Tertullian on Scripture and Tradition [Part 2]

 

Against Praxeas, Chapter 20

"But I must take some further pains to rebut their arguments, when they make selections from the Scriptures in support of their opinion, and refuse to consider the other points, which obviously maintain the rule of faith without any infraction of the unity of the Godhead, and with the full admission of the Monarchy. For as in the Old Testament Scriptures they lay hold of nothing else than, I am God, and beside me there is no God; Isaiah 45:5 so in the Gospel they simply keep in view the Lord's answer to Philip, I and my Father are one; John 10:30 and, He that has seen me has seen the Father; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me. John 14:9-10 They would have the entire revelation of both Testaments yield to these three passages, whereas the only proper course is to understand the few statements in the light of the many. But in their contention they only act on the principle of all heretics. For, inasmuch as only a few testimonies are to be found (making for them) in the general mass, they pertinaciously set off the few against the many, and assume the later against the earlier. The rule, however, which has been from the beginning established for every case, gives its prescription against the later assumptions, as indeed it also does against the fewer." (https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0317.htm)

Tertullian is specifically addressing how to interpret obscure passages of the Bible here. Rather than appealing to some infallible Roman magisterium, he directs us to look at the clearer passages of Scripture in order to ascertain the meaning of more obscure ones. 

On the Flesh of Christ, Chapter 6

"Since, therefore, it has not been told us whence they obtained their flesh, it remains for us not to doubt in our minds that a property of angelic power is this, to assume to themselves bodily shape out of no material substance. How much more, you say, is it (within their competence to take a body) out of some material substance? That is true enough. But there is no evidence of this, because Scripture says nothing. " (https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0315.htm)

This quotation gives the implication that for Tertullian Scripture was the final arbiter in terms of whether or not a doctrine had "evidence" for it, meaning Scripture was the ultimate regula fide for him. 

Against Hermogenes, Chapter 22

"I revere the fullness of His Scripture, in which He manifests to me both the Creator and the creation. In the gospel, moreover, I discover a Minister and Witness of the Creator, even His Word. John 1:3 But whether all things were made out of any underlying Matter, I have as yet failed anywhere to find. Where such a statement is written, Hermogenes' shop must tell us. If it is nowhere written, then let it fear the woe which impends on all who add to or take away from the written word. Revelation 22:18-19" (https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0313.htm)

On the Resurrection of the Flesh, Chapter 3

"Take away, indeed, from the heretics the wisdom which they share with the heathen, and let them support their inquiries from the Scriptures alone: they will then be unable to keep their ground. " (https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0316.htm)

Against Praxeas, Chapter 18

"Now the Scripture is not in danger of requiring the aid of any one's argument, lest it should seem to be self-contradictory. It has a method of its own, both when it sets forth one only God, and also when it shows that there are Two, Father and Son; and is consistent with itself." (https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0317.htm)

Prescription Against Heretics, Chapter 14

"Well, but they actually treat of the Scriptures and recommend (their opinions) out of the Scriptures! To be sure they do. From what other source could they derive arguments concerning the things of the faith, except from the records of the faith?" (https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0311.htm)

Prescription Against Heretics, Chapter 36

"One Lord God does she [the church of Rome] acknowledge, the Creator of the universe, and Christ Jesus (born) of the Virgin Mary, the Son of God the Creator; and the Resurrection of the flesh; the law and the prophets she unites in one volume with the writings of evangelists and apostles, from which she drinks in her faith. " (https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0311.htm)

Prescription Against Heretics, Chapter 38

"Where diversity of doctrine is found, there, then, must the corruption both of the Scriptures and the expositions thereof be regarded as existing. On those whose purpose it was to teach differently, lay the necessity of differently arranging the instruments of doctrine. They could not possibly have effected their diversity of teaching in any other way than by having a difference in the means whereby they taught. As in their case, corruption in doctrine could not possibly have succeeded without a corruption also of its instruments, so to ourselves also integrity of doctrine could not have accrued, without integrity in those means by which doctrine is managed. " (https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0311.htm)

