227 Or, "to that degree."
228 Comp. Clem. Rom. Ep. to Cor., c. xx.; and August, De. Civit Dei, xvi. 9.
230 "Permanet firma,"-no doubt corresponding to the menei of the apostle, 1 Cor. xiii. 13. Harvey here remarks, that "the author seems to misapprehend the apostle's meaning. . . . There will be no longer room for hope, when the substance of things hoped for shall have become a matter of fruition; neither will there be any room for faith, when the soul shall be admitted to see God as He is." But the best modern interpreters take the same view of the passage as Irenaeus. They regard the nuni de of St. Paul as not being temporal, but logical, and conclude therefore the meaning to be, that faith and hope, as well as love, will, in a sense, endure for ever. Comp., e.g., Alford, in loc.
231 The Latin text is here untranslateable. Grabe proposes to read, "una consonans melodia in nobis sentietur;" while Stieren and others prefer to exchange aisqhsetai for asqhsetai.
232 "Apotelesticos." This word, says Harvey, "may also refer to the vital energy of nature, whereby its effects are for ever reproduced in unceasing succession." Comp. Hippol., Philos., vii. 24.
233 We here follow Grabe, who understands decet. Harvey less simply explains the vey obscure Latin text.
234 The Greek term logoj, as is well known, denotes both ratio (reason) and sermo (speech). Some deem the above parenthesis an interpolation.
236 "Suffugatur:" some read "suffocatur;" and Harvey proposes "suffragatur," as the representative of the Greek yhfizetai. The meaning in any case is, that while ideas are instantaneously formed in the human mind, they can be expressed through means of words only fractionally, and by successive utterances.
237 Thus: Bythus, Nous, Logos.
239 Mark xiii. 32. The words, "neither the angels which are in heaven," are here omitted, probably because, as usual, the writer quotes from memory.
240 Comp. Matt. x. 24; Luke xi. 40.
245 Massuet proposes to insert these words, and some such supplement seems clearly necessary to complete the sense. But the sentence still remains confused and doubtful.
246 [Gen. xl. 8; Deut. xxix. 29; Ps. cxxxi.]
248 [On the great matter of the perixwrhsij, the subordination of the Son, etc., Bull has explored Patristic doctrine, and may well be consulted here. Defens. Fid. Nicaenae, sect. iv.; see also vol. v. 363]
250 "Altitudines," literally, heights.
251 [Wisdom, ix. 13, 17. A passage of marvellous beauty.]
253 "Refrigerium," place of refreshment.
254 Billius, with great apparent reason, proposes to read "descensio" for the unintelligible "discessio" of the Latin text.
255 Grabe and Massuet read, "Si autem animae perire inciperent, nisi justae fuissent," for "Si autem animae quae periturae essent inciperent nisi justae fuissent,"-words which defy all translation.
256 The text is here uncertain and confused; but, as Harvey remarks, "the argument is this, That if souls are saved qua intellectual substance, then all are saved alike; but if by reason of any moral qualities, then the bodies that have executed the moral purposes of the soul, must also be considered to be heirs of salvation."
257 "De impetu:" it is generally supposed that these words correspond to ek thj epistrofhj (comp. i. 5, 1), but Harvey thinks ec ormhj preferable (i. 4, 1).
258 The syntax of this sentence is in utter confusion, but the meaning is doubtless that given above.
261 Irenaeus was evidently familiar with Horace; comp. Ars. Poet., 300.
263 The punctuation is here doubtful. With Massuet and Stieren we expunge "vel" from the text.
264 Or, "the Scriptures of the Lord;" but the words "dominicis scripturis" probably here represent the Greek kuriwn grafwn, and are to be rendered as above.
266 "Inciperet fieri;" perhaps for "futurus esset," was to be.
267 "Quartum coelum;" there still being, according to their theory of seven heavens, a fourth beyond that to which St. Paul had penetrated.
