Against all heresies

The authorship of the treatise “Against All Heresies” is attributed to St. Athanasius the Great. The work contains polemics against the Arians, Doukhobors, followers of Paul of Samosata, Manichaeans, Marcion, Valentinus, Basilides, Hieraxes, Novatians, Montanists and Apollinarians. The 13 paragraphs contain an introduction to the problems of heresies, reveal the Orthodox teaching about the Holy Trinity, affirm the co-eternity of the Son with the Father, the pre-eternal existence of the Son and the birth of Christ from the Virgin, emphasize the goodness and love of God for mankind, and also sound a call to adhere to the Catholic Church as the unshakable foundation of salvation. For the first time, a translation into Russian from the Greek treatise, inscribed with the name of St., is published. Athanasius the Great “Against all heresies” (spuria), containing polemics against the Arians, Doukhobors, Paul of Samosata, Manichaeans, Marcion, Valentinus, Basilides, Hieraxes, Novatians, Monatnists and Apollinarians. The treatise in overview shows the picture of ancient Christian polemics with heresies III - beginning. 5th century and provides the church reader with biblical arguments for effective polemics against the above-mentioned heretics. This publication offers a translation of the treatise “Against All Heresies,” attributed to St. Athanasius the Great, but considered in science to be of inauthentic authorship (spuria). The treatise is a refutation of the fundamental concepts of the most famous heretical teachings of the 2nd–5th centuries. P. Gemeinhard mentions two codes in which the treatise is preserved in Greek: Vind. 629, Vind. 648 1. In the preface to the publication of this treatise in Minh's "Patrology", some other codices are also mentioned (PG. T. 28. Col. 501–502): codices from the Segverian collection, Basel, Commmelian, Goblerian and others. In one of them, however, there is a Greek scholia in the margins, in which the scribe (possibly Doxopatra) expresses doubts about the ownership of this treatise by St. Afanasy, pointing out that the style of this essay is “alien and simple.” Besides the Greek language, there is also an Armenian version. Geerard writes that this treatise does not belong to Athanasius, although it was written depending on him 2 . Didim the Blind is suggested as possible authors. One of the factors of dependence on St. Athanasius is considered to be a reference to the Doukhobor heresy as “tropics,” which is found only in St. Athanasius in the Epistles to Serapion. The treatise begins with a kind of introduction (paragraphs 1–2) to the problems of polemics against heresies in a soteriological context, in which faith in Jesus Christ as God and the Creator of the world is substantiated. To this end, this part of the text substantiates the divine inspiration and unity of the Old and New Testaments, starting from the predictions of the Old Testament prophets about the Birth of the Messiah from the Virgin and His suffering, which came true many years later in the Person of Jesus Christ in the New Testament and witnessed by the apostles, to the mention of the first saved person - the prudent thief, confirming the effectiveness of the saving path to paradise, which was opened and which is Jesus Christ Himself (John 14:6). Then, one by one, the main ideas of ancient heresies are examined, and then refuted from the position of the Orthodox faith. Paragraphs 3–4 examine the Arians' misconceptions about the creatureliness of the Word and argue in favor of the church teaching about the co-eternity of the Son with the Father, with reference to John 1:1–3, as well as about the indivisible and one Divinity. In paragraph 5, the errors of the Doukhobors (“tropics”), who believed that the Holy Spirit was created, are exposed, and on the basis of Holy Scripture the Orthodox teaching about the indivisible Holy Trinity is revealed. The teaching of the Adoptianist Paul of Samosata, who taught that the Logos from the Father descended on the man Jesus and through this acquired personal existence, is criticized in paragraph 6 and there, contrary to this heresy, the doctrine of the eternal personal existence of the Son of God is revealed. In paragraph 7, there is a polemic with the Manichaeans, who taught about the original existence of two principles (substances) of good and evil; about the illusory nature of the Incarnation of God; dividing and contrasting the Old and New Testaments. To refute the Manichaean errors, objections are given, both logical and from Holy Scripture. The Gnostic teaching of Marcion, Valentinus and Basilides that Christ passed through the Virgin as “water through a pipe” is contrasted, in paragraph 8, with the testimony of the Birth of the Word from the Unartful Virgin. Further, in paragraph 9, the errors of Hierax, who exalted virginity and rejected marriage, are refuted by logical and theological