Particulars
of Christianity:
401
First Eight Writers' Consensus
16-18: Charismatic Gifts; Civil Gov't., War; Men &
Angels
Early
Church Confirmation Rubric
Early
Church Consensus: Introduction
1:
Nature of the Godhead
2:
Covenants & O.T. Saints Relationship to the Church
3:
Kingdom (Hell), Timing of 2nd Advent and Kingdom
4-5:
Age of the World (6000 Years); Communion Meal
6:
Baptisms
7-8:
Law of Christ; Repentance
9-12:
Excommunication; Divorce; Sabbath; Tithing
13:
Freewill (A) Against Original Sin and Total Depravity
13:
Freewill (B) Against Unconditional Election
13:
Freewill (C-D) Against Ltd. Atmt.; Ir. Grace, OSAS
14-15:
Church Authority; Roles of Men and Women
16-18:
Charismatic Gifts; Civil Gov't., War; Men & Angels
Addendum
1: Eternal Begetting - Irenaeus and Ignatius
Addendum
2: Eternal Begetting - Justin Martyr
Full
Catalog
16)
View of Charismatic Gifts
The
charismatic (i.e. miraculous) gifts did not cease with the
death of the last apostle or the close of the canon of scripture
or when the last person died upon whom the apostle’s laid
hands, etc. Instead, these gifts continued to exist
in wide practice in the church well into the second century.
It was understood that the charismatic gifts were supposed
to always be present in the Church for the benefit of
the Church and for mankind as a whole, just as in the ministry
of Jesus and his apostles. However, it was also understood
that not all miracles or claims of miracles should be accepted
because counterfeit miracles were occurring among heretics
and it was understood such lying miracles would occur before
the return of Jesus in order to draw Christians into false
and damnable teachings. These counterfeit miracles
were understood to often be legitimately supernatural but
they were described specifically as lacking the character
of the miracles performed by Jesus and his apostles. For example,
the truly lame or blind or dead were never restored. Counterfeit
miracles also included the “initiated” coaxing and coaching
“uninitiated” believers to practice what amounted to pretend
prophesying. Christians were instructed to turn away from
such counterfeits and from all teachings and so-called Christian
groups associated with such miracles.
Ignatius
–
THE
EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE SMYRNAEANS
[Introduction]
Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church of
God the Father, and
of the beloved Jesus Christ, which
has through mercy obtained every kind of gift, which is
filled with faith and love, and is deficient in no gift, most worthy
of God, and adorned with holiness:(1) the Church which is
at Smyrna, in Asia, wishes abundance of happiness, through
the immaculate Spirit and word of God.
Dialogue
of Justin –
PHILOSOPHER
AND MARTYR, WITH TRYPHO, A JEW
CHAP.
XXX. For we do continually beseech God by Jesus Christ to
preserve us from the
demons which are hostile to the worship of God, and whom
we of old time served, in order that, after our conversion
by Him to God, we may be blameless. For we call Him Helper
and Redeemer, the power
of whose name even the demons do fear; and at this day, when
they are exorcised in the name of Jesus Christ, crucified
under Pontius Pilate, governor of Judaea, they are overcome.
CHAP.
XXXV. Wherefore we
pray for you and for all other men who hate us; in order that
you, having repented along with us, may not blaspheme
Him who, by His works, by the mighty deeds even now wrought through His name,
by the words He taught, by the prophecies announced concerning
Him, is the blameless, and in all things irreproachable, Christ
Jesus; but, believing on Him, may be saved in His second glorious
advent, and may not be condemned to fire by Him."
CHAP.
XXXIX. "Now it is not surprising," I continued,
"that you hate us who hold these opinions, and convict
you of a continual hardness of heart.(4) For indeed Elijah,
conversing with God concerning you, speaks thus: 'Lord, they
have slain Thy prophets, and digged down Thine altars: and
I am left alone, and they seek my life.' And He answers him:
'I have still seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee
to Baal.'(5) Therefore, just as God did not inflict His anger
on account of those seven thousand men, even
so He has now neither yet inflicted judgment, nor does inflict
it, knowing that daily some [of you] are becoming
disciples in the name of Christ, and quitting the path of
error; who are also receiving gifts, each as he is
worthy, illumined through the name of this Christ. For one receives the spirit of understanding, another of counsel,
another of strength, another of
healing, another of foreknowledge, another of teaching,
and another of the fear of God." To this Trypho said
to me, "I wish you knew that you are beside yourself,
talking these sentiments." And
I said to him, "Listen, O friend,(6) for I am not mad
or beside myself; but it was prophesied that, after the ascent
of Christ to heaven, He would deliver(7) us from error and
give us gifts. The words are these: 'He ascended up on
high; He led captivity captive; He gave gifts to men.'(8)
Accordingly, we who have received gifts from
Christ, who has ascended up on high, prove from the words
of prophecy that you, 'the wise in yourselves, and the men
of understanding in your own eyes,'(9) are foolish, and honour
God and His Christ by lip only.
CHAP.
LXXXII. "For the
prophetical gifts remain with us, even to the present time.
And hence you ought to understand that
[the gifts] formerly among your nation have been transferred
to us. And just as there were false prophets contemporaneous
with your holy prophets, so
are there now many false teachers amongst us, of whom
our Lord forewarned us to beware; so that in no respect are
we deficient, since we know that He foreknew all that would
happen to us after His resurrection from the dead and ascension
to heaven.
CHAP.
LXXXVII. Hereupon Trypho, after I had spoken these words, said, "Do not now suppose that I
am endeavouring, by asking what I do ask, to overturn the
statements you have made; but I wish to receive information
respecting those very points about which I now inquire. Tell
me, then, how, when the Scripture asserts by Isaiah, 'There
shall come forth a rod from the root of Jesse; and a flower
shall grow up from the root of Jesse; and the Spirit of God shall rest upon Him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel
and might, the spirit of knowledge and piety: and the spirit
of the fear of the Lord shall fill Him:'(1) (now you admitted
to me," continued he, "that this referred to Christ,
and you maintain Him to be pre-existent God, and having become
incarnate by God's will, to be born man by the Virgin:) how He can be demonstrated to have been pre-existent,
who is filled with the powers of the Holy Ghost, which the
Scripture by Isaiah enumerates, as if He were in lack of them?"
Then I replied, "You have inquired
most discreetly and most prudently, for truly there does seem
to be a difficulty; but listen to what I say, that you may
perceive the reason of this also. The
Scripture says that these enumerated powers of the Spirit
have come on Him, not because He stood in need of them, but
because they would rest in Him, i.e., would find their accomplishment
in Him, so that there would be no more prophets in your nation
after the ancient custom: and this fact you plainly perceive.
For after Him no prophet has arisen among you. Now,
that [you may know that] your prophets, each receiving some
one or two powers from God, did and spoke the things which
we have learned from the Scriptures, attend to the following
remarks of mine. Solomon possessed the spirit of wisdom, Daniel that of understanding and
counsel, Moses that of might and piety, Elijah that of fear,
and Isaiah that of knowledge; and so with the others:
each possessed one power, or one joined alternately with another;
also Jeremiah, and the twelve [prophets],
and David, and, in short, the rest who existed amongst you.