268 2 Cor. xii. 3, defectively quoted.
269 This is an exceedingly obscure and difficult sentence. Grabe and some of the later editors read, "uti neque non corpus," thus making Irenaeus affirm that the body did participate in the vision. But Massuet contends strenuously that this is contrary to the author's purpose, as wishing to maintain, against a possible exception of the Valentinians, that Paul then witnessed spiritual realities, and by omitting this "non" before "corpus," makes Irenaeus deny that the body was a partaker in the vision. The point can only be doubtfully decided, but Massuet's ingenious note inclines us to his side of the question.
270 "Praestat dignid:" here a very ambiguous expression.
271 That is, as Massuet notes, all things derive not only their existence, but their qualities, from His will. Harvey proposes to read causa instead of substantia, but the change seems needless.
273 That is, Barbelos: comp. i. 29, 1.
274 "Tradunt;" literally, hand down.
275 Qui, though here found in all the mss.MSS;., seems to have been rightly expunged by the editors.
276 The reference probably is to opinions and theories of the heathen.
277 Comp. 2 Tim. ii. 17, 18. [On the sub-apostolic age and this subject of miracles, Newman, in spite of his sophistical argumentation, may well be consulted for his references, etc. Translation of the Abbe Fleury, p. xi. Oxford, 1842.]
278 "Perficiatur:" it is difficult here to give a fitting translation of this word. Some prefer to read "impertiatur."
282 Matt. xxv. 41; Mark ix. 44.
285 "Pureos investes," boys that have not yet reached the age of puberty.
286 The text has "stillicidio temporis," literally " a drop of tim" (stagmh xronou); but the original text was perhaps stigmh xronon, "a moment of time." With either reading the meaning is the same.
287 Some have deemed the words "firmum esse" an interpolation.
288 That is, as being done in reality, and not in appearance.
289 Harvey here notes: "The reader will not fail to remark this highly interesting testimony, that the divine xarismata bestowed upon the infant Church were not wholly extinct in the days of Irenaeus. Possibly the venerable Father is speaking from his own personal recollection of some who had been raised from the dead, and had continued for a time living witnesses of the efficacy of Christian faith." [See cap. xxxi., supra.]
292 Grabe contends that these words imply that no invocations of angels, good or bad, were practised in the primitive Church. Massuet, on the other hand, maintains that the words of Irenaeus are plainly to be restricted to evil spirits, and have no bearing on the general question of angelic invocation.
293 We follow the common reading, "perfecit;" but one ms. has "perficit," works, which suits the context better.
294 We insert "et," in accordance with Grabe's suggestion.
295 Harvey thinks that this parenthesis has fallen out of its proper place, and would insert it immediately after the opening period of the chapter.
296 It is a mistake of Irenaeus to say that the doctine of metempsychosis originated with Plato: it was first publicly taught by Pythagoras, who learned it from the Egyptians. Comp. Clem. Alex., Strom., i. 15: Herodot., ii. 123.
297 "In hominem conversi," literally, "returning into man."
298 "Possidet." Massuet supposes this word to represent kurieuei, "rules over" and Stieren kratunei, governs; while Harvey thinks the whole clause corresponds to kratei kai kurieuei tou swmatoj, which we have rendered above.
299 Literally, none of things past.
300 The Latin text is here very confused, but the Greek original of the greater part of this section has happily been preserved. [This Father here anticipates in outline many ideas which St. Augustine afterwards corrected and elaborated.]
301 Grabe refers to Tertullian, De Anima, ch. vii., as making a similiar statement. Massuet, on the other hand, denies that Irenaeus here expresses an opinion like that of Tertullian in the passage referred to, and thinks that the special form (character) mentioned is to be understood as simply denoting individual spiritual properties. But his remarks are not satisfactory.
