On Apostolic Preaching (Modern, Updated Translation)

Book Summary

Irenaeus's "On Apostolic Preaching" (Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching), written around 180 CE, presents one of the earliest systematic expositions of Christian doctrine and biblical interpretation. Written primarily for new converts, this work provides a comprehensive overview of Christian faith as understood and taught in the early church.

The treatise begins by establishing the unity of God's plan throughout history, demonstrating how the Old Testament prefigures and points to Christ. Irenaeus carefully traces what he sees as God's consistent work from creation through the patriarchs, prophets, and finally to Jesus, arguing for the coherence of divine revelation across both testaments.

A significant portion of the work focuses on explaining how Christ fulfills Old Testament prophecies. Irenaeus provides detailed interpretations of various biblical passages, showing how they anticipate Christ's coming, death, and resurrection. This interpretative approach became influential in Christian biblical interpretation, establishing patterns of typological reading of Scripture.

The work stands out for its positive presentation of Christian doctrine rather than primarily opposing heresies (as in Irenaeus's other major work, "Against Heresies"). He presents Christianity as the fulfillment of Judaism, explaining how Christian beliefs develop from and complete Jewish traditions rather than replacing them entirely.

Irenaeus emphasizes the role of apostolic succession in preserving and transmitting Christian truth. He argues that authentic Christian teaching comes through the chain of bishops tracing back to the apostles themselves, providing an early argument for church authority in matters of doctrine and interpretation.

The text provides valuable insights into early Christian catechesis (religious instruction). It shows how new converts were taught to understand Scripture, basic doctrine, and the relationship between the Old and New Testaments. This educational aspect makes it particularly valuable for understanding how Christianity was taught and transmitted in its early periods.

Throughout the work, Irenaeus maintains a pastoral tone, showing concern not just for correct doctrine but for the spiritual growth of his readers. He presents complex theological ideas in accessible ways, always connecting them to practical Christian living.

On Apostolic Preaching (Modern, Updated Translation)

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1. Marcianus, I know you're really committed to living a godly life, which is the only path to eternal life, and that makes me so happy. I'm praying that you keep your faith strong and stay pleasing to God who created you. I wish we could always be together to support each other and make our earthly journey easier by constantly talking about things that truly matter. But since we're not physically together right now, I'll do my best to reach out to you through writing. I'm sending you a sort of guide with the essentials, so you can learn a lot from just a little, understanding all the key parts of the truth and getting a brief overview of God's teachings. This will be beneficial for your salvation, and you'll be able to confidently counter anyone spreading falsehoods, sharing our sound and pure teachings with those who want to learn. There's one clear path leading up for those who see, lit by heavenly light, but there are many dark and opposing paths for those who don't see. This path leads to the kingdom of heaven, connecting us with God, while the others lead to death, separating us from Him. So, it's crucial for you and everyone who cares about their salvation to stay on course, firm and steady in faith, so you don't get sidetracked by worldly desires or lose your way.

2. Since humans are made up of both soul and body, we need to live through both. Offenses can come from either, so purity of the body means avoiding all shameful and unrighteous actions, while purity of the soul means keeping faith with God completely, without adding or taking away from it. Godliness gets clouded and dulled when the body is stained or soiled, and it becomes broken and polluted if falsehood enters the soul. But it remains beautiful and whole when truth stays constant in the soul and purity in the body. What good is it to know the truth in words if you pollute the body and do evil deeds? And what good is bodily purity if there's no truth in the soul? These two—truth and purity—work together to bring us closer to God. That's why the Holy Spirit says through David, "Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly," meaning the advice of those who don't know God, because those who don't worship the true God are ungodly (Ps. 1:1). The Word also tells Moses, "I am He that is" (Exod. 3:14), but those who don't worship the true God are ungodly. And "has not stood in the way of sinners," where sinners are those who know God but don't follow His commandments, acting as disdainful scorners. And "has not sat in the seat of the pestilential," meaning those who, through wicked and twisted teachings, corrupt not only themselves but others too. The seat symbolizes teaching. So, all heretics are like this: they sit in the seats of the pestilential, and those who accept their poisonous teachings are corrupted.

