The Christology Of Irenaeus -- By: Irwin W. Reist

Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 13:4 (Fall 1970)
Article: The Christology Of Irenaeus
Author: Irwin W. Reist


The Christology Of Irenaeus

Irwin W. Reist, Th.M.*

I The Christological Problem Stated

Christology is that sector of the theological discipline which deals with the Person of Jesus Christ, and more specifically, with the relation of the divine and the human as they coalesce in His Person. Ignatius, representative of the primitive church tradition had asserted one Christ, both human and divine, flesh and spirit.1

There is one Physician who is possessed both of flesh and spirit; both made and not made; God existing in the flesh; both of Mary and of God … 2

The Logos, who was from the supernatural order, had become human specifically in Jesus.

If Ignatius is content with the bald assertion of the New Testament and early church tradition, Justin Martyr starts “from the cosmological aspect of the problem.”3

He is the Word of whom every race of men were partakers; and those who lived reasonably are Christians… they who lived before Christ and lived without reason, were wicked and hostile to Christ … 4

The redemptive part of the problem is also real for him.5

For no one trusted in Socrates so as to die for this doctrine, but in Christ, who was partially known even by Socrates… not only philosophers and scholars believed, but also artisans and people entirely uneducated …6

Our problem, as we censider Irenaeus is whether he continued and developed the philosophical and cesmological Logos doctrine of Justin,

*Associate Professor of Bible and Theology at Houghton College, Houghton, New York, and a candidate for the S.T.D. degree at the Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago, Illinois.

or went behind him to Ignatius and the New Testament with statements consonant with the proclamation of the Gospel.

II Christology And Speculation

It is important to remember that Irenaeus’ greatest work, Against Heresies was written to combat the speculative theories of the Gnostics. “The feud with Gnostic faith helps Irenaeus formulate his Christology.”7 The rabid and intensive speculations of the Gnostics are quite famous. The question before us here is whether Irenaeus is speculative or philosophical, and ff he is, what this means for his Christology. Roman Catholic...

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