303 With Massuet and Stieren, we here supply esse.
304 Some read resurgeret, and others resurrexerit; we deem the former reading preferable.
307 As Massuet observes, this statement is to be understood in harmony with the repeated assertion of Irenaeus that the wicked will exist in misery for ever. It refers not annihilation, but to deprivation of happiness.
308 Luke xvi. 11, quoted loosely from memory. Grabe, however, thinks they are cited from the apocryphal Gospel according to the Egyptians.
309 Comp. Justin Martyr, Dial. c. Tryph., ch. vi.
311 Ex defluxu, corresponding to ec aporroiaj in the Greek.
312 Eloae here occurs in the Latin text, but Harvey supposes that the Greek had been Elweim. He also remarks that Eloeuth (tkahl)
) is the rabbinical abstract term, Godhead.
313 All that can be remarked on this is, that the Jews substituted the term Adonai (ynd)
) for the name Jehovah, as often as the latter occurred in the sacred text. The former might therefore be styled nameable.
314 The Latin text is, "aliquando autem duplicata litera delta cum aspiratione," and Harvey supposes that the doubling of the Daleth would give "to the scarcely articulate )
a more decidedly guttural character;" but the sense is extremely doubtful.
315 Instead of "nec posteaquam insurgere," Feuardent and Massuet read "ne possit insurgere," and include the clause in the definition of Addonai.
316 The author is here utterly mistaken, and, notwithstanding Harvey's earnest claim for him of a knowledge of Hebrew, seems clearly to betray his ignorance of that language. The term Sabaoth is never written with an Omicron, either in the LXX. or by the Greek Fathers, but always with an Omega (Sabawq). Although Harvey remarks in his preface, that "It is hoped the Hebrew attainments of Irenaeus will no longer be denied," there appears enough, in the etymologies and explanations of Hebrew terms given in this chapter by the venerable Father, to prevent such a conclusion; and Massuet's observation on the passage seems not improbable, when he says, "Sciolus quispiam Irenaeo nostro, in Hebraicis haud satis perito, hic fucum ecisse videtur."
317 Probably corresponding to the Hebrew term Jehovah (hwhy
318 Literally, "belong to one and the same name."
319 "Secundum Latinitatem" in the text.
320 The words are "apostolorum dictatio," probably referring to the letters of the apostles, as distinguished from their preaching already mentioned.
321 This last sentence is very confused and ambiguous, and the editors throw but little light upon it. We have endeavoured to translate it according to the ordinary text and punctuation, but strongly suspect interpolation and corruption. If we might venture to strike out "has Scripturas," and connect "his tamen" with "praedicantibus," a better sense would be yielded, as follows: "But that I may not be thought to avoid that series of proofs which may be derived from the Scriptures of the Lord (since, indeed, these Scriptures to much more evidently and clearly set forth this very point, to those at least who do not bring a depraved mind to their consideration), I shall devote the particular book which follows to them, and shall," etc.
1 Luke x. 16.
2 See 1 Tim. iii. 15, where these terms are used in reference to the Church.
3 On this and similar statements in the Fathers, the reader may consult Dr. Roberts's Discussions on the Gospels, in which they are fully criticised, and the Greek original of St. Matthew's Gospel maintained.
5 This is Harvey's rendering of the old Latin, in illo qui contra disputat.
6 The Latin text of this difficult but important clause is, "Ad hanc enim ecclesiam propter potiorem principalitatem necesse est omnem convenire ecclesiam." Both the text and meaning have here given rise to much discussion. It is impossible to say with certainty of what words in the Greek original "potiorem principalitatem" may be the translation. We are far from sure that the rendering given above is correct, but we have been unable to think of anything better. [A most extraordinary confession. It would be hard to find a worse; but take the following from a candid Roman Catholic, which is better and more literal: "For to this Church, on account of more potent principality, it is necessary that every Church (that is, those who are on every side faithful) resort; in which Church ever, by those who are on every side, has been preserved that tradition which is from the apostles." (Berington and Kirk, vol. i. p. 252.) Here it is obvious that the faith was kept at Rome, by those who resort there from all quarters. She was a mirror of the Catholic World, owing here orthodoxy to them; not the Sun, dispensing her own light to others, but the glass bringing their rays into a focus. See note at end of book iii.] A discussion of the subject may be seen in chap. xii. of Dr. Wordsworth's St. Hippolytus and the Church of Rome.
