The Ancient Witnesses

100 • The Ancient Witnesses: A Journey to Discover Our Sacred Roots

“The truly spiritual man is not a pure, un-embodied soul as our Gnostics opponents teach. Rather, when the spirit, blended with the soul, is united to God’s handiwork, the body, then man is made spiritual and perfect because of the outpouring of the Spirit: and this is he who was made in the image and likeness of God. 28 “Honored teacher,” asked Mentor, “are you making a distinction between the image of God and the likeness of God? “Truly,” said Irenaeus, “based on the passage I have read.” “Are you are saying,” Mentor continued, “that man was created both a body and a soul in the image of God, but that the redeemed man, perfected by God’s Spirit, is created “in the image and likeness of God?” “Just as you say,” affirmed Irenaeus. “Then how we are to understand the words of Genesis, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness ?” 29 asked Mentor. “That passage speaks of man’s eternal destiny in Christ,” Irenaeus explained, “God created man in His own image and provided a way for him to be conformed to his likeness—that is, to his Son—after the Fall.” 30 “Someone may ask,” said Mentor, “does this teaching elevate the spirit above the body?”

28 Irenaeus, Against Heresies V.VI.1. (ANF 1, 532), emphasis added.

29 Genesis 1:26.

30 An interpretation of what Irenaeus says in V.VI.1 (ANF 1, 532), not a quotation.