Irenaeus: Against Heresies, Books I–V

represents the Greek λειτουργικά , “meaning letters as popularly used in common computation.”

The editors have again long notes on this most obscure passage. Massuet expunges “quæque,” and gives a lengthened explanation of the clause, to which we can only refer the curious reader.

בָרוּךְ , Baruch, blessed , one of the commonest titles of the Almighty. The final ך seems to be reckoned only a half-letter, as being different in form from what it is when accompanied by a vowel at the beginning or in the middle of a word.

Ex. xxv. 10 .

Ex. xxv. 17 .

Ex. xxv. 23 .

Ex. xxv. 31 , etc.

Only six branches are mentioned in Ex. xxv. 32 .

Ex. xxvi. 1 .

Ex. xxvi. 7 .

Ex. xxvi. 2 .

Ex. xxvi. 16 .

Ex. xxvi. 26 .

Ex. xxx. 23 , etc.

Ex. xxx. 34 .

Some such supplement as this seems requisite, but the syntax in the Latin text is very confused.

Matt. xiv. 19, 21 ; Mark vi. 41, 44 ; Luke ix. 13, 14 ; John vi. 9, 10, 11 .

Matt. xxv. 2 , etc.

Matt. xvii. 1 .

St. John is here strangely overlooked.

Luke viii. 51 .

Luke xvi. 28 .

“Fines et summitates;” comp. Justin Mart., Dial. c. Tryph. , 91.

“Juvenis,” one in the prime of life .

It has been usual in the Christian Church to reckon four commandments in the first table, and six in the second; but the above was the ancient Jewish division. See Joseph., Antiq. , iii. 6.

Ex. xxvi. 37 .

Ex. xxvii. 1 ; “altitudo” in the text must be exchanged for “latitudo.”

Ex. xxviii. 1 .

Ex. xxviii. 5 .

Josh. x. 17 .

[Note the manly contempt with which our author dismisses a class of similitudes, which seem, even in our day, to have great attractions for some minds not otherwise narrow.]

365 (the days of the year)—12 × 30 + 5.

These hours of daylight, at the winter and summer solstice respectively, correspond to the latitude of Lyons, 45° 45´ N., where Irenæus resided.

“Alluding,” says Harvey, “to a custom among the ancients, of summing the numbers below 100 by various positions of the left hand and its fingers; 100 and upwards being reckoned by corresponding gestures of the right hand. The ninety and nine sheep, therefore, that remained quietly in the fold were summed upon the left hand, and Gnostics professed that they were typical of the true spiritual seed; but Scripture always places the workers of iniquity of the left hand, and in the Gnostic theory the evil principle of matter was sinistral, therefore,” etc., as above.

“Levamen,” corresponding probably to the Greek ἀνάπαυσιν .

᾽Αγάπη ( α = 1, γ = 3, α = 1, π = 80, η = 8 ) = 93.

᾽Αλήθεια ( α = 1, λ = 30, η = 8, θ = 9, ε = 5, ι = 10, α = 1 ) = 64.

Some read XX., but XXX. is probably correct.

Harvey proposes “commentitum” instead of “commentatum,” but the alteration seems unnecessary.

The syntax is in confusion, and the meaning obscure.

“Regula.”

“Errantes ab artifice.” The whole sentence is most obscure.

Alluding to the imaginary Æon Anthropos , who existed from eternity.

1 Cor. viii. 1 .

“Aut;” ἤ having been thus mistakenly rendered instead of “quam.”

[This seems anticipatory of the dialects of scholasticism, and of its immense influence in Western Christendom, after St. Bernard’s feeble adhesion to the Biblical system of the ancients.]

Matt. x. 30 .

Matt. x. 29 .

[Illustrated by the history of modern thought in Germany. See the meritorious work of Professor Kahnis, on German Protestantism (translated). Edinburgh, T. & T. Clark, 1856.]

“Rationem.”

We read “veritatis corpus” for “a veritate corpus” in the text.

Some such expression of disapproval must evidently be supplied, though wanting in the Latin text.

Matt. xxv. 5 , etc.

The text is here elliptical, and we have supplied what seems necessary to complete the sense.

It is doubtful whether “demonstravimus” or “demonstrabimus” be the proper reading: if the former, the reference will be to book i. 22, or ii. 2; if the latter, to book iii. 8.

Matt. vii. 25 .

Or, “to that degree.”

Comp. Clem. Rom. Ep. to Cor. , c. xx.; and August, De. Civit Dei , xvi. 9.

1 Cor. xiii. 13 .

“Permanet firma,”—no doubt corresponding to the μένει of the apostle, 1 Cor. xiii. 13 . Harvey here remarks, that “the author seems to misapprehend the apostle’s meaning…. There will be no longer room for hope, when the substance of things hoped for shall have become a matter of fruition; neither will there be any room for faith, when the soul shall be admitted to see God as He is.” But the best modern interpreters take the same view of the passage as Irenæus. They regard the νυνὶ δέ of St. Paul as not being temporal , but logical , and conclude therefore the meaning to be, that faith and hope , as well as love , will, in a sense, endure for ever. Comp., e.g., Alford, in loc .