arguments. A refutation of the views of Novatian, who did not allow the possibility of repentance for those who had departed from the faith and who had gravely sinned, is given in paragraph 10. The uncompromising position of the Novatians rejected the goodness and love of God and presented Him as cruel and inhumane, therefore it is condemned as a heresy that does not correspond to the testimony of Holy Scripture about God and the repentance established by Him as a means of salvation. In paragraph 11, the Montanist false teaching about the continuation of the Revelation of God through the prophets, after the appearance of God the Word Himself, is refuted. The teaching of Apollinaris that God received from the Most Pure Ever-Virgin Mary only a body, and instead of a soul there was God the Word Himself, is criticized in paragraph 12, where the author says that if only flesh is received, without a rational soul, then, therefore, the salvation of people is impossible. This treatise ends with paragraph 13 and an exhortation to adhere to the Catholic Church as the unshakable foundation of salvation, which preserves the only true understanding of Holy Scripture and faith, against which all heresies are broken. Despite the fact that this work was written a long time ago, it is still in demand today, since heresies (sects) appear from time to time, reproducing previous errors condemned by the Church, although they are outwardly modified under the influence of new cultural and historical circumstances. Prof. A. M. Ivantsov-Platonov saw in ancient heresies “the main types, initial samples” of later heresies. In his opinion, “the most ancient sects, regardless of the particular points of doctrine and moral teaching on the part of their general principles and character, represent, so to speak, the main types, the initial models according to which later sects began to be formed” 3. It is not surprising that Rev. G. Florovsky noted the relevance of the works of the ancient holy fathers for modern Christians: “When I read the early classics of Christian theology, the Fathers of the Church, I find that they are more relevant for my time with its disasters and problems than the products of modern theologians. I would venture to say that St. Afanasy and Blessed. Augustine is much more modern than many of our current theologians." 4 Let us note some cases of coincidence between ancient heresies and modern false teachings. All neo-Protestant modern heresies (Baptism, Adventism, Pentecostalism, neo-Pentecostalism, etc.), like the ancient ones, believe that each of their followers can study the Holy Scripture independently, outside the Orthodox Church, and in this matter they fall into error, since they reject the testimony of the Church, which is the only correct and accurate explanation of the Divine Scriptures 5 . The false teaching of Jehovah's Witnesses reproduces Arian and Apollinarian ideas in Christology. The false teaching of the “Virgin Center”, “Church of the Last Testament” (LCC), “New Apostolic Church” adheres to the Manichaean approach to Revelation, declaring that it receives new “revelations”, in fact abolishing the Revelation given to the Church through Jesus Christ; esoteric constructions of anthroposophy by R. Steiner 6, G. Gurdjieff, in the spirit of Gnostic epistemology, claim to possess some deep knowledge and a new reading of the Gospel; the founder of the CPZ, like the Manichaeans, contrasts the Old Testament with the New, elevating them to two different principles, which simultaneously act as sources of good and evil 7 . Therefore, in modern Russian sectology, turning to the patristic experience of combating heresies is seen as a guarantee of its productivity, 8 and this treatise clearly represents such a patristic position. Against all heresies [PG. T. 28. Col. 501 ] 1. The Gospel of John offers: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. It was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and without Him nothing came into being that was made” (John 1:1-3). [Col. 504 ] Each of the holy Prophets and Evangelists, being a seer and moved by the Holy Spirit, interprets all the great and holy salvation that was to come to the human race in the future. But someone will ask: “How? Explain to us." - Listen, beloved. The prophets, as mentioned above, being seers, denoted what would happen after such a large number of generations, and personally called the future as the present. In the same way, the great Evangelists, at the coming of the Word, previously preached by the Prophets, each confirmed this through an indication in the Gospels. For example, the great prophet Isaiah says: “Like a sheep that is led to the slaughter, and like a lamb that is silent before its shearers, so it does not open its mouth. In His humility His judgment is taken: who can confess His generation? By His striping we are healed” (Is. 53:5–8). When the Foretold One came