3. To avoid experiencing any of these issues, we must strictly follow the rule of faith without straying and obey God's commandments, believing in Him and respecting Him as Lord while loving Him as our Father. This obedience comes from faith, as Isaiah says: "If you don't believe, you won't understand" (Isa. 7:9). Faith is based on truth because it relies on things that truly exist. We believe in things as they are, and by believing in them as they always have been, we maintain our confidence in them. Since faith is essential for our salvation, we must work hard to maintain it so that we can truly understand the things that exist. Faith helps us with this, just as the Elders, the disciples of the Apostles, have passed down to us. First, it reminds us that we received baptism for the forgiveness of sins in the name of God the Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who became human, died, and rose again, and in the Holy Spirit of God. This baptism is the seal of eternal life and represents our new birth into God, so we are no longer just children of mortal men but of the eternal and everlasting God. What is eternal and ongoing is made God and is above all things that are created, with everything placed under Him. All things under Him become His own, for God is not the ruler and Lord over things belonging to someone else, but over His own. All things belong to God, and therefore, God is Almighty, and everything comes from God.

4. It's important to understand that everything created has to start from some great cause, and the beginning of everything is God. He wasn't created by anyone, and He made everything. So, it's right to first believe that there is one God, the Father, who created and shaped everything, bringing into existence what wasn't there before. He holds everything but is Himself not contained by anything. Among all things is our world, and in the world is humanity. So, this world was also formed by God.

5. So, we see there's one God, the Father, who wasn't created, is invisible, and made everything. There's no God above Him or after Him. Since God is rational, He created everything through the Word. And because God is Spirit, He brought everything to life through the Spirit. Like the prophet says, "By the word of the Lord were the heavens established, and by his spirit all their power" (Psalm 33:6). The Word gives things their existence, and the Spirit gives them order and form. That's why the Word is rightly called the Son, and the Spirit is called the Wisdom of God. Paul, His apostle, also says, "One God, the Father, who is over all and through all and in all" (Eph. 4:6). The Father is over everything; the Son is through everything, because through Him, the Father made all things; and the Spirit is in all of us, crying "Abba, Father," and shaping us to be like God (Rom. 8:15). The Spirit reveals the Word, which is why the prophets spoke about the Son of God. The Word expresses the Spirit, making Him the one who announces the prophets and guides us to the Father.

So, here's how our faith is structured, the foundation we build on, and what keeps our beliefs steady: First, there's God, the Father. He wasn't created, isn't made of anything physical, and is invisible. He's the one God who created everything. That's the first key point of our faith. The second point is about the Word of God, the Son of God, Christ Jesus our Lord. He was revealed to the prophets in a way that matched their prophecies and the Father's plan. Through Him, everything was made. At the end of times, to wrap everything up, He became human, visible, and tangible among us to defeat death, reveal life, and create a bond between God and humanity. The third point is the Holy Spirit, who inspired the prophets, taught the fathers about God, and guided the righteous on the path of righteousness. In the end times, the Holy Spirit was poured out in a new way on all people across the earth, renewing humanity's connection with God.

That's why our spiritual rebirth through baptism involves these three key points: God the Father gives us new life through His Son by the Holy Spirit. Everyone who has the Spirit of God in them is guided to the Word, which is the Son; and the Son leads them to the Father; and the Father grants them eternal life. Without the Spirit, it's impossible to understand the Word of God, and without the Son, no one can approach the Father, because knowing the Father comes through the Son, and knowing the Son of God is through the Holy Spirit. According to the Father's will, the Son provides and shares the Spirit with whoever the Father chooses and in the way He chooses.

8. Through the Spirit, the Father is known as the Most High, Almighty, and Lord of hosts. This helps us understand that God is the creator of heaven, earth, and everything in the world. He made angels and humans and is the Lord of all. Everything exists through Him, and He sustains everything. He is merciful, compassionate, very kind, good, and just, the God of everyone—Jews, Gentiles, and believers. To those who believe, He is like a Father because, in the end times, He opened up the covenant of adoption. To the Jews, He is seen as Lord and Lawgiver because, during times when people forgot and turned away from God, He brought them back through the Law. This was to help them understand that their Lord is the creator who gives life and deserves worship day and night. To the Gentiles, He is the maker, creator, and almighty. To everyone, He is the sustainer, nourisher, king, and judge. No one can escape His judgment—not Jews, Gentiles, believers who have sinned, or even angels. Those who reject His goodness now will experience His power in judgment, as the blessed apostle says: "Not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance; but because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will repay each person according to their deeds" (Rom. 2:4-6). This is the God referred to in the Law as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of the living, even though His greatness is beyond words.

