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He did not say: This is my divinity; but, "This is my body;" and again, "This is my blood;" and elsewhere, "And the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." {ΕΡΑΝ.} These things are true, for they are divine oracles. {ΟΡΘ.} If then they are true, as indeed they are true, the Lord certainly had a body. {ΕΡΑΝ.} For do I say he is without a body? {ΟΡΘ.} But you confess that he had a body. {ΕΡΑΝ.} I say that the Word became flesh; for so I was taught. {ΟΡΘ.} According to the proverb, it seems, we are drawing water into a leaky jar; for after all those proofs and the refutations of objections, you are recycling the same arguments. {ΕΡΑΝ.} I do not offer you my own words, but those of the Gospel. {ΟΡΘ.} And have I not brought you the interpretation of the Gospel words from prophetic and apostolic sayings? {ΕΡΑΝ.} Those are not sufficient to resolve the matter in question. {ΟΡΘ.} And yet we have shown how, being invisible, he was made manifest through the flesh. And we have been taught the very kinship of the flesh from the divine men. For He took hold of the seed of Abraham. And the Lord 80 God said to the patriarch: "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed." And the apostle: "For it is evident that our Lord has sprung from Judah." And we have brought forward many other such testimonies. But since you desire to hear others, listen to the apostle saying: "For every high priest, taken from among men, is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices." Therefore it is necessary for this one also to have something to offer. {ΕΡΑΝ.} Show, then, that having taken a body, he offered it. {ΟΡΘ.} The divine apostle himself teaches this clearly in the very same passage. For after a few words he says thus: "Therefore, when coming into the world he says: Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me." He did not say, you have changed me into a body, but, "a body you have prepared for me." And it shows the formation of the body that came to be by the Spirit, according to the voice of the angel: "Do not be afraid," he says, "to take Mary as your wife; for that which is begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit." {ΕΡΑΝ.} The virgin, then, bore a body only. {ΟΡΘ.} You have not even, it seems, understood the composition of the syllables, much less the meaning. For it teaches Joseph the manner of the conception, not of the birth. For it did not say, what is born of her, that is, made or formed, is of the Holy Spirit. For since Joseph, being ignorant of the mystery, suspected adultery, he was clearly taught the formation by the Spirit. Announcing these things through the prophet, he said: "But a body you have prepared for me." And being spiritual, the divine apostle interpreted the prophecy. If, then, it is the proper function of priests to offer gifts, and the Lord Christ was a priest according to his human nature, and he offered not some other sacrifice but his own body, then the Lord Christ had a body. {ΕΡΑΝ.