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Against Heresies: Book IV

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Against Heresies: Book IV

by Irenaeus

Chapters

1. Preface.
2. Chapter 1: The Lord Recognized Only One God and Father.
3. Chapter 2:—Evidence from the clear statements of Moses, and other Prophets, whose words are the words of Christ, that there is only one God, the creator of the world, whom Our Lord proclaimed, and whom He called His Father.
4. Chapter 3: Response to the Criticisms of the Gnostics. We should not assume that the true God can be altered or cease to exist just because the heavens, which are his throne, and the earth, his footstool, will eventually disappear.
5. Chapter 4: Response to Another Argument, Demonstrating that the Destruction of Jerusalem, the City of the Great King, did not Diminish God's Supreme Majesty and Power, as this Destruction was Enacted by the Most Wise Counsel
6. Chapter 5: The author revisits his previous argument and demonstrates that only one God was proclaimed by the law and prophets, whom Christ recognizes as His Father, and who, through His word, revealed Himself to humanity as one living God with Him in both covenants.
7. Chapter 6:—Interpretation of Christ's Words, "No one knows the Father except the Son," etc.; how these words are misconstrued by heretics. Evidence that the Father has always been known through the revelation of the Son and the Son's revelation.
8. Chapter 7: Summary of the Previous Argument, Demonstrating that Abraham, Through the Revelation of the Word, Knew the Father, and the Arrival of the Son of God. For this Reason, He Was Delighted to Witness the Day of Christ, When the Promises Made to Him Would Be Fulfilled.
9. Chapter 8: Futile Efforts of Marcion and His Followers, Who Exclude Abraham from the Salvation Provided by Christ, Who Delivered Not Only Abraham, But Also Abraham's Descendants, by Upholding Rather Than Abolishing the Law When He Healed on the Sabbath-day.
10. Chapter 9: There is only one author and one purpose for both agreements.
11. Chapter 10: The Old Testament Scriptures, Especially Those Written by Moses, Frequently Refer to the Son of God and Predict His Arrival and Sacrifice. Therefore, They Must Have Been Inspired by the Same God.
12. Chapter 11:—The ancient prophets and virtuous individuals anticipated the arrival of Christ and yearned to see and hear Him. The Holy Ghost revealed Him in the Scriptures, and He continuously enriched humanity without changing Himself.
13. Chapter 12: - It is evident that the author of both the old and new law was the same, as indicated by Christ's condemnation of traditions and customs that contradicted the former, while affirming its most important rules, and expressing that He was Himself.
14. Chapter 13: — Christ did not nullify the natural laws, but rather fulfilled and expanded them. He eliminated the burden and slavery of the old law, so that humanity, now liberated, might serve God with the faithful devotion appropriate for children.
15. Chapter 14: If God requires obedience from humans, if He created them, summoned them and placed them under laws, it was purely for the benefit of humans; not because God needed humans, but because He generously bestowed upon them His blessings in every possible way.
16. Chapter 15: Initially, God thought it was enough to engrave natural law, or the Ten Commandments, in the hearts of men; however, He later found it essential to control the desires of the Jews, who were misusing their freedom, through the restrictions of the Mosaic law.
17. Chapter 16: Perfect righteousness was neither bestowed through circumcision nor by any other legal rites. The Ten Commandments, however, were not negated by Christ, but always remain in effect: individuals were never liberated from its obligations.
18. Chapter 17: Evidence that God did not establish the Levitical order for His own benefit or because He needed such service; indeed, He requires nothing from humans.
19. Chapter 18: About sacrifices and offerings, and those who genuinely give them.
20. Chapter 19: Earthly Things Can Represent Heavenly Things, But the Latter Can't Represent Higher Unknown Entities; Nor Can We, Without Being Utterly Insane, Insist That God is Only Known to Us as the Representation of an Unknown Superior Being.
21. Chapter 20: The belief that one God shaped everything in the world through the Word and the Holy Spirit: and although He is invisible and beyond understanding in our current life, He isn't unknown; His actions reveal Him, and His Word.
22. Chapter 21: Abraham's faith was the same as ours; this faith was foreshadowed by the words and actions of the ancient patriarchs.
23. Chapter 22: Christ didn't come just for the people of one era, but for everyone who, living a righteous and godly life, had faith in Him; and also for those who will believe in the future.
24. Chapter 23: The patriarchs and prophets, by predicting the arrival of Christ, strengthened the path of future generations towards faith in Christ, thereby easing the work of the apostles, who reaped the fruits of their labor.
25. Chapter 24: The Conversion of Non-Jews was More Challenging than Converting Jews; Hence, the Apostles Who Tackled the Former Task Experienced More Difficulty Than Those Who Focused on the Latter.
26. Chapter 25: Both agreements were symbolized in Abraham, and in Tamar's effort; however, there was only one and the same God for each agreement.
27. Chapter 26: The Hidden Treasure in the Scriptures is Christ; The True Interpretation of the Scriptures is Only Found in the Church.
28. Chapter 27 - The wrongdoings of men in ancient times, which angered God, were, through His foresight, written down so that we could learn from them and not become arrogant. Thus, we should not assume there was another...
29. Chapter 28:—Those people show themselves as foolish who overemphasize Christ's mercy, yet say nothing about judgement, focusing solely on the New Testament's abundant grace; but, they forget about the higher level of perfection it requires.
30. Chapter 29: - Refuting the Arguments of the Marcionites, Who Tried to Prove God as the Author of Sin, Because He Blinded Pharaoh and His Servants.
31. Chapter 30: Refuting another argument made by the Marcionites, that God instructed the Hebrews to plunder the Egyptians.
32. Chapter 31:—We shouldn't quickly judge as sins, the actions of ancient people that the Scripture has not condemned, but should instead search for the symbolic representation of future events in them: this is exemplified in the incest acted upon by Lot.
33. Chapter 32: Confirmation from an Apostle-Trained Presbyter that One God Authored Both Testaments
34. Chapter 33: Whoever acknowledges that one God is the author of both Testaments, and carefully reads the Scriptures along with the elders of the Church, is a true spiritual student; and he will properly understand and interpret all that the prophet says.
35. Chapter 34: Evidence Against the Marcionites, that the Prophets Referred to Our Christ in All Their Predictions.
36. Chapter 35: A Rebuttal of Those Who Claim That the Prophets Made Some Predictions Under the Inspiration of the Supreme Being and Others from the Creator. Conflicts Among the Valentinians About These Same Predictions.
37. Chapter 36: The Prophets and the Son Were Sent by the Same Father
38. Chapter 37: People have free will and the ability to make choices. Therefore, it is incorrect to say that some people are naturally good and others are naturally bad.
39. Chapter 38: Why Man Was Not Made Perfect From the Beginning.
40. Chapter 39: Humans are gifted with the ability to discern between good and evil; thus, without coercion, they have the freedom to obey God's commandments through their own will and actions, thereby avoiding the punishments reserved for those who rebel.
41. Chapter 40: The Same God, the Father, Punishes the Wicked and Rewards the Chosen Ones.
42. Chapter 41: Those People who Don't Believe in God and Disobey are Devil's Angels and Sons, Not by Nature, but by Imitation. End of this Book and Purpose of the Next.
🎧 Against Heresies: Book IV
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See 1885 English translation