9. Our world is surrounded by seven heavens, where powers, angels, and archangels live, serving God, the Almighty and Creator of everything. They don't serve because God needs them to, but so they aren't idle or ineffective. That's why the Spirit of God is present in many ways and is described in seven forms of service by the prophet Isaiah. These forms rest on the Son of God, the Word, when He came as a man. Isaiah says, "The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord" (Isa. 11:2-3). The first heaven, which is above all others, is the heaven of wisdom. The second is understanding, the third is counsel, the fourth is might, the fifth is knowledge, the sixth is godliness, and the seventh, our firmament, is filled with the fear of the Spirit that lights up the heavens. Moses received the seven-branched candlestick as a pattern of this, which shone continuously in the holy place. He received this as a model of the heavens, according to what the Word told him: "You shall make it according to all the pattern of the things which you have seen on the mountain" (Exod. 25:40).

10. God is honored by His Word, who is His Son, and by the Holy Spirit, who is the Wisdom of the Father of all. The powers of these, specifically the Word and Wisdom, are called Cherubim and Seraphim. With never-ending voices, they glorify God, and everything created in the heavens gives glory to God, the Father of all. Through His Word, He created the entire world, including the angels. He has given laws to the whole world, ensuring that everything stays within its boundaries as determined by God, each fulfilling its appointed task.

11. But God made humans with His own hands, using the purest and finest parts of the earth, and mixing in a measure of His own power with it. He shaped humans in His own image so that what was visible would reflect a divine form: humans were created in the image of God and placed on the earth. To make them alive, He breathed the breath of life into their faces, so that both in spirit and form, humans would resemble God. Additionally, humans were created free and self-controlled, designed by God to rule over everything on earth. This vast world, prepared by God before humans were made, was given to them as their domain, containing everything they needed. In this place, there were also God's servants with their tasks, and the one in charge of all the other servants was given this place. The servants were angels, and the one in charge was the archangel.

Now, after making humans the rulers of the earth and everything in it, God also secretly made them rulers over those who served in it. These servants were perfect, but the ruler, which is humanity, was still small because they were like children. It was necessary for them to grow and reach their full potential. To ensure they had the nourishment and growth they needed with delightful and exquisite foods, God prepared a place better than this world, surpassing it in air, beauty, light, food, plants, fruit, water, and all other essentials of life, and this place is called Paradise. Paradise was so beautiful and good that the Word of God frequently visited, walked, and talked with humans, foreshadowing what would happen in the future—that He would live with them, talk with them, and be among people, teaching them righteousness. But humans were like children, not yet fully understanding, which made them easily led astray by the deceiver.

13. While man lived in Paradise, God brought all the living creatures to him and told him to name them all. Whatever Adam called each living creature, that became its name. God also decided to make a helper for the man because He said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a helper suitable for him" (Gen. 2:18). Among all the other living creatures, there wasn't a helper found that was equal, comparable, or like Adam. So, God put Adam into a deep sleep, since there was no sleep in Paradise, and this was done by God's will. God took one of Adam's ribs and filled the flesh in its place, and from the rib He took, He made a woman. Then He brought her to Adam, and when Adam saw her, he said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' because she was taken out of man" (Gen. 2:23).

14. Adam and Eve—because that's the woman's name—were naked and weren't embarrassed. They had an innocent and childlike mindset, so they couldn't even imagine or understand anything that comes from wickedness, lust, or shameful desires. At that time, they were whole, maintaining their natural state, since they had the breath of life given to them at creation. As long as this breath stayed in its place and power, they couldn't comprehend or understand anything corrupt. That's why they weren't ashamed, kissing and hugging each other with the purity of children.

15. But, to prevent people from getting too full of themselves and thinking they're in charge because of the authority and freedom given to them, and to stop them from going against their Creator by overstepping their boundaries and becoming prideful against God, a law was given to them by God. This was so they would understand that they have a Lord over them, the Lord of everything. He set certain boundaries for them, so that if they followed God's command, they would remain as they were—immortal. But if they didn't follow it, they would become mortal and return to the earth from where they were made. The commandment was this: "You can eat from any tree in the garden, but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you must not eat; for on the day you eat from it, you will surely die" (Gen. 2:16-17).

16. The man didn't keep this commandment and disobeyed God, led astray by the angel who was envious and jealous of the great gifts God had given to man. This angel not only ruined himself but also made man sinful by convincing him to disobey God's command. The angel, through his lies, became the originator of sin and was struck down for offending God. He caused man to be cast out from Paradise. Because he turned away from God, he was called Satan, which means Apostate in Hebrew. He is also known as the Slanderer. God cursed the serpent that carried and conveyed the Slanderer, and this curse fell on both the serpent and the angel hidden within it, Satan. God removed man from His presence, making him live outside of Paradise at that time, because Paradise does not accept the sinful (Gen. 3:14-24).

