First Century HeresiesAnd New Testament Orthodoxy

Contemporary Diversity•Post-modernism is claiming that the

diversity that exists today in religion is like the diversity that existed in the First Century

•Allegedly, many legitimate and equal “Christianities” first existed together and were widespread

•Only later, c. 4th century, did one “Christianity” win over the others to become the heresy of orthodoxy

Contemporary Diversity•The theory that one “Christianity” as

orthodox over the others was first set forth by Walter Bauer, Orthodoxy and Heresy in the Earliest Christianity (1934)

•Today, it continues to be popularized in the writings of several liberal scholars including Bart D. Ehrman, Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew (2003)

New Testament Diversity•Diversity existed in what historical facts

would be presented by the four gospels writers, and by Luke (Acts) and Paul (epistles)

•Diversity existed in matters of personal judgment (Acts 15:36-41) and personal scruple (1 Cor. 8;10; Rom. 14)

•Diversity existed in the miraculous gifts within the local church (Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:4,11)

New Testament Diversity•However, diversity did not exist in matters

of revealed doctrine – “the faith” or the gospel (Acts 6:7; 13:8; Eph. 4:13; Phil. 1:27; 1 Tim. 4:6; etc.)

•There was no existence of “equally legitimate Christianities” that were considered as valid truth

Heresy vs. Orthodoxy•“Heresy” in the NT is prohibited

Gr. hairesis, a choosing, a choice; hence a (1) self-willed opinion (2) that is substituted for and stands in contradiction to the truth and (3) leads to division or faction (translated “sect,” or “heresies”)

Found in Acts 5:17; 15:5; 24:5,14; 26:5; 28:22; 1 Cor. 11:19; Gal. 5:20; 2 Pet. 2:1; Tit. 3:10 [hairetikos, “heretic”])

Heresy vs. Orthodoxy•“Orthodoxy” in the NT is promoted

“Orthodoxy” = ortho (right) and dokeo (to think)

Gr. orthotomeo, to cut strait or right; found only in 2 Tim. 2:15

Gr. orthos, to say or judge rightly; found in Luke 7:43; 10:28; 20:21

Gr. dogma, to decree; found in Acts 16:4 (compare with Col. 2:20 [dogmatizomai])

Heresy vs. Orthodoxy•“Orthodoxy” in the NT is promoted

There is one source (Jn. 16:14)

There is one group with the keys (Mt. 16:19; 18:18)

There is one message for all churches (1 Cor. 4:17; 7:17; 14:33; 16:1)

There is one body and one body of truth (Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4-6; Jude 3)

Heresy in Galatians•These heretics preached a “different gospel”

(1:6) and promoted circumcision (6:12) and observance of the Old Law (2:15-16; 3:19-24; 5:1-4)

•These heretics may have been Jewish Christians (Judaizers) or Gentiles who misunderstood Paul

•They may have come from Jerusalem to Galatia (see Acts 15)

Heresy in Colossians•This heresy was an amalgamation of

religious thought

•These heretics incorporated elements of Judaism (2:11,13,16,20-21), early Gnosticism (2:8,9-10), and paganism (2:18-23)

•We do not know how well-defined this heresy was or how far it spread (compare “meat” in Col. 2:16 and 1 Tim. 4:3)

Heresy in Timothy & Titus•The heresy (or heresies) is found in Crete (Tit.

1:5,10-12) and Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:3)

• It most likely came from within the church (1 Tim. 1:3; 6:2; 2 Tim. 2:14; 4:2; Tit. 1:13; 3:10; see Acts 20:28-31)

•The heresy in Crete had a Jewish element (Tit. 1:10,14; 3:9) leading to sin (Tit. 1:15-16)

•The heresy in Ephesus had both a Jewish (1 Tim. 1:7-11) and Gnostic (1 Tim. 4:1-5; 6:20; 2 Tim. 2:17-18) element

Heresy in Timothy & Titus•The practice of forbidden marriage (1 Tim.

4:3) is found in Judaism (the Essenes) and later Gnosticism

•The heresy in Crete / Ephesus may have been a Gnosticizing (Hellenistic) form of Jewish Christianity

•We do not know how well-defined this philosophy was or how far it spread

Heresy in Jude and 2 Peter•The heretics may have been itinerate

teachers (Jude 4; 2 Pet. 2:1-3)

•They pursued unfettered freedom and ethical autonomy (Jude 5-10; 2 Pet. 2:4-12)

•They were self-seeking, unreliable, and deceitful (Jude 11-14; 2 Pet. 2:13-17)

•They were ungodly (Jude 14-18; 2 Pet. 2:18-22)

•They were un-Spiritual and divisive (Jude 19)

Heresy in Jude and 2 Peter•The heresy involved a denial of the second-

coming and judgment saying that the world will always be as it is (2 Pet. 3:3-7)

•This heresy which denied a judgment led to fleshly freedom in this present life (2 Pet. 2:10,13-14,19)

•We do not know if this heresy had its roots in Gnosticism, Epicureanism, or some other philosophy

Heresy in 1 John•The heresy was most likely connected with

early Gnosticism (Doceticism or Cerinthus)

•The heretics were not true believers (2:19)

•The heretics denied Jesus as the Messiah (2:22-23; 4:15; 5:1,5) and Jesus come in the flesh (1:1-3; 4:1-3; 5:6; 2 Jn. 7)

Heresy in Revelation•There were heresies among the seven

churches of Asia…

Balaam and Jezebel – idolatry (2:6,15,20-21)

Deep things of Satan (2:24)

Heretical Influences from the East and West

Attitude Toward Heresy•Warn against it (Gal. 1:6-9)

•Reprove it sharply (Tit. 1:13)

•Admonish, then refuse it (Tit. 3:10)

•Contend against it (Jude 3)

•Pray and plea against it (Jn. 17:20-23; 1 Cor. 1:10-13)

•Stand on the right side of it (1 Cor. 11:19)