Destroyer of the Law II

This chapter shows how Christ destroyed the Law from Marcion’s (reconstructed) gospel (the Evangelion). After discussing the Marcionite reading of Luke 23:2 (Jewish leaders accuse Jesus of “destroying the Law”), the discussion focuses on Christ’s concrete violations of the Law. First, Jesus touched lepers in violation of the Law and healed them apart from the Law’s purification rites. Further, he allowed himself to be touched by an unclean woman but did not consider himself to be unclean. Moreover, he controverted the Law to honor parents by requiring a would-be disciple not to bury his father, and in general by requiring his disciples to abandon their families. Christ stated that the Law lasted until John the Baptist (Luke 16:16), indicating its abolition. Finally, Christ violated Sabbath laws numerous times, even claiming to be lord of—or over—the Sabbath. This Jesus who attacked the Law then died by the Law’s penalties. This was proof not only that Christ opposed the Law but that the Law was hostile to Christ. Yet the Law was only the instrument of the Lawgiver who plotted Christ’s death and so proved his evil nature.