7 Polycarp suffered about the year 167, in the reign of Marcus Aurelius. His great age of eighty-six years implies that he was contemporary with St. John for nearly twenty years.
8 So the Greek. The Latin reads: "which he also handed down to the Church."
10 ianwtath. Harvey translates this all-sufficient, and thus paraphrases: But his Epistle is all-sufficient, to teach those that are desirous to learn.
12 Latin, "modica quaestione."
13 [The uneducated barbarians must receive the Gospel on testimony. Irenaeus puts apostolic traditions, genuine and uncorrupt, in this relation to the primary authority of the written word. 2 Thess. ii. 15, iii. 6.]
14 Literally, "without letters;" equivalent to, "without paper and ink," a few lines previously.
15 The old Latin translation says the eighth bishop; but there is no discrepancy. Eusebius, who has preserved the Greek of this passage, probably counted the apostles as the first step in the episcopal succession. As Irenaeus tells us in the preceding chapter, Linus is to be counted as the first bishop.
16 It is thought that this does not mean excommunication properly so called, but a species of self-excommunication, i.e., anticipating the sentence of the Church, by quitting it altogether. See Valesius's note in his edition of Eusebius.
36 These words are an interpolation: it is supposed they have been carelessly repeated from the preceding quotation of Isaiah.
39 Literally, "In both houghs," in ambabus suffraginibus.
40 The old Latin translation has, "Si unus est Dominus Deus"-If the Lord God is one; which is supposed by the critics to have occurred through carelessness of the translator.
42 The Latin version has, "that answereth to-day" (hodie),-an evident error for igne.
52 This is according to the reading of the old Italic version, for it is not so read in any of our existing manuscripts of the Greek New Testament.
54 This world is not found in the second quotation of this passage immediatley following.
55 This world is not found in the second quotation of this passage immediatley following.
60 A word of which many explanations have been proposed, but none are quite satisfactory. Harvey seems inclined to suspect the reading to be corrupt, through the ignorance and carelessness of the copyist. [Irenaeus undoubtedly relied for Hebrew criticisms on some incompetent retailer of rabbinical refinements.]
79 Isa. lxv. 1. [A beautiful idea for poets and orators, but not to be pressed dogmatically.]
81 This is after the version of the Septuagint, ou kata thn docan: but the word doca may have the meaning opinio as well as gloria. If this be admitted here, the passage would bear much the same sense as it does in the authorized version, "He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes."
84 This is according to the Syriac Peschito version.
88 Literally, "that he should place the incense." The next clause is most likely an interpolation for the sake of explanation.
97 "Ascriberet Deo"-make the property of God.
101 Harvey observes that the Syriac, agreeing with the Latin here, expresses priority in point of time; but our translation, without reason, makes it the precedence of honour, viz., was preferred before me. The Greek is, prwtoj mou.
109 Thus found also in the Vulgate. Harvey supposes that the original of Irenaeus read according to our textus receptus, and that the Vulgate rendering was adopted in this passage by the transcribers of the Latin version of our author. [No doubt a just remark.] There can be no doubt, however, that the reading eudokiaj is supported by many and weighty ancient authorities. [But on this point see the facts as given by Burgon, in his refutation of the rendering adopted by late revisers, Revision Revised, p. 41. London, Murray, 1883.]
116 The text seems to be corrupt in the old Latin translation. The rendering here follows Harvey's conjectural restoration of the original Greek of the passage.
