SAMPLES IN IRENAEUS CHRISTOLOGY

LATIN TEXT: “...Per id igitur longe primum eum gigni annuntiavit et dominari eum in gentes...”

(IRENAEUS): “...And again David says: “The Lord said unto my Lord: Sit on my right hand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool. The rod of thy strength shall the Lord send forth from Sion; and rule thou in the midst of thy enemies. With thee IN THE BEGINNING in the day of thy power, in the brightness of the holy ones: FROM THE WOMB BEFORE THE MORNING-STAR I BEGAT THEE. The Lord sware and will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. And the Lord on thy right hand hath broken in pieces kings in the day of wrath: he shall judge among the Gentiles, he shall fill up the ruins, and shall break in pieces the heads of many on the earth? He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.” Now hereby he PROCLAIMED THAT HE CAME INTO BEING BEFORE ALL, and that He rules over the Gentiles and judges all mankind and the kings who now hate Him and persecute His name; for these are His enemies: and in calling Him God's priest for ever, he declared His immortality. And therefore he said: He shall drink of the brook in the way; therefore shall he lift up the head; proclaiming the exaltation with glory that followed on His humanity and humiliation and ingloriousness.[137]...” - (Chapter 48; Irenaeus, THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE APOSTOLIC PREACHING Translated by J. Armitage Robinson. 1920.)

(IRENAEUS): “...'therefore shall He lift up the head' By this, then, He declared that He CAME INTO BEING LONG BEFORE, and that He rules over nations...” - (Chapter 48; ST. IRENAEUS PROOF OF THE APOSTOLIC PREACHING Translated and Annotated by Joseph P. Smith 1952.)

IRENAEUS (c. 130-200 C.E.): "...Jesus Christ was appointed the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, as being THE FIRST-BEGOTTEN ( IN ) ALL THE CREATION; the Son of God being made the Son of man, that through Him we may receive the adoption..." — (Against Heresies, Book 3, chapter 16; ANF edited by Roberts & Donaldson)