Tertullian, Against Marcion 14

I now turn to his standard proof-texts, the ones he uses to establish his doctrine's character — in effect, Christ's own edict: 'Blessed are the beggars,' for that is what the Greek word demands — 'because the kingdom of God belongs to them.' (Luke 6:20) The very fact that he opens with blessings marks this as the Creator's work; when he brought everything into existence, he consecrated it with nothing but the voice of blessing: 'My heart has uttered a noble word.' (Psalm 45:1) That noble word is precisely a word of blessing, and it is recognized as the New Testament's foundation precisely because it follows the Old Testament's pattern. So why be surprised if he also grounds his teaching in the Creator's own affections, consistently comforting, championing, and vindicating beggars, the poor, the humble, widows, and orphans — as though Christ's peculiar kindness were a mere rivulet flowing from the Savior's own springs? Honestly, I hardly know where to look in this dense thicket of such language; it is like wandering through a forest, a meadow, or an orchard. The material lies scattered everywhere, to be gathered as it falls.

The Psalm cries out: 'Give justice to the orphan and the beggar; treat the humble and the poor fairly. Rescue the poor and the beggar from the hand of the wicked.' (Psalm 82:3-4) Likewise Psalm 71: 'Justice will judge the beggars of the people and save the children of the poor,' and a few verses later, speaking of Christ: 'All nations will serve him' — David ruled only the single Jewish nation, so no one should imagine the prophecy refers to David, even though he too lifted up the humble and those crushed by need — 'he will free the beggar from the oppressor; he will spare the beggar and the poor and save the lives of the poor; from usury and injustice he will redeem their lives, and their name will be honored in his sight.' (Psalm 72:12-14) Again: 'The wicked shall return to Sheol, all nations that forget God, for the beggar will not be forgotten forever; the patience of the poor will not perish in the end.' (Psalm 9:17-18) Again: 'Who is like the Lord our God, who dwells on high yet looks down on the humble in heaven and on earth? He raises the beggar from the dust and lifts the poor from the ash heap, to seat them with princes — with the princes of his people — in his kingdom.' (Psalm 113:5-8) So also, earlier, in the song of Hannah, Samuel's mother, giving glory to God in the Spirit: 'He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to seat them with nobles and make them inherit a throne of glory.' (1 Samuel 2:8) But through Isaiah, how he thunders against the oppressors of the poor! 'What do you mean by burning my vineyard? The plunder of the beggar is in your houses.' (Isaiah 3:14)