Against Heresies: Book I

AND WHILE THEY AFFIRM SUCH THINGS ABOUT THE CREATION: each of them creates something new every day, according to their ability; for no one is considered "perfect" unless they invent some grand fiction among them. It is therefore necessary to first point out what they transform [for their own use] from the prophetic writings, and then to refute them. They claim that Moses, in his way of beginning the account of the creation, has in the beginning indicated the mother of all things when he says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth;" for, as they assert, by naming these four—God, beginning, heaven, and earth—he revealed their Tetrad.

Indicating its invisible and hidden nature, he said, "Now the earth was invisible and unformed." They also claim that he referred to the second Tetrad, the offspring of the first, by mentioning an abyss and darkness, in which were also water and the Spirit moving upon the water.

Then, proceeding to mention the Decad, he names light, day, night, the firmament, the evening, the morning, dry land, sea, plants, and, in the tenth place, trees. With these ten names, he indicated the ten Æons.

The power of the Duodecad was shown by him as follows: He names the sun, moon, stars, seasons, years, whales, fishes, reptiles, birds, quadrupeds, wild beasts, and after all these, in the twelfth place, man. Thus they teach that the Triacontad was revealed through Moses by the Spirit.

Moreover, man, being formed in the image of the power above, had within himself the ability that flows from the one source. This ability was seated in the brain, from which four faculties proceed, after the image of the Tetrad above, called: the first, sight, the second, hearing, the third, smell, and the fourth, taste.

They say that the Ogdoad is shown in man this way: he has two ears, two eyes, two nostrils, and a twofold taste, namely, bitter and sweet. They also teach that the whole man contains the complete image of the Triacontad as follows: In his hands, with his fingers, he holds the Decad; and in his whole body the Duodecad, since his body is divided into twelve members; for they divide it, as they divide the body of Truth—a point which we have already discussed.

But the Ogdoad, being unspeakable and invisible, is understood to be hidden in the internal organs.

2. They claim that the sun, the great light-giver, was created on the fourth day, relating it to the number four, or the Tetrad. Similarly, according to them, the courts of the tabernacle built by Moses, made of fine linen, blue, purple, and scarlet, represent the same idea. They also argue that the priest's long robe, which reaches his feet and is decorated with four rows of precious stones, symbolizes the Tetrad. If there are any other things in the Scriptures that can be associated with the number four, they assert that these exist with reference to the Tetrad. As for the Ogdoad, they claim it is shown like this: they say that man was formed on the eighth day, although sometimes they claim he was made on the sixth day, and sometimes on the eighth, unless perhaps they mean that his earthly part was created on the sixth day and his fleshly part on the eighth, as they distinguish between these two aspects. Some of them also believe that one man was formed in the image and likeness of God, both male and female, as the spiritual man; and that another man was made from the earth.

FURTHERMORE: they claim that the arrangement made regarding the ark during the Deluge, which saved eight people, clearly signifies the Ogdoad that brings salvation. David also demonstrates this, as he was the eighth in terms of age among his brothers. Moreover, the circumcision that occurred on the eighth day symbolized the higher Ogdoad's circumcision. In short, whenever they find something in the Scriptures associated with the number eight, they claim it fulfills the mystery of the Ogdoad. Similarly, concerning the Decad, they assert that it is indicated by the ten nations God promised to Abraham as a possession. The arrangement made by Sarah, when after ten years she gave her handmaid Hagar to him so that he might have a son through her, demonstrated the same idea. Additionally, the servant of Abraham who went to Rebekah and gave her ten gold bracelets at the well, her brothers who kept her for ten days, Jeroboam who received the ten scepters (tribes), the ten courts of the tabernacle, the columns ten cubits high, the ten sons of Jacob initially sent to Egypt to buy grain, and the ten apostles to whom the Lord appeared after His resurrection—with Thomas being absent—all, according to them, represented the invisible Decad.

REGARDING THE DUODECAD: which is linked to the mystery of the passion of the defect from which they believe all visible things were created, they claim it is clearly and prominently found everywhere in Scripture. They assert that the twelve sons of Jacob, from whom came the twelve tribes; the breastplate of the high priest, which had twelve precious stones and twelve small bells; the twelve stones placed by Moses at the foot of the mountain; the similar number placed by Joshua in the river and on the other side with the bearers of the ark of the covenant; the stones set up by Elijah when the heifer was offered as a burnt-offering; the number of the apostles; and, ultimately, any event involving the number twelve represent their Duodecad. Furthermore, they vigorously attempt to show the union of all these, called the Triacontad, using examples like Noah’s ark, which was thirty cubits high; Samuel's assignment of the chief place among thirty guests to Saul; David, who hid in the field for thirty days; those who joined him in the cave; and the fact that the holy tabernacle was thirty cubits high. If they encounter any other similar numbers, they also associate these with their Triacontad.