Book of Heresies 156.1–156.10
Latin text: Marx, CSEL 38 (1898) (Latin text: F. Marx, CSEL 38 (1898), digitized by Open Greek and Latin (csel-dev, University of Leipzig), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 156
156.1CSEL 38:133–134
Sunt quidam qui aestimant **. quod Esaias beatus ** post confessionem populi peccatoris ac precem, quam supplex ad deum effuderat, de Cherubin unus uenerit missus a domino ad prophetam, et acceperit de forcipe carbonem, et tetigerit labia ipsius, aitque ei: Ecce iam mundatus es (et) putant aut de angelis unum uenisse ad eum, aut de animalibus, ac de forcipe ignem accepisse et mundasse prophetam beatissimum: quod non est adeo scientiae salutaris, cum hic (de Cherubin aut Seraphin unum animal cum dicit, id est de duobus testamentis dicit, unde patriarchae, sacerdotes, prophetae defluxerint et apostoli, qui mundo omni aduenturam gratiam ostendebant, quadriformi uirtute fulgentia munera ad certamina caelestia capientibus ministrantes.
There are some who think … that, after the people's confession as sinners and the prayer which blessed Isaiah had poured out as a suppliant to God, one of the Cherubim came, sent by the Lord to the prophet, and took a coal with the tongs and touched his lips, and said to him: “Behold, now you are cleansed”; and they think that either one of the angels came to him or one of the living creatures, and took fire from the tongs and cleansed the most blessed prophet: which is not so much of saving knowledge, since here, when it speaks of one creature of the Cherubim or Seraphim, it speaks of the two testaments, from which the patriarchs, priests, prophets and apostles flowed, who showed the grace to come to the whole world, ministering gifts shining with fourfold power to those who take up the heavenly contests.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Isa 6:6–7 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The seraph with the coal signifies the two testaments.
- Isa 6:6–7. The asterisks mark gaps in the text (“…”).
Topics: Heresy
Cite (SBL): Philastrius, Haer. 156.1 (CSEL 38:133–134; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Marx, CSEL 38 (1898), digital text (OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; words in Marx's square brackets translated and marked). No public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Latin.
156.2CSEL 38:134
Nam cum de Cherubin < dicit aut de Seraphin, > plenitudo scientiae dicitur et uirtus ignea peragrans appellatur. Hi itaque, plenitudinem habentes scientiae spiritalis ac Christi mysterii tenentes diuitias, diuersas doctrinas iussu domini nobis dimittunt et deferunt, omnique saeculo itidem sine quadam intermissione nuntiantes; ex quibus unus missus est ad Esaiam prophetam, hanc Christi quippe doctrinam adnuntians, saluatorem, quod erat aduenturus in carnem, spiritusque diuini credentibus adlaturus gratiam copiosam.
For when it speaks of the Cherubim <or of the Seraphim,> the fullness of knowledge is spoken of, and a fiery power passing through is named. These, then, having the fullness of spiritual knowledge and holding the riches of Christ's mystery, by the Lord's command send down and bring us various teachings, announcing them likewise to the whole world without any interruption; one of them was sent to the prophet Isaiah, announcing this teaching of Christ, the Saviour, that he would come in the flesh and bring abundant grace of the divine Spirit to believers.
Notes and citation
Summary: The seraph sent to Isaiah announced Christ's coming.
- The angle brackets are the editor's supplement.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; punctuation slip; stray mark): spiritalis! → spiritalis; sine. quadam → sine quadam; prophetam. hanc → prophetam, hanc; doctiinam → doctrinam.
Cite (SBL): Philastrius, Haer. 156.2 (CSEL 38:134; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-2
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Marx, CSEL 38 (1898), digital text (OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; words in Marx's square brackets translated and marked). No public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Latin.
156.3CSEL 38:134
Esaias itaque de patriarchis et lege et prioribus suis prophetis acceperat gratiam fortiorem, id est diuini spiritus potentiam ampliorem, a prioribus scilicet, ut Christi mysterium, id est incorporationis ipsius saeculo ut gratiam nuntiaret. Ideo et dominus ad quosdam: O duri corde, et inprudentes animo, cur non aduertitis quod lex et prophetae de filio hominis quae ante praedixerant adfutura, cuncta consummari oportuerat?
