Ireneus, an Ancient Teacher

Ireneus was an Asiatic by descent, and was born at Smyrna. In his youth he attended school, and was a disciple of Polycarp, whom the apostle John appointed bishop of the church at Smyrna, and who afterward became a martyr, as we have already shown in the proper place. Because of his (Ireneus') special fitness, he later became bishop of the church at Lyons in France, in the place of Photinus. His learning was so great that Eusebius praises him above any of the learned men who lived before his time or in it. Tertullian called him "the most remarkable investigator of every kind of learning." Jerome said that he was "an apostolic man, who lived closest to the time of the apostles." Epiphanius gave him the title of a "holy and ancient divine," [n180-1] indeed, a "successor of the apostles." In his ministry he was so faithful a servant in the house of the Lord that he had the oversight not only of the church at Lyons, where he was bishop, and of other churches in France, but even of some churches in Asia and Phrygia.

About his death, the ancient historians have left us little information, either of the time or of the manner of his martyrdom. We do find, however, these words about it: "That when the persecution of the Christians under Severus had been started in all the countries of the Romans, the city of Lyons also, by command of the Emperor, was surrounded with soldiers, and all the Christians in it were put to death with the sword, or beheaded; but that Ireneus, the shepherd of them all, was sought with special diligence, and, when found, was put to death with many tortures, and was buried by Zacharia, his elder." Ex actis Procons. Perditis hoc Tantum extat. Adr. Martyrol., June 28. Abr. Mell., folio 59, column 3, and folio 60, column 1, ex Hieron. Catal., Iren. Idem Hieron., epistle 84 ad Magnum, and 29 ad Theodorum. Euseb., book 4, chapter 20. Tertull., book Contra Valentin., chapter 5. [n180-2] Hieron., epistle 29 ad Theodorum, and in Catal. Epiph. Haer. 24 and 31. Also, Joh. Gys., 1657, folio 18, columns 3 and 4. Also, P. J. Twisck, 3rd book, for the year 210, June 28, page 56, column 1. He adds these words: [n180-3] "On the 28th of June, in the year 210, in the fifth persecution, Bishop Irenus (he means to say: Ireneus) was put to death, together with many citizens, for the confession of Christ."

He says of the Lord's Supper: "There is something heavenly and something earthly; the earthly is bread, which is for the nourishment of the body, and points us to the heavenly, that is, Christ with His merits, which is the food of the soul."

In the Revelation of John he writes that "antichrist will arise in the Latin, that is, the Roman church, and will be a Roman." Also: "Antichrist, who is a thief and an apostate, would be worshiped as God, and, though he is only a servant, would be proclaimed king." From Histor. Georg., book 2. hinc. Cal., folio 352. P. P. Cock, folio 59. [n180-4]