Adversus Marcionem V.7 Programmatic Refutation of Marcion’s Antitheses through His (Allegedly) Redacted Luke

Irenaeus (AH III, 12.12) structural phrase or clause	English translation	Tertullian Latin parallel	English translation
Apostolos quidem… annuntiasse Evangelium	apostles as normative proclaimers of the gospel	“Sed cum eum damnat dedendum satanae, damnatoris dei praeco est.” (Adversus Marcionem V.7.2)	“When he condemns him to be delivered to Satan, he acts as herald of the judging God.”
putaverunt semetipsos plus invenisse quam Apostoli	opponents claiming superior understanding beyond apostolic teaching	“Sequitur de nuptiis congredi, quas Marcion constantior apostolo prohibet.” (Adversus Marcionem V.7.6)	“Marcion forbids marriages more strictly than the apostle.”
Unde et Marcion… scripturas… decurtantes	Marcionite reshaping or restriction of authoritative teaching	“Quid dicet haereticus? … Empti enim sumus pretio magno.” (Adversus Marcionem V.7.4–5)	“What will the heretic say? … we were bought with a great price.”
Nos autem etiam ex his quae adhuc apud eos custodiuntur arguemus eos	refutation using materials preserved by opponents	“Ecce enim et in petram offendit caecus Marcion… Si enim petra illa Christus fuit…” (Adversus Marcionem V.7.12)	“Behold, blind Marcion stumbles over the rock… if that rock was Christ…”
abstiterunt… ab eo qui est Deus… alterum Deum adinvenientes	positing another god distinct from the creator	“Deus autem Marcionis… quid nobis et Christo imagines induit sollemnium creatoris?” (Adversus Marcionem V.7.3–4)	“The god of Marcion… why would he clothe Christ with images of the creator’s rites?”
quasdam quidem in totum non cognoscentes… decurtantes	selective acceptance or rejection of scriptural material	“Haec autem exempla nobis sunt facta… scripta sunt ad nos commonendos.” (Adversus Marcionem V.7.12–14)	“These things were made as examples for us… written for our admonition.”

Irenaeus (parallel evidence)	Tertullian (Adv. Marc. V.7 primary text)
“Unus et idem Deus iudex est… reddens unicuique secundum opera sua.” “One and the same God is judge… rendering to each according to his works.” (Irenaeus, Adv. Haer. IV.40.1)	“Ab illo erit et laus unicuique a quo et contrarium laudis, ut a iudice.” “From him will be praise for each one, from whom also comes the opposite of praise — as from a judge.” (Adv. Marc. V.7.1)
“Haeretici Scripturas quidem assumunt, sed male interpretantur.” “Heretics indeed take up the Scriptures, but interpret them wrongly.” (Adv. Haer. III.12.12)	“Spectaculum facti sumus mundo et angelis et hominibus… providentia spiritus sancti demonstravit quomodo dixisset…” “We have been made a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men… the providence of the Holy Spirit showed how he spoke.” (Adv. Marc. V.7.1)
“Traditionem apostolorum custodit ecclesia… disciplinam correctionis exercens.” “The Church preserves the apostolic tradition… exercising disciplinary correction.” (Adv. Haer. III.3.1)	“…cum eum damnat dedendum satanae… In interitum carnis ut spiritus salvus sit in die domini…” “…when he condemns him to be handed over to Satan… for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord…” (Adv. Marc. V.7.2)
“Typi et figurae legis praefigurabant Christum.” “The types and figures of the Law prefigured Christ.” (Adv. Haer. IV.10.1)	“Expurgate vetus fermentum… sicut estis azymi… Sic et pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus.” “Purge the old leaven… as you are unleavened… so also Christ our Passover has been sacrificed.” (Adv. Marc. V.7.3)
“Carne resurrectura… corpus salvandum est quia Dei templum est.” “The flesh will rise again… the body is to be saved because it is the temple of God.” (Adv. Haer. V.6.1)	“Corpus… domino… templum deo… Qui dominum suscitavit, et nos suscitabit.” “The body… for the Lord… a temple to God… He who raised the Lord will also raise us.” (Adv. Marc. V.7.4)
“Christus veram carnem assumpsit… ut redimeret quod perierat.” “Christ assumed real flesh… to redeem what had perished.” (Adv. Haer. V.14.2)	“Plane nullo, si phantasma fuit Christus… Ergo et Christus habuit quo nos redimeret…” “Certainly not, if Christ were a phantom… Therefore Christ possessed something by which he redeemed us.” (Adv. Marc. V.7.5)
“Lex a Deo data est et disciplina matrimonii servanda.” “The Law was given by God and the discipline of marriage is to be maintained.” (Adv. Haer. IV.12.1)	“apostolus… coniugium et contrahi permittit… Christus vetat divortium…” “The apostle permits marriage to be contracted… Christ forbids divorce…” (Adv. Marc. V.7.6–7)
“Apostolus unum Deum patrem confitetur… omnia ab eo.” “The apostle confesses one God the Father… from whom are all things.” (Adv. Haer. III.14.1)	“nobis tamen unus esset deus pater. Ex quo omnia nobis…” “For us there is one God the Father, from whom are all things…” (Adv. Marc. V.7.9–10)
“Lex allegorice etiam ad evangelium pertinet.” “The Law also speaks allegorically with reference to the Gospel.” (Adv. Haer. IV.14.2)	“Bovi… os non obligabis… Propter nos enim scriptum est… Ergo et legem allegoricam secundum nos probavit…” “You shall not muzzle the ox… it was written for our sake… therefore he approved the law allegorically.” (Adv. Marc. V.7.10–11)
“Figurae veteris testamenti exempla sunt pro instructione christianorum.” “The figures of the Old Testament are examples for the instruction of Christians.” (Adv. Haer. IV.27.2)	“Si enim petra illa Christus fuit… Haec autem exempla nobis sunt facta.” “If that rock was Christ… these things were made as examples for us.” (Adv. Marc. V.7.12)
“Eadem Scriptura admonet futurorum… praevidens salutem.” “The same Scripture warns beforehand… foreseeing salvation.” (Adv. Haer. IV.26.1)	“Haec autem… scripta sunt ad nos commonendos, in quos fines aevorum decucurrerunt.” “These things were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (Adv. Marc. V.7.14)

Strong signs of this anti-heretical framework appear throughout the chapter, particularly in the way Tertullian structures his argument to deny that Paul introduced a new revelation surpassing the apostolic tradition or proclaimed a different deity. The repeated insistence that Pauline teaching unfolds within the Creator’s prophetic and legal framework functions as a direct rebuttal to the claim that later interpreters possess superior insight beyond the apostles (“putaverunt semetipsos plus invenisse quam Apostoli”). Tertullian emphasizes that apostolic instruction—on moral discipline, marriage, bodily resurrection, sacramental symbolism, and even food laws—derives from the Creator’s prior revelation, demonstrated through continual appeals to scripture, typology, and precedent (“Sic et pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus,” “Si enim petra illa Christus fuit, utique creatoris”). The argument repeatedly portrays alternative interpretations as distortions arising from theological presumption, especially when Marcion is depicted as more radical than Paul himself in prohibiting marriage or reinterpreting doctrine. By grounding every element of Paul’s teaching in continuity with the Creator’s law and prophetic promises, Tertullian implicitly accuses opponents of elevating their own speculative readings above apostolic authority, thereby fabricating an “alterum Deum.” The chapter thus reflects the broader polemical logic in which deviation from apostolic consensus is framed as the result of inflated self-authorization and a refusal to accept the unity of revelation maintained by the apostles.