📖 Did the Catholic Church Really Compile the Bible – Or Was It Marcion?
Recently, SDA Pastor made the claim that the Catholic Church did not compile the Bible, and that it was Marcion, a 2nd-century figure, who did. This argument is not new—but is it true?
Let’s respectfully examine this claim through historical facts, not myths or speculation.
🔍 Who Was Marcion?
Marcion of Sinope was a controversial figure in the early 2nd century (around 144 A.D.) who was actually condemned as a heretic by the early Church.
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He rejected the Old Testament entirely.
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He claimed that the God of the Old Testament was different from the God of the New.
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He created his own distorted version of the Bible:
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A shortened Gospel of Luke (edited to remove Jewish elements)
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10 edited letters of St. Paul
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He rejected all other books, including the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John.
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In short, Marcion did not compile the Bible—he butchered it to fit his theology.
✅ The Truth: The Catholic Church Authenticated the Bible
The Bible as we know it today—the complete list of inspired books (called the canon)—was gradually recognized by the Catholic Church, not invented, and not edited like Marcion did.
Key Points in History:
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90s A.D. – 2nd Century: Many books were already being read in Christian communities (Gospels, Paul's letters, Acts, etc.).
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2nd–3rd Century: The Church Fathers (like St. Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Origen) cited these books regularly.
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393 A.D. – Council of Hippo
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397 A.D. – Council of Carthage
👉 These Catholic councils officially listed the canon of Scripture — the 73 books we use today.
📌 Without the Catholic Church, there would be no universally agreed Bible.
🔥 SDA and Protestant Bibles Use a Catholic Canon (New Testament)
Even if some Protestants reject the Deuterocanonical (Old Testament) books, the New Testament canon they use (27 books) is exactly the same canon defined by the Catholic Church in the 4th century.
This proves that:
The Catholic Church did not invent the Bible, but protected, preserved, and defined which books truly belong to it.
✝️ Final Thought: Marcion Was Not a Hero — He Was a Heretic
Claiming that Marcion compiled the Bible is like saying a thief owns the house he broke into.
He tried to edit God's Word, and the early Catholic bishops condemned him for it.
So when Protestants or SDA pastors make these statements, it shows either a lack of research or a repetition of misinformation.
🙏 What Should Catholics Remember?
✅ The Catholic Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, carefully discerned which writings were inspired.
✅ The Church preserved these sacred texts through centuries of persecution.
✅ It was through the Councils and Apostolic Tradition that we have the Bible today.
No Bible without the Church. No canon without the Councils. No Scripture without Tradition.
If you’re Catholic, be confident in your faith and your Church. You are standing on 2,000 years of truth — and that includes the very Book that others now use to try and disprove the Church that gave it to them.
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