Paul and Marcion

Discussion about the New Testament, apocrypha, gnostics, church fathers, Christian origins, historical Jesus or otherwise, etc.
Secret Alias
Posts: 18362
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:47 am

Re: Paul and Marcion

Post by Secret Alias »

But remember that Irenaeus only 'corrects' the dogma of earlier writers like Justin. In the case of Justin it is clear that Irenaeus latched on to the Father but was troubled by his positing of 'two powers.' Justin's debate with Trypho seems to be the mirror image (only from reverse) of the Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael. The Mekhilta is likely second century and IMHO reflects the use of the Samaritan edition of Exodus (where bits of Deuteronomy are still there and the Israelites 'see' one god on the mountain and 'hear' another god in heaven because of the inclusion of material from Deuteronomy).

This in part helps reflect why the sects inevitably go back to Samaritan sources. The Dositheans also accused normative Samaritans of editing the text of the Torah in the manner of Marcionite objections to normative Christianity and the most recent layer of the Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael (the core layer undoubtedly ACCEPTED the material from Deuteronomy because the author was a Sadducee). The point is that if we view Marcionism on its own it sounds like a crazy sect that altered a pre-existent canon. But if we look at the trends in Judaism, Samaritanism also it is apparent that the Torah was altered for its 'two powers' theology. Why? Because of what Brent discusses - an Imperial effort to consolidate all religions in terms of monarchianism (i.e. one sole power to the universe implicitly embodied in the person of the Emperor). When did this occur? Around the turn of the third century.
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
davidmartin
Posts: 1589
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2019 2:51 pm

Re: Paul and Marcion

Post by davidmartin »

SA yes i think your onto something re: Samaritanism - is hard to research i want to get this book do you think its worth it?

Early Christian Authors on Samaritans and Samaritanism
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=dhD ... 22&f=false
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