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The Five Books Against Marcion

Tertullian

Book 5 · Chapter 8

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 VIII.—Man the Image of the Creator, and Christ the Head of the Man. Spiritual Gifts. The Sevenfold Spirit Described by Isaiah. The Apostle and the Prophet Compared. Marcion Challenged to Produce Anything Like These Gifts of the Spirit Foretold in Prophecy in His God.

“The head of every man is Christ

‹ Book 5 · Chapter 7 Book 5 · Chapter 9 ›

.

”

What

Christ

,

if

He

is

not

the

author

of

man

?

The

head

he

has

here

put

for

authority

;

now

“

authority

”

will

accrue

to

none

else

than

the

“

author

.

”

Of

what

man

indeed

is

He

the

head

?

Surely

of

him

concerning

whom

he

adds

soon

afterwards

:

“

The

man

ought

not

to

cover

his

head

,

forasmuch

as

he

is

the

image

of

God

.

”

Since

then

he

is

the

image

of

the

Creator

(

for

He

,

when

looking

on

Christ

His

Word

,

who

was

to

become

man

,

said

,

“

Let

us

make

man

in

our

own

image

,

after

our

likeness

”

)

,

how

can

I

possibly

have

another

head

but

Him

whose

image

I

am

?

For

if

I

am

the

image

of

the

Creator

there

is

no

room

in

me

for

another

head

.

But

wherefore

“

ought

the

woman

to

have

power

over

her

head

,

because

of

the

angels

?

”

If

it

is

because

“

she

was

created

for

the

man

,

”

and

taken

out

of

the

man

,

according

to

the

Creator’s

purpose

,

then

in

this

way

too

has

the

apostle

maintained

the

discipline

of

that

God

from

whose

institution

he

explains

the

reasons

of

His

discipline

.

He

adds

:

“

Because

of

the

angels

.

”

What

angels

?

In

other

words

,

whose

angels

?

If

he

means

the

fallen

angels

of

the

Creator

,

there

is

great

propriety

in

his

meaning

.

It

is

right

that

face

which

was

a

snare

to

them

should

wear

some

mark

of

a

humble

guise

and

obscured

beauty

.

If

,

however

,

the

angels

of

the

rival

god

are

referred

to

,

what

fear

is

there

for

them

?

for

not

even

Marcion’s

disciples

,

(

to

say

nothing

of

his

angels

,

)

have

any

desire

for

women

.

We

have

often

shown

before

now

,

that

the

apostle

classes

heresies

as

evil

among

“

works

of

the

flesh

,

”

and

that

he

would

have

those

persons

accounted

estimable

who

shun

heresies

as

an

evil

thing

.

In

like

manner

,

when

treating

of

the

gospel

,

we

have

proved

from

the

sacrament

of

the

bread

and

the

cup

the

verity

of

the

Lord’s

body

and

blood

in

opposition

to

Marcion’s

phantom

;

whilst

throughout

almost

the

whole

of

my

work

it

has

been

contended

that

all

mention

of

judicial

attributes

points

conclusively

to

the

Creator

as

to

a

God

who

judges

.

Now

,

on

the

subject

of

“

spiritual

gifts

,

”

I

have

to

remark

that

these

also

were

promised

by

the

Creator

through

Christ

;

and

I

think

that

we

may

derive

from

this

a

very

just

conclusion

that

the

bestowal

of

a

gift

is

not

the

work

of

a

god

other

than

Him

who

is

proved

to

have

given

the

promise

.

Here

is

a

prophecy

of

Isaiah

:

“

There

shall

come

forth

a

rod

out

of

the

stem

of

Jesse

,

and

a

flower

shall

spring

up

from

his

root

;

and

upon

Him

shall

rest

the

Spirit

of

the

Lord

.

”

After

which

he

enumerates

the

special

gifts

of

the

same

:

“

The

spirit

of

wisdom

and

understanding

,

the

spirit

of

counsel

and

might

,

the

spirit

of

knowledge

and

of

religion

.

And

with

the

fear

of

the

Lord

shall

the

Spirit

fill

Him

.

”

In

this

figure

of

a

flower

he

shows

that

Christ

was

to

arise

out

of

the

rod

which

sprang

from

the

stem

of

Jesse

;

in

other

words

,

from

the

virgin

of

the

race

of

David

,

the

son

of

Jesse

.

In

this

Christ

the

whole

substantia

of

the

Spirit

would

have

to

rest

,

not

meaning

that

it

would

be

as

it

were

some

subsequent

acquisition

accruing

to

Him

who

was

always

,

even

before

His

incarnation

,

the

Spirit

of

God

;

so

that

you

cannot

argue

from

this

that

the

prophecy

has

reference

to

that

Christ

who

(

as

mere

man

of

the

race

only

of

David

)

was

to

obtain

the

Spirit

of

his

God

.

(

The

prophet

says

,

)

on

the

contrary

,

that

from

the

time

when

(

the

true

Christ

)

should

appear

in

the

flesh

as

the

flower

predicted

,

rising

from

the

root

of

Jesse

,

there

would

have

to

rest

upon

Him

the

entire

operation

of

the

Spirit

of

grace

,

which

,

so

far

as

the

Jews

were

concerned

,

would

cease

and

come

to

an

end

.

