Here follows an updated version of the synopsis between Marcion's Gospel, and the Gospels of Luke and Mark (it is still not the final version, as it changes in those places where I am working on at the moment in writing the commentary - no doubt, Harnack's reconstruction of Marcion's Gospel always has to be consulted, even if one does not always follows his conclusions):
Verses not attested for in Marcion are indicated by ?, pericopes attested as not present in Marcion or Mark are marked -, Verses attested not to have been present in Marcion are indicated by /verse/
(I am deeply grateful for Dieter T. Roth who shared with me his PhD thesis in which he draw up a preliminary list of attested and unattested verses of Marcion's Gospel, and we all await the publication of his book. The following first row is based on his:)
Looking at the structure of both texts, Marcion's Gospel and the Gospel of Mark and that of Luke, there are striking similarities and differences. Here a few preliminary observations:
1) The parallel running of the narrative structure (except some noticeable differences) and the many literal parallels makes some literary dependency between these three texts necessary.
2) Often where Marcion's Gospel, compared to that, for example, of Luke, has an attested lacuna, we also have a lacuna in Mark - or the other way around, depending who knew of who, where Mark has no text, often Marcion has none.
3) These often also accounts for passages of Luke which are unattested for in Marcion, passages that are also missing in Mark.
4) All three text have specific passages in addition to the others which need to be looked at in detail.
5) Passages of surplus of Marcion which are not present in Mark are often dealing with money, wealth, management, leadership and business - imageries and topics which fit Marcion's personal profile as a rich shipowner; in Mark these stories are missing - instead in Mark we find healings and miracles in Galilee which are missing in Marcion.
Just look for yourself, and let me know what you think.
Verses not attested for in Marcion are indicated by ?, pericopes attested as not present in Marcion or Mark are marked -, Verses attested not to have been present in Marcion are indicated by /verse/
(I am deeply grateful for Dieter T. Roth who shared with me his PhD thesis in which he draw up a preliminary list of attested and unattested verses of Marcion's Gospel, and we all await the publication of his book. The following first row is based on his:)
The Apostle’s | Luke | Mark | ||
- | 1:1-2:52 | Opening | - | - |
3:1,? | 3:1-6 | John the Baptist | 1:1-6 | John the Baptist |
- | 3:7-18 | John Preaches a Messiah | 1:7-8 | John Preaches a Messiah |
- | 3:19-20 | The Imprisonment of John | [6:17-20] | The Imprisonment of John |
- | 3:21-2 | The Baptism of Jesus | 1:9-11 | The Baptism of Jesus |
- | 3:23-38 | The Genealogy of Jesus | - | - |
- | 4:1-13 | The Temptation | 1:12-3 | The Temptation |
- | 4:14f. | First Preaching in Galilee | 1:14-20 | First Preaching in Galilee |
4:16,?,23,?, 27,?,29-30 | 4:16-30 | Rejection at Nazareth | [6:1-5] | Rejection at Nazareth |
[5:9-11] | [The Call of the Disciples] | 1:16-20 | The Call of the Disciples | |
3:1, 4:31-2, | 4:31-2 | Teaching with Authority | 1:21-2 | Teaching with Authority |
4: ?,34-5a,? | 4:33-7 | Exorcism of the Capernaum demon | 1:23-8 | Exorcism of the Capernaum demon |
