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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 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.

SINCE IN BOTH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS: the same righteousness of God is displayed when God takes vengeance—temporarily and moderately in one case, but truly, enduringly, and more strictly in the other—the fire is eternal, and the wrath of God will be revealed from heaven at the face of our Lord (as David also says, "But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to erase their memory from the earth"), leading to a harsher punishment for those who deserve it. The elders pointed out that those who try to argue based on what happened to those who didn't obey God in the past, and who try to introduce the idea of a different Father, ignore the great things the Lord did at His coming to save those who received Him. They focus on His compassion, while remaining silent about His judgment and everything that will come upon those who've heard His words but not acted on them. It would have been better for them not to have been born, and it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the judgment than for the city that did not receive the word of His disciples.

IN THE NEW TESTAMENT: just as people's faith in God has grown through the revelation of the Son of God, allowing humans to share in God, so must our conduct in life be more careful. We are not only instructed to avoid evil actions but also evil thoughts, idle words, meaningless talk, and offensive language. Likewise, the punishment for those who do not believe the Word of God, disregard His coming, and turn away is increased—not just temporary, but also eternal. To whom the Lord says, “Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire,” these will be condemned forever. And to whom He says, “Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you for eternity,” these will receive the kingdom forever and continue to grow in it. For there is one and the same God the Father, and His Word, who has always been present with humanity through various means, has accomplished many things and saved those who are saved from the beginning. These are the ones who love God and follow the Word of God according to their place, and He has judged those who are judged—those who forget God, are blasphemous, and violate His word.

THE SAME HERETICS WE MENTIONED BEFORE HAVE TURNED AWAY FROM THEMSELVES BY ACCUSING THE LORD: in whom they claim to believe. The points they raise about God, who once gave temporary punishments to the unbelieving and struck the Egyptians while saving the obedient, will repeat themselves in the Lord. He judges eternally, condemning those He judges and freeing those He sets free for eternity. According to their words, He becomes responsible for their most grievous sin, as those who laid hands on Him and pierced Him. For if He had not come, these men could not have become the killers of their Lord. If He had not sent prophets to them, they certainly could not have killed them or the apostles.

To those who argue, "If the Egyptians had not suffered plagues and been drowned in the sea while pursuing Israel, God could not have saved His people," this response may be given: Unless the Jews had become the killers of the Lord—which indeed took eternal life from them—and by killing the apostles and persecuting the Church, fell into deep anger, we could not have been saved. Just as the blindness of the Egyptians led to salvation, so are we saved by the blindness of the Jews, if the death of the Lord is the condemnation of those who crucified Him and did not believe in His coming, but the salvation of those who believe in Him.

For the apostle also says in the Second Epistle to the Corinthians: “For we are to God a sweet fragrance of Christ, among those who are saved and those who perish: to some the fragrance of death leading to death, but to others the fragrance of life leading to life.” Who then has the fragrance of death leading to death, if not those who do not believe and are not subject to the Word of God? And who were the ones who gave themselves over to death even then? Surely those who do not believe and do not submit to God. And again, who are those who have been saved and received the inheritance? Surely those who believe God and have remained in His love, like Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun, and innocent children who have had no sense of evil. But who are those saved now and receive eternal life? Is it not those who love God, believe His promises, and “in malice have become as little children?”

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Against Heresies: Book IV

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