The Five Books Against Marcion — Book 4, Chapter 40

Opening the library…

Notes

Luke xxii. i.

Sacramentum.

Lev. xxiii. 5.

Luke xxii. 15.

Vervecina Judaica. In this rough sarcasm we have of course our author’s contempt of Marcionism.

Isa. liii. 7.

Levabit: literally, “shall lift up,” etc.

Ps. xli. 9.

Amos ii. 6.

Exitum.

Revocati.

This passage more nearly resembles Zech. xi. 12 and 13 than anything in Jeremiah, although the transaction in Jer. xxxii. 7–15 is noted by the commentators, as referred to. Tertullian had good reason for mentioning Jeremiah and not Zechariah, because the apostle whom he refers to (Matt. xxvii. 3–10) had distinctly attributed the prophecy to Jeremiah (“Jeremy the prophet,” ver. 9). This is not the place to do more than merely refer to the voluminous controversy which has arisen from the apostle’s mention of Jeremiah instead of Zechariah. It is enough to remark that Tertullian’s argument is unaffected by the discrepancy in the name of the particular prophet. On all hands the prophecy is admitted, and this at once satisfies our author’s argument. For the ms. evidence in favour of the unquestionably correct reading, τότε ἐπληρώθη τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ ῾Ιερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου, κ.τ.λ., the reader is referred to Dr. Tregelles’ Critical Greek Testament, in loc.; only to the convincing amount of evidence collected by the very learned editor must now be added the subsequently obtained authority of Tischendorf’s Codex Sinaiticus.

Appretiati vel honorati. There is nothing in the original or the Septuagint to meet the second word honorati, which may refer to the “honorarium,” or “fee paid on admission to a post of honour,”—a term of Roman law, and referred to by Tertullian himself.

Luke xxii. 19. [See Jewell’s Challenge, p. 266, supra.]

Corpus veritatis: meant as a thrust against Marcion’s Docetism.

Ad vanitatem Marcionis. [Note 9, p. 289.]

Peponem. In his De Anima, c. xxxii., he uses this word in strong irony: “Cur non magis et pepo, tam insulsus.”

[This text, imperfectly quoted in the original, is filled out by Dr. Holmes.]

So the Septuagint in Jer. xi. 19, Ξύλον εἰς τὸν ἄρτον αὐτοῦ (A.V. “Let us destroy the tree with the fruit”). See above, book iii. chap. xix. p. 337.

Illuminator antiquitatum. This general phrase includes typical ordinances under the law, as well as the sayings of the prophets.

Luke xxii. 20.

Isa. lxiii. 1 (Sept. slightly altered).

In Juda.

Gen. xlix. 11.

Book 4 · Chapter 40

Chapter XL.—How the Steps in the Passion of the Saviour Were Predetermined in Prophecy. The Passover. The Treachery of Judas. The Institution of the Lord’s Supper. The Docetic Error of Marcion Confuted by the Body and the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Notes