TERTULLIAN'S MONTANTIST CONTRADICTION OF THE BIBLE
According
to Montantist doctrine and theory, as is recorded in Tertullian,
Jesus Christ did
– ( not ) – truly die!
One of
"...flesh..." that was Ltn., ( mortalem quae humana )
“...mortal...”!
Which,
according to Tertullian, --- never died at all.
Because,
according to them, he had Ltn., ( duae substantiae ) “...two
substances...” or “...nature[s]...” ( Holmes translation ),
simultaneously when existing as a man.
And
one of "...spirit..." that was Ltn., ( immortalem esse
divinam ) “...im-mortal...”!
Praxeas
himself, and his party, agreed with Tertullian on this particular
idea, but, obviously, as everybody knows who has ever read this text,
they differed in other details.
Both,
Tertullian and Praxaes, and therefore also the Montantist's,
contradicted the Bible!
LATIN
TEXT: “...quanquam cum duae substantiae censeantur in Christo
Iesu, divina et humana, constet autem immortalem esse divinam, ut
mortalem quae humana sit, apparet quatenus eum mortuum dicat, [...]
non enim ex divina sed ex humana substantia mortuum dicimus...” -
(Chapter 29:2-3; “TERTULLIAN'S TREATISE AGAINST PRAXEAS,”
Translated by Canon Ernest Evans and published by SPCK, 1948.)
POST-MONTANTIST
TERTULLIAN (circa. 185-225 C.E.): “...Now, although when two
substances are alleged to be in Christ-namely, the divine and the
human - it plainly follows that the divine
nature is ( immortal ), and that which is human is ( mortal ),
[...] for we do ( not
) maintain that He died after the ( divine nature ), – but
only –
after the ( human )...” - (Chapter 29:2-3;
“TERTULLIAN'S AGAINST PRAXEAS,” Translated by Dr. Holmes 1870.)
POST-MONTANTIST
TERTULLIAN (circa. 185-225 C.E.): “...And yet, since in Christ
Jesus there are assessed two substances, a divine and a human, and it
is admitted that the divine is ( immortal ),
as that that which is human is ( mortal ), [...] for
we say that he died ( not
) in respect of his ( divine ) – but
of – his
( human substance )...” - (Chapter 29:2-3;
“TERTULLIAN'S TREATISE AGAINST PRAXEAS,” Translated by Canon
Ernest Evans and published by SPCK, 1948.)
How
does this theory contradict the Bible?
The
Bible clearly states that Jesus was:
ΠΕΤΡΟΥ
Α΄ 3:18 Greek NT: Westcott/Hort with Diacritics
“...ὅτι καὶ Χριστὸς ἅπαξ περὶ ἁμαρτιῶν ἀπέθανεν, δίκαιος ὑπὲρ ἀδίκων, ἵνα ὑμᾶς προσαγάγῃ τῷ θεῷ θανατωθεὶς μὲν σαρκὶ ζῳοποιηθεὶς δὲ πνεύματι...”
“...ὅτι καὶ Χριστὸς ἅπαξ περὶ ἁμαρτιῶν ἀπέθανεν, δίκαιος ὑπὲρ ἀδίκων, ἵνα ὑμᾶς προσαγάγῃ τῷ θεῷ θανατωθεὶς μὲν σαρκὶ ζῳοποιηθεὶς δὲ πνεύματι...”
ΠΕΤΡΟΥ
Α΄ 3:18 Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
“...θανατωθεὶς μὲν σαρκὶ ζῳοποιηθεὶς δὲ πνεύματι...”
“...θανατωθεὶς μὲν σαρκὶ ζῳοποιηθεὶς δὲ πνεύματι...”
New
American Standard Bible (©1995)
“...For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but --- ((( MADE ALIVE IN ))) --- THE --- ((( SPIRIT )))...”
“...For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but --- ((( MADE ALIVE IN ))) --- THE --- ((( SPIRIT )))...”
STRONGS
2227: Gk., ( ζωοποιηθεὶς ) “...HAVING BEEN MADE
ALIVE...”
Is
a compound word made up of:
STRONGS
2221: Gk., ( ζῷον ) “...ALIVE...”
STRONGS
4160: Gk., ( ποιέω ) “...TO MAKE...”
Gk.,
( ζωοποιηθεὶς ) = verb, aorist, particple, passive,
nominative, masculine, singular.
And
also says clearly at 1st Corinthians 15:45:
ΠΡΟΣ
ΚΟΡΙΝΘΙΟΥΣ Α΄ 15:45 Greek NT: WH / UBS
“...οὕτως καὶ γέγραπται· ἐγένετο ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος Ἀδὰμ εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν, ὁ ἔσχατος Ἀδὰμ εἰς πνεῦμα ζῳοποιοῦν...”
“...οὕτως καὶ γέγραπται· ἐγένετο ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος Ἀδὰμ εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν, ὁ ἔσχατος Ἀδὰμ εἰς πνεῦμα ζῳοποιοῦν...”
