Irenaeus and Transubstantiation

Q. Did Irenæus advocate the Roman dogma of transubstantiation?

Irenæus (c. 130-202 A.D.):

For when the Greeks, having arrested the slaves of Christian catechumens, then used force against them, in order to learn from them some secret thing [practised] among Christians, these slaves, having nothing to say that would meet the wishes of their tormentors, except that they had heard from their masters that the divine communion was the body and blood of Christ, and imagining that it was actually flesh and blood, gave their inquisitors answer to that effect. Then these latter, assuming such to be the case with regard to the practices of Christians, gave information regarding it to other Greeks, and sought to compel the martyrs Sanctus and Blandina to confess, under the influence of torture, [that the allegation was correct]. To these men Blandina replied very admirably in these words: “How should those persons endure such [accusations], who, for the sake of the practice [of piety], did not avail themselves even of the flesh that was permitted [them to eat]?” (Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, Irenæus, Fragments, XIII). Here

Now those oblations are not according to the law, the handwriting of which the Lord took away from the midst by cancelling it; but they are according to the Spirit, for we must worship God “in spirit and in truth.” And therefore the oblation [προσφορα, offering] of the Eucharist is not a carnal one, but a spiritual; and in this respect it is pure. For we make an oblation [προσφερομεν, offering] to God of the bread and the cup of blessing, giving Him thanks in that He has commanded the earth to bring forth these fruits for our nourishment. And then, when we have perfected [τελέσαντες, completed, finished] the oblation [προσφοραν, offering], we invoke the Holy Spirit, that He may exhibit [αποφηνη] this sacrifice [την θυσιαν, 'the sacrifice', not 'this sacrifice'], both the bread the body of Christ, and the cup the blood of Christ, in order that the receivers of these antitypes [ἀντιτύπων] may obtain remission of sins and life eternal. Those persons, then, who perform these oblations in remembrance of the Lord, do not fall in with Jewish views, but, performing the service after a spiritual manner, they shall be called sons of wisdom. (Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, Irenæus, Fragments, XXXVII). Here

But if this indeed do not attain salvation, then neither did the Lord redeem us with His blood, nor is the cup of the Eucharist the communion of His blood, nor the bread which we break the communion of His body. (Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, Irenæus, Against Heresies, V.II.2). Here

For as the bread, which is produced from the earth, when it receives the invocation of God, is no longer common bread4053, but the Eucharist, consisting of two realities, earthly and heavenly; so also our bodies, when they receive the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of the resurrection to eternity. (Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, Irenæus, Against Heresies, IV.XVIII.5). Here

Footnote 4053:

See Harvey’s long note on this passage, and what immediately follows. [But, note, we are only asking what Irenæus teaches. Could words be plainer,—“two realities,”—(i.) bread, (ii.) spiritual food? Bread— but not “common bread;” matter and grace, flesh and Spirit. In the Eucharist, an earthly and a heavenly part.]

And just as a cutting from the vine planted in the ground fructifies in its season, or as a corn of wheat falling into the earth and becoming decomposed, rises with manifold increase by the Spirit of God, who contains all things, and then, through the wisdom of God, serves for the use of men, and having received the Word of God, becomes the Eucharist, which is the body and blood of Christ; so also our bodies, being nourished by it, and deposited in the earth, and suffering decomposition there, shall rise at their appointed time, the Word of God granting them resurrection to the glory of God, even the Father… (Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, Irenæus, Against Heresies, V.II.3). Here

"What is that 'heavenly part' which is added to the earthly elements?" Irenaeus says that it is "the Word of God." He does not say that it is "the body of the Lord." He says that it is "the Word." (Lucius Waterman, The Primitive Tradition of the Eucharistic Body and Blood, [1919.], p. 34). Here

Roman Objections:

Objection One:

For as the bread, which is produced from the earth, when it receives the invocation [έκκλησιν, summons not invocation] of God, is no longer common bread4053, but the Eucharist…(Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, Irenæus, Against Heresies, IV.XVIII.5). Here

