A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

156 A Source Book for Ancient Church HistoryThe following is a statement by Irenæus of his doctrine ofrecapitulation, which combines the idea of the second Adamof Paul and the Johannine theology.[138]Ch. 1. Since it has been clearly demonstrated that the Word,who existed in the beginning with God, and by whom all thingswere made, who also was present with the human race, was inthese last days, according to the time appointed by the Father,united to His own workmanship, having been made a man liableto suffering, every objection is set aside of those who say: “IfChrist was born at that time, He did not exist before that time.”For I have shown that the Son of God did not then begin tobe, since He existed with His Father always; but when He wasincarnate, and was made man, He commenced afresh [in seipsorecapitulavit] the long line of human beings, and furnished us ina brief and comprehensive manner with salvation; so that whatwe had lost in Adam—namely, to be according to the image andlikeness of God—that we might recover in Christ Jesus.Ch. 7. He caused human nature to cleave to and to becomeone with God, as we have said. For if man had not overcome theadversary of man, the enemy would not have been legitimatelyovercome. And again, if God had not given salvation, we couldnot have had it securely. And if man had not been united to God,he could never have become a partaker of incorruptibility. Forit was incumbent upon the Mediator between God and man, byHis relationship to both, to bring about a friendship and concord,and to present man to God and to reveal God to man. For in whatway could we be partakers of the adoption of sons, if we hadnot received from Him, through the Son, that fellowship whichrefers to Himself, if the Word, having been made flesh, had notentered into communion with us? Wherefore He passed alsothrough every stage of life restoring to all communion with God.(c) Irenæus, Adv. Hær., IV, 18:5. (MSG, 6:1027 f.)