New
American Standard Bible (©1995)
“...So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” THE LAST ADAM --- ((( BECAME ))) --- A LIFE-GIVING --- ((( SPIRIT )))...”
“...So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” THE LAST ADAM --- ((( BECAME ))) --- A LIFE-GIVING --- ((( SPIRIT )))...”
Gk.,
( ἐγένετο ) “...BECAME...”
Gk.,
( πνεῦμα ) “...A ((( SPIRIT )))...”
Gk.,
( ζῳοποιοῦν ) “...LIFE-GIVING...”
The
straight forward Bible teaching is that Jesus was Gk., ( ζωοποιηθεὶς
) “...MADE ((( ALIVE )))...” as and/or in Gk., ( πνεῦμα )
“...((( SPIRIT )))...”!
1ST
CORINTHIANS 15:45: “...And thus it stands written, The first man
Adam came into existence a living soul. The last Adam became a
life-giving spirit...” - (Wuests New Testament: An Expanded
Translation By Kenneth S. Wuest, Wm. B. Erdmans Publishing Co. 1961.)
1ST
CORINTHIANS 15:45: “...So also as it stands written: “The first
man Adam came into existence as a living soul.” The last Adam
entered into [a new state of existence] as a life-giving spirit...”
- (Matt13weedhacker Paraphrase Translation.)
It
is interesting to note that it is the same Greek word used at John
1:3, 10, 14; 1st Cor. 15:45 of things being created or coming into a
new state of existence:
John
1:3 Gk., ( ἐγένετο […] ἐγένετο )
John
1:10 Gk., ( ἐγένετο )
John
1:14 Gk., ( ἐγένετο )
1st
Cor 15:45 Gk., ( ἐγένετο )
And
also that he Gk., ( ἐγένετο ) “...BECAME...” Gk., (
πνεῦμα ) “...A ((( SPIRIT )))...”!
A
life-giving one.
When
compared to what Tertullian teaches, that Jesus, when on earth as a
man, existed simultaeously as, and by his theory divided his existence into Ltn., ( duae
substantiae ) “...two substances...” or “...nature[s]...” just does not agree with
this!
Tertullian's
interpretation, in his complicated Montantist scheme of things,
teaches two natures within one person:
1.)
FLESH NATURE: “...namely in that he is flesh and man and Son
of Man...” (Evens),
“...in
which He was flesh and Man and the Son of Man...” (Holmes)
2.)
SPIRIT/GOD NATURE: “...in that he - is Spirit - and Word and
Son of God...” (Evens), “...as - being the Spirit - and the Word
and the Son of God...” (Holmes).
Tertullian
equivocates the “...immortal...” -- “...divine nature...”
with Jesus as Ltn., ( esse spiritum ) “...THE SPIRIT...”
In
the next chapter, (chapter 30), it is referred to as: “...that
state in which he is God...” (Evens) “...the conditions of His
existence as God...” (Holmes).
This
is what Tertullian means when he says Jesus is Ltn., ( spiritum )
“...THE SPIRIT...” - at least in this context anyway.
But
getting back to what the the scriptures say in contrast.
First
of all the Bible makes a contrast between Jesus Pre-Human existence
as the Logos, when he Gk., ( θεὸς ἦν ) “...( was ) a
god...” - and – his human existence when he Gk., ( σὰρξ
ἐγένετο ) “...( became ) flesh...”
The
contrast is between:
1.)
( What ) he Gk., ( ἦν ) “...((( WAS )))...”
2.)
( What ) he Gk., ( ἐγένετο ) “...((( BECAME )))...”
And
this very same contrast, also shows up again in what the
scriptures say about the end of his human existence and his
resurrection from the dead.
In:
1.)
( What ) he died as Gk., ( θανατωθεὶς
μὲν σαρκὶ ) “...FLESH...”
2.)
( What ) he Gk., ( ἐγένετο ) “...((( BECAME )))...”
This
contrast is also shown
( grammatically
) in the Gk., ( μὲν
) --- Gk., ( δὲ
) contrast
and
the two
precisely parallel limbs
in the Greek text of 1st Peter 3:18-19:
L.
W. P. LEWIS AND L. M. STYLER: “...RULE
NO. 1. Mark the connection at the beginning of every new sentence. 2.
Signposts forward. Greek also makes use of Particles to give warning
of what is coming ; of these the commonest are : Gk., ( μὲν )
warning the reader a
Gk., ( δὲ ) is
coming, Gk., ( τε ) warning
the reader of a Gk., ( καὶ ) coming
“both […] and” and it's negative Gk., ( οὔτε ) […] Gk.,
( οὔτε ) “neither […] nor.” When the reader reaches a Gk.,
( μὲν ) or
Gk., ( τε ) he
pulls up short and says: “THERE WILL BE SOMETHING CONTRASTED WITH
THIS OR ADDED TO IT LATER IN THE SENTENCE.” […] It is now
necessary to describe their uses carefully, because [Page
114] it is
impossible to write Greek Prose without employing them. (A) THE TWO
LIMBS OF THE CONTRAST MUST BE PRECISELY PARALLEL IN CONSTRUCTION,
i.e. both the main verb clauses, both subordinate clauses, or both
particle phrases etc...” - (Pages
113-114, “FOUNDATIONS FOR GREEK PROSE COMPOSITION,” By L. W. P.
