Evidently Irenaus had another famous saying or point, of which I am ignorant. Waht else did he say that was so famous and tht I should comment upon it?
In "Against Herisies" St. Irenaeus (I use Schaff's text available at CCEL: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.ix.html And I thank God for this Anglican Schaff, for without him I never would have found the Orthodox Church.) talks quite a bit about Scripture by which he usually meant the New Testament. One of the problems he faced was that the heretics were relying on Scripture, but saying it meant other than what the Church said it meant. But when the heretics would be shown from clearly understood Scripture that their interpretation of more difficult to understand Scripture was wrong they, the heretics, would accuse Scripture of being in error; that true doctrine had been given to them orally by the Apostles and that Scripture had been corrupted.
In response to that folly St. Irenaeus wrote this (I have, for the sake of brevity, cut out lists of bishops, the history of the writing of the Gospels, certain creedal formulations, and other items that make it difficult to folow the main argument.):
"We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith…When, however, [the heretics] are confuted from the Scriptures, they turn round and accuse these same Scriptures, as if they were not correct, nor of authority, and [assert] that they are ambiguous, and that the truth cannot be extracted from them…But, again, when we refer them to that tradition which originates from the apostles, [and] which is preserved by means of the succession of priests in the Churches, they object to tradition, saying that they themselves are wiser not merely than the priests, but even than the apostles, because they have discovered the unadulterated truth…It is within the power of all, therefore, in every Church, who may wish to see the truth, to contemplate clearly the tradition of the apostles manifested throughout the whole world; and we are in a position to reckon up those who were by the apostles instituted bishops in the Churches. For how should it be if the apostles themselves had not left us writings? Would it not be necessary, [in that case,] to follow the course of the tradition which they handed down to those to whom they did commit the Churches? To which course many nations of those barbarians who believe in Christ do assent, having salvation written in their hearts by the Spirit, without paper or ink, and, carefully preserving the ancient tradition…If any one were to preach to [the barbarians] the inventions of the heretics, speaking to them in their own language, they would at once stop their ears, and flee as far off as possible, not enduring even to listen to the blasphemous address. Thus, by means of that ancient tradition of the apostles, they do not suffer their mind to conceive anything of the [doctrines suggested by the] portentous language of these teachers, among whom neither Church nor doctrine has ever been established. Against Heresies, Book III, Chapters 1-4 (pericope)
Another famous thing St. Irenaeus wrote, but on topic slightly different from Biblical interpretation is this item on ecclesiology:
"Wherefore it is incumbent to obey the priests who are in the Church,—those who, as I have shown, possess the succession from the apostles; those who, together with the succession of the bishops, have received the certain gift of truth, according to the good pleasure of the Father. But [it is also incumbent] to hold in suspicion others who depart from the primitive succession, and assemble themselves together in any place whatsoever, [looking upon them] either as heretics of perverse minds, or as schismatics puffed up and self-pleasing, or again as hypocrites, acting thus for the sake of lucre and vainglory. For all these have fallen from the truth. And the heretics, indeed, who bring strange fire to the altar of God— namely, strange doctrines—shall be burned up by the fire from heaven, as were Nadab and Abiud. But such as rise up in opposition to the truth, and exhort others against the Church of God, [shall] remain among those in hell (apud inferos), being swallowed up by an earthquake, even as those who were with Chore, Dathan, and Abiron. But those who cleave asunder, and separate the unity of the Church, [shall] receive from God the same punishment as Jeroboam did." Against Heresies, Book IV, Chapter 26:2
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In "Against Herisies" St. Irenaeus (I use Schaff's text available at CCEL: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.ix.html And I thank God for this Anglican Schaff, for without him I never would have found the Orthodox Church.) talks quite a bit about Scripture by which he usually meant the New Testament. One of the problems he faced was that the heretics were relying on Scripture, but saying it meant other than what the Church said it meant. But when the heretics would be shown from clearly understood Scripture that their interpretation of more difficult to understand Scripture was wrong they, the heretics, would accuse Scripture of being in error; that true doctrine had been given to them orally by the Apostles and that Scripture had been corrupted.
In response to that folly St. Irenaeus wrote this (I have, for the sake of brevity, cut out lists of bishops, the history of the writing of the Gospels, certain creedal formulations, and other items that make it difficult to folow the main argument.):
"We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith…When, however, [the heretics] are confuted from the Scriptures, they turn round and accuse these same Scriptures, as if they were not correct, nor of authority, and [assert] that they are ambiguous, and that the truth cannot be extracted from them…But, again, when we refer them to that tradition which originates from the apostles, [and] which is preserved by means of the succession of priests in the Churches, they object to tradition, saying that they themselves are wiser not merely than the priests, but even than the apostles, because they have discovered the unadulterated truth…It is within the power of all, therefore, in every Church, who may wish to see the truth, to contemplate clearly the tradition of the apostles manifested throughout the whole world; and we are in a position to reckon up those who were by the apostles instituted bishops in the Churches. For how should it be if the apostles themselves had not left us writings? Would it not be necessary, [in that case,] to follow the course of the tradition which they handed down to those to whom they did commit the Churches? To which course many nations of those barbarians who believe in Christ do assent, having salvation written in their hearts by the Spirit, without paper or ink, and, carefully preserving the ancient tradition…If any one were to preach to [the barbarians] the inventions of the heretics, speaking to them in their own language, they would at once stop their ears, and flee as far off as possible, not enduring even to listen to the blasphemous address. Thus, by means of that ancient tradition of the apostles, they do not suffer their mind to conceive anything of the [doctrines suggested by the] portentous language of these teachers, among whom neither Church nor doctrine has ever been established.
Against Heresies, Book III, Chapters 1-4 (pericope)
Another famous thing St. Irenaeus wrote, but on topic slightly different from Biblical interpretation is this item on ecclesiology:
"Wherefore it is incumbent to obey the priests who are in the Church,—those who, as I have shown, possess the succession from the apostles; those who, together with the succession of the bishops, have received the certain gift of truth, according to the good pleasure of the Father. But [it is also incumbent] to hold in suspicion others who depart from the primitive succession, and assemble themselves together in any place whatsoever, [looking upon them] either as heretics of perverse minds, or as schismatics puffed up and self-pleasing, or again as hypocrites, acting thus for the sake of lucre and vainglory. For all these have fallen from the truth. And the heretics, indeed, who bring strange fire to the altar of God— namely, strange doctrines—shall be burned up by the fire from heaven, as were Nadab and Abiud. But such as rise up in opposition to the truth, and exhort others against the Church of God, [shall] remain among those in hell (apud inferos), being swallowed up by an earthquake, even as those who were with Chore, Dathan, and Abiron. But those who cleave asunder, and separate the unity of the Church, [shall] receive from God the same punishment as Jeroboam did." Against Heresies, Book IV, Chapter 26:2
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