St. Irenaeus On the Incarnation In English
St. Irenaeus On the Incarnation in Arabic
The Birth of Christ and the New Birth of Man
How shall man pass into God, unless God has first passed into man? And how shall men escape from the generation subject to death, if not by means of a new generation through faith in that generation given in a wonderful manner by God, as a sign of salvation (cf Isa 7:14), I mean that which was from the Virgin? Or how shall they receive adoption from God if they remain in this kind of generation, which is naturally possessed by man in this world?
It was for this end that the Word of God was made man, and he who was the Son of God became the Son of man, that man, having been taken into the Word, and receiving the adoption, might become the son of God.i
The Aim of the Incarnation: the Universal Recapitulation
Thus there is one God the Father, as we have shown, and one Christ Jesus our Lord, who came by a universal dispensation and recapitulated all things in Himself. But in “all things” man also is comprised, a creature of God; therefore he recapitulated man in Himself. The invisible is become visible, the incomprehensible is become comprehensible, and the impassible passible; and the Logos is become man, recapitulating all things in Himself. Thus, just as He is first among heavenly and spiritual and invisible beings, so also is He the first among visible and corporal beings. He takes the primacy to Himself and by making Himself the head of the Church, He will draw all things to Himself at the appointed time.ii
The Aim of the Incarnation: To Be Seen by Men and Vivify them
In respect to His greatness, and His wonderful glory, “no man shall see God and live” (Ex 33:20), for the Father is incomprehensible; but in regard to His love, and kindness, and as to His infinite power, even this He grants to those who love Him, that is, to see God …
As those who see the light are within the light, and partake of its brilliancy; even so, those who see God are in God, and receive of His splendor. But [His] splendor vivifies them; those, therefore, who see God, do receive life. And for this reason, He, [although] boundless and beyond comprehension and invisible, rendered Himself visible, and comprehensible, and within the capacity of those who believe, that He might vivify those who receive and behold Him by faith.iii
The Aim of the Incarnation
For this reason, He, [although] boundless and beyond comprehension and invisible, rendered Himself visible, and comprehensible, and within the capacity of those who believe, that He might vivify those who receive and behold Him by faith. For as His greatness is past finding out, so also His goodness is beyond expression; by which having been seen, He bestows life upon those who see Him. It is not possible to live apart from life, and the means of life is found in fellowship with God; but fellowship with God is to see God, and to enjoy His goodness.
Men therefore shall see God, that they may live, being made immortal by that sight, and attaining even unto God.iv
Communion with God
Therefore, as I have already said, He (Christ) caused man to cleave to and to become one with God. For unless man had been joined to God, he could never have become a partaker of incorruptibility. For it was incumbent upon the Mediator between God and men, by His relationship to both, to bring both to friendship and concord, and cause God to welcome man, and man to present himself to God. For, in what way could we be partakers of the adoption of sons, unless we had received from Him through the Son that fellowship which refers to Himself, unless His Word, having been made flesh, had entered into communion with us? Wherefore also he passed through every stage of life, restoring to all communion with God.v
The End for which the Word of God was Made Man
Being ignorant of Him who from the Virgin is Emmanuel, they are deprived of His gift, which is eternal life; and not receiving the incorruptible Word, they remain in mortal flesh, and are debtors to death, not obtaining the antidote of life… For it was for this end that the Word of God was made man, and He who was the Son of God became the Son of man, that man, having been taken into the Word, and receiving the adoption, might become the son of God. For by no other means could we have attained to incorruptibility and immortality, unless we had been united to incorruptibility and immortality. But how could we be joined to incorruptibility and immortality, unless , first, incorruptibility and immortality had become that which we also are, so that the corruptible might be swallowed up by incorruptibility, and the mortal by immortality, that we might receive the adoption of sons? vi
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i Against Heresies IV, 33, 4; III, 19, 1; ANF I, p. 507, 448
ii Against Heresies III, 16, 6
iii Against Heresies IV, 20, 5; ANF I, p. 489
iv Against Heresies IV, 20, 5-6; ANF I, p. 489
v Against Heresies III, 18, 7; ANF I, p. 448
vi Against Heresies III, 19, 1; ANF, p. 448-449