The Apology, Chapter 20

"To make up for our delay in this, we bring under your notice something of even greater importance; we point to the majesty of our Scriptures, if not to their antiquity. If you doubt that they are as ancient as we say, we offer proof that they are divine. And you may convince yourselves of this at once, and without going very far. Your instructors, the world, and the age, and the event, are all before you. All that is taking place around you was fore-announced; all that you now see with your eye was previously heard by the ear. The swallowing up of cities by the earth; the theft of islands by the sea; wars, bringing external and internal convulsions; the collision of kingdoms with kingdoms; famines and pestilences, and local massacres, and widespread desolating mortalities; the exaltation of the lowly, and the humbling of the proud; the decay of righteousness, the growth of sin, the slackening interest in all good ways; the very seasons and elements going out of their ordinary course, monsters and portents taking the place of nature's forms — it was all foreseen and predicted before it came to pass. While we suffer the calamities, we read of them in the Scriptures; as we examine, they are proved. Well, the truth of a prophecy, I think, is the demonstration of its being from above." (https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0301.htm)

"Scripture was authoritative for Tertullian. Although he did not write commentaries on biblical books, he used Scripture as his primary source material in almost every chapter of every work (the only exception being his apologetic works that were designed for pagan readers). In this, he was no different from most other early Christian writers....The second thing to say about Tertullian’s stated hermeneutic was his belief in the simplicity of Scripture. It could interpret itself, he claimed at one point, and had a method of its own, such that all apparent inconsistency could be explained (Against Praxeas 18.2). Indeed, the principle he put forward was that one text of Scripture must always be interpreted in the light of a greater number of texts (Against Praxeas 20.2), and that later texts must agree with earlier ones (Against Praxeas 20.3), principles with which he did not always conform." (Geoffrey D. Dunn, Early Church Fathers - Tertullian, pgs. 13, 15)

"Tertullian held a high view of Scripture. His grasp of the entire Bible is “astonishing.” For Tertullian, Scripture is the “voice of the Holy Spirit” and therefore “divine.” Since the Holy Spirit was its ultimate author, Scripture carried authority. This authority was more assumed by Tertullian than proven. This indicates that it was generally accepted. Although Tertullian shows himself primarily as a rhetor, in his theological treatises his proof is largely biblical exposition and follows in general the biblical sequence rather than rhetorical topics...The Scriptures were “God’s inspired standard,” but Tertullian placed “our rule and standard of faith” together as one (De an. 2)...The Rule of Faith served as a summary of the apostolic message, of the Christian gospel. Hence, its wording varied as circumstances required...The treatise, De praescriptione, has rightly gained attention because of the novelty of Tertullian’s argument. This, however, has resulted in the neglect of recognizing the premise of the whole discussion, the authority of Scripture. The student of the treatise must remember its polemical purpose and not generalize some of its arguments to represent the whole of Tertullian’s thought on Scripture....It is notable that in De praescriptione when arguing that “heretics” can be refuted without appeal to Scripture, Tertullian actually says a great deal about the authority of Scripture and gives Paul a particularly prominent place in the discussion. Implicit in the thesis of the treatise is the authority of Scripture....Impressive are the statements of the authority of Scripture in De praescriptione. Catholic teaching is in accord with Scripture; there is nothing in the “instruments of doctrine” (instrumenta doctrinae, here the New Testament writings) that “is contrary to us” (i.e., catholic Christians, De prae. haer. 38). From the Scriptures “we have our being” (De prae. haer. 38).33 The heretics acknowledged the authority of Scripture (De prae. haer. 14–15) and indeed could not believe without the Scriptures (De prae. haer. 23)." (Everett Ferguson, "Tertullian, Scripture, Rule of Faith, and Paul" in Todd D. Still, Tertullian and Paul, pgs. 22, 24, 26, 28)