? | 4:38-9 | Healing Peter's Mother-in-law | 1:29-31 | Healing Peter's Mother-in-law |
4:40-1 | Healing the Sick at Evening | 1:32-4 [3:11b] | Healing the Sick at Evening | |
4:42-3 | Departing from Capernaum | 1:35-8 | Departing from Capernaum | |
? | 4:44 | Preaching in Judaea | 1:39 [3:7b-8] | Preaching in Galilee |
5:?,2,? | 5:1-8 | Miraculous Catch of Fish | - | - |
5:9-11 | The Call of the Disciples | [1:16-20] | [The Call of the Disciples] | |
5:12-4,? | 5:12-6 | Healing a Leper | 1:40-5 | Healing a Leper |
5:17-8,?,20-1,?,24,?,26 | Healing the Paralytic | 2:1-12 | Healing the Paralytic | |
5:27,? | 5:27-8 | The Call of Levi | 2:13-4 | The Call of Levi |
5:?,30-1,? | 5:29-32 | Tax Collectors and Sinners | 2:15-7 | Tax Collectors and Sinners |
5:33-8,? | 5:33-9 | The Superiority of the New | 2:18-22 | The Superiority of the New |
6:1-5 | Lord of the Sabbath | 2:23-8 | Lord of the Sabbath | |
6:6-9,? | 6:6-11 | Healing a Man with a Withered Hand | 3:1-6 | Healing a Man with a Withered Hand |
[6:17-9] | [Healing the Multitudes] | 3:7-12 | Healing the Multitudes | |
6:12-6 | Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount | 3:13-9 | Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount | |
6:17-9 | Healing the Multitudes | [3:7-12] | [Healing the Multitudes] | |
[11:14-5,?, 18-22,?] | [11:14-23] | Jesus and Beelzebul | 3:20-30 | Jesus and Beelzebul |
[8:?,20-1] | [8:19-21] | Jesus’ True Family | 3:31-5 | Jesus’ True Family |
6:20-3 | The Beatitudes | - | ||
6:24-6 | Woes | - | ||
6:27-8 | On Love of Enemies | - | ||
6:29-30 | On Retaliation | - | ||
6:31,?,34a, ?,35b,36 | The Golden Rule | - | ||
6:37-42 | On Judging | - | ||
6:43,?,45 | 6:43-5 | The Test of a Good Person | - | |
6:46 | Do as I say | - | ||
6:47 | On Self Deception | - | ||
? | 6:47-9 | Hearing and Doing | - | |
7:?2,?9,? | 7:1-10 | The Centurion's Servant | - | |
7:?,12-6,? | 7:11-7 | The Widow's Son at Nain | - | |
7:18-23 | John's Question to Jesus | - | ||
7:24-8,? | 7:24-35 | Words about John | - | |
7:36-8,?, 44-5,?,47-8, ?,50 | 7:36-50 | The Woman with the Ointment | [14:3-9] | The Woman with the Ointment |
8:?,2-3 | The Women Collegues | - | ||
8:4,?,8 | 8:4-8 | The Parable of The Sower | 4:1-9 | The Parable of The Sower |
? | 8:9-10 | On Parables | 4:10-2 | On Parables |
? | 8:11-5 | The Interpretation of the Sower | 4:13-20 | The Interpretation of the Sower |
8:16-8 | The Interpretation of the Sower - The Parable of the Lamp | 4:21-5 | The Interpretation of the Sower - The Parable of the Lamp | |
8:/19/;20-5 | Jesus' True Relatives | [3:31-5] | Jesus' True Relatives | |
- | - | - | 4:26-9 | The Seed and the Harvest |
[13:?,19] | The Parable of the Mustard Seed | 4:30-2 | The Parable of the Mustard Seed | |
- | - | 4:33-4 | The Use of Parables | |
- | - | 4:35-41 | Stilling of a Storm | |
8:?,27-32 | 8:26-39 | The Gadarene/Gerasene Demoniac | 5:1-20 | The Gadarene/Gerasene Demoniac |
8:?42b-8,? 9:1-6 | 8:40-9:6 | Jairus' Daughter / a Woman's Faith | 5:21-43 | Jairus' Daughter / a Woman's Faith |
9:1-6 | Sending Out the Twelve | 6:6-13 | Sending Out the Twelve | |
[4:16,?,23,?, 27,?,29-30] | [4:16-30] | [Rejection at Nazareth] | 6:1-5 | Rejection at Nazareth |
9:7-8,? | 9:7-9 | Herod's Understanding of Jesus | 6:14-6 | Herod's Understanding of Jesus |
- | [3:19-20] | - | 6:17-29 | The Death of John |