} I have often said that I do not say that God the Word appeared without a body; however, I say not that he assumed a body, but that he became flesh. 81 {ΟΡΘ.} As I see, our contest is against the partisans of Valentinus and Marcion and Manes. Or rather, not even they ever dared to say that the immutable nature was changed into flesh. {ΕΡΑΝ.} To revile is foreign to Christians. {ΟΡΘ.} We are not reviling, but we are fighting for the truth, and we are greatly distressed that you contend against indisputable things as if they were doubtful. Nevertheless, I will try to refute your stubborn and contentious spirit. Answer then, if you remember the promises made by God to David? {ΕΡΑΝ.} Which ones? {ΟΡΘ.} Those which the prophet arranged in the eighty-eighth psalm. {ΕΡΑΝ.} I know many promises were made to David; which ones, then, are you seeking at present? {ΟΡΘ.} Those concerning the Lord Christ. {ΕΡΑΝ.} You yourself remind me of the sayings; for you yourself promised before

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οὐκ εἶπε· τοῦτό ἐστιν ἡ θεότης μου· ἀλλά, "Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ σῶμά μου·" καὶ πάλιν· "Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ αἷμά μου·" καὶ ἑτέρωθι· "Ὁ δὲ ἄρτος ὃν ἐγὼ δώσω, ἡ σάρξ μού ἐστιν, ἣν ἐγὼ δώσω ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου ζωῆς." {ΕΡΑΝ.} Ἀληθῆ ταῦτα, θεῖα γάρ ἐστι λόγια. {ΟΡΘ.} Εἰ τοίνυν ἀληθῆ, ὥσπερ οὖν ἀληθῆ, σῶμα δήπουθεν εἶχεν ὁ κύριος. {ΕΡΑΝ.} Ἐγὼ γὰρ αὐτὸν ἀσώματον λέγω; {ΟΡΘ.} Ἀλλ' ὁμολογεῖς αὐτὸν ἐσχηκέναι σῶμα. {ΕΡΑΝ.} Ἐγὼ λέγω ὅτι ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο· οὕτως γὰρ ἐδιδάχθην. {ΟΡΘ.} Κατὰ τὴν παροιμίαν, ὡς ἔοικεν, εἰς τετρημένον πίθον ἀντλοῦμεν· μετὰ γὰρ ἐκείνας ἁπάσας τὰς ἀποδείξεις καὶ τὰς τῶν ἀντιθέσεων λύσεις, τοὺς αὐτοὺς λόγους ἀνακυκλεῖς. {ΕΡΑΝ.} Οὐκ ἐμαυτοῦ σοι λόγους, ἀλλ' εὐαγγελικοὺς προσφέρω. {ΟΡΘ.} Ἐγὼ δὲ τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν τὴν ἑρμηνείαν οὐκ ἐκ προφητικῶν σοι καὶ ἀποστολικῶν προσενήνοχα λόγων; {ΕΡΑΝ.} Οὐκ ἀποχρῶσιν ἐκεῖναι τὸ ζητούμενον λῦσαι. {ΟΡΘ.} Καὶ μὴν ἐδείξαμεν ὡς ἀόρατος ὢν ἐφανερώθη διὰ σαρκός. Καὶ αὐτὴν δὲ τῆς σαρκὸς τὴν συγγένειαν παρὰ τῶν θείων ἀνδρῶν ἐδιδάχθημεν. Σπέρματος γὰρ Ἀβραὰμ ἐπελάβετο. Καὶ ὁ δεσπότης 80 θεὸς πρὸς τὸν πατριάρχην ἔφη· "Ἐν τῷ σπέρματί σου εὐλογηθήσεται πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς." Καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος· "Πρόδηλον γάρ, ὅτι ἐξ Ἰούδα ἀνατέταλκεν ὁ κύριος." Καὶ ἑτέρας δὲ πολλὰς τοιαύτας παρηγάγομεν μαρτυρίας. