Some scholars estimate that by the time Marcion died, when his church was at its peak of popularity, more than half of Christianity was under the sway of Marcionite teaching. Their Bible—the first “New Testament”—was the one Marcion compiled after he was excommunicated in A.D. 144, at the age of about 60. Marcion’s Bible rejected the Old Testament with its heroes and prophets; they had been deceived by the Creator, he believed. He also rejected all New Testament references that suggested the Creator