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Theophilus to Autolycus

Theophilus of Antioch

Book 2 · Chapter 18

About this work

Three books addressed to a pagan friend defending the invisible God, creation, resurrection, Christian morality, and the antiquity of the Hebrew Scriptures against Greco-Roman religion and literature.

Author: Theophilus of Antioch
Date: c. AD 180–185
Origin: Antioch
Genre: Apology

Chapter XVIII.—The Creation of Man.

But as to what relates to the creation

‹ Book 2 · Chapter 17 Book 2 · Chapter 19 ›

of

man

,

his

own

creation

cannot

be

explained

by

man

,

though

it

is

a

succinct

account

of

it

which

holy

Scripture

gives

.

For

when

God

said

,

“

Let

Us

make

man

in

Our

image

,

after

Our

likeness

,

”

He

first

intimates

the

dignity

of

man

.

For

God

having

made

all

things

by

His

Word

,

and

having

reckoned

them

all

mere

bye

-

works

,

reckons

the

creation

of

man

to

be

the

only

work

worthy

of

His

own

hands

.

Moreover

,

God

is

found

,

as

if

needing

help

,

to

say

,

“

Let

Us

make

man

in

Our

image

,

after

Our

likeness

.

”

But

to

no

one

else

than

to

His

own

Word

and

wisdom

did

He

say

,

“

Let

Us

make

.

”

And

when

He

had

made

and

blessed

him

,

that

he

might

increase

and

replenish

the

earth

,

He

put

all

things

under

his

dominion

,

and

at

his

service

;

and

He

appointed

from

the

first

that

he

should

find

nutriment

from

the

fruits

of

the

earth

,

and

from

seeds

,

and

herbs

,

and

acorns

,

having

at

the

same

time

appointed

that

the

animals

be

of

habits

similar

to

man’s

,

that

they

also

might

eat

of

an

the

seeds

of

the

earth

.