Marcion, a second century bishop, believed that there were two Gods to be found in the Bible. In his work, Antitheses (c. 150 A. D.), he set forth many examples in which he compared Old Testament sayings about God and New Testament sayings about God. From these various examples Marcion concluded that the God of the Old Testament, the "Creator God" was harsh, judicial, and distant from humankind. On the other hand, the God of the New Testament, the "Supreme God," was kind, gentle, and in touch with the needs of human beings.
Though Marcion was considered a heretic by the early Christian church, his thoughts still live on in Christianity today. Ask any random Christian on the street and you will likely hear that God is harsher and more distant and judgmental in the Old Testament than in the New Testament. Though all Christians believe in one God, and that Jesus is the human incarnation of God, many will be hard-pressed to find evidence in the Bible that contradicts Marcion's ideas.
What do you think? Do you think God is portrayed differently in the Old Testament than in the New Testament? If so, how? Can you back up your thoughts with evidence from the Bible?
42 comments:
I feel that there are different sides of God portrayed in different parts of the Bible, but I don't agree that there are two Gods in the Bible. God is our Heavenly Father, and I find it easier to understand when looking at it from a parent stand point. A parent wears many different hats(plays different roles), in raising a child. A parent is to be the comforter, provider, nurturer, shoulder to cry on, friend and playmate to a their child. But there's more to that parent than just the fun and loving side. The parent also has to be the authority, the one who says "no" even when the child doesn't want to hear it, the one who gives the spankens and what ever other consequences that are needed. The parent has to teach the child right from wrong as well as the fact that there are consequences to their behaviors. Like a parent, God also wears different hats for us as His children. I believe that children view their parents as having different sides to them, but that doesn't mean that there are two of each parent. And it doesn't mean that that particular parent doesn't love that child. This same concept applies in regards to God.
I also agree that god is portrayed differently in the old and new testaments, but there is only one god. In the old testament it talked more about god as the creator and making people realize who much they needed to follow him. The new testament talked about god, but his teachings seem to come through his son, Jesus. However, in general I believe thre is only one God his way of thinking may have just changed over time. People change and so can God!
As far as how I "think" of God, I try not to complicate things. Therefore I believe there's only one God, however I understand how it could be argued that there are two Gods. My knowledge of the bible is admittedly limited, but I don't think it's too far fetched to argue God was simply acting more stern in the OT because it was required. The earth and everything in it was new and untainted, therefore rules and guidelines were needed to keep some sort of order. Where as in the NT when things were "running smoothly" it was acceptable for God to be understanding and simpathetic to the needs of humans, whether it be through Jesus, visisons, etc.
I think that Marcion did have a point with where he was going when he said there were two different Gods. Yes I do think that God is portrayed different in the two testaments, although it is the same God. God in the Old testament was more judgemental and destructive. He was the law and people feared him. As opposed to God in the New testament more loving and a provider (provided people with a savior).
I agree with Marcion because first of all in the OT, especially in exodus on, God is very much of a warrior. Exodus 14:25 says that god clogged their (egyptians) chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. the Egyptians say "let us flee from the israelites, for the LORD is fighting for them against us.
In the NT god is portrayed through Jesus and Jesus healed the sick cured the diseased and protected the outcasts. That does not sound quite vengful to me. God sounds like a nice guy in the NT
I think Marcion could be right. Although i dont think that there are two different Gods. When God in the OT is identified as harsh and mean, i think it is because not many people understood him, or what he was about. When Jesus was alive to talk about God and the things God wanted, people seen God as kind and gentle, because Jesus was such a nice person and did many maricles for the good of mankind in the NT days.
Lidtke5
The God of the Old Testament does seem harsher, more judgemental. However in his judgement of mankind he remains loving, if he wasn't interested in mankind why would he be judging them; He must only want what is good for them. Maybe the God of the New Testament is portrayed in a better light because He sent the Savior, and it was a relief to those writing the New Testament, they were no longer waiting for the deliverer as those in the Old Testament had been, He had come and they were praising Him.
I think the point that Marcion made was a really interesting idea. It does really seem like God in the Old Testament is different from God in the New Testament but that doesn't mean there are two different Gods. It makes sense that God wouldn't always be portrayed the same though because so many people contributed to the Bible. You can't expect the Bible to be completely consistant with that many different perspectives. And besides that, why cant God have a couple different sides? We all have different sides to our personalities so why can't God be seen in different ways? Just because sometimes he is harsh and sometimes he is gentle it doesn't mean there are two different types of God.
