“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” —1 Corinthians 15:22 (ESV)
“He became what we are, so that He might make us what He is.” —Irenaeus of Lyon
When we look at the cross, we often think of forgiveness, mercy, and salvation. But what if it also meant something more—something deeper about the healing and restoration of the entire human story?
The recapitulation theory of the atonement, first developed by early church fathers like Irenaeus, offers a beautiful and expansive view of the cross. The word “recapitulation” means “to sum up” or “to bring together again” (think “recap”). It’s the idea that in Jesus, God is redoing the human story—and getting it right this time. Everything Adam lost through disobedience, Jesus wins back through obedience.
In Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15, Paul draws this powerful contrast between Adam and Christ. Adam disobeyed God and brought sin and death into the world. Jesus, the “last Adam,” obeys the Father even unto death, and brings righteousness and life. Where Adam stretched out his hand to a tree in rebellion, Jesus stretches out his hands on a tree in obedience. In every way, Jesus relives and redeems our story.
He is born as we are born. He grows up. He is tempted. He works, loves, weeps, suffers, and dies. But in every stage of human life, he remains faithful. In doing so, he recapitulates our humanity—he re-lives it, reclaims it, and rewrites it. And because he does this as the eternal Son of God, what he heals in himself, he heals in us.
The recapitulation theory reminds us that salvation is not just a legal pardon—it is a re-creation. Jesus didn’t just die for us. He became us, so that we might become like him.
Reflection Questions:
Are there parts of your story you wish could be rewritten or redeemed? What would it mean for Jesus to “recapitulate” even those?
How does viewing the cross as the redoing of the human story expand your understanding of salvation?
What would it look like for you to walk in the obedience of Christ today, trusting that he has already gone ahead of you?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you that you became what I am so that I might become what you are. Thank you for retracing the steps of broken humanity and healing them with your obedience, love, and power. Teach me to walk in your footsteps—not just because I ought to, but because I now can, in you. Amen.
