There is a text 'Antithesis Marcion' by US Pastor Dr Carroll Bierbower,
maybe the one modern text on Marcion that is worth reading. (Ok, this one isn't bad) In its 18 pages, we
can find Wisdom. Here are some excerpts.
1. Deleting the
Names of God
As regards the monster hoax imposture of concealing the names of
God -just deleting them, right though the Bible! - it's just 'The Lord' - "Jehovah revealed himself to Moses as follows: “I am Jehovah: I
appeared to Abraham, unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty, but
by my name Jehovah I was not known to them”. (Exodus 6:3 ASV) Later
translators avoid rendering the proper translation of the Hebrew YHWH;
they use LORD instead of Jehovah.
Why did the translators fail to properly translate YHWH? The answer is
simple; they wanted the Bible to show no difference between the Lord in the Old
Testament and the Lord in the New Testament. This intentional improper
translation has been very successful in accomplishing their purpose as it has
steered most Christians into believing the Hebrew god Jehovah to be the
Heavenly Father, the God of Jesus."
2. Popularity of
Marcion
“Even before Marcion and the great Gnostic theologians appeared upon the
scene, there were apparently many Christians who declined to accept the God of
the Jews. (The God of The Early Christians, page 67, by Arthur C. McGiffert
1924) This could account for the widely acceptance of Marcion’s non-Judaic
Gospel by the Gentiles, as they resisted accepting the vindictive jealous
Hebrew god to be the God of Jesus.
“As Marcion saw it, the God of the Old Covenant was merciless, stern and
cruel, full of passion, fanaticism, wrath, partisanship, pettiness. His justice
was purely formalistic: an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. His self-
contradictions and weaknesses, his vacillations and his morality questionable
commandments had to be rejected. Marcion’s criticism culminated in his
demonstration that the Old Testament God had been an instigator of wars, a
breaker of promises, and a master of malice. Marcion regarded him as an enemy.”
(Heretics by Walter Nigg, p. 63)
“Already around the Year 150, Justin says that the Marcion teaching has
spread to the whole human race and they placed great value in being called
Chrestians. Tertullian states: Marcion’s heretical tradition has filled the
whole world.” (Apol.26.5-6) Orthodoxy
& Heresy in earliest Christianity by Walter Bauer.) (Jesus was first called
the Chrestos, the Greek for the benevolent one. This was later changed to the
Greek Christos, the anointed one, to make Jesus the Messiah)
3. Conflict -
The number of Marcion’s converts, who called themselves Chrestians had
become so great it caused the politically powerful bishops in the Roman Church to
become very angry. They vigorously defended their pro-Jewish brand of
Christianity, maintaining Jehovah was the Heavenly Father and called
Marcion a heretic. This conflict grew into one of the greatest divisions among
Christians in recorded history, proportionately as great as the Reformation.
This historical event is unknown to most Christians.
4. First Bible
The evangelist Marcion compiled the very first New Testament canon about
142-144 A.D. It contained but one Gospel, called ‘The Gospel of the Lord’ and
the then known writings of Paul. These were Romans,1 & 2 and Corinthians,
Galatians, Ephesians (called Laodiceans), Philippians, Colossians, 1st
Thessalonians and Philemon. The Marcion canon did not contain 1st &
2nd Timothy, Titus or Hebrews. These writings never appeared until
about mid-second century, about seventy or more years after Paul’s death.
5. Before Luke
“The Marcion Gospel, the Protevangelion and The Gospel of the Infancy
were all written before Luke. Jerome (400 A.D.) had a good reason to say, the
gospel of Luke could not have been written before 160 A.D.” (History of the
Christian Religion by Charles Waite)
6. Counter-Attack
To counter Marcion’s work; the ‘orthodox fathers’ launched their attack
on him by organizing into what they called the ‘Universal’ (Catholic)
Church. To further their cause against Marcion they came up with 1s Timothy,
and credited it to Paul. With a stroke of the pen they had the Apostle Paul
refuting Marcion’s teaching. It is interesting to note, this epistle uses the
word ‘antithesis’ that is found in no
Christian writings prior to those by Marcion. We find in 1st Timothy,
“O Timothy, keep that which is committed
to your trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and contradictions (antitheses)
of what is falsely called knowledge (Gnosis).”(1stTim.6:20) This
statement and nearly all of the doctorial statements mentioned in 1s Timothy
identifies this epistle to the Marcion controversy of the second century.
