Light in our prison; firstborn from the dead; tent of David

So God the Father, full of mercy, sent us the Word, the Creator, who came down to save us. He showed himself to us in the very places where we lost life, and broke the bonds in which we were held. (Lk 1:78-79) His light appeared to us; it scattered the darkness of our prison and sanctified our birth, abolishing death and snapping the very chains in which we were tangled. (Isa 9:2; Mt 4:16)

And by working his own resurrection he became himself the firstborn from the dead; he raised in himself the fallen human being and brought him up to the highest heavens, to the right hand of the Father’s glory. (Col 1:18; Acts 2:33)

So God had promised through his prophet: ‘And I will raise up the fallen tent of David’ (Amos 9:11; Acts 15:16) — that is, the body he drew from David. This our Lord Jesus Christ truly fulfilled, working our salvation gloriously. He truly raises us, bringing us safe to the Father.

If someone will not admit birth from a Virgin, how will he admit his resurrection from the dead? For there is nothing astonishing if one who had no birth should rise from the dead — yet we cannot even speak of resurrection in his case, since a birthless immortal cannot fall under death’s blows. How could one who lacks the human beginning have the human end?