Cyril of Jerusalem
Lecture 6, Part B
“Sanctify yourselves unto Me, O islands. Israel is saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation; they shall not be ashamed, neither shall they be confounded for ever….” — Isaiah 45:16-17
Summary: Sanctify yourselves unto God, by being wise concerning the delusions of heresies and heretics; so, you are not taken in by their devious lies; avoiding every perversion and unholy thing; living in the fear and love of God; worshiping Him within the faith and fellowship of the Church.[i]
Preview: 12. The devil, false-Christians, heretics “dared to banish God from His own creation”; frenemies of Christ, hating Him: :for he who blasphemes the Father of the Christ is an enemy of the Son”; speaking “of two Godheads”. 13. Heretics speak of two Gods: one good, one evil. “We bemire ourselves in speaking of these things, but we do it lest any of those present should from ignorance fall into the mire of the heretics … For it is much better to hear absurdities charged against others, than to fall into them from ignorance: far better that thou know the mire and hate it, than unawares fall into it. For the godless system of the heresies is a road with many branches, and whenever a man has strayed from the one straight way, then he falls down precipices again and again.” 14. Simon Magnus was an inventor of heresy, deceiving people in Rome, claiming himself to have appeared as the Father, Son, and Spirit. 15. “Peter and Paul … set the error right.” 16. “Cerinthus made havoc of the Church … Menander, Carpocrates, Ebionites, Marcion, who effaced the New Testament. 17. Basilides, Valentinus, who taught that Abyss begot Silence, and Silence the Word; Abyss also fathered eight Aeons, grandfathered ten, great-grandfathered twelve; thirty Aeons in all, because Jesus was thirty years old when baptized. 18. Valentinus degrades Christ, Who is Wisdom, she falling from heaven groans: begets from her groans the Devil, from her tears the sea; the Devil begot others who “created the world: and that the Christ came down in order to make mankind revolt from the Maker of the world.” 19. The twenty-nine other Aeons formed Christ, both male and female; such is their delusion and impiety; do not “enter into conversation with them.” 20. Hate heretics and workers of wickedness. “Heed not their kisses, but beware of their venom.” 22. Scythianus composed four books: a “Gospel” devoid of the acts of Christ, Chapters, Mysteries, and Treasures. 23. Scythianus’ disciple, Terebinthus, brought this heresy into Palestine; then into Persia, where he called himself Buddas, taking refuge with a widow. 24. The books survived in the hands of the widow, who adopted a son Cubricus. Cubricus called himself Manes and further preserved the books of Scythianus. 25. Manes claimed to be the Paraclete, presented himself as a miracle worker: but, killed a Persian prince, by interfering with medical treatment, when physicians might have saved the child. 26. A litany of Manes sins follows: blasphemy against the Spirit, fraudulently presenting himself as other than a slave, falsely promising things beyond human power, disgrace of imprisonment, escape from prison, cause of his jailer’s death… the opposite of Christ’s behavior. 27. Manes fled to Mesopotamia, where he was confronted by Bishop Archelaus, who exposed several of Manes self-contradictions. 28. Manes was also overthrown in his defense, when Archelaus showed that God causes the [spiritual] blindness of men because of their unbelief. 29. Such blindness has its advantages if it helps a person turn focus away from wickedness toward goodness and be saved. The mysteries are hidden from heathen, Catechumens; yet, are now reveled to the candidates for Baptism, who are becoming believers: for others may be hurt by these mysteries. 30. Manes, defeated by Archelaus, fled again; yet, was caught by the Persians, flayed, impaled, and thus perished. 31. A disciple of Manes – Thomas, Buddas, or Hermas – wrote the, Gospel According to Thomas. The Manicheans teach that the harvester of vegetables is changed into them, but which; shepherds who kill sheep or wolves, become which; fishers… what; birds…. 32. The Manicheans curse the Maker of bread they eat; such is their unreasoned ingratitude. 33. The Manicheans are worse than any heathen, Samaritan, or Jew; “do you … receive instruction from such a mouth?”[ii] 34. The Church reports these foul blasphemies to protect her children from harm. 35. “… may the Lord deliver us from such delusion”: for, “What communion has light with darkness?”[iii] In the Church is taught: order, discipline, majesty, purity, condemnation, sanctity, continence, virginity, thanksgiving, gratitude, worship, fear, trembling, and glory. 36. “Fold with the sheep: flee from the wolves: depart not from the Church.” Don’t trust the devious; cling to good; abstain from evil; hate delusion. Worship God… “may He preserve you all.”