to them, and seeing Him coming, the great Baptist John, fulfilling what was foretold through the prophet Isaiah, said: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). And so the great Baptist confirms the prophecy. In the same way, the priest Moses about this wound, through which the entire human race was to become a participant in salvation in the future, says: “Cursed before God is everyone who is hanged on a tree” (Deut. 21:23) and again says: “And your life will be hanging before your eyes” (Deut. 28:66). And he did not mention first life and then the oath, but first the oath and then life. For it was necessary first to nail the handwriting to the cross ( Col. 2:14 ) and to pierce the side of the Word with a copy, so that the wound in the side would become cleansing for the entire universe - blood and water ( John 19:34 ) for the human race. 2. The unfortunate and ungrateful Jews, for such great and many signs and blessings that happened to them, instead of glorifying and blessing Him who came to them for what was happening, on the contrary, said: “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matthew 27:40). The sun extinguished its rays, unable to bear to look at the Lord hanging on a pillar. And two thieves were hanged with Him. [Col. 505] And to one who blasphemed, another robber said: “Why do you blaspheme the righteous? We suffer worthily for our sins, but what about you and the Righteous One?” Then he says to Jesus: “Remember me, Lord, when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:42–43). Oh great thing! The oath is nailed down, and paradise is opened with a promise to the thief. Oh, this blessed robber! He stole in this world, by robbery, and stole the Kingdom of Heaven through confession. The great prophet spoke about this: “Khrushchev (treasury beetle) from the tree will say this” (Hab. 2:11). Know, brethren, that just as the scarab beetle engages in unclean things, being itself unclean, so the robber was once engaged in robbery, and when he found himself on the cross, he confessed, as I said above, and what was said by the prophet is being fulfilled: “Khrushchev (the scarab beetle) will speak these things from the tree” (Hab. 2:11). And having said this, he was honored to anticipate the Kingdom of Heaven. And again the great prophet Isaiah speaks, pointing gloriously to the present: “Behold, a virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Immanuel, which means: God is with us” (Matthew 1:23; Isaiah 7:14). And when this prophetic prophecy was about to come true, the great Archangel Gabriel, standing at the right hand of the Majesty, is sent to announce to the Immaculate Mother of God and the Inexperienced Mary and says to Her: “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). Calling him Lord, He pointed to the common Master, confessing [his] co-slavery: “The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You; therefore the Holy One who is to be born will be called” (Luke 1:35). Truly, beloved, the Church is called holy, which in the future should sanctify the entire universe. And again the same prophet says: “For from a Child a Son was born to us, and He was given unto us, His headship being on His frame; and His name is called “Great is the Angel of counsel” (Is. 9:6). 3. The great evangelist John, the son of thunder, speaks about these fulfilled events (Mark 3:17): [Col. 508] “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. It was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and without Him nothing came into being that was made” (John 1:1-3). If everything happened through Him, then He is outside of creatures, and it is clear that He is always in the Father. The new pitiful Jews - the Ariomanites 9, who neither read rightly nor study accurately, having blind mental eyes, consider the Creator and Creator of all things to be a creature 10. Listen to the expression of the great Gospel: “In the beginning.” O Christ-fighting Arian! If it had been said “in the beginning he was created,” then you would have the right to say: “here, the evangelist said: “in the beginning he was created.” If he said: in the beginning there was, then investigate precisely and you will find the truth, and then ask every evangelist saying to him: “Oh, evangelist, tell us the truth about the beginning and about the true God the Word, for the Arians who fight for Christ consider the Creator of all things to be a creature.” And the great evangelist will tell you: “Read about the creation of the world in the book of Genesis, where it says: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). Let us assume that those who did not exist will come into existence in the future. God the Word was with the Father and through Him everything was created. Therefore, the Evangelist says well: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). And so - three times “was” and in no way mentioned “was not”. And the