Against Heresies: Book I

IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE MISREPRESENTATIONS: they present an indescribable number of apocryphal and fake writings, which they themselves have created, to confuse the minds of foolish people and those who are ignorant of the true Scriptures. Among other things, they bring up that false and wicked story which claims our Lord, when He was a boy learning His letters, responded to the teacher, when instructed to say “Alpha” as usual, by saying “Alpha.” But when the teacher asked Him to say “Beta,” the Lord replied, “You first tell me what Alpha is, and then I will tell you what Beta is.” They interpret this as meaning that He alone knew the Unknown, which He revealed as Alpha.

SOME PASSAGES FOUND IN THE GOSPELS ARE GIVEN A SIMILAR INTERPRETATION BY THEM: such as the response Jesus gave His mother when He was twelve years old: “Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” They claim that by this, He revealed to them the Father whom they were unaware of. For this reason, He also sent the disciples to the twelve tribes, so they might proclaim the unknown God to them. When someone called Him “Good Master,” He acknowledged that God is truly good, saying, “Why do you call Me good? There is One who is good, the Father in heaven;” and they assert that in this passage the Æons are referred to as heavens.

Furthermore, by not directly answering those who asked Him, “By what power do You do this?” but instead responding with a question, He left them utterly confused; by not answering, according to their interpretation, He demonstrated the inexpressible nature of the Father.

Additionally, when He said, “I have often desired to hear one of these words, and I had no one who could utter it,” they argue that by this expression “one,” He revealed the one true God whom they did not know.

Moreover, as He approached Jerusalem, He wept over it and said, “If you had known, even you, in this day, the things that belong to your peace, but they are hidden from you,” by saying “hidden,” He indicated the mysterious nature of Bythus. Again, when He said, “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, and learn from Me,” He introduced the Father of truth. For what they did not know, these people claim He promised to teach them.

THEY USE THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE AS THEIR STRONGEST PROOF: almost like the centerpiece of their argument: "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this was Your good pleasure. All things have been given to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Father except the Son, or the Son except the Father, and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him." They claim that these words show clearly that the Father of truth, whom they invented, was unknown to anyone before His coming. They interpret the passage to mean that the Creator and Designer of the world was always known to everyone, but the Lord spoke these words about the Father who was unknown to all, whom they now declare.