Section CXIX

But nothing is either more illustrious or more fitted than this comparison and antithesis between the first and the second Adam, between Eve and Mary, for signifying the universal redemption and the restoration of the whole human race.

Having manifestly shown, writes Irenaeus¹, that the Word, existing in the beginning with God, through whom all things were made and who was always present to the human race, was in the last times—

—according to the time predetermined by the Father, united to his own formation and made passible man, every contradiction of those who say, “If, therefore, he was then born, Christ did not therefore exist before,” has been excluded. For we have shown that the Son of God did not then begin, since he always existed with the Father; but when he was incarnate and made man, he recapitulated in himself the long exposition of men, furnishing salvation to us in compendium, so that what we had lost in Adam, that is, to be according to the image and likeness of God, we might receive in Christ Jesus².

Nor, assuredly, is this marvelous. For he continues³:

Διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου, τοῦ πρώτως ἐκ γῆς ἀνεργάστου πεπλασμένου, ἁμαρτωλοὶ κατεστάθησαν οἱ πολλοί, καὶ ἀπέβαλον τὴν ζωήν· οὕτως ἔδει καὶ δι’ ὑπακοῆς ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου, τοῦ πρώτως ἐκ παρθένου γεγενημένου, δικαιωθῆναι πολλοὺς καὶ ἀπολαβεῖν τὴν σωτηρίαν.

Through the disobedience of one man, who was first formed from the unworked earth⁴, many were made sinners and lost life; thus it was fitting also through the obedience of one man, who was first born of the Virgin, for many to be justified and receive salvation.

And indeed it was necessary, he adds⁵, for man to be united to God:

For if man had not conquered the enemy of man, the enemy would not have been justly conquered. Again, unless God had bestowed salvation, we would not possess it firmly. Καὶ εἰ μὴ συνενώθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῷ θεῷ, οὐκ ἂν ἠδυνήθη μετασχεῖν τῆς ἀφθαρσίας· ἔδει γὰρ τὸν μεσίτην θεοῦ τε καὶ ἀνθρώπων, διὰ τῆς ἰδίας πρὸς ἑκατέρους οἰκειότητος, εἰς φιλίαν καὶ ὁμόνοιαν τοὺς ἀμφοτέρους συναγαγεῖν· καὶ θεῷ μὲν παραστῆσαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἀνθρώποις δὲ γνωρίσαι τὸν θεόν.⁶ And unless man had been joined to God, he could not have become a participant in incorruptibility. For it was fitting that the mediator of God and men, through his own kinship with both, should lead both back into friendship and concord, and should—

—present man to God and make God known to men⁷.

Christ furnished these things most fully according to the will of the Father.

For, according to Irenaeus⁸, he recapitulated man in himself, being made visible though invisible, comprehensible though incomprehensible, passible though impassible, and the Word man, recapitulating all things in himself; so that just as the Word of God is prince in things above the heavens and spiritual and invisible, so also he might possess the principality in things visible and corporeal, assuming primacy in himself, and, setting himself as head of the Church, might draw all things to himself at the fitting time.

And he assuredly drew them⁹ when the fullness of time came¹⁰ and God sent his Son,

who is perfect in all things¹¹, because the Word is powerful and true man, reasonably redeeming us by his blood, who gave himself as a redemption for those who had been led into captivity. And because apostasy ruled over us unjustly and, although we were by nature of almighty God, alienated us contrary to nature, making us its own disciples, the Word of God, powerful in all things and not failing in his justice, turned justly even against apostasy itself¹², redeeming from it the things which were his own—not with force, as apostasy ruled over us in the beginning, insatiably seizing things which were not its own, but according to persuasion, as befitted God, persuading and not inflicting force, to receive the things which he willed—so that neither would that which is just be broken nor would the ancient formation of God perish.

Wherefore¹³,

the Lord redeemed us by his own blood, and gave his soul for our soul and his flesh for our flesh, and poured forth the Spirit of the Father unto the union and communion of God and man, depositing God among men through the Spirit, and again placing man upon God through his Incarnation, and firmly and truly in his advent bestowing incorruption upon us through the communion which is with him.