Faith And The End

Φωτὸς δὲ ἀνὰ μέσον καὶ τοῦ σκότους, οὐδὲ ἕν. Ἐν δὲ τῇ ἀναστάσει τῶν πιστευόντων ἀπόχειται τὸ τέλος· τὸ δὲ οὐχ ἄλλου τινός ἐστι μεταλαδεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ τῆς προωμολογημένης ἐπαγγελίας τυχεῖν. Μὴ γὰρ κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον ἅμα ἄμφω συνίστασθα!ί φαμεν, τὴν τε πρὸς τὸ πέρας ἄφιξιν καὶ τῆς ἀφέξεως τὴν πρόληψιν· οὐ γάρ ἔστι ταὐτὸν αἰὼν καὶ χρόνος· οὐδὲ μὴν ὁρμὴ καὶ τέλος, οὐχ ἔστι" περὶ ἕν δὲ ἄμφω: καὶ περὶ ἄμφω ὁ εἷς καταγίνεται. Ἔστι γοῦν, ὡς εἰπεῖν, ὁρμὴ μὲν ἡ πίστις ἐν χρόνῳ γεννωμένη τέλος δὲ τὸ τυχεῖν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, εἰς αἰῶνας βεδαιούμενον. Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Κύριος σαφέστατα τῆς σωτηρίας τὴν ἰσότητα ἀπεκάλυψεν, εἰπών· Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Πατρός μου, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ θεωρῶν τὸν Υιὸν, καὶ πιστεύων ἐπ᾿αὑτὸν ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον· καὶ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῇ ἡμέρᾳ. Καθόσον μὲν οὖν δυνατὸν ἐν τῷδε τῷ κόσμῳ, ὃν ἐσχάτην ἡμέραν ἡνίξατο, εἰς τότε τηρούμενον ὅτε παύσηται, τελείους ἡμᾶς γενέσθαι πιστεύομεν. Πίστις γὰρ μαθήσεως τελειότης· διὰ τοῦτό φησιν· Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν, ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Ἐΐ τοίνυν οἱ πιστεύσαντες ἔχομεν τὴν ζωὴν, τί περαιτέρω τοῦ κεκτῆσθαι ζωὴν ἀΐδιον ὑπολείπεται; Οὐδὲν δὲ ἐνδεῖ τῇ πίστει, τελείᾳ οὔσῃ ἐξ αὑτῆς καὶ πεπληρωμένη. Εἰ δὲ ἐνδεῖ τι αὐτῇ, οὖχ ἔστιν ὁλοτελῆς οὐδὲ πίστις ἐστὶ σκάζουσα περί τι· οὐδὲ μετὰ τὴν ἐνθένδε ἀποδημίαν ἀναμένει τοὺς πεπιστευχότας, ἀδιακρίτως ἐνταῦθα ἡῤῥαβωνισμένους. Ἐκεῖνο δὲ τὸ πιστεῦσαι ἤδη προειληφότες ἐσόμενον μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἀπολαμβάνομεν γενόμενον· ὅπως τ' ἂν ἐκεῖνο πληρωθῇ τὸ λεχθέν· Γενηθήτω κατὰ τὴν πίστιν σου. Οὗ δὲ ἡ πίστις; ἐνταῦθα ἡ ἐπαγγελία τελείωσις δὲ ἐπαγγελίας ἡ ἀνάπαυσις. Ὥστε ἡ μὲν γνῶσις ἐν τῷ φωτίσματι, τὸ δὲ πέρας τῆς γνώσεως, ἡ ἔσχατον νοεῖται ὁρεκτόν. Καθάπερ᾽ οὖν τῇ πείρᾳ ἣ ἀπειρία καταλύεται, καὶ τῷ πόρῳ ἡ ἀπορία· οὕτως ἀνάγκη τῷ φωτισμῷ ἐξαφανίζεσθαι τὸ σκότος" ἡ ἄγνοια δὲ τὸ σκότος, καθ᾽ ἣν περιπίπτομεν τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν, ἀμβλυωποῦντες περὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν· φωτισμὸς ἄρα ἡ γνῶσίς ἐστιν, ὁ ἐξαφανίξων τὴν ἄγνοιαν, καὶ τὸ διορατιχὸν ἐντιθείς. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ἡ τῶν χειρόνων ἀποβολὴ τῶν κρειττόνων ἐστὶν ἀποκάλυψις. Ἃ γὰρ ἣ ἄγνοια συνέδησε κακῶς, ταῦτα διὰ τῆς ἐπιγνώσεως ἀναλύεται καλῶς τὰ δὲ δεσμὰ ταῦτα, ἧ τάχος, ἀνίεται·πίστει μὲν ἀνθρωπίνῃ, θεϊχῇ δὲ τῇ χάριτι· ἀφιεμένων τῶν πλημμελημάτων ἑνὶ Παιωνίῳ φαρμάκῳ, Λογικῷ βαπτίσματι. Πάντα μὲν οὖν ἀπολουόμεθα τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, οὐκέτι δὲ ἐσμεν παρὰ πόδας κακοί. Μία χάρις αὕτη τοῦ φωτίσματος, τὸ μὴ τὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι τῷ πρὶν ἣ λούσασθαι τὸν τρόπον. Ὅτι δὲ ἡ γνῶσις συνανατέλλει τῷ φωτίσματι, περιαστράπτουσα τὸν νοῦν, καὶ εὐθέως ἀκούομεν μαθηταὶ οἱ ἁμαθεῖς· πότερόν ποτέ τῆς μαθήσεως ἐκείνης προσγενομένης; οὗ γὰρ ἂν ἔχοις εἰπεῖν τὸν χρόνον· ἡ μὲν γὰρ κατήχησις εἰς πίστιν περιάγει, πίστις δὲ, ἅμα βαπτίσματι ἁγίῳ παιδεύεται Πνεύματι· ἐπεὶ ὅτι γε μία καθολικὴ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος σωτηρία, ἡ πίστις, ἰσότης δὲ καὶ κοινωνία τοῦ δικαίου καὶ φιλανθρώπου Θεοῦ, ἣ αὐτὴ πρὸς πάντας, ὁ ᾿Απόστολος σαφέστατα ἐξηγήσατο, ὧδέ πως εἰπών Πρὸ τοῦ δὲ ἐλθεῖν τὴν πίστιν, ὑπὸ γόμον ἐφρουρούμεθω, συγκλειόμενοι εἷς τὴν μέλλουσαν πίστιν ἀποκαλυφθῆγαι. Ὥστε ὁ νόμος παιδαγωγὸς ἡμῶν γέγoνεν εἰς Χριστὸν, ἵνα ἐκ πίστεως δικαιωθῶμεν· ἐλθούσης δὲ τῆς πίστεως, οὐκέτι ὑπὸ παιδαγωγὸν ἐσμεν. Οὐκ ἀκούετε, ὅτι ὑπ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τὸν νόμον οὐκέτι ἐσμὲν, ὃς ἣν μετὰ φόβου· ὑπὸ δὲ τὸν Λόγον, τῆς προαιρέσεως τὸν Παιδαγωγόν; Εἶτα μέντοι ἐπῆγαγε τὴν ἁπάσης ἐκτὸς προσωποληψίας φωνήν Πάντες γὰρ υἱοί ἐστε διὰ πίστεως Θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ· ὅσοι γὰρ εἰς Χριστὸν ἐβαπτείσθητε, Χριστὸν ἐνεδύσασθε· οὐκ ἔνι Ιουδαῖος οὔτε “Ελλην· οὐκ ἔνι δοῦλος, οὔτε ἐλεύθερος· οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ· πάντες γὰρ ὑμεῖς εἷς ἐστε ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Ὁ Παιδαγωγός, Λόγος Πρώτος, Κεφ Ϛ’ Source: Migne PG 8.284b-288a

