By Water & Blood

Prologue

Second Discourse of the Epitome of Heretical Fables.

On Ebion. 2. On the Nazoraeans. 3. On Cerinthus. 4. On Artemon. 5. On Theodotus. 6. On the Melchizedekians. 7–8. On the Elkesaites. On Paul of Samosata. 9. On Sabellius. 10. On Marcellus. 11. On Photinus.

Concerning the heretics who flourished in the apostles’ time.

What sort of branches the bitterest root of Simon put forth, and how deadly were the fruits they bore, we made clear in the first book—cutting short, as far as we could, the length of the myths, shrinking from uttering the greatest of the blasphemies, and consigning to silence the more unholy and abominable among their foulest rites. For we judged it a fault to teach the ignorant these things; not even those wholly enslaved to sensual pleasures have conceived what those people dared.

These things the all-wicked demon sounded into their souls, taking up war against the heralds of the truth, and trying through them to scatter an evil reputation upon those who proclaim the divine; for he supposed that the sharing of the name would bring blasphemy upon all. For both the teachers of foul doctrines and the heralds of the gospel were called Christians, and everyone who did not know the difference took all who shared the one designation to be accursed.

And this the inventor and craftsman of evil dared as soon as the light of the truth dawned and, like rays, sent the divine apostles out into the world. For while they were still alive, Simon also appeared, and Menander, and the other disciples of Simon, of whom we made mention before. They say too that Cerinthus, while the all-renowned John who wrote the divine Gospel was still living, sowed the weeds of his own heresy. And the godlike Paul also accused others in the letters to Timothy. He says thus: “Avoid the profane empty chatter; for they will advance further in ungodliness, and their word will have pasture like a gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have missed the mark concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened, and they overturn the faith of some.”

Then he shows the firmness and stability of the truth: “Yet the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal.” He also teaches how the Lord cares for all who are his: “For the Lord,” he says, “knows those who are his.” Then he exhorts them to flee fellowship with the worthless: “And let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from injustice.” Next, by an example, he heals those who are distressed that the wicked live alongside the good. “For in a great house,” he says, “there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor.” He also shows that choice belongs to the will, and that the mind is autonomous and easily able to shift its own inclination wherever it wishes. He says thus: “If anyone cleanses himself from these, he will be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and useful, prepared for every good work.”

He wrote similar things also in the former letter. “This charge,” he says, “I commit to you, child Timothy, according to the prophecies that went before upon you, that you may wage in them the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some, thrusting away, have made shipwreck concerning the faith; among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan, that they may be trained not to blaspheme.” Through these he taught clearly that a lawless life is the foundation of ungodliness. For by “good conscience” he named the pure life. And he said that those who thrust this away made shipwreck concerning the faith. And again: “Refuse the profane and old-wives’ myths.” “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not approach the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with piety, he is puffed up, understanding nothing, but sick with disputes about words and with controversies,” and so on. And a little later: “The root of all evils is love of money, for which some, longing, have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.” And at the very end he cries out with exhortation: “O Timothy, guard the deposit, turning aside from the profane empty chatter and the contradictions of the falsely named knowledge, which some, professing, have missed the mark concerning the faith.”

These things show clearly that while they themselves were still preaching, many leaders of foul heresies appeared. He also foretells that after their departure some will teach empty doctrines to those who obey them. “For the Spirit,” he says, “expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, attending to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, in the hypocrisy of liars, seared in their own conscience, forbidding marriage, commanding abstinence from foods which God created for reception with thanksgiving by those who believe and have come to know the truth.” And in the second letter also, after foretelling many charges against the people who would come after them, he added this: “For from these are those who creep into houses and take captive little women heaped with sins, led by various desires, always learning and never able to come to knowledge of the truth; and just as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so these also withstand the truth, people corrupted in mind, disapproved concerning the faith.” Then he also foretells how easily their falsehood will be found out: “But they will not advance much further; for their folly will be plain to all, as that of those men also became.”

I have brought forward the apostolic testimonies because I wished to show that while they themselves were still tilling the field, the common enemy sowed the weeds of the heresies. But the all-wise Master did not prevent the sowing of the wicked seeds; yet he turned most of the weeds into wheat. Cities and villages also bear witness, freed from the weeds of Simon and of Menander and of Cleobius and of Dositheus and of Gortheus and of Adrianus and of Saturnilus and of Basilides and of Isidore and of Carpocrates and of Epiphanes and, in short, of all such others. For the Master named ripe wheat those who had been pastured by them. But a few, very few and easily numbered, and these scattered in certain cities, have remained clothed in the blight of Valentinus and of Marcion and of Manes—perhaps for the rebuke of those now entrusted with shepherding the churches, who cannot convert even the small remnants of the impious heresies. But the god-opposing demon did not wish to take his fill of the war against piety; rather he again marshaled others against the truth, who have worshiped doctrines quite contrary to the heretics already mentioned.