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Library of Early Christology
Two powers in heaven: The significance of the rabbinic reports about binitarianism ditheism and dualism for the history of early Christianity and Judaism
In his now classic Two Powers in Heaven, Alan Segal examines rabbinic evidence about early manifestations of the "two powers" heresy within Judaism. Segal sheds light upon the development of and relationships among early Christianity, Gnosticism, and Merkabah mysticism and demonstrates that belief in the "two powers in heaven" was widespread by the first century, and may have been a catalyst for the Jewish rejection of early Christianity. An important addition to New Testament and Gnostic scholarship by this much revered scholar, Segal's Two Powers in Heaven is made available once again for a new generation.
Unknown Binding
First published August 1, 2012
About the author
Alan F. Segal
12 books17 followersAlan Franklin Segal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_F....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_F....
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 29, 2019
This rather technical monograph attempts to trace the concept of "two powers in heaven" within early rabbinic writings in order to find the origin of the heresy (and just what it was the rabbis were responding to: Christianity? gnosticism? paganism? something else?). Segal spends a lot of time quoting and analyzing the rabbinical texts, most of which I'm not familiar with. What this meant for me, as one who has not read the Mishnah and other such works or who has spent a lot time reading about them, was that I found Segal's book at times difficult to follow--and a little dull.
Things pick up a bit toward the end, once Segal turns to intertestamental writings, Christian writings, and gnostic writings. In part, that was because I was more familiar with them, but also he spends a lot less time on these than he does on the rabbinacal work--so he's not quite so punctilious and technical.
The basic point that Segal is able to make is that the rabbis were responding not just to ideas that were around at the time in which they were putting their sayings down but to ideas that had been around for a century or two, ideas that go back to at least the first century. Some of these ideas may have come from Hellenistic Jews such as Philo, some from Christians, and some from gnostics. He also finds that most gnostic ideas probably had a route in Judaism rather than in Christianity, though of course such ideas drew from all sorts of sources.
Segal's book is referenced in the work of a number of other scholars, so there's no doubt that it is important. But writers such as Larry Hurtado discuss a number of the same things, only in a way that is much more accessible. So unless one has an interest in the real technical side of this discussion--and specifically of the rabbinical side--it's probably not the book to start with.
Things pick up a bit toward the end, once Segal turns to intertestamental writings, Christian writings, and gnostic writings. In part, that was because I was more familiar with them, but also he spends a lot less time on these than he does on the rabbinacal work--so he's not quite so punctilious and technical.
The basic point that Segal is able to make is that the rabbis were responding not just to ideas that were around at the time in which they were putting their sayings down but to ideas that had been around for a century or two, ideas that go back to at least the first century. Some of these ideas may have come from Hellenistic Jews such as Philo, some from Christians, and some from gnostics. He also finds that most gnostic ideas probably had a route in Judaism rather than in Christianity, though of course such ideas drew from all sorts of sources.
Segal's book is referenced in the work of a number of other scholars, so there's no doubt that it is important. But writers such as Larry Hurtado discuss a number of the same things, only in a way that is much more accessible. So unless one has an interest in the real technical side of this discussion--and specifically of the rabbinical side--it's probably not the book to start with.
December 20, 2023
Looks like it will be informative. I must confess to moving my lips a lot while reading this. And it will likely take a while.
November 25, 2025
Alan F. Segal’s seminal work on the “two powers in heaven” controversy/heresy is a staple for anyone interested in the origins of Jewish-Christian-gnostic polemics on God and his alleged mediator in creating and governing all things.
This is a technical work and the content here is impressive and extensive. Segal surveys a large swath of biblical, extra-biblical (Jewish apocalyptic literature), and tannaic texts to pinpoint the beginnings of when and why Jews (and thus Christians and gnostics) would imply (and promulgate) the existence of another god or divine power into their monotheistic theology.
Segal looks at the “problematic” passages in the Old Testament (i.e. the “son of man” passage in Daniel and the theophanies in the Torah and the prophets) and early rabbinic responses to them in light of Jewish mystics who would import another divine power alongside God from those passages. He further analyses the texts that support a divinised human or principal angel (e.g. Metatron/Yahoel) as a second power alongside God, and how Midrashic writings rebutted and condemned those ideas. From there, Segal engages positively with Philo and his interpretations concerning God and his “logos”, charitably rehearses early Christian thinkers and their belief that Christ is the referent to all “two powers” passages in the Old Testament (albeit he still considers it heresy), and chronicles the evolution of gnostic teachings that began from two gods working in consort into the dualistic framework of a superior and inferior god for which gnosticism is well known.
Apart from my Christian bias, this is an extraordinary work and I highly recommend it. Segal has done religious and particular Christian scholarship a service by diving deeply into the history of 1st century Jewish polemics and their engagement with those who, on the basis of the Old Testament, teach a plurality of the Godhead.