Yes Christians believe in one God, but we also believe in God as a trinity / God. father son and holy spirit. We dont exactly understand how this works but who are we to question God. Maybe God the father was the old testaments God, waring and harsh. Then Jesus (God the son) who has experienced humanity is now being the most influential. Marcion believed two Gods could be found in the bible, and he showed it. maybe he would have been more accepted in todays world, with our knowledge and acceptance of the trinity or maybe God felt he was being mean and changed. I'll ask him if i ever see him...
What do we really know about God other then what we are told or what we are read? If you leave it up to old sayings then maybe you will never find the answer. God is a superior being, and has to make judgement on everyone. I am sure that God is harsh when he needs to be, but remember in that day and age the people didnt have jesus come to them, and the new testament writes what he said and did. It is all about interpretation,don't you think?
I think my buddy CK has a great point. Yes i do think that God is portrayed as a stricter being in the Old Testament opposed to the New. I too beleieve that this might be because he had not yet brought Jesus into the picture. I think God might have been a little more frustrated in the Old Testament because his words might not have been absorbed the way he wanted them to. Once he had Jesus, it was a way for him to spread his word in a way that the people could better relate to. I think when he saw the impact that Jesus made on the world, he could not help but be a little happier about things. At least thats what i think... Am i completely alone on this?
I don't think that there are two Gods. However, I do think that God is portrayed differently in the Old Testament than in the New Testament. However, I think that is because the New Testament talks mostly about Jesus and His task on earth, rather than God and His commandments and punishments to the people in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, God is more forgiving because He sent Jesus to save the World. In the Old Testament, God had to speak to the people and teach them right and wrong. With Jesus in the New Testament, God does not have to do that anymore. He gets to be more laid back and let Jesus do what needs to be done. Just because God has a different personality in the two testaments, doesn't make His two different people. There is only one God who is portrayed many different ways, but never the less only one of Him.
I really do not know. I guess I dont think it would make sense to have two different Gods. A person is never really going to know what God looks like. We will someday. We all have our envisions of what God looks like. In some cases he may look like who we admire the most in our lives. We may make God appear or make him look like someone in our lives who we feel safe with or comfortable. I guess again I think it is what the person believes. One day, we are all going to find out. I guess we may never really know while we are alive.
Also all we really know is what people have told us. What the Bible says. God does seem to be harsher, but maybe he changed. People do change. We all change in some kind of way. Maybe he realized love was the answer and not hate. I guess I really do not know!!
people have always thought that God was different but God dealt with large people groups in old testament just like in the new testament. Yes there were alot of wars and destruciton in the old testament and in the new testament he talked about love so alot of people think he is a mean judge in the old testament. But if you really study you come to find out that he isnt any different. It says in Hebrews 13:8 " Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." He is the same God. He doesnt change. In psalms its says they were in the temple thinking about his loving kindness and you see other instances where he is kind. For instance he could have wiped out nineveh because they were godless people but he sent jonah to preach to them. Jonah didnt want to but he ended up going and the city repented from there sins and God worked in their lives. That was God's mercy. So God has not change from old testament to the new.
The only thing that I question is what do we really know about god. we really dont know much just what we read in the bible. So how can we say there is two gods if we really dont know what one is like, because in the bible we really dont get just one discription of god. So I guess that I can agree with these or disagree with this.
Well in the Bible it says that God is a loving god but also a very strict God. Just because he is both strict and loving doesnt mean that he is two differnt people. I agree with the comment on the top its kind of like a parent. There is only one God. It never says this God is a differnt God, just different things about Him.
I think there is only one God, but it may appear that there is more than one in the Bible because of the way he changes. It is said that we are all created in God's image and people change over time, so why can't God? Perhaps God was more harsh in the Old Testament because he wanted everyone and everything to be just like him; however, he could have realized that that might not have been possible so he changed during the time of the New Testament.
I think that Marcion had a good point, but to say there were two Gods seems too farfetched. I also believe that God was a lot more strict and harsher in the old testament. He flooded the world, killing almost everyone and everything, and there were numerous conversations between him and another person talking about destroying a city, or town. I can't explain exactly why he changed, but i'm sure glad he did!
