Previous Page: Tertullian: Omissions and Differences
In addition to the omissions and other differences already identified as having been reported by either Epiphanius or Tertullian, in several other places Tertullian either quotes from or refers to text that is different from what we see in canonical Luke, but which neither he nor Epiphanius identify as a difference. In some cases this is simply a known variant in Luke, while in others there is no known mss evidence in Luke for what Tertullian reports. It has been suggested that in some of these cases Tertullian was referring to text in Matthew instead, or that he was failing to accurately remember the Lukan text, but there is also the possibility that he saw variants in Marcion and his copy of Luke for which we have no ms evidence.
Lk 6:10: Tertullian refers to Jesus being the “Lord of the Sabbath” after mentioning the “restoration of the withered hand,” and quotes from Lk 6:9, i.e. at the point where Lk 6:5 is located in D, without noting this as a difference. From this we can reasonably conclude that Tertullian saw Lk 6:5 between Lk 6:9 and 10 both in Marcion and his copy of Luke, as we still see in D.
Lk 6:20b-22: Tertullian quotes most of this text, but he has “heaven” in Lk 6:20, “they/theirs” rather than “ye/yours” in Lk 6:20-21, and omits: “and when they shall separate you from their company,” from Lk 6:22. The equivalent verses in Matthew have similar differences, reading “heaven” in Mt 5:3, they/theirs in Mt 5:3-10, and omitting the same phrase from Mt 5:11.
Lk 8:25: Tertullian does not quote the final clause: “and they obey him.” It is likely that he did not see these words, as they are omitted in P75, B and 700.
Lk 8:42b-48: Tertullian saw the passage about the woman with the issue of blood, but he does not mention how long she had been suffering (“twelve years”) or the physicians in Lk 8:43, as also in P75 B [D] 0279 sys sa Or.
Lk 10:21b: Tertullian quotes a variant that, according to the Pseudo Clementine Homily, is “not the way in which the statement was made,” but which Baring-Gould suggests is nevertheless a better reading.
Lk 10:22: Tertullian swaps the pairs of references to “the Father” and “the Son.” Irenaeus refers to this variant (in a context that suggests he might be quoting Marcion), while Justin Martyr refers to the same variant, but states that it is “in the Gospel.” This suggests that it is a genuine variant for which we simply have no mss support.
Lk 10:23b-24a: Tertullian quotes from these verses, omitting “and kings” and any mention of hearing. Bezae also omits “and kings,” but refers to both ears and hearing. It therefore seems likely that Tertullian could have seen a variant in which neither ears nor hearing were mentioned.
Lk 10:25: Tertullian omits “Master,” as also does Bezae.
Lk10:27: Tertullian quotes a shorter version, missing “and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself,” and thereby matching Deut 6:5. Bezae omits “and with all thy mind,” but does conclude with “and thy neighbour as thy self.”
Lk 11:1-4, 9-10, 5-8: From the way he writes Tertullian appears to see the verses in that order. As Lk 11:5-8 have no parallels in either Mark or Matthew, it is possible that these verses were originally located after Lk 9-10, but there is no other support for this order.
Lk 11:36: Neither Tertullian nor Epiphanius mention this verse. As this verse is not present in Bezae it is likely that it was not present in Marcion.
Lk 12:10: Tertullian has “shall speak against” instead of both “shall speak a word against” and “blasphemeth against.” In Bezae “shall speak a word against” applies to both “the Son of man” and “the Holy Ghost.”
Lk 12:14: Tertullian quotes "Who made me a judge over you?" This variant is seen in Bezae, c, Sy-S, and Sy-C.
Lk 12:39: Tertullian does not mention anyone ‘watching.’ The words are also not in P75, 01*, Bezae, e, i, Sy-S, Sy-C, sa, arm.
Lk 16:12: Tertullian twice quotes the end of the verse as “who will give to you that which is mine?” instead of “that which is your own?”
Lk 16:13: Tertullian also saw the following: “… while one is pleased the other must needs be displeased.”
Lk 16:17b: Tertullian quotes “the Lord's words” instead of “the law.”
Lk 17:2: Tertullian quotes the beginning as: “It were better for him if he had not been born, or if a millstone were hanged about his neck…” The phrase “if he had not been born” is not in Luke, but does exist in Matthew, at Mt 26:24.
Lk 20:35: Tertullian quotes the beginning as: “But they whom God shall account worthy.” We do not see “God” in Luke, but in both Mark and Matthew “the power of God” is mentioned immediately before the parallel mention of the resurrection. This therefore appears to be a variant for which we have no mss support, in which it was felt necessary to make it clear that God would do the accounting.
Lk 24:37: Tertullian refers to: “When they were doubting whether He were not a phantom…” – The use of ‘phantom’ shows that in Lk 24:37 Marcion follows Bezae.
In several of the above mentioned cases what Tertullian saw follows Bezae. In others Tertullian quotes variants that we do not see in any ms of Luke, but that apparently existed in both Marcion and his copy of Luke. This should not in any way surprise us. It would be ludicrous for us to believe that we knew all the variants of Luke (or any other New Testament book) that have ever existed. Firstly, we have many very fragmentary mss that undoubtedly originally contained variants that we have never seen, and secondly there were countless (literally) mss about which we know nothing at all, which must have also contained unknown variants. Finally, given that Matthew was one of the “many” sources used by the author of Luke, it is quite possible that any early copy of Luke (either Western, or with strong Western tendencies) would have differed, in at least a few places, from what we see in Luke in those places where text originating in Matthew has been ‘re-purposed.’
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If you have any comments, questions, suggestions, etc. regarding Marcion or my analysis please email me at davidinglis2@comcast.net