Of Cerinthus, the founder of this sect, Dr. Burton gives
the following account: Cerinthus is said to have been one of those Jews
who, when St. Peter returned to Jerusalem, expostulated with him for
having baptized Cornelius, Acts xi, 2. He is also stated to have been
one of those who went down from Judea to Antioch, and said, “Except ye
be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved,” Acts xv,
1. According to the same account, he was one of the false teachers who
seduced the Galatians to Judaism; and he is also charged with joining in
the attack which was made upon St. Paul, for polluting the temple by the
introduction of Greeks, Acts xxi, 27, 28. I cannot find any older
authority for these statements than that of Epiphanius, who wrote late
in the fourth century, and is by no means worthy of implicit credit. He
asserts, also, that Cerinthus was one of the persons alluded to by St.
Luke, as having already undertaken to write the life of Jesus. But all
these stories I take to be entirely inventions; and there is no evidence
that Cerinthus made himself conspicuous at so early a period. Irenæus
speaks of the heresy of the Nicolaitans, as being considerably prior to
that of the Cerinthians. According to the same writer, Carpocrates also
preceded Cerinthus; and if it be true, as so many of the fathers assert,
that St. John wrote his Gospel expressly to confute this heresy, we can
hardly come to any other conclusion, than that it was late in the first
century when Cerinthus rose into notice. He appears undoubtedly to have
been a Jew; and there is evidence that, after having studied philosophy
in Egypt, he spread his doctrines in Asia Minor. This will account for
his embracing the Gnostic opinions, and for his exciting the notice of
St. John, who resided at Ephesus. He was certainly a Gnostic in his
notion of the creation of the world, which he conceived to have been
formed by angels; and his attachment to that philosophy may explain what
otherwise seems inconsistent, that he retained some of the Mosaic
ceremonies, such as the observance of Sabbaths and circumcision; though,
like other Gnostics, he ascribed the law and the prophets to the angel
who created the world. This adoption or rejection of different parts of
the same system was a peculiar feature of the Gnostic philosophy; and
the name of Cerinthus probably became eminent, because he introduced a
fresh change in the notion concerning Christ. The Gnostics, like their
leader, Simon Magus, had all of them been Docetæ, and denied the real
humanity; but Cerinthus is said to have maintained that Jesus had a real
body, and was the son of human parents, Joseph and Mary. In the other
points he agreed with the Gnostics, and believed that Christ was one of
the æons who descended on Jesus at his baptism. It is difficult to
ascertain who was the first Gnostic that introduced this opinion. Some
writers give the merit of it to Ebion; and yet it is generally said that
Cerinthus and Ebion agreed in their opinions concerning Christ, and that
Cerinthus preceded Ebion. Again Carpocrates is said to have held the
same sentiments; and he is placed by Irenæus before Cerinthus: so that
it is difficult, if not impossible, to decide the chronological
precedence of these heretics. Perhaps the safest inference to draw from
so many conflicting testimonies is this: that Carpocrates was the first
Gnostic of eminence who was not a Docetist; but that the notion of Jesus
being born of human parents was taught more explicitly and with more
success by Cerinthus. Carpocrates is reported to have been distinguished
by the gross immorality of his life; and whatever we may think of the
imputations cast upon the Gnostics in general, it seems impossible to
deny that this person, at least, professed and practised a perfect
liberty of action. There is also strong evidence that in this instance
Cerinthus followed his example.
There is a peculiar doctrine ascribed to this heretic, which, if it
originated with him, may well account for the celebrity of his name.