I think that God is portrayed differently in the Old testament that in the new testament for a couple of reasons. One in the Old Testament it really shows God's power creating things, and freeing people from the Egyptions, etc. I believe that there wasn't a personal connection with God back then because it was impossible. You have to remember that before Jesus died on the cross you would have to go through the priest to even talk with God! So of course he's going to be portrayed as distant, and not as human because it was impossible at the time. When Jesus came not only was God in the human form, but no longer did we have to go to the high priest to talk to our Lord.
I believe in one God as do most of the above posts. The difference in the views of God simply comes from the fact that they were written by different people at different times. They viewed God differently between the new and old testaments just as we have different views of Him today. It is a culture thing more so, and I feel as if there is only one God.
Yeah
I agree with majority of the responses to how God is portrayed differently in the New and Old Testaments. Two different perspectives of God, however, does not entirely support the idea of there being only one God. In the Bible I believe God is both authoritative and caring. However, I can understand people who think there to be more than one God simply because of the different Bible interpretations.
In the old and new testaments god is portrayed as two seperate people. In the old, god himself goes around and preaches to his people and tells them to spread the word of the lord. In the new testament Jesus is the onw who spreads the word of God to people. In all actuallity between both the new and old, there is onlt one god.
At first when I read this blog, I didn’t know what to think for sure since I have never heard of the Bible having two Gods. Even though I haven’t read the Bible very much, from what I have read I think there is only 1 God that Christians believe in. When I read liv4him’s comment, it really put the whole thing together when they related it to parents and how they love their children no matter what, but sometimes have to punish them too. I can definitely see that relating to God and what is written about him in the Bible.
just as a human has different qualities, so does God. He can create and destroy, he can comfort and judge. It is interesting to me that people want to argue the fact of God being portrayed as two different people, how can he "create" right by our side? Would he not have to be a bit disant to oversee his work? I don't think that descibing God as two separate Gods would be accurate, but having different qualities and those qualities being descibed and shown at different times is accurate.
I believe god is portrayed different in the Old Testament as a less merciful god then in the New Testament. The chapter of John shows you the reader how Jesus handles situations in my personal interpretation has it always been that god has learned from his son. Jesus talks about many analogies and many relations to different objects. One would be the chapter of John we read with the branches thrown into the fire if you don’t have a foundation of understanding. That's partly why I believe that when you die Jesus cleanses you in a way for god to receive your soul, if you believe in Jesus and obey the teachings you'll be saved. These are my beliefs and interpretations, thank you.
-James Postels
God is portrayed differently in the old and new testaments. But this does not mean that it is 2 different gods, both were written by different people that will put their own beliefs and views forth. No matter which you read between the old and the new you will find that there is only 1 God.
In the Old Testament, God is portrayed much differently than in the New Testament. He is an all fearing God it seems to be. People were extremly afraid of God. He used to smite people down because they sinned. When a group was carrying the chest that had the 10 Commandments the chest began to fall and one of the men helping lead the pack reached out his hand to steady the chest. He talked to God, but since the chest was holy and he was not, God smited him down, and he died right then and there. And, this is why people in those days were so afraid of God. In the New Testament God is a loving God, who doesn't smite any one down at all. He forgives very easily.
To me yes there is a difference between the two and i think that one of the main reasons is that in the new testament he had jesus to speak through and show his power through. In the old testiment he had to do this his own way and make himself more feered god. to get people to believe and understand that he was all powerful. But there are the same God he just acts a little different.
Maybe it's not God that is portrayed so much differently, but that Jesus is introduced in the New Testament. It seems to me that in the OT people sinned like those of the NT, but they sacrificed with things like sheep, etc., because of their sin. In the NT they still sin the same or just as much almost but they have Jesus to forgive their sins. Even though the thought of him dying for us on the cross can be gruesome-asking for forgiveness can be a lot less dramatic and harsh as compared to for example: killing animals, etc. to compensate for sin. I think God is portrayed as loving in both the OT and the NT. For one- he kept the prophesy of sending his son to die for us. Also-he delivered the Israelites from Egypt. He helped his followers in the OT conquer tribes, etc. He really took care of His people in the OT. It's the same as in the NT-God sent his son to die for us & b/c of that *John 3:16-we know he's a loving God and just as loving as in the OT. God doesn't change- we do:). So- I don't think God is portrayed any differently in the OT as compared to the NT. It's just different people and different circumstances-but God's love is there in both.
