Anf-03 v.iv.v.xv Pg 3
Luke vi. 26.
“did their fathers unto the prophets.” What a turncoat3983 3983 Versipellem. An indignant exclamation on Marcion’s Christ.
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 stigmatizing3984 3984 Suggillans.
their persecutors. But,3985 3985 Porro.
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,3986 3986 Hic.
no sin ought to have been charged against the Jews: they were rather deserving of praise and approbation when they maltreated3987 3987 Suggillaverunt. This is Oehler’s emendation; the common reading is figuraverunt.
those whom the absolutely good god of Marcion, after so long a time, bestirred himself3988 3988 Motus est.
to destroy. I suppose, however, that by this time he had ceased to be the absolutely good god;3989 3989 Deus optimus.
he had now sojourned a considerable while even with the Creator, and was no longer (like) the god of Epicurus3990 3990 That is, apathetic, inert, and careless about human affairs.
purely and simply. For see how he condescends3991 3991 Demutat.
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 him3992 3992 Ejus erunt.
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-suffering3993 3993 Sufferentiam.
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 clemency3994 3994 Benignitatem.
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.3995 3995 Ad maledictionem præcavendam.
He had already said of old, “Behold, I have set before you blessing and cursing.”3996 3996
Anf-03 v.iv.v.xv Pg 50
Luke vi. 26.
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.”4030 4030
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge, Chapter 6
VERSE (26) - Mic 2:11 Joh 7:7; 15:19 Ro 16:18 2Th 2:8-12 Jas 4:4 2Pe 2:18,19
