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Asia Minor, Gaul; ca. 140 - 203 AD
Translation from the Ante-Nicene Fathers. For a
complete electronic copy, visit the Christian
Classics Ethereal Library, the New Advent Library. Italics in
the text by John Wijngaards.
Irenaeus reports on the practices of the Gnostic sect of a certain
Marcus.
- The heretics indulge in immorality with their
women disciples
- The heretics claim that the ‘perfect’
are above the moral code
- The Gnostic Marcus performs rites for women and
men
- Marcus performs a rite like the Eucharist in which
women act as priests
- Marcus teaches women how to prophesy
- Marcus engineers false prophecies
- Marcus deceives women with love potions
- Marcus's disciples pray to the Eternal
Mother
- Many women in Gaul have been caught up in this
sect
Irenaeus obviously thought that God deals with men and women in an
even-handed manner, even though women did occupy a lower slot in society.
- Nature and law make woman subordinate to
man
- ‘Adam’ (=the human race) was created in
God's image
- All descendants of Adam inherit the title of being in
God's image
- Adam and Eve were not cursed directly by God,
only indirectly
- God had compassion on Adam and Eve, not on the
devil
- Christ defeated the devil as a man born from a
woman
- The devil made Eve sin by deceiving her
- In the Garden of Eden Eve proved a stronger person
than Adam
- The story of Eve shows that mortality itself is not
a curse, but natural
- The mother of Zebedee's children deserves
praise
- Women often suffer because they are (only)
women
The heretics indulge in immorality
with their women disciples
Against Heresies, book 1, ch. 6, § 3. “Wherefore also
it comes to pass, that the "most perfect" among them addict themselves without
fear to all those kinds of forbidden deeds of which the Scriptures assure us
that "they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." . . .
.Others of them yield themselves up to the lusts of the flesh with the utmost
greediness, maintaining that carnal things should be allowed to the carnal
nature, while spiritual things are provided for the spiritual. Some of them,
moreover, are in the habit of defiling those women to whom they have taught the
above doctrine, as has frequently been confessed by those women who have been
led astray by certain of them, on their returning to the Church of God, and
acknowledging this along with the rest of their errors. Others of them, too,
openly and without a blush, having become passionately attached to certain
women, seduce them away from their husbands, and contract marriages of their
own with them. Others of them, again, who pretend at first. to live in all
modesty with them as with sisters, have in course of time been revealed in
their true colours, when the sister has been found with child by her
[pretended] brother.”
The heretics claim that the
‘perfect’ are above the moral code
Against Heresies, book 1, ch. 6, § 3.. . . “They
maintain, therefore, that in every way it is always necessary for them to
practise the mystery of conjunction. And that they may persuade the thoughtless
to believe this, they are in the habit of using these very words, "Whosoever
being in this world does not so love a woman as to obtain possession of
her, is not of the truth, nor shall attain to the truth. But whosoever being
of this world has intercourse with woman, shall not attain to the truth,
because he has so acted under the power of concupiscence." On this account,
they tell us that it is necessary for us whom they call animal men, and
describe as being of the world, to practise continence and good works,
that by this means we may attain at length to the intermediate habitation, but
that to them who are called "the spiritual and perfect" such a course of
conduct is not at all necessary. For it is not conduct of any kind which leads
into the Pleroma, but the seed sent forth thence in a feeble, immature state,
and here brought to perfection”.
The Gnostic Marcus performs rites for
women and men
Against Heresies, book 1, ch. 13, § 1. “But there is
another among these heretics, Marcus by name, who boasts himself as having
improved upon his master. He is a perfect adept in magical impostures, and by
this means drawing away a great number of men, and not a few women, he has
induced them to join themselves to him, as to one who is possessed of the
greatest knowledge and perfection, and who has received the highest power from
the invisible and ineffable regions above. Thus it appears as if he really were
the precursor of Antichrist. For, joining the buffooneries of Anaxilaus to the
craftiness of the magi, as they are called, he is regarded by his
senseless and cracked-brain followers as working miracles by these means.