I agree with Hannah that God, just like humans has different qualities. Depending on the situation, that determines which qualities are going to come out in someone. Any one person can be portrayed as two different people, I'm sure a lot of us don't act around our parents, how we act around our friends. Also, just like the rest of the Bible, it is what you make of it. There are so many controversies of the Bible that it's hard to decide yes or no on many different topics. People of all different types could read the Bible and each one of them is more than likely going to come out of it with a different interpretation of it from everyone else. I don't think that there were two different Gods but God showed his different qualities at different times in history.
God is someone we can NEVER understand as humans. No matter how wise one can get, such as King Solomon, we may still never understand understand Christ to the fullest.
God is unchanging...He is the alpha and omega. One can say that He is a God of wrath, but that does not mean He isn't in the NT. Through time, the people have changed, and made it seem as if God has changed as well, but that's not the case...God is the Same Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow...in the OT, the people of God were stubborn, and didn't follow what God wanted, and in the NT, it is more focus on Jesus the New Covenant, and of all of these bad things, One can still ask for forgiveness, and be saved by His faithfulness and Grace.
Yes, I think God was more harsh in the old testament. He killed many people because many people didn't believing in him, or complaining. I think God became better in the new testament is because of the crucifixion of Jesus. After Jesus was crucified, many more people started believing in. Another reason why God sounded so harsh was because of the writers. The people who wrote the old testament, lived in a worse time. Since those people were miserable, they wrote about God in a bad way.
I believe that there is only one God in the Bible. Even though God is portrayed far differently in the old testament from the new testament. In the new testament God is very kind and loving, and in the old testament it seems like God wants to destroy everything. I have grown up around the Bible and going to church, but I am not good at remembering what I learned. This means that i can not give any evidence that backs up my answer.
I beleive there is only one God. People make the mistake of trying to understand or analyze God, which is not possible. The other thing is, i believe that everything in the Bible is written for a specific reason and that there is a hidden meaning in it that we cannot understand without the Holy Spirit allowing us. Therefore, instead of focusing on Gods behavior in the OT and the NT i think why these things happened and the lessons in them is more important.
God does not change, we do.
I beleive there is only one God. People make the mistake of trying to understand or analyze God, which is not possible. The other thing is, i believe that everything in the Bible is written for a specific reason and that there is a hidden meaning in it that we cannot understand without the Holy Spirit allowing us. Therefore, instead of focusing on Gods behavior in the OT and the NT i think why these things happened and the lessons in them is more important.
God does not change, we do.
After reading this, it kind of complicated things for me. I was taught that it was only one God, so thats what i believe, not to complicate things more. I really don't know what to say to agree with Marcion. On the other hand he do have a point about God being more judicial, and more of a warrior type in the OT. I feel more comfortable with the NT.
In the old Testament God it mainly creater of the earth and made everything. In the new Testament is about Jesus saving everyone from their sins.
Saying that God is harsh, judicial, and distance in the whole Old Testament is to much of a broad category for Him if you ask me.
Sure, there are cases where God is harsh to his people, but in being harsh he is showing us love. God punished the people of the Old Testament for their sins. In punishing them for their sins it set up the greatest act of love that God showed for us. Sending his only son to die for our sins. In the new testment, instead of continuing to punish his people, God choose instead to send Jesus to die for us. In a way God was punishing and behind harsh to himself for our sake.
But, there are places in the Old Testament that mention a loving God. The Psalms of the Old Testament spend a lot of time praising God and thanking him. Why would the people have praised and thanked a harsh God?
Psalm 30:5 says:
His anger lasts only a moment,
his goodness for a lifetime.
I think God is portrayed differently in the Old Testament than in the New Testament. In the Old Testament, God is harsher and in the New Testament he is more forgiving. My reason for thinking this way is because of the words that are used. I think there could also be a reason why God is portrayed differently in each testament. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the New Testament was written in Greek. So maybe it was the translation that from each language that causes him to be portrayed differently. Each testament was also written at different times so maybe events going on affected the way they were written.
Yes the god in the new testament is different then the one in the old testament, the old testament is much harsher and only saves the Jews, the one in the new testament is nice and saves the human race.
Post a Comment