80,--had been applied to the Childhood of the Forerunner[496], it was clearly the design of the Author of Scripture to teach that the Word 'made flesh' submitted to the same laws of growth and increase as every other Son of Adam.

The body 'grew,'-- the spiritual part 'waxed strong.' This statement was nevertheless laid hold of by the enemies of Christianity.

How can it be pretended (they asked) that He was 'perfect God' ([Greek: teleios Theos]), of whom it is related in respect of His spirit that he 'waxed strong[497]'?
The consequence might have been foreseen.

Certain of the orthodox were ill-advised enough to erase the word [Greek: pneumati] from the copies of St.Luke ii.

40; and lo, at the end of 1,500 years, four 'corrected' copies, two Versions, one Greek Father, survive to bear witness to the ancient fraud.