Marcus performs a rite like the
Eucharist in which women act as priests
Against Heresies, book 1, ch. 13, § 2. “Pretending to
consecrate cups mixed with wine, and protracting to great length the word of
invocation, he contrives to give them a purple and reddish colour, so that
Charis, who is one of those that are superior to all things, should be thought
to drop her own blood into that cup through means of his invocation, and that
thus those who are present should be led to rejoice to taste of that cup, in
order that, by so doing, the Charis, who is set forth by this magician, may
also flow into them. Again, handing mixed cups to the women, he bids them
consecrate these in his presence. When this has been done, he himself produces
another cup of much larger size than that which the deluded woman has
consecrated, ) and pourting from the smaller one consecrated by the woman into
that which has been brought forward by himself, he at the same time pronounces
these words: "May that Charis who is before all things, and who transcends all
knowledge and speech, fill thine inner man, and multiply in thee her own
knowledge, by sowing the grain of mustard seed in thee as in good soil."
Repeating certain other like words, and thus goading on the wretched woman [to
madness], he then appears a worker of wonders when the large cup is seen to
have been filled out of the small one, so as even to overflow by what has been
obtained from it. By accomplishing several other similar things, he has
completely deceived many, and drawn them away after him.”
Marcus teaches women how to prophesy
Against Heresies, book 1, ch. 13, § 3. “It appears
probable enough that this man possesses a demon as his familiar spirit, by
means of whom he seems able to prophesy, and also enables as many as he counts
worthy to be partakers of his Charis themselves to prophesy. He devotes himself
especially to women, and those such as are well-bred, and elegantly attired,
and of great wealth, whom he frequently seeks to draw after him, by addressing
them in such seductive words as these: "I am eager to make thee a partaker of
my Charis, since the Father of all doth continually behold thy angel before His
face. Now the place of thy angel is among us: it behoves us to become one.
Receive first from me and by me [the gift of] Charis. Adorn thyself as a bride
who is expecting her bridegroom, that thou mayest be what I am, and I what thou
art. Establish the germ of light in thy nuptial chamber. Receive from me a
spouse, and become receptive of him, while thou art received by him. Behold
Charis has descended upon thee; open thy mouth and prophesy." On the woman
replying," I have never at any time prophesied, nor do I know how to prophesy;
"then engaging, for the second time, in certain invocations, so as to astound
his deluded victim, he says to her, "Open thy mouth, speak whatsoever occurs to
thee, and thou shalt prophesy." She then, vainly puffed up and elated by these
words, and greatly excited in soul by the expectation that it is herself who is
to prophesy, her heart beating violently [from emotion], reaches the requisite
pitch of audacity, and idly as well as impudently utters some nonsense as it
happens to occur to her, such as might be expected from one heated by an empty
spirit. (Referring to this, one superior to me has observed, that the soul is
both audacious and impudent when heated with empty air.) Henceforth she reckons
herself a prophetess, and expresses her thanks to Marcus for having imparted to
her of his own Charis. She then makes the effort to reward him, not only by the
gift of her possessions (in which way he has collected a very large fortune),
but also by yielding up to him her person, desiring in every way to be united
to him, that she may become altogether one with him.”
Marcus engineers false
prophecies
Against Heresies, book 1, ch. 13, § 4. “But already
some of the most faithful women, possessed of the fear of God, and not being
deceived (whom, nevertheless, he did his best to seduce like the rest by
bidding them prophesy), abhorring and execrating him, have withdrawn from such
a vile company of revellers. This they have done, as being well aware that the
gift of prophecy is not conferred on men by Marcus, the magician, but that only
those to whom God sends His grace from above possess the divinely-bestowed
power of prophesying; and then they speak where and when God pleases, and not
when Marcus orders them to do so. For that which commands is greater and of
higher authority than that which is commanded, inasmuch as the former rules,
while the latter is in a state of subjection. If, then, Marcus, or any one
else, does command,-as these are accustomed continually at their feasts to play
at drawing lots, and [in accordance with the lot] to command one another to
prophesy, giving forth as oracles what is in harmony with their own desires,-it
will follow that he who commands is greater and of higher authority than the
prophetic spirit, though he is but a man, which is impossible. But such spirits
as are commanded by these men, and speak when they desire it, are earthly and
weak, audacious and impudent, sent forth by Satan for the seduction and
perdition of those who do not hold fast that well-compacted faith which they
received at first through the Church.”