A.1. ...consisting of two realities, earthly and heavenly; so also our bodies, when they receive the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of the resurrection to eternity. (Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, Irenæus, Against Heresies, IV.XVIII.5). Here

Footnote 4053:

See Harvey’s long note on this passage, and what immediately follows. [But, note, we are only asking what Irenæus teaches. Could words be plainer,—“two realities,”—(i.) bread, (ii.) spiritual food? Bread— but not “common bread;” matter and grace, flesh and Spirit. In the Eucharist, an earthly and a heavenly part.]

Note also that the Greek plainly states έκκλησιν [summons] not ἐπικλυσιν [invocation]. Minge acknowledges that the manuscript evidence reads έκκλησιν not ἐπικλυσιν and yet he states that ἐπικλυσιν is the preferred rendering, for the obvious reason that the actual reading of έκκλησιν causes great difficulties for the Roman argument regarding transubstantiation. As to why evangelical scholars adhere to that rendering, I have no idea. More on this here.

See:

(J. P. Minge, Patrologiæ Cursus Completus, [1857], Patrologiæ Græcæ, Tomus VII, S. Irenæi, Contra Hæreses, Lib. IV, Caput XVIII, [footnote (24)], Col. 1028-1029). Here

Lastly, note that something does not need to be the carnal flesh of the Lord in order to be more than 'common bread.'

Nilus of Sinai (c. ?-430 A.D.):

Paper made of the papyrus and glue, is called common paper; but when it has received the signature of the Emperor, everyone knows that it is called a sacra. So also consider the divine mysteries: before the invocation of the priest and the descent of the Holy Spirit, the things which are displayed are mere bread and common wine; but after these dreadful invocations, and the coming of the adorable, and vivifying and good spirit, the things which are displayed upon the holy table are no longer mere bread and common wine, but the precious and immaculate body and blood of Christ, the God of all. (J. P. Minge, Patrologiæ Cursus Completus, [1865], Patrologiæ Græcæ, Tomus LXXIX, S. Nili, Epistolarum Lib. I, Caput XLIV - Philippo Scholastico, Col. 104). Here Trans. (J. H. Treat, The Catholic Faith; Or, Doctrines of the Church of Rome Contrary to Scripture and the Teaching of the Primitive Church, [1888], p. 182). Here

Objection Two:

When, therefore, the mingled cup and the manufactured bread receives the Word of God, and the Eucharist of the blood and the body of Christ is made, from which things the substance of our flesh is increased and supported, how can they affirm that the flesh is incapable of receiving the gift of God, which is life eternal, which [flesh] is nourished from the body and blood of the Lord, and is a member of Him?—even as the blessed Paul declares in his Epistle to the Ephesians, that “we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.” He does not speak these words of some spiritual and invisible man, for a spirit has not bones nor flesh; but [he refers to] that dispensation [by which the Lord became] an actual man, consisting of flesh, and nerves, and bones,—that [flesh] which is nourished by the cup which is His blood, and receives increase from the bread which is His body. (Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, Irenæus, Against Heresies, V.II.3). Here

A.2. καί γίνεται ή εὐχαριστία σῶμα Χριστοῦ. Note the lack of a definite article. 

The Greek original, here happily preserved runs thus "καί γίνεται ή εὐχαριστία σῶμα Χριστοῦ." "The Eucharist becomes a body of Christ," or "The Eucharist becomes body of Christ," not "the body of Christ." (Lucius Waterman, The Primitive Tradition of the Eucharistic Body and Blood, [1919.], p. 33). Here

Note also that Irenæus specifically states that the offering [προσφορα] "of the Eucharist is not a carnal one, but a spiritual" one. (Philip Schaff, ANF, Vol. I, Irenæus, Fragments, XXXVII). Here

~ Soli Deo Gloria