Scripture Meditation: Irenaeus: The Harmony of Scripture

Irenaeus of Lyon (d. c. 202) taught that all of Scripture tells a single coherent story of God's saving work. Against the Gnostics who selectively quoted Scripture to support their heresies, Irenaeus insisted on reading each passage in the context of the whole. He used the image of a mosaic: the heretics rearranged the tiles of Scripture to form the picture of a fox, when the original design was a portrait of a king.

"Read the prophets more diligently," Irenaeus urged, "and you will find that the whole conduct and teaching and suffering of our Lord are predicted in them." Meditating on Scripture with an eye to its overall unity transforms isolated verses into a coherent revelation.

Practical application: When you read an Old Testament passage, ask: "How does this connect to the story of Jesus?" When you read a New Testament passage, ask: "What Old Testament roots does this draw on?" Irenaeus teaches that Scripture meditation deepens exponentially when we read each part in light of the whole.