Alex’s Reviews > Of Patience > Status Update

The last chapter sounds quite good, but didn't he say above that patience can only come from God? But then heathens cannot be patient, or not patient in a bad way. Either their patience is good, or it isn't really patience. I wouldn't call that chapter bad, only a bit problematic.

I am a bit surprised he treats of Job, as I heard Tertullian very rarely quoted the OT, but it's a good chapter.

"Revenge, in the estimation of error, seems a solace of pain; in the estimation of truth, on the contrary, it is convicted of malignity. For what difference is there between provoker and provoked, except that the former is detected as prior in evil-doing, but the latter as posterior?"
Not happ with chapter 10, on revenge. Also, did the Lord not permit Samson his righteous retribution?

If Thessalonians 4:13 does only apply to believers, and if there is no hope for those who are currently in hell, then what will Tertullian tell the relatives and friends of these departed? There would be no aspect of impatience to their lamentations, to be sure.

That's more of a general problem I have with theologians who don't affirm universal reconciliation.

"Let outrageousness be wearied out by your patience. Whatever that blow may be, conjoined with pain and contumely, it shall receive a heavier one from the Lord. You wound that outrageous one more by enduring: for he will be beaten by Him for whose sake you endure."
If he had drawn this in the language of chastisement instead of revenge, it would've been much better. But revenge by pacifism is weak.

Continued:
"And so, if, when suffering from a loss, we feel impatiently, grieving for what is lost from what is not our own, we shall be detected as bordering on covetousness: we seek what is another's when we ill brook losing what is another's."
Very problematic passage. Zacchaeus? Didn't Christ also bless this rich man? Wasn't Salomon rich? And isn't it supporting covetousness if we let the greedy partake of ours?

"Let us not interpret that covetousness as consisting merely in the concupiscence of what is another's: for even what seems ours is another's; for nothing is ours, since all things are God's, whose are we also ourselves."

First chapter starts very well, I only don't like the slightly negative view of humans that he exhibits.