9:?,12-7 | 9:10-7 | The Return of the Twelve and the Feeding of the Five Thousand | 6:30-43 | The Return of the Twelve and the Feeding of the Five Thousand |
- | - | 6:45-52 | Walking on Water | |
- | - | 6:53-6 | Healings at Gennasaret | |
- | - | 7:1-23 | What Defiles a Person | |
- | - | 7:24-30 | The Syro-Phoenician Woman | |
- | - | 7:31-7 | Another Healing | |
- | - | 8:1-10 | Feeding the Four Thousand | |
[11:29;/30-2/] | [Seeking for Signs] | 8:11-3 | Seeking A Sign | |
[12:1] | [On Leaven] | 8:14-21 | On Leaven | |
- | - | 8:22-6 | The Blind Man of Bethsaida | |
9:18-22 | Confession at Caesarea Philippi First Passion Prediction | 8:27-33 | Confession at Caesarea Philippi First Passion Prediction | |
9:?,24,?,26a, ? | 9:23-7 | The Conditions of Discipleship | 8:34-9:1 | The Conditions of Discipleship |
9:28-31a, /31b/,32-5,? | 9:28-36 | The Transfiguration | 9:2-8 | The Transfiguration |
- | - | 9:9-13 | The Coming of Elijah | |
9:?,40-1,? | 9:37-42 | Healing an Epileptic Boy | 9:14-29 | Healing an Epileptic Boy |
9:?,44,? | 9:43-5 | The Second Prediction of the Passion | 9:30-2 | The Second Prediction of the Passion |
9:46-8 | The Dispute about Greatness | 9:33-7 | The Dispute about Greatness | |
? | 9:49-50 | The Unknown Exorcist | 9-38-41 | The Unknown Exorcist |
[17:1-2] | On Temptations | 9:42-8 | On Temptations | |
9:?,54-5,? | 9:51-6 | The Samaritan Villagers | - | - |
9:57-62 | The Nature of Discipleship | - | - | |
10:1,?,4-5,?,7-11,? | 10:1-12 | Sending Out the Twelve/Seventy | [6:6-13] | [Sending Out the Twelve] |
10:?,16 | 10:13-6 | On the Cities of Galilee | - | - |
10:?,19,? | 10:17-20 | The Return of the Seventy | - | - |
10:21-2 | Jesus' Thanks to the Father | - | - | |
10:23-4 | The Blessedness of the Disciples | - | - | |
10:25-8 | A Tricky Question | [12:28-37] | A Tricky Question | |
? | 10:29-37 | The Parable of the Good Samaritan | - | - |
? | 10:38-42 | Mary and Martha | - | - |
11:1-4 | The Lord's Prayer | - | - | |
11:5-8 | The Friend at Midnight | - | - | |
11:9-13 | On Prayer | - | - | |
11:14-5,? | 11:14-16 | Accusations Against Jesus | [3:19-22] | [Accusations Against Jesus] |
11:?,18-22 | 11:17-23 | A House Divided | [3:23-30] | A House Divided |
? | 11:24-6 | The Seven Spirits | - | - |
11:27-8 | Blessed the womb and breasts | - | - | |
11:29,? | 11:29-32 | Seeking for Signs | [8:11-3] | [Seeking A Sign] |
11:33 | Concerning Light | [4:21] | Concerning Light | |
? | 11:34-6 | The Sound Eye | - | - |
11:37-43,?, 46-8,/49-51/ ,52,? | 11:37-54 | Against the Pharisees | - | - |
12:1 | On Leaven | [8:14-21] | [On Leaven] | |
12,2-5,/6/, ?,8-12 | Bold Confession | - | - [cf. 4:22] | |
12:13-4,?, 16,?,19-20,? | 12:13-21 | The Parable of the Rich Fool | - | - |
12:22-4,?,27, /28a/,?,30-2 | On Anxiety | - | - | |
? | 12:33-4 | On Treasures | - | - |
12:35-41 | Be Awake, Be Aware, Be Faithful | - | - | |
12:42-6 | The Faithful and Wise Servant | - | - | |
12:47-49a,? | 12:47-50 | The Servant's Wages | - | - |
12:51,?,53 | Division in Households | - | - | |
12:?,56 | 12:54-6 | Signs of the Times | [8:11-3] | [Seeking A Sign] |
12:57-9 | On Murder | - | - | |
- | 13:1-9 | Galileans and Fig tree parable | - | - |
13:?,14-6,? | 13:10-7 | Healing a Woman of Infirmity | - | - |
13:?,19 | 13:18-9 | The Parable of the Mustard Seed | [4:30-2] | [The Parable of the Mustard Seed] |
