Editing Irenaeus (section)

==Scripture==
{{See also|Development of the New Testament canon}}
Irenaeus pointed to the public [[rule of faith]], authoritatively articulated by the preaching of bishops and inculcated in Church practice, especially worship, as an authentic apostolic tradition by which to read Scripture truly against heresies. He classified as Scripture not only the Old Testament but most of the books now known as the New Testament,{{sfn|Cross|Livingstone|2005|p=852}} while excluding many works, a large number by Gnostics, that flourished in the 2nd century and claimed scriptural authority.{{sfn|Wingren|n.d.}} Oftentimes, Irenaeus, as a student of Polycarp, who he claimed was a student of John, believed that he was interpreting scriptures in the same hermeneutic as the Apostles.{{sfn|Farmer|1997|p=}} This connection to Jesus was important to Irenaeus because both he and the Gnostics based their arguments on Scripture. Irenaeus argued that since he could trace his authority to Jesus and the Gnostics could not, his interpretation of Scripture was correct.{{sfn|Nielsen|1968|pp=48–49}} He also used "the Rule of Faith",{{sfn|Irenaeus|1885|loc=[http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103304.htm Book III, Chapter 4, Section 2]}}{{sfn|Irenaeus|1885|loc=[http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103433.htm Book IV, Chapter 33, Section 7]}} a "proto-creed" with similarities to the [[Apostles' Creed]], as a hermeneutical key to argue that his interpretation of Scripture was correct.{{sfn|Parvis|2012|p=20}}

Before Irenaeus, Christians differed as to which gospel they preferred. The Christians of Asia Minor preferred the Gospel of John. The Gospel of Matthew was the most popular overall.{{sfn|Harris|1985|p=}} Irenaeus asserted that all four of the Gospels, [[Gospel of John|John]], [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]], [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]], and [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] (which is the order presented in his four pillar narrative in ''[[On the Detection and Overthrow of the So-Called Gnosis|Adversus haereses]]'' (''Against Heresies'') III 11,8), were canonical scripture.{{efn|name=AH.III11}} Thus Irenaeus provides the earliest witness to the assertion of the four canonical Gospels, possibly in reaction to [[Marcion]]'s edited version of the Gospel of Luke, which Marcion asserted was the one and only true gospel.{{sfn|Brown|1997|p=14}}{{sfn|Davis|2010}}

Based on the arguments Irenaeus made in support of only four authentic gospels, some interpreters deduce that the ''fourfold Gospel'' must have still been a novelty in Irenaeus's time.{{sfn|McDonald|Sanders|2001|p=277}} ''Against Heresies'' 3.11.7 acknowledges that many heterodox Christians use only one gospel while 3.11.9 acknowledges that some use more than four.{{efn|name=M&S}} The success of [[Tatian]]'s [[Diatessaron]] in about the same time period is "... a powerful indication that the fourfold Gospel contemporaneously sponsored by Irenaeus was not broadly, let alone universally, recognized."{{sfn|McDonald|Sanders|2001|p=280}} (The apologist and ascetic Tatian had previously harmonized the four gospels into a single narrative, the ''Diatesseron'' {{circa|150}}–160)

Irenaeus is also the earliest to say that the Gospel of John was written by [[John the Apostle]],{{sfn|McDonald|Sanders|2001|p=368}} and that the Gospel of Luke was written by [[Luke the Evangelist|Luke, the companion of Paul]].{{sfn|McDonald|Sanders|2001|p=267}}

Scholars contend that Irenaeus quotes from 21 of the 27 New Testament books, such as:{{sfn|Grant|1965|p=154}}{{efn|Irenaeus, in 'Against Heresies', quotes 626 times from all 4 Gospels; from Acts 54 times."{{sfn|Hoh|1919|pp=189–197}} }}

*[[Matthew 3:16]]
*[[Mark 3]]:10
*[[Luke 3]]:14
*[[John 3]]:11
*[[Acts of the Apostles]] 3:14
*[[Romans 3]]:16
*1 Corinthians 1:3
*2 Corinthians 3:7
*Galatians 3:22
*Ephesians 5:2
*Philippians 4:18
*Colossians 1:3
*1 Thessalonians 5:6
*2 Thessalonians 5:25
*1 Timothy (''Preface'')
*2 Timothy 3:14
*Titus 3:3
*1 Peter 4:9
*[[1 John 3:16]]
*2 John 1:16
*Revelation 4:20

He may refer to Hebrews 2:30 and James 4:16 and maybe even 2 Peter 5:28, but does not cite Philemon.{{sfn|Grant|1965|p=154}}

Irenaeus cited the New Testament approximately 1,000 times. About one third of his citations are made to Paul's letters. Irenaeus considered all 13 letters belonging to the Pauline corpus to have been written by Paul himself.{{sfn|Blackwell|2011|p=36}}