Mondays are for Church History
4/8/19
Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.
§ 127. Marcion and his School.
Marcion was an important Gnostic teacher. Schaff notes that he was opposed by Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Epiphanius (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18406). Numerous commentators have analyzed Marcion’s work. Marcion was known for a canon which rejected most of the recognized biblical writings (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18409). Schaff describes Marcion as “the most earnest, the most practical, and the most dangerous among the Gnostics, full of energy and zeal for reforming, but restless rough and eccentric” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18415). He rejected the overall harmony of the Scripture so opposed many of the writings. While he claimed Christianity to be true, he found no continuity with the Old Testament.
After being excommunicated by his father, a bishop, Marcion moved to Rome during the period 140-155, where he took up some of the teachings of Cerdo, the Syrian Gnostic (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18423). Before his death he may have been attempting to be restored to communion. He was largely and forcefully rejected by orthodox Christians.
Marcion identified the good God, evil matter, and a world maker who is Jehovah (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18430). Schaff notes this is one of the simpler, and thus more persuasive, of the Gnostic philosophies. Marcion was zealous for the distinction between law and gospel, thus Judaism and Christianity, with, according to him, different gods (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18438). The Old Testament has only justice, while the New Testament has only good. Christ has no relation to the Messiah, and has a mere appearance of a body. Therefore, he did not die. Paul is the only apostle who actually understands the divine wisdom, so the other apostles are rejected (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18446). Marcion recognized only an abridged version of Luke and ten epistles of Paul as authoritative.
Marcion was a strict ascetic, and imposed those same demands on his followers. He removed wine from the eucharist and may have allowed females to conduct baptisms (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18453). They may have engaged in baptisms for the dead as well.
The Marcionites spread and mutated a good deal in their beliefs (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18461). There are some remains of Marcionites as late as the fifth century (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18469).
4/8/19
Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.
§ 127. Marcion and his School.
Marcion was an important Gnostic teacher. Schaff notes that he was opposed by Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Epiphanius (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18406). Numerous commentators have analyzed Marcion’s work. Marcion was known for a canon which rejected most of the recognized biblical writings (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18409). Schaff describes Marcion as “the most earnest, the most practical, and the most dangerous among the Gnostics, full of energy and zeal for reforming, but restless rough and eccentric” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18415). He rejected the overall harmony of the Scripture so opposed many of the writings. While he claimed Christianity to be true, he found no continuity with the Old Testament.
After being excommunicated by his father, a bishop, Marcion moved to Rome during the period 140-155, where he took up some of the teachings of Cerdo, the Syrian Gnostic (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18423). Before his death he may have been attempting to be restored to communion. He was largely and forcefully rejected by orthodox Christians.
Marcion identified the good God, evil matter, and a world maker who is Jehovah (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18430). Schaff notes this is one of the simpler, and thus more persuasive, of the Gnostic philosophies. Marcion was zealous for the distinction between law and gospel, thus Judaism and Christianity, with, according to him, different gods (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18438). The Old Testament has only justice, while the New Testament has only good. Christ has no relation to the Messiah, and has a mere appearance of a body. Therefore, he did not die. Paul is the only apostle who actually understands the divine wisdom, so the other apostles are rejected (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18446). Marcion recognized only an abridged version of Luke and ten epistles of Paul as authoritative.
Marcion was a strict ascetic, and imposed those same demands on his followers. He removed wine from the eucharist and may have allowed females to conduct baptisms (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18453). They may have engaged in baptisms for the dead as well.
The Marcionites spread and mutated a good deal in their beliefs (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18461). There are some remains of Marcionites as late as the fifth century (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18469).
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