great Archangel Gabriel, who said to the Immaculate and Unartful Mother of God: “The Holy Spirit will come upon You and the power of the Most High will overshadow You” (Luke 1:35), did not say: “The Holy Spirit will be created on You” or “Power will be created on You,” but “The Holy Spirit will come upon You and the power of the Most High will overshadow You.” The blessed apostle clarified this, saying that Christ is “God’s power and God’s Wisdom” (1 Cor. 1:24). But the Ariomanite will say to this: “How, then, says the Streamer, did the Lord make Me the beginning of His ways for His works” (Proverbs 8:22)?” O wicked one, have you not heard the Archangel saying to the Virgin: “And that which is born of Him will be called Holy” (Luke 1:35)? Look, he spoke about the work of the Incarnation. Since the six-day creation fell into decay because of the crime of the father of our race, Adam, and our race fell into death, God was pleased [Col. 509 ] to send to us His Son, God the Word, and to receive from the Unskilled Virgin the Church of man. And the blessed Apostle Paul says: “And God was pleased to send His Son, who was born of a Woman” (Gal.4:4). So, do you see about the One Born of a Woman, what is said about the Incarnation? 4. If you want to hear about the indivisible and one Godhead, then listen to Paul, who says: “He, being the radiance of glory and the image of His hypostasis” (Heb. 1:3), and again: “He, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:6-7). So, see that these expressions are about the Incarnation. And the Lord Himself says in His own voice: “I am in the Father and the Father in Me” (John 14:10), and again says to Philip: “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). And he says through the great Prophet: You see Me, “For I am the Lord God, and I do not change” (Mal.3:6). And again he says: “I came from the Father; and again I go to the Father” (John 16:28). And through the prophet Jeremiah the Father says: “You have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and dug up for yourself treasures of brokenness, which cannot contain water” (Jer. 2:13). Not yesterday - a source, but today - water. It won't happen! Always a source and always water. Pathetic and ungrateful Aryamanites! Nebuchadnezzar turned out to be better than them, who considered himself a god, installed his image in Babylon and threw Ananias, Azariah and Mishael into the fiery furnace, and there was a word of grace among them, which drove out the fire and they sang, and when Nebuchadnezzar came and saw them singing, he said to his listeners: “Have I not cast three men into the furnace?” They answered: “Yes, king.” And he says to them: “Behold, I see four men, and the fourth is like the Son of God” (Dan. 3:91, 92). Nebuchadnezzar, who made himself a god, how do you know that He is like the Son of God? And he immediately answers: “He Himself moved me to tell me so.” So, Nebuchadnezzar turns out to be better than these wicked ones, who recognize the Son as neither similar nor consubstantial. Tell these wicked people not to blaspheme, but to piously worship the True God the Word in the Spirit; perhaps the wickedness of their blasphemies will be forgiven them? 5. So, they are expelled and cast out from the Divine Choir, and we will tell them to their brothers, the Doukhobors, the “tropics” 11, who say that the Spirit is created [Col. 512]: “O tropic, have you not heard David saying: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the Spirit of His mouth was all their strength” (Ps. 33:6)? Here is the indivisible Trinity. And again, the great servant Moses, talking about the creation of the world: “In the beginning God created heaven and earth. But the earth was invisible and unstructured, and darkness was on top of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving on top of the waters” (Gen. 1:1-2). Likewise, the great Paul says: “And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying: “Abba, Father!” (Gal.4:6). And the Father Himself says through the great prophet: “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh, and they will prophesy” (Joel 2:28). And the Lord Himself, having come to save our human race, said in His own voice: “I am in the Father and the Father in Me” (John 14:10), and “I am the Truth” (John 14:6), and “I will not leave you orphans” (John 14:18), but “I will send you the Comforter, the Spirit of truth” (John 15:26). So, the Spirit is in Truth, and Truth is in the Father. Here is the indivisible Trinity, the triple woven rope, through which we knit the sheaves and bring them to the Father. And therefore these [heretics] also rested with the Ariomanites. 