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Orthodox Christian Fathers of the Church hold that Simon Magnus--the magician was the founder of Gnosticism. The same magician rejected by St. Peter (Acts 8:9)-- Church Fathers such as Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Hippolytus, and Epiphanius, described Simon Magnus, as the founder of Gnosticism. The early Church considered him as the first heretic, the "Father of Heresies".
Simone Magnus is hard to trace after the account in the Book of Acts. From what I could glean, there was an animosity developed between St. Peter and Magnus, Magnus probably felt insulted and embarrassed by St. Peter's rebuke.
Simon Manus seemed to follow Peter to Rome and by his magic tricks gained a following there.
This led to disputes between the followers of St. Peter, and Simon Magnus' followers, some becoming violent.
Most would simplify Gnosticism to a mystery religion--meaning secret knowledge is the key to life and only few are allowed.
In Alexandria, Egypt, a stronger form of Gnosticism was founded by Cerinthus, as foreshadowed by Simon Magnus, in about 100 AD.
Gnosticism is a hodgepodge of pagan, Christian and Old Testament beliefs but drawing on the pagan mystery religions in particular. Many Jews were attracted to it in order to deal with the shock of the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem.
The destruction of Jerusalem was traumatic, much like the Nazi Holocaust for Jews of today, but much worse. Most Jews dealt with it in a reasonable way. Many rabbis adapted to the new situation. Trying to live their Faith as best they could, which is now the form of Rabbinic Judaism of today.
But the Jews attracted to Gnosticism dealt with the ordeal differently, many becoming leaders in the Gnostic movement. The Jewish people tend to be high achievers, even in mistaken causes.
Basic beliefs varied but here are some of the common themes:
1. Gnostics believed that all matter is evil, and the non-material, spirit-realm is good.
2. Gnosticism does not deal with 'sin', only ignorance.
3. To achieve salvation, one needs to get in touch with secret knowledge. This knowledge is often manifested through experiences, such as meditation but also with drugs, dancing, or sex.
4. Marriage is considered evil, and often suicide was promoted.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnosticism
Many Gnostics claimed to be Christians but denied Jesus was God or rose from the dead. Gnostics caused much confusion because they used similar language and deceptive tricks, like Gnostic Gospels--many having the name of an Apostle to sow more confusion. They accepted Jesus as a teacher but chose what they liked, and rejected what they didn't. "Cafeteria Catholics" of yesteryear.
This is around 101 AD and St. John Son of Thunder, as nicknamed by our Lord Jesus, would have none of it.
St. John put himself to work to write his Gospel to show that Jesus was not JUST a man and teacher but Lord-God and Savior. He also wrote his second and third Epistle at this time.
St. John the Apostle probably died some time between 101 AD and 110 AD. We know that St. Ignatius was martyred 116 AD and he was familiar with the Gospel of St. John.
It is Catholic dogma that Revelation ended with the death of the last Apostle.
[Pope Pius X Lamentabili Sane, #21 https://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius10/p10lamen.htm] There would be no more revelations after John’s death. The job of the Church now was to apply the teachings and defend them from corruption. The problems that each generation faced would force more precise language and definitions, but there would be no more new revelations.
But people will ask, what about all "new" dogmas that Catholics have proclaimed throughout the centuries?
These are not new. They are definitions of what is correct. All doctrine and dogma must be traced back to the Apostles or Christ Himself. When the Church defines a dogma it is to clarify what has been believed always and everywhere. It is usually to combat heresy.
St. John combated as best he could the heresy of Gnosticism by his last Gospel but to add insult to his already advanced age, a priest or bishop, Diotrephes, started to oppose and speak badly of the St. John. He even lived close by in Asia Minor (Turkey) where John lived. This is a sign of things to come, of the worst enemies are within the Church, as Judas, betraying Our Lord again and again.
St. John addresses this confusion caused by Diotrephes in St. John's third letter, 3 John 9-1:
"I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not acknowledge us.
“Therefore, if I come, I will call attention to the deeds he is doing – the bringing of unjustified charges against us (St. John) with evil words! And not being content with that, he not only refuses to welcome the brothers himself, but hinders the people who want to do so and throws them out of the church!
“Dear friend, do not imitate what is bad but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does what is bad has not seen God."
We see that the early Church faced opposition from outside Her, physically by persecution, or intellectually like Gnosticism and internally by those who became unfaithful. This will be repeated often throughout history.
continue to next chapter
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