7. Popularity
The evangelist Marcion was not a Gnostic as claimed by his enemies, but
he was a well-educated evangelist engaged in evangelizing the Gentiles in the
Roman controlled countries, especially those bordering the Mediterranean. He
brought more converts to Christianity than any other preacher during the second
century.
Scholars have tried to Reconstruct Marcion - The christian apologists
destroyed Marcion's works, as they could not refute them. Eg - We read something very interesting from 1 Kings.
I saw Jehovah sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him, on His right and on his is left. And Jehovah said, ‘who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he might fall in Gilead? So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. Then a spirit came forward and stood before Jehovah and said, ‘I will persuade him: Jehovah said in what way? So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets’, and He said, ‘You shall persuade him and prevail, go and do so.
This passage goes on to say, “Jehovah hath put a lying spirit in the
mouth of all these prophets” to accomplish the murder of King Ahab. (1st
Kings 22:22,23 & 40 ASV) This is a very detailed account of how Jehovah and
his council, the ‘Principalities and Powers’, got together and plotted the
death of King Ahab. This passage resembles a mafia gang as they devise some
evil plan to murder a victim. The antithesis here is; Jehovah is a murderer but
Jesus came to save lives not to destroy them. (Luke 9:56)
9. Tactics of the
Archfiend
Jehovah sent his death-angel out among the
Egyptians and killed all of their firstborn including infants and children.
(Exodus 11:5&6, 12:29&30) Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to
come unto me, and forbid them not, for such is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew
19:14) Jehovah killed children but Jesus loved children. Every year the Jews
celebrate with great joy Jehovah’s murder of these children. This is called
“The Passover”.
Jehovah hardened Pharaoh’s heart so he would
not let the Israelites go. This was so he could inflict great suffering upon
the Egyptian people. (Exodus 4:21 & 9:12) Jehovah loved to see the people
he hated suffer. “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh, Jehovah shall
have them in derision. (Ps. 2:4 ASV) But when Jesus saw the sicknesses and
sufferings of people, “He was moved with compassion for them, (Matthew 9:36) While
Jehovah laughs at them.
While Jeremiah was praying to Jehovah, he
called him a deceiver, because he ‘deceived the people and Jerusalem.’ (Jer.4:10)
“I am Jehovah. And if the prophet be deceived - - I Jehovah have deceived that
prophet.” (Ezek.14:9 ASV) Jehovah deceived his prophets; in contrast Jesus said
of the Father, “Thy word is truth”.
The Israelites spoke against
Jehovah and Moses, “and Jehovah sent fiery serpents among the people, and they
bit the people: many of the people died.” (Numbers 21:6 ASV) Jehovah wasa
murderer! “The Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives,but to save
them”. (Luke (9:56)
Jehovah’s commandment was,“Thou shalt not steal,” Yet He had the
Israelites steal gold, silver and clothing from the Egyptians. (Exodus
11:2&3) The same god who said, “Thou shalt not bear false witness” lied to
his prophets and deceived his people. (Jer.4:10) Jehovah told Moses to take
vengeance on the Midianites. The Israeli army then massacred them by killing
all of the men and the women that had known a man. The soldiers were rewarded
with,“Keep the virgins for your own use”. (Num.31:16)This same god who said,
“Thou shall not commit adultery”,(Exodus 20:14) rewarded the Israeli soldiers
by giving them all of their captive virgins for their own use! (Numbers 31:7,
17&18) Both of these commands came from the same god, Jehovah.
