More from Ephrem:
After these things, he came to his town and was teaching them on the Sabbath in their synagogues. Was there not another people, or another land apart from that of the Jews? But in order that Marcion's lie be refuted, it said after this, He entered the synagogue as was his custom, on the Sabbath day. What was the custom of him who had come just now? He had come to Galilee, and had begun to teach, not outside of the synagogue, but within it, he [came] to talk to them about their God. Otherwise it would have been in order for him to proclaim to them outside of their synagogue. He therefore entered Bethsaida among the Jews. It does not indicate that they said anything to him other than, Physician, heal yourself. They seized him and brought him to the side of the mountain. It is not likely that the word [he] had spoken to them was leading them to anger. For, if he had been speaking to them concerning the Creator, and [if] this was why they had given the response, They seized him that they might cast him down, why then did it not record in other places that it was like this too? That the people of the town hated him, there is this testimony: A prophet is not accepted in his home town. For Anathoth did not receive Jeremiah,9 nor the Tishbites Elijah, nor Abelmeholah Elisha, nor Ramah Samuel,10 nor the Moses, nor Israel our Lord. Elijah accordingly despised their wives,11 and Elisha their men.12 They were called lacking in faith to their shame.13 But [the Lord] honoured the Arameans more than these.1 This is why they were filled with anger.2 The reason for this was as follows: Physican, heal yourself,3 that is, "Save yourself from us, instead of seeking to heal [us]!" Although they were in need of healing, he was not able to heal them because of their lack [of faith]. By reason of their freewill, they were casting him down* but because of his divinity he did not fall. Audacity was casting him down, but the submissive air received him on its wings, and he did not fall, so that through this he might perhaps procure faith for those who did not believe. Perhaps [it was] on this account that the Galileans received him.5 From the moment when they saw him passing through their midst,6 they did not dare do anything more to him. This was his first healing, that of the right hand which was ill.7 Consequently, through the influence of the Prince of the Left, the Nazarenes were murmuring against him, envious of the healing of this Right [hand], which was established in the solemn mystery, and released unto every divine use
A prophet is not received in his own town,8 that is, in his own people. Elijah was from Tishbi, and [Scripture] does not say that Elijah was not received in Tishbi, but in all Israel.9 If this is not so, let it be proved that the inhabitants of Tishbi persecuted him, and the Israelites received him. But who [received him], Gentiles?10 There were many widows, not at Tishbi, but in the house of Israel. But he was not sent to any of these. Likewise, in the case of lepers, not in the town of Elisha, but in the house of Israel. [The Lord] underlined thus that he was not able to reveal miracles, not only in Nazareth, but in the house of Israel. When the people of Nazareth saw that Jesus covered all the land of Israel with shame and disgrace while he carried the Gentiles instead into the heavens.
Compare this to the gospel of Tertullian's source:
It is quite wrong in fact, that Romulus should have had Proculus to vouch for his ascent into heaven,3 yet that Christ should not have provided himself with a reporter of his god's descent from heaven—though that one must have gone up by the same ladder of lies by which this one came down. Also what had he to do with Galilee, if he was not the Creator's Christ, for whom that province was predestined <as the place> for him to enter on his preaching? For Isaiah says: Drink this first, do it quickly, province of Zebulon and land of Naphtali, and ye others who <dwell between> the sea-coast and Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles, ye people who sit in darkness, behold a great light: ye who inhabit the land, sitting in the shadow of death, a light has arisen upon you.a It is indeed to the good that Marcion's god too should be cited as one who gives light to the gentiles, for so there was the greater need for him to come down from heaven—though, if so, he ought to have come down into Pontus rather than Galilee. Yet since both that locality and that function of enlightenment do according to the prophecy have their bearing upon Christ, we at once begin to discern that it was he of whom the prophecy was made, when he makes it clear on his first appearance that he is come not to destroy the law and the prophets, but rather to fulfil them.b For Marcion has blotted this out as an interpolation. But in vain will he deny that Christ said in words a thing which he at once partly accomplished in act. For in the meanwhile he fulfilled the prophecy in respect of place. From heaven straightway into the synagogue. As the saying goes, let us get down to it: to your task, Marcion: remove even this from the gospel, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and, It is not <meet> to take away the children's bread and give it to dogs:c for this gives the impression that Christ belongs to Israel. I have plenty of acts, if you take away his words. Take away Christ's sayings, and the facts will speak; See how he enters into the synagogue: surely to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. See how he offers the bread of his doctrine to the Israelites first: surely he is giving them preference as sons. See how as yet he gives others no share of it: surely he is passing them by, like dogs. Yet on whom would he have been more ready to bestow it than on strangers to the Creator, if he himself had not above all else belonged to the Creator? Yet again how can he have obtained admittance into the synagogue, appearing so suddenly, so unknown, no one as yet having certain knowledge of his tribe, of his nation, of his house, or even of Caesar's census, which the Roman registry still has in keeping, a most faithful witness to our Lord's nativity? They remembered, surely, that unless they knew he was circumcised he must not be admitted into the most holy places. Or again, even if there were unlimited access to the synagogue, there was no permission to teach, except for one excellently well known, and tried, and approved, and already either for this occasion or by commendation from elsewhere invested with that function. 'But they were all astonished at his doctrine.' Quite so
Coincidence? That both Tertullian's source and Ephrem make the same references in the same section even though the Syrophoenician woman only appears in Matthew?