6. We will also tell the unfortunate Paul of Samosata, who says that from the moment [the Lord] was born of the Unmarried Virgin, He began to be called the Son 12. Foolish one, didn’t you hear how the Lord Himself spoke to the Jews, when the ungrateful Jews said to the Lord: “You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham?” (John 8:57). He answered them and said: “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58)? So, if before Abraham was, He is, then how do you say that He became the Son after His Coming in the flesh? Haven’t you heard from the Tributary how Wisdom Herself says: “I rejoiced in Him, and rejoiced every day before Him” (Proverbs 8:30), that He created the universe and was present with Him? And again the great Tributary says: “God is the foundation of the earth with wisdom” (Proverbs 3:19). So He is always in the Father. And the great apostle: “Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24). What is this the insane Samosates says, but this one too, having turned this divine wine into water and having drunk it and being beaten, died along with the Ariomanites. [Col. 513 ] 7. Let us also say to the most wicked Manichaeans - these muddy sediments of vices. O wicked Manichaeans 13, do you say that two substances exist - good and evil? And you say that the evil one wants to fight with the good one in order to seize a certain part from her. And the good one, being kind and not wanting to fight, gave it away, giving up some part to the evil one, and the evil one ended up with one and a half parts, and the good one got half. And then he repented, he says, and Good came to prepare for battle, and took upon itself the image of the evil one. But, O most wicked Manichaean, you say that when Good was whole, it did not want to fight, but when it became half, as you say, it went out to battle. Therefore, the most wicked Manichaean says: “He came to seek and save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). O great folly! Where is the sign of goodness? Of course, in your opinion, it is that he took on the image of the evil one. Just as if some artist draws a portrait of his wife, the mistress of the house, in an indecent manner, and when the owner, passing by, sees his wife in an ugly form, will he not, enraged and filled with much anger, kill the one who dared to do such a thing? And especially the one who says that [God] took on the form of the evil one. The strongest is the one whose image is accepted. And such insolence belongs to fools and wicked people. O most wicked muddy sediment of evil Manichaeans, have you not heard Matthew speaking about the Incarnation: “The Book of the Nativity of Jesus Christ, the Son of Abraham, the Son of David” (Matthew 1:1)? But he will answer: “I do not accept the Old [Testament].” And I will tell him: “Why don’t you accept the Old [Testament]? Have you not heard the Lord Himself say to the most wicked and ungrateful Jews: “For if you had believed Moses, you would have believed Me, because he wrote about Me” (John 5:46)? What did you say, Lord? “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren; listen to him” (Deut. 18:15). It is this Prophet who is confessed by the blessed Samaritan woman, who says: “I see, O Lord, that You are a Prophet” (John 4:19). If the blessed Samaritan woman confesses Him as Man, and Lord, and Prophet, then how much more do the Law, the Prophets, the great and the saints confess Him. How can there be a bunch without a vine? How can every work be confirmed and future salvation happen in the world? The messengers confess - the great Prophets and the Law, and especially since the Lord Himself says that [Col. 516] “The Law and the Prophets until John” (Luke 16:16), and “Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill” (Matt. 5:17). Oh the dregs of all heresy! Their name is enough for them to believe. The great Psalmist David spoke about them: “The fool says in his heart: There is no God. Having become corrupted and disgusted in your undertakings, you do not do good things” (Ps. 13:1), and they, who do not confess the Coming in the flesh, but a ghost 14, despite the fact that the Lord says to the Jews: “If I said bad, show that it is bad; What if it’s good that you beat Me?” (John 18:23). And again, as He says to the servant who struck Him: “If I said bad, show what is bad; What if it’s good that you beat Me?” (John 18:23). Can a ghost be hit or nailed to a cross? So, isn't this the body? And how then does he say that he is a ghost? And these were destroyed, believing that the divine wine was not diluted, and they perished in a frenzy. 8. Let us also say to Marcion, Valentinus and Basilides 15, who say that the Lord gloriously passed through the pipe of water through the Immaculate and Innocent Mary. O most wicked ones! Haven’t you heard the great Archangel Gabriel saying to the Most Pure Virgin Mary: “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you. The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You, and what is born of You will be called Holy” (Luke 1:28, 35)? Therefore, if I said: “through You,” then this shamelessness would come out plausibly, and if I say: “from You,” then it will become clear that God received the Word of the Church from Her - man. And these are expelled along with the present-day Jews - Christ-fighters-Ariomanites. 