Early Christian Beliefs About Basilides
Early Christian writers usually treat Basilides as a false teacher. Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Tertullian, and Cyprian describe his teaching as heretical and morally wrong, while Clement of Alexandria preserves some sayings linked to Basilides and his followers. That makes the evidence broad, but not all of it is the same kind: some is direct attack, and some is later quotation or background detail.
120 early-church witnesses · 228 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about basilides?
Early Christian writers mostly treat Basilides as a heretic, not a trusted teacher. Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Tertullian, and Cyprian all place him among false teachers and describe his ideas as wrong, including claims about an unknown or non-existent God, strange creation teaching, and lax moral behavior. Clement of Alexandria is the main early witness with a more mixed angle:
he quotes Basilides on martyrdom, faith, and even the celebration of his baptism day, while still writing about Basilides in a critical setting. The overall picture is broad and early, but it is mixed on exact details because some writers attack Basilides’ doctrine while Clement sometimes preserves sayings linked to him or his followers. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Tertullian, and Cyprian all place Basilides among false teachers.
- Clement of Alexandria preserves some Basilides sayings, so the record is mixed on exact details.
- The strongest early theme is rejection of Basilides’ teaching, not praise of it.
- A few passages mention Basilides’ followers, baptism day, or church discipline rather than doctrine.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Who was Basilides in the early Christian sources?
The strongest sources present Basilides as a heretical teacher who introduced a different system of doctrine and was later grouped with other Gnostics. Irenaeus, Hippolytus, and Tertullian all describe him in polemical terms.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book I Direct teaching
Saturninus, who came from Antioch near Daphne, and Basilides seized some favorable opportunities and introduced different doctrines—Saturninus in Syria and Basilides in Alexandria. Saturninus, similar to Menander, spoke of one father unknown to everyone, who created angels, archangels, powers, and authorities. According to him, the world and everything in it were created by a group of seven angels. Humans, too, were the creation of angels, a bright image appearing below from the presence of the supreme power. When the humans could not retain this image because it quickly ascended again, the angels encouraged each other, saying, "Let us make man in our image and likeness." As a result, man was formed, but could not stand upright due to the angels' inability to give him that power, and he moved like a worm on the ground. Then the power above, having mercy on him because he was made in its likeness, sent a spark of life, which allowed man to stand upright, strengthened his joints, and made him live. He claims that this spark of life, after a person dies, returns to things of its own nature, while the rest of the body decomposes into its original elements.
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Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Direct teaching
Therefore Basilides, and Isidorus, the true son and disciple of Basilides, say that Matthias communicated to them secret discourses, which, he says, Matthias heard from the Savior, while he himself had been specially instructed. Let us see, then, how clearly Basilides, together with Isidorus and this whole band of heretics, not only completely lies against Matthias, but even against the Savior Himself. There was a time, says Basilides, when there was nothing. However, not even that nothing was one of the things that exist. But, to speak plainly and openly, and without any quibbling, it was altogether nothing. But when I use the expression, "there was," he says, I do not say that it was. Rather, I speak in this way in order to make clear the meaning of what I wish to explain. I affirm, then, he says, that it was altogether nothing. For that which is named is not absolutely ineffable, although we certainly call this ineffable; but that which is non-ineffable. For what is non-ineffable is not called ineffable, but is, he says, above every name that is named. For these names are by no means enough for the world, he says, but its divisions are so many that there is a lack of names. And
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Tertullian, Against All Heresies Direct teaching
Afterwards broke out the heretic Basilides. He affirms that there is a supreme Deity, by name Abraxas, by whom was created Mind, which in Greek he calls Νοῦς;
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Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness
38. And, in good truth, I hold Marcion, and Valentinian, and Basilides, and other heretics, to be sainted men when compared with this person. For they did display a certain kind of intellect. And they did indeed think themselves capable of understanding all Scripture, and so made themselves leaders for those who were willing to listen to them. But nevertheless, not one of these dared to proclaim himself to be either God, or Christ, or the Paraclete, as this fellow has done. He is always disputing, at one time about the ages, and at another about the sun, and how these things were made, as though he were superior to them himself. For every person who offers an exposition of the way anything has been made puts himself forward as superior to it and older than the subject of his discussion. But who may venture to speak of the substance of God, unless perhaps our Lord Jesus Christ alone? And indeed, I do not make this statement on the bare authority of my own words. I confirm it by the authority of that Scripture which has been our instructor. For the apostle addresses these words to us: "That you may be lights in this world, holding the word of life for my glory against the day of Chri
Did Basilides claim secret teachings from Matthias or Jesus?
Hippolytus says Basilides and Isidorus claimed Matthias passed on secret discourses from the Savior. The sources present this as a false claim used to support Basilides’ teaching.
