Traduction Masquer
Against Heresies

2.

But if the Lord became incarnate for any other order of things, and took flesh of any other substance, He has not then summed up human nature in His own person, nor in that case can He be termed flesh. For flesh has been truly made [to consist in] a transmission of that thing moulded originally from the dust. But if it had been necessary for Him to draw the material [of His body] from another substance, the Father would at the beginning have moulded the material [of flesh] from a different substance [than from what He actually did]. But now the case stands thus, that the Word has saved that which really was [created, viz.,] humanity which had perished, effecting by means of Himself that communion which should be held with it, and seeking out its salvation. But the thing which had perished possessed flesh and blood. For the Lord, taking dust from the earth, moulded man; and it was upon his behalf that all the dispensation of the Lord's advent took place. He had Himself, therefore, flesh and blood, recapitulating in Himself not a certain other, but that original handiwork of the Father, seeking out that thing which had perished. And for this cause the apostle, in the Epistle to the Colossians, says, "And though ye were formerly alienated, and enemies to His knowledge by evil works, yet now ye have been reconciled in the body of His flesh, through His death, to present yourselves holy and chaste, and without fault in His sight." ¹ He says, "Ye have been reconciled in the body of His flesh," because the righteous flesh has reconciled that flesh which was being kept under bondage in sin, and brought it into friendship with God.

Traduction Masquer
Gegen die Häresien (BKV)

2.

Wenn aber nach einer andern Ordnung der Herr Fleisch geworden ist und er aus einer anderen Wesenheit Fleisch annahm, dann hat er den eigentlichen Menschen in sich nicht rekapituliert; ja, er kann nicht einmal Fleisch genannt werden. Denn Fleisch ist in Wahrheit nur das, was von der ersten Schöpfung aus Erde abstammt. Hätte er aus einer anderen Substanz den Stoff haben sollen, dann hätte der Vater von Anfang an dies Gebilde aus einer anderen Substanz müssen entstehen lassen. Nun aber ist das, was der gefallene Mensch war, das heilbringende Wort geworden, indem es durch sich selbst die Verbindung und Aufsuchung des Heiles herstellte. Der gefallene Mensch aber hatte Fleisch und Blut, denn aus dem Schlamm der Erde bildete Gott den Menschen, um dessentwillen der Herr auf die Erde überhaupt kommen mußte. Also hatte auch er Fleisch und Blut; indem er kein anderes als das ursprüngliche Geschöpf des Vaters rekapitulierte, suchte er das, was verloren war. Deswegen sagt auch der Apostel im Briefe an die Kolosser: „Da ihr einstmals entfremdet waret und feind seinem Ratschlusse in bösen Werken, seid ihr jetzt wiederversöhnt in dem Leibe seines Fleisches durch seinen Tod, um euch heilig und keusch und ohne Tadel in seinem Angesichte darzustellen“¹ . In dem Fleische seines Leibes wiederversöhnt, heißt es, weil das gerechte Fleisch jenes Fleisch versöhnte, das in der Sünde niedergehalten wurde, und es in die Freundschaft mit Gott brachte.