There is nothing between light and darkness. But the end is reserved till the resurrection of the faithful, and it is not the reception of something else but the obtaining of the promise previously made. For we do not say both the arrival at the end and the anticipation of that arrival happen at the same time, for eternity and time are not the same, neither is the attempt and the result, but both concern the same thing, and the one and the same person is involved in both. Faith, so to speak, is the attempt generated in time and the attainment of the promise is the result secured for eternity. Now the Lord Himself has most clearly revealed the equality of salvation, saying, 'For this is the will of my Father, that everyone that sees the Son and believes in Him, shall have everlasting life, and I will raise him up on the last day.' 1 As far as it is possible in this world we believe we are to be perfect, which is expressed by the last day, and which is preserved until the time when it will end. Thus He says, 'He who believes in the Son has everlasting life.' 2 If, then, those who have believed have life, what remains beyond the possession of eternal life? In faith there is nothing lacking, it is perfect and complete in itself. If anything is lacking, it is not wholly perfect. But faith is not defective in any respect, it does not make us wait after our departure from here, we who have believed and received without distinction the token of future good, but having in anticipation grasped that which is to come by faith, we receive it as present after the resurrection, in order that that may be fulfilled which was spoken, 'Let it be according to your faith.' 3 And where faith is, there is the promise, and the consummation of the promise is peace. As in illumination there is knowledge, and the end of knowledge is the last thing hoped for. Just as, then, inexperience comes to an end by experience, and confusion by clarity, so darkness must be dispelled by illumination, and the darkness is ignorance, by which we fall into sins, blind to the truth. Knowledge is the illumination we receive which dispels ignorance and bestows clear vision on us, for the abandonment of what is bad comes with the adoption of what is better. For what ignorance has bound badly, is released well by understanding, and with those bonds quickly slackened by human faith and Divine grace, our transgressions are taken away by one Paeonian medicine, the baptism of the Word. Then we are cleansed from all our sins and no longer have lame feet. This is the one grace of illumination, that our characters are not the same as before our washing. And since knowledge springs up with illumination, pouring its beams into the mind, the moment we hear, we who were untaught become disciples. Does this, I ask, take place at the advent of this instruction? You cannot tell the time. For instruction leads to faith, and faith with baptism is trained by the Holy Spirit. For that faith is the one universal salvation of humanity, and the Apostle most clearly showed that there is the same equality before the righteous and loving God, and the same fellowship between Him and all,  by speaking in this way, 'Before faith came we were kept under the law, shut out from the faith which should afterwards be revealed, so that the law became our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith, but after that faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.' Do you not hear that we are no longer under that law which was accompanied with fear, but under the Word, the master of free choice? Then he added the statement, clear of all partiality, 'For you are all the children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. For as many as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor freeman, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.' 4 Clement of Alexandria, The Teacher, Book 1, Chapter 6 1 Jn 6.40 2 Jn 3.36 3 Mt 9.29 4 Galat 3.23-28