Accordingly He(2) rested, i.e., ceased, when He came,
after whom, in the times of this dispensation wrought out
by Him amongst men,(3) it was requisite that such gifts should cease from you; and having received
their rest in Him, should again, as had been predicted, become
gifts which, from the grace of His Spirit's power, He imparts
to those who believe in Him, according as
He deems each man worthy thereof. I have already said,
and do again say, that it had been prophesied that this would
be done by Him after His ascension to heaven. It is accordingly said,(4) 'He ascended on
high, He led captivity captive, He gave gifts unto the sons
of men.' And again, in another prophecy it is said:
'And it shall come to pass after this, I will pour out My
Spirit on all flesh, and on My servants, and on My handmaids,
and they shall prophesy.'(5) CHAP. LXXXVIII. "Now,
it is possible to see amongst us women and men who possess
gifts of the Spirit of God; so that it was prophesied
that the powers enumerated by Isaiah would come upon Him,
not because He needed power, but because
these would not continue after Him.
Irenaeus
–
AGAINST
HERESIES, BOOK I
CHAP.
XIII. 1. But(2) there is another among these heretics, Marcus
by name, who boasts himself as having improved upon his master.
He is a perfect adept in magical impostures, and by this means
drawing away a great number of men, and not a few women, he
has induced them to join themselves to him, as to one who
is possessed of the greatest knowledge and perfection, and
who has received the highest power from the invisible and
ineffable regions above. Thus
it appears as if he really were the precursor of Antichrist.
…3. It appears
probable enough that this man possesses a demon as his familiar
spirit, by means of whom he seems able to prophesy,(6) and
also enables as many as he counts worthy to be partakers of
his Charis themselves to prophesy. He devotes himself
especially to women, and those such as are well-bred, and
elegantly attired, and of great wealth, whom he frequently
seeks to draw after him, by addressing them in
such seductive words as these: "I am eager to make thee
a partaker of my Charis, since the Father of all doth
continually behold thy angel before His face. Now the place
of thy angel is among us:(7) it behoves us to become one.
Receive first from
me and by me [the gift of] Charis. Adorn thyself as a
bride who is expecting her bridegroom, that thou mayest be
what I am, and I what thou art. Establish the germ of light
in thy nuptial chamber. Receive from me a spouse, and become
receptive of him, while thou art received by him. Behold Charis has descended upon thee; open thy mouth and prophesy."
On the woman replying," I have never at any time prophesied,
nor do I know how to prophesy;" then engaging, for the
second time, in certain invocations, so as to astound his
deluded victim, he says to her," Open thy mouth, speak
whatsoever occurs to thee, and thou shalt prophesy."
She then, vainly puffed up and elated by these words, and
greatly excited in soul by the expectation that it is herself
who is to prophesy, her heart beating violently [from emotion],
reaches the requisite pitch of audacity, and idly
as well as impudently utters some nonsense as it happens
to occur to her, such as might be expected from one heated
by an empty spirit. (Referring to this, one superior to me
has observed, that the soul is both audacious and impudent
when heated with empty air.) Henceforth
she reckons herself a prophetess, and expresses her thanks
to Marcus for having imparted to her of his own Charis.
Irenaeus
–
AGAINST
HERESIES, BOOK II
CHAP.
XXXI. 2. Moreover, those also will be thus confuted who belong
to Simon and Carpocrates,
and if there be any others who are said to perform miracles--who
do not perform what they do either through the power of God,
or in connection with the truth, nor for the well-being of
men, but for the sake of destroying and misleading mankind,
by means of magical deceptions, and with universal deceit,
thus entailing greater harm than good on those who believe
them, with respect to the point on which they lead them astray.
For they can neither
confer sight on the blind, nor hearing on the deaf, nor chase
away all sorts of demons--[none, indeed,] except those that
are sent into others by themselves, if they can even do so
much as this. Nor can they cure the weak, or the lame, or
the paralytic, or those who are distressed in any other part
of the body, as has often been done in regard to bodily infinity.
Nor can they furnish effective remedies for those external
accidents which may occur. And
so far are they from being able to raise the dead, as the
Lord raised them, and the apostles did by means of prayer,
and as has been frequently done in the brotherhood on account
of some necessity... 3. But they are altogether
full of deceit of every kind, apostate inspiration, demoniacal
working, and the phantasms of idolatry, and
are in reality the predecessors of that dragon(5) who, by
means of a deception of the same kind, will with his tail
cause a third part of the stars to fall from their place,
and will cast them down to the earth. It behoves us to flee
from them as we would from him; and
the greater the display with which they are said to perform
[their marvels], the more carefully should we watch them,
as having been endowed with a greater spirit of wickedness.
CHAP.
XXXII. 3. And if they
have in truth accomplished anything [remarkable] by means
of magic, they strive [in this way] deceitfully to lead
foolish people astray, since they confer no real benefit or blessing on
those over whom they declare that they exert [supernatural]
power; but, bringing forward mere boys(1) [as the subjects
on whom they practise], and deceiving their sight, while they
exhibit phantasms that instantly cease, and do not endure
even a moment of time,(2) they
are proved to be like, not Jesus our Lord, but Simon the magician.
CHAP.
XXXII. 4. …Wherefore,
also, those who are in truth His disciples, receiving grace
from Him, do in His name perform [miracles], so as to promote
the welfare of other men, according to the gift which each
one has received from Him. For some do certainly and truly
drive out devils, so that those who have thus been cleansed
from evil spirits frequently both believe [in Christ], and
join themselves to the Church. Others have foreknowledge of
things to come: they see visions, and utter prophetic expressions.
Others still, heal the sick by laying their hands upon them,
and they are made whole. Yea, moreover, as I have said, the
dead even have been raised up, and remained(5) among us for
many years. And what shall I more say? It is not possible
to name the number of the gifts which the Church, [scattered]
throughout the whole world, has received from God, in the
name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
and which she exerts day by day for the benefit of the Gentiles,
neither practising deception upon any, nor taking any reward(6)
from them Ion account of such miraculous interpositions].
For as she has received freely(7) from God, freely also does
she minister [to others]. 5. Nor
does she perform anything by means of angelic invocations,(8)
or by incantations, or
by any other wicked curious art; but, directing her prayers
to the Lord, who made all things, in a pure, sincere,
and straightforward spirit, and calling upon the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ, she
has been accustomed to work(9) miracles for the advantage
of mankind, and not to lead them into error. If, therefore,
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ even now confers benefits
[upon men], and cures thoroughly and effectively all who anywhere
believe on Him, but not that of Simon, or
Menander, or Carpocrates, or of any other man whatever, it
is manifest that, when He was made man, He held fellowship with His own creation, and(10) did all things truly
through the power of God, according to the will of the Father
of all, as the prophets had foretold.
Irenaeus
–
AGAINST
HERESIES, BOOK III
CHAP.