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Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Direct teaching
But Basilides himself also says that there is a non-existent God who, though non-existent, has made the non-existent world. This world was formed out of things that do not exist, by casting down a certain seed, like a grain of mustard seed, having in itself stem, leaves, branches, and fruit. Or, he says, this seed is like a peacock's egg, containing in itself the many different colors. And the Basilidians say that this is the seed of the world, from which all things have been produced. For they maintain that it contains in itself all things, as things that do not yet exist, and which had been predetermined to be brought into existence by the non-existent Deity. There was then, he says, in the seed itself a threefold Sonship, in every respect of the same substance as the non-existent God, which has been begotten from things that are not. And of this Sonship, divided into three parts, one part was refined, another gross, and another needing purification. The refined part, when the first and earliest casting down of the seed was accomplished by the non-existent God, immediately burst forth, ascended upward, and went toward the non-existent Deity. For every nature longs for that God be
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Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Direct teaching
Then the Gospel came, Basilides says, first from the Sonship, through the Son who was seated beside the Archon, to the Archon. And the Archon learned that he was not the God of the universe, but was begotten. But when he learned that above himself there was the stored-up treasure of the Ineffable and Unnameable and Non-Existent One, and of the Sonship, he was both changed and filled with terror, because he came to understand the ignorance in which he had been involved. This, he says, is what was declared: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Proverbs 1:7 For after being instructed by Christ, who was seated near him, he began to gain wisdom, since he learned who the Non-Existent One is, what the Sonship is, what the Holy Spirit is, what the structure of the universe is, and what the final end of all things is likely to be. This is the wisdom spoken in a mystery, about which, Basilides says, Scripture uses these words: “Not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 2:13 Then the Archon, after being instructed and taught, and being filled with fear, went on to confess the sin he had committed by exalting himself. This, he says, is
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Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Direct teaching
...ld be absurd to say that any projection from a non-existent God became some non-existent thing. For Basilides completely rejects and fears the idea that generated things came from substances by projection. He asks, what kind of projection is needed? Or what kind of matter must we suppose already existed, so that God could make a world, like a spider making its web? Or like a mortal man who, in order to make something, takes bronze or wood or some other material part? Since projection is out of the question, Basilides certainly says that God spoke the word, and it came to pass. And this, as these men say, is what Moses stated: "Let there be light," and there was light. From where, then, did the light come? From nothing. For it is not written, he says, from where, but only that it came from the voice of the one speaking the word. And the one speaking the word, he says, was non-existent; and what was being produced was not existent either. The seed of the world-system was generated, he says, from nonentities. And by the seed I mean the word that was spoken: "Let there be light." And this, he says, is what is stated in the Gospels: "He was the true light, which lights every man that
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Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness
For existing things were distributed by Basilides into two continuous and primary divisions, and are, according to him, denominated partly in a certain (respect) world, and partly in a certain (respect) super-mundane (spaces).
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Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness
...first begot for Himself a son greater than Himself. He made this son sit at His right hand. And the Basilidians say that this is the Ogdoad. Then the Great Archon produced the whole heavenly creation. Another Archon rose up from the gathering of all the seeds. He was greater than every Aeon below him, except for the Sonship that had been left behind, but he was far inferior to the former Archon. They call this second Archon a Hebdomad. He is the Maker, Creator, and Ruler of everything beneath him, and this Archon produced for himself a Son more sensible and wiser than himself. Now they claim that all these things exist according to the predetermination of that non-existent God, and that there are also worlds and intervals without limit. The Basilidians also say that on Jesus, who was born of Mary, came the power of the Gospel. It came down and gave light to the Son of both the Ogdoad and the Hebdomad. And this happened in order to enlighten and separate the different orders of beings, and to purify the Sonship that had been left behind, for the giving of benefits to souls and the receiving of benefits in return. And they say that they themselves are sons, who are in the world fo
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book II Supporting witness
...ather of all to have formed our creation—these same arguments apply to the followers of Saturninus, Basilides, Carpocrates, and other Gnostics expressing similar ideas. The statements made about the emanations, Æons, the supposed state of degeneration, and the inconsistent nature of their Mother also undermine Basilides and all who are falsely called Gnostics. They merely repeat the same views under different names but transfer more elements outside of the truth into their doctrine. The remarks I have made about numbers also apply to those who misuse truths to support their systems. All that has been said about the Creator (Demiurge), showing that He alone is God and Father of all, and anything else I may say in the following books, applies against heretics in general. You will convert and convince the more moderate and reasonable among them, preventing them from blaspheming their Creator, Maker, Sustainer, and Lord, or attributing His origin to defect and ignorance. But the fierce, terrible, and irrational ones you will drive far from you, so you no longer have to endure their meaningless chatter.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book II Supporting witness
2. This difficulty presented itself to Basilides after he had utterly missed the truth, and was conceiving that, by an infinite succession of those beings that were formed from one another, he might escape such perplexity.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book I Supporting witness
3. Basilides again, that he may appear to have discovered something more sublime and plausible, gives an immense development to his doctrines.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book I Background
1. Arising among these men, Saturninus (who was of that Antioch which is near Daphne) and Basilides laid hold of some favourable opportunities, and promulgated different systems of doctrine—the one in Syria, the other at Alexandria.