Seeking And Preserving

Συνεξάπτει δὲ ἡ γραφὴ τὸ ζώπυρον τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ συντείνει τὸ οἰκεῖον ὄμμα πρὸς θεωρίαν, τάχα μέν τι καὶ ἐντιθεῖσα, οἷον ὁ ἐγκεντρίζων γεωργός, τὸ δὲ ἐνυπάρχον ἀνακινοῦσα. Πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐν ἡμῖν, κατὰ τὸν θεῖον ἀπόστολον, ἀσθενεῖς καὶ ἄρρωστοι, καὶ κοιμῶνται ἱκανοί. Eἰ δὲ ἑαυτοὺς διεκρίνομεν, οὐκ ἂν ἐκρινόμεθα. Ἤδη δὲ οὐ γραφὴ εἰς ἐπίδειξιν τετεχνασμένη ἥδε ἡ πραγματεία, ἀλλά μοι ὑπομνήματα εἰς γῆρας θησαυρίζεται, λήθης φάρμακον, εἴδωλον ἀτεχνῶς καὶ σκιαγραφία τῶν ἐναργῶν καὶ ἐμψύχων ἐκείνων, ὧν κατηξιώθην ἐπακοῦσαι, λόγων τε καὶ ἀνδρῶν μακαρίων καὶ τῷ ὄντι ἀξιολόγων. Tούτων ὃ μὲν ἐπὶ τῆς Ἑλλάδος, ὁ Ἰωνικός, οἳ δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς Μεγάλης Ἑλλάδος, τῆς κοίλης θάτερος αὐτῶν Συρίας ἦν, ὃ δὲ ἀπ' Αἰγύπτου, ἄλλοι δὲ ἀνὰ τὴν ἀνατολήν· καὶ ταύτης ὃ μὲν τῆς τῶν Ἀσσυρίων, ὃ δὲ ἐν Παλαιστίνῃ Ἑβραῖος ἀνέκαθεν· ὑστάτῳ δὲ περιτυχὼν, δυνάμει δὲ οὗτος πρῶτος ἦν, ἀνεπαυσάμην, ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ θηράσας λεληθότα. Σικελικὴ τῷ ὄντι ἦν μέλιττα προφητικοῦ τε καὶ ἀποστολικοῦ λειμῶνος τὰ ἄνθη δρεπόμενος ἀκήρατόν τι γνώσεως χρῆμα ταῖς τῶν ἀκροωμένων ἐνεγέννησε ψυχαῖς. Ἀλλ' οἳ μὲν τὴν ἀληθῆ τῆς μακαρίας σῴζοντες διδασκαλίας παράδοσιν εὐθὺς ἀπὸ Πέτρου τε καὶ Ἰακώβου Ἰωάννου τε καὶ Παύλου τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων, παῖς παρὰ πατρὸς ἐκδεχόμενος, ὀλίγοι δὲ οἱ πατράσιν ὅμοι, ἧκον δὴ σὺν θεῷ καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς τὰ προγονικὰ ἐκεῖνα καὶ ἀποστολικὰ καταθησόμενοι σπέρματα. Kαὶ εὖ οἶδ' ὅτι ἀγαλλιάσονται, οὐχὶ τῇ ἐκφράσει ἡσθέντες λέγω τῇδε, μόνῃ δὲ τῇ κατὰ τὴν ὑποσημείωσιν τηρήσει. Ποθούσης γὰρ οἶμαι ψυχῆς τὴν μακαρίαν παράδοσιν ἀδιάδραστον φυλάττειν ἡ τοιάδε ὑποτύπωσις· ἀνδρὸς δὲ φιλοῦντος σοφίαν εὐφρανθήσεται πατήρ. Tὰ φρέατα ἐξαντλούμενα διειδέστερον ὕδωρ ἀναδίδωσι, τρέπεται δὲ εἰς φθορὰν ὧν μεταλαμβάνει οὐδείς. Kαὶ τὸν σίδηρον ἡ χρῆσις καθαρώτερον φυλάσσει, ἡ δὲ ἀχρηστία ἰοῦ τούτῳ γεννητική. Συνελόντι γὰρ φάναι ἡ συγγυμνασία ἕξιν ἐμποιεῖ ὑγιεινὴν καὶ πνεύμασι καὶ σώμασιν. Oὐδεὶς ἅπτει λύχνον καὶ ὑπὸ τὸν μόδιον τίθησιν, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τῆς λυχνίας φαίνειν τοῖς τῆς ἑστιάσεως τῆς αὐτῆς κατηξιωμένοις. τί γὰρ ὄφελος σοφίας μὴ σοφιζούσης τὸν οἷόν τε ἐπαΐειν; ἔτι τε καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ σῴζει αἰεὶ καὶ αἰεὶ ἐργάζεται, ὡς βλέπει τὸν πατέρα. Διδάσκων τις μανθάνει πλεῖον καὶ λέγων συνακροᾶται πολλάκις τοῖς ἐπακούουσιν αὐτοῦ· εἷς γὰρ ὁ διδάσκαλος καὶ τοῦ λέγοντος καὶ τοῦ ἀκροωμένου, ὁ ἐπιπηγάζων καὶ τὸν νοῦν καὶ τὸν λόγον, ᾗ καὶ οὐ κεκώλυκεν ὁ Kύριος ἀπὸ ἀγαθοῦ σαββατίζειν, μεταδιδόναι δὲ τῶν θείων μυστηρίων καὶ τοῦ φωτὸς ἐκείνου τοῦ ἁγίου τοῖς χωρεῖν δυναμένοις συγκεχώρηκεν. Αὐτίκα οὐ πολλοῖς ἀπεκάλυψεν ἃ μὴ πολλῶν ἦν, ὀλίγοις δέ, οἷς προσήκειν ἠπίστατο, τοῖς οἵοις τε ἐκδέξασθαι καὶ τυπωθῆναι πρὸς αὐτά· τὰ δὲ ἀπόρρητα, καθάπερ ὁ θεός, λόγῳ πιστεύεται, οὐ γράμματι. Kἄν τις λέγῃ γεγράφθαι οὐδὲν κρυπτὸν ὃ οὐ φανερωθήσεται, οὐδὲ κεκαλυμμένον ὃ οὐκ ἀποκαλυφθήσεται, ἀκουσάτω καὶ παρ' ἡμῶν, ὅτι τῷ κρυπτῶς ἐπαίοντι τὸ κρυπτὸν φανερωθήσεσθαι διὰ τοῦδε προεθέσπισεν τοῦ λογίου, καὶ τῷ παρακεκαλυμμένως τὰ παραδιδόμενα οἵῳ τε παραλαμβάνειν δηλωθήσεται τὸ κεκαλυμμένον ὡς ἡ ἀλήθεια, καὶ τὸ τοῖς πολλοῖς κρυπτόν, τοῦτο τοῖς ὀλίγοις φανερὸν γενήσεται· ἐπεὶ διὰ τί μὴ πάντες ἴσασι τὴν ἀλήθειαν; διὰ τί δὲ μὴ ἠγαπήθη ἡ δικαιοσύνη, εἰ πάντων ἡ δικαιοσύνη; ἀλλὰ γὰρ τὰ μυστήρια μυστικῶς παραδίδοται, ἵνα ᾖ ἐν στόματι λαλοῦντος καὶ ᾧ λαλεῖται, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ ἐν φωνῇ, ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ νοεῖσθαι. Δέδωκεν δὲ ὁ θεὸς τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τοὺς μὲν ἀποστόλους, τοὺς δὲ προφήτας, τοὺς δὲ εὐαγγελιστάς, τοὺς δὲ ποιμένας καὶ διδασκάλους, πρὸς τὸν καταρτισμὸν τῶν ἁγίων, εἰς ἔργον διακονίας, εἰς οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λογος A’, Κεφ' A’ Source: Migne PG 9.697a-701c

