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Against Heresies
Irenaeus of Lyons
Book 4 · Chapter 16 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 Perfect righteousness was conferred neither by circumcision nor by any other legal ceremonies. The Decalogue, however, was not cancelled by Christ, but is always in force: men were never released from its commandments. Section 1 1 . Moreover , we learn from the Scripture
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itself
,
that
God
gave
circumcision
,
not
as
the
completer
of
righteousness
,
but
as
a
sign
,
that
the
race
of
Abraham
might
continue
recognisable
.
For
it
declares
:
“
God
said
unto
Abraham
,
Every
male
among
you
shall
be
circumcised
;
and
ye
shall
circumcise
the
flesh
of
your
foreskins
,
as
a
token
of
the
covenant
between
Me
and
you
.
”
This
same
does
Ezekiel
the
prophet
say
with
regard
to
the
Sabbaths
:
“
Also
I
gave
them
My
Sabbaths
,
to
be
a
sign
between
Me
and
them
,
that
they
might
know
that
I
am
the
Lord
,
that
sanctify
them
.
”
And
in
Exodus
,
God
says
to
Moses
:
“
And
ye
shall
observe
My
Sabbaths
;
for
it
shall
be
a
sign
between
Me
and
you
for
your
generations
.
”
These
things
,
then
,
were
given
for
a
sign
;
but
the
signs
were
not
unsymbolical
,
that
is
,
neither
unmeaning
nor
to
no
purpose
,
inasmuch
as
they
were
given
by
a
wise
Artist
;
but
the
circumcision
after
the
flesh
typified
that
after
the
Spirit
.
For
“
we
,
”
says
the
apostle
,
“
have
been
circumcised
with
the
circumcision
made
without
hands
.
”
And
the
prophet
declares
,
“
Circumcise
the
hardness
of
your
heart
.
”
But
the
Sabbaths
taught
that
we
should
continue
day
by
day
in
God’s
service
.
“
For
we
have
been
counted
,
”
says
the
Apostle
Paul
,
“
all
the
day
long
as
sheep
for
the
slaughter
;
”
that
is
,
consecrated
[
to
God
]
,
and
ministering
continually
to
our
faith
,
and
persevering
in
it
,
and
abstaining
from
all
avarice
,
and
not
acquiring
or
possessing
treasures
upon
earth
.
Moreover
,
the
Sabbath
of
God
(
requietio
Dei
)
,
that
is
,
the
kingdom
,
was
,
as
it
were
,
indicated
by
created
things
;
in
which
[
kingdom
]
,
the
man
who
shall
have
persevered
in
serving
God
(
Deo
assistere
)
shall
,
in
a
state
of
rest
,
partake
of
God’s
table
.
Section 2 2 . And that man was not justified by these things , but that they were given as a sign to the people , this fact shows , — that Abraham himself , without circumcision and without observance of Sabbaths , “ believed God , and it was imputed unto him for righteousness ; and he was called the friend of God . ” Then , again , Lot , without circumcision , was brought out from Sodom , receiving salvation from God . So also did Noah , pleasing God , although he was uncircumcised , receive the dimensions [ of the ark ] , of the world of the second race [ of men ] . Enoch , too , pleasing God , without circumcision , discharged the office of God’s legate to the angels although he was a man , and was translated , and is preserved until now as a witness of the just judgment of God , because the angels when they had transgressed fell to the earth for judgment , but the man who pleased [ God ] was translated for salvation . Moreover , all the rest of the multitude of those righteous men who lived before Abraham , and of those patriarchs who preceded Moses , were justified independently of the things above mentioned , and without the law of Moses . As also Moses himself says to the people in Deuteronomy : “ The Lord thy God formed a covenant in Horeb . The Lord formed not this covenant with your fathers , but for you . ”
Section 3 3 . Why , then , did the Lord not form the covenant for the fathers ? Because “ the law was not established for righteous men . ” But the righteous fathers had the meaning of the Decalogue written in their hearts and souls , that is , they loved the God who made them , and did no injury to their neighbour . There was therefore no occasion that they should be cautioned by prohibitory mandates ( correptoriis literis ) , because they had the righteousness of the law in themselves . But when this righteousness and love to God had passed into oblivion , and became extinct in Egypt , God did necessarily , because of His great goodwill to men , reveal Himself by a voice , and led the people with power out of Egypt , in order that man might again become the disciple and follower of God ; and He afflicted those who were disobedient , that they should not contemn their Creator ; and He fed them with manna , that they might receive food for their souls ( uti rationalem acciperent escam ) ; as also Moses says in Deuteronomy : “ And fed thee with manna , which thy fathers did not know , that thou mightest know that man doth not live by bread alone ; but by every word of God proceeding out of His mouth doth man live . ” And it enjoined love to God , and taught just dealing towards our neighbour , that we should neither be unjust nor unworthy of God , who prepares man for His friendship through the medium of the Decalogue , and likewise for agreement with his neighbour , — matters which did certainly profit man himself ; God , however , standing in no need of anything from man .
