That would be odd, assuming that Marcion invented the story.neilgodfrey wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 5:48 amDoesn't Justin -- or the character of Justin in our sources -- seem to be there to justify what is believed, what he/his audience have inherited/heard? I'm sure Marcion also spoke of a crucified Jesus.
It's evident that Sweet Jus is trying hard to do something - some would call it "convincing". If it was believed what he says, why would he say it?
Does he e.g. argue anywhere for Jesus being male, or Mary being female?
People only write in order to create what's not there. Why does he bend over backwards in order to argue for a cross shape? Because none of that is in the texts - and as there is no oral tradition of anything, then how would that cross have needed to come into existence?
I'm sure they could have inserted the words into the texts, that would have saved them a lot of apologetics - so the fact that the latter is there can only mean that the former was already a very final product by the time that the latter got written.
Propaganda always comes after the facts, it never precedes it. It does create new facts, yes, and those become the new truths.
So how can we have both?