Montanus had been a pagan priest, apparently in the ecstatic pagan cult of Cybele, the Roman "goddess of fertility". It is said he was converted to Christianity in 155 A.D. He first appeared in Phrygia, in Asia Minor, now Turkey. As time went by he began to fall into "ecstatic trances and utterances" similar to what the pagan cult of Cybele manifested. He then began "prophesying" by these utterances; claiming that he was "possessed by the Paraclete" and the Holy Spirit "spoke through" him.
Two female "prophetesses", Prisca and Maximilla were then Ordained by him. They then began more Ordinations of women. With Montanus' sanction, both Prisca and Maximilla deserted their husbands in response to his "higher revelations".
Montanus together with his "prophetesses" proclaimed they were bringing in a "newer age" of the "outpouring of the spirit" to the Assemblies. They led a very serious and rigorous moral life, and forbad their followers to flee from martyrdom, but rather to seek it. Montanus' prophecies featured added legalistic asceticisms, fastings, hours spent in "ecstatics", etc., and his group grew rapidly. They only followed the Gospel and the Epistles of John including the Book of Revelation which they quoted often. This caused many who disagreed with them to completely reject Johns' writings as part of the Canon.[1]
They also considered their own "prophecies" and writings at least equal with the Scriptures themselves. After all, they claimed to be receiving their "higher revelations" directly from G-d Himself.
The consensus of the Assemblies opposed Montanus because he was bringing pagan practices of ecstatics into the Church, Ordaining women over men and teaching the "last age" of history had dawned and begun "exclusively" with them, whereas the New Testament said it had previously been fulfilled historically with the death, burial, Resurrection of Yeshua and then Pentecost 50 days after that Passover in the 1st Century A.D.
They claimed "exclusive revelations" making Montanus and his followers a "spiritual elite" and that with them the "last age" had finally come to the Church. In their ecstatic utterances they began to announce the end of the world was at hand. They said they were the "revealing of prophets and prophetesses" to the Church, and that Montanus was "a musical instrument upon which G-d played" by uttering prophesies through him. His and the others' prophesies were delivered in an emotionally ecstatic and frenzied state. He authored a six-volume work: "On Ecstasy", none of which has survived. Eusebius' work on Church history did preserve some of Montanus' ecstatic prophecies, and Tertullian[2] also wrote of them.
By claiming these things, they made the historical fulfillment of diminished consequence and even the Gospel merely one "stage" of spirituality, and their "ecstatic revelations" a more advanced stage, and so, "uniquely superior". They exalted "special charismata" as their authority, not only departing their spouses but also disregarding the Offices and Officers of the Assemblies. Their "ecstatic revelations" took precedence over what the New Testament or any Pastor or bishop said.
THE WITNESS OF EUSEBIUS
Eusebius of Caesarea recorded in his History of the Church:
"It is said that a recent convert named Montanus, while Gratus was proconsul of Syria, in his unbridled ambition to reach the top, laid himself open to the adversary, was filled with spiritual excitement and suddenly fell into a kind of trance and unnatural ecstasy. He raved, and began to chatter and talk nonsense, prophesying in a way that conflicted with the practice of the Church handed down generation by generation from the beginning....On those who were elated and exultant about him the spirit bestowed favours, swelling their heads with his extravagant promises. Sometimes it reproved them pointedly and convincingly to their faces, to avoid appearing uncritical --though few of the Phrygians were deceived."
THE WITNESS OF TERTULLIAN
"We have now amongst us a sister whose lot it has been to be favored with gifts of revelation, which she experiences in the Spirit by ecstatic vision amidst the sacred rites of the Lord's Day in the church. She converses with angels and sometimes even with the Lord. She both sees and hears mysterious communications. Some men's hearts she discerns, and she obtains directions for healing for such as need them. Whether it be in the reading of the Scriptures or in the chanting of psalms or in the preaching of sermons or in the offering up of prayers-in all these religious services, matter and opportunity are afforded her of seeing visions…"
Montanists were known for exhibiting types of frenzied seizures and ecstatically uttering strange languages remarkably similar to the pagan cult of Cybele. These languages the Montanists now claimed were "gifts of the spirit". From this state of "emotional ecstasy" they would give their "prophecies" in what Eusebius said were "nonsense" languages.
Because the Montanists were careful to agree with the Orthodox Doctrines of the Assemblies (Trinity, Baptism, Communion, Resurrection, etc.) which set them apart from the heresy of Gnosticism, many at first let them "go their way" without interruption. Also the Assemblies were more concerned with the threat of Gnosticism at that time, so little attention was paid to Montanism at first.
After it started drawing attention, several Synods and bishops condemned it as an heretical movement, though even the bishop of Rome faltered at first. It was mostly extinguished in the cities in 212 A.D. but several pockets remained in the rural areas of Phrygia until about the 7th Century A.D., according to some reports the 9th Centuty, even after repeated rejection by the Assemblies.
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FOOTNOTES
[1
Hard-line Montanism, of course, rejected all of John's writings, possibly because of the mention of the Law in I John 3:4 which they may have cosidered as "too Jewish"?
Montanists rejected infant baptism completely. Traces of this aspect of Montanism can be seen in some Baptist Churches today.
[2
It has been was recorded that Montanus in "ecstasy" said:
"I am come neither as an angel, nor as an ambassador, but as God the Father".
One of their "prophetesses" Maximilla prophesied that a small town in Phrygia: Pepuza (which they proclaimed their Holy City Jerusalem) would be the precise location where "The New Jerusalem" in the Book of Revelation would soon be manifested and the "end of the world" would come upon them.
There was an emphasis also on "Summoning" the Holy Spirit.
With the death of Maximilla in 179-180 A.D. there remained no "prophetesses". She was the also the last of the trio of Montanus, Prisca and herself. When nothing happened as Maximilla had "prophesied" would, most departed.
Because of Tertullians' temporary participation along with his writings, we can be certain of what the Montanists believed, "prophesied" and practiced.
Tertullian separated from Montanism and formed his own group called the "Terullianists", which were later reaccepted back into the Churches through the efforts of Augustine.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Berkhof, Louis. The history of Christian doctines. Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Banner of Truth Trust. 1937
Eusebius. History of the Church.
Gonzalez, Justo L. The Story of Christianity. Peabody, Massachusetts. Prince Press. 1999.