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| Heresy of Valentinus; Derived from Plato and Pythagoras.
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Chapter XVI.—Heresy
of Valentinus; Derived from Plato and Pythagoras.
The heresy of Valentinus649
| 649
Valentinus came from Alexandria to Rome during the pontificate of
Hyginus, and established a school there. His desire seems to have
been to remain in communion with Rome, which he did for many years, as
Tertullian informs us. Epiphanius, however, tells that
Valentinus, towards the end of his life, when living in Cyprus,
separated entirely from the Church. Irenæus, book i.;
Tertullian on Valentinus, and chap. xxx. of his Præscript.;
Clemens Alexandrinus, Strom., iv. 13, vi. 6; Theodoret,
Hæret. Fab., i. 7; Epiphanius, Hær., xxxi.; St.
Augustine, Hær., xi.; Philastrius, Hist. Hærs.,
c. viii.; Photius, Biblioth., cap. ccxxx.; Clemens
Alexandrinus’ Epitome of Theodotus (pp. 789–809, ed.
Sylburg). The title is, ᾽Εκ
τῶν Θεοδότου
καὶ τῆς
ἀνατολικῆς
καλουμένης
διδασκαλίας,
κατὰ τοὺς
Οὐαλεντίνου
χρόνους
ἐπιτομαὶ.
See likewise Neander’s Church History, vol. ii.
Bohn’s edition. | is certainly, then, connected with the
Pythagorean and Platonic theory. For Plato, in the
Timæus, altogether derives his impressions from Pythagoras,
and therefore Timæus himself is his Pythagorean stranger.
Wherefore, it appears expedient that we should commence by reminding
(the reader) of a few points of the Pythagorean and Platonic theory,
and that (then we should proceed) to declare the opinions of
Valentinus.650
| 650 These
opinions are mostly given in extracts from Valentinus’ work
Sophia, a book of great repute among Gnostics, and not named by
Hippolytus, probably as being so well known at the time. The
Gospel of Truth, mentioned by Irenæus as used among the
Valentinians, is not, however, considered to be from the pen of
Valentinus. In the extracts given by Hippolytus from Valentinus,
it is important (as in the case of Basilides: see
translator’s introduction) to find that he quotes St.
John’s Gospel, and St. Paul’s Epistle to the
Ephesians. The latter had been pronounced by the Tübingen
school as belonging to the period of the Montanistic disputes in the
middle of the second century, that is, somewhere about 25–30
years after Valentinus. | For even
although in the books previously finished by us with so much pains, are
contained the opinions advanced by both Pythagoras and Plato, yet at
all events I shall not be acting unreasonably, in now also calling to
the recollection of the reader, by means of an epitome, the principal
heads of the favourite tenets of these (speculators). And this
(recapitulation) will facilitate our knowledge of the doctrines of
Valentinus, by means of a nearer comparison, and by similarity of
composition (of the two systems). For (Pythagoras and Plato)
derived these tenets originally from the Egyptians, and introduced
their novel opinions among the Greeks. But (Valentinus took his
opinions) from these, because, although he has suppressed the truth
regarding his obligations to (the Greek philosophers), and in this way
has endeavoured to construct a doctrine, (as it were,) peculiarly his
own, yet, in point of fact, he has altered the doctrines of those
(thinkers) in names only, and numbers, and has adopted a peculiar
terminology (of his own). Valentinus has formed his definitions
by measures, in order that
he may establish an Hellenic heresy, diversified no doubt, but
unstable, and not connected with Christ.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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