Against Heresies: Book IV

AND THAT THE LORD DID NOT ABOLISH THE NATURAL PRINCIPLES OF THE LAW: by which man is justified—principles which those justified by faith and who pleased God observed before the law was given—but instead extended and fulfilled them, is shown by His words. "For," He said, "it has been said to the people of long ago, Do not commit adultery.

But I tell you, that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." And again: "It has been said, You shall not kill.

But I tell you, anyone who is angry with their brother without cause will be in danger of judgment." And, "It has been said, You shall not swear falsely.

But I tell you, Do not swear at all; but let your response be Yes, yes, and No, no." And other statements like these. For all these do not imply an opposition to or overturning of the principles of the past, as Marcion's followers strongly assert; rather, they show a fulfilling and extension of them, as He Himself declares: "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." What did the excess referred to mean? First, we must believe not only in the Father but also in His Son now revealed; for He is the one who leads man into fellowship and unity with God.

Next, we must not only speak but also act; for they spoke but did not act. And we must not only abstain from evil deeds but even from the desire for them. Now He did not teach us these things as being opposed to the law, but as fulfilling the law and instilling in us the varied righteousness of the law. It would have been contrary to the law if He had commanded His disciples to do anything the law prohibited.

But what He did command—namely, not only to abstain from what the law forbids but even from desiring them—is not contrary to the law, as I have noted, nor is it the teaching of one destroying the law, but of one fulfilling, extending, and providing greater scope to it.

THE LAW: given for those in bondage, used to instruct the soul through physical and external objects, binding it to obey its commandments so that people might learn to serve God. But the Word set the soul free, teaching that through it, the body should be willingly purified. Once this was achieved, it naturally followed that the bonds of slavery should be removed, allowing people to follow God without restrictions. Furthermore, the laws of liberty should be broadened, and loyalty to the king increased, so that no one who is converted would seem unworthy to Him who set them free. Both servants and children should equally offer the piety and obedience owed to the Master of the household, while children should have greater confidence, since the power of liberty is greater and more glorious than obedience given in slavery.

AND FOR THIS REASON THE LORD: instead of the commandment, “You shall not commit adultery,” also forbade even lust; and instead of “You shall not kill,” He prohibited anger; and instead of the law requiring the giving of tithes, He instructed us to share all our possessions with the poor; and to love not only our neighbors, but even our enemies; and not just to be generous givers, but even to offer a gift to those who take away our belongings.

For “to him who takes away your coat,” He says, “give him your cloak also; and from him who takes away your goods, do not ask for them back; and as you would have others do to you, do to them:” so that we may not grieve like those unwilling to be wronged, but rejoice as those who give willingly, acting as if conferring a favor upon our neighbors rather than yielding to necessity. “And if anyone,” He says, “compels you to go a mile, go with him two;” so that you may not follow him as a slave, but may go ahead as a free person, showing yourself in everything to be kind and useful to your neighbor, not considering their evil intentions, but performing your kind acts, becoming like the Father, “who makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and unjust.” Now all these teachings, as I have already mentioned, were not the commands of one abolishing the law, but of one fulfilling, expanding, and widening it among us; as if to say that the greater operation of freedom implies that a deeper commitment and affection towards our Liberator has been implanted within us.

For He did not set us free so that we would depart from Him (indeed, no one, while separated from the Lord’s benefits, has the power to obtain the means of salvation for himself), but that the more we receive His grace, the more we should love Him. And the more we love Him, the more glory we shall receive from Him, when we are continually in the presence of the Father.

SINCE ALL NATURAL PRECEPTS ARE COMMON TO BOTH US AND THE JEWS: they indeed had the beginning and origin, but with us, these precepts have grown and reached completion. To trust in God, to follow His Word, to love Him above all else, to love one’s neighbor as oneself (since a person is a neighbor to another person), and to abstain from every evil deed, along with all other similar practices common to both covenants, reveal one and the same God.

This God is our Lord, the Word of God, who first drew slaves to God, but later set free those who were under Him. As He Himself tells His disciples, “I will not now call you servants, because the servant does not know what his lord does; but I have called you friends, for all things I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.” When He says, “I will not now call you servants,” He clearly indicates that it was He who first established the servitude of people to God through the law, and then later granted them freedom.

When He says, “For the servant does not know what his lord does,” He highlights the ignorance of people in a servile condition through His own coming. By calling His disciples “the friends of God,” He openly declares Himself as the Word of God, whom Abraham also followed freely and without coercion because of the noble nature of his faith, thus becoming “the friend of God.” The Word of God did not seek Abraham’s friendship out of need, for He was perfect from the beginning (“Before Abraham was,” He says, “I am”), but in His goodness, He sought to bestow eternal life upon Abraham himself, as the friendship of God grants immortality to those who embrace it.