Lewis and L. M. Styler, 1963 re-print edition.)
ΠΕΤΡΟΥ
Α΄ 3:18-19 Greek NT: Westcott/Hort with Diacritics
“...ὅτι καὶ Χριστὸς ἅπαξ περὶ ἁμαρτιῶν ἀπέθανεν, δίκαιος ὑπὲρ ἀδίκων, ἵνα ὑμᾶς προσαγάγῃ τῷ θεῷ θανατωθεὶς ( μὲν ) σαρκὶ ζῳοποιηθεὶς ( δὲ ) πνεύματι ἐν ᾧ […] πορευθεὶς...”
“...ὅτι καὶ Χριστὸς ἅπαξ περὶ ἁμαρτιῶν ἀπέθανεν, δίκαιος ὑπὲρ ἀδίκων, ἵνα ὑμᾶς προσαγάγῃ τῷ θεῷ θανατωθεὶς ( μὲν ) σαρκὶ ζῳοποιηθεὶς ( δὲ ) πνεύματι ἐν ᾧ […] πορευθεὶς...”
ΠΕΤΡΟΥ
Α΄ 3:18 Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority
Text (2000)
“...θανατωθεὶς ( μὲν ) σαρκὶ ζῳοποιηθεὶς ( δὲ ) πνεύματι...”
“...θανατωθεὶς ( μὲν ) σαρκὶ ζῳοποιηθεὶς ( δὲ ) πνεύματι...”
New
American Standard Bible (©1995)
“...For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but --- ((( MADE ALIVE IN ))) --- THE --- ((( SPIRIT ))) IN WHICH also He went...”
“...For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but --- ((( MADE ALIVE IN ))) --- THE --- ((( SPIRIT ))) IN WHICH also He went...”
THE
--- Gk., ( μὲν ) --- Gk., ( δὲ ) --- CONTRAST IN 1ST PETER 3:18:
“...θανατωθεὶς
(
μὲν
) σαρκὶ
ζῳοποιηθεὶς (
δὲ
) πνεύματι...”
=
PRECISELY PARALLEL AND BALANCED CONSTRUCTION
“...θανατωθεὶς
--- μὲν --- σαρκὶ...”
“...ζῳοποιηθεὶς
--- δὲ --- πνεύματι...”
=
PERFECT CONTRAST OF SPHERES OF EXISTENCE AND ACTIVITY
Gk.,
( σαρκὶ ) = noun, ( dative ), feminine, singular, (
zero-article )
Gk.,
( πνεύματι ) = noun, ( dative ), neuter, singular, (
zero-article )
So,
if Jesus as a man was made up of ( both ) of Tertullians “...TWO
SUBSTANCES...” or NATURES simultaneously as a man on earth, and it
was only the “...FLESH...” - “...NATURE...” that died, ---
why
then
--- does the Bible contradict this,
when it says he was:
Gk.,
( ζωοποιηθεὶς ) “...MADE ((( ALIVE )))...”
1st
Peter 3:19(A) Gk., ( ἐν ᾧ ) “...IN...” Gk., (
πνεῦμα ) “...((( SPIRIT )))...”
And
at 1st Cor. 15:45, that he Gk., ( ἐγένετο ) “...((( BECAME
)))...” one?
Gk.,
( πνεῦμα ) “...A ((( SPIRIT )))...”!
If
Tertullian's Montantist theory was the truth?
Then
it should be plain and obvious to see that the doctrinal implications
of Gk., ( ζωοποιηθεὶς ) “...MADE ALIVE...” and Gk., (
ἐγένετο ) “...BECAME...”!
According
to the Bible Jesus did not have an Ltn., ( immortalem
[...] divinam [...] spiritum ) nature wrapped up or hiding with-in his flesh.
Jesus
Gk., ( σὰρξ ἐγένετο ) “...BECAME FLESH...”!
Or
as Kenneth Wuest put it, at John 1:14(A), in his Expanded New
Testament translation:
“...the
Word, entering a new mode of existence, became flesh...”
He:
“...came to be flesh...”
He:
“...came into existence being flesh...”
He:
“...came into existence as flesh...”
So
according to 1st Peter 3:18, Jesus was, as a flesh and blood human
being, truly and completely dead )
in every respect possible in order for God to say that He made
him:
"...(((
ALIVE )))..."!
In
or as Gk., ( πνεῦμα ) “...A ((( SPIRIT )))...”!
You
think about it!
Who
was right to you? Which doctrine will you chose?
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