XI. 8. For Marcion, rejecting the entire Gospel, yea rather,
cutting himself off from the Gospel, boasts that he has part
in the [blessings of] the Gospel.(4) Others,
again (the Montanists), that
they may set at nought the gift of the Spirit, which in the
latter times has been, by the good pleasure of the Father,
poured out upon the human race, do not admit that aspect
[of the evangelical dispensation] presented by John's Gospel, in which the Lord promised that He would send
the Paraclete;(5) but
set aside at once both the Gospel and the
prophetic Spirit. Wretched men indeed! who wish to be pseudo-prophets, forsooth, but who set aside the gift of prophecy
from the Church; acting like those (the Encratitae)(6) who, on account of such as come in hypocrisy, hold
themselves aloof from the communion of the brethren. We must conclude, moreover, that these men (the Montanists) can not admit the Apostle Paul either.
For, in his Epistle to the Corinthians,(7)
he speaks expressly of prophetical gifts, and recognises men and women prophesying
in the Church.
NOTE:
The quote below indicates that baptism by fire has nothing
to do with charismatic gifts, but the fire of judgment that
destroys the wicked at Christ’s second coming.
Irenaeus
–
AGAINST
HERESIES, BOOK IV
CHAP.
IV. 3. But why do we speak of Jerusalem, since, indeed, the
fashion of the whole world must also pass away, when the time
of its disappearance has come, in order that the fruit indeed
may be gathered into the garner, but the
chaff, left behind, may be consumed by fire? "For the
day of the Lord cometh as a burning furnace, and all sinners
shall be stubble, they who do evil things, and the day shall
burn them up."(6) Now, who this Lord is that brings such
a day about, John the Baptist points out, when he says of
Christ, "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and
with fire, having His fan in His hand to cleanse His floor;
and He will gather His fruit into the garner, but the chaff He will burn up with unquenchable
fire."(7)
CHAP.
IX. 2. For one and
the same Lord, who is greater than the temple, greater
than Solomon, and greater than Jonah, confers
gifts upon men, that is, His own presence, and the resurrection
from the dead; but He does not change God, nor proclaim
another Father, but that very same one, who always has more to measure out to those
of His household. And as their love towards God increases,
He bestows more and greater [gifts]; as also the Lord said
to His disciples: "Ye shall see greater things than these."(7)
And Paul declares: "Not that I have already attained,
or that I am justified, or already have been made perfect.
For we know in part, and we
prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect has come,
the things which are in part shall be done away."(8)
… 3. For the
new covenant having been known and preached by the prophets,
He who was to carry it out according to the good pleasure
of the Father was also preached; having been revealed to men
as God pleased; that they might always make progress through
believing in Him, and by means of the [successive] covenants,
should gradually attain to perfect salvation.(1) For there
is one salvation and one God; but the precepts which form
the man are numerous, and the steps which lead man to God
are not a few. It is allowable for an earthly and temporal
king, though he is [but] a man, to grant to his subjects greater
advantages at times: shall not this then be lawful for God,
since He is [ever] the same, and is always willing to confer a greater
[degree of] grace upon the human race, and to honour continually
with many gifts those who please Him? … CHAP. XI. 2. For neither does God at any time cease to confer benefits upon, or to
enrich man; nor does man ever cease from receiving the
benefits, and being enriched by God. For the receptacle of
His goodness, and the instrument of His glorification, is
the man who is grateful to Him that made him; and again, the
receptacle of His just judgment is the ungrateful man, who
both despises his Maker and is not subject to His Word; who
has promised that He will give very much to those always bringing
forth fruit, and more [and more] to those who have the
Lord's money. "Well done," He says, "good and
faithful servant: because
thou hast been faithful in little, I will appoint thee over
many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."(8)
The Lord Himself thus promises very much. 3. As, therefore,
He has promised to
give very much to those who do now bring forth fruit, according
to the gift of His grace, but
not according to the changeableness of "knowledge;"
for the Lord remains the same, and the same Father is revealed;
thus, therefore, has the one and the same Lord granted,
by means of His advent, a
greater gift of grace to those of a later period, than what
He had granted to those under the Old Testament dispensation.
For they indeed used to hear, by means of [His] servants,
that the King would come, and they rejoiced to a certain extent,
inasmuch as they hoped for His coming; but those who have beheld Him actually present, and have obtained liberty,
and been made partakers of His gifts, do possess a greater
amount of grace, and a higher degree of exultation, rejoicing
because of the King's arrival…
Irenaeus
–
AGAINST
HERESIES, BOOK IV
CHAP.
XX. 6. …Thus, therefore,
was God revealed; for God the Father is shown forth through
all these [operations], the Spirit indeed working, and the
Son ministering, while the Father was approving, and man's
salvation being accomplished. As He also declares through
Hosea the prophet: "I," He says, "have multiplied visions, and have used similitudes by the
ministry (in manibus) of the prophets."(7) But the apostle
expounded this very passage, when he said, "Now there
are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are
differences of ministrations, but the same Lord; and there
are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which
worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is
given to every man to profit withal."(8) …7. Therefore
the Son of the Father declares [Him] from the beginning, inasmuch
as He was with the Father from the beginning, who did also show to the human race prophetic
visions, and diversities of gifts, and His own ministrations,
and the glory of the Father, in
regular order and connection, at the fitting time for the
benefit [of mankind]. For where there is a regular succession, there
is also fixedness; and where fixedness, there suitability
to the period; and where suitability, there also utility.
NOTE:
In the quote below, it is interesting that Irenaeus uses the
word “suggestions” with regard to how the Holy Spirit led
men to do supernatural works. This seems conceptually equivalent
to Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 14:32 that “the spirits
of the prophets are subject to the prophets.”
CHAP.
XX. 8. For the prophets
used not to prophesy in word alone, but in visions also,
and in their mode of life, and
in the actions which they performed, according
to the suggestions of the Spirit.
CHAP.
XXXIII. I. A spiritual
disciple of this sort truly receiving the Spirit of God,
who was from the beginning, in all the dispensations of God,
present with mankind, and announced things future, revealed
things present, and narrated things past--[such a man] does indeed "judge all men, but is himself judged
by no man."(11)…6. He
shall also judge false prophets, who, without having received
the gift of prophecy from God, and not possessed of the fear
of God, but either for the sake of vainglory, or with a view
to some personal advantage, or acting in some other way under
the influence of a wicked spirit, pretend to utter prophecies,
while all the time they lie against God.
CHAP.
XXXVIII. 2. And on
this account does Paul declare to the Corinthians, "I
have fed you with milk, not with meat, for hitherto ye were
not able to bear it."(2) That is, ye have indeed
learned the advent of our Lord as a man; nevertheless, because
of your infirmity,
the Spirit of the Father has not as yet rested upon you.
"For when envying and strife," he says, "and dissensions
are among you, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?"(3)
That is, that the Spirit of the Father was not yet with them,
on account of their imperfection and shortcomings of their
walk in life. As, therefore, the apostle had the power to
give them strong meat--for those upon whom the apostles laid
hands received the Holy Spirit, who is the food of life [eternal]--but
they were not capable of receiving it, because they had the
sentient faculties of the soul still feeble and undisciplined
in the practice of things pertaining to God...
Irenaeus
–
AGAINST
HERESIES, BOOK V.
CHAP.
