Malachi 1:11 and the Fragments from the Writings of Irenaeus

In a previous post, I addressed the claim, forwarded by many Catholic apologists and theologians, that Mal 1:11 is a prophecy of the sacrifice of the Mass. To be sure, many early patristic authors believed the Eucharist was the fulfilment of this Old Testament passage, but the concept as the Eucharist itself as a propitiatory sacrifice is something that only developed around the middle of the third century, with the development of a sacradotal (sacrificing) priesthood, as seen in the writings of Cyprian of Carthage (on Mal 1:11 in early Christian writings, see vol. 1 of Darrell Stone’s A History of the Doctrine of the Holy Eucharist).

In an early Christian text, attributed to Irenaeus of Lyons (it is debated if this is genuine or pseudepigraphical, though it is early, regardless of its providence) that does not hold that the Eucharist as a propitiatory sacrifice is prophesied by Mal 1:11, but instead, the prayers and other “spiritual sacrifices” of New Covenant believers, one of which is the Eucharist (the author clearly did not believe prayers of New Covenant saints to be a sacrifice that propitiates the wrath of God!)

Section 37 of this writing reads as follows (taken from this Webpage, though one can find it in print in vol. 1 of the Ante Nicene Fathers by Schaff):

Those who have become acquainted with the secondary (i.e., under Christ) constitutions of the apostles, are aware that the Lord instituted a new oblation in the new covenant, according to [the declaration of] Malachi the prophet. For, from the rising of the sun even to the setting my name has been glorified among the Gentiles, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure sacrifice; Malachi 1:11 as John also declares in the Apocalypse: The incense is the prayers of the saints. Then again, Paul exhorts usto present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1 And again, Let us offer the sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of the lips. Hebrews 13:15 Now those oblations are not according to the law, the handwriting of which the Lord took away from the midst by cancelling it; Colossians 2:14 but they are according to the Spirit, for we must worship God in spirit and in truth. John 4:24 And therefore the oblation of the Eucharist is not a carnal one, but a spiritual; and in this respect it is pure. For we make an oblation 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 the oblation, we invoke the Holy Spirit, that He may exhibit this sacrifice, both the bread the body of Christ, and the cup the blood of Christ, in order that the receivers of these antitypes 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.