Marcus deceives women with love
potions
Against Heresies, book 1, ch. 13, § 5. “Moreover, that
this Marcus compounds philters and love-potions, in order to insult the persons
of some of these women, if not of all, those of them who have returned to the
Church of God-a thing which frequently occurs-have acknowledged, confessing,
too, that they have been defiled by him, and that they were filled with a
burning passion towards him. A sad example of this occurred in the case of a
certain Asiatic, one of our deacons, who had received him (Marcus) into his
house. His wife, a woman of remarkable beauty, fell a victim both in mind and
body to this magician, and, for a long time, travelled about with him. At last,
when, with no small difficulty, the brethren had converted her, she spent her
whole time in the exercise of public confession, weeping over and lamenting the
defilement which she had received from this magician.”
Marcus's disciples pray to the Eternal
Mother
Against Heresies, book 1, ch. 13, § 6. “Some of his
disciples, too, addicting themselves to the same practices, have deceived many
silly women, and defiled them. They proclaim themselves as being "perfect," so
that no one can be compared to them with respect to the immensity of their
knowledge, nor even were you to mention Paul or Peter, or any other of the
apostles. They assert that they themselves know more than all others, and that
they alone have imbibed the greatness of the knowledge of that power which is
unspeakable. They also maintain that they have attained to a height above all
power, and that therefore they are free in every respect to act as they please,
having no one to fear in anything. For they affirm, that because of the
"Redemption" it has come to pass that they can neither be apprehended, nor even
seen by the judge. But even if he should happen to lay hold upon them, then
they might simply repeat these words, while standing in his presence along with
the "Redemption: ""O thou, who sittest beside God, and the mystical, eternal
Sige (Silence), thou through whom the angels (mightiness), who
continually behold the face of the Father, having thee as their guide and
introducer, do derive their forms from above, which she in the greatness of her
daring inspiring with mind on account of the goodness of the Propator,
produced us as their images, having her mind then intent upon the things
above, as in a dream,-behold, the judge is at hand, and the crier orders me to
make my defence. But do thou, as being acquainted with the affairs of both,
present the cause of both of us to the judge, inasmuch as it is in reality but
one cause." Now, as soon as the Mother hears these words, she puts the Homeric
helmet of Pluto upon them, so that they may invisibly escape the judge. And
then she immediately catches them up, conducts them into the bridal chamber,
and hands them over to their consorts.”
Many women in Gaul have been caught up in
this sect
Against Heresies, book 1, ch. 13, § 7. “Such are the
words and deeds by which, in our own district of the Rhone, they have deluded
many women, who have their consciences seared as with a hot iron. Some of them,
indeed, make a public confession of their sins; but others of them are ashamed
to do this, and in a tacit kind of way, despairing of [attaining to] the life
of God, have, some of them, apostatized altogether; while others hesitate
between the two courses, and incur that which is implied in the proverb,
"neither without nor within; "possessing this as the fruit from the seed of the
children of knowledge.”
‘Adam’ (=the human race) was
created in God's image
Against Heresies, book 3, ch. 23, § 1. It was necessary,
therefore, that the Lord, coming to the lost sheep, and making recapitulation
of so comprehensive a dispensation, and seeking after His own handiwork, should
save that very man who had been created after His image and likeness, that
is, Adam, filling up the times of His condemnation, which had been incurred
through disobedience,-[times] "which the Father had placed in His own power."
[This was necessary, ] too, inasmuch as the whole economy of salvation
regarding man came to pass according to the good pleasure of the Father, in
order that God might not be conquered, nor His wisdom lessened, [in the
estimation of His creatures.] . . . ”
All descendants of Adam inherit the title
of being in God's image
Against Heresies, book 3, ch. 23, § 2. “But this is
Adam, if the truth should be told, the first formed man, of whom the Scripture
says that the Lord spake, "Let Us make man after Our own image and likeness; "
and we are all from him: and as we are from him, therefore have we all
inherited his title. But inasmuch as man is saved, it is fitting that he
who was created the original man should be saved. For it is too absurd to
maintain, that he who was so deeply injured by the enemy, and was the first to
suffer captivity, was not rescued by Him who conquered the enemy, but that his
children were,-those whom he had begotten in the same captivity . . . .
