For those of us who read about Montanism in the past, or interact with Pentecostals and their insistence on ongoing revelation in the present…we need to be so “well acquainted with the Scriptures” and so familiar with hearing the voice of our Shepherd speaking in Scripture (John 10:27), that we’ll listen to His voice only, and not those falsely claiming to speak for Him.

Montanism in the Second Century:

“I am the Lord God, the almighty, dwelling in man.”^[1] These shocking words were spoken by Montanus of Phrygia (modern-day Turkey) in the mid-second century, A.D. Along with two disciples, Priscilla and Maximilla, Montanus claimed to be the fulfilment of Christ’s prophecy of the coming of the Paraclete (John 16:7-11). Montanus enjoyed spectacular popularity, even winning the church father Tertullian as one of his disciples. Two things stand out about the teachings of Montanus:

1. Montanus emphasized ongoing, direct special revelation by the Holy Spirit.

Montanus and his followers claimed charismatic gifts of the Spirit – “visions…dreams, speaking in tongues, [and] prophetic utterances.”^[2] Montanus either saw himself as the Paraclete’s mouthpiece, or perhaps even an incarnation of the Paraclete.^[3]

Many of these prophecies dealt with an expectation that Christ’s return was imminent. Maximilla predicted, “After me will be no prophet more, but the consummation.”^[4] Similarly, Priscilla claimed that Christ revealed to her that “this place [Phrygia] is holy and that here Jerusalem will descend from heaven.”^[5]

2. Montanus emphasized severe asceticism and rigorous discipline.

The teaching of Montanus and his disciples was focused on rigorous conduct, more than theological innovation. William Cunningham summarizes the “ethical” teachings of the Montanists: they imposed fasts at stated seasons, they forbid their followers to flee from persecution, and they refused to readmit into their fellowship or accept the repentance of those who had fallen into serious sins.^[6]

It was this emphasis on conduct that seems to have attracted the most famous disciple of Montanus to this new teaching. Tertullian praised this new teaching as the perfection of God’s moral desires for his people^[7]

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