Marcionism, Marcion of Sinope, Old Testament vs New Testament God, Early church

What Made Marcion Think There Were Two Gods?

Most Christians today have never heard of Marcion of Sinope, but his ideas shook the early church and still echo in modern thinking. Around 140 AD, Marcion asked a question that many have secretly wondered:

“How can the same God who ordered mass killings in the Old Testament be the same God who taught love and forgiveness in the New?”

To Marcion, the answer was simple but radical: They’re not the same God at all.

A Moral Conflict

When Marcion read the Old Testament, he saw a God who:

• Ordered wars and wiped out nations

• Demanded harsh punishments

• Played favorites with Israel

Then he read the words of Jesus:

• Love your enemies

• Forgive 70 times 7

• Bless those who persecute you

To Marcion, the difference was too extreme to explain away. He concluded that the Old Testament God must be a lesser, flawed deity, and that the true God — full of mercy and love — was only revealed by Jesus.

Spirit vs. Matter

Marcion also bought into a common Greek idea: the physical world is corrupt.

So he reasoned:

• If God is perfect, He couldn’t have made this flawed world.

• Therefore, the Creator in Genesis must be a lower being, not the supreme God Jesus came to reveal.

This made him reject the creation story altogether — to him, matter was bad, and spirit was good.

The Apostle Paul: Marcion’s Hero

Out of all the apostles, Marcion believed only Paul really got it. Paul talked about grace, freedom from the law, and salvation apart from works.

Marcion claimed:

• The other apostles (like Peter and James) were still tied to Judaism.

• Paul alone revealed the pure Gospel of the loving Father, not the judgmental god of Moses.

Marcion’s Bible — What He Cut

Marcion was the first person in church history to create a “Bible canon” — but he edited it heavily. His version included:

• An edited Gospel of Luke (no virgin birth, no prophecies, no Jewish references)

• 10 of Paul’s letters, with anything “too Jewish” removed

He completely rejected the Old Testament and any New Testament books that quoted it.

His Legacy

Marcion’s beliefs were so extreme that the early church had to respond decisively. But to understand the debate, we have to admit something:

Marcion was trying to make sense of the Bible’s tensions — especially the difficult parts.

He got the problem right. But his solution? That’s where we’ll go next.

One God, One Story — Why Marcion Was Wrong

Marcion wasn’t wrong to struggle with the Bible’s tension — many still do. But his solution created a deeper problem: it split God in two, as if Jesus came to save us from Yahweh.

The early church rightly said: No. The God of Jesus is the God of Israel. Always has been.

Here’s why.

Jesus Affirms the Old Testament — Fully

Jesus didn’t reject the God of the Old Testament. He quoted Him.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”— Matthew 5:17

Jesus:

• Quoted Genesis, Exodus, Isaiah, and Psalms regularly

• Called God “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” — not a different being

• Taught that Moses wrote of Him (John 5:46)

If the OT God was evil or inferior, Jesus never hinted at it — in fact, He honored Him.

The Apostles Agreed: There Is One God

Paul, Marcion’s supposed champion, clearly affirms the Old Testament:

“All Scripture is God-breathed…” (2 Timothy 3:16) — referring to the Hebrew Scriptures“Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.” — Romans 3:31

Paul saw the Law as holy, just, and good — not perfect for salvation, but perfect in purpose. He didn’t believe in a split between gods. He believed in one unfolding covenant, now fulfilled in Christ.

God's Justice and Mercy Were Always Side-by-Side

The so-called “wrathful” God of the Old Testament:

• Forgave Nineveh, a pagan city, when they repented (Jonah 3)

• Gave Israel 40 years of manna despite constant rebellion

• Called Himself “slow to anger, abounding in love” (Exodus 34:6) — a phrase echoed throughout the Old Testament

And the supposedly “soft” Jesus?

• Called religious leaders whitewashed tombs (Matt. 23)

• Flipped tables in the temple

• Warned of hell more than any other figure in Scripture

The reality is: justice and mercy are both part of God's nature — in both Testaments.

The Bible Is a Unified Story of Redemption

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible tells one consistent story:

• Creation

• Fall

• Covenant

• Redemption

• Restoration

God didn’t change — His plan unfolded.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” — Hebrews 13:8“I the Lord do not change.” — Malachi 3:6

The God who walked in the garden is the same God who walked in Galilee.

Final Thought

Marcion saw a tension between law and grace — but instead of wrestling through it, he chose to divide God.

The church, however, said this:Grace was always the goal.Jesus is not Plan B. He is the fulfillment of Plan A.

Don’t Tear the Story in Half

Marcion wanted a Jesus who was free from the “messy” parts of Scripture. But in doing so, he didn’t elevate Jesus — he hollowed Him out.

You can’t fully understand the cross without the Passover. You can’t grasp the mercy of Christ without the justice of God. You can’t separate Jesus from the God who sent Him.

To follow Jesus is to follow the God of Abraham, the God of Moses, the God of Isaiah — and the God of the empty tomb. One God. One story. One Redeemer.