Irenaeus: Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching

Lit. κοιλίας .

Or “they sent far”: apparently for ἐξηρίθμησαν of Ps. xxii. 17 .

“Nail my flesh” comes from the LXX. of Ps. cxix. 120 , where A. V. has “My flesh trembleth for fear of thee.” Cf. Barn. V, 13: Φεῖσαί μον τῆς ψυχῆς ὰπὸ ῥομφαίας καὶ καθήλωσόν μου τὰς σάρκας, ὅτι πονηρευομένων συναγωγαὶ ἐπανέστησάν μοι.

In Matt. xxvi. 15 Cod. Bezae and some other authorities have στετῆρας for ἀργύρια .

The Arm. probably represents Ἐν δὲ τῷ σταυροθῆναι αὐτόν. The ὄξος μετὰ χολῆς μεμιγμένον in Matt. xxvii. 34 ( ὄξος A etc.; οἶνον א BD etc.) was before crucifixion, when “He would not drink.” “when He asked a drink” on the cross ( Joh. xix. 29 ), they gave Him ὄξος : but some MSS. add μετὰ χολῆς . Cf. Barn. VII, 3, 5; Ev. Petr. 5.

As though reading εὐθυνόντων (as some MSS. of LXX) for εὐθηνούντων : so too in the Arm. Psalter, which in the next verse has after “captive”: “He received booty, he distributed gifts, and gave to the sons of men.” It is possible therefore that here “he received, he gave” is a reminiscence of his own Psalter on the part of the translator.

Just. M. Dial. 39: προεφητεύθη αἰχμαλωτεῦσαι αὐτὸν ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τῆς πλάνης καὶ δοῦναι ἡμῖν δόματα.

This is not a fresh quotation, but part of the comment on the passage before quoted: “The Lord . . . in Sinai in his sanctuary: he ascended upon high.” Irenæus seems to have taken it as though it were “in Sion in his sanctuary.”

Justin’s interpretation ( Dial. 36) makes the humble form of our Lord’s humanity ( ἀειδὴς καὶ ἄτιμος ) the reason why He is not at once recognized. The interpretation given by Irenæus corresponds to that of the Ascension of Isaiah : see Introd. p. 43.

The same interpretation in IV, lv. 4: “ quoniam illuc assumptus est unde et descendit, et non est qui justum judicium ejus effugiat. ”

Quoted with a small difference in III, xiii. 1.

See the comment on the same text in IV, lvi. 3 f.: “ Si autem libertatis lex, id est, verbum Dei ab apostolis qui ab Hierusalem exierunt annuntiatum, ” etc.

For the abbreviation of the “First Commandment” cf. Just. M. I 93.

Almost the same comment is found in IV, lv. 4, where the same combination of texts is made: “ Quisquis judicatur, ex adverso adstet; et quisquis justificatur, appropinquet puero Dei ( Arm. Domini); et væ vobis . . . in altissimis. ”

Cf. c. 94. In III, xxii. 1 we have; “ Neque senior ( πρέσβυς LXX) neque angelus. ”

The word means more especially “to live in freedom,”

Quoted in IV, lv. 5, with a brief comment.

IV, xxv. 2.: “ per omnes illos transiens Verbum ,” in connection with “the voice of many waters.”

The Greek doubtless was: οὐδὲ πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἐπὸτισεν αὐτούς : and the context shows that πνεῦμα must be taken as accusative. For the general thought of the passage cf. III, xviii. 1 f.

I have followed the simple emendation suggested by the editors: the printed text has “not in our oldness.”

After διαθήκην the words καινήν, οὐ κατὰ τὴν διαθήκην must have been missed by the scribe or translator. “The covenant of the testament” is only a double rendering of διαθήκην : such double renderings occur several times in this quotation, but I have not retained them in every case.

Lit. “giving my laws”; cf. Heb. viii. 10 .

Cf. c. 8, and note there.

Or “hope”: and so twice below.

Or “manifest,” as in the quotation below.

Cf. c. 77. For the quotation cf. I, iv. 1; IV, xxxiv. 12.

IV, xiii. 1: “ a lapidum religione extrahens nos. ”

Rendering the Greek ἄγγελος . Cf. c. 88.

Both the German translations take the passage to mean: “granting many children to the Church, the assembly of the first-born.” But it is hard to get this out of the Armenian text, which has “first” and not “first-born.” It seems certain that there is a contrast between “the Church” and “the first Synagogue” (whose husband was the Law, as is said below). The text can easily be amended so as to give the meaning required. Cf. IV, xlviii. 1. f: “ duæ synagogæ . . . fructificantes . . . filios vivos vivo Deo ”; III, vi. i: “ Ecclesia, hæc enim est synagoga Dei. ” For the quotation and its interpretation cf. Just. M. Ap. 1, 53.

In the Arm. “who is” refers to “the Son.”

Cf. 36, 56, 66.

Dr Rendel Harris ( Testimonies I, 66) has pointed out that this is a reminiscence of Polycarp; Ep. ad Phil. 3; Ὁ γὰρ ἔχων ἀγάπην μακράν ἐστιν πάσης ἁμαρτίας.

Cf. c. 46.

IV, xxxi. 1: “ illi quidem decimas suorum habebant consecratas: qui autem perceperunt libertatem, omnia quæ sunt ipsorum ad dominicos decernunt usus.”

Just. M. Dial. 12: σαββατίζειν ὑμᾶς ὁ καινὸς νόμος διὰ παντὸς εθέλει, καὶ ὑμεῖς μίαν ἀργοῠντες ἡμέραν εὐσεβεῖν δοκεῖτε.

II, xlix. 3: Ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τοῦ πταυρωθέντος ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πειλάτον. Cf. Just. M. Ap. ii., 6, Dial. 30, 76, 85. These words should be taken with c. 96: see Add. Note on p. 151.

Suggesting the Greek τὴν ἀνθρωπινὴν αὐτοῦ πολιτείαν.

So quoted in IV, xxxiv. 5.

The Arm. for “beasts” ( κτηνῶν ) is here “fat (things).”

With the whole of this passage compare IV, xxxiv. 4 ff., especially the words “ prædicaverunt ejus secundum carnem adventum, per quem commixtio et communio Dei et hominis secundum placitum Patris facta est; ab initio prænuntiante Verbo Dei quoniam videbitur Deus ab hominibus et conversabitur cum eis super terram et colloqueretur et adfuturus esset suo plasmati ”; and “ præsignificant igitur prophetæ quoniam videbitur Deus ab hominibus ,” words which come again a little further on.

Lit. “with the formation ( plasma ) of God.”

Cf. c. 32: V, i. 3, ii. 1, xxxvi. 1, and elsewhere.

The same language is found in the preface to Bk. V: “ quod prophetæ quidem præconaverunt . . . perfecit autem Christus; apostoli vero tradiderunt, a quibus ecclesia accipiens, per universum mundum sola bene custodiens, tradidit filiis suis :” and similar language in II. xlvii. 2.

III, xi. 12: “ propheticam vero gratiam repellunt ab ecclesia. ”

Lit. “heads ”: cf. cc. 6 f.