Adam and Eve were not cursed directly
by God, only indirectly
Against Heresies, book 3, ch. 23, § 3. “It was for this
reason, too, that immediately after Adam had transgressed, as the Scripture
relates, He pronounced no curse against Adam personally, but against the
ground, in reference to his works, as a certain person among the ancients has
observed: "God did indeed transfer the curse to the earth, that it might not
remain in man." But man received, as the punishment of his transgression, the
toilsome task of tilling the earth, and to eat bread in the sweat of his face,
and to return to the dust from whence he was taken. Similarly also did the
woman [receive] toil, and labour, and groans, and the pangs of parturition, and
a state of subjection, that is, that she should serve her husband; so that they
should neither perish altogether when cursed by God, nor, by remaining
unreprimanded, should be led to despise God. But the curse in all its fulness
fell upon the serpent, which had beguiled them. "And God," it is declared,
"said to the serpent: Because thou hast done this, cursed art thou above all
cattle, and above all the beasts of the earth." And this same thing does the
Lord also say in the Gospel, to those who are found upon the left hand: "Depart
from me, ye cursed, into ever: lasting fire, which my Father hath prepared for
the devil and his angels; " indicating that eternal fire was not originally
prepared for man, but for him who beguiled man, and caused him to offend-for
him, I say, who is chief of the apostasy, and for those angels who became
apostates along with him; which [fire], indeed, they too shall justly feel,
who, like him, persevere in works of wickedness, without repentance, and
without retracing their steps.”
God had compassion on Adam and Eve,
not on the devil
Against Heresies, book 3, ch. 23, § 5. “The case of
Adam, however, had no analogy with this, but was altogether different. For,
having been beguiled by another under the pretext of immortality, he is
immediately seized with terror, and hides himself; not as if he were able to
escape from God; but, in a state of confusion at having transgressed His
command, he feels unworthy to appear before and to hold converse with God. Now,
"the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; " the sense of sin leads to
repentance, and God bestows His compassion upon those who are penitent. For
[Adam] showed his repentance by his conduct, through means of the girdle [which
he used], covering himself with fig-leaves, while there were many other leaves,
which would have irritated his body in a less degree. He, however, adopted a
dress conformable to his disobedience, being awed by the fear of God; and
resisting the erring, the lustful propensity of his flesh (since he had lost
his natural disposition and child-like mind, and had come to the knowledge of
evil things), he girded a bridle of continence upon himself and his wife,
fearing God, and waiting for His coming, and indicating, as it were, some such
thing [as follows]: Inasmuch as, he says, I have by disobedience lost that robe
of sanctity which I had from the Spirit, I do now also acknowledge that I am
deserving of a covering of this nature, which affords no gratification, but
which gnaws have retained this clothing for ever, thus humbling himself, if
God, who is merciful, had not clothed them with tunics of skins instead of
fig-leaves. For this purpose, too, He interrogates them, that the blame might
light upon the woman; and again, He interrogates her, that she might convey the
blame to the serpent. For she related what had occurred. "The serpent," says
she, "beguiled me, and I did eat." But He put no question to the serpent; for
He knew that he had been the prime mover in the guilty deed; but He pronounced
the curse upon him in the first instance, that it might fall upon man with a
mitigated rebuke. For God detested him who had led man astray, but by degrees,
and little by little, He showed compassion to him who had been
beguiled.”
