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Against Heresies
Irenaeus of Lyons
Book 5 · Chapter 24 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 Of the constant falsehood of the devil, and of the powers and governments of the world, which we ought to obey, inasmuch as they are appointed of God, not of the devil. Section 1 1 . As therefore the devil lied at the
‹ Book 5 · Chapter 23 Book 5 · Chapter 25 ›
beginning
,
so
did
he
also
in
the
end
,
when
he
said
,
“
All
these
are
delivered
unto
me
,
and
to
whomsoever
I
will
I
give
them
.
”
For
it
is
not
he
who
has
appointed
the
kingdoms
of
this
world
,
but
God
;
for
“
the
heart
of
the
king
is
in
the
hand
of
God
.
”
And
the
Word
also
says
by
Solomon
,
“
By
me
kings
do
reign
,
and
princes
administer
justice
.
By
me
chiefs
are
raised
up
,
and
by
me
kings
rule
the
earth
.
”
Paul
the
apostle
also
says
upon
this
same
subject
:
“
Be
ye
subject
to
all
the
higher
powers
;
for
there
is
no
power
but
of
God
:
now
those
which
are
have
been
ordained
of
God
.
”
And
again
,
in
reference
to
them
he
says
,
“
For
he
beareth
not
the
sword
in
vain
;
for
he
is
the
minister
of
God
,
the
avenger
for
wrath
to
him
who
does
evil
.
”
Now
,
that
he
spake
these
words
,
not
in
regard
to
angelical
powers
,
nor
of
invisible
rulers
—
as
some
venture
to
expound
the
passage
—
but
of
those
of
actual
human
authorities
,
[
he
shows
when
]
he
says
,
“
For
this
cause
pay
ye
tribute
also
:
for
they
are
God’s
ministers
,
doing
service
for
this
very
thing
.
”
This
also
the
Lord
confirmed
,
when
He
did
not
do
what
He
was
tempted
to
by
the
devil
;
but
He
gave
directions
that
tribute
should
be
paid
to
the
tax
-
gatherers
for
Himself
and
Peter
;
because
“
they
are
the
ministers
of
God
,
serving
for
this
very
thing
.
”
Section 2 2 . For since man , by departing from God , reached such a pitch of fury as even to look upon his brother as his enemy , and engaged without fear in every kind of restless conduct , and murder , and avarice ; God imposed upon mankind the fear of man , as they did not acknowledge the fear of God , in order that , being subjected to the authority of men , and kept under restraint by their laws , they might attain to some degree of justice , and exercise mutual forbearance through dread of the sword suspended full in their view , as the apostle says : “ For he beareth not the sword in vain ; for he is the minister of God , the avenger for wrath upon him who does evil . ” And for this reason too , magistrates themselves , having laws as a clothing of righteousness whenever they act in a just and legitimate manner , shall not be called in question for their conduct , nor be liable to punishment . But whatsoever they do to the subversion of justice , iniquitously , and impiously , and illegally , and tyrannically , in these things shall they also perish ; for the just judgment of God comes equally upon all , and in no case is defective . Earthly rule , therefore , has been appointed by God for the benefit of nations , and not by the devil , who is never at rest at all , nay , who does not love to see even nations conducting themselves after a quiet manner , so that under the fear of human rule , men may not eat each other up like fishes ; but that , by means of the establishment of laws , they may keep down an excess of wickedness among the nations . And considered from this point of view , those who exact tribute from us are “ God’s ministers , serving for this very purpose . ”
Section 3 3 . As , then , “ the powers that be are ordained of God , ” it is clear that the devil lied when he said , “ These are delivered unto me ; and to whomsoever I will , I give them . ” For by the law of the same Being as calls men into existence are kings also appointed , adapted for those men who are at the time placed under their government . Some of these [ rulers ] are given for the correction and the benefit of their subjects , and for the preservation of justice ; but others , for the purposes of fear and punishment and rebuke : others , as [ the subjects ] deserve it , are for deception , disgrace , and pride ; while the just judgment of God , as I have observed already , passes equally upon all . The devil , however , as he is the apostate angel , can only go to this length , as he did at the beginning , [ namely ] to deceive and lead astray the mind of man into disobeying the commandments of God , and gradually to darken the hearts of those who would endeavour to serve him , to the forgetting of the true God , but to the adoration of himself as God .
Section 4 4 . Just as if any one , being an apostate , and seizing in a hostile manner another man’s territory , should harass the inhabitants of it , in order that he might claim for himself the glory of a king among those ignorant of his apostasy and robbery ; so likewise also the devil , being one among those angels who are placed over the spirit of the air , as the Apostle Paul has declared in his Epistle to the Ephesians , becoming envious of man , was rendered an apostate from the divine law : for envy is a thing foreign to God . And as his apostasy was exposed by man , and man became the [ means of ] searching out his thoughts ( et examinatio sententiæ ejus , homo factus est ) , he has set himself to this with greater and greater determination , in opposition to man , envying his life , and wishing to involve him in his own apostate power . The Word of God , however , the Maker of all things , conquering him by means of human nature , and showing him to be an apostate , has , on the contrary , put him under the power of man . For He says , “ Behold , I confer upon you the power of treading upon serpents and scorpions , and upon all the power of the enemy , ” in order that , as he obtained dominion over man by apostasy , so again his apostasy might be deprived of power by means of man turning back again to God .
