Chapter VII.—The body valuable in God’s sight.

But the proof of the possibility of the resurrection of the flesh I have sufficiently demonstrated, in answer to men of the world. And if the resurrection of the flesh is not found impossible on the principles even of unbelievers, how much more will it be found in accordance with the mind of believers! But following our order, we must now speak with respect to those who think meanly of the flesh, and say that it is not worthy of the resurrection nor of the heavenly economy,^26262626    Or, “citizenship.” because, first, its substance is earth; and besides, because it is full of all wickedness, so that it forces the soul to sin along with it. But these persons seem to be ignorant of the whole work of God, both of the genesis and formation of man at the first, and why the things in the world were made.^26272627    This might also be rendered, “and the things in the world, on account of which he was made;” but the subsequent argument shows the propriety of the above rendering. For does not the word say, “Let Us make man in our image, and after our likeness?”^26282628    Gen. i. 26. What kind of man? Manifestly He means fleshly man, For the word says, “And God took dust of the earth, and made man.”^26292629    Gen. ii. 7. It is evident, therefore, that man made in the image of God was of flesh. Is it not, then, absurd to say, that the flesh made by God in His own image is contemptible, and worth nothing? But that the flesh is with God a precious possession is manifest, first from its being formed by Him, if at least the image is valuable to the former and artist; and besides, its value can be gathered from the creation of the rest of the world. For that on account of which the rest is made, is the most precious of all to the maker.