Lineage and the Definition of Man

Observing the difference, someone might say that John was a 'voice crying out' (Matt 3:3), taking the immediate word of the scriptures to mean 'voice', but the mystical mind to mean 'logos'. 'That I killed a man unto my wound and a youth unto my blindness' (Gen 4:24). It is said in the book of the Testament by Lamech that Cain was killed accidentally; for he was turned back while building some wall, behind which Cain was, who was also killed accidentally. That he was killed, he says, 'unto my wound' happened, but that he did not do it willfully, 'unto my blindness' happened.

Adam knew (Gen 4:1) Eve his wife, and having conceived, she bore a son and named his name Seth, saying: 'God has raised up for me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain killed' (Gen 4:25). Previously, regarding the things signified by 'knew' (Gen 4:1), we did not say that Adam's knowing Eve his wife meant standing beside her, but rather that they had come together, which also now signifies. She, 'having conceived she bore a son', whom 'and named Seth, saying: God has raised up for me seed instead of Abel, whom Cain killed' (Gen 4:25).

Those bringing forward different natures of the Valentinian heresy, saying that their unsuited virtue is that which they call earthly, and the unsuited evil, which they indeed also call spiritual, saying a third is the psychic, which is considered by them as being a mixture; and they take Cain as a sign of the unsuited virtue, and Abel of the spiritual, referring the remainder to Seth. It is not of the present time to refute this impious heresy, so that the word may not be defiled; but we also consider the word of Eve to be a testimony to the manner of Seth. For instead of the excellent Abel, this is interpreted as 'watering/refreshing'; and this is a symbol of life-giving provision; for this 'bringing forward' one must be interpreted as Abel having a brother, so that being first and more perfect, he might bring forward to God the spiritual sacrifices in the manner of a priest, while Seth brings forward a secondary struggle, through watering and teaching, those being instructed to God, who instead of Cain exists as someone self-willed and throwing blame upon himself; for he is a creature [interpreted as...].

Genesis 5:26. And to Seth there was born a son, and he named his name Enos; he hoped to call upon the name of the Lord God. The holy ones from the holy often possess both a physical descent from them and a descent according to the soul, in the same manner that Abraham became the father of Isaac, and Isaac of Jacob, and Jacob of Joseph; for these exist both by human succession from them and have become imitators of their virtue. But Esau became the son of Isaac according to the flesh alone, becoming a stranger to him through his own will; for he happened to be worthless. Seth, therefore, being placed instead of the righteous, begets Enos the righteous, who instead of the name of the Lord is called man; of such a nature, his soul's virtue declaring the 'according to the image' and the state of a truly existing man; for Enos is a 'man' among the Hebrews.

One must also add what is proper to man: 'He' says, 'hoped to call upon the name of the Lord'; and this is a virtuous practice for such a man. The hope that this truly is, is to become like God as much as possible; and to hope to call upon the name of the Lord God while simultaneously subjecting oneself to authority and to divine teaching is the hope.

Genesis 1:1–2. This is the book of the generations of men. On the day God made Adam, He made him according to the image of God; male and female He made them, and blessed them, and named their name Adam, on the day He made them. Here he called the narrative concerning Adam and his succession down to the present. Before the sixth day, on which man came into being, it was called the 'book of heaven and earth'; for we had finished that whole narrative concerning those before man, setting down another beginning of the generation of men. He calls 'generation' the word describing His making, just as it is said concerning Jesus: 'The book of the generation of Jesus Christ,' speaking according to the flesh; for the eternal one is unknown to men; for it is said: 'Who shall recount his lineage?' Just as we did not say the six days were a multitude of days, so also not the one...