117 The Greek of this passage in St. Mark [i. 2] reads, taj tribouj, i.e., His paths, which varies from the Hebrew original, to which the text of Irenaeus seems to revert, unless indeed his copy of the Gospels contained the reading of the Codex Bezae. [See book iii. cap. xii. 3, 14, below; also, xiv. 2 and xxiii. 3. On this Codex, see Burgon, Revision Revised, p. 12, etc., and references.]
122 Irenaeus frequently quotes this text, and always uses the punctuation here adopted. Tertullian and many others of the Fathers follow his example.
131 This evidently refers to 1 Kings xviii. 36, where Elijah invokes God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, etc.
132 Matt. xi. 9; Luke vii. 26.
134 The transition here is so abrupt, that some critics suspect the loss of part of the text before these words.
138 John i. 47.
139 The reading neikoj having been followed instead of nikoj, victory.
140 John i. 49, vi. 69; Matt. xii. 18.
141 Harvey thinks that this is the Hebrew Gospel of which Irenaeus speaks in the opening of this book; but comp. Dr. Robert's Discussions on the Gospels, part ii. chap. iv.
142 Literally, "four catholic spirits;" Greek, tessara kaqolika pneumata: Latin, "quatuor principales spiritus."
147 The above is the literal rendering of this very obscure sentence; it is not at all represented in the Greek here preserved.
148 The Greek is uper: the Latin, "pro."
150 The Greek text of this clause, literally rendered, is, "This Gospel, then, is anthropomorphic."
151 Or, "a sacredotal and liturgical order," following the fragment of the Greek text recovered here. Harvey thinks that the old Latin "actum" indicates the true reading of the original pracin, and that tacin is an error. The earlier editors, however, are of a contrary opinion.
152 That is, the appearance of the Gospel taken as a whole; it being presented under a fourfold aspect.
153 A portion of the Greek has been preserved here, but it differs materially from the old Latin version, which seems to represent the original with greater exactness, and has therefore been followed. The Greek represents the first covenant as having been given to Noah, at the deluge, under the sign of the rainbow; the second as that given to Abraham, under the sign of circumcision; the third, as being the giving of the law, under Moses; and the fourth, as that of the Gospel, through our Lord Jesus Christ. [Paradise with the tree of life, Adam with Shechinah (Gen. iii. 24, iv. 16), Noah with the rainbow, Abraham with circumcision, Moses with the ark, Messiah with the sacraments, and heaven with the river of life, seem the complete system.]
154 The old Latin reads, "partem gloriatur se habere Evangelii." Massuet changed partem into pariter, thinking that partem gave a sense inconsistent with the Marcionite curtailment of St. Luke. Harvey, however, observes: "But the Gospel, here means the blessings of the Gospel, in which Marcion certainly claimed a share."
156 Slighting, as did some later heretics, the Pauline Epistles.
165 The word dwron or dwrhma is supposed by some to have existed in the earliest Greek texts, although not found in any extant now. It is thus quoted by others besides Irenaeus.
169 These interpolations are also found in the Codex Bexae.
170 These interpolations are also found in the Codex Bexae.
171 These interpolations are also found in the Codex Bexae.
172 "Et veniant" in Latin text: opwj an elqwsin in Greek. The translation of these Greek words by "when . . . come," is one of the most glaring errors in the authorized English version.
173 Irenaeus, like the majority of the early authorities, manifestly read prokexeirismenon instead of prokekhrugmenon, as in textus receptus.
179 These words, though not in textus receptus, are found in some ancient mss.MSS;. and versions; but not the words "our father," which follow.
180 "In hac civitate" are words not represented in the textus receptus, but have a place in all modern critical editions of the New Testament.
183 The Latin is, "ut convertat se unusquisque."
185 This is following Grabe's emendation of the text. The old Latin reads "gloria sua," the translator having evidently mistaken decia for doch.
