Cleansing And Purity

Ταύτῃ τοι λελουμένους φασὶ δεῖν ἐπὶ τὰς ἱεροποιίας καὶ τὰς εὐχὰς ἰέναι, καθαροὺς καὶ λαμπρούς· καὶ τοῦτο μὲν συμβόλου χάριν γίνεται τὸ ἔξωθεν κεκοσμῆσθαί τε καὶ ἡγνίσθαι, ἁγνεία δέ ἐστι φρονεῖν ὅσια, καὶ δὴ καὶ ἡ εἰκὼν τοῦ βαπτίσματος εἴη ἂν [καὶ ἡ] ἐκ Μωυσέως παραδεδομένη τοῖς ποιηταῖς ὧδέ πως· ἣ δ´ ὑδρηναμένη, καθαρὰ χροῒ εἵματ' ἔχουσα, Ἡ Πηνελόπη ἐπὶ τὴν εὐχὴν ἔρχεται· Τηλέμαχος δέ, χεῖρας νιψάμενος πολιῆς ἁλός, εὔχετ' Ἀθήνῃ. ἔθος τοῦτο Ἰουδαίων, ὡς καὶ τὸ πολλάκις ἐπὶ κοίτῃ βαπτίζεσθαι. Εὖ γοῦν κἀκεῖνο εἴρηται· Ἴσθι μὴ λουτρῷ, ἀλλὰ νόῳ καθαρός. Ἀγνεία γάρ, οἶμαι, τελεία ἡ τοῦ νοῦ καὶ τῶν ἔργων καὶ τῶν διανοημάτων, πρὸς δὲ καὶ τῶν λόγων εἰλικρίνεια καὶ τελευταία ἡ κατὰ τὰ ἐνύπνια ἀναμαρτησία.Ἱκανὴ δέ, οἶμαι, ἀνθρώπῳ κάθαρσις μετάνοια ἀκριβὴς καὶ βεβαία, εἴ γε κατεγνωκότες ἑαυτῶν ἐπὶ ταῖς προγενομέναις πράξεσι προΐεμεν [εἰς] τὸ πρόσθεν, μετὰ ταῦτα νοήσαντες καὶ τὸν νοῦν ἐξαναδύντες τῶν τε κατ´ αἴσθησιν τερπόντων καὶ τῶν πρόσθεν πλημμελημάτων. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λόγος Δ Κεφ' ΚΒ' Source: Migne PG 8.1352a-1353a

Whence it is said we should go washed to sacrifices and prayers, clean and bright, and that this external adornment and purification are practiced for the sake of a sign. And 'it is purity to think holy thoughts.' 1 And then there is the image of baptism, which was handed down to the poets from Moses, as here: 'And she having drawn water, and wearing on her body clean clothes.' 2 Penelope is going to prayer. 'And Telemachus, Having washed his hands in the grey sea, prayed to Athene.' 3 It is a custom of the Jews to wash frequently for bed. It was then well said: 'Be pure, not by washing of water, but in the mind.' 4 For sanctity, I think, is a perfection of mind and deeds and thoughts, and a pureness of words too, and finally sinlessness in dreams. And sufficient purification for a man, I think, is thorough and sure repentance; if, indeed, having condemned ourselves for our former actions, we advance, after having thought on these things and freed our mind both of the things which pleased through the senses and our former offences. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 6, Ch 15 1 Epigram from the temple of Aesclepius Epidauros 2 Hom Od 4.759 3 Hom Od 2.260-261 4 source unknown