9 . In a similar way, let us say to the insane and unfortunate Hierax, who believes that he exalts virginity and rejects marriage. O Hierax, we will tell you something lawful. God the Word of the Father in paradise brought Eve to Adam (Gen. 2:22). But you say, “I do not accept the Old [Testament]”? Okay, and in the Gospel, didn’t you hear how on the third day the Lord was invited to Cana of Galilee for a wedding, and when there was not enough wine there, he turned water into wine (John 4:46)? And again, what did the Lord say to the Jews who said to Him: [Col. 517 ] “Did Moses command us to give a bill of divorce? Moses gave you a letter of divorce because of your hardness of heart, for it is written: “What God has joined together, let no man put asunder” (Matthew 19:6–7). Then, how is it possible for branches that have no root below to stand? How is it possible to be a virgin when father and mother do not exist? And let these, together with their friends, perish. 10. Let us also say to Novatus, who calls himself pure and thinks to destroy repentance 16. Oh, full of filth and stench, have you not heard the good and humane God of all, speaking through the great Prophet: “I do not want the death of the sinner,” but repentance (Ezek. 18:32). And again, the great Job: “No one is clean from filth, even if he lived only one day on earth” (Job 14:4). And again, when the disciples asked the Lord: “How much should we forgive the sinner?” Up to seven times? He answered them: “No, but until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22). When the promise is returned, repentance becomes eternal, not so that we, having heard about it, continue to sin, let it not be! But in order to show the goodness of the Good and man-loving God of all, who again proclaims through the great Isaiah to Jerusalem, saying to him like this: “Hear, O heavens, and teach to the earth, that the Lord said: Sons have begotten and exalted, but they have rejected Me” (Is. 1: 2) and so on. Know this, brothers. And after such a great threat he says: “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away evil deeds from your souls (Isa. 1:16). O great goodness! And again, when the great Peter spoke to him, when He asked the disciples, saying: “Who do people say that I, the Son of Man, am? They said: some for John the Baptist, others for Elijah, and others for Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He says to them: Who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Then Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven; You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church; and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven” (Matthew 16:13–19). [Col. 520] And having accepted such great promises, he said to the Lord: “I will follow You wherever You go” (Luke 9:57) and I will lay down my life for You. But the Lord said to him: “The rooster will not crow today until you deny Me three times” (Matthew 22:33, 34). And when the Lord was brought to the house of Caiaphas, and the entire Sanhedrin, headed by Caiaphas, had gathered, and Peter stood at the gate, and seeing him, one youth said to him: “And were you not with him?” To which Peter replied: “No.” And again the gatekeeper asked him: “And you are not one of the Galileans?” He answered: “No.” And the servant asked him again, and he denied and immediately the rooster crowed. And turning around, the Lord of all looked at Peter, and Peter wept and with these tears washed away his renunciation through this repentance (Luke 22:55-62). And again the holy prophet said: “And the stars are unclean before Him” (Job 25:5). And if even the stars are not pure, then how can you call the Pure, Merciful and Human-loving God cruel and inhumane? And this one is erupted along with other heresiarchs. 10. Let us also tell the pitiful Phrygian who says that after the coming of the Savior Montanus and Priscilla 17 came. And this is all old lady nonsense. How is it possible that after the Coming of the Savior a prophet would come again? Haven't you heard that “The Law and the Prophets were until John” (Luke 16:16)? Listen, people of the Lord. It’s as if a king, wanting to arrive in a certain city, sends heralds, saying: “This is how I’m going to arrive.” If he arrives, and they recognize the proclaimed arrival, they will bow to him, and there is no longer any need for a herald, for they have seen with their own eyes the one who was proclaimed before. If someone says in this city that the king is just about to arrive in the city, then won’t the townspeople spit on him? [And rightly] they will say: “We have already seen him, he is with us,” then how do you say that, “I am proclaiming something else?” And therefore these, along with other heresies, perished. 