Section CXX

Whence it came about¹

that just as through the former generation we inherited death, so through the generation of Christ we should inherit life; … and just as in the animal one we all died, so in the spiritual one we should all be vivified.

For²

Christ dissolved that disobedience of man which had occurred in the tree from the beginning; … healing the disobedience which had occurred in the tree by the obedience which was in the tree.

Hence³

we were reconciled with God, whom we offended in the first Adam by not doing his precept, in the second Adam, being made obedient even unto death⁴.

To these benefits acquired through Christ this also was added⁵:

That in past times man was indeed said to have been made according to the image of God, but it was not shown; for the Word, according to whose image he had been made, was still invisible. Διὰ τοῦτο δὲ καὶ τὴν ὁμοίωσιν ῥᾳδίως ἀπέβαλεν, ὁπότε δὲ σὰρξ ἐγένετο ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ, τὰ ἀμφότερα ἐπεκύρωσε· καὶ γὰρ τὴν εἰκόνα ἔδειξεν ἀληθῶς, αὐτὸς τοῦτο γενόμενος, ὅπερ ἦν ἡ εἰκὼν αὐτοῦ· καὶ τὴν ὁμοίωσιν βεβαίως κατέστησε, συνεξομοιώσας τὸν ἄνθρωπον τῷ ἀοράτῳ πατρί.⁶ On this account—

—he also easily lost the likeness⁷. But when the Word of God was made flesh, he confirmed both: for he showed the image true⁸, himself becoming that which was his image; and, firmly establishing the likeness⁹, he restored it, making man similar to the invisible Father through the visible Word¹⁰…

Concerning this restoration of the divine likeness¹¹, a most beautiful type had gone before in Jacob. For just as God had declared that all peoples and all tribes would be blessed in Jacob, so by his hidden disposition he brought it about that every blessing should be contained in the visible Word. But that this blessing was bestowed in all times is lucidly shown by the fact¹²

that just as in the beginning God, not as though needing man, formed Adam, but that he might have one in whom to place his benefits, so he was constantly present to all with the manifold gift of his grace, and required service from all, that, because he is good and merciful, he might do good to those who persevered in his service.

And by the same counsel of pietas and mercy¹³,

existing as a master, he also had the age of a master, neither rejecting nor passing beyond man, nor dissolving in himself the law of the human race, but sanctifying every age through the likeness which was to himself. For he came through himself to save all: all, I say, who through him are reborn unto God¹⁴, infants and little ones and children and youths and older men¹⁵. Therefore he came through every age and—

—having been made an infant among infants, sanctifying infants; a little one among little ones, sanctifying those who possess this very age, being made at the same time an example to them of pietas and justice and subjection; a youth among youths, being made an example to youths and sanctifying them to the Lord. Thus also an older man among older men, that he might be a perfect master among all, not only according to the exposition of truth but also according to age, sanctifying at the same time the older men and being made an example to them also; then he came even unto death, that he might be the firstborn from the dead¹⁶, himself holding primacy in all things, the prince of life, first of all and preceding all.