Holiness of body and soul; Psalm 1 triad
Now since the human being is a living creature compounded of soul and flesh, it is necessary to take account of both. And since offenses arise from both sides, holiness of the flesh is restraining abstinence from every shameful thing and every unjust deed, and holiness of the soul is keeping faith toward God entire — neither adding to it nor taking from it. (neither add nor take away; Rev 22:18-19)
For piety toward God is withered and stained by the defilement of the flesh, and it is broken and polluted and no longer whole if falsehood enters the soul. But it will keep its own beauty and measure when truth abides in the soul and purity in the flesh.
For what profit is it to know the truth in words, and to pollute the flesh and work the works of evil? Or what profit can purity of the flesh bring, if truth is not in the soul? For these rejoice with one another, and are allied, to set the human being face to face against God.
Therefore the Holy Spirit says through David: ‘Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly’ (Ps 1:1) — that is, the counsel of the nations that do not know God; for those are ungodly who do not worship the God who truly is. And therefore the Word says to Moses: ‘I am the One who is.’ (Ex 3:14) But those who do not worship the God who is — these are the ungodly.
‘And has not stood in the way of sinners’ (Ps 1:1): but sinners are those who have knowledge of God and do not keep his commandments — that is, disdainful scorners. ‘And has not sat in the seat of the pestilent’ (Ps 1:1): now the pestilent are those who by wicked and perverse teachings corrupt not only themselves but others also. For a seat is a symbol of teaching. Such then are all heretics: they sit in the seats of the pestilent, and those who receive from them drink in the venom of their doctrine.
Greek
1. — L'homme etant im etrc vivant, composö d'une äme et d'un corps, il est juste et necessaire de tenir compte de ces deux Clements. Et comme de ces deux cötes peuvent provenir des chutes, on distingue la saintete du corps consistant dans la continence, qui reprime tous les appetits honteux et pros- crit tous les actes mauvais, et la saintete de l'äme, laquellc consiste dans l'integrite de la i'oi en Dieu, sans y rien ajouter, ni en rien retrancher. Car la piete envers Dieu se lletrit et se corrompt par la souillure et l'impurete du corps; eile se brise, se souille et perd son integrite sitöt ([ue l'erreur penetre dans l'äme. La piete conservera sa splendeur et sa beaute, taut que l'ame demeurera dans la verite et le corps dans la puretü . Car que sert de connaitre le vrai en paroles, si Ton profane son corps et si on le livre ä des actes mauvais? Et quelle utilite peut bien procurer la saintete du corps, si la verite n'est pas dans l'äme? Car ceux-lä se rejouissent entre eux% et s'unissent pour la lutte, afin d'amener l'homme ä se poser en adversaire de Dieu 3 . Voilä pourquoi le Saint-Esprit, par la bouche de David, nous dit : « Heureit. v l'homme qui n'est pas entre au conseil des impies* », c'est-ä-dire au conseil des nations qui ne connaissent pas Dieu; car ceux-lä sont impies qui n'adorent pas Dieu, l'Etre reel, selon ce que le Verbe dit ä Moi'se : « Je suis l'Etre . y> Or, ceux qui n'adorent pas Dieu, Celui qui est, ce sont des impies. «. Et (heureu.c celui) qui ne s'rsl pas urrrte dans le chemin des perheu rs. » Et ils sont pecheurs ceux qui ont la connaissance de Dieu, et cependant ne gar- dent pas ses commandements; c'est, de leur part, dedain et mepris. & Et (heureux celui) qui ne s'est pas assis dans la chaire de pestilence. » Ils repandenl la peste, les hommes imbus d'une doctrine fausse et perverse qui, non Con- tents de se corrompre eux-mernes, corrompent aussi les autres. Car le mot chaire signifie ecole. C'est le cas de tous les beretiques : « assis dans la chaire de pestilence », ils infiltrent le venin de leur doctrine en ceux qui les ecoutent.
About this text
Irenaeus’s short handbook of the apostolic preaching (Epideixis), preserved in Armenian. English here is a densified reading translation for study. Prior English exists (Robinson / Wilson) — this is not an Original English Translation.
English follows the Armenian of Patrologia Orientalis XII.5. Barthoulot’s French was used as a sense-check only. Robinson (1920) and Wilson’s prior English exist and were checked for independence — this page is densified English, not Original English Translation / no-previous-English.
Witnesses
- Copy-text PO XII.5 Epideixis (Armenian, Matenadaran M3710) (Armenian · §§1–10)
- Checked print Barthoulot French (PD) (French · §§1–10)
- Prior English Check Robinson 1920 / Wilson English (English · full work (prior complete English exists))
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.