Chapter 25: Both agreements were symbolized in Abraham, and in Tamar's effort; however, there was only one and the same God for each agreement.

FOR THIS WAS NECESSARY FOR THE SONS OF ABRAHAM: whom God raised from the stones, and placed beside him who was made the leader and forerunner of our faith. This man received the covenant of circumcision after being justified by faith while he was still uncircumcised, so that he could represent both covenants. He became the father of all who follow the Word of God and live as pilgrims in this world, whether they come from the circumcised or uncircumcised, as “Christ is the chief cornerstone” supporting everything. God gathered into the faith of Abraham those eligible for His purpose from either covenant. But this faith, which exists in uncircumcision, connects the beginning with the end and has become both the first and the last. As I have shown, it existed in Abraham before circumcision, as it did in the rest of the righteous who pleased God. In these last times, it emerged again among humanity through the coming of the Lord. Circumcision and the law of works occupied the period in between.

THIS FACT IS INDEED ILLUSTRATED BY MANY OTHER OCCURRENCES: but most notably by the story of Thamar, Judah’s daughter-in-law. When she conceived twins, one of them put out his hand first; and as the midwife thought he was the firstborn, she tied a scarlet thread on his hand. But after this had been done and he pulled back his hand, his brother Phares was actually born first; then Zara, who had the scarlet thread, was born second. The Scripture clearly points out that the people who had the scarlet sign, which means faith in a state of circumcision, were first shown in the patriarchs; but then it was withdrawn so that his brother could be born. In the same way, the older one, who was born second, was marked by the scarlet thread, representing the passion of the Just One. This was prefigured from the beginning in Abel, described by the prophets, and perfected in the last times in the Son of God.

CERTAIN FACTS NEEDED TO BE ANNOUNCED BEFOREHAND BY THE FATHERS IN A PATERNAL MANNER: while others were prefigured by the prophets in a legal way, and yet others were described in the form of Christ by those who have received adoption. All these are shown in one God. Although Abraham was one person, he prefigured the two covenants, in which some have sown and others have reaped. As it is said, “In this, the saying is true, that it is one 'people' who sows, but another who shall reap.” Yet, it is one God who provides what is needed for both—seed for the sower and bread for the reaper to eat. Just as one person plants and another waters, it is God who gives the increase. The patriarchs and prophets sowed the word regarding Christ, but the Church reaped, meaning they received the fruit. For this reason, these prophets also wished to have a dwelling-place in it, as Jeremiah says, “Who will give me in the desert the last dwelling-place?” This is so that both the sower and the reaper can rejoice together in the kingdom of Christ, who is with all those approved by God from the beginning, as He granted them His Word to be present with them.

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Against Heresies: Book IV

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