Opening the library…
Home Bible Corpus Discover You
Against Heresies
Irenaeus of Lyons
Book 4 · Chapter 13 About this work A five-book account and refutation of competing Christian movements that also develops Irenaeus’s positive theology of creation, Scripture, apostolic tradition, incarnation, salvation, and recapitulation in Christ.
Author Irenaeus of Lyons
Date c. AD 175–185
Origin Lyons, Gaul
Genre Heresiology Christ did not abrogate the natural precepts of the law, but rather fulfilled and extended them. He removed the yoke and bondage of the old law, so that mankind, being now set free, might serve God with that trustful piety which becometh sons. Section 1 1 . And that the Lord did not abrogate
‹ Book 4 · Chapter 12 Book 4 · Chapter 14 ›
the
natural
[
precepts
]
of
the
law
,
by
which
man
is
justified
,
which
also
those
who
were
justified
by
faith
,
and
who
pleased
God
,
did
observe
previous
to
the
giving
of
the
law
,
but
that
He
extended
and
fulfilled
them
,
is
shown
from
His
words
.
“
For
,
”
He
remarks
,
“
it
has
been
said
to
them
of
old
time
,
Do
not
commit
adultery
.
But
I
say
unto
you
,
That
every
one
who
hath
looked
upon
a
woman
to
lust
after
her
,
hath
committed
adultery
with
her
already
in
his
heart
.
”
And
again
:
“
It
has
been
said
,
Thou
shalt
not
kill
.
But
I
say
unto
you
,
Every
one
who
is
angry
with
his
brother
without
a
cause
,
shall
be
in
danger
of
the
judgment
.
”
And
,
“
It
hath
been
said
,
Thou
shalt
not
forswear
thyself
.
But
I
say
unto
you
,
Swear
not
at
all
;
but
let
your
conversation
be
,
Yea
,
yea
,
and
Nay
,
nay
.
”
And
other
statements
of
a
like
nature
.
For
all
these
do
not
contain
or
imply
an
opposition
to
and
an
overturning
of
the
[
precepts
]
of
the
past
,
as
Marcion’s
followers
do
strenuously
maintain
;
but
[
they
exhibit
]
a
fulfilling
and
an
extension
of
them
,
as
He
does
Himself
declare
:
“
Unless
your
righteousness
shall
exceed
that
of
the
scribes
and
Pharisees
,
ye
shall
not
enter
into
the
kingdom
of
heaven
.
”
For
what
meant
the
excess
referred
to
?
In
the
first
place
,
[
we
must
]
believe
not
only
in
the
Father
,
but
also
in
His
Son
now
revealed
;
for
He
it
is
who
leads
man
into
fellowship
and
unity
with
God
.
In
the
next
place
,
[
we
must
]
not
only
say
,
but
we
must
do
;
for
they
said
,
but
did
not
.
And
[
we
must
]
not
only
abstain
from
evil
deeds
,
but
even
from
the
desires
after
them
.
Now
He
did
not
teach
us
these
things
as
being
opposed
to
the
law
,
but
as
fulfilling
the
law
,
and
implanting
in
us
the
varied
righteousness
of
the
law
.
That
would
have
been
contrary
to
the
law
,
if
He
had
commanded
His
disciples
to
do
anything
which
the
law
had
prohibited
.
But
this
which
He
did
command
—
namely
,
not
only
to
abstain
from
things
forbidden
by
the
law
,
but
even
from
longing
after
them
—
is
not
contrary
to
[
the
law
]
,
as
I
have
remarked
,
neither
is
it
the
utterance
of
one
destroying
the
law
,
but
of
one
fulfilling
,
extending
,
and
affording
greater
scope
to
it
.