Scripture kindles the living spark of the soul and directs the eye suitably for contemplation, perhaps inserting something, as the farmer who ingrafts, but even exciting what is there. 'For there are many among us,' according to the holy Apostle, 'who are weak and sickly, and many sleep. But if we judge ourselves, we shall not be judged.' 1 Now this work of writing is not composed for display, but as my memoranda stored up against old age, as a remedy against forgetfulness, and truly as an image and outline of those vigorous and animated discourses which I was privileged to hear from blessed and truly remarkable men. Of these there was one in Greece, an Ionian, another in Magna Graecia, and the first of these was from Coele-Syria and the second from Egypt, and there were others in the East, one who was born in Assyria, and the other was a Jew of Palestine. When I came upon this last one, who was the first in ability, having tracked him down concealed in Egypt, I found rest. He was the true Sicilian bee, gathering the spoil of the flowers of the prophetic and Apostolic meadow, who engendered in the souls of his hearers a certain pure element of knowledge. For preserving the tradition of the blessed teaching derived directly from the holy Apostles, Peter, James, John, and Paul, the sons receiving it from the father, but few are like the fathers, they came by God's will to us also, to deposit those ancestral and Apostolic seeds. And well I know that they will exult in this, not that they will be delighted with this tribute, but solely on account of the preservation of the truth as they delivered it. For I think such a sketch as this will please a soul that desires the preservation of the blessed tradition. 'A man who loves wisdom will make a father glad.' 2 When wells are pumped out they yield purer water, and one which no one uses putrefies. Use keeps steel brighter, but disuse produces rust in it. In a word, exercise produces a healthy condition both in souls and bodies. 'No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel, but on a stand, so that it may shine on those who are regarded worthy of the feast.' 3 For what is the use of wisdom if it does not make him who can hear it wise? For still the Saviour saves, 'and always works, as He sees the Father.' 4 By teaching one learns more, and in speaking one is often a hearer along with the audience. For the teacher of him who speaks and of him who hears is one who waters both the mind and the word. Thus the Lord did not prohibit us from doing good while keeping the Sabbath, but allowed us to communicate Divine mysteries and holy light to those who are able to receive them. He did not disclose to the many what did not belong to the many, but to the few to whom He knew that they belonged and were capable of receiving and being shaped according to what was given. But secret things are entrusted to speech, not to writing, as is the case with God. And if someone will say that it is written, 'There is nothing secret which shall not be revealed, nor hidden which shall not be disclosed,' 5 let him hear from us that what was predicted by this passage is that to him who hears secretly even what is secret shall be made manifest, and to him who conceals what is delivered to him that which is veiled shall be disclosed as truth, and what is a secret to many shall appear manifest to the few. For why do not all know the truth? Why is not righteousness loved, if righteousness belongs to all? But the mysteries are delivered mystically, that what is spoken may be in the mouth and in him who speaks rather than in the voice. 'God gave to the Church some to be apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the holy, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.' 6 Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 1, Chapter 1 1 1 Cor 11.30 2 Prov 29.3 3 Mt 5.15 4 Jn 5.19 5 Lk 8.17 6 Ephes 4.11-12

