THE DISCIPLES OF THE APOSTLES QUOTED IN IRENAEUS DECLARE THE EVER-LASTING ( SUB-ORDINATION ) OR ( SUBJECTION ) OF THE SON TO THE FATHER
UPDATED 19/5/2011 - Another translation has been added.
IRENAEUS QUOTING THE DISCIPLES OF THE APOSTLES (circa. 60 to 135 C.E.): “...For [1.] since there are real men, so must there also be a real establishment (plantationem), that they vanish not away among non-existent things, but progress among those which have an actual existence. For neither is the substance nor the essence of the creation annihilated (for faithful and true is He who has established it), but “the fashion of the world passeth away;”[4784] that is, those things among which transgression has occurred, since man has grown old in them. And therefore this [present] fashion has been formed temporary, God foreknowing all things; as I have pointed out in the preceding book,[4785] and have also shown, as far as was possible, the cause of the creation of this world of temporal things. But when this [present] fashion [of things] passes away, and man has been renewed, and flourishes in an incorruptible state, so as to preclude the possibility of becoming old, [then] there shall be the new heaven and the new earth, in which the new man shall remain [continually], [Page 567] always holding fresh converse with God. And since (or, that) these things shall ever continue without end, Isaiah declares, “For as the new heavens and the new earth which I do make, continue in my sight, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.”[4786] And as the presbyters say, Then those who are deemed worthy of an abode in heaven shall go there, others shall enjoy the delights of paradise, and others shall possess the splendour of the city; for everywhere the Saviour[4787] shall be seen according as they who see Him shall be worthy. [2.] [They say, moreover], that there is this distinction between the habitation of those who produce an hundred-fold, and that of those who produce sixty-fold, and that of those who produce thirty-fold: for the first will be taken up into the heavens, the second will dwell in paradise, the last will inhabit the city; and that was on this account the Lord declared, “In My Father’s house are many mansions.”[4788] For all things belong to God, who supplies all with a suitable dwelling-place; even as His Word says, THAT A SHARE IS ( ALLOTTED ) TO ALL ( BY ) THE FATHER, according as each person is or shall be worthy. And this is the couch on which the guests shall recline, having been invited to the wedding.[4789] THE PRESBYTERS, THE DISCIPLES OF THE APOSTLES, AFFIRM THAT THIS IS THE GRADATION AND ARRANGEMENT OF THOSE WHO ARE SAVED, and that they advance through steps of this nature; also that they ascend through the Spirit to the Son, and through the Son to the Father, and that in due time the Son will yield up His work to the Father, even as it is said by the apostle, “For He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”[4790] For in the times of the kingdom, the righteous man who is upon the earth shall then forget to die. “But when He saith, All things shall be subdued unto Him, it is manifest that He is excepted who did put all things under Him. And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.”[4791] [3.] JOHN, THEREFORE, DID DISTINCTLY FORESEE the first “resurrection of the just,”[4792] and the inheritance in the kingdom of the earth; AND WHAT THE PROPHETS HAVE PROPHESIED CONCERNING IT HARMONIZE [with his vision]. FOR THE LORD ALSO TAUGHT THESE THINGS, when He promised that He would have the mixed cup new with His disciples in the kingdom. THE APOSTLE, TOO, HAS CONFESSED that the creation shall be free from the bondage of corruption, [so as to pass] into the liberty of the sons of God.[4793] AND ( IN ) ALL THESE THINGS, AND ( BY ) THEM ALL, THE SAME GOD THE FATHER IS MANIFESTED, WHO FASHIONED MAN, AND GAVE PROMISE OF THE INHERITANCE OF THE EARTH TO THE FATHERS, who brought it (the creature) forth [from bondage] at the resurrection of the just, and fulfils the promises for the kingdom of His Son; subsequently bestowing in a paternal manner those things which neither the eye has seen, nor the ear has heard, nor has [thought concerning them] arisen within the heart of man,[4794] FOR THERE IS THE ONE SON, WHO ACCOMPLISHED HIS FATHER’S WILL; and one human race also in which the mysteries of God are wrought, “which the angels desire to look into;”[4795] and they are not able to search out the wisdom of God, by means of which His handiwork, confirmed and incorporated with His Son, is brought to perfection; that His offspring, the First-begotten Word, should descend to the creature (facturam), that is, to what had been moulded (plasma), and that it should be contained by Him; and, on the other hand, the creature should contain the Word, and ascend to Him, passing beyond the angels, and be made after the image and likeness of God.[4796]...” - (BOOK V, Chapter XXXVI. Paragraphs 1-3;—Men shall be actually raised: the world shall not be annihilated; but there shall be various mansions for the saints, according to the rank allotted to each individual. All things shall be subject to God the Father, and so shall He be all in all. Roberts & Donalsons ANF.)
