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| Conduct of Callistus and Zephyrinus in the Matter of Noetianism; Avowed Opinion of Zephyrinus Concerning Jesus Christ; Disapproval of Hippolytus; As a Contemporaneous Event, Hippolytus Competent to Explain It.
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Chapter VI.—Conduct of
Callistus and Zephyrinus in the Matter of Noetianism; Avowed Opinion of
Zephyrinus Concerning Jesus Christ; Disapproval of Hippolytus; As a
Contemporaneous Event, Hippolytus Competent to Explain It.
Callistus attempted to confirm this
heresy,—a man cunning in wickedness, and subtle where deceit was
concerned, (and) who was impelled by restless ambition to mount the
episcopal throne.986
Now
this man moulded to his purpose Zephyrinus, an ignorant and
illiterate individual, and one unskilled in ecclesiastical
definitions.987
And
inasmuch as Zephyrinus was accessible to bribes, and covetous,
Callistus, by luring him through presents, and by illicit
demands, was enabled to seduce him into whatever course of action he
pleased. And so it was that Callistus succeeded in inducing
Zephyrinus to create continually disturbances among the brethren, while
he himself took care subsequently, by knavish words, to attach both
factions in good-will to himself. And, at one time, to those who
entertained true opinions, he would in private988
| 988
The ms. reads καθ᾽
ἡδίαν, obviously corrupt. Dr.
Wordsworth suggests κατ᾽ ιδιαν,
i.e., “he, under pretext of arguing with them, deluded
them.” | allege that they held similar
doctrines (with himself), and thus make them his dupes; while at
another time he would act similarly towards those (who embraced)
the tenets of Sabellius. But Callistus perverted
Sabellius himself, and this, too, though he had the ability of
rectifying this heretic’s error. For (at any time)
during our admonition Sabellius did not evince obduracy; but as
long as he continued alone with Callistus, he was wrought upon to
relapse into the system of Cleomenes by this very Callistus, who
alleges that he entertains similar opinions to
Cleomenes. Sabellius, however, did not then
perceive the knavery of Callistus; but he afterwards came to be
aware of it, as I shall narrate presently.
Now Callistus brought forward Zephyrinus
himself, and induced him publicly to avow the following
sentiments: “I know that there is one God, Jesus
Christ; nor except Him do I know any other that is begotten and
amenable to suffering.” And on another occasion, when he
would make the following statement: “The Father did not
die, but the Son.” Zephyrinus would in this way
continue to keep up ceaseless disturbance among the people. And
we,989
| 989 It is
to be noticed how the plural number is observed in this account, as
keeping before the reader’s mind the episcopal office of him who
was thus exercising high ecclesiastical authority. [Elucidation
XI.] | becoming aware
of his sentiments, did not give place to him, but reproved and
withstood him for the truth’s sake. And he hurried headlong
into folly, from the fact that all consented to his
hypocrisy—we,990
| 990 It is to
be noticed how the plural number is observed in this account, as
keeping before the reader’s mind the episcopal office of him who
was thus exercising high ecclesiastical authority. [Elucidation
XI.] | however,
did not do so—and called us worshippers of two
gods, disgorging, independent of compulsion,991
the venom lurking within him. It
would seem to us desirable to explain the life of this heretic,
inasmuch as he was born about the same time with ourselves, in order
that, by the exposure of the habits of a person of this description,
the heresy attempted to be established by him may be easily known, and
may perchance be regarded as silly, by those endued with
intelligence. This Callistus became a “martyr”
at the period when Fuscianus was prefect of Rome, and the mode of his
“martyrdom” was as follows.992
| 992
Hippolytus is obviously sneering at the martyrdom of Callistus,
who did not in reality suffer or die for the truth. Nay, his
condemnation before Fuscianus enabled Callistus to succeed entirely in
his plans for worldly advancement. [The martyrdom of
Callistus, so ludicrous in the eyes of our author, is doctrine
in the Roman system. This heretic figures as a saint, and
has his festival on the 14th of October. Maxima
veneratione colitur, says the Roman Breviary.] | E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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