This is a technical work and the content here is impressive and extensive. Segal surveys a large swath of biblical, extra-biblical (Jewish apocalyptic literature), and tannaic texts to pinpoint the beginnings of when and why Jews (and thus Christians and gnostics) would imply (and promulgate) the existence of another god or divine power into their monotheistic theology.
Segal looks at the “problematic” passages in the Old Testament (i.e. the “son of man” passage in Daniel and the theophanies in the Torah and the prophets) and early rabbinic responses to them in light of Jewish mystics who would import another divine power alongside God from those passages. He further analyses the texts that support a divinised human or principal angel (e.g. Metatron/Yahoel) as a second power alongside God, and how Midrashic writings rebutted and condemned those ideas. From there, Segal engages positively with Philo and his interpretations concerning God and his “logos”, charitably rehearses early Christian thinkers and their belief that Christ is the referent to all “two powers” passages in the Old Testament (albeit he still considers it heresy), and chronicles the evolution of gnostic teachings that began from two gods working in consort into the dualistic framework of a superior and inferior god for which gnosticism is well known.
Apart from my Christian bias, this is an extraordinary work and I highly recommend it. Segal has done religious and particular Christian scholarship a service by diving deeply into the history of 1st century Jewish polemics and their engagement with those who, on the basis of the Old Testament, teach a plurality of the Godhead.
September 25, 2022
Being Christian I don’t agree with his conclusions or why he thinks it’s a heresy obviously but nonetheless he makes his points as a Jewish scholar and I can appreciate and respect the work for what it is. I will admit for the layperson this may be a difficult read to understand if you haven’t read the source material he quotes extensively but if you have mostly, you’ll get a lot out of this.
July 3, 2024
A well-argued read that raises some provocative questions about not only the split between Judaism and Christianity but also the origins of gnosticism (and Jewish mysticism) in late antiquity.
November 28, 2024
I picked up this book because it was referenced by the late Dr. Michael Heiser discussing the notion that the idea of “two powers in heaven” or binitarianism was not an idea invented whole cloth by Christians, but was in the consciousness of Hellenistic and apocalyptic Judaism of the first century. So, what I expected from the book was a focus on this point. This point came out in the book, but it was a building block to the author’s actual point of inquiry: who were the two power heretics denounced by the Rabbinic Jewish community and how far back were these debates occurring?
That’s all fine and good. In making his case, the author introduced me to the thoughts of Hellenistic and apocalyptic Jews, Marcion, gnostics, and the complex angelologies that some Jews and gnostics had in the first few centuries CE (these angel speculations make sense of the New Testament’s repeated warnings of angel speculation). This knowledge was the most fruitful takeaway for me from this book.
Having said that, this was an academic work and not especially approachable for someone without at least a cursory knowledge of text criticism’s methodology (which in my current understanding, I think can be useful but also can build theories on mountains of sometimes questionable assumptions) and knowledge of Rabbinic Judaism. I knew a little if the former and almost nothing of the latter when I started the book. Because this was an academic work, there weren’t explanations of either, so I had to supplement my reading with online research to understand the book’s points and sources concerning Rabbinic Judaism
That’s all fine and good. In making his case, the author introduced me to the thoughts of Hellenistic and apocalyptic Jews, Marcion, gnostics, and the complex angelologies that some Jews and gnostics had in the first few centuries CE (these angel speculations make sense of the New Testament’s repeated warnings of angel speculation). This knowledge was the most fruitful takeaway for me from this book.
Having said that, this was an academic work and not especially approachable for someone without at least a cursory knowledge of text criticism’s methodology (which in my current understanding, I think can be useful but also can build theories on mountains of sometimes questionable assumptions) and knowledge of Rabbinic Judaism. I knew a little if the former and almost nothing of the latter when I started the book. Because this was an academic work, there weren’t explanations of either, so I had to supplement my reading with online research to understand the book’s points and sources concerning Rabbinic Judaism
December 29, 2019
Seminal work on the Two Powers "heresy" and it's prevalence in @nd Temple Judaism. Keep your Hebrew notes nearby as Segal exhaustively pours thru Rabbinic records in a well thought pattern that proves an underpinning to the "binitarian" worship influences for Christianity. He spends considerable time on who the "heretics" (min). Well worth time... especially when every, not some, NT scholarship quotes this source as foundational research. May Segal's memory be maintained.
March 24, 2020
Interesting topic. VERY academic.
November 11, 2022
ancient jewish heterodoxy never felt so good
Want to Read
July 15, 2025God the Father and God the Son, two parts of the Trinity, in the Old Testament according to a Jewish scholar. More by David Wood at https://youtu.be/YXdJbCgdXj4 (Spanish).
December 22, 2025
A vitally important book for Christian apologetics, but not because of it's orthodoxy (far from it!). But it documents vital historical information, from a Jewish (not Christian) source.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews