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Chapter XXX
The Epistle of the Bishops Against Paul [of Samosata]
1 The pastors who had assembled about this matter,
prepared by common consent an epistle
addressed to Dionysius, bishop of Rome, and Maximus
of Alexandria, and sent it to all the
provinces. In this they make manifest to all their own
zeal and the perverse error of Paul, and the
arguments and discussions which they had with him,
and show the entire life and conduct of the
man. It may be well to put on record at the present
time the following extracts from their writing:
2 "To Dionysius and Maximus, and to all our fellow-ministers
throughout the world, bishops,
presbyters, and deacons, and to the whole Catholic
Church under heaven, Helenus,
Hymenæus, Theophilus, Theotecnus, Maximus, Proclus,
Nicomas, Ælianus, Paul, Bolanus,
Protogenes, Hierax, Eutychius, Theodorus,
Malchion, and Lucius, and all the others who dwell
with us in the neighboring cities and nations, bishops,
presbyters, and deacons, and the churches of
God, greeting to the beloved brethren in the Lord."
3 A little farther on they proceed thus: "We sent for and
called many of the bishops from a distance
to relieve us from this deadly doctrine; as Dionysius
of Alexandria and Firmilianus of
Cappadocia, those blessed men. The first of these
not considering the author of this delusion worthy
to be addressed, sent a letter to Antioch, not written
to him, but to the entire parish, of which we
give a copy below.
4 "But Firmilianus came twice and condemned his
innovations, as we who were present know
and testify, and many others understand. But as he
promised to change his opinions, he believed him
and hoped that without any reproach to the Word
what was necessary would be done. So he
delayed the matter, being deceived by him who denied
even his own God and Lord, [some MSS omit 'and Lord'],
and had not kept the faith which he formerly held.
5 "And now Firmilianus was again on his way to
Antioch, and had come as far as Tarsus because he
had learned by experience his God-denying wickedness.
But while we, having come together, were
calling for him and awaiting his arrival, he died."
6 After other things they describe as follows the manner of life which
he led:
7 "Whereas he has departed from the rule of
faith [ tou kanonos],
and has turned aside after base and spurious
teachings, it is not necessary, -- since he is without, --
that we should pass judgment upon his practices:
as for instance in that although formerly destitute and poor,
and having received no wealth from his
fathers, nor made anything by trade or business, he now
possesses abundant wealth through his
iniquities and sacrilegious acts, and through those things
which he extorts from the brethren,
depriving the injured of their rights and promising to assist them
for reward, yet deceiving them, and
plundering those who in their trouble are ready to give that they
may obtain reconciliation with their
oppressors,
8 "supposing that gain is godliness [1 Tim. 6:5]; --
or in that he is haughty,
and is puffed up, and assumes
worldly dignities, preferring to be called ducenarius
[an official of the Palmyran government]
rather than bishop; and struts in the
market-places, reading letters and reciting them as he walks
in public, attended by a body-guard,
with a multitude preceding and following him, so that the
faith is envied and hated on account of his
pride and haughtiness of heart;
9 "--or in that he practices chicanery in ecclesiastical
assemblies, contrives to glorify himself, and
deceive with appearances, and astonish the minds of the
simple, preparing for himself a tribunal and
lofty throne, -- not like a disciple of Christ, -- and possessing a
secretum [judge's private chamber] -- like the rulers of the
world, -- and so calling it, and striking his thigh with his hand,
and stamping on the tribunal with his
feet; -- or in that he rebukes and insults those who do not applaud,
and shake their handkerchiefs as in
the theaters, and shout and leap about like the men and women
that are stationed around him, and
hear him in this unbecoming manner, but who listen reverently
and orderly as in the house of
God; -- or in that he violently and coarsely assails in public the
expounders of the Word that have
departed this life, and magnifies himself, not as a bishop,
but as a sophist and juggler,
10 "and stops the psalms to our Lord Jesus Christ,
as being the modern productions of modern men,
and trains women to sing psalms to himself in the
midst of the church on the great day of the
passover, which any one might shudder to hear, and
persuades the bishops and presbyters of the
neighboring districts and cities who fawn upon him, to
advance the same ideas in their discourses to
the people.
11 "For to anticipate something of what we shall presently
write, he is unwilling to acknowledge that
the Son of God has come down from heaven. And this
is not a mere assertion, but it is abundantly
proved from the records which we have sent you;
and not least where he says 'Jesus Christ is from
below [katothen].' But those singing to him and
extolling him among the people say that their impious
teacher has come down an angel from heaven. And
he does not forbid such things; but the
arrogant man is even present when they are uttered.
12 "And there are the women, the 'subintroductæ'
[celibate female housemates of male clergy],
as the people of Antioch call them, belonging
to him and to the presbyters and deacons that are with him.
Although he knows and has convicted
these men, yet he connives at this and their other incurable
sins, in order that they may be bound to
him, and through fear for themselves may not dare to accuse
him for his wicked words and
deeds. But he has also made them rich; on which account
he is loved and admired by those who
covet such things.
13 "We know, beloved, that the bishop and all the clergy
should be an example to the people of all
good works. And we are not ignorant how many have
fallen or incurred suspicion, through the
women whom they have thus brought in. So that even
if we should allow that he commits no sinful
act, yet he ought to avoid the suspicion which arises
from such a thing, lest he scandalize some one,
or lead others to imitate him.
14 "For how can he reprove or admonish another not to
be too familiar with women, -- lest he fall, as it
is written [Ecclus. 25], -- when he has himself sent one
away already, and now has two with him, blooming and
beautiful, and takes them with him wherever he goes, and
at the same time lives in luxury and
surfeiting?
15 "Because of these things all mourn and lament by
themselves; but they so fear his tyranny and
power, that they dare not accuse him.
16 "But as we have said, while one might call the man
to account for this conduct, if he held the
Catholic doctrine and was numbered with us, since he
has scorned the mystery and struts about
in the abominable heresy of Artemas (for why should we
not mention his father?), we think it
unnecessary to demand of him an explanation of these things."
17 Afterwards, at the close of the epistle, they add these words:
"Therefore we have been compelled to excommunicate him, since
he sets himself against God, and
refuses to obey; and to appoint in his place another bishop for
the Catholic Church. By divine
direction, as we believe, we have appointed Domnus, who is
adorned with all the qualities
becoming in a bishop, and who is a son of the blessed Demetrianus,
who formerly presided in a
distinguished manner over the same parish. We have informed you
of this that you may write to him,
and may receive letters of communion [ ta koinonika grammata]
from him. But let this man write to Artemas; and let those
who think as Artemas does, communicate with him."
18 As Paul had fallen from the episcopate, as well as from the
orthodox faith, Domnus, as has been
said, became bishop of the church at Antioch.
19 But as Paul refused to surrender the church building,
the Emperor Aurelian was petitioned; and
he decided the matter most equitably, ordering the building
to be given to those to whom the
bishops of Italy and of the city of Rome should
adjudge it. Thus this man was driven out of the
church, with extreme disgrace, by the worldly power.
20 Such was Aurelian's treatment of us at that time; but
in the course of his reign he changed his
mind in regard to us, and was moved by certain advisers
to institute a persecution against us.
And there was great talk about this on every side.
21 But as he was about to do it, and was, so to speak,
in the very act of signing the decrees against
us, the divine judgment came upon him and restrained
him at the very verge [ mononouchi ex ankonon tes
encheireseos anton epidesmousa] of his undertaking,
showing in a manner that all could see clearly, that the rulers
of this world can never find an
opportunity against the churches of Christ, except the hand
that defends them permits it, in divine
and heavenly judgment, for the sake of discipline and
correction, at such times as it sees best.
22 After a reign of six years, Aurelian was succeeded by
Probus. He reigned for the same
number of years, and Carus, with his sons, Carinus and
Numerianus, succeeded him. After they had
reigned less than three years the government devolved on
Diocletian, and those associated with
him. Under them took place the persecution of our time,
and the destruction of the churches
connected with it.
23 Shortly before this, Dionysius, bishop of Rome,
after holding office for nine years, died, and
was succeeded by Felix.
Have mercy, O Lord, upon Thy servant
the translator Arthur and on Daniel.