VI. 1. For this reason
does the apostle declare, "We speak wisdom among them
that are perfect,"(6) terming those persons "perfect"
who have received the Spirit of God, and who through the Spirit
of God do speak in all languages, as he used Himself also
to speak. In like manner we do also hear many brethren in
the Church, who possess prophetic gifts, and who through the
Spirit speak all kinds of languages, and bring to light for
the general benefit the hidden things of men, and declare
the mysteries of God, whom also the apostle terms "spiritual,"
they being spiritual
because they partake of the Spirit, and not because their
flesh has been stripped off and taken away, and because they
have become purely spiritual…But
when the spirit here blended with the soul is united to [God's]
handiwork, the man is rendered spiritual and perfect because
of the outpouring of the Spirit, and this is he who was
made in the image and likeness of God.
CHAP.
VIII. 1. But we do now receive a certain portion of His Spirit, tending towards
perfection, and preparing us for incorruption, being little
by little accustomed to receive and bear God; which
also the apostle terms "an earnest," that is,
a part of the honour which has been promised us by God, where
he says in the Epistle to the Ephesians, "In which ye
also, having heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation,
believing in which we
have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is
the earnest of our inheritance."(10) This earnest, therefore,
thus dwelling in us, renders us spiritual even now, and
the mortal is swallowed up by immortality.(11) "For ye,"
he declares, "are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit,
if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you."(12) This,
however does not take place by a casting away of the flesh,
but by the impartation of the Spirit. For those to whom he was writing
were not without flesh, but they were those who
had received the Spirit of God, "by which we cry, Abba,
Father."(13) ...2. Those persons, then, who possess the earnest of the Spirit, and who are
not enslaved by the lusts of the flesh, but are subject
to the Spirit, and who in all things walk according to the
light of reason, does the apostle properly term "spiritual," because the Spirit
of God dwells in them. Now, spiritual men shall not be
incorporeal spirits; but our substance, that is, the union
of flesh and spirit, receiving the Spirit of God, makes up
the spiritual man. But those who do indeed reject the Spirit's counsel, and are the slaves of fleshly lusts,
and lead lives contrary
to reason, and who, without restraint, plunge headlong into
their own desires, having no longing after the Divine Spirit,
do live after the manner of swine and of dogs; these men,
[I say], does the apostle very properly term
"carnal," because they have no thought of anything
else except carnal things.
NOTE:
The quote below is included because it indicates that sickness
comes upon men in general because of sin, which contrasts
to an idea sometimes found in charismatic churches that sicknesses
and infirmities result from demonic possession.
CHAP.
XV. 2. …And thus also
He healed by a word all the others who were in a weakly condition
because of sin; to whom also He said, "Behold, thou art
made whole, sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon thee:"(3)
pointing out by this, that, because of the sin of disobedience,
infirmities have come upon men. To that man, however,
who had been blind from his birth, He gave sight, not by means
of a word, but by an outward action; doing this not without
a purpose, or because it so happened, but that He might show
forth the hand of God, that which at the beginning had moulded
man. And therefore, when His disciples asked Him for what
cause the man had been born blind, whether for his own or
his parents' fault, He replied, "Neither hath this man
sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God should
be made manifest in him."(4) …CHAP. XVII.
2. …And when He had said this, He commanded the paralytic
man to take up the pallet upon which he was lying, and go
into his house. By this work of His He confounded the unbelievers,
and showed that He is Himself the voice of God, by which man
received commandments,
which he broke, and became a sinner; for the paralysis followed
as a consequence of sins.
CHAP.
XXVIII. 2. ...After
this he likewise describes his armour-bearer, whom he also
terms a false prophet: "He spake as a dragon, and
exercised all the power of the first beast in his sight, and
caused the earth, and those that dwell therein, to adore the
first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he shall perform great wonders, so that he can even cause fire
to descend from heaven upon the earth in the sight of men,
and he shall lead the inhabitants of the earth astray."(4)
Let no one imagine that he performs these wonders by divine power, but
by the working of magic. And we must not be surprised
if, since the demons and apostate spirits are
at his service, he through their means performs wonders, by
which he leads the inhabitants of the earth astray.
17)
View of the Christians Relationship to Governments
and Participation in War
The
nations are ruled over by angels, particularly evil angels.
Satan acquired (or rather abused this authority) when he
took men captive by means of sin. Nevertheless, God
still retained oversight (or at least passive approval for
the time) of which men came to rule at which time, appointing
such men to administer justice. Christians were to live
obediently to the laws of the nations in which they lived,
were not to rebel against the government, but were to submit
to the laws even to death if condemned for their Christian
faith. However, although they were the subjects of such
governments, and obedient subjects, Christians were citizens
of Jesus’ coming kingdom rather than of the countries in which
they lived. Christians were not to participate in war.
Mathetes
–
THE
EPISTLE OF MATHETES TO DIOGNETUS
CHAP.
V. For the Christians
are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language,
nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit
cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech,
nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The
course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by
any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do
they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any
merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian
cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined,
and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing,
food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display
to us their wonderful and confessedly striking[9] method of
life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply
as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with
others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every
foreign land is to them as their native country, and every
land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry,
as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy
their offspring.[10] They have a common table, but not a common
bed.[1] They are in the flesh, but they do not live after
the flesh.[2] They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven.[3] They
obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the
laws by their lives.
CHAP.
VI. To sum up all in one word--what the soul is in the body,
that are Christians in the world. The
soul is dispersed through all the members of the body, and
Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world.
The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians
dwell in the world, yet are not of the world.[7]
Justin
Martyr –
THE
FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN
CHAP.
XVII. And everywhere
we, more readily than all men, endeavour to pay to those appointed
by you the taxes both ordinary and extraordinary,(9) as we
have been taught by Him; for at that time some came to Him
and asked Him, if one ought to pay tribute to Caesar; and
He answered, "Tell Me, whose image does the coin bear?"
And they said, "Caesar's." And again He answered
them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are
Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."(10)
Whence to God alone we render worship, but in other things
we gladly serve you, acknowledging you as kings and rulers
of men, and praying that with your kingly power you be
found to possess also sound judgment.
CHAP.
XXXIX. And when the
Spirit of prophecy speaks as predicting things that are to
come to pass, He speaks in this way: "For out of Zion
shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among the nations,
and shall rebuke many people; and
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their
spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."(12)
And that it did so
come to pass, we can convince you. For from Jerusalem there
went out into the world, men, twelve in number, and these
illiterate, of no ability in speaking: but by the power
of God they proclaimed to every race of men that they were sent by Christ to
teach to all the word of God; and we who formerly used to
murder one another do not only now refrain from making war
upon our enemies, but also, that we may not lie nor deceive
our examiners, willingly
die confessing Christ. … CHAP. XL.
…The Lord said to Me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten
Thee. Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen
for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth
as Thy possession. Thou shall herd them with a rod of iron;
as the vessels of a potter shalt Thou dash them in pieces.
"
Dialogue
of Justin –
PHILOSOPHER
AND MARTYR, WITH TRYPHO, A JEW
CHAP.
