Docetism is an early Christian heresy which claimed that Christ was not truly human. Docetism denies the true and full humanity of Christ. The word ‘Docetism’ is derived from the Greek word “dokeo” which means “to appear or seem”. Proponents of this error taught that Christ only appeared or seemed to be human.

The apostle John trumpets explicit warnings against this early heresy:

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” 1 John 4: 1-3

“For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” 2 John 7

These ominous warnings by the Apostle John confirm what secular history also states; that Docetism had appeared very early among the churches. But, where did it come from? The answer is obtained by understanding the influence pre-christian gnosticism had on the ancient Greek and Roman world. Harold O. J. Brown says:

“The gnostic movement as a whole and even church-related Gnosticism are really too big and too foreign to the New Testament to be called heresies; they really represent an alternative religion. In producing docetism, Gnosticism presented us with the first heresy that can be clearly lodged ‘within’ Christianity.”

“Gnosticism was not a Christian movement, properly speaking, because apart from a limited number of shared ideas, its interests were quite different from those of biblical religion. The doctrine of Christ was a shared interest, however. Gnosticism produced docetism because it considered it intolerable to think that a pure spiritual being, Christ, could suffer as a man. Hence he must have been human in appearance only.” [HERESIES; pg. 52]

Development Of Early Faith & Docetism

Logically and experientially, the heresy of Docetism could only obtain with second generation believers. Harold O. J. Brown explains this important point:

“The very earliest disciples of Christ encountered him first of all as a man like themselves. Only gradually did they become aware of his extraordinary attributes and come to understand that he was claiming to be one with God the Father. These first Christians experienced Jesus as a man whom they slowly came to recognize as the Messiah, and ultimately acknowledged, in the words of doubting Thomas, as Lord and God (John 20:28). For them, the humanity of Jesus was self-evident; his deity was their confession of faith.”

“Following the passing of the first generation of believers, those who had known Jesus before his resurrection, later believers were almost invariably confronted first of all with his deity, and only slowly came to recognize that the Savior was also fully human, just as we are. Because they heard him proclaimed as Lord and God, it was the news of his full humanity that was rather shocking and in a sense unexpected. It is important to note that this transformation took place during the lifetime of the Apostles. Even Paul himself never knew Jesus after the flesh, as he puts it. He encountered him in the claims--- which he considered blasphemous--- of his followers, who proclaimed him as the divine Son of God.” [HERESIES; pg. 27]

Early Creed Of Ignatius Against Docetism

Docetism, the first of the heresies involving Christology, provoked a reaction which called forth the earliest Christian creed, that of Ignatius of Antioch. Ignatius was an early post-New Testament writer who vigorously opposed Docetism. He was martyred toward the end of the reign of Emperor Trajan (ruled 98-117). Harold Brown comments:

“ Rather than seeking to escape this fate (being martyred), he courted it, and admonished the Christians in Rome to do nothing to help him avoid it. In a few brief lines, the creed of Ignatius repeatedly emphasized that Jesus ‘truly, and not in appearance’ did and experienced all that the New Testament ascribes to him, including truly, and not in appearance, being born, suffering, dying, and rising.

Inasmuch as Ignatius anticipated being put to death himself, truly, and not in appearance, his emphasis on the true resurrection of Jesus is entirely understandable.” [HERESIES; pg. 52]