Love And Knowledge

Ὡς μὲν οὖν ἀντακολουθοῦσιν ἀλλήλαις αἱ ἀρεταί, τί χρὴ λέγειν, ἐπιδεδειγμένου ἤδη ὡς πίστις μὲν ἐπὶ μετανοίᾳ ἐλπίδι τε, εὐλάβεια δὲ ἐπὶ πίστει, καὶ ἡ ἐν τούτοις ἐπιμονή τε καὶ ἄσκησις ἅμα μαθήσει συμπεραιοῦται εἰς ἀγάπην, ἣ δὲ τῇ γνώσει τελειοῦται; ἐκεῖνο δὲ ἐξ ἀνάγκης παρασημειωτέον ὡς μόνον τὸ θεῖον σοφὸν εἶναι φύσει νοεῖσθαι χρή· διὸ καὶ ἡ σοφία δύναμις θεοῦ ἡ διδάξασα τὴν ἀλήθειαν· κἀνταῦθάπου εἴληπται ἡ τελείωσις τῆς γνώσεως. Φιλεῖ δὲ καὶ ἀγαπᾷ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὁ φιλόσοφος, ἐκ τοῦ θεράπων εἶναι γνήσιος δι' ἀγάπην ἤδη φίλος νομισθείς. Tαύτης δὲ ἀρχὴ τὸ θαυμάσαι τὰ πράγματα, ὡς Πλάτων ἐν Θεαιτήτῳ λέγει, καὶ Ματθίας ἐν ταῖς Παραδόσεσι παραινῶν θαύμασον τὰ παρόντα, βαθμὸν τοῦτον πρῶτον τῆς ἐπέκεινα γνώσεως ὑποτιθέμενος· ᾗ κἀν τῷ καθ' Ἑβραίους εὐαγγελίῳ "ὁ θαυμάσας βασιλεύσει" γέγραπται καὶ ὁ βασιλεύσας ἀναπαήσεται. Ἀδύνατον οὖν τὸν ἀμαθῆ, ἔστ' ἂν μένῃ ἀμαθής, φιλοσοφεῖν, τόν γε μὴ ἔννοιαν σοφίας εἰληφότα, φιλοσοφίας οὔσης ὀρέξεως τοῦ ὄντως ὄντος καὶ τῶν εἰς τοῦτο συντεινόντων μαθημάτων. Kἂν τὸ ποιεῖν καλῶς ᾖ τισιν ἐξησκημένον, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐπίστασθαι, ὡς χρηστέον καὶ ποιητέον, καὶ συνεκπονητέον, καθὸ καὶ ὁμοιοῦταί τις θεῷ, θεῷ λέγω τῷ σωτῆρι, θεραπεύων τὸν τῶν ὅλων θεὸν διὰ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως λόγου, δι' οὗ καθορᾶται τὰ κατ' ἀλήθειαν καλὰ καὶ δίκαια. Eὐσέβεια ἔστι πρᾶξις ἑπομένη καὶ ἀκόλουθος θεῷ. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λογος Β’, Κεφ' Θ’ Source: Migne PG 9.979c-981b

As, then, the virtues follow one another, what need to speak of that which has been demonstrated already, that faith hopes through repentance, and fear through faith, and patience and practice in these, along with learning, culminate in love, which is perfected by knowledge? But what one must note is that the Divine alone must be thought as wise by nature. Therefore wisdom also, which has taught the truth, is the power of God, and in it the perfection of knowledge is embraced. The philosopher loves and likes the truth, being now changed from being a true servant to being considered a friend on account of his love. 1 The beginning of knowledge is a wondering at objects, as Plato says is in his Theaetetus, 2 and Matthias exhorting us in the Traditions, says, 'Wonder at what is before you,' laying this down as the first foundation of further knowledge. So also in the Gospel to the Hebrews it is written, 'He that wonders shall reign, and he that has reigned shall rest.' It is impossible, therefore, for an ignorant man, while he remains ignorant, to philosophise, since he has no grasp of the idea of wisdom and philosophy, which is an effort to grasp that which truly is, and the studies that lead to that. Which is not done to make a man cultivated, but so that there might be knowledge of what is beneficial and how to act and labour, insofar as one has a likeness to God, I mean God the Saviour, by the service of the God of all things through the High Priest, the Word, through whom is seen what is in truth good and right, and piety is conduct suitable for following God. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 2, Chapter 9 1 Jn 15.15 2 Plato Theat 155d