11. We will also say to the new heresy that came from Syria to Egypt - the Apollinarians and brought a new teaching - Apollinaris, that God received from the Most Pure Ever-Virgin Mary only a body, and instead of a soul there was God the Word Himself 18. O imperfect and soulless [heretic]! If perfect [Col. 521 ] the man acted contrary to the commandment, was expelled from paradise and fell into death, and the man was partially saved, then how was He going to save the soul then? Have you not heard the great prophet Isaiah, preaching against your godlessness: “For from a child a Son was born to us, and His rulership was upon His frame: and His name is called Great is the counsel of the Angel” (Is. 9:6)? He did not say “flesh,” but the Child and the Son. So, know, foolish one, that the speech about the Child points to a perfect man. Therefore, pointing to the perfect one, the great Evangelist John, the son of thunder (Mark 3:17), says in a clear voice: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. It was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and without Him nothing came into being that was made” (John 1:1-3). And the Lord Himself says: “My soul is now troubled” (John 12:27). Who are these words talking about? About God the Word? No way! For if God the Word is undisturbed and came [precisely in order] to stop the disturbance, then does He say this about Himself? But you will probably say that this body, it said. But you are mistaken, because the body itself is motionless if there is no soul in it. Didn't you hear Moses say: “Show me Yourself” and immediately heard in response: “No one can see My face and live” (Ex. 33:18–20). And after His Body was laid in the tomb, like other bodies, how did the naked Deity descend into hell to save souls? Then It came down to destroy them rather than to save them. Because no one can see the deity in this form and be saved. Therefore there is a need for a soul, so that through the soul souls can be saved. And again the Lord Himself says: “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep; I am the good shepherd." And again: “I have power to lay down” My soul, “and I have power to receive it again” (John 10:11, 18). And again, an Angel appears to Joseph in Egypt and says to him: “Arise, take the Child and His Mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the Child’s soul are dead” (Matthew 2:20). So, it is undoubtedly testified in the Divine Scriptures about the Coming of the Good and man-loving God the Word that He took upon Himself the perfect Church, becoming Man, in order to save our entire human race. But you will say that through Isaiah He said to the Jews: [Col. 524] “Does my soul hate your new moons and sabbaths” (Is. 1:13)? The most unreasonable ones! For through this same great prophet it is said: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (Is. 7:14), and again: “For unto us a child is born” (Is. 9:6), and “This is a man,” and “Who knew Him?” (Isa.53:8). And the Lord expressed this about Himself, that during His Coming, when He was going to perform so many great wonders and signs on the Sabbath, and instead of blessing Him, they insulted Him through the slander of the devil. As I already said, both this and that were foreshadowed. What do you say to this, soulless one? And you died along with other heresies. 12. This Catholic Church, correctly reading and accurately studying the Divine Scriptures, has established itself on the rock - a perfect dove, having the helm of the right and pious faith in the apostolic ship. The waves, rolling onto a motionless rock and foaming, reflecting into themselves, disappear. By anxiety you understand all heresies. We, I ask, with this triple braided and indivisible rope, let us knit sheaves, I mean, let us keep the commandments in order to reach us a saving haven, the Kingdom of Heaven, and God the Word, the Son, the Wisdom of the Father will say to us: “Here am I and the children whom You gave Me” (Is. 8:18), and will honor us with these words: “Well done, faithful and good servants, in small things you have been faithful, I will make you ruler over many things; enter the kingdom prepared for you” (Matthew 25:21). So be it! Amen! Ivantsov-Platonov A.M., prot., prof. Heresies and schisms of the first three centuries of Christianity. M.: University Printing House, 1877. Part 1. P. 3. Konstantin (Ostrovsky), Bishop of Zaraisk. The problem of “good” and “evil” in the teaching of Vissarion’s sect “Church of the Last Testament” // Proceedings of the Kolomna Theological Seminary. Vol. 12. Kolomna, 2017. pp. 3–10. Horse R. M. The failure of the sectarian hermeneutical principle “Scripture explains itself” (using the example of Baptistism) // Questions of Theology. 2019. Vol. 1. No. 1. pp. 140–157. Horse R. M. On the issue of the problems of R. Steiner’s theory of knowledge // Diacrisis. 2020. No. 1 (5). pp. 160–167. Horse R. M. The role of imagination in modern Western occultism // Diacrisis. 