Against Marcion 3.17

Let us compare the rest of his course with the Scriptures. Isaiah is at hand again: “We announced,” he says, “before him: like a little child, like a root in a thirsty land; and he has no form or glory; and we saw him, and he had no form or beauty, but his form was without honor, falling short of all men”; just as, above, the Father's voice to the Son: “As many will be astonished at you, so your form will be without glory from men.” Whatever that little body was, what bearing and appearance did it have? If without glory, if lowly, if without honor, he will be my Christ; for such was he announced to be in bearing and appearance. For even if in David he is in the bloom of beauty beyond the sons of men, it is in that allegorical state of spiritual grace, when he is girded with the sword of the Word, which is truly his form and beauty and glory. But in his bodily bearing, in the same prophet he is even a worm and not a man, a reproach of men and the scorn of the people. Nor were such things announced of his inner quality. For if the fullness of the Spirit rested in him, I recognize the rod from the root of Jesse: its flower will be my Christ, on whom, according to Isaiah, rested the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and piety, the spirit of the fear of God. For the totality of spiritual endowments fitted no man except Christ, who is likened to a flower because of the grace of the Spirit, and reckoned of the stock of Jesse through Mary, and so to be counted from it. But I press the point at issue: if you grant him a bent toward all humility, patience, and calm, then by these too he will be Isaiah's Christ: “a man under the stroke, and knowing how to bear weakness,” who “was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before the shearer did not open his mouth,” who “neither strove nor cried out, nor was his voice heard outside,” who “did not break the bruised reed,” that is, the shaken faith of the Jews, who “did not quench the burning flax,” that is, the momentary ardor of the nations; he cannot be other than the one who was foretold. His action too must be recognized by the rule of the Scriptures, distinguished, if I am not mistaken, by a twofold work: preaching and power. But I shall arrange both headings so that, since I have decided to sift Marcion's own gospel as well, the particular kinds of teachings and signs are put off to that point, as if to the matter in hand; here, however, let us complete in general the course we began, showing for the present that Christ is announced as a preacher through Isaiah: “For who among you,” he says, “fears God, let him hear the voice of his Son”; and likewise as a healer: “For he himself took away our weaknesses and carried our sicknesses.”