Against Heresies: Book II

They improperly and illogically apply both the parables and actions of the Lord to their falsely-devised system, and I prove this as follows: They attempt to demonstrate that the passion, which they claim occurred in the case of the twelfth Æon, is evidenced by the fact that the passion of the Saviour was brought about by the twelfth apostle and happened in the twelfth month. They believe that He preached only for one year after His baptism. They also argue that this was clearly shown in the case of the woman who suffered from the issue of blood. The woman suffered for twelve years, and by touching the hem of the Saviour’s garment, she was healed by the power that went forth from the Saviour, which they assert had a previous existence. For that Power which suffered was extending herself outward and flowing into immensity, to the point of being in danger of dissolving into the general substance of the Æons; but then, by touching the primary Tetrad, symbolized by the hem of the garment, she was stopped and ceased from her passion.

2. Regarding their claim that the passion of the twelfth Æon was demonstrated through Judas's actions, how is it possible to compare Judas with this Æon as a symbol of her—Judas, who was expelled from the group of the twelve and never reinstated? The Æon they claim Judas represents, after being separated from her Enthymesis, was restored to her former position; but Judas lost his office and was cast out, while Matthias was appointed in his place, as it is written, “Let another take his bishopric.” Therefore, they should argue that the twelfth Æon was cast out of the Pleroma, and another was created, or sent forth to take her place, if Judas is to represent her. Furthermore, they say that it was the Æon herself who suffered, but Judas was the betrayer, not the sufferer. Even they admit that it was the suffering Christ, and not Judas, who endured the passion. How, then, could Judas, the betrayer of Him who had to suffer for our salvation, be the type and image of that Æon who suffered?

BUT: in truth, the passion of Christ was neither similar to the passion of the Æon, nor did it occur in the same way. For the Æon underwent a passion of dissolution and destruction, so that she who suffered was at risk of being destroyed.

But the Lord, our Christ, underwent a true, not merely accidental, passion; not only was He Himself not at risk of being destroyed, but He also strengthened fallen man by His own power and brought him back to incorruption.

The Æon experienced passion while she was seeking the Father but couldn't find Him; the Lord suffered to bring those who have strayed from the Father back to knowledge and fellowship. Her search into the greatness of the Father led to her passion and destruction; but the Lord, having suffered, gave us the knowledge of the Father and granted us salvation. Her passion, as they claim, resulted in a weak, infirm, unformed, and ineffective female offspring; but His passion brought forth strength and power.

Through suffering, the Lord “ascended into the heavenly place, led captivity captive, gave gifts to men,” and granted believers the power “to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy,” meaning the leader of apostasy. Our Lord also, by His passion, destroyed death, ended error, abolished corruption, and eradicated ignorance, while He revealed life, unveiled truth, and bestowed the gift of incorruption.

But their Æon, after suffering, established ignorance and brought forth a formless substance, from which all material works like death, corruption, and error have been produced.

JUDAS: the twelfth disciple, was not a representation of the suffering Æon, nor of the passion of the Lord, because these two things are completely different and incompatible in every way. This difference applies not only to the aspects I’ve already talked about but also to their numbers. It is agreed by all that Judas the traitor is the twelfth, because the Gospel names twelve apostles. However, this Æon is not the twelfth but the thirtieth. According to the views in question, not just twelve Æons were created by the Father's will, nor was she the twelfth to be sent forth. Instead, she is counted as being created in the thirtieth place. How, then, can Judas, the twelfth, be the symbol and reflection of that Æon who is the thirtieth?

BUT IF THEY CLAIM THAT JUDAS IN HIS DESTRUCTION WAS THE IMAGE OF HER ENTHYMESIS: even then the image will not accurately reflect the truth it supposedly represents. The Enthymesis, after being separated from the Æon and then given shape by Christ, participates in intelligence through the Savior and creates everything outside the Pleroma in the likeness of what is within the Pleroma. It is said that Enthymesis was eventually received back into the Pleroma and united with the Savior who was formed from all.

However, Judas was completely cast away and never returned to the group of disciples; otherwise, someone else would not have been chosen to replace him.

Furthermore, the Lord declared regarding Judas: "Woe to the man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed," and "It would be better for him if he had never been born;" He also called him the "son of perdition." If they claim that Judas was a type of Enthymesis, but not as separated from the Æon—rather, of the passion associated with her—then neither can the number twelve be considered an appropriate type of the number three.

In Judas’s case, he was cast out, and Matthias was appointed in his place; whereas with the Æon, she was in danger of dissolution and destruction, along with her Enthymesis and passion. They clearly distinguish Enthymesis from passion, presenting the Æon as restored, with Enthymesis gaining form, and the passion, once separated, becoming material. Since there are these three—the Æon, her Enthymesis, and her passion—Judas and Matthias, being only two, cannot represent them.