13:20-1,? | 13:20-2 | The Parable of the Leaven | - | - |
13:?,25 | 13:23-5 | The Narrow Gate | - | - |
13:26-8,/29-30/ | 13:26-30 | On Self Deception | - | - |
- | 13:31-3 | Leaving Galilee | - | - |
- | 13:34-5 | Lament over Jerusalem | - | - |
? | 14:1-6 | Healing a Man with Dropsy | - | - |
? | 14:7-11 | Teaching on Humility | - | - |
14:12 | Invite who invite you in return to be repaid | - | - | |
14:?,14 | 14:13-4 | Invite the poor | - | - |
14:?,16-24 | 14:15-24 | The Parable of the Great Supper | - | - |
? | 14:25-33 | Conditions of Discipleship | - | - |
? | 14:34-15:2 | Of Salt and Light | 9:49-50 | Of Salt and Light |
15:3-10 | The Lost Sheep | - | - | |
- | 15:11-32 | The Prodigal Son | - | - |
16:?,2,?,4-7,?,9a,?,11-2 | 16:1-12 | The Unjust Steward | - | - |
16:13-5 | Serving Two Masters | - | - | |
16:16 | Violence and the Kingdom | - | - | |
16:17 | The Constancy of the Law | - | - | |
- | - | 10:1-10 | Marriage and Divorce | |
16:18 | On Divorce | 10:11-2 | On Divorce | |
16:19-31 | The Rich Man and Lazarus | - | - | |
17:1-2 | On Temptations | [9:42-47] | On Temptations | |
17:3 | Reproving a Comrade | - | - | |
17:4 | On Reconciliation | - | - | |
? | 17:5-6 | On Faith | - | - |
?,/10b/ | 17:7-10 | The Servant's Wages | - | - |
17:11-2a,/12b-13/,14-9 | The Healing of Ten Lepers | - | - | |
17:20-1 | On the Kingdom of God | - | - | |
17:22,?,25 | The Day of the Son of Man | - | - | |
17:26,?,28,?, 32,? | 17:26-37 | The Need for Watchfulness | - | - |
18:1-3,?,5,?,6,?,7, ? | 18:1-8 | The Parable of the Unjust Judge | - | - |
18:?,10-4 | 18:9-14 | The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican | - | - |
18:?,16,? | 18:15-7 | Jesus Blesses the Children | 10:13-6 | Jesus Blesses the Children |
18:18-23,? | 18:18-30 | The Rich Young Man | 10:17-31 | The Rich Young Man |
18:/31-3/,? | 18:31-4 | The Third Prediction of the Passion | 10:32-4 | The Third Prediction of the Passion |
? | [22:24-30] | [Position in the Coming Kingdom] | 10:35-45 | Position in the Coming Kingdom |
18:35-43 | Healing Bartimaeus | 10:46-52 | Healing Bartimaeus | |
19:?,2,?6,?, 8-10 | 19:1-10 | Zacchaeus | - | - |
19:11,?,13,?, 22-3,?,26,? | 19:11-27 | The Parable of the Pounds | [13:33-7] | The Parable of the Pounds |
- | 19:28-38 | The Entry into Jerusalem | 11:1-10 | The Entry into Jerusalem |
- | 19:39-44 | The Destruction of Jerusalem | - | - |
- | 19:45-6 | Cleansing the Temple | 11:15-9 | Cleansing the Temple |
? | 19:47-8 | Jesus teaching in the Temple | 11:11 | Jesus teaching in the Temple |
11:20-5 | Interpreting the Fig Tree | |||
20:1,?,4-8 | 20:1-8 | On the Source of Authority | 11:27-33 | On the Source of Authority |
20:/9-17/,?,19 | 20:9-19 | The Parable of the Wicked Tenants | 12:1-12 | The Parable of the Wicked Tenants |
20:?,24-5 | 20:20-6 | Concerning Tribute to Caesar | 12:13-7 | Concerning Tribute to Caesar |
20:27-31,?, 33-6,/37-8/,39,?, 41,?,44 | 20:27-44 | Concerning the Resurrection | 12:18-27 | Concerning the Resurrection |
[10:25-8] | [A Tricky Question] | 12:28-37 | A Tricky Question | |
? | 20:45-47 | Woes Against the Pharisees | 12:38-40 | Woes Against the Pharisees |
? | 21:1-4 | The Widow's Gift | 12:41-4 | The Widow's Gift |
21:?,7 | 21:5-7 | Prediction of the Destruction of the Temple | 13:1-4 | Prediction of the Destruction of the Temple |
