Marcion of Sinope
Early Christian theologian who proposed a distinct God of the New Testament.
Marcion of Sinope (c. 85 – c. 160) was an early Christian theologian. He taught that Jesus Christ was sent by a different God than the one who created the world, whom he called the Demiurge—a vengeful deity. Marcion saw himself as a follower of Paul the Apostle, believing Paul was the only true apostle of Jesus. His system of belief is known as Marcionism. He produced the first known collection of New Testament books, a canon.
Early church figures like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian condemned Marcion as a heretic or antichrist, and the church in Rome excommunicated him around 144. His own canon included ten Pauline letters (among them the Epistle to the Laodiceans, but not the Pastoral epistles) and the Gospel of Marcion, which early sources claimed was an edited version of the Gospel of Luke. Some modern scholars, such as Matthias Klinghardt, have suggested Marcion's Gospel might be the oldest, though this is disputed. Marcionism pushed the proto-orthodox Church to define its own New Testament canon in response.
Marcion was born in Pontus (modern-day Turkey), the son of a bishop—likely Philologus of Sinope—according to Epiphanius. Contemporary sources describe him as a mariner or ship-master. Between 135 and 140, he traveled to Rome, joined the church there, and donated 200,000 sesterces. After conflicts with the Roman church, he was excommunicated around 144, and his donation was returned. Irenaeus notes that a teacher named Cerdo, from the Simonians, arrived in Rome under Hyginus and taught that the God of the Law and Prophets was not the Father of Jesus; Marcion and the Gnostic Valentinus were said to be companions in Rome. Epiphanius later claimed Marcion was excommunicated by his father after seducing a virgin, but scholars often see this as a metaphor for corrupting the Church, contradicting reports of his strict sexual conduct. Tertullian wrote that Marcion repented and agreed to reconcile those he led astray, but died before doing so; modern scholars doubt this.
The Marcionite church grew rapidly in Marcion’s lifetime, becoming a major rival to other Christian groups. It survived for centuries after his death. Adolf von Harnack compared him to a second-century Martin Luther.
Studying the Hebrew Bible and early Christian writings, Marcion concluded that Jesus’ teachings clashed with the actions of Yahweh, the belligerent god of the Hebre
- born
- c. 85
- died
- c. 160
- field
- Theology
- nationality
- From Sinope, Pontus (modern-day Turkey)
- known_for
- Founder of Marcionism; published the earliest known New Testament canon
Lore & Background
Marcion was born the son of a bishop in Pontus, likely Philologus of Sinope. He was described as a 'mariner' and a 'ship-master' by contemporaries. Some time between 135 and 140, he traveled to Rome, joined the Roman church, and made a large donation of 200,000 sesterces. Conflicts with the church of Rome arose, and he was excommunicated in 144, his donation being returned. Irenaeus writes that a certain Cerdo taught that the God proclaimed by the Law and the Prophets is not the Father of Jesus Christ, and that Marcion and the Gnostic Valentinus were companions in Rome. Epiphanius later claimed that after beginnings as an ascetic, Marcion seduced a virgin and was excommunicated by his father, though some scholars view this as a metaphor for his corruption of the Church.
Reader's Guide
Marcion's significance lies in his role as a catalyst in the development of the New Testament canon. By publishing his own canon—consisting of a shorter version of the Gospel of Luke and ten Pauline epistles—he forced the proto-orthodox Church to respond and define its own scriptural collection. His ditheistic system, contrasting the vengeful Demiurge of the Old Testament with the compassionate Heavenly Father of Jesus, led early Church writers such as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian to denounce him as a heretic or antichrist. The Marcionite church expanded greatly within his lifetime and survived for several centuries. Some contemporary scholars, such as Matthias Klinghardt, have theorized that Marcion's Gospel was the oldest, though this is contested. Marcion is sometimes described as a Gnostic, but his views—such as the utter alienness of the Heavenly Father and the absence of a divine spark in humans—differ from broader Gnostic thought.
Did You Know?
- Marcion published the earliest known canon of New Testament books.
- He was excommunicated by the church of Rome around 144, and his donation of 200,000 sesterces was returned to him.
- His canon included ten Pauline epistles and a shorter version of the Gospel of Luke, but excluded the Pastoral epistles and elements of Jesus's birth and childhood.
- Some scholars view the story of Marcion seducing a virgin as a metaphor for his corruption of the Christian Church.
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