On Apostolic Preaching – Chapter 2 (part 2)

In the second portion of chapter 2, the bishop of Lyons presents an interesting rendering of Ps 1:1. I have a special affinity for this verse, because it was one that i heard my Father talk of often. He would recite the verse:

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers.

My father would remind me that godliness is not found among those who reject God. His understanding is not far from Irenaeus. Irenaeus takes each successive group in Ps. 1:1 (wicked, sinners, scoffers) as a particular group of those who reject God.

The wicked, or ungodly, are those who do not know God and do not worship God as he is. For Irenaeus there is only one God. He is the God that really is. All other gods are not gods at all, at least not in reality. This is where Irenaeus turns to Ex 3 and the burning bush to explain that God reveals himself as the one who is. The wicked, Irenaeus suggests, do not worship the real and true God, who revealed his existence to Moses. 

The next group, the sinners, are those who have a knowledge of the one true God, but reject Him anyway. This is especially grievous because the knowingly reject God. It is as if they stood next to Moses at the burning bush, heard the one true God say “I am,” and turn and walk away. They are, according to Irenaeus, “disdainful scorners.”

The final group, for Irenaeus, are the most grievous: the scoffers. Through false teaching, these scoffers not only corrupt themselves, but others. Ireaneus takes the “seat” as a symbol of teaching an those (in this case the Gnostics) who pervert other through their instruction. For Irenaeus these Gnostics are teaching a host of errors, including that Christ did not come in the flesh. The pervading nature of their teaching is what the bishop fonds most grievous. 

Therefore, for Irenaeus, Ps. 1:1 is a warning for the followers of God to be vigilant of these groups. Those who don’t know God, those who know him but deny him, and finally, those who openly deceive others through their teaching.

On Apostolic Preaching – Chapter 2 (part 1)

On Apostolic Preaching

Chapter 2 (part 1)

 Now, since man is a living being compounded of soul and flesh, he must needs exist by both of these: and, whereas from both of them offences come, purity of the flesh is the restraining abstinence from all shameful things and all unrighteous deeds, and purity of the soul is the keeping faith towards God entire, neither adding thereto nor diminishing therefrom. For godliness is obscured and dulled by the soiling and the staining of the flesh, and is broken and polluted and no more entire, if falsehood enter into the soul: but it will keep itself in its beauty and its measure, when truth is constant in the soul and purity in the flesh. For what profit is it to know the truth in words, and to pollute the flesh and perform the works of evil? Or what profit can purity of the flesh bring, if truth be not in the soul? For these rejoice with one another, and are united and allied to bring man face to face with God. Wherefore the Holy Spirit says by David: Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly: that is, the counsel of the nations which know not God: for those are ungodly who worship not the God that truly is. And therefore the Word says to Moses: I am He that is: but they that worship not the God that is, these are the ungodly. And hath not stood in the way of sinners: but sinners are those who have the knowledge of God and keep not His commandments; that is, disdainful scorners. And hath not sat in the seat of the pestilential: now the pestilential are those who by wicked and perverse doctrines corrupt not themselves only, but others also. For the seat is a symbol of teaching. Such then are all heretics: they sit in the seats of the pestilential, and those are corrupted who receive the venom of their doctrine.

This chapter of Apostolic Preaching is a beautiful picture of the spiritual life. (tomorrow we will handle the very interesting interpretation of Ps 1:1-3).

In the first place, Irenaeus demands that we hold the physical and the spiritual in tension.We must mind the body and soul, flesh and spirit. These are both necessary for the spiritual life. One cannot be a true child of God, unless he or she attends to both aspects.

The purity of the flesh is the “restraining abstinence from all shameful things and all unrighteous deed.” These are the sinful deeds that pollute the body. Sin corrupts the body, destroys the flesh.

The purity of the soul, on the other hand, is “the keeping faith towards God entire, neither adding thereto nor diminishing therefrom.” Thus, believing in the one true God purifies the soul.

