By Water & Blood

Panarion 51, Chapter 11: Betrothal, Luke’s genealogy, and Gaul

But you will say to me, How then was he called her husband, if he did not have her? But the one who doubts these things is ignorant of the things according to the law: that from when a woman is named to a man, whether she be a virgin or still in her father’s house, such a one is called the wife of the one named. For this reason the holy angel says, “Do not fear to take your wife.”

And so that no one may think there is some error in the Gospels—for the mystery is astonishing and the narrative beyond human capacity, and only to the sons of the Holy Spirit is everything smooth and illuminated—

he says, “He was about thirty years old, as was supposed the son of Joseph the son of Heli the son of Matthan,” and he carries the generation up to Abraham, from where Matthew also began, and he passes over Noah and reaches Adam, so as to signal the one molded from the first, who is sought through the one who came from his lump—that is, from the holy virgin Mary.

For he came for the sake of that one once molded and those begotten by him, who wish to inherit eternal life; and passing beyond Adam he says “of God.”

From this, then, it was most clear that he was Son of God, yet through the seed of Adam by succession he arrived in flesh. But again those who had gone astray did not have illumination; they contradicted the word, leading themselves astray and loving the lie more than the truth.

And they said, “Behold, behold, a third gospel, that according to Luke.” For this was entrusted to Luke, who was himself also one of the seventy-two who were scattered at the Savior’s word, and who through holy Paul returned again to the Lord and was entrusted to preach his gospel.

And he preaches first in Dalmatia and Gaul and in Italy and Macedonia. And the beginning was in Gaul, as Paul himself also says about certain of his followers in his letters: “Crescens,” he says, “in Gaul.” For it is not in Galatia, as some who have gone astray suppose, but in Gaul.