Key Points in Tertullian's Ongoing Use of Luke Against Marcion
The Opening Line Controversy
A significant point of contention lies in the interpretation of the opening line of Marcion's gospel. Tertullian cites:
"Anno quintodecimo principatus Tiberiani proponit eum descendisse in civitatem Galilaeae Capharnaum, utique de caelo creatoris, in quod de suo ante descenderat."
This translates to:
"In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, he [Marcion] proposes that he descended into the city of Capernaum in Galilee, from the heaven of the Creator, into which he had descended from his own."
However, two manuscripts read differently:
"Anno quintodecimo principatus Tiberiani proponit deum descendisse in civitatem Galilaeae Capharnaum, utique de caelo creatoris, in quod de suo ante descenderat."
This translates to:
"In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, it is proposed that God descended into the city of Capernaum in Galilee."
The Implications of Different Readings
The difference between "eum" (him) and "deum" (God) is crucial. The first reading suggests Marcion's text aligned with the canonical Luke, specifying a date. The second implies Tertullian is introducing the date from Luke and emphasizing Marcion's claim of a divine being descending, which creates a theological controversy for Tertullian. He ridicules this claim by questioning from which heaven this God descended.
Harmonizing the Gospels
Tertullian's broader strategy involves pointing out discrepancies in Marcion's text compared to the canonical Luke. He states Marcion removed content aligning with Jewish prophecy and the Creator, selectively retaining elements that support his theology. This selective editing forms the crux of Tertullian's argument that Marcion's gospel is incomplete and heretical.
The Marcionite Division of History
Tertullian reconstructs Marcion's view:
- Marcionite god in his heaven.
- Creator god in his heaven.
- Christ of the Marcionite god descending to earth under Tiberius.
- Christ of the Creator god destined to reestablish Judea.
Tertullian challenges this dualism, suggesting it's a polemical construction rather than Marcion's actual claims. He argues that Marcionite theology, like contemporary Jewish beliefs, included two divine powers—one just, one merciful—and denied the Jewish messianic expectations for the gospel's figure.
The Issue of Witnesses
A puzzling aspect of Tertullian's critique is his claim that Marcion's gospel lacks a witness to Christ's descent. The canonical gospels include the descent of the Holy Spirit during Jesus's baptism, symbolizing divine approval. Tertullian seems to argue that Marcion's text fails to provide a similar testimony, thus undermining its credibility.
Galilee and the House of Israel
Tertullian's interpretation of Marcion's gospel places Jesus's descent in Galilee, consistent with the Synoptics. However, other sources suggest Marcion's gospel positioned Jesus's descent between Jericho and Jerusalem. Tertullian leverages Isaiah's prophecy (Isaiah 9:1-2) to argue that Jesus's Galilean ministry fulfills Jewish expectations, thereby challenging Marcion's separation of Jesus from Jewish tradition.
Conclusion
Tertullian's "Adversus Marcionem" is a complex and layered critique that leverages the Gospel of Luke to counter Marcionite theology. His arguments hinge on textual discrepancies, theological dualism, and the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy. By emphasizing these points, Tertullian aims to demonstrate the coherence and completeness of the canonical gospels against the selective and allegedly heretical edits of Marcion's text. This ongoing debate underscores the early Christian struggle to define orthodoxy and preserve doctrinal purity against divergent interpretations.
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