Monday, March 21, 2011

Why Isn't Stromata 3.4.25 a Reference to Secret Mark?

Clement tells us that the Marcionites had another resurrection narrative involving Philip which was the basis to their claim that their bodies were supernatural. We read:

From the heretics we have spoken of Marcion from Pontus who deprecates the use of worldly things because of his antipathy to their creator. The creator is thus actually responsible for his self-control, if you can call it self-control. This giant who battles with God and thinks he can withstand him is an unwilling ascetic who runs down the creation and the formation of human beings. If they quote the Lord’s words addressed to Philip, "Let the dead bury their dead; for your part follow me," they should also reflect that Philip’s flesh was of the same formation, and he was not endowed with a polluted corpse. Then how could he have a body of flesh without having a corpse? Because when the Lord put his passions to death he rose from the tomb and lived to Christ. We also mentioned the blasphemous immorality of Carpocrates [Strom 3.4.25]

κἂν συγχρήσωνται τῇ τοῦ κυρίου φωνῇ λέγοντος τῷ Φιλίππῳ· ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς, σὺ δὲ ἀκολούθει μοι, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο σκοπείτωσαν ὡς τὴν ὁμοίαν τῆς σαρκὸς πλάσιν καὶ Φίλιππος φέρει, νεκρὸν οὐκ ἔχων μεμιαμμένον. πῶς οὖν σαρκίον ἔχων νεκρὸν οὐκ εἶχεν; ὅτι ἐξανέστη τοῦ μνήματος τοῦ κυρίου τὰ πάθη νεκρώσαντος, ἔζησε δὲ Χριστῷ. ἐπεμνήσθημεν δὲ καὶ τῆς κατὰ Καρποκράτην ἀθέσμου γυναικῶν κοινωνίας

It should be noted that Clement is not citing from either the canonical gospels of Matthew or Luke. Let's compare the sayings:

ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς, σὺ δὲ ἀκολούθει μοι

Let dead bury their dead, but do thou follow me

ἀκολούθει μοι καὶ ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς [Matt 8.22]

But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."

ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς, σὺ δὲ ἀπελθὼν διάγγελλε τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ [Luke 9:60]
But Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead, but you go and announce the Kingdom of God."

Now let's take a closer look to the non-canonical resurrection narrative which clearly also appeared in the gospel shared by the Marcionites, Clement and possibly other heretical groups:

How then could he have a body of flesh which is not a corpse? Because he rose (ἐξανέστη) from the tomb (μνήματος) when the Lord killed his passions (τὰ πάθη νεκρώσαντος), and he began to live unto Christ (ἔζησε δὲ Χριστῷ).
It is universally recognized that Clement is referencing some non-canonical gospel. Why not 'Secret Mark'? The Philosophumena implies that the Marcionites held their gospel to have been the true 'Gospel of Mark.' I don't want to go through all the evidence for assuming this to be true. I think everyone by now knows why I think Marcion was really Mark.


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