Cerinthus has been handed down as the first person who held the notion
of a millennium; and though the fathers undoubtedly believed that,
previous to the general resurrection, the earth would undergo a
renovation, and the just would rise to enjoy a long period of
terrestrial happiness, yet there was a marked and palpable difference
between the millennium of the fathers and that of Cerinthus. The fathers
conceived this terrestrial happiness to be perfectly pure and freed from
the imperfections of our nature; but Cerinthus is said to have promised
his followers a millennium of the grossest pleasures and the most
sensual gratifications. It is singular that all the three sources, to
which we may trace the Gnostic doctrines, might furnish some foundation
for this notion of a millennium. Thus Plato has left some speculations
concerning the “great year,” when, after the expiration of thirty-six
thousand years, the world was to be renewed, and the golden age to
return. It was the belief of the Persian magi, according to Plutarch,
that the time would come, when Ahreman, or the evil principle, would be
destroyed; when the earth would lose its impediments and inequalities,
and all mankind would be of one language, and enjoy uninterrupted
happiness. It was taught, in the Cabbala, that the world was to last six
thousand years, which would be followed by a period of rest for a
thousand years more. There appears in this an evident allusion, though
on a much grander scale, to the sabbatical years of rest. The
institution of the jubilee, and the glowing descriptions given by the
prophets of the restoration of the Jews, and the reign of the Messiah,
may have led the later Jews to some of their mystical fancies; and when
all these systems were blended together by the Gnostics, it is not
strange, if a millennium formed part of their creed long before the time
of Cerinthus. It seems probable, however, that he went much farther than
his predecessors in teaching that the millennium would consist in a
course of sensual indulgence; and it may have been his notions upon this
subject, added to those concerning the human nature of Christ, which led
him to maintain, contrary to the generality of Gnostics, that Christ had
not yet risen, but that he would rise hereafter. The Gnostics, as we
have seen, denied the resurrection altogether. Believing Jesus to be a
phantom, they did not believe that he was crucified; and they could not
therefore believe that he had risen. But Cerinthus, who held that Jesus
was born, like other human beings, found no difficulty in believing
literally that he was crucified; and he is said also to have taught that
he would rise from the dead at some future period. It is most probable
that this period was that of the millennium; and the words of St. John
in the Revelation would easily be perverted, where it is said of the
souls of the martyrs, that “they lived and reigned with Christ a
thousand years,” Rev. xx, 4.
the following account: Cerinthus is said to have been one of those Jews
who, when St. Peter returned to Jerusalem, expostulated with him for
having baptized Cornelius, Acts xi, 2. He is also stated to have been
one of those who went down from Judea to Antioch, and said, “Except ye
be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved,” Acts xv,
1. According to the same account, he was one of the false teachers who
seduced the Galatians to Judaism; and he is also charged with joining in
the attack which was made upon St. Paul, for polluting the temple by the
introduction of Greeks, Acts xxi, 27, 28. I cannot find any older
authority for these statements than that of Epiphanius, who wrote late
in the fourth century, and is by no means worthy of implicit credit. He
asserts, also, that Cerinthus was one of the persons alluded to by St.
Luke, as having already undertaken to write the life of Jesus. But all
these stories I take to be entirely inventions; and there is no evidence
that Cerinthus made himself conspicuous at so early a period. Irenæus
speaks of the heresy of the Nicolaitans, as being considerably prior to
that of the Cerinthians. According to the same writer, Carpocrates also
preceded Cerinthus; and if it be true, as so many of the fathers assert,
that St. John wrote his Gospel expressly to confute this heresy, we can
hardly come to any other conclusion, than that it was late in the first
century when Cerinthus rose into notice. He appears undoubtedly to have
been a Jew; and there is evidence that, after having studied philosophy
in Egypt, he spread his doctrines in Asia Minor. This will account for
his embracing the Gnostic opinions, and for his exciting the notice of
St. John, who resided at Ephesus. He was certainly a Gnostic in his
notion of the creation of the world, which he conceived to have been
formed by angels; and his attachment to that philosophy may explain what
otherwise seems inconsistent, that he retained some of the Mosaic
