100 Reasons to Believe New Testament History
70. Marcion (A.D. 85 –160)
Marcion is described by some as a second century “Christian reformer”, though the term Christian must be used loosely here. Though Marcion believed in the historical reality of Jesus, his Gnostic teachings denied his physical, human nature A. Because of his decidedly anti-Jewish views, Marcion only accepted some of the Pauline epistles, and rejected all but a doctored up version of Luke’s Gospel. Around 140 A.D., he set forth the first official list of New Testament books, which he deemed authoritive B. The mainstream church responded with numerous detailed written works against Marcion’s views, while providing convincing defences for their own beliefs c.
Though Marcion could rightly be called a heretic, his place in the history of the early Christian church is important. The response from the early church to his beliefs was an official ratification of what the church already believed, namely, which writings were considered inspired and authoritive D. Many of the numerous written defences for the faith, which were produced in response to Marcion’s views, are still extant today. These documents illustrate that the doctrines held to by those that could defend their faith convincingly, have not been lost to history.
70. Marcion Notes and References
A. H. Dermot McDonald, “Marcion”, article in the “Eerdmans’ Handbook to the History of Christianity”, Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987 reprint, pp. 102-103
B. “Marcion is generally believed to have published the first formal canon-list about AD 140. It consisted of the expurgated Gospel of Luke and ten of Paul’s letters (but not the Patoral letters).” “Eerdmans’ Handbook to the History of Christianity”, Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987 reprint, p.105
C. “In order to support the church’s claim that it and not Marcion or the Gnostics represented the unbroken line of Jesus’ authority, leaders of the church attempted to demonstrate that its own bishops were successors to Christ’s Apostles. The churches in Rome, Ephesus, and Antioch, for example, produced records that confirmed that they were founded by Apostles.” “After Jesus: The Triumph of Christianity”, Readers Digest Association, 1992, p. 134
“The Gnostics soon began to appeal to a succession of teachers traced back to the apostles (normally Philip, Thomas and Matthew) to whom, they claimed, Jesus entrusted secret wisdom before he ascended. Their views were countered by stressing the continuity of the open teaching (for instance, The Rule of Faith) and teachers (bishops or presbyters) from the time when the apostles founded the churches. The argument was first outlined by Hegesippus. He travelled from Palestine to Rome in the mid-second century, associated with numerous bishops, and heard the same teaching from all. ‘In every succession and city what the law and the prophets and the Lord preached is faithfully followed.’” “Eerdmans’ Handbook to the History of Christianity”, Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987 reprint, p.118
“Polycarp not only was instructed by apostles and conversed with many who had seen the Lord, but also was appointed by apostles in Asia as Bishop of Smyrna. I also saw him in my childhood, for he lived a long time and passed away in extreme old age in glorious martyrdom. He continually taught the things he learned from the apostles, the traditions of the church that are alone are true. These facts are confirmed by all the churches of Asia and the successors of Polycarp to this day, and he is a much more reliable witness to the truth than Valentinus, Marcion, and all other errorists.” Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, “Against Heresies”3.3. Irenaeus goes on to describe a face-to-face meeting between Polycarp and Marcion in which Polycarp referred to him as “the firstborn of Satan!” “Now the church at Ephesus was founded by Paul, but John resided there until Trajan’s time, and is a true witness of the apostolic tradition.” Irenaeus Against Heresies, 2.33.
D. “During this period a standard canon was beginning to develop, however, and most scholars agree that it was Marcion who provided some of the impetus for it.” “After Jesus: The Triumph of Christianity”, Readers Digest Association, 1992, p. 132