While I was reading some more of Ireneaus’ refutation of the Gnostic heresy, I came upon some more enlightening information on the early Church. In Book IV Chapter 26 you see Irenaeus affirming the Biblical teaching of the Church as the Pillar and Foundation of Truth. He futher elaborates on how that truth has been passed down.
2. Wherefore it is incumbent to obey the presbyters who
are in the Church — those who, as I have shown,
possess the succession from the apostles; those who,
together with the succession of the episcopate, have
received the certain gift of truth, according to the good
pleasure of the Father.
Here you can see that Irenaeus is saying that the Bishops and the presbyters, through Apostolic succession, have been given the “certain gift of truth”. I have seen this translated as the “infallible charism of truth”. This “certain gift of truth” or “infallible charism of truth” does not come just from the Bible but it comes through the office of Bishop that is handed down to this day. This clearly shows the roots of the teaching of Papal infallibility. One can clearly see here that this concept has been around since the earliest days of the Church. It might not have been completely defined, however the teaching is there.
It is important to note that Irenaeus did not only use the Bible to refute the heretics, he used the tradition that has been passed down from the beginning through the Bishops and priests (presbyters). Many of the heretics used the Bible to support their beliefs much in the same way some do today.