21:8-11 | The Signs of the Parousia | 13:5-8 | The Signs of the Parousia | |
21:12-7,/18/,19 | The Beginnings of the Troubles | 13:9-13 | The Beginnings of the Troubles | |
21:20,/21-2/,? | 21:20-4 | The Desolating Sacrilege | 13:14-20 | The Desolating Sacrilege |
- | - | 13:21-3 | The Culmination of the Troubles | |
21:25-8 | The Parousia of the Son of Man | 13:24-7 | The Parousia of the Son of Man | |
21:29-31 | The Parable of the Fig Tree | 13:28-9 | The Parable of the Fig Tree | |
21:32-3 | The Time of the Parousia | 13:30-2 | The Time of the Parousia | |
21:34-35a,? | 21:34-6 | Ending to the Discourse | - | - |
? | 21:37-8 | Luke's Summary of the Days in Jerusalem | - | - |
[19:11,?,13, ?,22-3,?,26,?] | [19:11-27] | [The Parable of the Pounds] | 13:33-7 | The Parable of the Pounds |
22:1,? | 22:1-2 | The Conspiracy Against Jesus | 14:1-2 | The Conspiracy Against Jesus |
[7:36-8,?, 44-5,?,47-8, ?,50] | [The Woman with the Ointment] | 14:3-9 | The Woman with the Ointment | |
22:3-5,? | 22:3-6 | Judas Arranges to Hand Jesus Over | 14:10-1 | Judas Arranges to Hand Jesus Over |
22:?,8,?,14 | 22:7-14 | Preparation for the Passover | 14:12-6 | Preparation for the Passover |
22:15,/16/, 17(?),?,19, 20(?),?,22b | 22:15-22 | The Memorial Meal | [14:22-5] | [The Memorial Meal] |
22:?,22b,? | 22:21-3 | The One Who Hands Jesus Over | 14:17-21 | The One Who Hands Jesus Over |
? | 22:24-30 | Position in the Coming Kingdom | [10:35-45] | [Position in the Coming Kingdom] |
22:?,33-4, | 22:31-9 | Simon Peter's Denial Predicted | 14:26-31 | Simon Peter's Denial Predicted |
22:/35-7/,? | 22:35-8 | Two Swords | - | - |
22:?,41,? | 22:39-46 | Jesus in Gethsemane | 14:32-42 | Jesus in Gethsemane |
22:47-8,?, /50/,? | 22:47-54a | The Arrest of Jesus | 14:43-52 | The Arrest of Jesus |
22:?,63-4,?, 66-7,?,69-71 | 22:54b-71 | Jesus before the Sanhedrin. Peter's Denial | 14:53-72 | Jesus before the Sanhedrin. Peter's Denial |
23:1 | Jesus Delivered to Pilate | 15:1 | Jesus Delivered to Pilate | |
23:2-3,?,7 | 23:2-7 | The Trial before Pilate | 15:2-5 | The Trial before Pilate |
23:8-9,? | 23:8-16 | Jesus Before Herod | - | - |
23:?,18-9,?, 22-3,?,25 | 23:17-25 | The Sentence of Death | 15:6-15 | The Sentence of Death |
- | - | 15:16-20 | The Mocking by Soldiers | |
? | 23:26 | Simon of Cyrene | 15:20b-21 | Simon of Cyrene |
? | 23:26-31 | Daughters of Jerusalem | - | - |
23:32-4a, /34b/?, /43/ | 23:32-43 | The Crucifixion | 15:22-32 | The Crucifixion |
23:44-6,? | 23:44-9 | Jesus' Death | 15:33-41 | Jesus' Death |
23:50-53,?, 55-6 | 23:50-6 | The Burial of Jesus | 15:42-7 | The Burial of Jesus |
24:1,?,3-7,?, 9,?,11 | 24:1-11 | The Women at the Tomb | 16:1-8 | The Women at the Tomb |
? | 24:12 | Peter at the Tomb | - | - |
24:13,?,15-6,?,19,?,21a, ?,25-6,?,30-1,? | 24:13-35 | The Road to Emmaus | - | - |
24:?,37-9, 41-3,47 | 24:36-49 | Jesus Redivivus in Jerusalem | - | - |
- | 24:50-53 | The Ascension | 16:19-20, [21] | The Ascension |
- | - | 16:9-20 | The Longer Ending to Mark Only Late MSS |
Looking at the structure of both texts, Marcion's Gospel and the Gospel of Mark and that of Luke, there are striking similarities and differences. Here a few preliminary observations:
1) The parallel running of the narrative structure (except some noticeable differences) and the many literal parallels makes some literary dependency between these three texts necessary.
