Required reading
Ante-Nicene Fathers (Volume 3) (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Book V of 'The five books against Marcion' by reading Chapters 1 to 10.
My summary
Today we finish the last book from Tertullian aimed at Marcion's teachings.
Tertullian continues to use the writings of Paul to demonstrate that the God of the Old Testament is the same God that Paul taught.
Tertullian makes reference to the content contained in:
(i) Second Corinthians;
(ii) Romans;
(iii) 1 Thessalonians;
(iv) 2 Thessalonians;
(v) Ephesians (although Marcion calls it the epistle to the Laodiceans, which Tertullian doesn't accept);
(vi) Colossians;
(vii) Philippians;
(viii) Philemon (this letter only receives the briefest of mentions);
What grabbed me
I enjoyed Tertullians description of the mercy of God: 'Now, if the title of Father may be claimed for (Marcion’s) sterile god, how much more for the Creator? To none other than Him is it suitable, who is also “the Father of mercies,”and (in the prophets) has been described as “full of compassion, and gracious, and plenteous in mercy.” In Jonah you find the signal act of His mercy, which He showed to the praying Ninevites. How inflexible was He at the tears of Hezekiah! How ready to forgive Ahab, the husband of Jezebel, the blood of Naboth, when he deprecated His anger. How prompt in pardoning David on his confession of his sin—preferring, indeed, the sinner’s repentance to his death, of course because of His gracious attribute of mercy.'
Our God is indeed a God of great mercy.
Next week's reading
Read 'Against Hermogenes'.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
No comments:
Post a Comment