Against Heresy, Book 3, Chapter 16:
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May 30, 2015
G.D.O'Bradovich III
introduction
Against Heresies, Book 3: Chapter XVI.
Proofs from the Apostolic Writings, that Jesus Christ Was One and the Same, the Only Begotten Son of God, Perfect God and Perfect Man.
Irenaeus' treatise against heresies is extant and, if one desired to recreate these “ancient” heresies, it would be an easy task to accomplish. Irenaeus also includes a list of the Popes until his time, so, once again, it would be easy to recreate this “Papal” list or history of the early Papacy upon the authority of Irenaeus. We surmise that Irenaeus was fatigued by his “historical” endeavor, for when he reaches the name of the sixth Pope, he relates the name of this Pope as “Sixtus”. The following quote will give the reader a sampling of Irenaeus' completeness and verboseness regarding heresies:
Proofs from the Apostolic Writings, that Jesus Christ Was One and the Same, the Only Begotten Son of God, Perfect God and Perfect Man.
Irenaeus' treatise against heresies is extant and, if one desired to recreate these “ancient” heresies, it would be an easy task to accomplish. Irenaeus also includes a list of the Popes until his time, so, once again, it would be easy to recreate this “Papal” list or history of the early Papacy upon the authority of Irenaeus. We surmise that Irenaeus was fatigued by his “historical” endeavor, for when he reaches the name of the sixth Pope, he relates the name of this Pope as “Sixtus”. The following quote will give the reader a sampling of Irenaeus' completeness and verboseness regarding heresies:
But there are some who say that Jesus was merely a receptacle of Christ, upon whom the Christ, as a dove, descended from above, and that when He had declared the unnameable Father He entered into the Pleroma in an incomprehensible and invisible manner: for that He was not comprehended, not only by men, but not even by those powers and virtues which are in heaven, and that Jesus was the Son, but that Christ was the Father, and the Father of Christ, God; while others say that He merely suffered in outward appearance, being naturally impassible.
The Valentinians, again, maintain that the dispensational Jesus was the same who passed through Mary, upon whom that Saviour from the more exalted [region] descended...
This research paper will focus upon a discrepancy found in the fourth Gospel and as such, we will not dwell upon any specific heresy or heterodox opinion. Brackets ([ ]) have been supplied by either the translator or yours truly.
excerpts
Irenaeus continues:
That John [the alleged author of the fourth Gospel] knew the one and the same Word of God, and that He was the only begotten, and that He became incarnate for our salvation, Jesus Christ our Lord, I have sufficiently proved from the word of John himself.
Irenaeus continues with Saint Matthew:
And Matthew, too, recognising one and the same Jesus Christ, exhibiting his generation as a man from the Virgin... When His mother was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost....when Joseph had it in contemplation to put Mary away... take unto thee Mary thy wife: ...Behold. a virgin shall conceive,...that the Son of God was born of a virgin, ...that Jesus was He who was born of Mary...
Although much text has been omitted, there is nothing that is preserved for anyone to question Iranaseus' Orthodoxy regarding the Virgin Mary.
Irenaeus references Saint Paul:
Irenaeus references Saint Paul:
Paul, when writing to the Romans, has explained this very point...who was made to Him of the seed of David according to the flesh ...Whose are the fathers, and from whom is Christ according to the flesh ...But when the fulness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, ... and one Jesus Christ our Lord, who was of the seed of David according to His birth from Mary...
Irenaeus subtly includes Jesus' “birth from Mary”. For all of Saint Paul's writings, he does not relate any specifics regarding Jesus' mother, in fact, he does not mention her name. This omission is interesting, but can be explained by Saint Paul not having any reason to name her.
Irenaeus next cites Saint Mark:
Irenaeus next cites Saint Mark:
Wherefore Mark also says: ... And again, the angel said, when bringing good tidings to Mary... But Simeon a... should not see death, until first he had beheld Christ Jesus-taking Him, the first-begotten of the Virgin, ...t the infant whom he was holding in his hands, Jesus, born of Mary, was Christ Himself, whom John, while yet in his mother's womb, and He (Christ) in that of Mary, recognising as the Lord,
In Orthodox fashion, Irenaeus reaches the appropriate conclusion:
Now this is He who was born of Mary; " The Gospel, therefore, knew no other son of man but Him who was of Mary, who also suffered; and no Christ who flew away from Jesus before the passion...
