid 312. B. &.

* Epi. ibid. 323. Β. Σχολ. γ.

• Δύο ευθύς εν ταυτῳ, και υίον ανθρωπε, και κυριον σαββατο ἑαυτὸν ὁ Σωτὴρ ὁμολόγει, διδασκων ἵνα μη το σαββατον αλλοτριον της αυτό ποιήσεως νομηζηται, καν το εσχατον υίος ανθρωπε απο της ενσαρκος παρεσιας κληθῇ. Epi. ibid. 323. Β. C. Ελεγ. γ.

There are two MSS mentioned by Dr. Mill, which have the following clause inserted between the 5th and 6th verses. Τη αυτη ημερα θεασαμενος τινα εργαζόμενον τω σαββατῳ, είπεν αύτω, ανθρωπε, ει μεν οίδας, τι ποιες, μακάριος ει· ει δε μη οιδας, επικατάρατος και παραβάτης ει το νόμο. Vid. Milli Test. in locum. There can be no doubt but these words are spurious, notwithstanding these two manuscripts are said to be very ancient; for they are inconsistent with our Saviour's purpose, and contrary, to his usual manner. Grotius therefore thinks they were added by some Marcionite. But it is certain they were not in the Marcionite gospel in the

.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« ForrigeFortsæt »