apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

THE GENUINENESS. 375
that they can only be regarded as different sides of one and the same
heresy.
In the first place, it is a significant fact that our author uses the
same general terms when speaking of the one and of the other. Of the
Judaism and the Docetism alike he says that '
they are not the planting
of the Father' {Trail. 11, Pliilad. 3); both alike are rank and noxious
weeds which his readers must avoid {Trail. 6, Philad. 3). The teachers
of the one and of the other are described as 'speaking apart from,
speaking otherwise than of, Jesus Christ' {Trail. 9, Philad. 6); both
alike are warned to 'repent unto unity,' 'to repent unto God' {Philad.
8, Smyrii. 9).
The Judaism and the Docetism equally are called
'
heterodoxy ' {Magn. 8, Smyrn. 6). In both cases equally he bids his
readers ' Be not deceived ' {Magn. 8, Smyrn. 6, Philad. 3 ; comp.
Ephes. 16) ;
he charges them to 'flee division' {Philad. 2, 7, Smyrn. 8);
and he tells them in identical language that he does not speak because
he accuses them of complicity in these errors {Magn. 11, 7rall. 8),
but because he wishes to 'forewarn' them (Magn. 11, Trail. 8, Sinyrn.
4).
And generally
it may be said that there is no perceptible difference
in his language when describing the position of the false teachers in the
two cases with regard to the true believer and to the Church. These
facts furnish a strong presumption that he is
describing the same thing
in the two sets of passages.
And this presumption becomes a certainty when we examine more
closely the passages in which Judaism is directly attacked.
In the passage in the letter to the Magnesians (§§ 8, 9, 10) the
author begins by warning his readers 'not to be led astray by heterodoxies
nor by antiquated fables (fxv6e-ifx,ao-iv rots TraAatots)
which are
unprofitable'; 'for,', he continues, 'if to the present hour (/^expi
vvv) we live in the observance of Judaic rites {Kara. 'louSatV/xo'v), we
confess that we have not received grace,' i.e. that the merits of Christ's
death do not appertain to us, for we have chosen another way of
working out our salvation. By the expression ' antiquated fables ' or
'myths' we are reminded of the language in the Pastoral Epistles,
'endless fables {ixvOol