Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume III/Anti-Marcion/On the Resurrection of the Flesh/XVI

Chapter XVI.—The

Heretics Called the Flesh “The Vessel of the Soul,” In

Order to Destroy the Responsibility of the Body. Their Cavil Turns Upon

Themselves and Shows the Flesh to Be a Sharer in Human

Actions.

When, however, we attribute to the soul authority, and

to the flesh submission, we must see to it that (our opponents) do not

turn our position by another argument, by insisting on so placing the

flesh in the service of the soul, that it be not (considered as) its

servant, lest they should be compelled, if it were so regarded, to

admit its companionship (to the soul). For they would argue that

servants and companions possess a discretion in discharging the

functions of their respective office, and a power over their will in

both relations: in short, (they would claim to be) men themselves, and

therefore (would expect) to share the credit with their principals, to

whom they voluntarily yielded their assistance; whereas the flesh had

no discretion, no sentiment in itself, but possessing no power of its

own of willing or refusing, it, in fact, appears to stand to the soul

in the stead of a vessel as an instrument rather than a servant. The