Les recours polémiques des Pères grecs aux écrits hérétiques, d’Irénée à Épiphane

Abstract

Most of the “heretical” writings of the second and third centuries are lost or known only from short abstracts or excerpts. Our purpose is to register different means by which some Fathers strive to disqualify these writings. Irenaeus neither names nor quotes his sources, but he draws from them a so-called gnostic “myth” (hypothesis) which he links with pagan literature. He separates this “myth” from the biblical references which he describes as false appearance. He uses the diversity of the forms his sources give to the “myth” to denounce what he sees as crumbling sects. When he comments upon a Valentinian writing, he reduces the biblical references to a deceptive cento. In fact, the texts of Nag Hammadi give quite a contrary picture. Epiphanius names and quotes many documents he refutes, but like Irenaeus he argues about the “myth” and likens it to a farce. Origen, in his Commentary on John, does not gives up the common accusation, but he discusses seriously the biblical exegesis of Heracleon.