2) Often where Marcion's Gospel, compared to that, for example, of Luke, has an attested lacuna, we also have a lacuna in Mark - or the other way around, depending who knew of who, where Mark has no text, often Marcion has none.
3) These often also accounts for passages of Luke which are unattested for in Marcion, passages that are also missing in Mark.
4) All three text have specific passages in addition to the others which need to be looked at in detail.
5) Passages of surplus of Marcion which are not present in Mark are often dealing with money, wealth, management, leadership and business - imageries and topics which fit Marcion's personal profile as a rich shipowner; in Mark these stories are missing - instead in Mark we find healings and miracles in Galilee which are missing in Marcion.
Just look for yourself, and let me know what you think.
I hope you don't mind me making short points as I get away from work from time to time. Von Harnack and others have noted that Marcion's gospel had no baptism by John. Also Mark 10:35 - 45 (the Question of Salome about Enthronement) von Harnack is pretty certain that this was in the Marcionite gospel (drawing from Epiphanius and Origen Homilies on Luke). Also the name of the Marcionite gospel 'the gospel of Jesus' or 'the gospel of Christ' etc. is clearly taken over from Mark 1:1. This probably accounts for Philosophumena's report that someone identified the Marcionite gospel as Mark. Indeed the same pattern can be seen in the Diatessaron tradition. The text begins with Mark 1:1 and more importantly certain copies preserve an acrostic where the names of the four evangelists are arranged to produce the name Mark in Samaritan or Babylonian Aramaic:
ReplyDeleteMttai = (M) the first letter of the first
mRqs = (R) the second letter of the second
luQs = (Q) the third of the third
yonH = (H) the fourth of the fourth
the acrostic is found on one copy of the Arabic Diatessaron and the Old Latin text. I think this points to an older or variant form of Mark that contained more narratives than the current canonical text. A Marcionite gospel would like be a mix of Lukan and Markan materials.
To that end it is worth noting that Irenaeus thinks that Luke 10:22 was originally part of Mark:
For the Lord, revealing Himself to His disciples, that He Himself is the Word, who imparts knowledge of the Father, and reproving the Jews, who imagined that they, had [the knowledge of] God, while they nevertheless rejected His Word, through whom God is made known, declared, "No man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whom the Son has willed to reveal [Him]." Thus hath Matthew set it down, and Luke in like manner, and Mark the very same; for John omits this passage. [AH 4.2]
I think that his testimony in AH 3.11.7 also points to the existence of a longer gospel of Mark (i.e. where Jesus is crucified and Christ is impassable). If we sift through the testimony of Irenaeus on 'those of Mark' (the Marcosians) and Clement of Alexandria (Quis Dives Salvetur) we can also find evidence for this variant Mark (given that Clement's argument in QDS is ludicrous - i.e. he begins by citing Mark 10:17 - 31 and essentially argues against a heretical interpretation of the passage by saying that the story of Zacchaeus has to be read as if it 'solved' or concluded the narrative). I think Clement knew of two gospels of Mark one short and one long as the Mar Saba document purports. It is authentic and was used by Clement in QDS to make his argument.