17. After they were kicked out of Paradise, Adam and his wife Eve went through a lot of emotional pain, dealing with sorrow, hard work, and lamentation in this world. Under the sun, humans had to work the land, which produced thorns and thistles as a consequence of sin. This fulfilled what was written: Adam knew his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain; and after him, she had Abel. The rebellious angel who led humans into disobedience and sin, causing their expulsion from Paradise, wasn't satisfied with just that. He caused more trouble between the brothers by filling Cain with his spirit, leading him to commit fratricide. So, Abel was killed by his brother, symbolizing that from then on, some would be persecuted, oppressed, and killed, with the unrighteous attacking the righteous. Because of this, God became even more angry and cursed Cain. As a result, everyone from that lineage in future generations resembled their ancestor. God then gave Adam another son to replace Abel, who was killed (Gen. 4:1-25).

18. For a long time, wickedness spread and took over humanity, until only a tiny bit of righteousness was left among them. During this time, forbidden relationships happened on earth, as angels united with human women. They had sons who were so huge they were called giants. The angels gave their wives gifts of wicked teachings, introducing them to the uses of roots and herbs, dyes and cosmetics, discovering rare substances, love potions, aversions, desires, manipulations of love, spells, and all kinds of sorcery and idolatry that God hates. Because of these things entering the world, evil spread even more, while righteousness weakened and faded away.

19. Until God brought judgment on the world with a flood, in the tenth generation from the first human, Noah was the only one found to be righteous. Because of his righteousness, he was saved along with his wife, his three sons, and their wives, all of whom were secured in the ark. When destruction came upon everyone and all the animals on the earth, those preserved in the ark survived. Noah's three sons were Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and from them, humanity was repopulated after the flood (Gen. 6-9).

20. Out of these three, one ended up cursed, while the other two received blessings because of their actions. The youngest, Ham, mocked his father and was condemned for his disrespect and wrongdoing, which led to a curse. This curse extended to all his descendants, resulting in his entire lineage being cursed and growing in sin. However, his brothers, Shem and Japheth, received blessings because they respected their father. The curse that Noah placed on Ham was: "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren" (Gen. 9:25). This curse affected his descendants for fourteen generations, who lived in a wild state until God judged them. The Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, Amorites, Jebusites, Girgashites, Sodomites, Arabians, and the people of Phoenicia, as well as all Egyptians and Libyans, are descendants of Ham and have fallen under this curse, as it has lasted a long time over those who are ungodly.

Just as the curse was passed down, the blessing was also passed down to the descendants of the one who was blessed, each in their own order. First, Shem was blessed with these words: "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem; and Ham shall be his servant." The power of this blessing is that the God and Lord of all would be a special possession of worship for Shem. This blessing extended to Abraham, who was considered to be in the tenth generation from Shem's line. That's why the Father and God of all was pleased to be called the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because Shem's blessing reached Abraham. Now, the blessing of Japheth goes like this: "God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the house of Shem, and Ham shall be his servant." This means that at the end of the ages, it came to fruition with the appearance of the Lord, through the calling of the Gentiles, when God expanded the calling to them; their message spread throughout the earth, and their words reached the ends of the world. This expansion is the calling from among the Gentiles, which is the Church. And Japheth dwells in the house of Shem, meaning he shares in the inheritance of the fathers, receiving in Christ Jesus the right of the firstborn. So, in the order each was blessed, their descendants received the benefits of the blessing in the same way. (Gen. 9:26-27, Rom. 10:18)

22. After the Flood, God made a promise to the whole world, including every living creature, both animals and humans, that He would never again destroy everything on earth with a flood. He gave them a sign, saying: When the sky is covered with clouds, a rainbow will appear, and I will remember my promise and won't destroy every living thing with water again. He also changed what people could eat, allowing them to eat meat. Before the Flood, from Adam onward, people only ate seeds and fruit, and eating meat wasn't allowed. But since Noah's three sons were the start of a new generation, God blessed them to multiply and fill the earth. He said: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and rule over it; every living creature will fear you, and they will be food for you, just like plants. But you must not eat meat with its lifeblood still in it, because I will hold you accountable for your own blood, whether from animals or humans. Whoever sheds human blood, their blood will be shed in return" (Gen. 9:1-6). God made humans in His image, and the image of God is the Son, in whose likeness humans were created. This is why He appeared at the end of times, to show that the image is like Himself. According to this promise, humanity grew from the descendants of Noah's three sons. At that time, everyone on earth spoke the same language.

