Friday, December 14, 2012

Becoming Increasingly Convinced that the Marcionite Apostolikon Did Not Stay Faithful to the Catholic Division of the Various Letters

That is why Paul too speaks strongly against a similar group to those mentioned in the words, "Beloved, you possess these promises. Let us purify our hearts from everything which might stain flesh or spirit, aiming at the goal of holiness in the fear of God.  My zeal for you is God’s zeal. I betrothed you to Christ, with a view to presenting a chaste virgin to her one and only husband. The Church has obtained her bridegroom; she cannot marry another. But each of us has the right to marry, within the law, the woman of our choice. I am speaking of first marriage. But as the serpent in his wicked cunning deceived Eve, I am afraid that your thoughts may be corrupted so that you lose your single-hearted devotion to Christ. The Apostle’s words are very cautious and instructive. So that admirable man Peter says, Beloved, I urge you, as temporary residents in an alien land, to abstain from physical desires. They are marshalled against your soul. See that your behavior is such that the pagans can look up to you. This is God’s will. You are to muzzle the activity of those without understanding by the quality of your actions. Live as free people, not as though your freedom were a cover-up for vice, but as slaves in God’s service.  Similarly, in his Epistle to the Romans, Paul writes We are dead to sin: how can we continue to live in it? Our old humanity was crucified with him, so as to destroy the very body of sin down to Do not present the parts of your body to sin to be instruments of vice. (Strom 3.11.74.1 - 75.3)

This is a 'mix' of 2 Corinthians, 1 Peter and Romans. Notice also that, whatever you think of my emerging theory, the equivalent of 1 Peter 2:11 - 16 is missing a big, notable chunk:

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.  Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.  Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.  For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.  Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.


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