2020. No. 2 (6). pp. 154–168. Horse R. M. Orthodox mission among sects. Part I // Theological Bulletin. 2018. T. 29. No. 2. P. 207. Horse R. M. Introduction to sect studies. Nizhny Novgorod: Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary, 2008. Florovsky G., prot. Loss of biblical thinking // Selected theological articles. M.: Probel, 2000. Gemeinhardt P. Athanasius Handbuch (Handbücher Theologie) Tuebingen: JCB Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 2011. The Treatise attributed to St. Athanasius the Great "Against all heresies" Translation and commentary Pavel K. Dobrotsvetov PhD in Theology, PhD in Philosophy, Associate Professor of the Theology Department of Sretensky Theological Academy 107031, Moscow, Bolshaya Lubianka st., 19/3, agathantos@list. ru For citation: The Treatise attributed to St. Athanasius the Great "Against all heresies". Translation and commentary by P. K. Dobrotsvetov // Diakrisis. 2020. No. 3 (7). P. 91–106 (in Russian). DOI:10.54700/ diakrisis.2020.3.7.004 Abstract For the fi rst time a translation of the treatise inscribed with the name of St. Athanasius the Great “Against all Heresies” (spuria) into Russian from Greek is published, which contains a polemic against Arians, Pneumatomachians, Paul of Samosata, Manichaeans, Marcion, Valentine, Basilides, Hierax, Novatians, Monatnists and Apollinarians. The treatise in a review form shows a picture of the ancient Christian controversy with heresies III – the beginning of the V centuries and gives to the Church reader the Biblical arguments for an eff ective polemic against the aforementioned heretics. Gemeinhardt P. Athanasius Handbuch (Handbücher Theologie) Tübingen: JCB Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 2011. S. 408. CPG. Vol. II. No. 2251. P. 47. Ivantsov-Platonov A. M., prot., prof. Heresies and schisms of the first three centuries of Christianity. M., 1877. Part 1. P. 3. Florovsky G., prot. Loss of biblical thinking // Selected theological articles. M., 2000. P. 216. Horse R. M. On the issue of the problems of R. Steiner’s theory of knowledge // Diacrisis. 2020. No. 1 (5). pp. 160–167; Horse R. M. The role of imagination in modern Western occultism // Diacrisis. 2020. No. 2 (6). pp. 154–168. Konstantin (Ostrovsky), Bishop of Zaraisk. The problem of “good” and “evil” in the teaching of Vissarion’s sect “Church of the Last Testament” // Proceedings of the Kolomna Theological Seminary. Vol. 12. Kolomna, 2017. pp. 3–10. Horse R. M. Orthodox mission among sects. Part I // Theological Bulletin. 2018. T. 29. No. 2. P. 207. Horse R. M. Introduction to sect studies. Nizhny Novgorod, 2008. Literally “ario-mad”. The Arians considered the Son and the Holy Spirit to be created. Wed: St. Athanasius the Great. Epistles to Serapion I, 10. Paul of Samosata (200–275), an adoptionist heretic who taught that the impersonal Word from the One God the Father descended on the man Jesus and thereby became the personal Son. Condemned at the Council of Antioch in 268. Manichaeism is a dualistic doctrine influenced by Persian Zoroastrianism. Founder – Mani (216–277). It taught about the eternal existence and opposition of two world principles (substances) and the kingdoms of Light and darkness, God and the devil, spirit and matter. Docetism is a heretical teaching about Christ widespread in the first centuries of our era, denying the truth of human flesh in Him and teaching that it was illusory. Those who professed such opinions were based on the idea that God could not unite with the material body, because they considered matter and corporeality to be a source of imperfection and even evil, which arose contrary to the Divine will of the true, spiritual God. This doctrine was widespread among the Gnostics and Manichaeans. Gnostics of the 2nd century, who also adhered to docetism in Christology, among their other errors. The Novatian schism arose in the middle of the 3rd century. The Novatians rejected second marriage and believed that church repentance for grave sins, such as renunciation of faith, murder, adultery, was impossible. The Orthodox Church was considered to have fallen away, and they called themselves “pure” (cf.: St. Ambrose of Milan. On repentance). Montanism (“Phrygian heresy”) is named after Montana, a schismatic and charismatic heretic of the 2nd century who taught about the ongoing “revelation” of the Holy Spirit. He also particularly insisted on the need for strict church discipline and ecstatic prophecy. Tertullian converted to Montanism in 213. Apollinaris of Laodicea (310–390) was a heretic who rejected the human mind as part of the humanity of Christ. Compare: “Apollinaris argued that the Savior’s body was animated, but did not have a rational soul, because, he says, reason is superfluous, where God is the Word” (Blessed Theodoret of Cyrus. Abridged presentation of Divine dogmas, 11).