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Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching

St Irenaeus of Lyons, tr. Robinson, 1920

Chapter 79

And, again, concerning His cross Isaiah says thus: I have stretched out my hands all the day long¹ to a disobedient and gainsaying people. For this is an indication of the cross,² And yet more manifestly David says: Hunting-dogs encompassed me:³⁴ the assembly of evil-doers came about me. They pierced my hands and my feet. And again he says: My heart became even as wax melting in the midst⁵ of my body;⁶ and they put asunder⁷ my bones, and again he says: Spare my soul from the sword and⁸ nail my flesh: for the assembly of evil-doers hath risen up against me.⁹ In these words with manifest clearness he signifies that He should be crucified. And Moses says this same thing to the people, thus: And thy life shall be hanged up before¹⁰ thine eyes, and thou shalt fear by day and by night, and thou shalt not believe in thy life.

Notes

Isa. lxv. 2.
Cf. c. 46: Barn. XII. 4: Just. M. Ap. I, 35.
Justin (Dial. 104) quotes the passage with κύνες πολλοί (as LXX), but in his comment says: οὓς καὶ κύνας καλεῖ καὶ κυνηγούς. Jerome, in his Psalter translated from the Hebrew, has “venatores,” apparently after Symmachus or Theodotion (see Field, Origenis Hexapla, ad. loc.). The Arm. is literally “dogs hunter”; but “hunter” is used adjectivally, and the two words signify “hounds.” Why πολλοί should have disappeared and “hunter” have taken its place does not seem to be explained by these curious parallels.
Ps. xxii. 16.
Ps. xxii. 14, 17.
Lit. κοιλίας.
Or “they sent far”: apparently for ἐξηρίθμησαν of Ps. xxii. 17.
Ps. xxii. 20; cxix. 120; xxii. 16.
“Nail my flesh” comes from the LXX. of Ps. cxix. 120, where A. V. has “My flesh trembleth for fear of thee.” Cf. Barn. V, 13: Φεῖσαί μου τῆς ψυχῆς ἀπὸ ῥομφαίας καὶ καθήλωσόν μου τὰς σάρκας, ὅτι πονηρευομένων συναγωγαὶ ἐπανέστησάν μοι.
Deut. xxviii. 66.