Chapter II.—Cautions against false doctrine.

I have learned that certain of the ministers of Satan have wished to disturb you, some of them asserting that Jesus was born [only5 Some omit this.] in appearance, was crucified in appearance, and died in appearance; others that He is not the Son of the Creator, and others that He is Himself God over all.6 That is, as appears afterwards from chap. v., so as to have no personality distinct from the Father. Others, again, hold that He is a mere man, and others that this flesh is not to rise again, so that our proper course is to live and partake of a life of pleasure, for that this is the chief good to beings who are in a little while to perish. A swarm of such evils has burst in upon us.7 The translation is here somewhat doubtful. But ye have not “given place by subjection to them, no, not for one hour.”8 Gal. ii. 5. For ye are the fellow-citizens as well as the disciples of Paul, who “fully preached the Gospel from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum,”9 Rom. xv. 19. and bare about “the marks of Christ” in his flesh.10 Gal. vi. 17.