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The Five Books Against Marcion

Tertullian

Book 4 · Chapter 15

About this work

A sustained refutation of Marcion’s theology and edited Scriptures, defending the unity of the Creator and Christ’s Father and reading the Gospel and Pauline letters against Marcionite claims.

Author: Tertullian
Date: Early 3rd century
Origin: Carthage, North Africa
Genre: Heresiology

Chapter XV.—Sermon on the Mount Continued. Its Woes in Strict Agreement with the Creator’s Disposition. Many Quotations Out of the Old Testament in Proof of This.

“In the like manner,” says

‹ Book 4 · Chapter 14 Book 4 · Chapter 16 ›

He

,

“

did

their

fathers

unto

the

prophets

.

”

What

a

turncoat

is

Marcion’s

Christ

!

Now

the

destroyer

,

now

the

advocate

of

the

prophets

!

He

destroyed

them

as

their

rival

,

by

converting

their

disciples

;

he

took

up

their

cause

as

their

friend

,

by

stigmatizing

their

persecutors

.

But

,

in

as

far

as

the

defence

of

the

prophets

could

not

be

consistent

in

the

Christ

of

Marcion

,

who

came

to

destroy

them

;

in

so

far

is

it

becoming

to

the

Creator’s

Christ

that

He

should

stigmatize

those

who

persecuted

the

prophets

,

for

He

in

all

things

accomplished

their

predictions

.

Again

,

it

is

more

characteristic

of

the

Creator

to

upbraid

sons

with

their

fathers

’

sins

,

than

it

is

of

that

god

who

chastizes

no

man

for

even

his

own

misdeeds

.

But

you

will

say

,

He

cannot

be

regarded

as

defending

the

prophets

simply

because

He

wished

to

affirm

the

iniquity

of

the

Jews

for

their

impious

dealings

with

their

own

prophets

.

Well

,

then

,

in

this

case

,

no

sin

ought

to

have

been

charged

against

the

Jews

:

they

were

rather

deserving

of

praise

and

approbation

when

they

maltreated

those

whom

the

absolutely

good

god

of

Marcion

,

after

so

long

a

time

,

bestirred

himself

to

destroy

.

I

suppose

,

however

,

that

by

this

time

he

had

ceased

to

be

the

absolutely

good

god

;

he

had

now

sojourned

a

considerable

while

even

with

the

Creator

,

and

was

no

longer

(

like

)

the

god

of

Epicurus

purely

and

simply

.

For

see

how

he

condescends

to

curse

,

and

proves

himself

capable

of

taking

offence

and

feeling

anger

!

He

actually

pronounces

a

woe

!

But

a

doubt

is

raised

against

us

as

to

the

import

of

this

word

,

as

if

it

carried

with

it

less

the

sense

of

a

curse

than

of

an

admonition

.

Where

,

however

,

is

the

difference

,

since

even

an

admonition

is

not

given

without

the

sting

of

a

threat

,

especially

when

it

is

embittered

with

a

woe

?

Moreover

,

both

admonition

and

threatening

will

be

the

resources

of

him

who

knows

how

to

feel

angry

.

For

no

one

will

forbid

the

doing

of

a

thing

with

an

admonition

or

a

threat

,

except

him

who

will

inflict

punishment

for

the

doing

of

it

.

No

one

would

inflict

punishment

,

except

him

who

was

susceptible

of

anger

.

Others

,

again

,

admit

that

the

word

implies

a

curse

;

but

they

will

have

it

that

Christ

pronounced

the

woe

,

not

as

if

it

were

His

own

genuine

feeling

,

but

because

the

woe

is

from

the

Creator

,

and

He

wanted

to

set

forth

to

them

the

severity

of

the

Creator

in

order

that

He

might

the

more

commend

His

own

long

-

suffering

in

His

beatitudes

.

Just

as

if

it

were

not

competent

to

the

Creator

,

in

the

pre

-

eminence

of

both

His

attributes

as

the

good

God

and

Judge

,

that

,

as

He

had

made

clemency

the

preamble

of

His

benediction

so

He

should

place

severity

in

the

sequel

of

His

curses

;

thus

fully

developing

His

discipline

in

both

directions

,

both

in

following

out

the

blessing

and

in

providing

against

the

curse

.

