218 This passage is not now found in holy Scripture. Harvey conjectures that it may have been taken from the apocryphal Gospel according to the Egyptians. It is remarkable that we find the same words quoted also by Clement of Alexandria. [But he (possibly with this place in view) merely quotes it as a saying, in close connection with Ps. li. 19, which is here paritally cited. See Clement, Paedagogue, v. iii. cap. xii.]
232 Grabe has a long and important note on this passage and what follows, which may be seen in Harvey, in loc. See, on the other side, and in connection with the whole of the following chapter, Massuet's third dissertation on the doctrine of Irenaeus, art. vii., reprinted in Migne's edition.
235 [One marvels that there should be any critical difficulty here as to our author's teaching. Creatures of bread and wine are the body and the blood; materially one thing, mystically another. See. cap. xviii. 5 below.]
236 Rev. v. 8. [Material incense seems to be always disclaimed by the primitive writers.]
239 The text of this passage is doubtful in some words.
240 Luke xxi. 4. [The law of tithes abrogated; the law of Acts. ii. 44, 45, morally binding. This seems to be our author's view.]
242 The Latin text is: "ne per assimulatam operationem, magis autem peccatum, ipsum sibi homicidam faciat hominem."
251 The text here fluctuates between quod offertur Deo, and per quod offertur Deo. Massuet adopts the former, and Harvey the latter. If the first reading be chosen, the translation will be, "the Word who is offered to God," implying, according to Massuet, that the body of Christ is really offered as a sacrifice in the Eucharist; if the second reading be followed, the translation will be as above. [Massuet's idea is no more to be found, even in his text, than Luther's or Calvin's. The crucial point is, how offered? One may answer "figuratively," "corporally," "mystically," or otherwise. Irenaeus gives no answer in this place. But see below.]
252 Comp. Massuet and Harvey respectively for the meaning to be attached to these words.
254 "Either let them acknowledge that the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof, or let them cease to offer to God those elements that they deny to be vouchsafed by Him."-Harvey.
255 That is, according to Harvey, "while we offer to Him His own creatures of bread and wine, we tell forth the fellowship of flesh with spirit; i.e., that the flesh of every child of man is receptive of the Spirit." The words kai omologountej . . . egersin, which here occur in the Greek text, are rejected as an interpolation by Grabe and Harvey, but defended as genuine by Massuet.
256 See Harvey's long note on this passage, and what immediately follows. [But, note, we are only asking what Irenaeus teaches. Could words be plainer,-"two realities,"-(i.) bread, (ii.) spiritual food? Bread-but not "common bread;" matter and grace, flesh and Spirit. In the Eucharist, an earthly and a heavenly part.]
257 The text fluctuates between dominationi and donationi.
260 [The Sursum Corda seems here in mind. The object of Eucharistic adoration is the Creator, our "great High Priest, passed into the heavens," and in bodily substance there enthroned, according to our author.]
265 The Latin is, "et universum eum decurrerint." Harvey imagines that this last word corresponds to katatrexwsi, but it is difficult to fit such a meaning into the context.
268 This quotation is taken from the Shepherd of Hermas, book ii. sim. 1.
276 Prov. viii. 22-25. [This is one of the favourite Messianic quotations of the Fathers, and is considered as the base of the first chapter of St. John's Gospel.]
282 Some read "in filium" instead of "in filio," as above.
283 A part of the original Greek text is preserved here, and has been followed, as it makes the better sense.