Did Proto-Catholics circumcise as per Marcionite Galatians?

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EmmaZunz
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Did Proto-Catholics circumcise as per Marcionite Galatians?

Post by EmmaZunz »

It seems clear to me that the original of Galatians was a Marcionite tirade against circumcision and submission by Christians to obligations of Jewish Law.

Since Marcion's opponents in this epistle and in general were from the Proto-Catholic wing of Christianity, this would seem to imply that Proto-Catholics were practising circumcision.

Is this a reasonable conclusion, though, given that second-century apologists universally (?) described their creed as rejecting the obligations of Jewish Law?

I have analysed Galatians in detail myself here. Read in tandem with the Acts 15 narrative about Pharisee-Christians from Jerusalem being Paul's opponents, it seems plausible that up until Marcion's challenge, the Proto-Catholic Church was still practising circumcision and certain other Jewish practices.

If not, who were in fact the opponents in view in Galatians?

Glad to hear the forum's thoughts.
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stephan happy huller
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Re: Did Proto-Catholics circumcise as per Marcionite Galatia

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Circumcision wasn't part of the ten commandments and we know that there were proselytes at the time of Marcion (Aquila, Agrippa) who used traditional (Sadducean) distinctions regarding only the ten commandments being divine commandments (the others were created by Moses including circumcision) to argue there was no need to be circumcised. It must have a widely held position in the 2nd century judging by the hostility against it in Jewish sources
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Re: Did Proto-Catholics circumcise as per Marcionite Galatia

Post by stephan happy huller »

Exodus 20:1 makes clear that it was specifically Elohim (the good god, the power of mercy) who gave the 10 commandments not Yahweh. The Samaritan tradition that the tablets were inscribed with fire by the finger of God reinforces that it was the anthropomorphic "Man" god. Yahweh was not anthropomorphic
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Re: Did Proto-Catholics circumcise as per Marcionite Galatia

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Notice the curious structure of the declaration in Exodus 20 " Elohim spoke ... you shall have no Elohim before me." There can be no doubt who the speaker is.
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Re: Did Proto-Catholics circumcise as per Marcionite Galatia

Post by stephan happy huller »

Ibn Ezra (my favorite exegete) explains the differences between Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 is the latter is Moses' s summary of the former. Lord is used in the latter.
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Re: Did Proto-Catholics circumcise as per Marcionite Galatia

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Neil goes through an interesting alternative interpretation here.
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Re: Did Proto-Catholics circumcise as per Marcionite Galatia

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But why would anyone suppose that this phenomenon was unrelated to the parallel Jewish phenomenon once they were brought into acquaintance with it? Neil had no idea what I just told you. He working within a limited understanding of contemporary religion. Back to work. Here is the classic Samaritan description of the events at Sinai


The Cloud glorified him seven times: the first of these seven was wherever his feet walked the cloud preceded him; when he led Israel out of Egypt as he said "And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud" (Ex xiii.21). Such was the status of the great prophet Moses! Who can mention even a little of his glories? The cloud shone before him and there was manifested to him a mighty wonder within it, for it was not the cloud's normal function to shine, but rather its normal function was to be dark. Through this great prophet Moses it both illuminated and darkened; so he said "And there was the cloud, the darkness, and it lit up the night" (Ex. xiv. 30). When the Man Moses saw this event in the sea (cf. 1 Cor 10:2) for it [the glory] was illuminating all the beloved and darkening the enemies, he praised his Lord, the doer of wonders and miracles, saying 'Who is like Thee, O Lord, among the gods?' (Ex. xv. 11 Targ).Exalted for ever is this holy prophet, to whom the Lord of divinity said "Lo I am coming to speak with you and may also believe you for ever" (Ex. xix. 9). Great was the morning of Mount Sinai, the morning of the third day, in which exceedingly great tremblings were manifest - hosts and powers and foundations and angels, thunderings and lightnings (cf. )lights and fire blazing to the heart of heaven, the cloud of which we have just spoken, by reason of the great prophet Moses, the Man of God. He dwelt on Mount Sinai and the Lord called to Moses with great might and Moses went up; He addressed him face to face. There the cloud glorified him. When his Lord came to him in it, He made him to hear the voice calling from the midst of the fire - "I am the Lord your God" (Ex xx.2; Targ). The cloud covered him at the time when he was told "And I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by" (Ex. xxxiii.22). The powers supported him, the forces comforted him, the Glory came to meet him; the great Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him and proclaimed the Ten Words (Ex. xx) with the mouth of divinity. The Lord's peace be upon Moses the Man, who achieved a high degree which no other man has possessed (lit. 'sat' cf my article on the enthronement of Moses before his death as a paradigm for the throne of Christianity here) When the great prophet Moses erected the Sanctuary, the cloud covered all that he had made, as he said, "Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting" (Ex. xl.34), and the Glory of the Lord dwelt within the veil, and the cloud abode on the Sanctuary many days. At the time when he says, "Arise O Lord" (Num. x. 35) and "Return, O Lord" (Num. x 36) the peace of the Lord be upon him who saw such greatness! There has not arisen and never will arise his like.At the time God said to him "Come up to me on the mountain" (Deut x.1 Targ) when he went up to Him and the cloud covered him for six days, his body was holy and holiness was (thereby) increased. He ascended from human status to that of the angels. He was making supplication during the six days and prostrating before the King of all kings; he saw the Sanctuary of the Unseen spread out in the fire within the cloud. He called on the seventh day from the midst of the cloud and he saw the ranks of the angels in their array. He descended from the mountain with great might - none like it! [Marqe Mimar Marqe Book V.3]

Ben Hayyim and others have noted the difficulties with this material. But notice the frequency of Moses being identified as the man of God. The text plainly says that God was doing the speaking.
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EmmaZunz
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Re: Did Proto-Catholics circumcise as per Marcionite Galatia

Post by EmmaZunz »

My question is about who the circumcision party were.
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Re: Did Proto-Catholics circumcise as per Marcionite Galatia

Post by stephan happy huller »

Answer: the same proselyte community to which Aquila and Agrippa belonged. That's the most likely answer.

Don't forget the Marcionite Apostolikon retained a great many references to Jewish scriptures. Our assumptions (that you could stay faithful to God but ignore the commandments) wasn't invented yet. So why was Paul citing the OT positively even in the Marcionite recension?
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Re: Did Proto-Catholics circumcise as per Marcionite Galatia

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Heschel convincingly demonstrates that the gospel was written by a member of the "only the ten commandments came from God" party. Look at Jesus's statement "Moses taught you that ..." about divorce. The Marcionites also emphasized no divorce for the same reason.
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