Section 2 2 . For the law , since it was laid down for those in bondage , used to instruct the soul by means of those corporeal objects which were of an external nature , drawing it , as by a bond , to obey its commandments , that man might learn to serve God . But the Word set free the soul , and taught that through it the body should be willingly purified . Which having been accomplished , it followed as of course , that the bonds of slavery should be removed , to which man had now become accustomed , and that he should follow God without fetters : moreover , that the laws of liberty should be extended , and subjection to the king increased , so that no one who is converted should appear unworthy to Him who set him free , but that the piety and obedience due to the Master of the household should be equally rendered both by servants and children ; while the children possess greater confidence [ than the servants ] , inasmuch as the working of liberty is greater and more glorious than that obedience which is rendered in [ a state of ] slavery .
Section 3 3 . And for this reason did the Lord , instead of that [ commandment ] , “ Thou shalt not commit adultery , ” forbid even concupiscence ; and instead of that which runs thus , “ Thou shalt not kill , ” He prohibited anger ; and instead of the law enjoining the giving of tithes , [ He told us ] to share all our possessions with the poor ; and not to love our neighbours only , but even our enemies ; and not merely to be liberal givers and bestowers , but even that we should present a gratuitous gift to those who take away our goods . For “ to him that taketh away thy coat , ” He says , “ give to him thy cloak also ; and from him that taketh away thy goods , ask them not again ; and as ye would that men should do unto you , do ye unto them : ” so that we may not grieve as those who are unwilling to be defrauded , but may rejoice as those who have given willingly , and as rather conferring a favour upon our neighbours than yielding to necessity . “ And if any one , ” He says , “ shall compel thee [ to go ] a mile , go with him twain ; ” so that thou mayest not follow him as a slave , but may as a free man go before him , showing thyself in all things kindly disposed and useful to thy neighbour , not regarding their evil intentions , but performing thy kind offices , assimilating thyself to the Father , “ who maketh His sun to rise upon the evil and the good , and sendeth rain upon the just and unjust . ” Now all these [ precepts ] , as I have already observed , were not [ the injunctions ] of one doing away with the law , but of one fulfilling , extending , and widening it among us ; just as if one should say , that the more extensive operation of liberty implies that a more complete subjection and affection towards our Liberator had been implanted within us . For He did not set us free for this purpose , that we should depart from Him ( no one , indeed , while placed out of reach of the Lord’s benefits , has power to procure for himself the means of salvation ) , but that the more we receive His grace , the more we should love Him . Now the more we have loved Him , the more glory shall we receive from Him , when we are continually in the presence of the Father .
Section 4 4 . Inasmuch , then , as all natural precepts are common to us and to them ( the Jews ) , they had in them indeed the beginning and origin ; but in us they have received growth and completion . For to yield assent to God , and to follow His Word , and to love Him above all , and one’s neighbour as one’s self ( now man is neighbour to man ) , and to abstain from every evil deed , and all other things of a like nature which are common to both [ covenants ] , do reveal one and the same God . But this is our Lord , the Word of God , who in the first instance certainly drew slaves to God , but afterwards He set those free who were subject to Him , as He does Himself declare to His disciples : “ I will not now call you servants , for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth ; but I have called you friends , for all things which I have heard from My Father I have made known . ” For in that which He says , “ I will not now call you servants , ” He indicates in the most marked manner that it was Himself who did originally appoint for men that bondage with respect to God through the law , and then afterwards conferred upon them freedom . And in that He says , “ For the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth , ” He points out , by means of His own advent , the ignorance of a people in a servile condition . But when He terms His disciples “ the friends of God , ” He plainly declares Himself to be the Word of God , whom Abraham also followed voluntarily and under no compulsion ( sine vinculis ) , because of the noble nature of his faith , and so became “ the friend of God . ” But the Word of God did not accept of the friendship of Abraham , as though He stood in need of it , for He was perfect from the beginning ( “ Before Abraham was , ” He says , “ I am ” ) , but that He in His goodness might bestow eternal life upon Abraham himself , inasmuch as the friendship of God imparts immortality to those who embrace it .
