THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
world was created by the good God. He taught a fully developed system of angelic mediation, in which there was a creative angel, a fire angel, an angel who spoke to Moses. The ancient authorities differed as to the number of these beings in his system. Apelles differed also from Marcion in his Christology. Christ did not merely seem to have appeared; in truth he took on flesh, he had real flesh and body. He really appeared in the world, and was truly crucified and truly buried and truly rose again. But Apelles did not accept the virgin birth of Christ, and according to him Christ had a sidereal body. He agreed with Marcion as to the origin of the Old Testament and its unsuitability for Christians, the whole volume being unworthy of credence. He wrote a book to show that whatever Moses had written about God was untrue. He called the story of the ark a fable on the ground that it could not have held more than four elephants. The orthodox party accused him of picking and choosing according to his inclinations, to which he replied by quoting Christ's well-known apochryphal saying " be ye skilful money-changers " (see Agrapha, 5). Altogether his teaching shows a return to Gnosticism. Three other Marcionites appear in early Christian literature, Lucian, Megethius, and Mark. Some of these recognized three principles, a good and evil principle in addition to the demiurge. The only complete account of any late Marcionite system is found in the Armenian writer Eznik. He speaks of three principles, of the creation being due to a just God, while the creation God succeeds in getting it into his power, and then forming an alliance with Adam. Matter by itself produces diabolical creation. This chaotic condition is cured by the supreme God sending his son from heaven. Those who believe on him as he is revealed through Paul are saved. Marcionite communities seem to have been found especially throughout the East, but also in the West. Their ardor in braving persecution was equal to that of the orthodox, and Marcionite martyrs are frequently mentioned in Eusebius. Near Damascus a description of a Marcionite church has been found proving that in the year 318 the Marcionites were allowed to worship freely (P. Le Bas and W. H. Waddington, Inscriptions Grecques, vol. hi. p. 582, no. 2558, Paris, 1870). But a few years later the sect was prohibited by Constantine (Eusebius, Vita, hi. 64). It disappeared earlier in the West than in the East, where it lasted stiU for a number of centuries. Theodoret, for example, claims to have converted 1,000 Marcionites in eight villages (MPG, lxxxv. 1316). They were also numerous in Armenia. Perhaps the Pauhcians (q.v.) originated from the Marcionites. (G. Kruger.)
Bibliography: The principal sources, though indicated in the text, may be stated again here for convenience: Tertullian's " Against Marcion " (the main source), " Prescription againpt Heretics," " On the Flesh of Christ," and " On the Resurrection of the Flesh," all in Eng. transl. in AXF, vol. iii.; Justin Martyr, I., xxvi., lviii.; Irenseus, Harr., I., xxviii., IV., xxxiii. sqq.; Hippolytus, Phihsophumena, VII., xxix.; Epiphanius, Hcer., xlii.; Philaster, Hcer., xlv.; and Esnik, Germ, transl. from the Armenian, by J. M. Schmid, Vienna, 1900, cf. C. F. Neumann, in ZHT, iv (1834).
The subject is treated in most of the works on Gnos-
ticism— consult especially the books by Neander, Baur, Matter, Lipsius, Harnack, Mansel, and King — and in those mentioned in and under Doctrine, History op (q.v.). A monograph is by H. TJ. Meyboom, Marcion en de Marcioniten, Leyden, 1888. Of the highest value is Harnack, Geschichte, i. 191-197, 839-840, ii. 1, pp. 297 sqq., 59l| ii. 2, pp. 537 sqq. et passim, consult index under Marcionites; also his Dogma, i.— iii. passim, consult index; cf. ZWT, xix (1876), 80-120. Other references are a! Lipsius, Quellen der dltesten Ketzergeschichte, Leipsic, 1875; A. Hilgenfeld, Die Ketzergeschichte des V rchristenihums,
2 vols., ib. 1884—86; idem, Cerdon und Marcion, in ZWT, xxiv (1881), 1-37; F. Kattenbusch, Das apostolische Symbol, vol. ii. paBsim, Leipsie, 1900; R. Liechtenhan; Die Offenbarung im Gnosticismus, pp. 34-40, Gottingen, 1901; A. C. McGiffert, The Apostles' Creed, New York, 1902- Schaff, Christian Church, ii. 482 sqq.; Neander, Christian Church, i. 458-473 et passim; Kruger, History, pp. 77- 82; DCB, iii. 816-824.
For Marcion's relation to the canon consult the works cited under Canon of Scripture, especially that of Zahn. Other works pertinent are: A. Hahn, Das Evangelium Marcions in seiner urspriinglichen Gestalt, Konigsberg, 1823; G. Volkmar, Das Evangelium Marcions, Leipsic, 1852; W. Sanday, The Gospels in the Second Century, London, 1876; [W. R. Cassels], Supernatural Religion,
3 vols., 1879. On Apelles consult A. Harnack, De Apel-lis gnosi monarchica, Leipsio, 1874; and TV, vi. 3 (1890), 109-120, xx. 3 (1900), 93-100.
MARCUS: Pope Jan. 18-Oct. 7, 336, successor of Sylvester. According to the Liber pontificalis he was a Roman by birth, the son of Priscus, and was buried in the cemetery of Balbina on the Via Ardeatina. He may have been archdeacon during the pontificate of Melchiades. The Liber pontificalis attributes to him the provision that the pope should be consecrated by the bishop of Ostia, and states that he held two ordinations in Rome in the month of December; but he did not live to see that month. He built two basilicas, and received large gifts from Constantine, of which a list is given in the Liber pontificalis. The Pseudo- Isidore attributes to him a reply to a letter from Athanasius. (A. Harnack.)
Bibliography: Liber pontificalis, ed. T. Mommsen, in UGH,
Gest. pont. Rom., i (1898), 73-74; B. Platina, Lives of the
Popes, i. 75-77, London, n.d.; Bower, Popes, i. 54; DCB,
iii. 825.
MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS: Roman emperor Mar. 7, 161-Mar. 17, 180; b. at Rome Apr. 26, 121; d. probably at Sirmium (260 m. n. of Dyrrhachium, the modern Durazzo) Mar. 17, 180. He was the son of Annius Nerus, who died c. 130, and was adopted and educated by his grandfather, Marcus Annius Verus. As a child he enjoyed the favor of Hadrian, and became versed in philosophy at an early age. In 138 he was adopted by Antoninus Pius, whose daughter he married, apparently in 145, and the year after Antoninus ascended the throne, Marcus Aurelius became consul for the first time. In 146 he received the tribunician power and then became coregent though he did not bear the title imperator. Proposed as the successor of Antoninus, he was autocrator after Mar. 7, 161. He immediately made Lucius Verus coregent and placed him in charge of the Parthian war. He assumed the cognomens of Armeniacus shortly after 163 and Parthicus Maximus and Medicus in 166, the same year in which both emperors seem to have assumed the title pater patriw. In this same year he triumphed over the Parthians,