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On the Flesh of Christ

Tertullian

Chapter 13

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Author: Tertullian

Chapter XIII.—Christ’s Human Nature. The Flesh and the Soul Both Fully and Unconfusedly Contained in It.

The soul became flesh that the soul might become visible.

‹ Chapter 12 Chapter 14 ›

Well

,

then

,

did

the

flesh

likewise

become

soul

that

the

flesh

might

be

manifested

?

If

the

soul

is

flesh

,

it

is

no

longer

soul

,

but

flesh

.

If

the

flesh

is

soul

,

it

is

no

longer

flesh

,

but

soul

.

Where

,

then

,

there

is

flesh

,

and

where

there

is

soul

,

it

has

become

both

one

and

the

other

.

Now

,

if

they

are

neither

in

particular

,

although

they

become

both

one

and

the

other

,

it

is

,

to

say

the

least

,

very

absurd

,

that

we

should

understand

the

soul

when

we

name

the

flesh

,

and

when

we

indicate

the

soul

,

explain

ourselves

as

meaning

the

flesh

.

All

things

will

be

in

danger

of

being

taken

in

a

sense

different

from

their

own

proper

sense

,

and

,

whilst

taken

in

that

different

sense

,

of

losing

their

proper

one

,

if

they

are

called

by

a

name

which

differs

from

their

natural

designation

.

Fidelity

in

names

secures

the

safe

appreciation

of

properties

.

When

these

properties

undergo

a

change

,

they

are

considered

to

possess

such

qualities

as

their

names

indicate

.

Baked

clay

,

for

instance

,

receives

the

name

of

brick

.

It

retains

not

the

name

which

designated

its

former

state

,

because

it

has

no

longer

a

share

in

that

state

.

Therefore

,

also

,

the

soul

of

Christ

having

become

flesh

,

cannot

be

anything

else

than

that

which

it

has

become

nor

can

it

be

any

longer

that

which

it

once

was

,

having

become

indeed

something

else

.

And

since

we

have

just

had

recourse

to

an

illustration

,

we

will

put

it

to

further

use

.

Our

pitcher

,

then

,

which

was

formed

of

the

clay

,

is

one

body

,

and

has

one

name

indicative

,

of

course

,

of

that

one

body

;

nor

can

the

pitcher

be

also

called

clay

,

because

what

it

once

was

,

it

is

no

longer

.

Now

that

which

is

no

longer

(

what

it

was

)

is

also

not

an

inseparable

property

.

And

the

soul

is

not

an

inseparable

property

.

Since

,

therefore

,

it

has

become

flesh

,

the

soul

is

a

uniform

solid

body

;

it

is

also

a

wholly

incomplex

being

,

and

an

indivisible

substance

.

But

in

Christ

we

find

the

soul

and

the

flesh

expressed

in

simple

unfigurative

terms

;

that

is

to

say

,

the

soul

is

called

soul

,

and

the

flesh

,

flesh

;

nowhere

is

the

soul

termed

flesh

,

or

the

flesh

,

soul

;

and

yet

they

ought

to

have

been

thus

(

confusedly

)

named

if

such

had

been

their

condition

.

The

fact

,

however

,

is

that

even

by

Christ

Himself

each

substance

has

been

separately

mentioned

by

itself

,

conformably

of

course

,

to

the

distinction

which

exists

between

the

properties

of

both

,

the

soul

by

itself

,

and

the

flesh

by

itself

.

“

My

soul

,

”

says

He

,

“

is

exceeding

sorrowful

,

even

unto

death

;

”

and

“

the

bread

that

I

will

give

is

my

flesh

,

(

which

I

will

give

)

for

the

life

of

the

world

.

”

Now

,

if

the

soul

had

been

flesh

,

there

would

have

only

been

in

Christ

the

soul

composed

of

flesh

,

or

else

the

flesh

composed

of

soul

.

Since

,

however

,

He

keeps

the

species

distinct

,

the

flesh

and

the

soul

,

He

shows

them

to

be

two

.

If

two

,

then

they

are

no

longer

one

;

if

not

one

,

then

the

soul

is

not

composed

of

flesh

,

nor

the

flesh

of

soul

.

For

the

soul

-

flesh

,

or

the

flesh

-

soul

,

is

but

one

;

unless

indeed

He

even

had

some

other

soul

apart

from

that

which

was

flesh

,

and

bare

about

another

flesh

besides

that

which

was

soul

.

But

since

He

had

but

one

flesh

and

one

soul

,

—

that

“

soul

which

was

sorrowful

,

even

unto

death

,

”

and

that

flesh

which

was

the

“

bread

given

for

the

life

of

the

world

,

”

—

the

number

is

unimpaired

of

two

substances

distinct

in

kind

,

thus

excluding

the

unique

species

of

the

flesh

-

comprised

soul

.

Notes

1
Ostenderetur: or, “that it might prove itself soul.”
2
Or, “that it might show itself flesh.”
3
Alterutrum: “no matter which.”
4
Testæ: a pitcher, perhaps.
5
Generis.
6
Tertullian quotes his opponent’s opinion here.
7
Silicet: in reference to the alleged doctrine.
8
Non adhæret.
9
Singularitas tota.
10
Nudis.
11
Matt. xxvi. 38. Tertullian’s quotation is put interrogatively.
12
“The salvation” (salute) is Tertullian’s word.
13
John vi. 51.
14
Above, beginning of chap. x.
15
Salvus.