Medicine Chest against Heresies

Name: Medicine Chest against Heresies
Author: Epiphanius of Salamis

Panarion

Epiphanius of Salamis (c. 310/320–403 AD) · written c. 374–377 AD · PG 41 · Part only

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1The original faith before heresy, Judaism, and idolatry

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Epiphanius of Salamis (c. 310/320–403 AD) — Bishop of Salamis (Constantia) on Cyprus. Best known for the Panarion (Medicine Chest), a vast catalogue of heresies, with the Ancoratus as a shorter doctrinal anchor for the churches. A fierce defender of Nicene orthodoxy and monastic discipline.

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Epiphanius, Panarion (Medicine Chest): a passage from the first heresy — Adam as prophet, knowing Father, Son, and Spirit, and Christian from the start.

Epiphanius of Salamis (c. 310/320–403) wrote this treatise in Koine Greek, beginning in 374 or 375 and issuing it about three years later. He was bishop of Salamis on Cyprus from about 367 until 402, and before that had practiced monasticism in Egypt and founded a monastery at Besanduk.

The title Panarion means 'Medicine Chest' or 'bread basket,' referring to a stock of remedies against the poisons of heresy. Epiphanius opens by arguing that the catholic and holy Church existed from the beginning, before Judaism, heresy, or idolatry, so that his later refutations can present heresies as deviations from an original faith.

In the opening section a reader will meet Adam, described as an uncircumcised prophet who knew Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and then Abel, Seth, Enosh, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, and Eber as early figures who shared the original faith. The text breaks off with the note that one must discuss up to Abraham. Scripture references follow the Septuagint, so the book is cited as Genesis.

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Translated from Greek Chapter 5 (Greek)
Translated from PG 41 page images (Greek/Latin)

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The original faith before heresy, Judaism, and idolatry§1

Epiphanius is opening his treatise by describing the earliest state of humanity, before any heresy or Judaism existed, and arguing that the faith of the catholic and holy Church was present from the beginning.

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1And there was nothing on the earth—no heresy, no one opinion and then another. People were simply called human beings, of one lip and one tongue. There was only impiety and piety, the natural law, and each person's natural choice of the will—not error from teaching or from the writings of authors. There was no Judaism, no other heresy, but, so to speak, the faith that now lives as a citizen in the catholic and holy Church of God existed from the beginning and was later revealed again. For anyone willing to see in a truth-loving way, the catholic and holy Church is the beginning of all things, from this very aim. For Adam was formed as the first-formed man, not circumcised but uncircumcised in the flesh, and not an idolater. He knew God the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit—for he was a prophet. Since he did not have circumcision, he was not a Jew; and since he did not worship carved images or anything else, he was not an idolater. For Adam was a prophet, and he knew that the Father said to the Son, "Let us make man" (Genesis 1:26). What then was he, having neither circumcision nor worship of idols, but showing forth the mark of Christianity? So also one must discuss Abel, and Seth, and Enosh, and Enoch, and Methuselah, and Noah, and Eber, up to Abraham.

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