Isaiah, then, had received from the patriarchs, the law and the prophets before him a stronger grace, that is, a greater power of the divine Spirit, from those earlier ones, so that he might announce Christ's mystery, that is, his incarnation, to the world as grace. Therefore the Lord too said to some: “O hard of heart and imprudent in mind, why do you not perceive that all that the law and the prophets had foretold would come concerning the Son of Man had to be fulfilled?”
Luke 24:25–27 (quotation, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Isaiah received grace from his predecessors to announce Christ.
- Luke 24:25–27 (freely).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (split word): prae dixerant → praedixerant.
Cite (SBL): Philastrius, Haer. 156.3 (CSEL 38:134; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Marx, CSEL 38 (1898), digital text (OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; words in Marx's square brackets translated and marked). No public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Latin.
156.4CSEL 38:134–135
Dicebat enim de patriarchis et lege beatum accipere Esaiam, ut ab eis doctus forti animo Christi carnalem praesentiam praedicaret. Ignem etiam quod ait accepisse angelum et purgasse ipsius labia, utique diuini spiritus ei gratiam ostendebat concessam a domino, ut ait: Ignem ueni mittere in mundum: quam uolo ut accendatur ocius. De forcipe autem, id est de ferro, de inuicta natura eius atque diuina quippe dicebat potentia, quod corpus Christi diuino spiritu diuinaque potentia in utero sanctae uirginis creatum atque consummatum est, sicut scriptum est: Spiritus sanctus superueniet super te, et uirtus dei obumbrabit te, ∗∗∗ inque eo apparens corpore uinceret omnia, a nullo autem superaretur.
For he meant that blessed Isaiah received from the patriarchs and the law, so that, taught by them, he might preach with strong spirit the bodily presence of Christ. And the fire which it says the angel took and purified his lips with showed, of course, the grace of the divine Spirit granted him by the Lord, as he says: “I came to cast fire on the world: how I wish it were kindled quickly!” And by the tongs, that is, the iron, he spoke of his invincible and divine nature and power, because the body of Christ was created and completed in the womb of the holy Virgin by the divine Spirit and divine power, as it is written: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of God will overshadow you,” … and appearing in that body he would conquer all, and be overcome by none.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Luke 12:49 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 1:35 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The fire is the Spirit; the tongs signify Christ's body formed by divine power.
- Luke 12:49; Luke 1:35. The asterisks mark a gap in the text (“…”).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; repeated letters; repeated syllables): patnarchis → patriarchis; S p Spiritus → Spiritus; dei o obumbrabit bit te → dei obumbrabit te.
Topics: Christology, The Holy Spirit
Cite (SBL): Philastrius, Haer. 156.4 (CSEL 38:134–135; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-4
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Marx, CSEL 38 (1898), digital text (OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; words in Marx's square brackets translated and marked). No public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Latin.
156.5CSEL 38:135
Sicut enim ferro domantur ac subiciuntur omnia, e quo et gladius gignitur, <ita), ut dictum est, uerbum domini ut gladius bis acutus, qui domare potest omnia, domari autem ab aliquo non potest. Daturusque eis erat post passionem in resurrectione diuini spiritus beatis apostolis inuictam potentiam, ut scriptum est: Spiritus domini super me, et cetera. Et Petrus beatus <de> promissione accepta a patre ad Iudaeos dicens: Effudit, inquit, hanc gratiam, quam uos uidetis atque auditis hodie. Igni etiam forcipem sicut formari cognoscimus, ita et corpus domini diuino spiritu nouimus conformatum atque ita suis eum dedisse in corpore illam promissam gratiam atque inuictam potentiam, ut ait:
For as all things are tamed and subdued by iron, from which the sword too is made, <so>, as it was said, the word of the Lord is like a two-edged sword, which can tame all things but cannot be tamed by any. And after the passion, in the resurrection, he was to give the blessed apostles the invincible power of the divine Spirit, as it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” and so on. And blessed Peter, <of> the promise received from the Father, saying to the Jews: “He has poured out,” he says, “this grace which you see and hear today.” And as we know that the tongs are formed by fire, so we know that the Lord's body was formed by the divine Spirit, and that so he gave his own in the body that promised grace and invincible power, as he says:
Heb 4:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 4:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 2:33 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The iron signifies the invincible word and the Spirit's power.
- Heb 4:12; Luke 4:18 (Isa 61:1); Acts 2:33. The angle brackets are the editor's supplements.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; split word): spu-itus → spiritus; aud i tis → auditis.
