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Against Heresies

Irenaeus of Lyons

Book 4 · Chapter 14

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

If God demands obedience from man, if He formed man, called him and placed him under laws, it was merely for man’s welfare; not that God stood in need of man, but that He graciously conferred upon man His favours in every possible manner.

Section 1

1. In the beginning, therefore, did

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God

form

Adam

,

not

as

if

He

stood

in

need

of

man

,

but

that

He

might

have

[

some

one

]

upon

whom

to

confer

His

benefits

.

For

not

alone

antecedently

to

Adam

,

but

also

before

all

creation

,

the

Word

glorified

His

Father

,

remaining

in

Him

;

and

was

Himself

glorified

by

the

Father

,

as

He

did

Himself

declare

,

“

Father

,

glorify

Thou

Me

with

the

glory

which

I

had

with

Thee

before

the

world

was

.

”

Nor

did

He

stand

in

need

of

our

service

when

He

ordered

us

to

follow

Him

;

but

He

thus

bestowed

salvation

upon

ourselves

.

For

to

follow

the

Saviour

is

to

be

a

partaker

of

salvation

,

and

to

follow

light

is

to

receive

light

.

But

those

who

are

in

light

do

not

themselves

illumine

the

light

,

but

are

illumined

and

revealed

by

it

:

they

do

certainly

contribute

nothing

to

it

,

but

,

receiving

the

benefit

,

they

are

illumined

by

the

light

.

Thus

,

also

,

service

[

rendered

]

to

God

does

indeed

profit

God

nothing

,

nor

has

God

need

of

human

obedience

;

but

He

grants

to

those

who

follow

and

serve

Him

life

and

incorruption

and

eternal

glory

,

bestowing

benefit

upon

those

who

serve

[

Him

]

,

because

they

do

serve

Him

,

and

on

His

followers

,

because

they

do

follow

Him

;

but

does

not

receive

any

benefit

from

them

:

for

He

is

rich

,

perfect

,

and

in

need

of

nothing

.

But

for

this

reason

does

God

demand

service

from

men

,

in

order

that

,

since

He

is

good

and

merciful

,

He

may

benefit

those

who

continue

in

His

service

.

For

,

as

much

as

God

is

in

want

of

nothing

,

so

much

does

man

stand

in

need

of

fellowship

with

God

.

For

this

is

the

glory

of

man

,

to

continue

and

remain

permanently

in

God’s

service

.

Wherefore

also

did

the

Lord

say

to

His

disciples

,

“

Ye

have

not

chosen

Me

,

but

I

have

chosen

you

;

”

indicating

that

they

did

not

glorify

Him

when

they

followed

Him

;

but

that

,

in

following

the

Son

of

God

,

they

were

glorified

by

Him

.

And

again

,

“

I

will

,

that

where

I

am

,

there

they

also

may

be

,

that

they

may

behold

My

glory

;

”

not

vainly

boasting

because

of

this

,

but

desiring

that

His

disciples

should

share

in

His

glory

:

of

whom

Esaias

also

says

,

“

I

will

bring

thy

seed

from

the

east

,

and

will

gather

thee

from

the

west

;

and

I

will

say

to

the

north

,

Give

up

;

and

to

the

south

,

Keep

not

back

:

bring

My

sons

from

far

,

and

My

daughters

from

the

ends

of

the

earth

;

all

,

as

many

as

have

been

called

in

My

name

:

for

in

My

glory

I

have

prepared

,

and

formed

,

and

made

him

.

”

Inasmuch

as

then

,

“

wheresoever

the

carcase

is

,

there

shall

also

the

eagles

be

gathered

together

,

”

we

do

participate

in

the

glory

of

the

Lord

,

who

has

both

formed

us

,

and

prepared

us

for

this

,

that

,

when

we

are

with

Him

,

we

may

partake

of

His

glory

.

Section 2

2. Thus it was, too, that God formed man at the first, because of His munificence; but chose the patriarchs for the sake of their salvation; and prepared a people beforehand, teaching the headstrong to follow God; and raised up prophets upon earth, accustoming man to bear His Spirit [within him], and to hold communion with God: He Himself, indeed, having need of nothing, but granting communion with Himself to those who stood in need of it, and sketching out, like an architect, the plan of salvation to those that pleased Him. And He did Himself furnish guidance to those who beheld Him not in Egypt, while to those who became unruly in the desert He promulgated a law very suitable [to their condition]. Then, on the people who entered into the good land He bestowed a noble inheritance; and He killed the fatted calf for those converted to the Father, and presented them with the finest robe. Thus, in a variety of ways, He adjusted the human race to an agreement with salvation. On this account also does John declare in the Apocalypse, “And His voice as the sound of many waters.” For the Spirit [of God] is truly [like] many waters, since the Father is both rich and great. And the Word, passing through all those [men], did liberally confer benefits upon His subjects, by drawing up in writing a law adapted and applicable to every class [among them].

Section 3

3. Thus, too, He imposed upon the [Jewish] people the construction of the tabernacle, the building of the temple, the election of the Levites, sacrifices also, and oblations, legal monitions, and all the other service of the law. He does Himself truly want none of these things, for He is always full of all good, and had in Himself all the odour of kindness, and every perfume of sweet-smelling savours, even before Moses existed. Moreover, He instructed the people, who were prone to turn to idols, instructing them by repeated appeals to persevere and to serve God, calling them to the things of primary importance by means of those which were secondary; that is, to things that are real, by means of those that are typical; and by things temporal, to eternal; and by the carnal to the spiritual; and by the earthly to the heavenly; as was also said to Moses, “Thou shalt make all things after the pattern of those things which thou sawest in the mount.” For during forty days He was learning to keep [in his memory] the words of God, and the celestial patterns, and the spiritual images, and the types of things to come; as also Paul says: “For they drank of the rock which followed them: and the rock was Christ.” And again, having first mentioned what are contained in the law, he goes on to say: “Now all these things happened to them in a figure; but they were written for our admonition, upon whom the end of the ages is come.” For by means of types they learned to fear God, and to continue devoted to His service.

Notes

163
John xvii. 5.
164
John xv. 16.
165
John xvii. 24.
166
Isa. xliii. 5.
167
Matt. xxiv. 28.
168
Luke xv. 22, 23.
169
Rev. i. 15.
170
Ex. xxv. 40.
171
1 Cor. x. 11.