Basel, Universitätsbibliothek, AN I 8

The Alteration of the Disciple and the Teacher

To Timothy

The Wise Man, having prophesied to Timothy that they would not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires would heap up for themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they would turn away their hearing from the truth, and be turned aside unto myths—to such things as these this discourse is likened. And it fittingly applies that apostolic word to all those who at that time acted against orthodoxy. For there are, indeed there are, some who have itching ears, and their ears, as if in need of some kind of scratching, are tickled to hear something new and foreign to orthodoxy. These men, making use of the words of such people, have an itching in their hearing and in their hand; and to those who are tickled and who love to learn his scriptural [teaching], this very thing has been set before them from him. But the glory that sees correctly [holds that] they have an itch also in the hand, with words that cause itching. But the preceding discourse [speaks of] those worthy of addition; every discourse having been fashioned says this: as many things as are fitting and just to be heard and to be studied by nature, reasonably does the present discourse [apply] to those who have an itching in their hearing and their hand and their ears, as if longing for some kind of novelty, and to speak generally... and always rejoicing in innovations; and as many things as they say, having established those things which the elders established; and they build poorly upon the prophets; and falsely to some that... and they are not even disposed toward [spiritual] benefit; and otherwise: those who are eager only to please their neighbor hearing and to speak; and to those who say they rejoice in a most ignorant fashion and who promise pleasures; and before this, [thinking] "what shall we eat or what shall we drink" and being mindful only of these things, being zealous for such matters; and as it were, being persuaded more by some assault of words upon the soul rather than by the tongue, or even by opinions; so that they might set right a thousand things, after which it is necessary for you also to suggest such things. This is what the sinful ones do against this sun, the enemies, both those [of old] and these [of today] being enemies of the Divine Humanity; and scraping away, even before examining what is said; just as with horses, both those of war and those for company, which, being high-spirited toward chariots and every other horse, stamp their feet upon the ground and, scratching beforehand with their hooves, stir themselves to a race, and being most of all preoccupied with the great movement that is being pushed forward, they show an abundance [of spirit] and a failure to establish a discourse. Because of this, he shows that the neighing is manifested through the itchings, and through the scratching, it provokes their dispositions toward battle—dispositions that are chosen for evil. Neither those men nor any others... and not to be surrendered thus by the hand, or by all the fingers, that which is well spoken; since the tongue also differs greatly, or the things spoken, for why do even the hands bind? By many also, bows [are used]; they turn away from the newer "profane babblings and oppositions of falsely-called knowledge." And again, they are useful for practicing schemes; and it is clear that [he means] the unrefined and ignorant...