Basilides' substitution teaching, as reported by Irenaeus
c. c. 130 – c. 180
Place: alexandria
31.198, 29.892 · On the map
Irenaeus' report is attested but hostile, and Hippolytus (Refutation 7) gives a different account of Basilides' teaching without the substitution. So whether Basilides himself taught it is uncertain. Full branch record: branches-and-controversies.
Shared record: Basilideans
Irenaeus (Against Heresies 1.24.4, c. 180) says the Alexandrian teacher Basilides taught that Simon of Cyrene was crucified in Jesus' place while Jesus stood by laughing. It is the earliest clear statement that someone else died on the cross, which makes it the classic comparison for later Muslim 'substitution' readings of Q 4:157.
People named here
- Basilides
- Irenaeus of Lyon
- Simon of Cyrene
Links
Text and wording
Out
Qur'an 4:157–159: 'they did not kill him, nor crucify him'
Substitution (Simon of Cyrene) is compared with the later tafsir reading of 'shubbiha lahum'. No route of transmission is shown.
idea_parallel
scholarly hypothesisIn
Docetism: Christ only 'seemed' to suffer
Basilides' teaching as reported by Irenaeus is a substitution form of docetism.
includes
attested
Report and reading
In
Shared branch record (branches-and-controversies).
attributed_to
attested
Sources
- Irenaeus, Against Heresies 1.24 (ANF trans., public domain) — hostile source
New Advent / Roberts & Donaldson. Accessed 2026-11-11.
- Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies, Book 7 (ANF trans., PD) — hostile source
New Advent. Accessed 2026-11-11.
- Wikipedia: Basilides
Wikipedia contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-11-11.