The idea of an “Old Testament” and “New Testament” comes directly from Marcion of Sinope – who is arguably the first and greatest heretic following the resurrection of Yeshua. His teachings are still widely used today in the modern church, and have greatly increased lawlessness in the Body of Messiah. It is important we understand how this concept has been able to run amok in the Church, so we can unlearn the lies and come back to our First Love (Yeshua).
Yeshua warns us in Matthew 24:11-13 that lawlessness would increase. “And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray; and because of the abounding of the lawlessness, the love of the many shall become cold; but he who endures to the end, he shall be saved;”
I have been reading Andrew Gabriel Roth’s “Kidnapped from God: The Call to Come Home” – an in-depth look at how man has hijacked the original Biblical faith of Yeshua and His apostles, and the true Judeo-Christian history – that has separated us from YHWH. [Highly recommend this book to all who enjoy learning about church history].
On page 155, Roth discusses “the greatest heretic and threat to the true faith – a man named Marcion of Sinope, who lived from about 85-160 CE.”
It was Marcion who coined the term “Old Testament” and “New Testament”. He believed the “God of the Old Testament” was evil and a “God of wrath and judgement”, mandating that the Torah was thereby obsolete. Marcion rejected the “Old Testament God” and pushed a new “New Testament God” who was a “God of grace and love”.
Going even further, Marcion came out with his own Bible, which consisted of a highly redacted Gospel of Luke and 10 letters of Paul. He completely threw out the entire Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), and 16 Renewed (New) Covenant books.
He was so bad that the Roman Catholic Church excommunicated him in 144 CE after Marcion attempted to use his massive wealth to bribe the RCC. That’s saying something!
On one occasion, Marcion met the gentle and humble Polycarp. When they met, Marcion asked Polycarp, “Do you know me”. Polycarp answered, “I do know you, the first-born son of satan.” “Such was the horror which the apostles and their disciples had against even verbal communication with any corrupters of the truth.” – Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 3, paragraph 4, Early Church Fathers, pg 416.
It is clear that Replacement Theology and New Testament supersessionism is a direct teaching from Marcion, who dismissed the Old Testament altogether. While during his time, he was heavily denounced as a heretic, his teachings and legacy have infiltrated modern church theology, leading us further away from YHWH and the one true faith of Yeshua and His apostles.
Marcion’s heresy is rampant in the western church today. How many times have we heard pastors regurgitating that the “Old Testament was done away with”. I grew up with this teaching in a Southern Baptist Church, along with the teaching that there was an “Old Testament God” and a “New Testament God”. When I became reborn three years ago, this alone was the hardest indoctrinated idea that I had to unlearn. YHWH and Yeshua are ONE! We serve a just and patient God, who laid out instructions on how to live righteously (Torah). There are blessings for obeying His commands, and curses for disobeying. (Lev 26, Deut 28) The choice is ultimately ours.
The Bible was never meant to be divided and separated. It’s time to come back to the true Judeo-Christian faith of our Messiah.
Author Courtney Wilhelm