CIX. "But that
the Gentiles would repent of the evil in which they led erring
lives, when they heard the doctrine preached by His apostles
from Jerusalem, and which they learned(3) through them,
suffer me to show you
by quoting a short statement from the prophecy of Micah, one
of the twelve [minor prophets]. This
is as follows: 'And in the last days the mountain of the
Lord shall be manifest, established on the top of the mountains;
it shall be exalted above the hills, arid people shall flow
unto it.(4) And many nations shall go, and say, Come, let
us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of
the God of Jacob; and they shall enlighten us in His way,
and we shall walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth
the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among many peoples, and shall rebuke strong nations
afar off; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
and their spears into sickles: nation shall not lift up a
sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
…CHAP. CX. O unreasoning men! understanding not what has been
proved by all these passages, that two advents of Christ have
been announced: the one, in which He is set forth as suffering,
inglorious, dishonoured, and crucified; but the other, in
which He shall come from heaven with glory, when the man of
apostasy,(6) who speaks strange things against the Most High,
shall venture to do unlawful deeds on the earth against us
the Christians, who, having learned the true worship
of God from the law, and the word which went forth from Jerusalem
by means of the apostles of Jesus, have fled for safety to the God of Jacob and God of Israel; and we who were filled with war, and mutual slaughter, and every wickedness,
have each through the
whole earth changed our warlike weapons,--our swords into
ploughshares, and our spears into implements of tillage,--and
we cultivate piety, righteousness, philanthropy, faith, and
hope, which we have from the Father Himself through Him who
was crucified.
Irenaeus
–
AGAINST
HERESIES, BOOK II
CHAP.
XXXII. …and not only
not to strike, but even, when themselves struck, to present
the other cheek [to those that maltreated them]; and not only
not to refuse to give up the property of others, but even
if their own were taken away, not to demand it back again
from those that took it; and not only not to injure their neighbours, nor to do them any evil,
but also, when themselves wickedly dealt with, to be long-suffering,
and to show kindness towards those [that injured them], and
to pray for them, that by means of repentance they might be
saved--so that we should in no respect imitate the arrogance,
lust, and pride of others.
Irenaeus
–
AGAINST
HERESIES, BOOK IV.
CHAP.
XXXIV. 4. If any one,
however, advocating the cause of the Jews, do maintain that
this new covenant consisted in the rearing of that temple
which was built under Zerubbabel after the emigration to Babylon,
and in the departure of the people from thence after the lapse
of seventy years, let him know that the temple constructed
of stones was indeed then rebuilt (for as yet that law was
observed which had been made upon tables of stone), yet no
new covenant was given, but they used the Mosaic law until
the coming of the Lord; but from the Lord's advent, the new covenant which brings back peace,
and the law which gives life, has gone forth over the whole
earth, as the prophets said: "For out of Zion shall
go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem;
and He shall rebuke many people; and they shall break down their swords into ploughshares, and their spears
into pruning-hooks, and they shall no longer learn to fight."(1)
If therefore another
law and word, going forth from Jerusalem, brought in such
a [reign of] peace among the Gentiles which received it (the
word), and convinced, through them, many a nation of its
folly, then [only] it appears that the prophets spake of some
other person. But if
the law of liberty, that is, the word of God, preached by
the apostles (who went forth from Jerusalem) throughout all
the earth, caused such a change in the state of things, that
these [nations] did form the swords and war-lances into ploughshares,
and changed them into pruning-hooks for reaping the corn,
[that is], into instruments used for peaceful purposes, and
that they are now unaccustomed to fighting, but when smitten,
offer also the other cheek,(2) then the prophets have
not spoken these things of any other person, but of Him who
effected them.
NOTE:
The remainder of the quotes below indicate
that the nations are ruled over by angels.
Papias
–
FRAGMENTS
OF PAPIAS, FROM THE EXPOSITION OF THE ORACLES OF THE LORD.(1)
VII.
To some of them [angels]
He gave dominion over the arrangement of the world, and
He commissioned them to exercise their dominion well.
Clement
–
THE
FIRST EPISTLE OF CLEMENT TO THE CORINTHIANS
CHAP.
XXIX. Let us then draw near to Him with holiness of spirit,
lifting up pure and undefiled hands unto Him, loving our gracious
and merciful Father, who has made us partakers in the blessings
of His elect.(15) For thus it is written, "When the Most
High divided the nations, when He scattered(16) the sons of Adam, He
fixed the bounds of the nations according to the number of
the angels of God. His people Jacob became the portion
of the Lord, and Israel the lot of His inheritance."(1)
And in another place [the Scripture] saith, "Behold,
the Lord taketh unto Himself a nation out of the midst of
the nations, as a man takes the first-fruits of his threshing-floor;
and from that nation shall come forth the Most Holy.(2)
Justin
Martyr –
THE
SECOND APOLOGY OF JUSTIN
CHAP.
I. Romans, the things which have recently(1) happened in your
city under Urbicus,(2) and the
things which are likewise being everywhere unreasonably done
by the governors...and the evil demons, who hate us, and
who keep such men as
these subject to themselves, and serving them in the capacity
of judges, incite them, as rulers actuated by evil spirits,
to put us to death.
Chapter
V. But if this idea take possession of some one, that if we
acknowledge God as our helper, we should not, as we say, be
oppressed and persecuted by the wicked; this, too, I will
solve. God, when He had made the whole world, and
subjected things earthly to man, and arranged the heavenly
elements for the increase of fruits and rotation of the seasons, and appointed this divine law-for these things also He evidently made for man-committed the care of men
and of all things under
heaven to angels whom He appointed over them.
Chapter
IX. We know that the wicked angels appointed laws conformable to their own wickedness,
in which the men who are like them delight.
Dialogue
of Justin –
PHILOSOPHER
AND MARTYR, WITH TRYPHO, A JEW
CHAP.
LXXVIII. For that expression of Isaiah 'He shall take the power of Damascus and spoils of Samaria,'
foretold that the power of the evil demon that dwelt in Damascus should be overcome by Christ as soon
as He was born; and this is proved to have happened. For
the Magi, who were held in bondage(2) for the commission of
all evil deeds through the power of that demon, by coming
to worship Christ, shows that they have revolted from that dominion which held them captive; and
this[dominion] the Scripture has showed us to reside in Damascus.
CHAP.
LXXIX. On this, Trypho,
who was somewhat angry, but respected the Scriptures, as was
manifest from his countenance, said
to me, "The utterances of God are holy, but your
expositions are mere contrivances, as is plain from what has
been explained by you; nay, even blasphemies, for you assert that
angels sinned and revolted from God." ...But that you may know, sir," continued I, "that it is not
our audacity which has induced us to adopt this exposition,
which you reprehend, I
shall give you evidence from Isaiah himself; for he affirms
that evil angels have dwelt and do dwell in Tanis, in Egypt.
These are[his] words: 'Woe to the rebellious children!
Thus saith the Lord, You have taken counsel, but not through
Me; and[made] agreements, but not through My Spirit, to add
sins to sins; who have sinned(6) in going down to Egypt (but
they have not inquired at Me), that they may be assisted by
Pharaoh, and be covered with the shadow of the Egyptians.
For the shadow of Pharaoh shall be a disgrace to you, and
a reproach to those who trust in the Egyptians; for
the princes in Tanis(7) are evil angels.
In vain will they labour for a people which will not profit
them by assistance, but [will be] for a disgrace and a reproach[to
them].'(8) …And you are aware that David said, 'The gods of the nations are demons.'
