Marcion

Marcion of Pontus (about 85–160 CE) became the first Christian leader to break with preestablished Christian networks in Rome. As it turns out, this early Christian thinker accomplished several other “firsts” in Christian history. He is the
earliest known author who extensively contrasted both the stories and theologies of the Jewish Bible and what came to be known as the “New Testament.” He became the earliest known text critic who tried to discover the original readings of Christian
scripture. His text-critical efforts were motivated by a peculiar narrative of the church’s fall from apostolic truth.
To put this fall narrative briefly, Marcion believed that certain “Judaizers” who had always nipped at Paul’s heels had succeeded in distorting his letters – interpolating passages and even forging some of the letters from scratch. Marcion’s role in salvation history was to restore the authentic text of Paul and faithfully to present his (single) gospel (Gal. 1:11). In perhaps the only quote preserved from his writings, Marcion
hymned the authentic gospel with a heartfelt cry: “O wonderful wonder, delight, power and astonishment that we cannot speak of it, think of it, or compare it with anything!”

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