Anf-03 v.iv.v.viii Pg 21
Luke iv. 41.
—of what God, is clear enough from the case itself. But they were rebuked, and ordered not to speak; precisely because3694 3694 Proinde enim.
Christ willed Himself to be proclaimed by men, not by unclean spirits, as the Son of God—even that Christ alone to whom this was befitting, because He had sent beforehand men through whom He might become known, and who were assuredly worthier preachers. It was natural to Him3695 3695 Illius erat.
to refuse the proclamation of an unclean spirit, at whose command there was an abundance of saints. He, however,3696 3696 Porro.
who had never been foretold (if, indeed, he wished to be acknowledged; for if he did not wish so much, his coming was in vain), would not have spurned the testimony of an alien or any sort of substance, who did not happen to have a substance of his own,3697 3697 Propriæ non habebat.
but had descended in an alien one. And now, too, as the destroyer also of the Creator, he would have desired nothing better than to be acknowledged by His spirits, and to be divulged for the sake of being feared:3698 3698 Præ timore.
only that Marcion says3699 3699 See above, book i. chap. vii. xxvi. and xxvii.
that his god is not feared; maintaining that a good being is not an object of fear, but only a judicial being, in whom reside the grounds3700 3700 Materiæ.
of fear—anger, severity, judgments, vengeance, condemnation. But it was from fear, undoubtedly, that the evil spirits were cowed.3701 3701 Cedebant.
Therefore they confessed that (Christ) was the Son of a God who was to be feared, because they would have an occasion of not submitting if there were none for fearing. Besides, He showed that He was to be feared, because He drave them out, not by persuasion like a good being, but by command and reproof. Or else did he3702 3702 Aut nunquid.
reprove them, because they were making him an object of fear, when all the while he did not want to be feared? And in what manner did he wish them to go forth, when they could not do so except with fear? So that he fell into the dilemma3703 3703 Necessitatem.
of having to conduct himself contrary to his nature, whereas he might in his simple goodness have at once treated them with leniency. He fell, too, into another false position3704 3704 In aliam notam.
—of prevarication, when he permitted himself to be feared by the demons as the Son of the Creator, that he might drive them out, not indeed by his own power, but by the authority of the Creator. “He departed, and went into a desert place.”3705 3705
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge, Chapter 17
VERSE (18) - Mt 12:22 Mr 1:34; 5:8; 9:25-27 Lu 4:35,36,41; 8:29; 9:42