ceremonies, such as the observance of Sabbaths and circumcision; though,
like other Gnostics, he ascribed the law and the prophets to the angel
who created the world. This adoption or rejection of different parts of
the same system was a peculiar feature of the Gnostic philosophy; and
the name of Cerinthus probably became eminent, because he introduced a
fresh change in the notion concerning Christ. The Gnostics, like their
leader, Simon Magus, had all of them been Docetæ, and denied the real
humanity; but Cerinthus is said to have maintained that Jesus had a real
body, and was the son of human parents, Joseph and Mary. In the other
points he agreed with the Gnostics, and believed that Christ was one of
the æons who descended on Jesus at his baptism. It is difficult to
ascertain who was the first Gnostic that introduced this opinion. Some
writers give the merit of it to Ebion; and yet it is generally said that
Cerinthus and Ebion agreed in their opinions concerning Christ, and that
Cerinthus preceded Ebion. Again Carpocrates is said to have held the
same sentiments; and he is placed by Irenæus before Cerinthus: so that
it is difficult, if not impossible, to decide the chronological
precedence of these heretics. Perhaps the safest inference to draw from
so many conflicting testimonies is this: that Carpocrates was the first
Gnostic of eminence who was not a Docetist; but that the notion of Jesus
being born of human parents was taught more explicitly and with more
success by Cerinthus. Carpocrates is reported to have been distinguished
by the gross immorality of his life; and whatever we may think of the
imputations cast upon the Gnostics in general, it seems impossible to
deny that this person, at least, professed and practised a perfect
liberty of action. There is also strong evidence that in this instance
Cerinthus followed his example.
There is a peculiar doctrine ascribed to this heretic, which, if it
originated with him, may well account for the celebrity of his name.
Cerinthus has been handed down as the first person who held the notion
of a millennium; and though the fathers undoubtedly believed that,
previous to the general resurrection, the earth would undergo a
renovation, and the just would rise to enjoy a long period of
terrestrial happiness, yet there was a marked and palpable difference
between the millennium of the fathers and that of Cerinthus. The fathers
conceived this terrestrial happiness to be perfectly pure and freed from
the imperfections of our nature; but Cerinthus is said to have promised
his followers a millennium of the grossest pleasures and the most
sensual gratifications. It is singular that all the three sources, to
which we may trace the Gnostic doctrines, might furnish some foundation
for this notion of a millennium. Thus Plato has left some speculations
concerning the “great year,” when, after the expiration of thirty-six
thousand years, the world was to be renewed, and the golden age to
return. It was the belief of the Persian magi, according to Plutarch,
that the time would come, when Ahreman, or the evil principle, would be
destroyed; when the earth would lose its impediments and inequalities,
and all mankind would be of one language, and enjoy uninterrupted
happiness. It was taught, in the Cabbala, that the world was to last six
thousand years, which would be followed by a period of rest for a
thousand years more. There appears in this an evident allusion, though
on a much grander scale, to the sabbatical years of rest. The
institution of the jubilee, and the glowing descriptions given by the
prophets of the restoration of the Jews, and the reign of the Messiah,
may have led the later Jews to some of their mystical fancies; and when
all these systems were blended together by the Gnostics, it is not
strange, if a millennium formed part of their creed long before the time
of Cerinthus. It seems probable, however, that he went much farther than
his predecessors in teaching that the millennium would consist in a
course of sensual indulgence; and it may have been his notions upon this
subject, added to those concerning the human nature of Christ, which led
him to maintain, contrary to the generality of Gnostics, that Christ had
not yet risen, but that he would rise hereafter. The Gnostics, as we
have seen, denied the resurrection altogether. Believing Jesus to be a
phantom, they did not believe that he was crucified; and they could not
therefore believe that he had risen. But Cerinthus, who held that Jesus
was born, like other human beings, found no difficulty in believing
literally that he was crucified; and he is said also to have taught that
he would rise from the dead at some future period. It is most probable
that this period was that of the millennium; and the words of St. John
in the Revelation would easily be perverted, where it is said of the
souls of the martyrs, that “they lived and reigned with Christ a
thousand years,” Rev. xx, 4.