Presbyters Uniwersytet Warszawski
ID
ER 787
Gregory of Elvira (Iberian Peninsula) mentions heretical priests commenting on a passage from the Gospel. Gregory of Elvira, On the Song of Songs, AD 383/410.
II.13-15
 
13. Dixerat enim ipse dominus: qui unum ex minimis istis in se credentibus fuerit scandalizatus, oportebat illi homini ligare lapidem molarem et mitti in pelagum. Et ideo hoc uereor, ne fiam circumamicta, id est per praeuaricationem falsorum sacerdotum efficiar a sola ueritate segregata et non magis nuda et manifesta ratione conspicua, ut a gregibus sodalium tuorum id est apostolica plebe integritas et simplicitas mea sine aliquo circumuentionis fuco pura et inuiolata cernatur, non tamen circumamicta uelamine falsitatis. 14. Dixerat enim dominus uenturos ad ecclesiam suam quosdam in uestitu ouium, sed intrinsecus esse lupos rapaces, et beatus apostolus praemonuerat, quod post discessum uenturi essent lupi rapaces, non parcentes gregi id est haeretici qui deuorarent plebes christi per doctrinam ob commissionem illicitam. 15. Denique post haec uerba quid ei dominus comminetur audite: nisi cognoueris te pulchram inquit et decoram inter mulieres, exi tu in uestigiis gregum. Quibus dictis hortatus est eam ad custodiendam fidem et religiosae fidei sollicitudinem adhibendam. Cum enim sancta et inuiolata simplex columba ecclesia falsos ut iam dixi doctores et corruptores uirginitatis suae grauiter pertimesceret, qui sub uelamine sacerdotum dei, hoc est qui sub uestitu ouium lupi rapaces ut praedixerat dominus uenturi erant, et certa definitione euangelicae ueritatis requireret rationem, ubi pasceret, ubi maneret in meridiano, id est ut dixi in temperamento dei et hominis, ne quis per uerisimilia exempla aut deum ab homine aut hominem a deo separaret, tunc respondit ei dominus: nisi cognoueris te decoram inter mulieres, id est nisi intellegas te solam uirginem esse et incorruptam atque decoram sine macula sine ruga et talem te praebeas qualem et dominus exhibuit et apostolus definiuit: exies, inquit, tu in uestigiis gregum.
 
(ed. Bulhart 1977: 183-184)
II.13-15
 
13. The Lord said: "whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea" [Matt 18:6; Mark 9:42]. Therefore, I am afraid "lest I would be enveloped [from the flocks of your companions]" [cf. Song 1:7], that is, lest I would be separated from the only truth by the treachery of false priests and not naked and plainly apparent so that "your companions", that is the apostolic people, can see my pure and inviolate integrity and simplicity without any embellishment of deceit, that is not enveloped in any cloak of falsity. 14. The Lord had said that they would come to his Church "in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolfs" [Matt 7:15], and the holy Apostle had warned that after his departing the grievous wolfs would come, not sparing the flock [cf. Acts 20:29], that is heretics who devour the people of Christ by doctrine illicit because of sin. 15. Then after this words of menace uttered by the Lord, listen: "If thou not know, o thou fairest among women", he said, "go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock" (Song of Songs 1:8). By these words He encouraged her to guard the faith and to provide a great care for the religious faith. Because the Church, a holy, simple and inviolate dove, greatly fears false, as I have said, doctors and corrupters of her virginity, who came in the clothing of the priests of God, that is "ravening wolfs in sheep's clothing", as the Lord had preached, and the Church asked for an account in the definite explanation of the evangelical truth "where he feeded, where he lied in the midday" [Song 1:6], that is, as I have said, in the combination of God and man, so that no one would separate God from man, or man from God, by some deceitful examples, then the Lord answered [to the Church]: "If thou not know, o thou fairest among women", that is, if you do not know that only you are a fair and uncorrupted virgin without stain, without wrinkle, and you shall be such as the Lord had shown and the Apostle defined: "go thy way forth", he said "by the footsteps of the flock".
 
(trans. M. Szada)

Place of event:

Region
  • Iberian Peninsula

About the source:

Author: Gregory of Elvira
Title: On the Song of Songs, In Canticum canticorum, Tractatus V de epithalamio, De epithalamio
Origin: Elvira (Iberian Peninsula)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
Gregory was a bishop of Elvira in the fourth century and he was a staunch opponent of Arianism. We do not know the year of his consecration, but he was already a bishop in 357 (he opposed the "blasphemy" of Sirmium according to Libellus precum from 383/384). The year of his death is also unknown, but Jerome mentioned that Gregory was still alive in 392/393 (for a detailed discussion on the chronology of the episcopacy of Gregory see: Shuve 2014). The bishop of Elvira wrote a commentary to the Song of Songs, probably after 383, as he seems to already know Jerome`s translation of Origen, and no later than AD 410, when Rufinus issued his translation, seemingly unknown to Gregory (Elliot 2011: 23-24).
Edition:
V. Bulhart ed., Gregorii Iliberritani episcopi quae supersunt, Corpus Christianorum. Series Latina 69, Turnhout 1977, 169-215
Bibliography:
M.W. Elliott, The Song of Songs and Christology in the early church, 381-451, Eugene 2011.
K. Shuve, "The Episcopal Career of Gregory of Elvira”, The Journal of Ecclesiastical History 65 (2014), 247-262.

Categories:

Religious grouping (other than Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian) - Arian
    Described by a title - Sacerdos/ἱερεύς
      Described by a title - Doctor
        Pastoral activity - Teaching
          Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER787, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=787