Teaching And Judgement

Αὐτίκα γοῦν ὁ Μωσῆς, τῷ τελείῳ προφητικῶς παραχωρῶν παιδαγωγῷ τῷ λόγῳ, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα καὶ τὴν παιδαγωγίαν προθεσπίζει καὶ τῷ λαῷ παρατίθεται τὸν παιδαγωγόν, ἐντολὰς ὑπακοῆς ἐγχειρίσας· προφήτην ὑμῖν ἀναστήσει, φησίν, ὁ θεὸς ὡς ἐμὲ ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὑμῶν, τὸν Ἰησοῦν τὸν τοῦ Ναυῆ αἰνιττόμενος τὸν Ἰησοῦν τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ υἱόν· σκιαγραφία γὰρ ἦν τοῦ κυρίου τὸ ὄνομα τὸ Ἰησοῦ προκηρυσσόμενον ἐν νόμῳ. Ἐπιφέρει γοῦν, τὸ λυσιτελὲς τῷ λαῷ συμβουλεύων, αὐτοῦ ἀκούσεσθε λέγων, καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὃς ἂν μὴ ἀκούσῃ τοῦ προφήτου τούτου, τούτῳ ἀπειλεῖ. Τοιοῦτον ἡμῖν ὄνομα σωτηρίου προφητεύει παιδαγωγοῦ. Διὰ τοῦτο αὐτῷ ῥάβδον περιτίθησιν ἡ προφητεία, ῥάβδον παιδευτικήν, ἀρχικήν, κατεξουσιαστικήν, ἵν' οὓς ὁ λόγος ὁ πειθήνιος οὐκ ἰᾶται, ἀπειλὴ ἰάσεται, οὓς δὲ ἡ ἀπειλὴ οὐκ ἰᾶται, ἡ ῥάβδος ἰάσεται, οὓς δὲ ἡ ῥάβδος οὐκ ἰᾶται, τὸ πῦρ ἐπινέμεται. Ἐξελεύσεται, φησί, ῥάβδος ἐκ τῆς ῥίζης Ἰεσσαί. Ὅρα καὶ τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν καὶ τὴν σοφίαν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ παιδαγωγοῦ· οὐ κατὰ τὴν δόξαν, φησί, κρινεῖ, οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν λαλιὰν ἐλέγξει, ἀλλὰ κρινεῖ ταπεινῷ κρίσιν καὶ ἐλέγξει τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς τῆς γῆς. Καὶ διὰ Δαβίδ· Kύριος παιδεύων ἐπαίδευσέν με καὶ τῷ θανάτῳ οὐ παρέδωκέν με· τὸ γὰρ ὑπὸ κυρίου παιδευθῆναι καὶ παιδαγωγηθῆναι θανάτου ἐστὶν ἀπαλλαγή. Καὶ διὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ προφήτου φησίν· ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ ποιμανεῖς αὐτούς. Ταύτῃ καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος κινηθεὶς ἐν τῇ πρὸς Κορινθίους τί θέλετε; φησίν, ἐν ῥάβδῳ ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἢ ἐν ἀγάπῃ πνεύματί τε πραΰτητος; Ἀλλὰ καὶ "ῥάβδον δυνάμεως ἐξαποστελεῖ Kύριος ἐκ Σιὼν δι' ἄλλου προφήτου λέγει. Ἡ δὲ παιδαγωγικὴ αὕτη ἡ ῥάβδος σου καὶ ἡ βακτηρία σου παρεκάλεσάν με, εἶπέν τις ἕτερος. Αὕτη τοῦ παιδαγωγοῦ ἡ δύναμις ἡ σεμνή, ἡ παρακλητική, ἡ σωτήριος. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Ὁ Παιδαγωγός, Λόγος Πρώτος, Κεφ Ζ’ Source: Migne PG 8.321c-324b

Now Moses, prophetically giving place to the perfect teacher, the Word, predicts both the name and the office of the Teacher, and giving to the people the commands of obedience, sets before them the Teacher. 'From among the brethren God will raise up a prophet for you like me,' pointing toward Jesus the Son of God by allusion to Jesus the son of Nun. For the name of Jesus predicted in the Law was a shadow of Christ. Then caring for the advantage of the people, he adds: 'You shall listen to him,' and he warns 'the man who will not hear this prophet.' 1 This name he predicts is that of the Teacher, the author of salvation. Whence prophecy equips Him with a rod, a rod of discipline and of rule and of authority, so that those whom the persuasive word does not heal, warnings may heal, and those whom warnings do not heal, the rod may heal, and those who the rod does not heal, fire shall devour. 'There shall come forth,' it is said, 'a rod out of the root of Jesse.' And then see the care and wisdom and power of the Teacher: 'He shall not judge according to opinion nor according to report, but He shall give judgement for the humble and reprove the sinners of the earth.' 2 And through David: 'The Lord in His teaching has instructed me and not given me over to death.' 3 For to be chastised by the Lord and instructed is deliverance from death. And through the same prophet He says: 'You shall rule them with a rod of iron.' 4 Thus also the Apostle, being troubled, in the Epistle to the Corinthians says, 'What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love with a spirit of meekness?' 5 And He says through another Prophet: 'The Lord shall send a rod of power from Sion,' And regarding this same rod of instruction, someone else said, 'Your rod and staff have comforted me.' 6 Such is the power of the Teacher, sacred, comforting, saving. Clement of Alexandria, The Teacher, Book 1, Chapter 7 1 Deut 18.15, 19 2 Isaiah 11.1-4 3 Ps 117.18 4 Ps 2.9 5 1 Cor 4.21 6 Ps 109.2, Ps 22.4