"(13)
CHAP.
LXXXIII. But our Jesus,
who has not yet come in glory, has sent into Jerusalem a rod
of power, namely, the word of calling and repentance [meant] for all nations over which demons held sway, as David says, 'The gods of the nations are
demons.'
CHAP.
CXXXI. "But I shall quote the passage by which it is
made known that God
divided all the nations. It is as follows: 'Ask thy father,
and he will show thee; thine eiders, and they will tell thee;
when the Most High
divided the nations, as He dispersed the sons of Adam. He
set the bounds of the nations according to the numbers of
the children of Israel; and the Lord's portion became His people
Jacob, and Israel
was the lot of His inheritance.'"(2) And
having said this, I added: "The Seventy have translated
it, 'He set the bounds of the nations according to the number
of the angels of God.'
Irenaeus
–
AGAINST
HERESIES, BOOK III
CHAP.
XII. 9. Now in this
passage he does not only declare
to them God as the Creator of the world, no Jews being present,
but that He did also make one race of men to dwell upon all
the earth; as also Moses declared: "When the Most High divided the nations,
as He scattered the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the
nations after the number of the angels of God;"(9) but
that people which believes in God is not now under the power
of angels, but under the Lord's [rule].
NOTE:
In the quote below, Irenaeus states that the devil does not
have dominion over the nations. However, his point must be
viewed in its context. First, Irenaeus says this to remove
any place for the Gnostic idea that the world is ruled by
a lower god who created the world in error and that Christ
was an even higher being sent to free men from this lower
god. Consequently, Irenaeus must show that the devil is neither
the creator of the world nor the proper ruler of the world,
thereby showing utter incompatibility with the Gnostic views.
Second, Irenaues does at the end acknowledge two important
facts. He acknowledges that in order to punish men for disobedience
God allows some men to rule who are themselves unrighteous.
Certainly the devil’s reign on earth could arguably fit this
description. And he states that the devil has affectively
invaded man’s territory, but through Christ, God has given
dominion back to man. In saying this, Irenaeus acknowledges
that the devil did have dominion over the earth, even if he
acquired it by usurping it through tricking men into sin so
that they would come under his authority of death. Additionally,
Irenaeus himself attests in CHAP. XXI, No. 3, Irenaeus states,
“For as in the beginning he enticed man to transgress his
Maker's law, and thereby got him into his power; yet his power
consists in transgression and apostasy, and with these he
bound man [to himself].” Thus Irenaeus attests that mankind
is under the power of the adversary by reason of our sin.
Irenaeus
–
AGAINST
HERESIES, BOOK V.
CHAP.
XXIV. 1. As therefore the devil lied at the beginning, so did he also in the end,
when he said, "All these are delivered unto me, and to
whomsoever I will I give them."(2) For
it is not he who has appointed the kingdoms of this world,
but God; for "the heart of the king is in the hand of
God."(3) And the Word also says by Solomon, "By
me kings do reign, and princes administer justice. By me chiefs
are raised up, and by me kings rule the earth."(4)
Paul the apostle also says upon this same subject: "Be
ye subject to all the higher powers; for there is no power
but of God: now those which are have been ordained of God."(5)
And again, in reference to them he says, "For he beareth
not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, the avenger
for wrath to him who does evil."(6) Now, that he spake
these words, not in regard to angelical powers, nor of invisible
rulers--as some venture to expound the passage--but of those
of actual human authorities, [he shows when] he says, "For this cause pay ye tribute also: for
they are God's ministers, doing service for this very
thing."(7) This also the Lord confirmed, when He did
not do what He was tempted to by the devil; but He gave directions
that tribute should be paid to the tax-gatherers for Himself
and Peter;(8) because "they are the ministers of God,
serving for this very thing." 2. For since man, by departing
from God, reached such a pitch of fury as even to look upon
his brother as his enemy, and engaged without fear in every
kind of restless conduct, and murder, and avarice; God
imposed upon mankind the fear of man, as they did not
acknowledge the fear of God, in order that, being
subjected to the authority of men, and kept under restraint
by their laws, they might attain to some degree of justice,
and exercise mutual
forbearance through dread of the sword suspended full in their
view, as the apostle says: "For he beareth not the
sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, the avenger
for wrath upon him who does evil." And for this reason too, magistrates themselves,
having laws as a clothing of righteousness whenever they act
in a just and legitimate manner, shall not be called in question
for their conduct, nor be liable to punishment. But whatsoever
they do to the subversion of justice, iniquitously, and
impiously, and illegally, and tyrannically, in these things shall they also
perish; for the just judgment of God comes equally upon all,
and in no case is defective. Earthly
rule, therefore, has been appointed by God for the benefit
of nations,(9) and not by the devil, who is never at rest
at all, nay, who does not love to see even nations conducting themselves after a quiet
manner, so that under the fear of human rule, men may
not eat each other up like fishes; but that, by means of the
establishment of laws, they may keep down an excess of wickedness
among the nations. And considered from this point of view,
those who exact tribute from us are "God's ministers,
serving for this very purpose." 3. As,
then, "the powers that be are ordained of God,"
it is clear that the devil lied when he said, "These
are delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will, I give them."
For by the law of the same Being as calls men into existence
are kings also appointed, adapted for those men who are at
the time placed under their government. Some of these [rulers]
are given for the correction and the benefit of their subjects,
and for the preservation of justice; but others, for the purposes
of fear and punishment and rebuke: others, as [the subjects] deserve it, are
for deception, disgrace, and pride; while the just judgment
of God, as I have observed already, passes equally upon all.
The devil, however, as he is the apostate angel, can only
go to this length, as he did at the beginning, [namely] to
deceive and lead astray the mind of man into disobeying the
commandments of God, and gradually to darken the hearts of
those who would endeavour to serve him, to the forgetting
of the true God, but to the adoration of himself as God. 4.
Just as if any one,
being an apostate, and seizing in a hostile manner another
man's territory, should harass the inhabitants of it, in order
that he might claim for himself the glory of a king among
those ignorant of his apostasy and robbery; so
likewise also the devil, being one among those angels who
are placed over the spirit of the air, as the Apostle
Paul has declared in his Epistle to the Ephesians,(1) becoming envious of man, was rendered
an apostate from the divine law: for envy is a thing foreign
to God. And as his apostasy was exposed by man, and man became
the [means of] searching out his thoughts (et examinatio sententioe
ejus, homo factus est), he has set himself to this with greater
and greater determination, in opposition to man, envying his
life, and wishing to involve him in his own apostate power.
The Word of God, however, the Maker of all
things, conquering him by means of human nature, and showing
him to be an apostate, has, on the contrary, put
him under the power of man. For
He says, "Behold, I confer upon you the power of treading
upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the
enemy,"(2) in order that, as he obtained dominion over
man by apostasy, so again his apostasy might be deprived of
power by means of man turning back again to God. CHAP.
XXV. 1. And not only by the particulars already mentioned,
but also by means of
the events which shall occur in the time of Antichrist is
it shown that he, being an apostate and a robber,
is anxious to be adored as God; and that, although a mere slave, he wishes himself to be proclaimed as a king.
