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generation is unspeakable, those who strive to set forth generations and productions cannot be in their
right mind, inasmuch as they undertake to describe things which are indescribable" (2.28.6). The nature
of this generation is, however, known by the Father and Son (2.28.6). We are merely told that the Son
had a "pre-eminent birth which is from the Most High Father"

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(3.19.2), that Christ was Son of God

"before the ages" (Frag. 39), that whatever is so begotten of God is God (Frag. 54; Dem. 47).

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It is

therefore understandable that Irenaeus, like many before him, did not hesitate to call Jesus "God."

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In Book 2 of Against Heresis (17.17), Irenaeus provided an insight into various concepts of

emanation and generation of beings. Though this passage does not help us understand how we should
conceive of the Son's generation from the Father before the ages, it does help us to know how we should
not regard such a generation. Irenaeus's point seems to be that all these types of generation in the
created world fall short of describing the indescribable (A.H. 2.13.8; 2.28.5; Frag. 54).

Irenaeus suggested that one type of generation is radiation, as solar rays from the sun, whereby the

thing generated is united with the source, has no separate existence, shares in its substance, but emanates
from it naturally (A.H, 2.17.7). Another form is enkindling, as the flame of a torch is produced from
another torch. In such a case the flames differ in generation and size, but share the same substance with
the original and, in fact, none of the subsequent flames are older or more recent since the same flame is
simply distributed, neither diminished nor changed (2.17.4).

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Another form of generation is organic

reproduction, such as man from man or beast from beast. In this case the thing generated is actual
(efficabiliter), separate (partiliter), and possessing an independent existence and its own special form
(2.17.3). A final type of generation is bifurcation, as branches sprouting from a tree, whereby all share
the same substance and nature but differ in size, being composite parts of the whole (2.17.6).

Irenaeus wrote, "I am not aware that, besides these productions, they [the heretics] are able to speak

of any other; indeed, they have not been known to me (although I have had very frequent discussions
with them concerning forms of this kind) as ever setting forth any other peculiar kind of being as
produced" (A.H. 2.17.9). He thus intended to relay all possible types of generation or production. By
doing so, he demonstrated that the Gnostics' doctrines of deteriorating emanations is logically
inconsistent, since in all these types of generation the offspring must necessarily be of the same nature
and quality as the source, and can certainly not be superior. Yet his catalogue of types of generation also
shows us the various ways a person could conceive of the Son's generation from the Father.

As to this question in particular, Irenaeus wrote in Against Heresies 2.28.6:

If any one, therefore, says to us, "How then was the Son produced by the Father?" we reply to him, that no
man understands that production, or generation, or calling or revelation,

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or by whatever name one may

describe His generation, which is in fact altogether indescribable. Neither Valentinus, nor Marcion, nor

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= thVn ajpoV tou' &Uyivstou PatroV" geneavn.

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Language indicating the paternal and filial relationships in the Godhead is used innumerable times by Irenaeus. God is

called the "Father of the Lord" or "Lord Jesus Christ" or at least 16 times (A.H. 1.22.1; 1.27.1; 1.27.2; 2.30.9; 3.3.3; 3.6.4; 3.9.1;
3.10.6; 3.11.7; 3.12.11; 3.25.7; 4.5.5; 4.36.6 [2x]; 5.17.2; 5.25.2) and "his Father" in no less than 30 instances (1.27.2; 3.5.1; 3.5.3;
3.6.1; 3.12.13; 3.16.6; 3.16.9; 3.20.2; 4.2.2; 4.2.6; 4.6.3; 4.9.1; 4.9.3; 4.11.3; 4.20.11; 4.33.1; 4.33.11; 4.36.1 [2x]; 5.21.2; 5.22.1
[2x]; 5.23.2; 5.26.2; 5.27.1 [3x]; 5.36.3; Frag. 39; Dem. 70). The Son is of course called "Son of God," "Son of the Father," or "his
Son" innumerable times (A.H. 1.3.6; 1.9.3 [2x]; 1.10.1 [2x]; 1.10.3; 2.26.1; 2.28.6; 2.30.9; 2.32.4; 2.35.2; 3.1.2; 3.4.2; 3.5.3 [2x];
3.6.1; 3.9.2; 3.10.2; 3.12.13; 3.10.2; 3.10.3 [3x]; 3.11.4; 3.11.8 [2x]; 3.12.2; 3.12.3; 3.12.4 [2x]; 3.12.6; 3.12.7 [4x]; 3.12.8; 3.12.13;
3.13.1; 3.16.2; 3.16.3 [5x]; 3.16.4; 3.16.5; 3.16.7; 3.16.8; 3.16.9 [3x]; 3.17.1; 3.17.4; 3.18.1; 3.18.2; 3.18.3; 3.18.4 [2x]; 3.18.6;
3.19.1; 3.19.2; 3.19.3; 3.20.2; 3.20.4; 3.21.3; 3.21.3; 3.21.7; 3.22.3; 4.Pref.4; 4.1.1; 4.2.4 [2x]; 4.2.6; 4.2.7; 4.6.4; 4.7.1; 4.9.2 [2x];
4.10.1 [3x]; 4.11.3; 4.13.1; 4.14.1; 4.17.6 [2x]; 4.18.4; 4.20.7; 4.20.8 [2x]; 4.20.12; 4.23.1; 4.23.2 [3x]; 4.24.1; 4.24.2; 4.25.2;
4.26.1; 4.26.5; 4.27.1 [2x]; 4.27.2; 4.28.2; 4.30.4; 4.33.3; 4.33.4 [2x]; 4.33.7 [2x]; 4.33.9; 4.33.11; 4.33.15; 4.34.3; 4.35.4; 4.36.1;
4.36.2 [3x]; 4.36.4; 4.36.5 [3x]; 4.36.6 [2x]; 4.36.7; 4.37.7; 4.38.2; 5.5.2; 5.6.1; 5.9.2; 5.12.5; 5.14.4; 5.17.2; 5.20.1; 5.21.2; 5.26.2;
5.36.3 [2x]; Frag. 39; 52; 53; Dem. 3; 5; 6; 7 [2x]; 9; 10; 30; 34; 36; 37; 40; 43 [2x]; 44 [3x]; 45; 49 [4x]; 51 [2x]; 52; 56 [2x]; 57;
58; 61 [2x]; 62; 64; 66; 67; 72; 86 [2x]; 89; 92; 95 [2x]; 96; 97; 99.

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A.H. 1.10.1; 3.6.1; 3.6.2; 3.8.3; 3.9.1; 3.9.2; 3.9.3; 3.11.5; 3.11.8; 3.12.9; 3.16.7; 3.19.2; 3.20.4; 3.21.1; 3.21.4; 4.6.6; 4.6.7;

4.9.3; 4.20.4; 4.33.4; 4.33.11; 5.1.1; 5.14.4; 5.17.3; Frag. 40; 47; 52; 53; 54; 55; 60; 61; 62.

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Cf. Jusin, Dial. 61.2. Justin rejected the "light from fire" analogy (Justin, Dial. 28.3), but favored the "flame of flame"

illustration, while Irenaeus rejected all earthly analolgies of generation (A.H. 2.28.6).

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= dicimus ei quia prolationem istam, siue generationem, siue nuncupationem, siue adapertionem.