Topics: Christology, The Holy Spirit
Cite (SBL): Philastrius, Haer. 156.5 (CSEL 38:135; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-5
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Marx, CSEL 38 (1898), digital text (OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; words in Marx's square brackets translated and marked). No public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Latin.
156.6CSEL 38:135–136
Dedi uobis potestatem calcare super omnem uirtutem inimici. Et apostolus: Quis nos separabit a caritate Christi? Per quae eis cunctis iam in hoc credentibus saeculo, ut dictum est, per inpositionem manus apostolorum diuinus dabatur spiritus in Christum dominum credentibus saluatorem. Et sicut duo animalia duo haec testamenta accipiuntur legis et prophetarum, adstantia domino, sicut uiderunt in monte apostoli, adtamen rationis erit quod et duo animalia intellegenda sunt, mandatum, primum, quod datum est, quod et spiritale potest intellegi, ut scriptum est, quod et saluator non soluit, sed confirmauit potius: secundum autem animal doctrinam Christi, id est fidem eius et gratiam incorporationis et testamenti passionisque eius et resurrectionis mysterium continebat.
“I have given you power to tread upon all the power of the enemy.” And the apostle: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” Through these things the divine Spirit was given in this world to all who now believe, as was said, through the laying on of the apostles' hands, to those who believe in Christ the Lord the Saviour. And as the two living creatures are taken as these two testaments of the law and the prophets, standing beside the Lord, as the apostles saw on the mountain, yet it will be reasonable that the two living creatures are also to be understood thus: the commandment, first, which was given, which can also be understood spiritually, as it is written, and which the Saviour did not abolish but rather confirmed; and the second creature contained the teaching of Christ, that is, his faith and the grace of the incarnation and the mystery of his testament, passion and resurrection.
Luke 10:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 8:35 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 8:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 17:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 5:17 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The two creatures may also mean the commandment and Christ's teaching.
- Luke 10:19; Rom 8:35; Acts 8:17; Matt 17:3; Matt 5:17.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (split word): salua torem → saluatorem.
Cite (SBL): Philastrius, Haer. 156.6 (CSEL 38:135–136; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-6
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Marx, CSEL 38 (1898), digital text (OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; words in Marx's square brackets translated and marked). No public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Latin.
156.7CSEL 38:136
Unde ea litterae in medio est posita inter mandatum et gratiam; quae si intellegitur, de Christo consentanea in multis accipitur: si autem in carnali iustificatione quis saluari putauerit, abicienda decernitur, cum de patre et filio et sancto spiritu ante legem, id est ante tria milia annorum et septingentos annos, iusti priores illi sub mandato uiuentes ac beatam trinitatem colentes et suis filiis tradentes cognatisque, et saeculo praedicabant mysteriumque Christi domini de ipso mandato antiquissimo nuntiabant.
Hence that of the letter is placed in the middle between the commandment and grace; if it is understood, it is accepted as agreeing about Christ in many things; but if anyone thinks he is saved by carnal justification, it is judged to be rejected; since about the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, before the law, that is, three thousand seven hundred years before, those earlier just men, living under the commandment and worshipping the blessed Trinity and handing it on to their sons and kin, also preached it to the world and announced the mystery of Christ the Lord from that most ancient commandment.
Notes and citation
Summary: The law stands between commandment and grace; the ancients knew the Trinity.
Topics: Trinity, The law of Moses
Cite (SBL): Philastrius, Haer. 156.7 (CSEL 38:136; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-7
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Marx, CSEL 38 (1898), digital text (OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; words in Marx's square brackets translated and marked). No public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Latin.
156.8CSEL 38:136
Lex itaque admonitio mandati est, quae et coniungitur secundum fidem colendae trinitatis, et iterum separantur quaedam eius propter Iudaicam et carnalem iustificationem, cum et prophetae illa destruxerint antea et saluator abiecerit et apostoli uetuerint circumcidi homines. Lex itaque de mandato causa cogente carnali descendit ad tempus, gratia autem Christi, id est mysterium incorporationis et passionis et resurrectionis fideique eius et ascensionis in caelum ante legem a iustis omnibus noscebatur et quaerentibus et capientibus non celabatur, ut Enoc et Noё et Melchisedech, ut Iacob et aliis iustis ac beatissimis patriarchis, et ceteris qui ante legem Mosi uixerant, sub mandato scilicet constituti atque in omnibus iustificati a domino.