[FOOTNOTE 4785]: Lib. iv. 5, 6.
[FOOTNOTE 4787]: Thus in a Greek fragment; in the Old Latin, Deus.
[FOOTNOTE 4796]: Grabe and others suppose that some part of the work has been lost, so that the above was not its original conclusion.
IRENAEUS QUOTING THE DISCIPLES OF THE APOSTLES (circa. 60 to 135 C.E.): “...This is the ordering and arrangement of those who are saved, say the elders, the disciples of the [Page 397] apostles, and they advance by such degrees, and by the Spirit they ascend to the Son and by the Son to the Father. Finally the Son will yield his work to the Father, as is said by the apostle: "For he must reign, until he shall put all enemies under his feet; death will be destroyed as the last enemy." For in the times of the Kingdom the just man then upon earth will already have forgotten how to die. "For when he says, All things will be subject, he clearly excepts him who subjected all things. But when all things are subject to him, then will the Son himself be subject to him who subjected all things to him, that God may be all in all."[1084] [Section 3]: John therefore predicted precisely the first resurrection of the just, and [their] inheritance of the earth in the Kingdom,[1085] and the prophets prophesied about this in agreement with each other. The Lord also taught thus, promising that he would enjoy the new mixture of the chalice with [his] disciples in the Kingdom. The apostle also confessed that the creature would be free from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the sons of God. In all and through all these things the same God the Father is manifest, who formed man, and promised to the Fathers the inheritance of the earth, who brings this [promise] forth at the resurrection of the just, and fulfills the promises in the Kingdom of his Son, afterwards bestowing with paternal love those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have they entered into the heart of man.[1086] Then there is one Son, who accomplished the Father's will, and one human race, in which the mysteries of God are accomplished, which angels long to behold.[1087] For they cannot search out the wisdom of God, by which what he had fashioned is perfected by being conformed and incorporated with the Son—or how that his offspring, the first-begotten Word, could descend into his creature, that is, into what he had fashioned, and be contained within it—and that the creature again should lay hold on the Word and should ascend to him, passing beyond the angels, and be made [anew] according to the image and likeness of God.[1088]...” - (Pages 396-397, Selections from the Work Against Heresies
by Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons: "The Refutation and Overthrow of the Knowledge Falsely So Called" in “THE LIBRARY OF CHRISTIAN CLASSICS” VOLUME 1, Early Christian Fathers. Editor: Cyril C. Richardson, Washburn Professor of Church History, Union Theological Seminary, New York.)
[FOOTNOTE 1088]: This final paragraph is a fine example of the vigorous and epigrammatic style of Irenaeus’ writing at its best, with barely a trace of the ponderous sentences in which he sometimes loses himself elsewhere in the effort to be impressive or to squeeze all aspects of a topic into one period.
[EMPHASIS ADDED]:
I would just like to focus one one part of this passage.
Heres how it is translated by some:
LATIN TEXT: "...et ( per ) huiusmodi gradus proficere, et ( per ) Spiritum quidem [4][ad] Filium, ( per ) Filium autem ascendere ( ad ) Patrem, Filio deinceps cedente Patri opus suum, quemadmodum et ab apostolo dictum est: “Quoniam oportet regnare eum, quo adusque ponat [5]omnes inimicos ( sub ) pedibus eius. Novissima inimica desruetur mors.” In temporibus enim regni iustus homo super terram exsistens, [6]obliviscetur mori iam. “Quando autem dixerit,” inquit: “Omnia ( subiecta ) sunt; scilicet absque eo qui ( subiecit ) omnia. Quum autem ei fuerint ( subdita ) omnia, tunc ( ipse ) - Filius - ( subietus ) erit ei, qui sibi ( subiecit ) omnia, ut sit Deus omnia in omnibus.”..." - (Against Heresies Book 5 Chapter 36 Paragraph 2b. Page 819. Opera Omina. Adolphus.)