Waiting To Enter

Οὐ πᾶς, ἄρα, ὁ λέγων, Κύριε, Κύριε, εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλ' ὁ ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὕτος δ' ἂν εἴη ὁ γνωστικὸς ἐργάτης, ὁ κρατῶν μὲν τῶν κοσμικῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν, ἐν αὐτῇ ἔτι τῇ σαρκὶ ὤν· περὶ δὲ ὦν ἔγνω τῶν μελλόντων, καὶ ἔτι ἀοράτων, πεπεισμένος ἀκριβῶς ὡς μᾶλλον ἠγεῖσθαι τῶν ἐν ποσὶ παρεῖναι ταῦτα. Οὗτος ἐργάτης εὔθετος, χαίρων μὲν ἐφ' οἶς ἔγνω, συστελλόμενος δὲ ἐφ' οἶς ἐπεγκυλίεται τῇ τοῦ βίου ἀνάκγῃ, μηδέπω καταξιούμενος τῆς ὦν ἔγνω ἐνεργούσης μεταλήψεως. Ταύτῃ τῷ βίῳ τῷδε ὡς ἀλλοτρίῳ, ὅσον ἐν ἀνάγκης συγχρῆται μοίρᾳ. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λογος Ζ’, Κεφ' AB’ Source: Migne PG 9.504a-b

Therefore 'Not every one who says Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of God, but he who does the will of God.' 1 Such is the wise labourer, who has mastery of worldly desires even while yet in the flesh, and concerning things he knows which are to come and are still unseen he has an acute persuasion, so that such things are more present than the things nearby. This capable worker rejoices in what he knows, but he is hemmed in because of his involvment in the necessities of life, not yet accounted worthy of active participation in what he knows. So he uses this life as if it were another's, that is, only as much as it is necessary. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 7, Chapter 12 1 Mt 7.21

Parable And Prophecy

Διὰ πολλὰς τοίνυν αἰτίας ἐπικρύπτονται τὸν νοῦν αἱ γραφαί, πρῶτον μὲν ἵνα ζητητικοὶ ὑπάρχωμεν καὶ προσαγρυπνῶμεν ἀεὶ τῇ τῶν σωτηρίων λόγων εὑρέσει, ἔπειτα ὅτι μηδὲ τοῖς ἅπασι προσῆκον ἦν νοεῖν, ὡς μὴ βλαβεῖεν ἑτέρως ἐκδεξάμενοι τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος σωτηρίως εἰρημένα. Διὸ δὴ τοῖς ἐκλεκτοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων τοῖς τε ἐκ πίστεως εἰς γνῶσιν ἐγκρίτοις τηρούμενα τὰ ἅγια τῶν προφητειῶν μυστήρια ταῖς παραβολαῖς ἐγκαλύπτεται· παραβολικὸς γὰρ ὁ χαρακτὴρ ὑπάρχει τῶν γραφῶν, διότι καὶ ὁ Kύριος, οὐκ ὢν κοσμικός, ὡς κοσμικὸς εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἦλθεν· καὶ γὰρ ἐφόρεσεν τὴν πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν ἔμελλέν τε τὸν σύντροφον τοῦ κόσμου ἄνθρωπον ἐπὶ τὰ νοητὰ καὶ κύρια διὰ τῆς γνώσεως ἀνάγειν ἐκ κόσμου εἰς κόσμον. Διὸ καὶ μεταφορικῇ κέχρηται τῇ γραφῇ· τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἡ παραβολή, λόγος ἀπό τινος οὐ κυρίου μέν, ἐμφεροῦς δὲ τῷ κυρίῳ ἐπὶ τἀληθὲς καὶ κύριον ἄγων τὸν συνιέντα, ἤ, ὥς τινές φασι, λέξις δι´ ἑτέρων τὰ κυρίως λεγόμενα μετ´ ἐνεργείας παριστάνουσα. Ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἡ οἰκονομία πᾶσα ἡ περὶ τὸν Kύριον προφητευθεῖσα παραβολὴ ὡς ἀληθῶς φαίνεται τοῖς μὴ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐγνωκόσιν, ὅταν τις τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ τὰ πάντα πεποιηκότος σάρκα ἀνειληφότα καὶ ἐν μήτρᾳ παρθένου κυοφορηθέντα, καθὸ γεγέννηται τὸ αἰσθητὸν αὐτοῦ σαρκίον, ἀκολούθως δέ, καθὸ γέγονεν τοῦτο, πεπονθότα καὶ ἀνεσταμένον ὃ μὲν λέγῃ, οἳ δὲ ἀκούωσιν, Ἰουδαίοις μὲν σκάνδαλον, Ἕλλησι δὲ μωρίαν, ὥς φησιν ὁ ἀπόστολος. Διανοιχθεῖσαι δὲ αἱ γραφαὶ καὶ τοῖς ὦτα ἔχουσιν ἐμφήνασαι τὸ ἀληθὲς αὐτὸ ἐκεῖνο, ὃ πέπονθεν ἡ σάρξ, ἣν ἀνείληφεν ὁ Kύριος, Δύναμιν θεοῦ καὶ σοφίαν καταγγέλλουσιν. Ἐπὶ πᾶσί τε τὸ παραβολικὸν εἶδος τῆς γραφῆς, ἀρχαιότατον ὄν, ὡς παρεστήσαμεν, εἰκότως παρὰ τοῖς προφήταις μάλιστα ἐπλεόνασεν, ἵνα δὴ καὶ τοὺς φιλοσόφους τοὺς παρ´ Ἕλλησι καὶ τοὺς παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις βαρβάροις σοφοὺς ἠγνοηκέναι τὸ ἅγιον ἐπιδείξῃ πνεῦμα τὴν ἐσομένην τοῦ Kυρίου παρουσίαν καὶ τὴν ὑπ´ αὐτοῦ παραδοθησομένην μυστικὴν διδασκαλίαν. Εἰκότως ἄρα κηρύσσουσα ἡ προφητεία τὸν κύριον, ὡς μὴ παρὰ τὰς τῶν πολλῶν ὑπολήψεις λέγουσα βλασφημεῖν τισι δοκοίη, ἐσχημάτισε τὰ σημαινόμενα φωναῖς ταῖς καὶ ἐπὶ ἑτέρας ἐννοίας ἄγειν δυναμέναις. Αὐτίκα οἱ προφῆται πάντες οἱ προθεσπίσαντες τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ Kυρίου καὶ σὺν αὐτῇ τὰ ἅγια μυστήρια ἐδιώχθησαν, ἐφονεύθησαν, καθάπερ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Kύριος διασαφήσας αὐτῶν τὰς γραφὰς καὶ οἱ τούτου γνώριμοι οἱ κηρύξαντες τὸν λόγον ὡσαύτως μετ´ αὐτὸν τὸ ζῆν παρεβάλοντο. Ὅθεν καὶ ὁ Πέτρος ἐν τῷ Κηρύγματι περὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων λέγων φησίν· Ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀναπτύξαντες τὰς βίβλους ἃς εἴχομεν τῶν προφητῶν, ἃ μὲν διὰ παραβολῶν, ἃ δὲ δι´ αἰνιγμάτων, ἃ δὲ αὐθεντικῶς καὶ αὐτολεξεὶ τὸν Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν ὀνομαζόντων, εὕρομεν καὶ τὴν παρουσίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν θάνατον καὶ τὸν σταυρὸν καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς κολάσεις πάσας ὅσας ἐποίησαν αὐτῷ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, καὶ τὴν ἔγερσιν καὶ τὴν εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνάληψιν πρὸ τοῦ Ἱεροσόλυμα κτισθῆναι, καθὼς ἐγέγραπτο ταῦτα πάντα, ἃ ἔδει αὐτὸν παθεῖν καὶ μετ´ αὐτὸν ἃ ἔσται. Ταῦτα οὖν ἐπιγνόντες ἐπιστεύσαμεν τῷ θεῷ διὰ τῶν γεγραμμένων εἰς αὐτόν. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λογος Ϛ’, Κεφ' ΙΕ’ Source: Migne PG 9.349b-352c

