“Because of his boundless love, Jesus became what we are that he might make us to be what He is.” — St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130 – 202) It’s baffling to read something like that, written in the First Century. St. Irenaeus was a bishop in the early Church, before the Bible existed as a singular book and while persecution and martyrdom were expected consequences of holding the Faith. It was in that environment that such a dogma was articulated clearly nonetheless.