188 These words have apparently been omitted through inadvertence.
193 Quemadmodum capiebat; perhaps, "just as it presented itself to him."
194 Acts viii. 32; Isa. liii. 7, 8.
198 Latin translation, tractatur; which Harvey thinks affords a conclusive proof that Irenaeus occasionally quotes Scripture by re-translating from the Syriac.
199 It will be observed that Scripture is here very loosely quoted.
207 No reference is made to this promised work in the writings of his successors. Probably it never was undertaken.
208 Most of the mss. read "intolerabiliorem," but one reads as above, and is followed by all the editors.
212 Irenaeus manifestly read outwj for toutw, and in this he agrees with Codex Bezae. We may remark, once for all, that in the variations from the received text of the New Testament which occur in our author, his quotations are very often in accordance with the readings of the Cambridge ms.
214 This addition is also found in Codex Bezae, and in Cyprian and others.
216 Another addition, also found in the Codex Bezae, and in Tertullian.
218 Acts x. 47.
222 All the previous editors accept the reading Deum without remark, but Harvey argues that it must be regarded as a mistake for Dominum. He scarcely seems, however, to give sufficient weight to the quotation which immediately follows.
229 Some such supplement seems necessary, as Grabe suggests, though Harvey contends that no apodosis is requisite.
231 Latin, "Ad horam cessimus subjectioni" (Gal. ii. 5). Irenaeus gives it an altogether different meaning from that which it has in the received text. Jerome says that there was as much variation in the copies of Scripture in his day with regard to the passage,-some retaining, others rejecting the negative (Adv. Marc. v. 3).
240 In this very important passage of Scripture, Irenaeus manifestly read Kuriou instead of Qeou, which is found in text. rec. The Codex Bezae has the same reading; but all the other most ancient mss.MSS;. agree with the received text.
259 Latin, "communes et ecclesiasticos:" kaqolikouj is translated here "communes," as for some time after the word catholicus had not been added to the Latin language in its ecclesiastical sense. [The Roman Creed was remarkable for its omission of the word Catholic. See Bingham, Antiquities, book x. cap. iv. sect 11.]
260 We here follow the text of Harvey, who prints, without remark, quaeruntur, instead of queruntur, as in Migne's edition.
261 Such is the sense educed by Harvey from the old Latin version, which thus runs: "Decipiuntur autem omnes, qui quod est in verbis verisimile, se putant posse discere a veritate." For "omnes" he would read "omnino," and he discards the emendation proposed by the former editors, viz., "discernere" for "discere."
262 We here omit since, and insert therefore afterwards, to avoid the extreme length of the sentence as it stands in the Latin version. The apodosis does not occur till the words, "I judge it necessary," are reached.
264 The Latin text has "Christum." which is supposed to be an erroneous reading. See also book ii. c. xii. x. 6.
267 Matt. i. 18. It is to be observed that Irenaeus here reads Christ instead of Jesus Christ, as in text. rec., thus agreeing with the reading of the Vulgate in the passage.
268 John i. 13, 14. From this, and also a quotation of the same passge in chap. xix. of this book, it appears that Irenaeus must have read oj . . . egennhqh here, and not oi . . . egennhqhsan. Tertullian quotes the verse to the same effect (Lib. de Carne Christi, cap. 19 and 24).
286 Mark viii. 31 and Luke ix. 22.
288 1 John ii. 18, etc., loosely quoted.
289 The text here followed is that of two Syriac mss.MSS;., which prove the loss of several consecutive words in the old Latin version, and clear up the meaning of a confused sentence, showing that the word "autem" is here, as it probably is elsewhere, merely a contraction for "aut eum."
291 "Participare compendii poculo," i.e., the cup which recapitulates the suffering of Christ, and which, as Harvey thinks, refers to the symbolical character of the cup of the Eucharist, as setting forth the passion of Christ.
293 John vii. 30.
296 2 John 7, 8. Irenaeus seems to have read autouj instead of eautouj, as in the received text.