For he (Antichrist)
being endued with all the power of the devil, shall come,
not as a righteous king, nor as a legitimate king, [i.e.,
one] in subjection to God, but an impious, unjust, and
lawless one.
18)
View of the Nature of Men, Angels, Demons and
Nephilim
The
human body, soul, and spirit are three distinct components
of a human being. Although spiritual, angels and heaven
itself are comprised of substance, a higher form of matter,
but corporeal in that sense rather than incorporeal. Angels
could interact with men and things on the earth and human
bodies could eat angelic bread and even be taken into heaven.
Some angels did come down to earth and take women as wives
even having children by them. Genesis 6 described these
historical events and pagan myths captured these events in
distorted form.
Justin
Martyr –
THE
FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN
CHAP.
V. Why, then, should this be? In our case, who pledge ourselves
to do no wickedness, nor to hold these atheistic opinions,
you do not examine the charges made against us; but, yielding
to unreasoning passion, and to the instigation of evil demons,
you punish us without consideration or judgment. For the truth shall be spoken; since of old
these evil demons, effecting apparitions of themselves, both
defiled women and corrupted boys, and showed such fearful
sights to men, that those who did not use their reason in
judging of the actions that were done, were struck with terror;
and being carried away by fear, and
not knowing that these were demons, they called them gods,
and gave to each the name which each of the demons chose for
himself. (1) … we not only deny that they who did such
things as these are gods, (2) but assert that they are wicked
and impious demons, (2) whose actions will not bear comparison
with those even of men desirous of virtue.
CHAP.
XXI. But far be such a thought concerning the gods from every
well-conditioned soul, as to believe that Jupiter himself, the governor and creator of all things, was both
a parricide and the son of a parricide, and that being overcome by the love of base and shameful pleasures, he came in
to Ganymede and those many women whom he had violated and
that his sons did like actions. But, as we said above, wicked
devils perpetrated these things.
Justin
Martyr –
THE
SECOND APOLOGY OF JUSTIN
Chapter
V. But the angels transgressed
this appointment, and were captivated by love of women, and
begat children who are those that are called demons… Whence
also the poets and mythologists, not knowing that it
was the angels and those demons who had been begotten by them
that did these things to men, and women, and cities, and
nations, which they related, ascribed them to god himself,
and to those who were accounted to be his very offspring,
and to the offspring of those who were called his brother),
Neptune and Pluto, and to the children again of these their
offspring. For whatever name each of the angels had given
to himself and his children, by that name they called them.
NOTE:
The quote below demonstrates that the early Christians perceived
not only the angels, but heavenly things themselves, as comprised
of corporeality and physicality so that they are able to consume
physical food and humans are even able to consume angelic
food. Such things were not non-corporeal as sometimes people
say concerning angels and heaven today. Justin stops short
of saying that Abraham’s visitors ate with jaws and teeth,
preferring to interpret “ate” as figurative to the idea of
fire consuming something. Here we would disagree with Justin,
however, given that Abraham perceived them as looking like
men, so they indeed did appear to have jaws and teeth. And
it is a stretch to think that they did not put the food into
those mouths and appear to chew. The natural reading of the
text is that Abraham saw what appeared to be men (although
he knew they were not mere men). Abraham then himself called
for physical food to be made, which itself implies that Abraham
perceived such visitors in the form of men would eat physical
food in a normal way. It seems odd to think that Abraham called
for food to be made thinking these visitors could not actually
eat it but might somehow consume it in a very different manner.
And of the course, the text simply records that they ate the
food, without the slightest hint that their eating was in
a manner other than would ordinarily be expected and without
the slightest hint of figurative meaning. And certainly, when
men ate the food of angels, it was demonstrated that the angel’s
food was in a form intended to be consumed by teeth and jaws.
Dialogue
of Justin –
PHILOSOPHER
AND MARTYR, WITH TRYPHO, A JEW
CHAP.
LVII. Then Trypho said
when I was silent, "That Scripture compels us to
admit this, is manifest; but
there is a matter about which we are deservedly at a loss--namely,
about what was said to the effect that[the Lord] ate what
was prepared and placed before him by Abraham; and you would
admit this." I
answered, "It
is written that they ate; and if we believe(2) that it is
said the three ate, and not the two alone--who were really
angels, and are nourished
in the heavens, as is evident to us, even though they are
not nourished by food similar to that which mortals use--(for,
concerning the sustenance of manna which supported your fathers
in the desert, Scripture speaks thus, that they ate angels'food):[if
we believe that three ate], then I would say that the Scripture
which affirms they ate bears the same meaning as
when we would say about fire that it has devoured all things;
yet it is not certainly understood that they ate, masticating with teeth and jaws.
So that not even here should we be at a loss about anything,
if we are acquainted even slightly
with figurative modes of expression, and able to rise
above them."
Justin
Martyr –
FRAGMENTS
OF THE LOST WORK OF JUSTIN ON THE RESURRECTION
CHAP.
IX. If He had no need of the flesh, why did He heal it? And
what is most forcible of all, He raised the dead. Why? Was
it not to show what the resurrection should be? How then did
He raise the dead? Their souls or their bodies? Manifestly
both. If the resurrection were only spiritual, it was requisite
that He, in raising the dead, should show the body lying apart
by itself, and the soul living apart by itself. But now He
did not do so, but raised the body, confirming in it the promise
of life. Why did He rise in the flesh in which He suffered,
unless to show the resurrection of the flesh? And wishing
to confirm this, when His disciples did not know whether to
believe He had truly risen in the body, and were looking upon
Him and doubting, He said to them, "Ye have not yet faith,
see that it is I;"(3) and He let them handle Him, and
showed them the prints of the nails in His hands. And when
they were by every kind of proof persuaded that it was Himself,
and in the body, they asked Him to eat with them, that they
might thus still more accurately ascertain that He had in
verity risen bodily; and He did eat honey-comb and fish. And
when He had thus shown them that there is truly a resurrection
of the flesh, wishing to show them this also, that it is not
impossible for flesh to ascend into heaven (as He had said
that our dwelling-place is in heaven), "He was taken
up into heaven while they beheld,"(4) as He was in the
flesh.
NOTE:
Concerning the quote below, it is certainly true that most
of the time, and generally speaking, the angels reside in
the invisible realm, in which case they do not have bodies
in the visible realm. Even the context hints that Irenaeus
is only speaking of their normal disposition with regard to
the visible realm, rather than whether or not they have any
matter or substance in the spiritual (i.e. the invisible)
realm. This hint comes in the last phrase, which states that
Jesus Christ became “visible” when he became incarnate.
Irenaeus
–
AGAINST
HERESIES, BOOK III
CHAP.XX.
4. Again, that it should not be a mere man who should save
us, nor [one] without flesh--for
the angels are without flesh--[the same prophet] announced,
saying: "Neither an eider,(1) nor angel, but the Lord
Himself will save them because He loves them, and will spare
them He will Himself set them free."(2) And that He should Himself become very man, visible…
NOTE:
The quote below is included simply because it describes the
nature of men, particularly using the terms body, soul, and
spirit distinctly from one another.
CHAP.XXII.