Jehovah afflicted people with leprosy (Numbers 12:10) but Jesus cured
ten lepers. (Luke 17:12&15)
At Elijah’s command, an angel of Jehovah brought fire down from heaven
and consumed two captains and a hundred men while they pled for mercy. (2ndKings
1:13&14) When the Samarians offended James and John, they asked Jesus about
calling fire to come down and consume them as Elijah did. Jesus rebuked them
saying, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of . – I did not come to
destroy men’s lives but to save them”. Jehovah’s fire burned to death 102 men
without mercy. Jesus told them “You know not what manner of spirit you
are of.” (Luke 9:54) Jehovah’s spirit was to kill, but the spirit of
Jesus is “to save men’s lives.” Jehovah’s spirit was to kill and destroy all of
whom he disliked.
10. No Change in God of Horror
Some say
Jehovah changed as the Old Testament progressed. However the last book in the
Old Testament shows he never changed. “I am Jehovah and I change not.” (Mal.3:6
ASV) For further proof of the evil mind of Jehovah, he said to the priests, “If
you will not take it to heart, to give glory to my name, I will send a curse
upon you, I will rebuke your decedents and spread dung in your faces”. (Malachi 2:2&3) Jehovah’s threat to these priests displays
his evil vulgar mind has no resemblance to mind of the Heavenly Father or
Jesus.
Comment by Seymour Light: this threat, made to those who refused to
glorify him, reminds us of the conclusion of Isaiah - its last chapter closes
with the curse, that those who refuse to glorify this frightful god will die and their bodies
will be eaten by worms eternally!
11. An Egoistical god
I
am Jehovah, that is my name; and my glory I will not give to another” (Isaiah
42:8 ASV) Jesus praying to God the Father said, “And now O Father, glorify Thou
Me with the glory I had withThee before the world was”.(John 17:5) “And the
glory which you gave me.” (John 17:22) Jealous Jehovah (Exodus 34:14) will not give his glory to
another, but the Heavenly Father gave
His glory to Jesus. (John 17:5)
12. Not the Same God
According to Jesus, the Heavenly Father was not
known in the world until He revealed Him. He told the Jews, “It is my Father who
honors Me, of whom you say He is your God. Yet you have not known Him”. (John
8:54) Jesus once and for all confirms to the Pharisees, the Heavenly Father was not the God of their
religion neither was He known in the Old Testament. He was not known until
Jesus revealed Him. (Matthew 11:27)
13. The 'Ruler of this World'?
Jesus had more to say about the ruler of the world:
“Now is the judgment of this world; now
the ruler of this world (age) is cast out.” (John 12:31) And again, “ for the
ruler of this world (age) is coming, and
he has nothing in Me.” (John 14:30) Please note: I am very much aware of the
common spin on the “ruler of this world (age)” and “the god of this world”.
Most Bible scholars jump to the conclusion these passages have reverence to the
devil as being the god of this world, this has a real problem. How can
Christians have two gods and be Monotheists? The Bible never says the devil is
a god or that he is ruler of this world. The world to which Jesus and Paul were
addressing was the Jewish world of which Jehovah was the Prince and Ruler. The
devil could not have offered the kingdoms of Jehovah’s world to Jesus unless
Jehovah gave him the authority. See Job 1:7-12 ASV)
14. Early
Church views
Paul told the
Christians at Galatia who had backslid into Judaism, they were deceived, foolish, bewitched, and had become
“estranged from Christ and had fallen from grace”.(Gal .3:1- 173&5:4) He
also referred to Judaism as rubbish.(Phil.3:8) He told the Corinthians, reading the Old Testament and the
writings ofMoses would veil (blindfold) the heart to Christ.(2ndCor. 3:12–15) From
all indications Paul was the only Apostle who rejected any part of Judaism to
be incorporated into the Jesus Movement. Barnabas A.D.130, Basilides A.D 125,
Cerdon 140 A.D. and Marcion A.D.120-150 along with the Gnostic Christians all
followed Paul’s view of the Old Testament, that it is not Christian! “The early
Christian movement did not require the acceptanceof the Jewish god as the God
of Jesus.” (The God of the early Christians, McGiffert) The Gentile Christians thought it not logical to accept the jealous and
warlike Hebrew tribal god to be their God.
If Jehovah were a man in our society
committing the evil crimes the Bible records of him, he would either be in a
mental institution or locked up in prison.
Yet, in sincere ignorance, Christians worship him as the God of love and
peace, singing “Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah,” really believing they are
worshipping the Heavenly Father!
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