John Behr: 'Since the Saviour pre-exists': A Reconsideration ofHaer. 3.22.3

One of the most perplexing statements by Irenaeus in Against the Heresies is his comment in Haer. 3.22.3: Cum enim praexisteret saluans, oportebat et quod saluaretur fieri, uti non uacuum sit saluans. This paper will consider the suggestions that have been made regarding this statement, and offer a fresh look at the sentence in the context of paragraph in which it occurs, Irenaeus’ understanding of the relationship between creation and salvation in the economy of God, and his Christology and anthropology more generally.