Note 589 — Chapter VI · PRE-CHRISTIAN GNOSTICS: SIMON MAGUS
Reading edition
The excessive reverence of the Samaritans for the Pentateuch is well brought out by Cowley in the Encyc. Bibl. s.v. Samaritans. He says it was the only part of the Jewish books which they took over and held sacred (col. 4260). Simon in the Great Announcement thought it necessary to “explain” each of the Five Books separately. See Hippolytus, op. cit. Bk VI. c. 1, §§ 15, 16, pp. 253-258, Cruice.