23. They set out from the east and, as they traveled, they came across the land of Shinar, which was very wide. There, they decided to build a tower, hoping to reach heaven and leave a lasting legacy for future generations. They used burnt bricks and bitumen for construction, and their boldness grew because they all shared the same language and purpose. However, to prevent the work from continuing, God confused their language so they couldn't understand each other anymore. As a result, they were scattered across the world, forming different groups and communities based on their new languages. This is how the various tribes and languages emerged on earth. At that time, three races of people spread across the earth: one was cursed, and two were blessed. The blessing first came to Shem, whose descendants lived in the east and occupied the land of the Chaldeans (Gen. 11:1-9).

24. In the tenth generation after the Flood, Abraham appeared, seeking the God who, according to the blessing of his ancestor, was meant for him. Driven by the eagerness of his spirit, he traveled all over the world searching for God but couldn't find Him. God took pity on Abraham, who was silently seeking Him, and revealed Himself to Abraham through His Word, like a beam of light. God spoke to him from heaven, saying, "Get out of your country, away from your relatives, and from your father's house, and go to the land I will show you" (Acts 7:3), and live there. Abraham believed the heavenly voice, even though he was already seventy years old and had a wife. Together with her, he left Mesopotamia, taking Lot, his deceased brother's son, with him. When he arrived in the land now called Judea, where seven tribes descended from Ham lived at that time, God appeared to him in a vision and said, "I will give this land to you and your descendants as an everlasting possession." He also told Abraham that his descendants would be strangers in a land not their own, where they would be mistreated, afflicted, and enslaved for four hundred years. In the fourth generation, they would return to the land promised to Abraham, and God would judge the nation that enslaved them. To show Abraham the multitude and glory of his descendants, God took him outside at night and said, "Look at the sky and count the stars, if you can. That's how numerous your descendants will be." Seeing Abraham's unwavering faith, God testified to him through the Holy Spirit, saying in Scripture, "And Abraham believed, and it was counted to him as righteousness" (Rom. 4:3). He was uncircumcised when this testimony was given, and to mark the excellence of his faith with a sign, God gave him circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of that faith he had while uncircumcised. After this, a son named Isaac was born to him from Sarah, who was barren, according to God's promise. Abraham circumcised Isaac as God had agreed with him. Isaac then had Jacob, and this is how the original blessing of Shem passed to Abraham, then to Isaac, and from Isaac to Jacob, with the inheritance of the Spirit being given to them. God was called the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Jacob had twelve sons, from whom the twelve tribes of Israel were named.

When a famine hit the whole world, Egypt was the only place with food. So, Jacob and his entire family moved there. A total of seventy-five people made the journey. Over four hundred years, just as it had been foretold, they grew to a population of six hundred and sixty thousand. They were harshly treated and oppressed with cruel slavery, so they cried out to God, the God of their ancestors—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God rescued them from Egypt through Moses and Aaron, striking the Egyptians with ten plagues. In the final plague, He sent a destroying angel to kill the firstborn of both people and animals, but He spared the children of Israel. This act symbolically foreshadowed the sufferings of Christ through the sacrifice of a spotless lamb, and the lamb's blood was used to mark the houses of the Hebrews as a protective measure. This event is known as the Passover, the source of their deliverance. God parted the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to safely cross into the wilderness. But when the Egyptians chased them and entered the sea, they were all drowned. This was God's judgment on those who had unjustly oppressed the descendants of Abraham (Ex. 12-14).

26. In the wilderness, Moses received the Law from God, the Ten Commandments on stone tablets, written by God's own hand (the "finger of God" refers to God's power through the Holy Spirit) (Ex. 31:18). He gave the Israelites commandments and rules to follow. Moses also built the tabernacle, as God instructed, which was a physical representation on earth of spiritual and invisible things in heaven. It symbolized the Church and foretold future events. Inside were the sacred items, altars for sacrifices, and the ark where he placed the tablets of the Law. Moses appointed Aaron and his sons as priests, giving the priesthood to their entire tribe, the descendants of Levi. This whole tribe was called by God's word to serve in the temple, and they were given the Levitical law to guide them on how they should conduct themselves while serving in God's temple (Num. 3:6-10).