1. But every one will
allow that we are [composed of] a body taken from the earth,
and a soul receiving spirit from God.
Irenaeus
–
AGAINST
HERESIES, BOOK IV.
CHAP.
XXXVI. 4. Since the Son of God is always one and the same,
He gives to those who believe on Him a well of water(3) [springing
up] to eternal life, but He causes the unfruitful fig-tree
immediately to dry up; and in the days of Noah He justly brought on the deluge for the purpose of
extinguishing that most infamous race of men then existent,
who could not bring forth fruit to God, since the angels that
sinned had commingled with them, and [acted as He did]
in order that He might put a check upon the sins of these
men, but [that at the same time] He might preserve the archetype,(4)
the formation of Adam.
NOTE:
The quote below not only states that the soul and the spirit
are only parts of the man, and separate parts from one anther,
but also that it was the body of man, “the fleshy nature,”
which was molded after the image of God. (No doubt this refers
to man’s body being formed to resemble that form which the
pre-incarnate Word had already taken on at this point.)
Irenaeus
–
AGAINST
HERESIES, BOOK V.
CHAP.
VI. 1. Now the soul and the spirit are certainly a part of the man, but certainly
not the man; for the perfect man consists in the commingling
and the union of the soul receiving the spirit of the Father,
and the admixture of that fleshly nature which was moulded
after the image of God… 1. Thus also, if any one take away the image and set aside
the handiwork, he cannot then understand this as being a man,
but as either some part of a man, as I have already said,
or as something else than a man. For that
flesh which has been moulded is not a perfect man in itself,
but the body of a man, and part of a man. Neither
is the soul itself, considered apart by itself, the man; but
it is the soul of a man, and part of a man. Neither is the
spirit a man, for it is called the spirit, and not a man;
but the commingling
and union of all these constitutes the perfect man. And for
this cause does the apostle, explaining himself, make
it clear that the saved man is a complete man as well as a
spiritual man; saying thus in the first Epistle to the
Thessalonians, "Now
the God of peace sanctify you perfect (perfectos); and may
your spirit, and soul, and body be preserved whole without
complaint to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ."(1)
Now what was his object
in praying that these three--that is, soul, body, and spirit--
might be preserved to the coming of the Lord, unless he was
aware of the [future] reintegration and union
of the three, and [that they should be heirs of] one and
the same salvation? For this cause also he declares that those
are "the perfect" who present unto the Lord the
three [component parts] without offence. Those, then, are
the perfect who have had the Spirit of God remaining in them,
and have preserved their souls and bodies blameless, holding
fast the faith of God, that is, that faith which is [directed]
towards God, and maintaining righteous dealings with respect
to their neighbours.
CHAP.
VII. 1. In the same manner, therefore, as Christ
did rise in the substance of flesh, and pointed out to His
disciples the mark of the nails and the opening in His side(6)
(now these are the tokens of that flesh which rose from the
dead), so "shall He also," it is said, "raise
us up by His own power."(7) And again to the Romans he
says, "But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus
from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from
the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies."(8) What,
then, are mortal bodies? Can they be souls? Nay,
for souls are incorporeal when put in comparison with mortal
bodies; for God "breathed into the face of man the
breath of life, and man became a living soul." Now the breath of life is an incorporeal thing. And certainly they cannot
maintain that the very breath of life is mortal. Therefore
David says, "My soul also shall live to Him,"(1)
just as if its substance were immortal. Neither, on the other
hand, can they say that the spirit is the mortal body.
What therefore is there left to which we may apply the term
"mortal body," unless it be the thing that was moulded,
that is, the flesh, of which it is also said that God will
vivify it? For this it is which dies and is decomposed, but not the soul or the spirit.
For to die is to lose
vital power, and to become henceforth breathless, inanimate,
and devoid of motion, and to melt away into those [component
parts] from which also it derived the commencement of [its]
substance. But
this event happens neither to the soul, for it is the breath
of life; nor to the spirit, for the spirit is simple and not
composite, so that it cannot be decomposed, and is
itself the life of those who receive it. We
must therefore conclude that it is in reference to the flesh
that death is mentioned; which [flesh], after the soul's departure,
becomes breathless and inanimate, and is decomposed gradually
into the earth from which it was taken. This,
then, is what is mortal. And it is this of
which he also says," He shall also quicken your mortal
bodies." And therefore in reference to it he says, in
the first [Epistle] to the Corinthians: "So also is the
resurrection of the dead: it is sown in corruption, it rises
in incorruption."(2) For he declares, "That which
thou sowest cannot be quickened, unless first it die."(3)
2. But what is that which, like a grain of wheat,
is sown in the earth and decays, unless it be the bodies which
are laid in the earth, into which seeds are also cast? And
for this reason he said, "It is sown in dishonour, it
rises in glory."(4) For
what is more ignoble than dead flesh? Or, on the other hand,
what is more glorious than the same when it arises and partakes
of incorruption? "It is sown in weakness, it is raised
in power:"(5) in its own weakness certainly, because
since it is earth it goes to earth; but [it is quickened]
by the power of God, who raises it from the dead. "It
is sown an animal body, it rises a spiritual body."(6)
He has taught, beyond all doubt, that such
language was not used by him, either with reference to the
soul or to the spirit, but to bodies that have become corpses.
For these are animal bodies, that is, [bodies] which partake
of life, which when they have lost, they succumb to death;
then, rising through
the Spirit's instrumentality, they become spiritual bodies,
so that by the Spirit they possess a perpetual life.
CHAP.
IX. 1. Among the other [truths] proclaimed by the apostle,
there is also this one, "That
flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom
of God."(7) This is [the passage] which is adduced by all the heretics in support
of their folly, with an attempt to annoy us, and to point out that the handiwork of God is not saved. They do not take this fact into consideration,
that there are three things out of which, as I have shown,
the complete man is composed--flesh, soul, and spirit. One
of these does indeed preserve and fashion [the man]--this
is the spirit; while as to another it is united and formed--that
is the flesh; then [comes] that which is between these two--that
is the soul, which sometimes indeed, when it follows the spirit,
is raised up by it, but sometimes it sympathizes with the
flesh, and falls into carnal lusts. Those then, as many
as they be, who have not that which saves and forms [us] into
life [eternal], shall be, and shall be called, [mere] flesh
and blood; for these are they who have not the Spirit of God
in themselves. Wherefore men of this stamp are
spoken of by the Lord as "dead;" for, says He, "Let
the dead bury their dead,"(1) because they have not the
Spirit which quickens man. …3. And on this account he (the
apostle) declares, "As we have borne the image of him
who is of the earth, we shall also bear the image of Him who
is from heaven."(4) What,
therefore, is the earthly? That which was fashioned. And what
is the heavenly? The Spirit.
CHAP.
XV. 3. And therefore
he says,(3) "that mortality may be swallowed up of life.
He who has perfected us for this very thing is God, who also
has given unto us the earnest of the Spirit."(4)
He uses these words most manifestly in reference to the flesh;
for the soul is not mortal, neither is the spirit. Now,
what is mortal shall be swallowed up of life, when the flesh
is dead no longer, but remains living and incorruptible, hymning
the praises of God, who has perfected us for this very thing.
