Some brief notes on Tractate III

Before looking in any detail at Priscillian's interest in Gnosticism, it may be helpful to review briefly the content of the third Tractate. This bears the title "Priscillian's Book on Faith and Apocryphal Writings (Priscilliani Liber de fide et de Apocryphis)". While Chadwick inclines towards a single authorship of all eleven Tractates (1), Conti by looking carefully at the style of writing comes to a different conclusion. For him, Tractates I - III and XI are by Priscillian himself. (2).

On the subject matter of the third Tractate, Conti states, it is "Priscillian's argument in support of a discerned use of apocryphal literature . . " this is quite straightforward - "how is it possible to impose on the faithful a rigid canon of Scriptures, when writings within the canon itself make reference to works outside the canon?" (3)

The text itself contains numerous examples of this type of reference, the most familiar of these is the one in the canonical Epistle of Jude verses 14 - 15. Enoch is recognised as a prophet by this apostolic writer, however the Book of Enoch is designated apocryphal by the Catholic Church. Priscillian asks "How can this be?" If Jude took the words of Enoch as a true prophecy, how come his apocryphal book is banned?

With most scholars, (including both Chadwick and Conti) agreeing that Priscillian himself is the author of the third Tractate; we can go on to consider the accusation that Priscillian was guilty of gnosticism.

(1) Chadwick, p.p. 63 - 69
(2) Conti, p. 15 and the Commentaries on p.p. 259 - 302
(3) Opp cit p. 274