He

had

already

said

of

old

,

“

Behold

,

I

have

set

before

you

blessing

and

cursing

.

”

Which

statement

was

really

a

presage

of

this

temper

of

the

gospel

.

Besides

,

what

sort

of

being

is

that

who

,

to

insinuate

a

belief

in

his

own

goodness

,

invidiously

contrasted

with

it

the

Creator’s

severity

?

Of

little

worth

is

the

recommendation

which

has

for

its

prop

the

defamation

of

another

.

And

yet

by

thus

setting

forth

the

severity

of

the

Creator

,

he

,

in

fact

,

affirmed

Him

to

be

an

object

of

fear

.

Now

if

He

be

an

object

of

fear

,

He

is

of

course

more

worthy

of

being

obeyed

than

slighted

;

and

thus

Marcion’s

Christ

begins

to

teach

favourably

to

the

Creator’s

interests

.

Then

,

on

the

admission

above

mentioned

,

since

the

woe

which

has

regard

to

the

rich

is

the

Creator’s

,

it

follows

that

it

is

not

Christ

,

but

the

Creator

,

who

is

angry

with

the

rich

;

while

Christ

approves

of

the

incentives

of

the

rich

—

I

mean

,

their

pride

,

their

pomp

,

their

love

of

the

world

,

and

their

contempt

of

God

,

owing

to

which

they

deserve

the

woe

of

the

Creator

.

But

how

happens

it

that

the

reprobation

of

the

rich

does

not

proceed

from

the

same

God

who

had

just

before

expressed

approbation

of

the

poor

?

There

is

nobody

but

reprobates

the

opposite

of

that

which

he

has

approved

.

If

,

therefore

,

there

be

imputed

to

the

Creator

the

woe

pronounced

against

the

rich

,

there

must

be

claimed

for

Him

also

the

promise

of

the

blessing

upon

the

poor

;

and

thus

the

entire

work

of

the

Creator

devolves

on

Christ

.

—

If

to

Marcion’s

god

there

be

ascribed

the

blessing

of

the

poor

,

he

must

also

have

imputed

to

him

the

malediction

of

the

rich

;

and

thus

will

he

become

the

Creator’s

equal

,

both

good

and

judicial

;

nor

will

there

be

left

any

room

for

that

distinction

whereby

two

gods

are

made

;

and

when

this

distinction

is

removed

,

there

will

remain

the

verity

which

pronounces

the

Creator

to

be

the

one

only

God

.

Since

,

therefore

,

“

woe

”

is

a

word

indicative

of

malediction

,

or

of

some

unusually

austere

exclamation

;

and

since

it

is

by

Christ

uttered

against

the

rich

,

I

shall

have

to

show

that

the

Creator

is

also

a

despiser

of

the

rich

,

as

I

have

shown

Him

to

be

the

defender

of

the

poor

,

in

order

that

I

may

prove

Christ

to

be

on

the

Creator’s

side

in

this

matter

,

even

when

He

enriched

Solomon

.

But

with

respect

to

this

man

,

since

,

when

a

choice

was

left

to

him

,

he

preferred

asking

for

what

he

knew

to

be

well

-

pleasing

to

God

—

even

wisdom

—

he

further

merited

the

attainment

of

the

riches

,

which

he

did

not

prefer

.

The

endowing

of

a

man

indeed

with

riches

,

is

not

an

incongruity

to

God

,

for

by

the

help

of

riches

even

rich

men

are

comforted

and

assisted

;

moreover

,

by

them

many

a

work

of

justice

and

charity

is

carried

out

.

But

yet

there

are

serious

faults

which

accompany

riches

;

and

it

is

because

of

these

that

woes

are

denounced

on

the

rich

,

even

in

the

Gospel

.

“

Ye

have

received

,

”

says

He

,

“

your

consolation

;

”

that

is

,

of

course

,

from

their

riches

,

in

the

pomps

and

vanities

of

the

world

which

these

purchase

for

them

.