27. When they got close to the land God had promised to Abraham and his descendants, Moses picked a man from each tribe and sent them to explore the land, its cities, and the people living there. At that time, God revealed to Moses the Name that can save those who believe in it. Moses changed the name of Hoshea, the son of Nun, one of those sent, to Joshua, and sent them out with the power of the Name, trusting they would return safely with its guidance. When they came back from their exploration, they brought a bunch of grapes with them. However, some of the twelve who were sent made everyone afraid and worried, saying the cities were huge, had strong walls, and giants lived there, making it impossible to take the land. Because of this, everyone started crying, not believing that God would give them the power to conquer it. They also spoke badly about the land, saying it wasn't good and not worth the risk. But two of the twelve, Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, tore their clothes in distress over the negativity and urged the people not to lose heart or courage, because God had given everything into their hands and the land was very good. When the people still didn't believe and continued in their disbelief, God changed their path, making them wander in the desert, lost and suffering. For the forty days they spent exploring the land, God made them stay in the wilderness for forty years, a year for each day. None of the adults who understood were allowed to enter the land because of their unbelief, except for the two who spoke positively about the inheritance, Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and the young children who didn't know right from left. So, the unbelieving crowd perished in the wilderness, each receiving the consequence of their lack of faith. Meanwhile, the children grew up over those forty years, replacing the number of those who had died.

28. When the forty years were over, the people came near the Jordan and gathered across from Jericho. Moses brought everyone together and recapped everything, highlighting God's mighty works up to that day. He prepared those who had grown up in the wilderness to respect God and follow His commandments, almost like giving them a new set of rules, adding to what was given before. This was called Deuteronomy, and it included many prophecies about our Lord Jesus Christ, the people, the calling of the Gentiles, and the kingdom.

29. When Moses finished his journey, God told him, "Go up into the mountain and die, because you won't lead my people into the land." So, he died as God had said, and Joshua, the son of Nun, took over. He parted the Jordan River and led the people into the land. After defeating and destroying the seven nations living there, he gave the people the earthly Jerusalem, where David was king, and Solomon, his son, built the temple in God's name, modeled after the tabernacle Moses had made, which was based on heavenly and spiritual designs (Deut. 34:5, Josh. 1:1-2, Josh. 3:17, Acts 7:45-47).

God sent the prophets through the Holy Spirit to guide the people and bring them back to the God of their ancestors, the Almighty. They announced the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, proclaiming that He would come from the lineage of David. In terms of His human nature, He would be a descendant of David, who was a descendant of Abraham through many generations. But in terms of His divine nature, He is the Son of God, existing with the Father before the creation of the world. At the end of times, He appeared to everyone as a man, the Word of God, bringing together everything in heaven and on earth (John 1:14, Eph. 1:10).

So then He brought humans and God together, creating a community of unity between them, because we couldn't share in eternal life any other way except through His coming to us. As long as eternal life was invisible and hidden, it didn't help us at all, so it became visible, allowing us to fully share in receiving eternal life. Since in the beginning, with Adam's creation, we were all connected to death because of his disobedience, it made sense that through the obedience of the One who became human for us, we should be freed from death. And because death had power over the flesh, it was right that through the flesh, it would lose its power and let humans be free from its hold. So the Word became flesh, so that through the same flesh that sin had controlled, it would lose its power and no longer be within us. Therefore, our Lord took on that same original form as His entry into flesh, so He could come close, fight on behalf of our ancestors, and overcome through Adam what had brought us down through Adam.

32. So, where did the substance of the first human come from? It came from the will and wisdom of God, and from the untouched earth. For, as the Scripture says, God hadn't sent rain on the earth before humans were made, and there was no one to work the land. From this untouched earth, God took dust and formed the first human, the start of humanity. In the same way, the Lord, reestablishing this human, took on the same process of entering into flesh, being born from the Virgin by the will and wisdom of God. This was to show the likeness of Adam's entry into flesh and fulfill what was written in the beginning: humans made in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26-27).

33. Just like how a disobedient virgin led to humanity's downfall and death, through the Virgin who obeyed God's Word, humanity was brought back to life. The Lord came to find the lost sheep, and it was humanity that was lost. That's why there wasn't a new creation; instead, He preserved the likeness of the original creation that came from Adam. It was necessary for Adam to be summed up in Christ so that mortality could be overcome by immortality, and for Eve to be summed up in Mary, so that a virgin could intercede for a virgin, and through a virgin's obedience, undo the disobedience of a virgin (Luke 19:10; 1 Cor. 15:54; Rom. 5:19).