Section 4 4 . And therefore does the Scripture say , “ These words the Lord spake to all the assembly of the children of Israel in the mount , and He added no more ; ” for , as I have already observed , He stood in need of nothing from them . And again Moses says : “ And now Israel , what doth the Lord thy God require of thee , but to fear the Lord thy God , to walk in all His ways , and to love Him , and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart , and with all thy soul ? ” Now these things did indeed make man glorious , by supplying what was wanting to him , namely , the friendship of God ; but they profited God nothing , for God did not at all stand in need of man’s love . For the glory of God was wanting to man , which he could obtain in no other way than by serving God . And therefore Moses says to them again : “ Choose life , that thou mayest live , and thy seed , to love the Lord thy God , to hear His voice , to cleave unto Him ; for this is thy life , and the length of thy days . ” Preparing man for this life , the Lord Himself did speak in His own person to all alike the words of the Decalogue ; and therefore , in like manner , do they remain permanently with us , receiving by means of His advent in the flesh , extension and increase , but not abrogation .
Section 5 5 . The laws of bondage , however , were one by one promulgated to the people by Moses , suited for their instruction or for their punishment , as Moses himself declared : “ And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments . ” These things , therefore , which were given for bondage , and for a sign to them , He cancelled by the new covenant of liberty . But He has increased and widened those laws which are natural , and noble , and common to all , granting to men largely and without grudging , by means of adoption , to know God the Father , and to love Him with the whole heart , and to follow His word unswervingly , while they abstain not only from evil deeds , but even from the desire after them . But He has also increased the feeling of reverence ; for sons should have more veneration than slaves , and greater love for their father . And therefore the Lord says , “ As to every idle word that men have spoken , they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment . ” And , “ he who has looked upon a woman to lust after her , hath committed adultery with her already in his heart ; ” and , “ he that is angry with his brother without a cause , shall be in danger of the judgment . ” [ All this is declared , ] that we may know that we shall give account to God not of deeds only , as slaves , but even of words and thoughts , as those who have truly received the power of liberty , in which [ condition ] a man is more severely tested , whether he will reverence , and fear , and love the Lord . And for this reason Peter says “ that we have not liberty as a cloak of maliciousness , ” but as the means of testing and evidencing faith .
Notes 186 Gen. xvii. 9–11.
187 Ezek. xx. 12.
188 Ex. xxi. 13.
189 Col. ii. 11.
190 Deut. x. 16, LXX. version.
191 The Latin text here is: “Sabbata autem perseverantiam totius diei erga Deum deservitionis edocebant;” which might be rendered, “The Sabbaths taught that we should continue the whole day in the service of God;” but Harvey conceives the original Greek to have been, τὴν καθημερινὴν διαμονὴν τῆς περὶ τὸν Θεὸν λατρείας.
192 Rom. viii. 36.
193 Matt. vi. 19.
194 Jas. ii. 23.
195 Massuet remarks here that Irenæus makes a reference to the apocryphal book of Enoch, in which this history is contained. It was the belief of the later Jews, followed by the Christian fathers, that “the sons of God” ( Gen. vi. 2 ) who took wives of the daughters of men, were the apostate angels. The LXX. translation of that passage accords with this view. See the articles “Enoch,” “Enoch, Book of,” in Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible. [See Paradise Lost, b. i. 323–431.]
196 Deut. v. 2.
197 1 Tim. i. 9.
198 [Hearts and souls; i.e., moral and mental natures. For a correct view of the patristic conceptions of the Gentiles before the law, this is valuable.]
199 i.e., the letters of the Decalogue on the two tables of stone.
200 Deut. viii. 3.
201 Deut. v. 22.
202 Deut. x. 12.
203 Deut. xxx. 19, 20.
204 [Most noteworthy among primitive testimonies to the catholic reception of the Decalogue.]
205 Deut. iv. 14.
206 Matt. xii. 36.
207 Matt. v. 28.
208 Matt. v. 22.
209 1 Pet. ii. 16.