Accordingly

,

in

Deuteronomy

,

Moses

says

:

“

Lest

,

when

thou

hast

eaten

and

art

full

,

and

hast

built

goodly

houses

,

and

when

thy

herds

and

thy

flocks

multiply

,

as

well

as

thy

silver

and

thy

gold

,

thine

heart

be

then

lifted

up

,

and

thou

forget

the

Lord

thy

God

.

”

In

similar

terms

,

when

king

Hezekiah

became

proud

of

his

treasures

,

and

gloried

in

them

rather

than

in

God

before

those

who

had

come

on

an

embassy

from

Babylon

,

(

the

Creator

)

breaks

forth

against

him

by

the

mouth

of

Isaiah

:

“

Behold

,

the

days

come

when

all

that

is

in

thine

house

,

and

that

which

thy

fathers

have

laid

up

in

store

,

shall

be

carried

to

Babylon

.

”

So

by

Jeremiah

likewise

did

He

say

:

“

Let

not

the

rich

man

glory

in

his

riches

but

let

him

that

glorieth

even

glory

in

the

Lord

.

”

Similarly

against

the

daughters

of

Sion

does

He

inveigh

by

Isaiah

,

when

they

were

haughty

through

their

pomp

and

the

abundance

of

their

riches

,

just

as

in

another

passage

He

utters

His

threats

against

the

proud

and

noble

:

“

Hell

hath

enlarged

herself

,

and

opened

her

mouth

,

and

down

to

it

shall

descend

the

illustrious

,

and

the

great

,

and

the

rich

(

this

shall

be

Christ’s

‘

woe

to

the

rich

’

)

;

and

man

shall

be

humbled

,

”

even

he

that

exalts

himself

with

riches

;

“

and

the

mighty

man

shall

be

dishonoured

,

”

even

he

who

is

mighty

from

his

wealth

.

Concerning

whom

He

says

again

:

“

Behold

,

the

Lord

of

hosts

shall

confound

the

pompous

together

with

their

strength

:

those

that

are

lifted

up

shall

be

hewn

down

,

and

such

as

are

lofty

shall

fall

by

the

sword

.

”

And

who

are

these

but

the

rich

?

Because

they

have

indeed

received

their

consolation

,

glory

,

and

honour

and

a

lofty

position

from

their

wealth

.

In

Psalm

xlviii

.

He

also

turns

off

our

care

from

these

and

says

:

“

Be

not

thou

afraid

when

one

is

made

rich

,

and

when

his

glory

is

increased

:

for

when

he

shall

die

,

he

shall

carry

nothing

away

;

nor

shall

his

glory

descend

along

with

him

.

”

So

also

in

Psalm

lxi

.

:

“

Do

not

desire

riches

;

and

if

they

do

yield

you

their

lustre

,

do

not

set

your

heart

upon

them

.

”

Lastly

,

this

very

same

woe

is

pronounced

of

old

by

Amos

against

the

rich

,

who

also

abounded

in

delights

.

“

Woe

unto

them

,

”

says

he

,

“

who

sleep

upon

beds

of

ivory

,

and

deliciously

stretch

themselves

upon

their

couches

;

who

eat

the

kids

from

the

flocks

of

the

goats

,

and

sucking

calves

from

the

flocks

of

the

heifers

,

while

they

chant

to

the

sound

of

the

viol

;

as

if

they

thought

they

should

continue

long

,

and

were

not

fleeting

;

who

drink

their

refined

wines

,

and

anoint

themselves

with

the

costliest

ointments

.

”

Therefore

,

even

if

I

could

do

nothing

else

than

show

that

the

Creator

dissuades

men

from

riches

,

without

at

the

same

time

first

condemning

the

rich

,

in

the

very

same

terms

in

which

Christ

also

did

,

no

one

could

doubt

that

,

from

the

same

authority

,

there

was

added

a

commination

against

the

rich

in

that

woe

of

Christ

,

from

whom

also

had

first

proceeded

the

dissuasion

against

the

material

sin

of

these

persons

,

that

is

,

their

riches

.

For

such

commination

is

the

necessary

sequel

to

such

a

dissuasive

.

He

inflicts

a

woe

also

on

“

the

full

,

because

they

shall

hunger

;

on

those

too

which

laugh

now

,

because

they

shall

mourn

.

