The Simon of the legends is so entirely outside any historical
criticism, and the stories gleaned from the _Homilies_ and
_Recognitions_ are so evidently fabrications--most probably added to the
doctrinal narrative at a later date--and so obviously the stock-in-trade
legends of magic, that not a solitary scholar supports their
authenticity. Probably one of the reasons for this is the strong
Ebionism of the narratives, which is by no means palatable to the
orthodox taste. In this connection the following table of the Ebionite
scheme of emanation may be of interest:

GOD.
(The One Being, the Principle of all things.)
______________________________________^___________________________________
/ \
SPIRIT. MATTER.
| The Four elements.
| (This mixture produces)
| |
| |
THE SON. THE DEVIL.
(The Leader of the future cycle.) (The leader of the present cycle.)
| |
| |
GREAT THINGS. LITTLE THINGS.
(Heaven, light, life, etc.) (Earth, fire, death, etc.)
| |
| |
ADAM. EVE.
(Truth.) (Error.)