Christ defeated the devil as a man
born from a woman
Against Heresies, book 5, ch. 21, § 1. “He has
therefore, in His work of recapitulation, summed up all things, both waging war
against our enemy, and crushing him who had at the beginning led us away
captives in Adam, and trampled upon his head, as thou canst perceive in Genesis
that God said to the serpent, "And I will put enmity between thee and the
woman, and between thy seed and her seed; He shall be on the watch for thy
head, and thou on the watch for His heel." For from that time, He who should be
born of a woman, [namely] from the Virgin, after the likeness of Adam, was
preached as keeping watch for the head of the serpent. This is the seed of
which the apostle says in the Epistle to the Galatians, "that the law of works
was established until the seed should come to whom the promise was made." This
fact is exhibited in a still clearer light in the same Epistle, where he thus
speaks: "But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of
a woman." For indeed the enemy would not have been fairly vanquished, unless
it had been a man [born] of a woman who conquered him. For it was by means of a
woman that he got the advantage over man at first, setting himself up as man's
opponent. And therefore does the Lord profess Himself to be the Son of man,
comprising in Himself that original man out of whom the woman was fashioned
(ex quo ea quae secundum mulierem est plasmatio facta est), in order
that, as our species went down to death through a vanquished man, so we may
ascend to life again through a victorious one; and as through a man death
received the palm [of victory] against us, so again by a man we may receive the
palm against death.”
The devil made Eve sin by deceiving
her
Against Heresies, book 3, ch. 23, § 1. “He had indeed
been already accustomed to lie against God, for the purpose of leading men
astray. For at the beginning, when God had given to man a variety of things for
food, while He commanded him not to eat of one tree only, as the Scripture
tells us that God said to Adam: "From every tree which is in the garden thou
shalt eat food; but from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, from this ye
shall not eat: for in the day that ye shall eat of it, ye shall die by death; "
he then, lying against the Lord, tempted man, as the Scripture says that the
serpent said to the woman: "Has God indeed said this, Ye shall not eat from
every tree of the garden? " And when she had exposed the falsehood, and simply
related the command, as He had said, "From every tree of the garden we shall
eat; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath
said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die: " when he
had [thus] learned from the woman the command of God, having brought his
cunning into play, he finally deceived her by a falsehood, saying, "Ye shall
not die by death; for God knew that in the day ye shall eat of it your eyes
shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." In the first
place, then, in the garden of God he disputed about God, as if God was not
there, for he was ignorant of the greatness of God; and then, in the next
place, after he had learned from the woman that God had said that they should
die if they tasted the aforesaid tree, opening his mouth, he uttered the third
falsehood," Ye shall not die by death." But that God was true, and the serpent
a liar, was proved by the result, death having passed upon them who had eaten.
For along with the fruit they did also fall under the power of death, because
they did eat in disobedience; and disobedience to God entails death. Wherefore,
as they became forfeit to death, from that [moment] they were handed over to
it.”
In the Garden of Eden Eve proved a
stronger person than Adam
Fragment no 16. “How is it possible to say that the serpent,
created by God dumb and irrational, was endowed with reason and speech? For if
it had the power of itself to speak, to discern, to understand, and to reply to
what was spoken by the woman, there would have been nothing to prevent every
serpent from doing this also. If, however, they say again that it was according
to the divine will and dispensation that this [serpent] spake with a human
voice to Eve, they render God the author of sin. Neither was it possible for
the evil demon to impart speech to a speechless nature, and thus from that
which is not to produce that which is; for if that were the case, he never
would have ceased (with the view of leading men astray) from conferring with
and deceiving them by means of serpents, and beasts, and birds. From what
quarter, too, did it, being a beast, obtain information regarding the
injunction of God to the man given to him alone, and in secret, not even the
woman herself being aware of it? Why also did it not prefer to make its attack
upon the man instead of the woman? And if thou sayest that it attacked her
as being the weaker of the two, [I reply that], on the contrary, she was the
stronger, since she appears to have been the helper of the man in the
transgression of the commandment. For she did by herself alone resist the
serpent, and it was after holding out for a while and making opposition that
she ate of the tree, being circumvented by craft; whereas Adam, making no fight
whatever, nor refusal, partook of the fruit handed to him by the woman, which
is an indication of the utmost imbecility and effeminacy of mind. And the woman
indeed, having been vanquished in the contest by a demon, is deserving of
pardon; but Adam shall deserve none, for he was worsted by a woman,-he who, in
his own person, had received the command from God.”
