Posted on 10/15/2012 1:53:34 AM PDT by Cronos
Schismatics of the second century, first known as Phrygians, or "those among the Phrygians" (oi kata Phrygas), then as Montanists, Pepuzians, and (in the West) Cataphrygians. The sect was founded by a prophet, Montanus, and two prophetesses, Maximilla and Prisca, sometimes called Priscilla.
Montanus was a recent convert when he first began to prophesy in the village of Ardabau in Phrygia. He is said by Jerome to have been previously a priest of Cybele; but this is perhaps a later invention intended to connect his ecstasies with the dervish-like behavior of the priests and devotees of the "great goddess". The same prophetic gift was believed to have descended also upon his two companions, the prophetesses Maximilla and Prisca or Priscilla. Their headquarters were in the village of Pepuza. The anonymous opponent of the sect describes the method of prophecy (Eusebius, V, xvii, 2-3): first the prophet appears distraught with terror (en parekstasei), then follows quiet (adeia kai aphobia, fearlessness); beginning by studied vacancy of thought or passivity of intellect (ekousios amathia), he is seized by an uncontrollable madness (akousios mania psyches). The prophets did not speak as messengers of God: "Thus saith the Lord," but described themselves as possessed by God and spoke in His Person. "I am the Father, the Word, and the Paraclete," said Montanus (Didymus, "De Trin.", III, xli); and again: "I am the Lord God omnipotent, who have descended into to man", and "neither an angel, nor an ambassador, but I, the Lord, the Father, am come" (Epiphanius, "Hær.", xlviii, 11). And Maximilla said: "Hear not me, but hear Christ" (ibid.); and: "I am driven off from among the sheep like a wolf [that is, a false prophet--cf. Matthew 7:15]; I am not a wolf, but I am speech, and spirit, and power." This possession by a spirit, which spoke while the prophet was incapable of resisting, is described by the spirit of Montanus: "Behold the man is like a lyre, and I dart like the plectrum. The man sleeps, and I am awake" (Epiphanius, "Hær.", xlviii, 4).
We hear of no false doctrines at first. The Paraclete ordered a few fasts and abstinences; the latter were strict xerophagioe, but only for two weeks in the year, and even then the Saturdays and Sundays did not count (Tertullian, "De jej.", xv). Not only was virginity strongly recommended (as always by the Church), but second marriages were disapproved. Chastity was declared by Priscilla to be a preparation for ecstasy: "The holy [chaste] minister knows how to minister holiness. For those who purify their hearts [reading purificantes enim corda, by conjecture for purificantia enim concordal] both see visions, and placing their head downwards (!) also hear manifest voices, as saving as they are secret" (Tertullian, "Exhort." X, in one manuscript). It was rumored, however, that Priscilla had been married, and had left her husband. Martyrdom was valued so highly that flight from persecution was disapproved, and so was the buying off of punishment. "You are made an outlaw?" said Montanus, "it is good for you. For he who is not outlawed among men is outlawed in the Lord. Be not confounded. It is justice which hales you in public. Why are you confounded, when you are sowing praise? Power comes, when you are stared at by men." And again: "Do not desire to depart this life in beds, in miscarriages, in soft fevers, but in martyrdoms, that He who suffered for you may be glorified" (Tertullian, "De fuga", ix; cf. "De anima", lv). Tertullian says: "Those who receive the Paraclete, know neither to flee persecution nor to bribe" (De fuga, 14), but he is unable to cite any formal prohibition by Montanus.
So far, the most that can be said of these didactic utterances is that there was a slight tendency to extravagance. The people of Phrygia were accustomed to the orgiastic cult of Cybele. There were doubtless many Christians there. The contemporary accounts of Montanism mention Christians in otherwise unknown villages: Ardabau on the Mysian border, Pepuza, Tymion, as well as in Otrus, Apamea, Cumane, Eumenea. Early Christian inscriptions have been found at Otrus, Hieropolis, Pepuza (of 260), Trajanopolis (of 279), Eumenea (of 249) etc. (see Harnack, "Expansion of Christianity", II, 360). There was a council at Synnada in the third century. The "Acta Theodoti" represent the village of Malus near Ancyra as entirely Christian under Diocletian. Above all we must remember what crowds of Christians were found in Pontus and Bithynia by Pliny in 112, not only in the cities but in country places. No doubt, therefore, there were numerous Christians in the Phrygian villages to be drawn by the astounding phenomena. Crowds came to Pepuza, it seems, and contradiction was provoked. In the very first days Apollinarius, a successor of St. Papias as Bishop of Hierapolis in the southwestern corner of the province, wrote against Montanus. Eusebius knew this letter from its being enclosed by Serapion of Antioch (about 191-212) in a letter addressed by him to the Christians of Caria and Pontus. Apollinarius related that Ælius Publius Julius of Debeltum (now Burgas) in Thrace, swore that "Sotas the blessed who was in Anchialus [on the Thracian coast] had wished to cast out the demon from Priscilla; but the hypocrites would not allow it." Clearly Sotas was dead, and could not speak for himself. The anonymous writer tells us that some thought Montanus to be possessed by an evil spirit, and a troubler of the people; they rebuked him and tried to stop his prophesying; the faithful of Asia assembled in many places, and examining the prophecies declared them profane, and condemned the heresy, so that the disciples were thrust out of the Church and its communion.
