Tertullian — Against Marcion 17

We have it on the true tradition of the Church , that this epistle was sent to the Ephesians, not to the Laodiceans. Marcion , however, was very desirous of giving it the new title (of Laodicean), as if he were extremely accurate in investigating such a point. But of what consequence are the titles, since in writing to a certain church the apostle did in fact write to all? It is certain that, whoever they were to whom he wrote, he declared Him to be God in Christ with whom all things agree which are predicted.

Now, to what god will most suitably belong all those things which relate to that good pleasure, which God has purposed in the mystery of His will , that in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might recapitulate (if I may so say, according to the exact meaning of the Greek word ) all things in Christ , both which are in heaven and which are on earth, Ephesians 1:9-10 but to Him whose are all things from their beginning, yea the beginning itself too; from whom issue the times and the dispensation of the fullness of times, according to which all things up to the very first are gathered up in Christ? What beginning , however, has the other god; that is to say, how can anything proceed from him, who has no work to show? And if there be no beginning, how can there be times ? If no times, what fullness of times can there be?

And if no fullness, what dispensation ? Indeed, what has he ever done on earth, that any long dispensation of times to be fulfilled can be put to his account, for the accomplishment of all things in Christ , even of things in heaven? Nor can we possibly suppose that any things whatever have been at any time done in heaven by any other God than Him by whom, as all men allow, all things have been done on earth. Now, if it is impossible for all these things from the beginning to be reckoned to any other God than the Creator, who will believe that an alien god has recapitulated them in an alien Christ, instead of their own proper Author in His own Christ? If, again, they belong to the Creator, they must needs be separate from the other god; and if separate, then opposed to him.

But then how can opposites be gathered together into him by whom they are in short destroyed? Again, what Christ do the following words announce, when the apostle says: That we should be to the praise of His glory , who first trusted in Christ? Ephesians 1:12 Now who could have first trusted — i.e. previously trusted — in God , before His advent, except the Jews to whom Christ was previously announced, from the beginning? He who was thus foretold , was also foretrusted . Hence the apostle refers the statement to himself, that is, to the Jews , in order that he may draw a distinction with respect to the Gentiles , (when he goes on to say:) In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth , the gospel (of your salvation ); in whom you believed , and were sealed with His Holy Spirit of promise. Ephesians 1:13 Of what promise?