I have heard and seen multiple references that Christians are largely either Deists or Gnostics, and the reasoning behind each is quite substantial. The newest entry on the epithet list comes from Bill Muehlenberg in Culture Watch—Marcionite. He aptly describes the problem with this second-century bishop who was soundly denounced by Tertullian. In a nutshell, Marcion tried to pit the God described in the Old Testament with that described in the New Testament, so much so, that he rejected the O.T. as little more than a necessary evil—a precursor to get the important work of Paul's proclamation of Christ on the stage.
Muehlenberg identifies themes of this movement working within Christianity today, particularly in the emergent sector. Rather than re-posting, I recommend reading his post.
Muehlenberg identifies themes of this movement working within Christianity today, particularly in the emergent sector. Rather than re-posting, I recommend reading his post.
5 comments:
Much of the modern Christian discussion of Marcion takes the form of a false outrage at his 'antisemitism' -- which is laughable in light of the following facts. What is often forgotten or ignored on purpose is that Tertullian was more antisemitic than Marcion. Marcion, according to Tertullian, didn't believe the OT from the same god as Jesus and didn't therefore believe Jesus was the Jewish Messiah -- yet Marcion also, per Tertullian, believed the Jewish God was still going to send the Jewish Messiah and that he would be the warrior the Jews expected and save them in the way they expected. Marcion, in other words, was somewhat of an ecumenists with the Jews. Tertullian, however, took the position that Jewish interpretation of the OT was wrong, especially their views on the Messiah, and therefore they were not worthy to posses the OT at all. There is a place where old Terty says something like "the books is ours, the church's, and no longer belongs to the Jews for they are unworthy" and so on.
First, I do not care anything about so-called antisemitism by either of these men. I care for the doctrine they taught. Marcion was a blatant false teacher by his pitting the demiurge-like god of the OT with his conception of God in the NT.
Second, your misreading of Tertullian is remarkable. Jewish interpretation of the OT concerning the Messiah was indeed wrong, otherwise they would not have had Jesus killed. Tertullian exposed their great error, and said: "And thus to the present moment they affirm that their Christ is not come, because He is not come in majesty; while they ignore the fact that He was first to come in humility."
I don't understand on what grounds you accuse me of a "misreading of Tertullian." I said Tertullian says the Jews are wrong in their interpretation of the Messiah. You provided a quote that proves he said this. So where is the misreading? If this accusing of misreading is because you doubt that he said that the Jews are unworthy to possess the Old Testament and that it is the exclusive property of the church, keep reading his works and you'll find that in there.
You said: "Marcion was a blatant false teacher by his pitting the demiurge-like god of the OT with his conception of God in the NT." Did you just call the OT God "demiurge-like"? You sound Marcionite.
"Jewish interpretation of the OT concerning the Messiah was indeed wrong, otherwise they would not have had Jesus killed."
I guess the reason why you "do not care anything about so-called antisemitism by either of these men" is because you're an antisemite yourself. In my own estimation both Jewish and Christian interpretations of the Messiah are wrong. All these passages that Christians claim are Messianic prophecies are in fact about DIFFERENT individuals, not one man. Even the passages that the Jews think are about the Messiah are about lots of different individuals, and the word 'Messiah' is not even used in these so-called Messianic prophecies. The idea of there even being a "the Messiah" is simply false -- there were many Messiah's: Saul, David, Solomon..every Israelite king was a Messiah, and even Cyrus the Persian Emperor is described in the OT as a Messiah! This "the Messiah" nonsense as if there was to be only one is pure foolishness.
Perhaps we are using different definitions of antisemite. Concluding that the Jews acted foolishly and agreeing with the apostle Paul that God has now set aside Israel, all for rejecting their promised Messiah, is just being honest and biblical.
As for Marcion, my wording could have been better. Perhaps I should have written: "Marcion was a blatant false teacher in pitting his demiurge-like concept of god in the OT with the God of the NT."
Demiurge just means Creator though. So how is Marcion calling God "demiurge" an insult? Paul uses the term demiurge at least once for God though I forget in which passage. Its not entirely clear that Marcion actually taught two gods or that "there are two gods for the two inatruments or testaments, the Creator for the old and Christ for the new" as Tertullian claims. This could be like when Calvinists say Arminians teach works salvation and Arminians say Calvinist teach predestination by dice roll--neither of them words it the way their opponents accuse them! Rather the opponent accuses the other of teaching what he thinks is the logical ramification of the teaching. As such, Marcion may have quoted from the gospels where Jesus said "No man knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son chooses to reveal him" and argued that therefore in some sense God cannot be truly known or revealed by the OT alone. Tertullian then could have assumed thag the logical ramification of this was a splitting into two gods, one for the OT and one for the NT. We don't really know what Marcion actually said.
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