34. The wrongdoing that started with the tree was undone by the tree of obedience when the Son of Man listened to God and was nailed to the tree. This act removed the knowledge of evil and established the knowledge of good. Disobeying God is evil, just as listening to God is good. That's why the Word spoke through Isaiah the prophet, predicting what was to come—prophets are called that because they announce future events. The Word spoke through him, saying: "I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting" (Isa. 50:6). By obeying even to the point of death on the tree, He erased the old disobedience that happened with the tree. Since He is the Word of God Almighty, who invisibly extends throughout the world and encompasses its length, breadth, height, and depth—for by the Word of God, the entire universe is ordered and arranged—the Son of God is crucified within it, marked crosswise upon it all. It is fitting that He, being made visible, should place the mark of His cross on all visible things, showing His work on visible things through a visible form. He is the one who illuminates the heavens, encompasses the depths beneath the earth, stretches from east to west, and spans the breadth from north to south, calling everyone scattered in every direction to the knowledge of the Father.

35. Additionally, He fulfilled the promise made to Abraham, which God had promised him, to make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. Christ accomplished this, being born of the Virgin who was a descendant of Abraham, and made those who believe in Him lights in the world. By the same faith as Abraham, He justified the Gentiles. Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness (Rom. 4:3). In the same way, we are also justified by faith in God, for "the just shall live by faith." The promise to Abraham was not through the law, but through faith, because Abraham was justified by faith. The law is not made for a righteous person. Similarly, we are justified not by the law, but by faith, which is affirmed in the law and the prophets, as presented to us by the Word of God.

36. He kept the promise to David because God had promised him that from his descendants, He would bring forth an eternal King whose kingdom would never end. This King is Christ, the Son of God, who became the Son of man; meaning, He became the descendant of the Virgin who was from David's line. That's why the promise was, "Of the fruit of your body"—to highlight the unique nature of Him, who was the fruit of the virgin body from David's lineage, who is King over the house of David, and whose kingdom will never end (Luke 1:32-33).

37. So, He successfully completed our redemption, fulfilled the promise made to our ancestors, and put an end to the old disobedience. The Son of God became the Son of David and the Son of Abraham, bringing everything together in Himself so that He could give us life. The Word of God became flesh through the Virgin's role, to defeat death and give life to humanity. We were trapped by sin, born into sinfulness, and living under the shadow of death.

38. But God the Father was incredibly merciful: He sent His creative Word, who came to save us by going to the exact place where we lost life, and broke the chains that held us captive. His light appeared, making the darkness of the prison vanish, sanctifying our birth, and destroying death by breaking the same chains that bound us. He revealed the resurrection, becoming the firstborn from the dead, and in Himself, He raised up fallen humanity, lifting us far above the heavens to the right hand of the Father's glory. Just as God promised through the prophet, saying, "And I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen," referring to the flesh that came from David. Our Lord Jesus Christ truly fulfilled this when He gloriously completed our redemption, so that He might truly raise us up, setting us free to the Father. And if anyone will not accept His birth from a virgin, how will they accept His resurrection from the dead? It's not surprising or extraordinary if someone who wasn't born rose from the dead; in fact, we can't even talk about a resurrection for someone who came into existence without birth. For someone who is unborn and immortal, and hasn't been born, will also not experience death. How could someone who didn't begin as a human experience a human end? (Acts 15:16)

Now, if He wasn't born, then He didn't die; and if He didn't die, then He didn't rise from the dead; and if He didn't rise from the dead, then He didn't conquer death and end its rule; and if death isn't conquered, how can we rise to life, since we've been under death's power from the start? So, those who deny redemption for humanity and don't believe God will raise them from the dead also disregard the birth of our Lord, which He experienced for us, so that the Word of God could become flesh and demonstrate the resurrection of the body. He is meant to have supremacy over all things in heaven, as the first-born and the oldest offspring of the Father's thought, the Word, fulfilling everything, and guiding and ruling on earth. He was the Virgin's first-born, a just and holy man, God-fearing, good, pleasing to God, perfect in every way, and delivering from hell all who follow Him: for He Himself was the first to rise from the dead, the Prince and Author of life to God.

40. So, the Word of God is above everything because He is truly human, a Wonderful Counselor, and Mighty God (Isa. 9:6). He invites people back into a relationship with God so that through this connection, we can share in eternal life. He was announced by the law through Moses and by the prophets of the Most High and Almighty God as the Son of the Father of all. He, from whom everything comes, the one who spoke with Moses—came to Judea, conceived by God through the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary, who was a descendant of David and Abraham. Jesus, the Anointed of God, revealed Himself as the one the prophets had foretold.

