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Some others are secretly introducing another doctrine, who have become disciples of one Noetus, who was a native of Smyrna, 1 (and) lived not very long ago. 2 This person was greatly puffed up and inflated with pride, being inspired by the conceit of a strange spirit. He alleged that Christ was the Father Himself, and that the Father Himself was born, and suffered, and died. Ye see what pride of heart and what a strange inflated spirit had insinuated themselves into him. From his other actions, then, the proof is already given us that he spoke not with a pure spirit; for he who blasphemes against the Holy Ghost is cast out from the holy inheritance. He alleged that he was himself Moses, and that Aaron was his brother. 3 When the blessed presbyters heard this, they summoned him before the Church, and examined him. But he denied at first that he held such opinions. Afterwards, however, taking shelter among some, and having gathered round him some others 4 who had embraced the same error, he wished thereafter to uphold his dogma openly as correct. And the blessed presbyters called him again before them, and examined him. But he stood out against them, saying, "What evil, then, am I doing in glorifying Christ?" And the presbyters replied to him, "We too know in truth one God; 5 we know Christ; we know that the Son suffered even as He suffered, and died even as He died, and rose again on the third day, and is at the right hand of the Father, and cometh to judge the living and the dead. And these things which we have learned we allege." Then, after examining him, they expelled him from the Church. And he was carried to such a pitch of pride, that he established a school.
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That Noetus was a native of Smyrna is mentioned also by Theodoret, book iii. Haeret Fab., c. iii., and Damascenus, sec. lvii. (who is accustomed to follow Epiphanius); and yet in Epiphanius, Haeres., 57, we read that Noetus was an Asian of the city of Ephesus ('Asianon tes 'Ephesou poleos). (Fabricius.) ↩
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Epiphanius says that Noetus made his heresy public about 130 years before his time (ou pro eton pleionon all' hos pro chronou ton touton hekaton triakonta, pleio e elasso); and as Epiphanius wrote in the year 375, that would make the date of Noetus about 245. He says also that Noetus died soon after (enanchos), along with his brother. (Fabricius.) ↩
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So also Epiphanius and Damascenus. But Philastrius, Heresy, 53, puts Elijah for Aaron: hic etiam dicebat se Moysem esse, et fratrem suum Eliam prophetam. ↩
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Epiphanius remarks that they were but ten in number. ↩
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The following words are the words of the Symbolum, as it is extant in Irenaeus, i. 10, etc., and iii. 4; and in Tertullian, Contra Praxeam, ch. ii., and De Praescript., ch. xiii., and De virginibus velandis, ch. i. [See vol. iii., this series.] ↩
