Editing Nicolaism (section)

=== Irenaeus ===
[[Irenaeus]] was of the opinion that Nicolas the Deacon was their founder.
{{blockquote|The Nicolaitanes are the followers of that Nicolas who was one of the seven first ordained to the diaconate by the apostles. They lead lives of unrestrained indulgence. The character of these men is very plainly pointed out in the Apocalypse of John, [when they are represented] as teaching that it is a matter of indifference to practice adultery, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.|[[s:Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume I/IRENAEUS/Against Heresies: Book I/Chapter XXVI.|Irenaeus, '' Adversus haereses'', i. 26, §3]]<ref>''[[On the Detection and Overthrow of the So-Called Gnosis|Adversus haereses]]'', i. 26, §3; iii. 11, §1.</ref>}}

He held that the [[Gospel of John]] was written to counter the teachings of [[Cerinthus]], which he believed was influenced by the Nicolaitans (in ''[[Adversus Haereses]]'' III. xi. 1; I. xxvi. 3). Later, [[Augustine of Hippo]] ascribed to them Cerinthian doctrines concerning the creation of the world (in his ''De haeresibus ad Quodvultdeum'', v).