The Ancient Witnesses

Chapter 5: The Unfolding of Time, Part 2 • 153

“Marcion taught that the Old Testament is corrupt, revealing a god who is inferior to Jesus,” explained Father Greg. “His theology was based only on Luke’s Gospel and Paul’s letters.” “What kind of theology ignores the Old Testament?” asked Joseph. “Not the theology of the Apostles,” replied Father Greg. Mentor excused himself from the Crux. He returned in a few moments with Irenaeus. “The Greek and Hebrew Scriptures testify of One God,” explained Mentor, “so I have asked brother Irenaeus to share his insight on the genuine teaching of the Apostles.” From the lectern, Irenaeus read aloud from a small book. 1 In the desert Moses received the law from God, and the commandments and statutes which He commanded the sons of Israel to keep. The Ten Commandments were written upon tablets of stone with the finger of God, and the finger of God is the Holy Spirit who is issued from the Father. 2 “ The Unfolding of Time ,” explained Irenaeus, “tells of the sweep of salvation’s history from Adam to Christ, demonstrating that our two testaments make one great

1 The book was Irenaeus’s own Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching .”

2 Paraphrase of John Behr, St. Irenaeus of Lyons: On the apostolic preaching (Crestwood, N.Y.: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1997), 57. The work’s traditional title is Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching (it is not in ANF).