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101.51 But if, in order to loose the condemnation of sin by sanctifying like with like, he needed flesh on account of the condemned flesh, and a soul on account of the soul, so also he needed a mind on account of the mind, which not only sinned in Adam, but was also the first to be affected, which is what physicians say concerning illnesses. 101.52 For what received the commandment, this also did not keep the commandment; and what did not keep it, this also dared the transgression; and what transgressed, this also especially needed salvation; and what needed salvation, this also was assumed; therefore, the mind was assumed. 101.53 This has now been demonstrated, even if they do not wish it, by geometric necessities and proofs, as they themselves say. But you do something similar, as if, when a man's eye had failed and his foot had stumbled, you were to heal the foot, but leave the eye unhealed; or if a painter had painted something badly, you were to alter the painting, but pass over the painter as if he were successful. 101.54 But if, being driven from these arguments, they take refuge in the idea that it is possible for God to save man even without a mind, it is surely also possible for him to do so without flesh, by his will alone, just as he effects and has effected all other things without a body. Take away, therefore, the flesh along with the mind, so that your folly may be complete. 101.55 But they are deceived by the letter and for this reason they run to the flesh, being ignorant of the custom of Scripture. We will teach them this too. 101.56 For that everywhere in Scripture he is called man and Son of man, what need is there to say to those who know? But if they insist on "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us," and for this reason scrape away the best part of man, like tanners do with the thicker parts of hides, in order to glue God to flesh, 101.57 it is time to tell them that God is God of flesh alone, and not also of souls, because it is written: "As you have given him authority over all flesh," and "To you all flesh shall come," and "Let all flesh bless his holy name," that is, every man; 101.58 or again, that our fathers went down to Egypt without bodies and unseen, and that the soul of Joseph alone was bound by Pharaoh, because it is written: "They went down to Egypt with seventy-five souls," and "His soul passed through iron," a thing that cannot be bound. 101.59 For those who say these things are ignorant that such things are named synecdochically, the whole being indicated from a part, just as: "The young of the ravens call upon God," so that the winged nature may be indicated, and Pleiades and Hesperus and Arcturus are mentioned instead of all the stars and the economy concerning them.

101.60 And at the same time, it was not possible for the love of God for us to be shown otherwise than by the mention of the flesh and that for our sakes he descended even to the lesser part. For that flesh is of less value than soul, every right-minded person would agree. 101.61 Therefore, "The Word became flesh" seems to me to have the same force as his being called sin and a curse; not that the Lord was changed into these things, for how could he be? but that by accepting these things he took up our iniquities and bore our diseases. 101.62 These things, then, are sufficient for the present, on account of their clarity and being easily understood by the many. For we write these things not wishing to write a treatise but to check the deceit, and we will present a more complete account concerning these things, if it seems good, and at greater length. 101.63 But what is more serious than these things, it is necessary not to omit this either. "I wish that those who are unsettling you would even mutilate themselves" and introducing a second Judaism and a second circumcision and second sacrifices; 101.64 for if this, what prevents Christ from being born again for the nullification of the same things, and being betrayed again by Judas and being crucified and buried and rising again, so that all things of the same sequence might be fulfilled, according to the