41. John the Baptist was the one who came before Jesus, getting people ready to welcome the Word of life. He announced that Jesus was the Christ, with God's Spirit resting on Him, blending with His human nature. His disciples witnessed all His good deeds, teachings, sufferings, death, resurrection, and His ascension into heaven after His physical resurrection. These disciples were the apostles, who, after receiving the power of the Holy Spirit, were sent by Him into the world. They reached out to the Gentiles, showing them the way of life, turning them away from idols, immorality, and greed, and cleansing their souls and bodies through baptism with water and the Holy Spirit. They received the Holy Spirit from the Lord and shared it with those who believed, organizing and establishing the churches. Through faith, love, and hope, they fulfilled what the prophets had foretold—the calling of the Gentiles—according to God's mercy. They brought this to light through their service, welcoming them into the promise made to the ancestors: that to those who believed in and loved the Lord, and continued in holiness, righteousness, and patience, God promised eternal life through the resurrection of the dead. This promise is through Jesus Christ, who died and rose again, and to whom God has given the kingdom of all things, the authority over the living and the dead, and the judgment. They advised them with the word of truth to keep their bodies pure until the resurrection and their souls unstained.

42. This is the situation for those who have believed, because the Holy Spirit, who was given to them during baptism, stays with them as long as they live in truth, holiness, righteousness, and patient endurance. For these believers, their soul experiences a resurrection, with the body receiving the soul again. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, they are raised up and enter the kingdom of God. This is the result of Japheth's blessing, seen in the calling of the Gentiles, revealed through the Church, which is ready to take its place in the house of Shem according to God's promise. The Spirit of God announced all these things in advance through the prophets, so that the faith of those who truly worship God would be strengthened. What seemed impossible for human nature, and therefore hard to believe, was made known by God through the prophets. This way, when it finally happened just as it was foretold, we would recognize that it was God who told us about our redemption ahead of time (Gen. 9:27).

43. So, we need to trust God in everything because God is truthful in all things. Moses, the first prophet, tells us in Hebrew that there was a Son of God, and that He existed not only before He appeared in the world but also before the world was created. The Hebrew phrase "Baresith bara Elowin basan benuam samenthares" translates to: "The Son in the beginning: God established then the heaven and the earth." Jeremiah the prophet also confirms this by saying, "Before the morning-star I begat thee: and before the sun is thy name," meaning before the world was created, since the stars were made along with the world. He also says, "Blessed is he who was, before he became man." For God, the Son was the beginning before the world was created, but for us, He became known when He appeared; before that, we didn't know Him. That's why His disciple John teaches us about the Son of God, who was with the Father before the world was made, and that everything was made through Him. John says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made," clearly showing that the Word, who was with the Father from the beginning and through whom everything was made, is His Son (John 1:1-3).

44. Moses tells us again how the Son of God came to talk with Abraham: God appeared to him by the oak of Mamre in the middle of the day. When Abraham looked up, he saw three men standing nearby. He bowed down to the ground and said, "Lord, if I have found favor in your sight." Everything that followed was a conversation between him and the Lord. Out of the three, two were angels, but one was the Son of God, with whom Abraham spoke, pleading for the people of Sodom, asking that they not be destroyed if at least ten righteous people could be found there. While they were talking, the two angels went into Sodom, and Lot welcomed them. Then the Scripture says, "And the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven" (Gen. 19:24). This means that the Son, who spoke with Abraham and is Lord, received the power to punish the people of Sodom from the Lord in heaven, the Father who rules over everything. So, Abraham was a prophet and foresaw future events, including the Son of God appearing in human form to speak and eat with people, and then bringing judgment from the Father, having received the authority to punish the people of Sodom from the One who rules over all.

45. When Jacob went to Mesopotamia, he had a dream where he saw God standing on a ladder, which symbolized the tree that stretched from earth to heaven. This represents how those who believe in Him ascend to the heavens. His sufferings are our way to rise up. All these visions highlight the Son of God, interacting and being present with people. It wasn't the Father of all, who is unseen by the world and the Creator of everything, who said, "Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will you build me, or what is the place of my rest?" (Acts 7:49), and who holds the earth in His hand and measures the heavens with His span. It wasn't Him who came and stood in a small space to speak with Abraham; it was the Word of God, who has always been with humanity, revealing what would happen in the future and teaching people about God.