[FOOTNOTE 4]: [ ad ] Filium] Patet sic legendum esse. Igitnr non dubitavi vocem ad hamnlis iuclusam adiicere cum MASS., qnamvis in Codd. Non appareat.
[FOOTNOTE 5]: omnes] GRABIUS hanc vocem auctoritate Cod. Voss. Et sacri textus adidit.
[FOOTNOTE 6]: obliviscetur] Voss. obliviscitur.
IRENAEUS QUOTING THE DISCIPLES OF THE APOSTLES (circa. 60 to 135 C.E.): “...and that they advance by such steps, and ascend through the Spirit to the Son, and through the Son to the Father, the Son at length yeilding up his work to the Father...” - (Page 553, “The Reliques Of The Elders Preserved In Irenaeus.” THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS- J.B. LIGHTFOOT- GREEK AND ENGLISH-1907 EDITION.)
IRENAEUS QUOTING THE DISCIPLES OF THE APOSTLES (circa. 60 to 135 C.E.): “...That ( through ) the spirit some ascend ( to ) the Son, but that ( through ) the Son some ascend ( to ) the FATHER. The Son then finally yielding his work ( to ) the FATHER...” - (Against Heresies Book 5 Chapter 36 Paragraph 2b. William R. Schoedel The Apostolic Fathers: A New Translation and Commentary, pages 124-127.)
IRENAEUS QUOTING THE DISCIPLES OF THE APOSTLES (circa. 60 to 135 C.E.): “...Ascend ( through ) the Spirit ( to ) the Son, and ( through ) the Son ( to ) the FATHER, the Son at length yielding His work ( to ) the FATHER...” - (Against Heresies Book 5 Chapter 36 Paragraph 2b. As quoted in “Essays on Supernatural Religion" by J. B. Lightfoot V. Papias of Hierapolis. August, 1875.)
IRENAEUS QUOTING THE DISCIPLES OF THE APOSTLES (circa. 60 to 135 C.E.): “...The Elders, the disciples of the Apostles, say that this is the arrangement and disposal of them that are being saved, and that they advance by such steps, and ascend through the Spirit to the Son, and through the Son to the Father, the Son at length yeilding up his work to the Father, as it is said also by the Apostle: “For he must reign until He putteth all enimies under his feet...” - (Page 553, “The Reliques Of The Elders Preserved In Irenaeus.” THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS- J.B. LIGHTFOOT- GREEK AND ENGLISH-1907 EDITION.)
IRENAEUS QUOTING THE DISCIPLES OF THE APOSTLES (circa. 60 to 135 C.E.): “...and that they advance through steps of this nature; also that they ascend through the Spirit ( to ) the Son, and through the Son ( to ) the Father, and that in due time THE SON WILL - ( YIELD UP ) - HIS WORK - ( TO ) THE FATHER, , even as it is said by the apostle, “For He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”[4790] For in the times of the kingdom, the righteous man who is upon the earth shall then forget to die. “But when He saith, All things shall be subdued unto Him, it is manifest that He is excepted who did put all things under Him. And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, THEN SHALL THE SON ALSO - HIMSELF - ( BE SUBJECT UNTO ) - HIM WHO - PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIM, that God may be all in all.”[4791] ...” - (BOOK V, Chapter XXXVI. Paragraphs 1-3;—Men shall be actually raised: the world shall not be annihilated; but there shall be various mansions for the saints, according to the rank allotted to each individual. All things shall be subject to God the Father, and so shall He be all in all. Roberts & Donalsons ANF.)
[FOOTNOTE 4791]: 1 Cor. xv. 27, 28.