The Latin text is here untranslateable. Grabe proposes to read, “ una consonans melodia in nobis sentietur ;” while Stieren and others prefer to exchange αἰσθήσεται for ἀσθήσεται .

“Apotelesticos.” This word, says Harvey, “may also refer to the vital energy of nature, whereby its effects are for ever reproduced in unceasing succession.” Comp. Hippol., Philos. , vii. 24.

We here follow Grabe, who understands decet . Harvey less simply explains the very obscure Latin text.

The Greek term λόγος , as is well known, denotes both ratio (reason) and sermo (speech). Some deem the above parenthesis an interpolation.

Comp. i. 12, 2.

“Suffugatur:” some read “suffocatur;” and Harvey proposes “suffragatur,” as the representative of the Greek ψηφίζεται . The meaning in any case is, that while ideas are instantaneously formed in the human mind, they can be expressed through means of words only fractionally, and by successive utterances.

Thus: Bythus, Nous, Logos .

Isa. liii. 8 .

Mark xiii. 32 . The words, “neither the angels which are in heaven,” are here omitted, probably because, as usual, the writer quotes from memory.

Comp. Matt. x. 24 ; Luke xi. 40 .

Ps. cx. 1 .

1 Cor. ii. 10 .

1 Cor. xii. 4, 5, 6 .

1 Cor. xiii. 9 .

Massuet proposes to insert these words, and some such supplement seems clearly necessary to complete the sense. But the sentence still remains confused and doubtful.

[ Gen. xl. 8 ; Deut. xxix. 29 ; Ps. cxxxi. ]

John xiv. 28 .

[On the great matter of the περιχώρησις , the subordination of the Son, etc., Bull has explored Patristic doctrine, and may well be consulted here. Defens. Fid. Nicænæ , sect. iv.; see also vol. v. 363]

1 Cor. xiii. 9 .

“Altitudines,” literally, heights .

[ Wisdom ix. 13, 17 . A passage of marvellous beauty.]

Comp. i. 7, 1.

“Refrigerium,” place of refreshment .

Billius, with great apparent reason, proposes to read “descensio” for the unintelligible “discessio” of the Latin text.

Grabe and Massuet read, “Si autem animæ perire inciperent, nisi justæ fuissent,” for “Si autem animæ quæ perituræ essent inciperent nisi justæ fuissent,”—words which defy all translation.

The text is here uncertain and confused; but, as Harvey remarks, “the argument is this, That if souls are saved qua intellectual substance, then all are saved alike; but if by reason of any moral qualities, then the bodies that have executed the moral purposes of the soul, must also be considered to be heirs of salvation.”

“De impetu:” it is generally supposed that these words correspond to ἐκ τῆς ἐπιστροφῆς (comp. i. 5, 1), but Harvey thinks ἐξ ὁρμῆς preferable (i. 4, 1).

The syntax of this sentence is in utter confusion, but the meaning is doubtless that given above.

Ps. civ. 2, 4 .

Isa. xl. 12, 22 .

Irenæus was evidently familiar with Horace; comp. Ars. Poet. , 300.

Matt. vii. 7 .

The punctuation is here doubtful. With Massuet and Stieren we expunge “vel” from the text.

Or, “the Scriptures of the Lord;” but the words “dominicis scripturis” probably here represent the Greek κυρίων γραφῶν , and are to be rendered as above.

2 Cor. xii. 2, 3, 4 .

“Inciperet fieri;” perhaps for “futurus esset,” was to be .

“Quartum cœlum;” there still being, according to their theory of seven heavens, a fourth beyond that to which St. Paul had penetrated.

2 Cor. xii. 3 , defectively quoted.

This is an exceedingly obscure and difficult sentence. Grabe and some of the later editors read, “uti neque non corpus,” thus making Irenæus affirm that the body did participate in the vision. But Massuet contends strenuously that this is contrary to the author’s purpose, as wishing to maintain, against a possible exception of the Valentinians, that Paul then witnessed spiritual realities, and by omitting this “non” before “corpus,” makes Irenæus deny that the body was a partaker in the vision. The point can only be doubtfully decided, but Massuet’s ingenious note inclines us to his side of the question.

“Præstat dignis:” here a very ambiguous expression.

That is, as Massuet notes, all things derive not only their existence , but their qualities , from His will. Harvey proposes to read causa instead of substantia , but the change seems needless.

Heb. i. 3 .

That is, Barbelos : comp. i. 29, 1.

“Tradunt;” literally, hand down .

Qui , though here found in all the mss. , seems to have been rightly expunged by the editors.

The reference probably is to opinions and theories of the heathen.

Comp. 2 Tim. ii. 17, 18 . [On the sub-apostolic age and this subject of miracles, Newman, in spite of his sophistical argumentation, may well be consulted for his references, etc. Translation of the Abbé Fleury , p. xi. Oxford, 1842.]

“Perficiatur:” it is difficult here to give a fitting translation of this word. Some prefer to read “impertiatur.”

Rev. xii. 14 .

Matt. v. 21 , etc.

Matt. xiii. 43 .