Ante-Nicene Fathers (Volume 1) - XXVI - Irenaeus Against Heresies Book V commenced

Required reading
Ante-Nicene Fathers (Volume 1) (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Irenaeus Against Heresies Book V by reading Chapters I to XVII.
 
My summary
Today we begin the fifth book from Irenaeus against heresies.

In the preface Irenaeus gives us a nice summary of what he has previously said and what is yet to come: 'In the four preceding books, my very dear friend, which I put forth to thee, all the heretics have been exposed, and their doctrines brought to light, and these men refuted who have devised irreligious opinions. [I have accomplished this by adducing] something from the doctrine peculiar to each of these men, which they have left in their writings, as well as by using arguments of a more general nature, and applicable to them all. Then I have pointed out the truth, and shown the preaching of the Church, which the prophets proclaimed (as I have already demonstrated), but which Christ brought to perfection, and the apostles have handed down, from whom the Church, receiving [these truths], and throughout all the world alone preserving them in their integrity (bene), has transmitted them to her sons. Then also—having disposed of all questions which the heretics propose to us, and having explained the doctrine of the apostles, and clearly set forth many of those things which were said and done by the Lord in parables—I shall endeavour, in this the fifth book of the entire work which treats of the exposure and refutation of knowledge falsely so called, to exhibit proofs from the rest of the Lord’s doctrine and the apostolical epistles: [thus] complying with thy demand, as thou didst request of me (since indeed I have been assigned a place in the ministry of the word); and, labouring by every means in my power to furnish thee with large assistance against the contradictions of the heretics, as also to reclaim the wanderers and convert them to the Church of God, to confirm at the same time the minds of the neophytes, that they may preserve stedfast the faith which they have received, guarded by the Church in its integrity, in order that they be in no way perverted by those who endeavour to teach them false doctrines, and lead them away from the truth.'

Then Irenaeus spends most of today's reading defending the incarnation and the bodily resurrection of believers.

What grabbed me
I liked this clear gospel statement: 'As far as concerned the apostasy, indeed, He redeems us righteously from it by His own blood; but as regards us who have been redeemed, [He does this] graciously. For we have given nothing to Him previously, nor does He desire anything from us, as if He stood in need of it; but we do stand in need of fellowship with Him. And for this reason it was that He graciously poured Himself out, that He might gather us into the bosom of the Father. '

God does not need us, but we desperately need him.

Next week's reading
Conclude Irenaeus Against Heresies Book V.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.