Now Irenaeus qualifies this faith, saying that one cannot add or detract from it. Believers believe what is true. No more no less. Adding to the faith quickly becomes heresy and leads one away from the path toward God (see chapter 1), while taking away from the faith denies the truth of what God has done in Christ. 

For what does it profit, Irenaeus asks, if we believe in God and perform evil deeds? Or, if we perform good works and, yet, do not believe in the true God? 

For when purity of the flesh and the purity of the soul are in concord, the beauty is overwhelming. It is only when “these rejoice with one another, and are united and allied to bring man face to face with God.”

On Apostolic Preaching – Chapter 1

Irenaeus of Lyons

On The Apostolic Preaching
Chapter 1

Knowing, my beloved Macrianus, your desire to walk in godliness, which alone leads man to life eternal, i rejoice with you and make my prayer that you may preserve your faith entire and so be pleasing to God who made you. Would that it were possible for us to be always together, to help each other and to lighten the labour of our earthly life by continual discourse together on the things that profit. But, since at this present time we are parted from one another in the body, and yet according to our power we will not fail to speak with you a little by writing, and to show fourth in brief the preaching of the truth for the confirmation of you faith. We send you as it were a manual of essentials, that by little you may attain to much, learning in short space all the members of the body of truth, and receiving in brief demonstration of the things of God. So shall it be fruitful to your own salvation, and you shall put to shame all who inculcate falsehood, and bring with all confidence our sounds and pure teaching to everyone who desires to understand it. For one is the way leading upwards for all who see, lightened with heavenly light: but many and dark and contrary are the ways of them that see not. This way leads to the kingdom of heaven, uniting man to God: but those ways bring down to death, separating man from God. Wherefore it is needful for you and for all who care for their salvation to make your course unswerving, firm and sure by means of faith, that you falter not, nor be retarded and detained in material desires, for turn aside and wander from the right.

The bishop of Lyon puts forth his purpose in a clear and straightforward manner. He’s writing his friend Marcianus to provide him a “manuel of essentials.” This brief book describes what he calls the “demonstration of the things of God.” That is, what the Father has accomplished in the Son for the sake of the salvation of his creation. Thus, in this short work we find the elements of the central focus (or scope) of the Christian faith. The work of Christ for the salvation of God’s people. 

To emphasize this path to salvation, Irenaeus uses the language of Mt 7:13-15:

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Now he doesn’t explicitly cite v. 15, but you can detect its presence. It is evident in his warning against those who “inculcate falsehood.” These must be the wolves in sheep’s clothing who are on the “many and dark and contrary ways” that deter one away from God. For Irenaeus, the image of the broad road in Matt 7:14 is expanded into a multiplicity of roads (likely alluding to the multiplicity of early Christian heresies).

It is a network of intertwining highways and byways, leading downward and away from the kingdom of God. These ways lead to death; “separating man from God.”

But for Irenaeus, there is another way. Contrary to the many ways, there is the one way. The one path that leads to God. This is the way that leads “to the kingdom of heaven, uniting man to God.”

This is the salvation that come from walking the straight and narrow. The path toward God is marked by faith. Devotion to Christ. It is faith in Christ and the continual adherence to that faith that sets the course and marks the path toward God. Faith in Christ is the true north and the means by which the path toward God is “unswerving, firm and sure.”

