Eve and Mary: lost sheep sought; disobedience undone
It was because of a virgin who disobeyed that the human being was struck, and after the fall became subject to death. Likewise, it is because of the Virgin obedient to God’s word that the human being has been brought back to life and recovered it. (Lk 1:38)
The Lord came to seek the lost sheep — that is, the human being who had gone astray. (Lk 15:4-6; Mt 18:12-13) Therefore he became a creature only through her who was herself from Adam’s race, and he kept the whole likeness.
For it was necessary that Adam be recapitulated in Christ so that what is mortal might be swallowed up by immortality, (1 Cor 15:53-54) and that Eve be restored in Mary, so that a Virgin becoming advocate for a virgin, the disobedience of the one might be destroyed by the obedience of the other.
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About this text
Irenaeus’s short handbook of the apostolic preaching (Epideixis), preserved in Armenian. English here is a densified reading translation for study. Prior English exists (Robinson / Wilson) — this is not an Original English Translation.
English follows the Armenian of Patrologia Orientalis XII.5. Barthoulot’s French was used as a sense-check only. Robinson (1920) and Wilson’s prior English exist and were checked for independence — this page is densified English, not Original English Translation / no-previous-English.
Witnesses
- Copy-text PO XII.5 Epideixis (Armenian, Matenadaran M3710) (Armenian · §§1–10)
- Checked print Barthoulot French (PD) (French · §§1–10)
- Prior English Check Robinson 1920 / Wilson English (English · full work (prior complete English exists))
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.