IRENAEUS QUOTING THE DISCIPLES OF THE APOSTLES (circa. 60 to 135 C.E.): “...This is the ordering and arrangement of those who are saved, say the elders, the disciples of the [Page 397] apostles, and they advance by such degrees, and by the Spirit they ascend to the Son and by the Son to the Father. Finally the Son will yield his work to the Father, as is said by the apostle: "For he must reign, until he shall put all enemies under his feet; death will be destroyed as the last enemy." For in the times of the Kingdom the just man then upon earth will already have forgotten how to die. "For when he says, All things will be subject, he clearly excepts him who subjected all things. But when all things are subject to him, then will the Son himself be subject to him who subjected all things to him, that God may be all in all."[1084]...” - (Pages 396-397, Selections from the Work Against Heresies
by Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons: "The Refutation and Overthrow of the Knowledge Falsely So Called" in “THE LIBRARY OF CHRISTIAN CLASSICS” VOLUME 1, Early Christian Fathers. Editor: Cyril C. Richardson, Washburn Professor of Church History, Union Theological Seminary, New York.)
I would just like to coment that it is really hard to find a full translation of this passage in modern English.
Irenaeus is quoting ( earlier ) Christians than himself who were directly taught by the Apostles themselves. They speak of the “yeilding” and “subjection” of the Son to the Father.
But the Latin I believe yeilds more meaning than these translation bring out. They are essentially one word for one word translations. But some of the full word meanings have not been brought out in Englsih.
I have given my translation below:
LATIN TEXT: "...et ( per ) huiusmodi gradus proficere, et ( per ) Spiritum quidem [4][ad] Filium, ( per ) Filium autem ascendere ( ad ) Patrem, Filio deinceps cedente Patri opus suum..." - (Against Heresies Book 5 Chapter 36 Paragraph 2b. Page 819. Opera Omina. Adolphus.)
[FOOTNOTE 4]: [ ad ] Filium] Patet sic legendum esse. Igitnr non dubitavi vocem ad hamnlis iuclusam adiicere cum MASS., qnamvis in Codd. Non appareat.
My translation:
IRENAEUS QUOTING THE DISCIPLES OF THE APOSTLES (circa. 60 to 135 C.E.): “...And those of this kind through gradiated steps make advancement, and through spirit [ toward ]{*} the Son also, yet indeed through the Son they rise higher still ( toward ) the Father, [and] in order of succession the Son yeilds as an inferior his completed work {^}( to ) the Father...” - (Against Heresies Book 5 Chapter 36 Paragraph 2b. Matt13weedhacker 9/5/11)
[FOOTNOTE *]: Ltn., ( ad ) is missing in the original and added to the text by later editiors.
[FOOTNOTE *]: Ltn., ( Patri ) = dative case. Ltn., ( deinceps cedente ) with the dative gives the idea of yeilding as an inferior.
Alternate translation:
IRENAEUS QUOTING THE DISCIPLES OF THE APOSTLES (circa. 60 to 135 C.E.): “...And those of this kind through gradiated steps advance, and through spirit indeed {*}the Son also, through the Son they rise higher still ( toward ) the Father, [and] in order of succession the Son yeilds as an inferior his completed work ( to ) the Father...” - (Against Heresies Book 5 Chapter 36 Paragraph 2b. Matt13weedhacker 9/5/11)
[FOOTNOTE *]: Ltn., ( ad ) is missing in the original and added to the text by later editiors so I have omitted this word in my translation.
In the text I used, the Latin word ( ad ) was added by the editor in conection with the Son. Which was not in the original MSS.
Removing it to see how it originally read yeilds a ( slightly ) different meaning as shown in my alternate translation.
Irenaeus is trying to show the ascending scale of rank from the Son to the Father especially. Compare Ltn., ( autem ascendere ) to ascend to a higher rank or scale according to some lexicons.
Also the Ltn., ( deinceps cedente ) when used with the dative gives the idea of, not just yeilding up something, but, yeilding as an inferior to someone. That is the Son to the Father as his superior.
Added with the quotation of 1st Corinthians Chapter 15 verse 28 in particular:
“...THEN SHALL THE SON ALSO - HIMSELF - ( BE SUBJECT UNTO ) - HIM WHO - PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIM...”
Really shows the original doctrine taught by the Apostles and that later was gradually changed.
