Monday, February 16, 2026

Adversus Marcionem IV.1.9 and Irenaeus Adversus Haereses IV.17 - 18 (Identical Follow Up to Malachi 1.10,11)

 

Structural ElementTertullian — Adv. Marc. IV.1.5–10Irenaeus — Adv. Haer. IV.33.14Irenaeus — Adv. Haer. IV.17–18 / Demonstratio
Jeremiah 31 — New CovenantEcce venient dies… perficiam domui Iacob et domui Iudae testamentum novum…“God would make a new covenant… not such as that made with the fathers…”New covenant foretold by prophets; fulfillment in Christ
Immediate transition formulaEt alibi… introduces next prophecy“and again…” introducing IsaiahSame prophetic chaining method
Isaiah 43 — New things prophecyNe rememineritis priorum… vetera transierunt… ecce facio nova…“Remember not the things of old… behold I make new things…”Same Isaianic renewal motif used for new covenant theology
Hermeneutical functionCreator foretold innovation → anti-Marcionite proofNew covenant predicted by Creator → continuityRenewal comes from same God; law fulfilled not replaced by alien deity
Malachi 1:10–11 — Pure sacrificeNon est voluntas mea in vobis… a solis ortu usque ad occasum… sacrificium mundum…(not in IV.33 but same logic present elsewhere)Explicitly quoted: universal pure offering replacing former sacrifices
Meaning of MalachiNew sacrifice among nations predicted by CreatorSame prophetic renewal argumentChurch’s universal oblation foretold
Sequence of prophetic catenaIsaiah shortened word → Isaiah new things → Jeremiah new covenant → Malachi pure sacrificeJeremiah + Isaiah pairedMalachi added to same renewal framework
Follow-up philosophical reasoningInnovation ⇒ diversity ⇒ apparent contrariety; contrariety ≠ different godTransformation interpreted as unity of salvation historyChange of sacrificial form without change of divine identity
Polemic targetMarcion’s dualism (“difference of powers”)Heretical rejection of Creator continuitySame anti-dualistic aim
Conceptual coreCreator Himself predicted changeCreator announces renewalSame Creator institutes new oblation


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