297 1 John iv. 1, 2. This is a material difference from the received text of the passage: "Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh." The Vulgate translation and Origen agree with Irenaeus, and Tertullian seems to recognise both readings (Adv. Marc., v. 16). Socrates tells us (vii. 32, p. 381) that the passage had been corrupted by those who wished to separate the humanity of Christ from His divinity, and that the old copies read, pan pneuma o luei ton Ihsoun apo tou Qeou ouk esti, which exactly agrees with Origen's quotation, and very nearly with that of Irenaeus, now before us. Polycarp (Ep., c. vii.) seems to allude to the passage as we have it now, and so does Ignatius (Ep. Smyr., c. v.) See the question discussed by Burton, in his Ante-Nicene Testimonies [to the Div. of Christ. Another work of Burton has a similar name. See British Critic, vol. ii. (of 1827), p. 265].
301 Rom. v. 6-10. Irenaeus appears to have read, as does the Vulgate, eij ti gar, for eti gar in text. rec.
309 Harvey remarks on this: "The sacrament of baptism is therefore h dunamij thj anagennhsewj eij Qeon." [Comp. book i. cap. xxi.]
313 Irenaeus refers to this woman as a type of the heathen world: for, among the Jews, Samaritan and Idolater were convertible terms.
319 "Suum hominem," i.e., the human race.
322 The following period is translated from a Syriac fragment (see Harvey's Irenaeus, vol. ii. p. 439), as it supplies some words inconveniently omitted in the old Latin version.
323 Comp. book. i. pref. note 2.
324 Again a Syriac fragment supplies some important words. See Harvey, vol. ii. p. 440.
325 So the Syriac. The Latin has, "in seipso recapitulavit," He summed up in Himself. [As the Second Adam, 1 Cor. xv. 47.]
337 Gal. iii. 13; Deut. xxi. 23.
342 Literally, "supposing Him to be Christ according to the idea of men."
351 "Pro patribus, anti twn patrwn. The reader will here observe the clear statement of the doctrine of atonement, whereby alone sin is done away."-Harvey.
353 The Latin text, "et facere, ut et Deus assumeret hominem, et homo se dederet Deo," here differs widely from the Greek preserved by Theodoret. We have followed the latter, which is preferred by all the editors.
360 The original Greek is preserved here by Theodoret, differing in some respects from the old Latin version: kai aposterountaj ton anqrwpon thj eij Qeon anodou kai axaristountaj tw uper autwn sarkwqenti logw tou Qeou. Eij touto gar o logoj anqrwpoj . . . ina o anqrwpoj ton logon xwrhsaj, kai thn uioqesian labwn, uioj genhtai Qeou. The old Latin runs thus: "fraudantes hominem ab ea ascensione quae est ad Dominum, et ingrate exsistentes Verbo Dei, qui incarnatus est propter ipsos. Propter hoc enim Verbum Dei homo, et qui Filius Dei est, Filius Hominis factus est . . . commixtus Verbo Dei, et adoptionem percipiens fiat filius Dei." [A specimen of the liberties taken by the Latin translators with the original of Irenaeus. Others are much less innocent.]
372 Isa. vii. 13.
383 "Provectus." This word has not a little perplexed the editors. Grabe regards it as being the participle, Massuet the accusative plural of the noun, and Harvey the genitive singular. We have doubtfully followed the latter.
385 The punctuation and exact meaning are very uncertain.
386 The construction and sense of this passage are disputed. Grabe, Massuet, and Harvey take different views of it. We have followed the rendering by Massuet.
391 Grabe remarks that the word presbuj, here translated "senior," seems rather to denote a mediator or messenger.
394 Irenaeus quotes this as from Isaiah on the present occasion; but in book iv. 22, 1, we find him referring the same passage to Jeremiah. It is somewhat remarkable that it is to be found in neither prophet, although Justin Martyr, in his dialogue with Trypho, [chap. lxxii. and notes, Dial. with Trypho, in this volume,] brings it forward as an argument against him, and directly accuses the Jews of having fraudulently removed it from the sacred text. It is, however, to be found in no ancient version of Jewish Targum, which fact may be regarded as a decisive proof of its spuriousness.
