Tertullian Against Praxeas (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1920 edition. Excerpt: ...which He obtains as begotten by the Father? Is it not fitting to use the expression about some greater being: "That man is my face," and: "he countenances me"? "The Father," He says, "is greater than John xiv. I." Therefore the Son, s face will be the Father. 28 For, besides, what is it the Scripture says?" The Lam. iv. spirit of His face lit. mask), Christ the Lord."320 1 The sentence would gain in clearness if, with C. H. Turner, we inserted uisa est, alia quae after fades quae. 2 On this passage and the scriptural use offades in this connexion, see Thes. vol. vi. (1913), p. 49, 11. 26 ff. 3 The MSS. must be followed here as agreeing with LXX. Kroymann alters to spiritus (gen.) eius persona... persona paterni spiritus. But Tertullian, s agreement with LXX in not perfect. In E Therefore, if "Christ is the spirit of the Father, s face," it follows that He proclaimed His own face (as the result of their unity, of course), to be that of the Spirit whose face He was, namely that of the Father. It is matter for wonder whether the Son, s face can be taken as the Father, who is "His head." For "God is Christ, s head." i Cor. xi. 15. If I do not succeed in explaining this part of 3 my subject by investigations of the Old Scripture, I will take from the New Testament the confirmation of my interpretation, lest whatever I attribute to the Son, you should in like manner claim for the Father. For observe, both in the Gospels and in the Apostles1 I find that God is visible and invisible, with a clear and personal difference between the two states. John, as it were, shouts aloud: "No one hath seen God at any time," and therefore, of course, not in the past; for he has...