So the law is an admonition of the commandment, which is also joined to it according to the faith of worshipping the Trinity, and again certain parts of it are separated because of Jewish and carnal justification, since the prophets had destroyed those things before, the Saviour rejected them, and the apostles forbade men to be circumcised. So the law came down from the commandment for a time, because carnal necessity compelled it; but the grace of Christ, that is, the mystery of his incarnation, passion, resurrection, faith and ascension into heaven, was known before the law by all the just and was not hidden from those who sought and received it, like Enoch, Noah and Melchizedek, Jacob and the other just and most blessed patriarchs, and the rest who lived before the law of Moses, placed under the commandment and justified by the Lord in all things.
Notes and citation
Summary: The grace of Christ was known to the just before the law.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; split word and stray letter): leg em a iustis omnibus t noscebatur → legem a iustis omnibus noscebatur; uixeraut → uixerant.
Topics: Grace
Cite (SBL): Philastrius, Haer. 156.8 (CSEL 38:136; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-8
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Marx, CSEL 38 (1898), digital text (OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; words in Marx's square brackets translated and marked). No public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Latin.
156.9CSEL 38:136–137
Lex autem et fides Christi dicitur, ut ait apostolus: Per legem fidei Christi; lex carnalis iustificatio Iudaeorum est. Mandatum autem etsi non putatur lex esse, tamen quod a domino seruo dicitur et decernitur, legis est ratio, ut quod uelit eligat, aut seruare ut amicus et fidelis, aut contemnere ut seruus sub lege subiectus. Unde et saluator apostolis mandatum dabat, ut amicis et fidelibus, quod et Adae patri nostro, antequam peccaret, similiter dederat; post peccatum autem non iam mandatum societatis et propinquitatis ac dilectionis erat et fraternitatis, sed timendae seueritatis iudicium decernebat, in contemnendis legis sententiis scilicet, ut etiam ait Moses: Maledictus omnis qui in legitimis non permanserit libri huius.
But faith in Christ is also called a law, as the apostle says: “Through the law of the faith of Christ”; the carnal law is the justification of the Jews. And the commandment, though it is not thought to be a law, yet what is said and decreed by the lord to a servant has the character of law, so that he may choose what he wills, either to keep it as a friend and faithful one, or to despise it as a servant subject under the law. Hence the Saviour gave the apostles a commandment, as to friends and faithful ones, as he had likewise given to Adam our father before he sinned; but after the sin it was no longer a commandment of fellowship, closeness, love and brotherhood, but he decreed the judgment of a severity to be feared, namely in despising the sentences of the law, as Moses also says: “Cursed is everyone who does not remain in the ordinances of this book.”
Rom 3:27 (quotation, medium confidence) · John 15:14–15 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 27:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 3:10 (quotation, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ gave his friends a commandment as Adam had one before sin.
- Rom 3:27 (freely); John 15:14–15; Deut 27:26 (Gal 3:10).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; stray hyphen; stray mark): Fer legem → Per legem; carnalis. iustificatio → carnalis iustificatio; qui-in → qui in.
Topics: The law of Moses
Cite (SBL): Philastrius, Haer. 156.9 (CSEL 38:136–137; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-9
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Marx, CSEL 38 (1898), digital text (OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; words in Marx's square brackets translated and marked). No public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Latin.
156.10CSEL 38:137
Ideo et saluator quae in lege dicta fuerant admonebat, et quae ante legem data fuerant sub illis beatissimis conprobabat, ut suam doctrinam illorum priorum coniungeret, multorumque ita credentium et circumcisorum pariter copularet et naturalium itidem, id est gentium credentium sociaret, ac nolentium Iudaeorum aliorumque incredulitatem, et imperitiam coniunctam utrorumque, condemnaret.
Therefore the Saviour both admonished what had been said in the law, and approved what had been given before the law under those most blessed ones, so as to join his teaching to that of those earlier ones, and so to unite many believers, the circumcised alike and the natural ones likewise, that is, to associate the believing gentiles, and to condemn the unbelief of the unwilling Jews and others, and the ignorance joined of both.
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ joined the teaching of the law and the patriarchs and united Jews and gentiles.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip): IdeQ → Ideo.
Topics: The church and Israel
Cite (SBL): Philastrius, Haer. 156.10 (CSEL 38:137; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philastrius-haereses/156-10
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Marx, CSEL 38 (1898), digital text (OCR slips corrected by logged corrections; words in Marx's square brackets translated and marked). No public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Latin.