What did early Christian writers say Basilides taught about creation?
The sources say Basilides taught a non-existent God, a non-existent world, and a highly speculative account of the world’s origins. Hippolytus and Tertullian summarize him as dividing reality into cosmic levels and introducing a strange system of emanations or divine ranks.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book I Direct teaching
Some others, like Basilides and Carpocrates, have introduced unrestricted relationships and multiple wives, and they don't care about eating meat sacrificed to idols, claiming that God does not pay much attention to such matters. But why go on? It is impractical to list everyone who, in various ways, has strayed from the truth.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book I Supporting witness
2. Others, again, following upon Basilides and Carpocrates, have introduced promiscuous intercourse and a plurality of wives, and are indifferent about eating meats sacrificed to idols, maintaining that God does not greatly regard such matters.
What did Basilides teach about martyrdom and suffering?
Clement preserves Basilides’ statement that some who suffer martyrdom may be brought to that end without conscious guilt, and that suffering as a Christian can serve a good end. This is the clearest direct quotation from Basilides in the supplied cards.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching
Basilides, in the twenty-third book of the Exegetics, says the following about those who are punished by martyrdom: “For I say this: Whoever falls under the afflictions mentioned, because he has unconsciously transgressed in other matters, is brought to this good end by the kindness of Him who brings him there, though he is accused on other grounds. This is so that he may not suffer as one condemned for acknowledged iniquities, nor be reproached as an adulterer or a murderer, but because he is a Christian. This will comfort him, so that he does not seem to suffer. And if someone who has not sinned at all suffers—a rare case—even he will not suffer anything through the schemes of power, but will suffer as the child would suffer who seems not to have sinned.” Then farther on he adds: “As, then, the child that has not sinned before, or committed actual sin in itself, but has that which committed sin, when it is subjected to suffering, receives good, reaping the benefit of many hardships, so also, although a perfect man may not have sinned in act, while he endures afflictions, he suffers in a similar way with the child. He has within himself the sinful principle, but does not embrace t
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
Now the followers of Basilides regard faith as natural, as they also refer it to choice, [representing it] as finding ideas by intellectual comprehension without demonstration;
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Background
and they extended to the age of Antoninus the elder, as, for instance, Basilides, though he claims (as they boast) for his master, Glaucias, the interpreter of Peter.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
And the followers of Basilides hold the day of his baptism as a festival, spending the night before in readings.
Did early Christians connect Basilides or his followers with immoral practices?
Irenaeus says Basilides and related followers were associated with unrestricted relationships, multiple wives, and indifference toward idol-meat. Clement also notes that Basilides’ followers treated his baptism day as a festival and discussed faith in distinctive ways.
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Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching
But also the time of Valentinus and Basilides is manifest, that they too, after the apostles, and after a long period, rebelled against the Church of God with their wicked lies.
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Ignatius, Epistle to the Trallians (LongVersion) Direct teaching
Avoid those wicked followers of his, like Simon his firstborn son, Menander, Basilides, and their entire wicked group of followers, who worship a man, and whom the prophet Jeremiah also calls cursed. Flee from the impure Nicolaitanes, falsely so called, who are lovers of pleasure and given to slanderous speeches. Also avoid the children of the evil one, Theodotus and Cleobulus, who produce deadly fruit; if anyone tastes it, they die instantly—not just a temporary death, but one that lasts forever. These men are not planted by the Father but are an accursed brood. The Lord says, “Let every plant my heavenly Father has not planted be uprooted.” If they were branches of the Father, they would not be “enemies of the cross of Christ” but rather would be against those who “killed the Lord of glory.” But now, by denying the cross and being ashamed of the passion, they cover the transgression of the Jews, fighters against God, and murderers of the Lord; for calling them merely murderers of the prophets would be insufficient. But Christ invites you to share in His immortality through His passion and resurrection, since you are His members.
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
Argument.— Basilides and Martial, Bishops, Having Lapsed and Become Contaminated by the Certificates of Idolatry, Cyprian with His Fellow-Bishops Praises the Clergy and People of Spain that They Had Substituted in Their Place by a Legitimate Election, Sabinus and Felix;
Common Questions
What did early Christians think about Basilides?
They usually treated him as a heretic and a false teacher, especially in Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Tertullian, and Cyprian.
Did any early Christian writer quote Basilides directly?
Yes. Clement of Alexandria quotes Basilides on martyrdom, faith, and his followers’ customs.
Was Basilides seen as part of the main church?
No. Early writers usually place him outside the church and against its teaching.
Source Index for Basilides
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 160 ranked source links from 228 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 160 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 120
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 80 shown of 108
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.