Against Heresies: Book III

GOD DOES: however, exercise providence over all things, and therefore He also gives counsel. When giving counsel, He is present with those who focus on moral discipline. It follows, then, that those watched over and governed should be familiar with their ruler. These beings are not irrational or vain, but have understanding derived from the providence of God. For this reason, certain Gentiles who were less drawn to sensual allurements and indulgence, and were not overly influenced by superstition regarding idols, were moved—though only slightly—by His providence. They were nevertheless convinced that they should call the Maker of this universe the Father, who exercises providence over all things and arranges the affairs of our world.

2. Again, as people attempt to separate the rebuking and judicial authority from the Father, considering it unworthy of God and believing they have discovered a God who is both without anger and only good, they claim that one God judges while another saves, inadvertently removing the wisdom and justice from both deities. For if the one who judges is not also good, to grant favor to the deserving and to direct reproofs at those who need them, he will appear neither just nor wise. On the other hand, the good God, if he is only good and does not test those upon whom he bestows his goodness, will fall outside the realms of justice and goodness; his goodness will seem incomplete if it does not save all, as it should if it is not paired with judgment.

MARCION: by dividing God into two, claiming one to be good and the other judicial, essentially denies deity to both. The one who is judicial, if not good, cannot be God, because a being lacking goodness is no God at all. Similarly, the one who is good, if lacking judicial power, loses his divine nature in the same way as the former. How can they call the Father of all wise if they do not attribute to Him a judicial ability? If He is wise, He is also one who tests others; but the power of judgment belongs to the one who tests, and justice follows the judicial ability to reach a fair conclusion. Justice leads to judgment, and when judgment is executed with justice, it connects to wisdom. Therefore, the Father surpasses all human and angelic wisdom in wisdom because He is Lord, Judge, the Just One, and Ruler over all. He is good, merciful, and patient, and saves whom He ought to save. His goodness does not abandon Him in the exercise of justice, nor is His wisdom reduced; He saves those He should save and judges those worthy of judgment. He does not show Himself unmercifully just; for His goodness undoubtedly comes first and takes precedence.

THE GOD: therefore, who kindly causes His sun to rise on everyone and sends rain on both the just and the unjust, will judge those who, while benefiting from His equally distributed kindness, have lived lives unworthy of the honor of His generosity. These are the ones who have spent their days in indulgence and luxury, opposing His benevolence, and have even blasphemed Him who has granted them such great benefits.

PLATO IS SHOWN TO BE MORE RELIGIOUS THAN THESE MEN: as he acknowledged that the same God was both just and good, with power over all things, executing judgment Himself. He expressed himself by saying, “And God indeed, as He is also the ancient Word, possessing the beginning, the end, and the middle of all existing things, does everything rightly, moving around them according to their nature; but retributive justice always follows Him against those who stray from the divine law.” Furthermore, he highlights that the Maker and Framer of the universe is good. “And to the good,” he says, “no envy ever arises regarding anything,” thus establishing the goodness of God as the beginning and the cause of the creation of the world, and not ignorance, nor a mistaken Æon, nor the result of a defect, nor the Mother weeping and lamenting, nor another God or Father.

THEIR MOTHER MAY WELL LAMENT THEM: as they are capable of conceiving and inventing such ideas, for they have rightly spoken this falsehood against themselves: that their Mother is beyond the Pleroma, meaning beyond the knowledge of God, and that their whole multitude became a shapeless and crude abortion. They grasp nothing of the truth; they fall into emptiness and darkness. Their wisdom (Sophia) was empty, and wrapped in darkness; and Horos did not allow her to enter the Pleroma. The Spirit (Achamoth) did not welcome them into the place of refreshment. Their father, by creating ignorance, caused the sufferings of death in them. We do not misrepresent their beliefs on these matters; they themselves affirm, teach, and take pride in them. They imagine an exalted mystery about their Mother, whom they claim was born without a father, meaning without God—a female from a female, that is, corruption from error.

WE SINCERELY PRAY THAT THESE MEN DO NOT REMAIN IN THE PIT THEY HAVE DUG FOR THEMSELVES BUT SEPARATE FROM SUCH A MOTHER: depart from Bythus, distance themselves from the void, and let go of the shadow. We hope they turn to the Church of God, are properly reborn, and that Christ forms within them so they may know the Creator and Maker of this universe, the only true God and Lord of all. We pray for these things because we love them more than they seem to love themselves. Our love, being true, is beneficial to them if they are willing to accept it. It can be compared to a harsh remedy that removes the proud and decaying flesh of a wound, for it ends their pride and arrogance. Therefore, we will not tire of striving with all our might to reach out to them. In addition to what has already been stated, I have postponed to the next book the presentation of the Lord's words; if, by convincing some among them through Christ's own teachings, I can succeed in persuading them to abandon such error and stop blaspheming their Creator, who is God alone and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.