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἑτέρων ἀκοῦσαι ποθεῖς, ἄκουσον τοῦ ἀποστόλου λέγοντος· "Πᾶς γὰρ ἀρχιερεύς, ἐξ ἀνθρώπων λαμβανόμενος, εἰς τὸ προσφέρειν δῶρα καὶ θυσίας καθίσταται." Ὅθεν ἀναγκαῖον ἔχειν τι καὶ τοῦτον ὃ προσενέγκῃ. {ΕΡΑΝ.} ∆εῖξον τοίνυν ὅτι σῶμα λαβὼν προσήνεγκεν. {ΟΡΘ.} Αὐτὸς ὁ θεῖος ἀπόστολος ἐν αὐτῷ γε τῷ χωρίῳ τοῦτο διδάσκει σαφῶς. Μετ' ὀλίγα γὰρ οὕτω φησί· "∆ιὸ εἰσερχόμενος εἰς τὸν κόσμον λέγει· θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν οὐκ ἠθέλησας, σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι." Οὐκ εἶπεν, εἰς σῶμά με μεταβέβληκας, ἀλλά, "σῶμα κατηρτίσω μοι." ∆ηλοῖ δὲ τὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ σώματος γεγενημένην διάπλασιν, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ ἀγγέλου φωνήν· "Μὴ φοβηθῇς, γάρ φησι, παραλαβεῖν Μαριὰμ τὴν γυναῖκά σου· τὸ γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν ἐκ πνεύματός ἐστιν ἁγίου." {ΕΡΑΝ.} Σῶμα τοίνυν ἡ παρθένος μόνον ἐγέννησεν. {ΟΡΘ.} Οὐδὲ αὐτήν, ὡς ἔοικε, κατενόησας τῶν συλλαβῶν τὴν συνθήκην ἤπου γε τὴν διάνοιαν. Τὸν γὰρ τῆς συλλήψεως οὐ τὸν τῆς γεννήσεως τρόπον διδάσκει τὸν Ἰωσήφ. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπε, τὸ ἐξ αὐτῆς γεννηθέν, τοῦτ' ἔστι ποιηθὲν ἢ διαπλασθέν, ἐκ πνεύματός ἐστιν ἁγίου. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ἀγνοῶν τὸ μυστήριον μοιχείαν ὑπώπτευσεν, ἐδιδάχθη σαφῶς τοῦ πνεύματος τὴν διάπλασιν. Ταῦτα διὰ τοῦ προφήτου μηνύων εἴρηκε· "Σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι." Πνευματικὸς δέ γε ὢν ὁ θεῖος ἀπόστολος ἡρμήνευσε τὴν πρόρρησιν. Εἰ τοίνυν ἴδιον ἱερέων τὸ δῶρα προσφέρειν, ἱερεὺς δὲ ὁ δεσπότης Χριστὸς κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον ἐχρημάτισε, προσενήνοχε δὲ οὐκ ἄλλην τινὰ θυσίαν ἀλλὰ τὸ σῶμα τὸ ἑαυτοῦ, σῶμα ἄρα εἶχεν ὁ δεσπότης Χριστός. {ΕΡΑΝ.} Πολλάκις εἶπον, ὡς οὐδὲ ἐγὼ ἀσώματον φανῆναι τὸν θεὸν λόγον φημί· οὐ μὴν δὲ αὐτὸν σῶμα ἀνειληφέναι, ἀλλὰ σάρκα γενέσθαι λέγω. 81 {ΟΡΘ.} Ὡς ὁρῶ, πρὸς τοὺς Βαλεντίνου καὶ Μαρκίωνος καὶ Μάνητος στασιώτας ἔχομεν τὸν ἀγῶνα. Μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνοι τραπῆναι εἰς σάρκα τὴν ἄτρεπτον φύσιν εἰπεῖν ἐτόλμησαν πώποτε. {ΕΡΑΝ.} Τὸ λοιδορεῖν Χριστιανῶν ἀλλότριον. {ΟΡΘ.} Οὐ λοιδοροῦμεν, ἀλλ' ἀληθείας ὑπερμαχοῦμεν, καὶ λίαν ἀσχάλλομεν, ὅτι τοῖς ἀναμφιλέκτοις ὡς ἀμφιβόλοις ζυγομαχεῖτε. Ἐγὼ μέντοι τὸ ἀγεννές σου καὶ φιλόνεικον διαλῦσαι πειράσομαι. Ἀπόκριναι τοίνυν, τῶν πρὸς τὸν ∆αβὶδ παρὰ θεοῦ γεγενημένων ὑποσχέσεων εἰ μέμνησαι; {ΕΡΑΝ.} Ποίων; {ΟΡΘ.} Ἃς ἐν τῷ ὀγδοηκοστῷ ὀγδόῳ ψαλμῷ συνήρμοσεν ὁ προφή της. {ΕΡΑΝ.} Πολλὰς οἶδα πρὸς τὸν ∆αβὶδ ἐπαγγελίας γεγενημένας· ποίας οὖν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ἐπιζητεῖς; {ΟΡΘ.} Τὰς περὶ τοῦ δεσπότου Χριστοῦ. {ΕΡΑΝ.} Αὐτὸς ἀνάμνησον τῶν ῥητῶν· αὐτὸς γὰρ ὑπέσχου προ