And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a life-giving spirit.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
The first man, Adam, was made into a living soul … but of all the animals it was said: “Let the earth bring forth the living creatures.” We understand, then, that the natural body is said to be like the other animals because of the dissolution and corruption of death. It is daily renewed by food, and when the bond of life is broken it is dissolved. But the spiritual body which is now with the Spirit is immortal. Letter , To Consentius.
But whereas he that was formed of the earth returned to the earth, He that became the second man returned to heaven. And so we read of the "first Adam and the last Adam."
And yet the one indeed is written, but the other not written. How then said he, it is written? He modified the expression according to the issue of events: as he is wont continually to do: and indeed as it is the way of every prophet. For so Jerusalem, the prophet said, should be called a city of righteousness; Isaiah 1:26 yet it was not so called. What then? Did the prophet speak false? By no means. For he is speaking of the issue of events. And that Christ too should be called Immanuel; Isaiah 7:14 yet was he not so called. But the facts utter this voice; so also here, the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit.
And these things he said that you may learn that the signs and pledges both of the present life and of that which is to come have already come upon us; to wit, of the present life, Adam, and of the life to come, Christ. For since he sets down the better things as matters of hope, he signifies that their beginning has already come to pass, and their root and their fountain b...
The apostle said these things so that we might learn that the signs and promises both of this present life and of that which is to come have now come upon us. He sets out the better things as matters for hope and indicates that they have already begun, because their root and their source have been revealed. If that is the case, there is no need to doubt that the fruits will appear in due course.
For to this effect he just before remarked of Christ Himself: "The first man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.".
Man, yet God-the last Adam.
And therefore he confirms the passage afresh, by putting on it the impress (of his own inspired authority), saying, "For so it is written; ".
Now the apostle, by severally adducing this order in Adam and in Christ, fairly distinguishes between the two states, in the very essentials of their difference. And when he calls Christ "the last Adam"