397 As Massuet observes, we must either expunge "sciut" altogether, or read "sic" as above.
399 This quotation from Habakkuk, here commented on by Irenaeus, differs both from the Hebrew and the LXX., and comes nearest to the old Italic version of the passage.
401 Epiphanius, in his De Mensuris, gives an account of these two men. The former published his version of the Old Testament in the year 181. The latter put forth his translation half a century earlier, about 129 A.D. This reference to the version of Theodotion furnishes a note of date as to the time when Irenaeus published his work: it must have been subsequently to A. D. 181.
402 The Greek text here is, kratunai thn arxhn autwn translated into Latin by "possiderent regnum suum,"-words which are somewhat ambiguous in both languages. Massuet remarks, that "regnum eorum" would have been a better rendering, referring the words to the Jews.
403 The Greek text of this narrative has been preserved by Eusebius (Hist. Eccl., v. 8). Grabe considers it to be faulty in this passage; so the Latin translation has been adopted here. Eusebius has poihsantoj tou Qeou oper ebouleto-God having accomplished what He intended.
404 [See Justin Martyr, To the Greeks, cap. xiii. The testimony of Justin naturalized this Jewish legend among Christians.]
405 The Greek term is anatacasqai, which the Latin renders "re memorare," but Massuet prefers "digerere."
406 This is a very interesting passage, as bearing on the question, From what source are the quotations made by the writers of the New Testament derived? Massuet, indeed, argues that it is of little or no weight in the controversy; but the passage speaks for itself. Comp. Dr. Robert's Discussions on the Gospels, part i. ch. iv. and vii.
410 We here read "non pusillum" for "num pusillum," as in some texts. Cyprian and Tertullian confirm the former reading.
427 Harvey prefixes this last clause to the following section.
434 In addition to the Greek text preserved by Theodoret in this place, we have for some way a Syriac translation, differing slightly from both Greek and Latin. It seems, however, to run smoother than either, and has therefore been followed by us.
441 This seems quite a peculiar opinion of Irenaeus, that our first parents, when created, were not of the age of maturity.
442 Literally, "unless these bonds of union be turned backwards."
443 It is very difficult to follow the reasoning of Irenaeus in this passage. Massuet has a long note upon it, in which he sets forth the various points of comparison and contrast here indicated between Eve and Mary; but he ends with the remark, "haec certe et quae sequuntur, paulo subtiliora."
447 Comp. 1 Cor. xv. 20-22.
451 The old Latin translation is: "Sed non relictis ipsis patribus." Grabe would cancel non, while Massuet pleads for retaining it. Harvey conjectures that the translator perhaps mistook ouk aneilhmhenwn for ouk analeleimenwn. We have followed Massuet, though we should prefer deleting non, were it not found in all the mss.MSS; .
454 Matt. xxv. 41. This reading of Irenaeus agrees with that of the Codex Bezae, at Cambridge.
455 Gen. iv. 7, after LXX. version.
456 The old Latin reads "parricidio." The crime of parricide was alone known to the Roman law; but it was a generic term, including the murder of all near relations. All the editors have supposed that the original word was adelfoktonia, which has here been adopted.
466 An account of Tatian will be given in a future volume with his only extant work.
467 His heresy being just a mixture of the opinions of the various Gnostic sects.
470 Though unnoticed by the editors, there seems a difficulty in the different moods of the two verbs, erubescant and concertant.
471 "Initium et materiam apostasiae suae habens hominem:" the meaning is very obscure, and the editors throw no light upon it.
472 Literally, "but he did not see God." The translator is supposed to have read oiden, knew, for eiden, saw.