Why He Died for All

We have now stated in part, as far as was possible and as far as we ourselves were able to understand, the reason for his appearing in the body. It was in the power of no one else to turn what was corruptible into incorruption, except the Savior himself, who had also made all things out of nothing at the beginning. No one else could create anew for people the likeness of God’s image, except the Image of the Father. No one else could make what was mortal immortal, except our Lord Jesus Christ, who is Life itself. And no one else could teach people about the Father and destroy the worship of idols, except the Word, who orders all things and alone is the true and only Son of the Father. [a]

But it was also necessary that the debt owed by all should be paid. For, as I have already said, all were bound to die, and this was the special reason he came among us. So, after the proofs from his works that he is God, he next offered up his sacrifice too on behalf of all, giving up his temple to death in place of all. He did this, first, to make people clear and free of their old offense; and further, to show himself stronger even than death, displaying his own body incorruptible as the firstfruits of the resurrection of all. And do not be surprised if we often repeat the same words on the same subject. Since we are speaking of God’s purpose, we set out the same meaning in more than one form, so that we may not seem to be leaving anything out and be charged with treating the subject poorly. It is better to put up with blame for repeating ourselves than to leave out anything that ought to be written down.

The body, then, shared the same nature as all others, for it was a human body. By a miracle without equal it was formed from a virgin only; yet it was mortal, and so it was to die too, like the other bodies of its kind. But by virtue of the Word’s union with it, it was no longer subject to corruption as its own nature would have it. Because of the Word who had come to dwell in it, it was placed beyond the reach of corruption. And so two wonders took place at once: the death of all was accomplished in the Lord’s body, and death and corruption were wholly done away with because of the Word who was united with it. For death was needed, and death had to be suffered on behalf of all, so that the debt owed by all might be paid. That is why, as I said before, the Word, since he could not die, being immortal, took to himself a body that could die. He did this so that he might offer it as his own in place of all, and, suffering on behalf of all through his union with it, might “bring to nothing the one who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and set free those who through fear of death were held in slavery all their lives.”