This

result

the

case

itself

shows

;

for

after

this

time

the

Spirit

of

the

Creator

never

breathed

amongst

them

.

From

Judah

were

taken

away

“

the

wise

man

,

and

the

cunning

artificer

,

and

the

counsellor

,

and

the

prophet

;

”

that

so

it

might

prove

true

that

“

the

law

and

the

prophets

were

until

John

.

”

Now

hear

how

he

declared

that

by

Christ

Himself

,

when

returned

to

heaven

,

these

spiritual

gifts

were

to

be

sent

:

“

He

ascended

up

on

high

,

”

that

is

,

into

heaven

;

“

He

led

captivity

captive

,

”

meaning

death

or

slavery

of

man

;

“

He

gave

gifts

to

the

sons

of

men

,

”

that

is

,

the

gratuities

,

which

we

call

charismata

.

He

says

specifically

“

sons

of

men

,

”

and

not

men

promiscuously

;

thus

exhibiting

to

us

those

who

were

the

children

of

men

truly

so

called

,

choice

men

,

apostles

.

“

For

,

”

says

he

,

“

I

have

begotten

you

through

the

gospel

;

”

and

“

Ye

are

my

children

,

of

whom

I

travail

again

in

birth

.

”

Now

was

absolutely

fulfilled

that

promise

of

the

Spirit

which

was

given

by

the

word

of

Joel

:

“

In

the

last

days

will

I

pour

out

of

my

Spirit

upon

all

flesh

,

and

their

sons

and

their

daughters

shall

prophesy

;

and

upon

my

servants

and

upon

my

handmaids

will

I

pour

out

of

my

Spirit

.

”

Since

,

then

,

the

Creator

promised

the

gift

of

His

Spirit

in

the

latter

days

;

and

since

Christ

has

in

these

last

days

appeared

as

the

dispenser

of

spiritual

gifts

(

as

the

apostle

says

,

“

When

the

fulness

of

the

time

was

come

,

God

sent

forth

His

Son

;

”

and

again

,

“

This

I

say

,

brethren

,

that

the

time

is

short

”

)

,

it

evidently

follows

in

connection

with

this

prediction

of

the

last

days

,

that

this

gift

of

the

Spirit

belongs

to

Him

who

is

the

Christ

of

the

predicters

.

Now

compare

the

Spirit’s

specific

graces

,

as

they

are

described

by

the

apostle

,

and

promised

by

the

prophet

Isaiah

.

“

To

one

is

given

,

”

says

he

,

“

by

the

Spirit

the

word

of

wisdom

;

”

this

we

see

at

once

is

what

Isaiah

declared

to

be

“

the

spirit

of

wisdom

.

”

“

To

another

,

the

word

of

knowledge

;

”

this

will

be

“

the

(

prophet’s

)

spirit

of

understanding

and

counsel

.

”

“

To

another

,

faith

by

the

same

Spirit

;

”

this

will

be

“

the

spirit

of

religion

and

the

fear

of

the

Lord

.

”

“

To

another

,

the

gifts

of

healing

,

and

to

another

the

working

of

miracles

;

”

this

will

be

“

the

spirit

of

might

.

”

“

To

another

prophecy

,

to

another

discerning

of

spirits

,

to

another

divers

kinds

of

tongues

,

to

another

the

interpretation

of

tongues

;

”

this

will

be

“

the

spirit

of

knowledge

.

”

See

how

the

apostle

agrees

with

the

prophet

both

in

making

the

distribution

of

the

one

Spirit

,

and

in

interpreting

His

special

graces

.

This

,

too

,

I

may

confidently

say

:

he

who

has

likened

the

unity

of

our

body

throughout

its

manifold

and

divers

members

to

the

compacting

together

of

the

various

gifts

of

the

Spirit

,

shows

also

that

there

is

but

one

Lord

of

the

human

body

and

of

the

Holy

Spirit

.

This

Spirit

,

(

according

to

the

apostle’s

showing

,

)

meant

not

that

the

service

of

these

gifts

should

be

in

the

body

,

nor

did

He

place

them

in

the

human

body

)

;

and

on

the

subject

of

the

superiority

of

love

above

all

these

gifts

,

He

even

taught

the

apostle

that

it

was

the

chief

commandment

,

just

as

Christ

has

shown

it

to

be

:

“

Thou

shalt

love

the

Lord

with

all

thine

heart

and

soul

,

with

all

thy

strength

,

and

with

all

thy

mind

,

and

thy

neighbour

as

thine

own

self

.

”

When

he

mentions

the

fact

that

“

it

is

written

in

the

law

,

”

how

that

the

Creator

would

speak

with

other

tongues

and

other

lips

,

whilst

confirming

indeed

the

gift

of

tongues

by

such

a

mention

,

he

yet

cannot

be

thought

to

have

affirmed

that

the

gift

was

that

of

another

god

by

his

reference

to

the

Creator’s

prediction

.

