Monotheism
in the Bible
In the verses we study this
week, Paul offers us the following instruction: "So about the
eating of meat sacrificed to idols: we know that 'there is no idol
in the world,' and that 'there is no God but one.' Indeed,
even though there are so-called gods in heaven and on earth (there
are, to be sure, many 'gods' and many 'lords'), yet for us there
is one God, the Father, from whom all things are and for whom we
exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are and
through whom we exist" (8:4-6).
Specific clauses such as
"there is no God but one," and "for us there is one
God," stand out. These are clear testimonials of a faith
in the one and only God. In theology, that belief is called
"monotheism" (from Greek: "mono" "only,"
and "theos" "God").
Monotheism was always part
of the Christian creed; there was never any doubt or dispute.
This faith came down from Judaism which, especially from the 8 century
BC, believed in and worshiped one God, the Lord. This is explicitly
worded in the latter section of Isaiah where God says:
"Who announced this from the beginning and foretold it from
of old? Was it not I, the Lord, besides whom there is no other
God?" (Is 45:21); and "I am the first and I am the last;
There is no God but me" (44:6).
But the predominant belief
in the world surrounding Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Paul's converts
and the local churches he founded, was polytheism. In the
Ancient Near East, each city had a local patron deity, such as Shamash
at Larsa or Sin at Ur. The Hebrews enslaved in Egypt
were in the midst of a polytheistic society. Upon arriving
in the promised land, the Jews were surrounded by pagan tribes,
each with their own set of gods and idols. Both Rome and Greece
had multiplicities of deities that were worshiped up to and beyond
the first century of Christianity.
The OT story begins
with "elohim" creating (Gen 1:1f). Then
humanity's relationship with God begins with Adam and Eve who speak
with "yahweh elohim" (2:1f). The Lord,
"yahweh," speaks to Cain (4:9) and then to Noah
(6:5f). The roots of Judaism are found in Father Abraham who
heard, trusted, responded to, and was blessed by the Lord.
In these stories, there is no explicit declaration of monotheism
nor repudiation of polytheism. But it is clear that there
is one God to whom these people were relating.
Judaism is the first and
oldest known monotheistic faith. The best-known Jewish statement
of monotheism occurs in the Shema Prayer. The Hebrew
oral transliteration reads: "shema yisrael adonai eloheinu
adonai echad" (Dt. 6:4). In English, it reads: "Hear,
O Israel! The LORD is our God! The LORD is One!"
The text uses the word, "yahweh," but because
this name is so sacred, when spoken, the word, "adonai,"
"LORD," is used.
In the early history of
Israel, at least from the time of Abraham and Moses, The Lord God
was the God of Israel. And Israel saw herself as called to
total and exclusive service of the Lord God. The question
question is raised, however, whether there was a simultaneous belief
in other gods as well? This concept, called henotheism, is
the worshiping a single deity while accepting the existence or possible
existence of other gods.
Some verses of the OT
suggest this: "There is none like you among the gods, O Lord"
(Ps 86:8); "All gods are prostrate before the Lord" (Ps
96:7); "Our Lord is greater than all gods" (Ps 136:5);
and "The Lord is the God of gods" (Jos 22:21).
It is clear that the temptation
was there for people to worship other gods. This is known
from excavations which found idols in areas of Israelite occupation.
And the OT itself gives indication of this problem: "The
Israelites again offended the Lord, serving Baal and Ashtaroths,
the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods
of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines" (Jdg 10:6).
And the early sacred writers certainly had good reason to speak
out against pagan worship within their midst: "If, after the
good the Lord has done for you, you forsake the Lord and serve strange
gods, the Lord will do evil to you and destroy you" (Jos 24:20).
The writing of the prophets
of the eighth century BC and afterward strengthened monotheistic
doctrine by constantly reminding Israel of the vast gulf that separated
the Lord from pagan idols and the so called gods that they represented.
"Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, they cannot
speak; they must be carried about for they cannot walk. Fear
them not, they can do no harm, neither is it in their power to do
good. . . . The Lord is true God, the living God, the eternal
King" (Jer. 10:5,10). "On that day the people shall
look to their maker, their eyes turned toward the Holy One of Israel.
They shall not look to the altars, their handiwork, nor shall they
regard what their fingers have made: the sacred poles or the incense
stands" (Is 17:8).
After Jerusalem was destroyed
in 586 BC, the people of Judah forsook idolatry once and for all.
The excessive polytheism of Babylon was despicable to the exiles
and helped to make the Jews a truly monotheistic people. Judaism
today shares with Christianity a firm belief in the Lord's affirmation
as communicated through Isaiah: "Turn to me and be
safe, all you ends of the earth, for I am God; there is no other"
(Is 45:22).
This monotheistic tradition
definitely carried on into the time of Christ, and in the Christian
era monotheism was taken for granted. But for people of Paul's
time, it was a challenging issue. Christians at this time
had to deal with the reality of polytheism from the outside.
Often it was because the imperial powers were zealous on behalf
of their pagan gods that Christians faced danger, persecution and
martyrdom. No doubt, it was with this in mind that Paul testified
on behalf of the Judeo-Christian tradition of belief in one God
-- monotheism.
Other examples of Paul witnessing
to the one God are: "One Lord, one faith, one baptism; one
God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all"
(Eph 4:5-6); and "For there is one God. There is also one mediator
between God and the human race, Christ Jesus" (1Tm 2:5).
While Greek philosophers
taught monotheism with regard to the supreme being, the Greek and
Roman religions were polytheistic. Judaism, however, as well
as Christianity, distinguished itself by its profession of faith
in and service to the one and only true God.
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| Text:
First Corinthians 8:1-6
1 Now in regard to meat sacrificed
to idols: we realize that "all of us have knowledge";
knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.
2 If anyone supposes he knows something,
he does not yet know as he ought to know.
3 But if one loves God, one is known
by him.
4 So about the eating of meat sacrificed
to idols: we know that "there is no idol in the world,"
and that "there is no God but one."
5 Indeed, even though there are so-called
gods in heaven and on earth (there are, to be sure, many "gods"
and many "lords"),
6 yet for us there is one God, the
Father, from whom all things are and for whom we exist, and one
Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are and through whom
we exist.
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