[Humanity] had been held by
involuntary bonds undeservedly, for its wounds were undeserved. [Adam] had not
sinned against Satan who struck him, just as he had not given anything to the Benefactor
who healed him. Samson killed many with the jawbone of an ass, but the serpent
killed the entire human race through Eve. Our Lord therefore took up these
[same] arms with which the adversary had been victorious, and the world condemned.
He came down into the combat, and in the flesh which [he had received] from a
woman, conquered the world. Conquered, the adversary was condemned. (Saint
Ephrem's Commentary on Tatian's Diatessaron: An English Translation of Chester
Beatty Syriac MS 709 with Introduction and Notes I §1 [trans. Carmel
McCarthy; Journal of Semitic Studies Supplement 2; Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 1993, 2000], 40)
{[Simeon] also said, In a sign
of contradiction, and in your soul itself, for many heretics have expressed
different opinions on this matter. Some say that he assumed a body incapable of
suffering, and others that he did not accomplish his role as guide in a true
body. Some say of [his] body that it was terrestrial, while others say that it
was celestial. Some affirm [that he existed] before the world, while others say
that his beginning was in Mary. [Simeon] said likewise, You will remove the
sword. [The sword], which was protecting Paradise because of Eve, was
removed by Mary. (Saint Ephrem's Commentary on Tatian's Diatessaron: An
English Translation of Chester Beatty Syriac MS 709 with Introduction and Notes
II §17 [trans. Carmel McCarthy; Journal of Semitic Studies Supplement 2;
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993, 2000], 67-68)