Irenaeus continues detailing the specific ideas of the heretics:
But inasmuch as all those before mentioned, although they certainly do with their tongue confess one Jesus Christ, make fools of themselves, thinking one thing and saying another; for their hypotheses vary, as I have already shown, alleging, [as they do, ] that one Being suffered and was born, and that this was Jesus; but that there was another who descended upon Him, and that this was Christ, who also ascended again; and they argue, that he who proceeded from the Demiurge, or he who was dispensational, or he who sprang from Joseph, was the Being subject to suffering; but upon the latter there descended from the invisible and ineffable [places] the former, whom they assert to be incomprehensible, invisible, and impassible..
Irenaeus now references the fourth Gospel. This is somewhat odd, since at the introduction of the chapter, he started with the fourth Gospel.
This was the reason why, when Mary was urging [Him] on to [perform] the wonderful miracle of the wine, ... the Lord...said, "Woman, what have I to do with thee? ...
Irenaeus supplies the name “Mary” in his commentary on the wedding at Cana. The reader will notice that Jesus does not call his mother either “Mary” or “Mother” , but addresses her as “Woman”. The reader may recall that at the crucifixion he also addresses her as “Woman,...”. The curious reader will then research the fourth Gospel to find that Jesus' mother is unnamed.
discussion
We have found two oddities in this chapter. Firstly, at the beginning of the chapter, Irenaeus states that he has previously covered the fourth Gospel and at the end of the chapter, he references the Gospel again. Secondly, we find references to “Virgin” and “Mary”, but never “Virgin Mary”. These are oddities in writing and structure, but an argument can not be created for either atheism or heterodoxy.
In all subtly, Irenaeus leads the thinking reader to ponder why Saint Paul and the fourth Gospel do not state that Jesus' mother's name is Mary. There are two possible conclusions: Either these writers did not know the her name or her name was not Mary. Either supposition is disconcerting. If Saint Paul and the author of the fourth Gospel did not know her name, this leads to the question, especially in the case of the fourth Gospel where she is referred to at least twice, how could they not know her name? Irenaeus brings to our attention to the wedding at Cana where Jesus is curt with his mother, “Woman, what do I have to do with thee?” In the fourth Gospel, there is only one other encounter with a woman where Jesus' behavior could be described as curt, and that is before the resurrection of Lazarus.
In all subtly, Irenaeus leads the thinking reader to ponder why Saint Paul and the fourth Gospel do not state that Jesus' mother's name is Mary. There are two possible conclusions: Either these writers did not know the her name or her name was not Mary. Either supposition is disconcerting. If Saint Paul and the author of the fourth Gospel did not know her name, this leads to the question, especially in the case of the fourth Gospel where she is referred to at least twice, how could they not know her name? Irenaeus brings to our attention to the wedding at Cana where Jesus is curt with his mother, “Woman, what do I have to do with thee?” In the fourth Gospel, there is only one other encounter with a woman where Jesus' behavior could be described as curt, and that is before the resurrection of Lazarus.
Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him:... Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. John 11:20-27
Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? John 11:39-40
Judging, from verse 39, Martha may be described stereotypically as a “complaining mother”. Martha is also referred to in the Gospel of Saint Luke:
But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. Luke 10:40
Both depictions of Martha can be understood as complaining: serving alone and the smell of a four day old corpse.
Irenaeus brings our attention to the fourth Gospel which, we remind the reader, does not have a Virgin birth and begins three years before the crucifixion. Should the inquisitive reader reason further: the family in Bethany is Jesus' family: Martha and Mary are sisters, therefore, Mary is Jesus' aunt and not his mother, and their brother is Lazarus, therefore, Lazarus is Jesus' uncle. Since Martha is Jesus' mother, we do not have the oddity of Mary having a sister named Mary, which is the result if we assume that Mary is Jesus' mother.
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
What is the omission of the title of “Saint” before a name, other than a denial of Sainthood? Irenaeus is more subtle in his heterodoxy than the more obvious atheism and impiety of Augustine's writings.
Irenaeus brings our attention to the fourth Gospel which, we remind the reader, does not have a Virgin birth and begins three years before the crucifixion. Should the inquisitive reader reason further: the family in Bethany is Jesus' family: Martha and Mary are sisters, therefore, Mary is Jesus' aunt and not his mother, and their brother is Lazarus, therefore, Lazarus is Jesus' uncle. Since Martha is Jesus' mother, we do not have the oddity of Mary having a sister named Mary, which is the result if we assume that Mary is Jesus' mother.
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
What is the omission of the title of “Saint” before a name, other than a denial of Sainthood? Irenaeus is more subtle in his heterodoxy than the more obvious atheism and impiety of Augustine's writings.
conclusion
Of course, these conclusions, or opinions I have reached are in contradiction to church tradition. Clearly, Irenaeus has not listed all heresies and we curious readers can create a heresy that the “ancients” have never heard.