In

precisely

the

same

manner

,

when

enjoining

on

women

silence

in

the

church

,

that

they

speak

not

for

the

mere

sake

of

learning

(

although

that

even

they

have

the

right

of

prophesying

,

he

has

already

shown

when

he

covers

the

woman

that

prophesies

with

a

veil

)

,

he

goes

to

the

law

for

his

sanction

that

woman

should

be

under

obedience

.

Now

this

law

,

let

me

say

once

for

all

,

he

ought

to

have

made

no

other

acquaintance

with

,

than

to

destroy

it

.

But

that

we

may

now

leave

the

subject

of

spiritual

gifts

,

facts

themselves

will

be

enough

to

prove

which

of

us

acts

rashly

in

claiming

them

for

his

God

,

and

whether

it

is

possible

that

they

are

opposed

to

our

side

,

even

if

the

Creator

promised

them

for

His

Christ

who

is

not

yet

revealed

,

as

being

destined

only

for

the

Jews

,

to

have

their

operations

in

His

time

,

in

His

Christ

,

and

among

His

people

.

Let

Marcion

then

exhibit

,

as

gifts

of

his

god

,

some

prophets

,

such

as

have

not

spoken

by

human

sense

,

but

with

the

Spirit

of

God

,

such

as

have

both

predicted

things

to

come

,

and

have

made

manifest

the

secrets

of

the

heart

;

let

him

produce

a

psalm

,

a

vision

,

a

prayer

—

only

let

it

be

by

the

Spirit

,

in

an

ecstasy

,

that

is

,

in

a

rapture

,

whenever

an

interpretation

of

tongues

has

occurred

to

him

;

let

him

show

to

me

also

,

that

any

woman

of

boastful

tongue

in

his

community

has

ever

prophesied

from

amongst

those

specially

holy

sisters

of

his

.

Now

all

these

signs

(

of

spiritual

gifts

)

are

forthcoming

from

my

side

without

any

difficulty

,

and

they

agree

,

too

,

with

the

rules

,

and

the

dispensations

,

and

the

instructions

of

the

Creator

;

therefore

without

doubt

the

Christ

,

and

the

Spirit

,

and

the

apostle

,

belong

severally

to

my

God

.

Here

,

then

,

is

my

frank

avowal

for

any

one

who

cares

to

require

it

.

Notes

1
1 Cor. xi. 3.
2
1 Cor. xi. 7.
3
Gen. i. 26.
4
1 Cor. xi. 10.
5
1 Cor. xi. 9.
6
1 Cor. xi. 10.
7
See more concerning these in chap. xviii. of this book. Comp. Gen. vi. 1–4.
8
1 Cor. xi. 18, 19.
9
Probabiles: “approved.”
10
See above, in book iv. chap. xl.
11
Luke xxii. 15–20 and 1 Cor. xi. 23–29.
12
1 Cor. xii. 1.
13
Flos: Sept. ἂνθος.
14
Religionis: Sept. εὐσεβείας.
15
Timor Dei: Sept. φόβος Θεοῦ.
16
Isa. xi. 1–3.
17
We have more than once shown that by Tertullian and other ancient fathers, the divine nature of Christ was frequently designated “Spirit.”
18
Floruisset in carne.
19
See Isa. iii. 2, 3.
20
Luke xvi. 16.
21
1 Cor. xii. 4–11; Eph. iv. 8, and Ps. lxviii. 18.
22
He argues from his own reading, filiis hominum.
23
1 Cor. iv. 15.
24
Gal. iv. 19.
25
Joel ii. 28, 29, applied by St. Peter, Acts ii. 17, 18.
26
Gal. iv. 4.
27
1 Cor. vii. 29. [The verse filled out by the translator.]
28
Comp. 1 Cor. xii. 8–11 and Isa. xi. 1–3.
29
1 Cor. xii. 12–30, compared with Eph. iv. 16.
30
This seems to be the force of the subjunctive verb noluerit.
31
Noluerit.
32
Meritum.
33
They are spiritual gifts, not endowments of body.
34
De dilectione præferenda.
35
Compare 1 Cor. xii. 31; xiii. 1, 13.
36
Totis præcordiis.
37
Luke x. 27.
38
“Here, as in John x. 34; xii. 34; xv. 25, ‘the law’ is used for the Old Testament generally, instead of being, as usual, confined to the Pentateuch. The passage is from Isa. xxviii. 11.” (Dean Stanley, On the Corinthians, in loc.).
39
1 Cor. xiv. 21.
40
Æque.
41
Duntaxat gratia.
42
1 Cor. xiv. 34, 35.
43
1 Cor. xi. 5, 6. [See Kaye, p. 228.]
44
1 Cor. xiv. 34, where Gen. iii. 16 is referred to.
45
Et si: These words introduce the Marcionite theory.
46
Traduxerint.
47
1 Cor. xiv. 25.
48
1 Cor. xiv. 26.
49
Duntaxat spiritalem: These words refer to the previous ones, “not spoken by human sense, but with the Spirit of God.” [Of course here is a touch of his fanaticism; but, he bases it on (1 Cor. xiv.) a mere question of fact: had these charismata ceased?]
50
Amentia.
51
Magnidicam.
52
Erit.