Against Heresies: Book IV

IF ANYONE READS THE SCRIPTURES WITH ATTENTION: they will find an account of Christ and a foreshadowing of the new calling. Christ is the treasure hidden in the field, which represents the world (for "the field is the world"). The treasure hidden in the Scriptures is Christ, as He was revealed through types and parables.

Therefore, His human nature could not be fully understood before the fulfillment of the predicted events, specifically the coming of Christ. This is why Daniel the prophet was told: "Shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of fulfillment, when many will learn and knowledge will be completed.

At that time, when the dispersion is completed, they will understand all these things." Jeremiah also says, "In the last days, they will understand these things." Every prophecy, before being fulfilled, is like an enigma and ambiguous to people.

But when the time arrives, and the prediction comes to pass, the prophecies have a clear and certain explanation. For this reason, when the law is read to the Jews today, it's like a fable; they don't have the explanation of everything related to the coming of the Son of God, who came in human form.

But when Christians read it, it is a treasure, hidden in a field but revealed by the cross of Christ. It enriches the understanding of people, shows forth the wisdom of God, and declares His plans for humanity. It shapes the kingdom of Christ ahead of time, anticipates the inheritance of the holy Jerusalem, and proclaims in advance that the person who loves God will reach the greatness of seeing God, hearing His word, and being so glorified by His discourse that others can’t look upon the glory of their face.

As Daniel said: "Those who understand will shine like the brightness of the sky, and many of the righteous like the stars forever and ever." Thus, as I have shown, if anyone reads the Scriptures in this way, this is what they will find. This was how the Lord talked with the disciples after His resurrection, proving to them from the Scriptures that “Christ must suffer, and enter into His glory, and that remission of sins should be preached in His name throughout all the world.” The disciple will be perfected and become like a householder "who brings forth from his treasure things new and old."

THEREFORE: it is necessary to obey the presbyters in the Church—those who, as I have shown, possess the succession from the apostles; those who, along with the succession of the episcopate, have received the certain gift of truth, according to the good pleasure of the Father. But it is also necessary to be wary of others who depart from this original succession and gather themselves anywhere, viewing them as heretics with perverse minds, schismatics who are arrogant and self-serving, or as hypocrites acting for gain or vanity. All these have fallen from the truth. The heretics who bring strange fire to the altar of God, meaning strange doctrines, will be consumed by fire from heaven, as Nadab and Abiud were. Those who oppose the truth and urge others against the Church of God will remain among those in hell, as they are swallowed by an earthquake, just as those with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were. Those who divide and separate the unity of the Church will receive the same punishment from God as Jeroboam did. Amen

THOSE WHO ARE CONSIDERED TO BE PRESBYTERS BY MANY: but serve their own desires and do not put the fear of God first in their hearts, who act with contempt toward others and are filled with pride because they hold the chief seat, committing evil deeds in secret and saying, "No one sees us," will be judged by the Word, which does not judge by outward appearance or face value, but looks at the heart. They will hear the words found in the prophet Daniel: "O seed of Canaan, and not of Judah, beauty has deceived you, and desire has led your heart astray. You who have grown old in wicked days, now your sins, which you committed long ago, have come to light; for you have made false judgments, and have been accustomed to condemning the innocent while letting the guilty go free, even though the Lord says, 'You shall not kill the innocent and righteous.'" The Lord also said about such people: "But if the wicked servant says in his heart, 'My lord is delayed,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the lord of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers."

FROM ALL SUCH PERSONS: then, it is necessary for us to keep away, but to adhere to those who, as I have already mentioned, hold the doctrine of the apostles, and who, along with the order of priesthood, demonstrate sound speech and blameless conduct for the confirmation and correction of others. In this way, Moses, to whom such leadership was entrusted, relying on a good conscience, cleared himself before God, saying, “I have not in covetousness taken anything belonging to any of these men, nor have I done evil to any of them.” In this way, too, Samuel, who judged the people for many years and ruled over Israel without pride, eventually cleared himself, saying, “I have walked before you from my childhood even unto this day: answer me in the sight of God, and before His anointed; whose ox or donkey have I taken, or over whom have I tyrannized, or whom have I oppressed? Or if I have received from the hand of anyone a bribe or even a shoe, speak against me, and I will restore it to you.” And when the people said to him, “You have not tyrannized, nor have you oppressed us nor have you taken anything from any man’s hand,” he called the Lord to witness, saying, “The Lord is witness, and His Anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they said to him, "He is witness." In this manner, the Apostle Paul, having a good conscience, said to the Corinthians: “For we are not like many, who corrupt the Word of God: but with sincerity, and as from God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ;” “We have injured no one, corrupted no one, deceived no one.”

THE CHURCH NURTURES SUCH PRESBYTERS: of whom the prophet also says: “I will give your rulers in peace, and your bishops in righteousness.” The Lord also spoke of them, “Who then is the faithful steward, good and wise, whom the Lord sets over His household to give them their food at the right time? Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when He comes, shall find doing so.” Paul, teaching us where to find such people, says, “God has placed in the Church, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers.” Therefore, where the gifts of the Lord have been placed, we must learn the truth from those who possess the succession of the Church from the apostles, and among whom is found conduct that is sound and blameless, as well as speech that is unadulterated and incorrupt. For they also preserve our faith in one God who created all things, and they enhance our love for the Son of God, who accomplished such marvelous acts for our sake. They explain the Scriptures to us without danger, neither blaspheming God, nor dishonoring the patriarchs, nor despising the prophets.