”

To

these

will

correspond

these

opposites

which

occur

,

as

we

have

seen

above

,

in

the

benedictions

of

the

Creator

:

“

Behold

,

my

servants

shall

be

full

,

but

ye

shall

be

hungry

”

—

even

because

ye

have

been

filled

;

“

behold

,

my

servants

shall

rejoice

,

but

ye

shall

be

ashamed

”

—

even

ye

who

shall

mourn

,

who

now

are

laughing

.

For

as

it

is

written

in

the

psalm

,

“

They

who

sow

in

tears

shall

reap

in

joy

,

”

so

does

it

run

in

the

Gospel

:

They

who

sow

in

laughter

,

that

is

,

in

joy

,

shall

reap

in

tears

.

These

principles

did

the

Creator

lay

down

of

old

;

and

Christ

has

renewed

them

,

by

simply

bringing

them

into

prominent

view

,

not

by

making

any

change

in

them

.

“

Woe

unto

you

,

when

all

men

shall

speak

well

of

you

!

for

so

did

their

fathers

to

the

false

prophets

.

”

With

equal

stress

does

the

Creator

,

by

His

prophet

Isaiah

,

censure

those

who

seek

after

human

flattery

and

praise

:

“

O

my

people

,

they

who

call

you

happy

mislead

you

,

and

disturb

the

paths

of

your

feet

.

”

In

another

passage

He

forbids

all

implicit

trust

in

man

,

and

likewise

in

the

applause

of

man

;

as

by

the

prophet

Jeremiah

:

“

Cursed

be

the

man

that

trusteth

in

man

.

”

Whereas

in

Psalm

cxvii

.

it

is

said

:

“

It

is

better

to

trust

in

the

Lord

than

to

put

confidence

in

man

;

it

is

better

to

trust

in

the

Lord

than

to

place

hope

in

princes

.

”

Thus

everything

which

is

caught

at

by

men

is

adjured

by

the

Creator

,

down

to

their

good

words

.

It

is

as

much

His

property

to

condemn

the

praise

and

flattering

words

bestowed

on

the

false

prophets

by

their

fathers

,

as

to

condemn

their

vexatious

and

persecuting

treatment

of

the

(

true

)

prophets

.

As

the

injuries

suffered

by

the

prophets

could

not

be

imputed

to

their

own

God

,

so

the

applause

bestowed

on

the

false

prophets

could

not

have

been

displeasing

to

any

other

god

but

the

God

of

the

true

prophets

.

Notes

1
Luke vi. 26.
2
Versipellem. An indignant exclamation on Marcion’s Christ.
3
Suggillans.
4
Porro.
5
Hic.
6
Suggillaverunt. This is Oehler’s emendation; the common reading is figuraverunt.
7
Motus est.
8
Deus optimus.
9
That is, apathetic, inert, and careless about human affairs.
10
Demutat.
11
Ejus erunt.
12
Sufferentiam.
13
Benignitatem.
14
Ad maledictionem præcavendam.
15
Deut. xxx. 19.
16
Portendebat in.
17
Opposuit.
18
Timendum.
19
Creatori docere.
20
Ratas habet.
21
Divitum causas.
22
Gloriam.
23
Erit par creatoris.
24
Austerioris.
25
Aspernatorem.
26
Advocatorem.
27
1 Kings iii. 5–13.
28
Vitia.
29
Luke vi. 24. [See Southey’s Wesley, on “Riches,” vol. ii. p. 310.]
30
Deut. viii. 12–14.
31
Tertullian says, ex Perside.
32
Insilit.
33
Isa. xxxix. 6.
34
Jer. ix. 23, 24.
35
Isa. iii. 16–24.
36
Homo: “the mean man,” A.V.
37
Vir.
38
Isa. v. 14.
39
Isa. x. 33.
40
Ps. xlix. 16, 17.
41
Relucent.
42
Ps. lxii. 11.
43
Amos vi. 1–6.
44
Luke vi. 25.
45
Isa. lxv. 13.
46
Ps. cxxvi. 5.
47
Distinguendo.
48
Luke vi. 26.
49
Isa. iii. 12.
50
Jer. xvii. 5.
51
Ps. cxviii. 8, 9.
52
Nedum benedictionem.
53
Non pertinuissent ad.