ABSTRACT
In the previous two chapters, Irenaeus’ theological vision was explored in terms of two foundational doctrines. First, in the beginning, God created all things ex nihilo, which means that his will does not merely form matter from the outside, but is itself the “substance of all things.” For the bishop of Lyons, the flesh is created from the inside out so that no gap separates the model, as it exists in the Creator’s mind, from its actual formation, as it subsists in Adam. The immediacy of God’s interaction with human flesh shapes Irenaeus’ understanding of humanity’s creation in the image and likeness of his Creator. The flesh is not a barrier that impedes God’s ability to reveal himself or to accomplish his will. Rather, the flesh is the very setting in which God delights to manifest his glory. The formation of the flesh from the dust of Eden takes place within the Creator’s larger intent to bring it to perfect fulfillment. This eschatological fulfillment was considered in the last chapter. The God, who created all things ex nihilo, sends His Son to recapitulate all things in himself. In Jesus’ incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension, the formation of the flesh is given a new ontological identity within the divine Logos himself.
