Adam sinned, and died; Christ did not sin, yet He also died. This was something new and paradoxical; for that one sinned and died, while this One did not sin, and yet died. And what was the reason for this? So that the one who had sinned and died could be set free from the death that held him by the One Who died yet was without sin. This kind of thing can happen with money. For often someone having debts but not having the means to pay them off is put in chains; while another, not having debts, and having the means to pay off the other’s debts, pays them off, thus delivering the debtor. This also happened with Adam. He was a debtor, held fast by the devil, as he had no means to pay off his debt; while Christ, having no debts, and not being held by the devil, had the means to pay off Adam’s debt. So He came, and paid off with His death the debt of the one being held by the devil, in order to set him free.
id., Homily against Drunkenness and on the Resurrection
Fifth Century