The Rule of Faith (Truth) in Irenaeus

The rule of faith is an often quoted but rarely understood concept. It is not a baptismal formula or a specified creedal or baptismal confession, as is commonly  though, but rather an attentiveness to the object of faith. For Irenaeus, when one is directed toward loving God and serving God, it is then that they are held in check by the rule of faith. Since I have devoted this blog to conceiving all things through the rule of faith it seems important to discern what exactly is the rule of faith. For starters we will look at Irenaeus lesser work Demonstration on Apostolic Preaching (I use Behr’s translation, which I have found to be the best both in its translation and discussion)

Dem 3 “Therefore, lest we suffer any such thing, we must keep the rule (κανων) of faith unswervingly, and perform the comandments of God, believeing in God and fearing Him, for He is Lord, and loving Him for he is Father. Action, then, comes by faith, as “if you do not believe”, Isaias says, ‘you will not understand’: and the truth brings about faith, for faith is established upon theins truly real, that we may believe what really is, as it is, ans believing what really is, as it is, we may always keep our conviction of it firm. Since, then, the conserver of our salvation is faith, it is necesary to take great care of it, that we ma have a true comprehension of what is.”

This introduction into the rule of faith describes the relationship between faith, action, and truth. Action comes by faith, while truth brings about faith. Of course Irenaeus equates truth and “reality” by arguing that truth is that which “really is.” So faith is dependent upon that which “really is.” In other words, we must believe in that which is truly real for our faith depends upon it. But Irenaeus (citing Is 7:9) highlights the classic Amselm formula faith seeking understanding. For Irenaeus understanding is action. So faith leads to understanding/action, but that very faith is dependent upon that which is real. Irenaeus concludes that it is necessary to take great care of our faith in order to have a true comprehension of God. Therefore, the rule of faith depends upon the reality of God and any articulation of the rule of faith must be faithful to that reality.

What is a “Conversation?”

I was recently pondering the idea of a “conversation” and what is necessary for “conversation”?

Obviously there needs to be two or more people present, otherwise… well lets just leave that as a given. but other than that merriam-webster.com defines conversation as:

“(1) oral exchange of sentiments, observations, opinions, or ideas”

“(2): an instance of such exchange : an informal discussion of an issue by representatives of governments, institutions, or groups c: an exchange similar to conversation”

So basically what is essential for conversation is an “opinion” and “exchange.” In other words, it seems that one must have a view to exchange a view.

But what if one’s view is completely deconstructed and a person remains unconvinced by any opinion and therefore unsure about his or her own opinion? In other words, is it possible to have a conversation when you don’t have an opinion? I am not so sure.

Therefore, I ask in our postmodern world do we really have conversations?

Making the Bible Dance

I recently taught a lesson on biblical interpretation in Irenaeus. I used the quote:

“They (gnostics) transfer passages and rearrange them; and making one thing out of another, they deceive many by the badly composed fantasy of the Lord’s work they adapt. By way of illustration, suppose someone would take the beautiful image of a king, carefully made out of pieces of stones by a skillful artist. And would destroy the features of the man on it and change around and rearrange the jewels, and make the form of a dog, or of a fox.” (Adv haer 1.8.1)

Irenaeus’ point in this analogy is that the so-called gnostic exegetes were rearranging the biblical text outside of its proper order and according to their own perspectives. The various so-called gnostics read the bible through their own lenses in order to convey a perspective that was out of continuity with the apostolic confession.

For today, Irenaeus words serve as a reminder that the interpretation of the bible is so often up for grabs. Those who are passionate enough, creative enough, and convicted enough, can make the bible say anything they want it to say. The bible can dance any dance someone wants it to. If you want the Bible to preach pacifism or validate the war you can find a verse to back you up. If you think environmentalism is essential or have some kind of fascination with apocalyptic scenarios, the bible is right there with you. Unfortunately the bible, while containing the words of eternal life, so often is used as a tool for manipulation.

Of course Irenaeus believes in a right reading of the text that is rooted in the rule of faith. This rule is prophesied in the prophets, embodied in Christ, proclaimed through the apostles and passed on through the church. Together with one voice, through one Spirit, in one accord the church proclaims the gospel as a rule though which the text must be read. Those who wish to read the text outside of this faith are in fact rearranging the message of the bible to suit their own desires. This notion should correct and affirm the way in which the church reads the text of Scripture. We read the Scripture in the church and for the church, so that the text is read rightly.