The story of Eve shows that mortality
itself is not a curse, but natural
Fragment no 16, cont. “But the woman, having heard of the
command from Adam, treated it with contempt, either because she deemed it
unworthy of God to speak by means of it, or because she had her doubts, perhaps
even held the opinion that the command was given to her by Adam of his own
accord. The serpent found her working alone, so that he was enabled to confer
with her apart. Observing her then either eating or not eating from the trees,
he put before her the fruit of the [forbidden] tree. And if he saw her eating,
it is manifest that she was partaker of a body subject to corruption. "For
everything going in at the mouth, is cast out into the draught." If then
corruptible, it is obvious that she was also mortal. But if mortal, then there
was certainly no curse; nor was that a [condemnatory] sentence, when the voice
of God spake to the man, "For earth thou art, and unto earth shall thou
return," as the true course of things proceeds [now and always]. Then again, if
the serpent observed the woman not eating, how did he induce her to eat who
never had eaten? And who pointed out to this accursed man-slaying serpent that
the sentence of death pronounced against them by God would not take [immediate]
effect, when He said, "For in the day that ye eat thereof, ye shall surely die?
"And not this merely, but that along with the impunity [attending their sin]
the eyes of those should be opened who had not seen until then? But with the
opening [of their eyes] referred to, they made entrance upon the path of
death.”
Nature and law maken woman subordinate
to man
Fragment no 32. “Why was it, that when these two (Aaron and
Miriam) had both acted with despite towards him (Moses), the latter alone was
adjudged punishment? First, because the woman was the more culpable, since
both nature and the law place the woman in a subordinate condition to the
man. Or perhaps it was that Aaron was to a certain degree excusable, in
consideration of his being the elder [brother], and adorned with the dignity of
high priest. Then again, inasmuch as the leper was accounted by the law
unclean, while at the same time the origin and foundation of the priesthood lay
in Aaron, [the Lord] did not award a similar punishment to him, lest this
stigma should attach itself to the entire [sacerdotal] race; but by means of
his sister's [example] He awoke his fears, and taught him the same lesson. For
Miriam's punishment affected him to such an extent, that no sooner did she
experience it, than he entreated Moses], who had been injured, that he would be
his intercession do away with the affliction.”
The mother of Zebedee's children
deserves praise
Fragment no 55. “ "Then drew near unto Him the mother of
Zebedee's children, with her sons, worshipping, and seeking a certain thing
from Him." . . . . Sometimes virtue excites our admiration, not merely on
account of the display which is given of it, but also of the occasion when it
was manifested . . . Many things the Saviour told in reference to His
sufferings and cross; to these persons He predicted His passion. Nor did He
conceal the fact that it should be of a most ignominious kind, at the hands of
the chief priests. This woman, however, had attached another meaning to the
dispensation of His sufferings. The Saviour was foretelling death; and she
asked for the glory of immortality. The Lord was asserting that He must
stand arraigned before impious judges; but she, taking no note of that
judgment, requested as of the judge: "Grant," she said, "that these my two sons
may sit, one on the right hand, and the other on the left, in Thy glory." In
the one case the passion is referred to, in the other the kingdom is
understood. The Saviour was speaking of the cross, while she had in view the
glory which admits no suffering. This woman, therefore, as I have already
said, is worthy of our admiration, not merely for what she sought, but also for
the occasion of her making the request.”
Women often suffer because they are
(only) women
“She [the mother of Zebedee's children] did indeed suffer, not
merely as a pious person, but also as a woman. For, having been instructed
by His words, she considered and believed that it would come to pass, that the
kingdom of Christ should flourish in glory, and walk in its vastness throughout
the world, and be increased by the preaching of piety. She understood, as was
[in fact] the case, that He who appeared in a lowly guise had delivered and
received every promise. I will inquire upon another occasion, when I come to
treat upon this humility, whether the Lord rejected her petition concerning His
kingdom. But she thought that the same confidence would not be possessed by
her, when, at the appearance of the angels, He should be ministered to by the
angels, and receive service from the entire heavenly host. Taking the
Saviour, therefore, apart in a retired place, she earnestly desired of Him
those things which transcend every human nature.”
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