Monotheism vs Polytheism in the Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible presents a clear and foundational commitment to monotheism, asserting the existence of one God, Yahweh, as the sole divine being [7]. This concept is central to Jewish and Christian theology [4]. The declaration "I am Yahweh thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:2-3) serves as the preface to the Ten Commandments, establishing monotheism as the basis for all religious obligation [7].
The oneness of God is explicitly stated in key biblical passages, such as Deuteronomy 6:4-5, known as the Shema, which begins with "Listen" (Hebrew shema‘) and was recited twice daily by observant Jews [4]. This passage emphasizes loving God with all one's heart, mind, and strength, directly stemming from the belief in His singular nature [4]. The absolute monotheism of biblical language implies that God causes or allows all things, as seen in descriptions of accidental death as something God permitted [5].
The Hebrew Bible consistently denounces the worship of other gods or the use of images to represent Yahweh as idolatry and apostasy [3]. Even when the Israelites in the wilderness asked Aaron to "make us gods which shall go before us," their intention was not necessarily to renounce Yahweh but to create a visible symbol of Him, which was still considered an act of idolatry [3].
Early Christian writers, such as Tertullian, affirmed this monotheistic principle, arguing that the Scriptures declare "none other than One God and One Lord" [2]. Other patristic authors, like Clement of Alexandria, also highlighted the absurdity of polytheism, reasoning that if multiple gods existed, they could not be in the same place and would be fundamentally unlike each other [6]. The idea of a single Creator of the universe was a core tenet of early Christian thought, with some even citing figures like Orpheus, traditionally associated with polytheism, as having ultimately acknowledged a single God [1, 6]. Paul, in the New Testament, uses this foundational Jewish commitment to monotheism to argue for universal access to God's forgiveness, stating that if there is only one God, then He is equally the God of both Jews and Gentiles, and all must come to Him through faith [8].
Sources
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 1: Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus — CHAP. XV.--TESTIMONY OF ORPHEUS TO MONOTHEISM. (part 1): At all events, we must remind you what Orpheus, who was, as one might say, your first teacher of polytheism, latterly addressed to his son Musaeus, and to the other legitimate auditors, concerning the one and only God.And he spoke thus:-- "I speak to those who lawfully may hear: All others, ye profane, now close the doors, And, O Musaeus! hearken thou to me, Who offspring art of the light-bringing moon: The words I utter now are true indeed; And if thou f”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. XIII.--THE FORCE OF SUNDRY PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATED IN RELATION TO THE PLURALITY OF PERSONS AND UNITY OF SUBSTANCE. THERE IS NO POLYTHEISM HERE, SINCE THE UNITY IS INSISTED (part 3): Christ would justly enough be inadmissible to the title of God and Lord: for (in the Scriptures) there was declared to be none other than One God and One Lord, and it must have followed that the Father should Himself seem to have come down (to earth), inasmuch as only One God and One Lord was ever read of (in the Scriptures), and His entire Economy would be invol”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 44: the time of Moses until now. The worship of the true God by images, in the eyes of the Hebrews, has ever been considered as much an act of idolatry as the worship of false gods. 3. A third argument on this subject is, that the worship of 293 Jehovah by the use of images is denounced and punished as an act of apostasy from God. When the Hebrews in the wilderness said to Aaron, “Make us gods which shall go before us,” neither they nor Aaron intended to renounce Jehovah as their God; but they desired a visible symbol of God, as the heathen h”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 12:29: 12:29-31 Jesus’ reply combined two widely separated commands from the Torah. • The first, Deut 6:4-5, was probably the best known passage in the Old Testament, for it was repeated twice daily by observant Jews. It is called the Shema because it begins with the word Listen (Hebrew shema‘). The first command corresponds to the first part of the Ten Commandments (Exod 20:2-11), which deals with a person’s relationship to God. • The oneness of God is foundational to Jewish and Christian monotheism and is the basis for the command to love God with all one’s heart (think”
- Leviticus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Leviticus 14:34: 14:34 I may contaminate: In the absolute monotheism of biblical language, God causes or allows everything. For example, Exod 21:13 describes an accidental death as something that God allowed to happen (see also Deut 19:4-5).”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — CHAP. VIII.--ABSURDITIES OF POLYTHEISM. (part 1): As regards, then, the doctrine that there was from the beginning one God, the Maker of this universe, consider it in this wise, that you may be acquainted with the argumentative grounds also of our faith. If there were from the beginning two or more gods, they were either in one and the same place, or each of them separately in his own. In one and the same place they could not be. For, if they are gods, they are not alike; but because they are uncreated they are unlike:”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 41: § 3. Preface to the Ten Commandments. “I am Jehovah thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Theism and Monotheism, the foundation of all religion, are taught in these words. The first clause is the preface or introduction to the decalogue. It presents the ground of obligation and the special motive by which obedience is enforced. 276 It is because the commandments which follow are the words of God that they bind the conscience of all those to whom th”
- Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 3:29: 3:29-30 Paul uses the foundational Jewish commitment to monotheism to argue for universal access to God’s forgiveness. If there is only one God, then he is equally the God of both Jews and Gentiles. All people must be able to come to God on the same terms, through faith.”