When we begin religious life, some unclean demons give us lessons in the interpretation of scripture. This happens particularly in the case of people who are either vainglorious or who have had a secular education, and these are gradually led into heresy and blasphemy. One may detect this diabolical teaching about God, or rather war against God, by the upheaval, confusion, and unholy joy in the soul during lessons.
In a monastery on the island of Patmos, there was a monk named Antipas who believed he had seen the Lord. He said that the Lord for three years dictated him the interpretation of the Apocalypse, which he wrote down in a book. Many of the important prophecies, according to this monk, have already been fulfilled. Elder Daniel, having talked with him, persuaded him to burn this interpretation.
In our monastery, the eighty-year-old hieromonk read the Bible too much and stopped partaking of the Holy Mysteries, and stayed in this position for more than five years. No one's persuasion could dissuade him from a false opinion. One brother had a good idea to take away the Bible from him, and this taking away greatly helped the cause, of course, with the help of God. With a weakened memory, he could no longer object and agreed to partake, and a few months later he died peacefully. His name is Vitaly. Pray for him.
284. The elder said: if a saying comes to the heart of a brother sitting in a cell, and he follows after this saying, having not reached the measure and not attracted by God, then demons appear and interpret that saying to him as he wants.