The Demonstration

For all his importance as the most profound and influential theologian of the second century, a decisive period in the history of Christianity, we know relatively little about Irenaeus which he does not tell us himself in the few works of his we now have, and these, for the most part, have survived only in Latin and Armenian translation.

On the Apostolic Preaching, St. Irenaeus of Lyons

This edition of Irenaeus’s work is translated and also introduced by John Behr. Before getting to Irenaeus’s text, Behr offers thirty-eight pages of introduction, and it is here where I will begin.

Irenaeus tells us that in his youth he knew Polycarp, who himself knew the apostles. As Polycarp was martyred in the late 150s, Irenaeus was likely born in the latter part of the second century. Irenaeus would eventually go from Smyrna to somehow “ending up in Gaul,” likely spending time in Rome and learning from teachers such as Justin while there.

As noted, little is known of Irenaeus’ life. Behr mentions a couple of events, one of which regards the controversy about the date of Pascha. He wrote to Victor, the bishop of Rome, who threatened to excommunicate those who did not agree with his dating, exhorting Victor not to excommunicate these. The tradition of two different dating practices has long been accepted by the Roman bishop’s predecessors, and Victor could do the same.

Irenaeus is commemorated as a martyr, but evidence of his martyrdom came late. Jerome mentions it in the early fifth century, although he only mentions it once and never again when writing of Irenaeus. Gregory of Tours writes more extensively of Irenaeus’s martyrdom, but this is in the sixth century.

There is some disagreement about when the Demonstration (as On the Apostolic Preaching is also known) is written. In 1904, a manuscript was discovered in Yerevan, Armenia, containing an Armenian version of books 4 and 5 of Against the Heresies and the complete text of the Demonstration. This manuscript was probably made in the last quarter of the sixth century.

The aim of the Demonstration is straightforward, and stated by Irenaeus: to provide Marcianus a “summary memorandum” in order to “understand all the members of the body of truth.”

As such, it is the earliest summary of Christian teaching, presented in a non-polemical or apologetic manner, that we now have.

It was for this reason that it’s discovery at the beginning of the twentieth century generated much excitement. A work from a bishop who knew those who knew the apostles – describing the teaching of the apostles. The work is not presented as a system of theological beliefs, nor is much place given to the ecclesiastical or sacramental dimensions of Christianity.

Instead, Irenaeus follows the example of the preaching in the book of Acts: a recounting of the various deeds of God, culminating with the exaltation of His crucified Son and the bestowal of His Holy Spirit and the gift of a new heart of flesh.

In recounting this story, what we know as the New Testament is almost ignored. I guess this is as it must be, if Irenaeus is offering an example of the “Apostolic Preaching,” as the apostles preached in the book of Acts without the benefit of the book of Acts (or any other New Testament book or letter). Instead, just as the apostles, Irenaeus focusses on what we know as the Old Testament, the “Scriptures.”

Behr offers a background of the situation in the second century to give a better understanding of Irenaeus’ work. I will only summarize this, as I have extensively presented this through my examination of Behr’s book, The Way to Nicaea.

While the earliest post-apostolic writings that we have indicate that they knew, in varying degrees, something of the writings of the apostles, these were rarely cited nor appealed to as authoritative sources. For these, “Scripture” refers to the Old Testament – the Gospel was a proclamation, not a “New Testament.”

For example, Ignatius would refer to the Epistles of Paul, and would exalt the apostles. Yet, he would write:

“If I do not find [it] in the archives [the Old Testament Scripture}, I do not believe [it to be] in the Gospel.”

This accorded with Ignatius’s conviction that the Old Testament contains the revelation of Christ – the only complete revelation of God.

…for Ignatius, the Old Testament simply is Jesus Christ – the Word made flesh.

What is unique, then? It is the Christ Himself, His passion and His resurrection.

Justin Martyr is Irenaeus’s most important precursor. Justin is the first writer to appeal to the New Testament writings, which he refers to as “the memoirs” of the apostles, which are called the “Gospels.” The use of “memoirs” might suggest that these writings were more historical than revelatory to Justin. While mentioning the book of Revelation, Justin refers neither to the fourth gospel nor to the epistles of Paul.

At the same time, Justin sees the Christian revelation foreshadowed in the Old Testament. In other words, what Christians believe is not some new invention or the latest claims, but ancient prophecies that have now been fulfilled.

One last piece of this second century tapestry: the work of Irenaeus and others against the heresies, principally that of the Gnostics and of Marcion.

With this as background, Behr turns to the logic of the Demonstration. In Against the Heresies, Irenaeus is the first patristic writer to make the full use of the apostolic writings as Scripture. He uses practically the full range of New Testament writings, weaving these with writings from the Old Testament in order to demonstrate that there is one God, who made Himself known through His Son through the one Holy Spirit.

However, the Demonstration barely touches on these apostolic writings. Instead, he either borrows extensively from Justin, or they both have used a source common to the two. The uniqueness of Irenaeus’s work, however, is that he presents it in a clear and comprehensive manner, while Justin wanders from topic to topic.

A brief note on the text and its translations. As noted, the complete text was only first discovered in 1904 in Armenia, in the library of the Church of the Mother of God in Yerevan. It was published three years later, to include a German translation. A Latin version was prepared shortly thereafter.

The earliest evidence of this Armenian version is in a letter dated 604 / 605, suggesting the translation was made in the final decades of the sixth century. Some conclude a time between 572 – 591, when, following an invasion by the Persians, a group of Armenian exiles resided in Constantinople.

Behr has based his translation based on previous work by various Irenaean and Armenian scholars. While he does not offer a strict translation from the Armenian (as this was derived originally from Greek), he also does not eliminate what others have considered “superfluous words.”

I have attempted to give a readable translation of the Armenian, while following the underlying Greek, where it is most evident.

Conclusion

Behr offers a synopsis of the Demonstration, summarized (as I will go through the book in detail) as follows:

• A preface, hoping to strengthen the faith of Marcianus

• An exposition of the apostolic preaching

  • Of God and man

  • The history in which God prepared man for Salvation wrought by His Son

• Proving the apostolic preaching through the Scriptures

  • The eternal existence of Jesus Christ

  • The human birth of Jesus Christ

  • How it was predicted He would perform miracles, be scourged, suffer, etc.

  • The calling of the Gentiles was also foretold

• He concludes by reiterating: hold firm to the preaching of truth

Irenaeus’s hermeneutic is simple: it is on the basis of Scripture that Scripture should be understood:

If some passages of Scripture appear to us to be obscure, we should seek to understand them by what is clear and manifest in Scripture and not by any other extraneous reasoning.

I have to say, I have heard this idea criticized by Eastern Orthodox speakers. However, it strikes me as a very sound hermeneutic, and one, I believe, that many in the Protestant / Reformed world embrace.

Epilogue

From Against the Heresies, by Irenaeus:

You [God the Father] who by our Lord Jesus Christ gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit….

Filioque? Even in those Church Fathers who all traditions accept as Church Fathers, one can find support for the nuances of doctrine. I write this not in support for or against the inclusion of the filioque, but only to point out that those who arrogantly and triumphantly look to the “tradition” of the Church as unassailable, of representing that which everyone believed at all times, are making more of this idea than is deserved.