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101.51 Εἰ δὲ ἵνα λύσῃ τὸ κατάκριμα τῆς ἁμαρτίας τῷ ὁμοίῳ τὸ ὅμοιον ἁγιάσας ὥσπερ σαρκὸς ἐδέησε διὰ τὴν σάρκα κατακριθεῖσαν καὶ ψυχῆς διὰ τὴν ψυχήν, οὕτω καὶ νοῦ διὰ τὸν νοῦν οὐ πταί σαντα μόνον ἐν τῷ Ἀδάμ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρωτοπαθήσαντα, ὅπερ οἱ ἰατροὶ λέγουσιν ἐπὶ τῶν ἀρρωστημάτων. 101.52 Ὃ γὰρ τὴν ἐντολὴν ἐδέξατο, τοῦτο καὶ τὴν ἐντολὴν οὐκ ἐφύλαξεν· ὃ δὲ οὐκ ἐφύλαξε, τοῦτο καὶ τὴν παράβασιν ἐτόλμησεν· ὃ δὲ παρέβη, τοῦτο καὶ τῆς σωτηρίας ἐδεῖτο μάλιστα· ὃ δὲ τῆς σωτηρίας ἐδεῖτο, τοῦτο καὶ προσελήφθη· ὁ νοῦς ἄρα προσείληπται. 101.53 Τοῦτο νῦν ἀποδέδεικται, κἂν μὴ βούλωνται, γεωμε τρικαῖς, ὥς φασιν αὐτοί, ἀνάγκαις καὶ ἀποδείξεσι. Σὺ δὲ ποιεῖς παραπλήσιον ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ, ὀφθαλμοῦ ἀνθρώπου πταίσαντος καὶ ποδὸς προσπταίσαντος, τὸν πόδα μὲν ἐθεράπευες, τὸν δὲ ὀφθαλμὸν ἀθεράπευτον εἴας· ἢ ζωγράφου τι μὴ καλῶς γράψαντος, τὸ μὲν γραφὲν μετεποίεις, τὸν δὲ ζωγράφον ὡς κατορθοῦντα παρέτρεχες. 101.54 Εἰ δὲ ὑπὸ τούτων ἐξειργόμενοι τῶν λογισμῶν καταφεύγουσιν ἐπὶ τὸ δυνατὸν εἶναι Θεῷ καὶ χωρὶς νοῦ σῶσαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον, δυνατὸν δή που καὶ χωρὶς σαρκὸς μόνῳ τῷ βούλεσθαι, ὥσπερ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα ἐνεργεῖ καὶ ἐνήργηκεν ἀσωμάτως. Ἄνελε οὖν μετὰ τοῦ νοῦ καὶ τὴν σάρκα, ἵν' ᾖ σοι τέλειον τὸ τῆς ἀπονοίας. 101.55 Ἀλλ' ἀπατῶνται ὑπὸ τοῦ γράμματος καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τῇ σαρκὶ προστρέχουσι, τὴν συνήθειαν τῆς Γραφῆς ἀγνοοῦντες. Ἡμεῖς αὐτοὺς καὶ τοῦτο διδάξομεν. 101.56 Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ πανταχοῦ τῆς Γραφῆς ἄνθρωπος καὶ Υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου προσαγορεύεται, τί δεῖ πρὸς εἰδότας καὶ λέγειν; Εἰ δὲ διισχυρίζονται τῷ «Ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν», καὶ διὰ τοῦτο περιξέουσι τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τὸ κάλλιστον, ὥσπερ οἱ σκυτεῖς τὰ παχύτερα τῶν δερμάτων, ἵνα Θεὸν σαρκὶ συγκολλήσωσιν, 101.57 ὥρα λέγειν αὐτοῖς καὶ σαρκῶν μόνων τὸν Θεὸν εἶναι Θεόν, ἀλλ' οὐχὶ καὶ ψυχῶν, διὰ τὸ γεγράφθαι· «Καθὼς ἔδωκας αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν πάσης σαρκός», καὶ «Πρὸς σὲ πᾶσα σὰρξ ἥξει», καὶ «Εὐλογείτω πᾶσα σὰρξ τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ», τοῦτ' ἔστι πᾶς ἄνθρωπος· 101.58 ἢ πάλιν ἀσωμάτους καὶ ἀοράτους καταβεβηκέναι τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν εἰς Αἴγυπτον καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ δεδέσθαι μόνην ὑπὸ τοῦ Φαραώ, διὰ τὸ γεγράφθαι· «Ἐν ἑβδομήκοντα πέντε ψυχαῖς κατέ βησαν εἰς Αἴγυπτον», καὶ «Σίδηρον διῆλθεν ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ», πρᾶγμα δεθῆναι μὴ δυνάμενον. 101.59 Ἀγνοοῦσι γὰρ οἱ ταῦτα λέγοντες ὅτι συνεκδοχικῶς τὰ τοιαῦτα ὀνομάζεται, ἀπὸ μέρους τοῦ παντὸς δηλουμένου, ὥσπερ καί· «Νεοσσοὶ τῶν κοράκων ἐπικαλοῦνται τὸν Θεόν», ἵν' ἡ πτηνὴ δηλωθῇ φύσις, καὶ Πλειὰς καὶ Ἕσπερος καὶ Ἀρκτοῦρος μνημονεύονται ἀντὶ πάντων ἀστέρων καὶ τῆς περὶ τούτους οἰκονομίας.

101.60 Καὶ ἅμα οὐκ ἄλλως οἷόν τε ἦν τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δηλωθῆναι περὶ ἡμᾶς ἀγάπην ἢ ἐκ τοῦ μνημονευθῆναι τὴν σάρκα καὶ ὅτι δι' ἡμᾶς κατέβη καὶ μέχρι τοῦ χείρονος. Σάρκα γὰρ εἶναι ψυχῆς εὐτελέστερον, πᾶς ἂν τῶν εὖ φρονούντων ὁμολογήσειεν. 101.61 Τὸ οὖν· «Ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο» ἴσον δοκεῖ μοι δύνασθαι τῷ καὶ ἁμαρτίαν αὐτὸν γεγονέναι λέγεσθαι καὶ κατάραν· οὐκ εἰς ταῦτα τοῦ Κυρίου μετα ποιηθέντος, πῶς γάρ; ἀλλ' ὡς διὰ τοῦ ταῦτα δέξασθαι τὰς ἀνομίας ἡμῶν ἀναλαβόντος καὶ τὰς νόσους βαστάσαντος. 101.62 Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἱκανῶς ἐν τῷ παρόντι διὰ τὸ σαφὲς καὶ τοῖς πολλοῖς εὔληπτον. Οὐ γὰρ λογογραφεῖν ἀλλ' ἐπισχεῖν τὴν ἀπάτην βουλόμενοι ταῦτα γράφομεν, τὸν δὲ τελεώτερον περὶ τούτων λόγον, εἰ δοκεῖ, καὶ διὰ μακροτέρων ἀποδώσομεν. 101.63 Ὃ δὲ τούτων ἐστὶ βαρύτερον, οὐδ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο παραλιπεῖν ἀναγκαῖον. «Ὤφελον καὶ ἀποκόψονται οἱ ἀναστατοῦντες ὑμᾶς» καὶ δεύτερον Ἰουδαϊσμὸν καὶ δευτέραν περιτομὴν καὶ θυσίας δευτέρας εἰσάγοντες· 101.64 εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο, τί κωλύει καὶ πάλιν γεννηθῆναι Χριστὸν εἰς ἀθέτησιν τῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ προδοθῆναι πάλιν ὑπὸ Ἰούδα καὶ σταυρω θῆναι καὶ ταφῆναι καὶ ἀναστῆναι, ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὰ πάντα τὰ τῆς αὐτῆς ἀκολουθίας, κατὰ τὴν