Irenaeus: Against Heresies, Books I–V

John iv. 6 .

Ps. lxix. 27 .

Matt. xxvi. 38 .

Rom. v. 14 .

Luke i. 38 .

Gen. ii. 25 .

This seems quite a peculiar opinion of Irenæus, that our first parents, when created, were not of the age of maturity.

Literally, “unless these bonds of union be turned backwards.”

It is very difficult to follow the reasoning of Irenæus in this passage. Massuet has a long note upon it, in which he sets forth the various points of comparison and contrast here indicated between Eve and Mary; but he ends with the remark, “hæc certe et quæ sequuntur, paulo subtiliora.”

Matt. xix. 30 , Matt. xx. 16 .

Ps. xlv. 17 .

Rev. i. 5 .

Comp. 1 Cor. xv. 20–22 .

Acts i. 7 .

Matt. xii. 29 .

Gen. i. 26 .

The old Latin translation is: “Sed non relictis ipsis patribus.” Grabe would cancel non , while Massuet pleads for retaining it. Harvey conjectures that the translator perhaps mistook οὐκ ἀνειλημμένων for οὐκ ἀναλελειμένων. We have followed Massuet, though we should prefer deleting non , were it not found in all the mss.

Gen. iii. 16 , etc.

Gen. iii. 14 .

Matt. xxv. 41 . This reading of Irenæus agrees with that of the Codex Bezæ, at Cambridge.

Gen. iv. 7 , after LXX. version.

The old Latin reads “parricidio.” The crime of parricide was alone known to the Roman law; but it was a generic term, including the murder of all near relations. All the editors have supposed that the original word was ἀδελφοκτονία, which has here been adopted.

Prov. i. 7 , Prov. ix. 10 .

Gen. iii. 13 .

Rom. vi. 7 .

Ps. xci. 13 .

Rev. xx. 2 .

Luke x. 19 .

1 Cor. xv. 26 .

1 Cor. xv. 54, 55 .

Luke xv. 4 .

An account of Tatian will be given in a future volume with his only extant work.

His heresy being just a mixture of the opinions of the various Gnostic sects.

1 Cor. xv. 22 .

Rom. v. 20 .

Though unnoticed by the editors, there seems a difficulty in the different moods of the two verbs, erubescant and concertant .

“Initium et materiam apostasiæ suæ habens hominem:” the meaning is very obscure, and the editors throw no light upon it.

Literally, “but he did not see God.” The translator is supposed to have read οἶδεν , knew , for εἶδεν , saw .

Literally, “through the beginnings, the means, and the end.” These three terms refer to the Prophets, the Apostles, and the Church Catholic.

The Latin is “solidam operationem,” which we know not how to translate, in accordance with the context, except as above.

This seems to be the meaning conveyed by the old Latin, “quemadmodum aspiratio plasmationi.”

1 Cor. xii. 28 .

Jer. ii. 13 .

i.e., the Spirit.

Literally, “who have a foresight of morals” — qui morum providentiam habent . The meaning is very obscure. [ Prov. xxii. 3 , Prov. xxvii. 12 .]

The text is here very uncertain, but the above seems the probable meaning.

Matt. v. 45 .

Plato, de Leg. , iv. and p. 715, 16.

In Timæo , vi. p. 29.

The Latin is “collectio eorum;” but what collectio here means, it is not easy to determine. Grabe, with much probability, deems it the representative of σύστασις . Harvey prefers ἐνθύμημα : but it is difficult to perceive the relevancy of his references to the rhetorical syllogism.

See book i. cap. xvi. note.