Montanus declared: "The Lord hath sent me as the chooser, the revealer, the interpreter of this labor, this promise, and this covenant, being forced, willingly or unwillingly, to learn the gnosis of God." The Montanists appealed to Genesis 2:21: "The Lord sent an ecstasy [ektasin] upon Adam"; Psalm 115:2: "I said in my ecstasy"; Acts 10:10: "There came upon him [Peter] an ecstasy"; but these texts proved neither that an ecstasy of excitement was proper to sanctity, nor that it was a right state in which to prophesy.
Phrygia was the home of the Gordian Knot. As the legend goes Alexander the Great severed it with his sword. I believe it is also a place that some Celts returned after their migration West. Here’s a great song by Loreena McKennitt called, “Beneath Phrygian Sky”. I feel like it captures the temper of the time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siXe7bKt1q0
So this is supposed to be an accurate essay on the history of Montanus??? When you use terms like, 'this is perhaps a later invention'???
The anonymous writer tells us that some thought Montanus to be possessed by an evil spirit, and a troubler of the people; they rebuked him and tried to stop his prophesying; the faithful of Asia assembled in many places, and examining the prophecies declared them profane, and condemned the heresy, so that the disciples were thrust out of the Church and its communion.
Anonymous, and some???
Montanus declared: "The Lord hath sent me as the chooser, the revealer, the interpreter of this labor, this promise, and this covenant, being forced, willingly or unwillingly, to learn the gnosis of God."
Montanus said this, according to WHO???
The Montanists appealed to Genesis 2:21: "The Lord sent an ecstasy [ektasin] upon Adam";
Really??? According to the Bible,
Gen 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
Adam fell asleep...Nothing more, nothing less...And,
Psalm 115:2: "I said in my ecstasy";
Really???
Psa 115:2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
Where did you pull that 'ecstasy' from??? It certainly wasn't from the Bible...
Acts 10:10: "There came upon him [Peter] an ecstasy"; but these texts proved neither that an ecstasy of excitement was proper to sanctity, nor that it was a right state in which to prophesy.
And ecstasy of excitement???
Act 10:10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
Act 10:11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
Neat trick you guys play on a regular basis...
The Greek word can mean trance, as the Bible states...It can also mean ecstasy...However, the difference between trance and ecstasy is huge...
Reading the context of the verses, there clearly was no ecstasy but just a trance...And then you guys attribute this unbiblical ecstasy to Montanus when Montanus would have known it was a trance spoken of in context...
And then you attribute your other references to Montanus' happy ecstasy when the verses don't even exist in scripture...
Apparently this essay was written to Catholics whom the author knows wouldn't check him to see if he was being honest...
You apparently didn't check either...You just passed it along as truth...
Go and read y Koran. I posted this for Christians to read — whether Baptists or Orthodox or Presbyterians or Catholics or Methodists
There is nothing like a Moslem practising taqqiyah. One time pretending to be Catholic, one time pretending to be pentecostal, other times saying that God is a God of modes and sometimes letting it slip that he considers Christians as polytheists
There is nothing like a Moslem practising taqqiyah. One time pretending to be Catholic, one time pretending to be pentecostal, other times saying that God is a God of modes and sometimes letting it slip that he considers Christians as polytheists
“Neat trick you guys play on a regular basis” — tsk, tsk... Christians will continue to believe that Christ is Lord, God and Savior — He was not just some prophet. Now go away wascool...
What this thread shows is that right from the beginning there were numerous Christian groups spread far and wide which had nothing to do with the Catholic religion...
And as can be seen by this thread, those groups were demonized by the Catholic religion thru out history and we are told by Catholic history of those groups’ heretical practices based upon, ‘anonymous sources’, and ‘some thought’, and ‘Eusebius heard about’, etc., etc...
Your religion’s claim to fame is that it was the one and only ‘Church’ from the beginning...As we can see, that’s not true at all...
And as can be seen by this thread, those heretical accusations against these churches is based not on fact, but anonymous accusations of people of your religion which opposed these churches to the point of burning their bibles and killing those who would not convert to your religion...
And true to form, you continue the practice by making false accusations against those you can not defend your religion against...
So carry on, it’s all you got...
Go back to reading the Koran and leave us Christians (Catholics, Baptists, Pentecostals, Presbyterians, Orthodox etc etc) alone.
and btw yr Prophet Mohammed was demented
Pure and simple Islamic taqqiyah
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