For many reasons, then, the Scriptures hide the sense. First, that we may become seekers and always be vigilant for the discovery of the words of salvation. Then because it was not suitable for all to understand, so that they might not be harmed by receiving in a different way the things spoken for salvation by the Holy Spirit. Whence it is for chosen men, picked out for knowledge because of their faith, that the holy mysteries of the prophecies are kept veiled in the parables; for the style of the Scriptures is parabolic. So indeed the Lord, who was not of the world, came to men as one who was of the world. For He bore all virtue to lead man, nurtured by the world, from one world to another by the things of the intellect and to the principle truths by knowledge. Whence also He also made use of metaphorical description; for the parable is such a thing, an account of something which is not the principal subject but similar to the principal subject, and it leads him who understands it to what is the true and principal thing. Or, as some say, it is a mode of speech presenting with vigour, by means of other things, what is the principal subject. And now also the whole economy which made prophecy of the Lord indeed appears as a parable to those who do not know the truth, when someone speaks and they hear that the Son of God, the Son of Him who made everything, assumed flesh, and was conceived in the Virgin's womb, as far as His material flesh was produced, and subsequently, as happened, suffered and rose again. It is 'a stumbling-block to the Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks,' as the Apostle says. 1 But when the Scriptures are opened up, they declare the truth 'to those who have ears,' 2 proclaiming that the suffering endured by the flesh which the Lord assumed is 'the power and wisdom of God.' 3 Finally, since the parabolic style of Scripture is of the greatest antiquity, as we have argued, it abounded most, as is to be expected, in the prophets, so that the Holy Spirit might reveal that the philosophers of the Greeks and the wise men of the Barbarians were ignorant of the future coming of the Lord and of the spiritual teaching that He was going to give. Fittingly then, the prophecy that proclaimed the Lord, so that it might not seem to some to blaspheme while speaking what was beyond the ideas of many, fashioned its speech in ways which were able to lead to different ideas. Now all the prophets who foretold the Lord's coming and the holy mysteries that would come with it, were persecuted and slain, as even the Lord Himself, He who, in explaining the Scriptures, used parables, as likewise did His disciples who preached the word like Him after His passing from life. Whence also Peter, in his Preaching, speaking of the Apostles, says: 'But we, unrolling the books of the prophets which we have, who name Jesus Christ in parables and enigmas, and expressly and in its own words, find His advent and death and cross, and all the rest of the torments the Jews inflicted on Him, and His resurrection and ascension to heaven prior to the establishment of Jerusalem. 4 As it is written, 'All these things it befitted Him to suffer, and what shall be after Him.' 5 Recognising these things, then, we believed in God because of what is written about Him.' Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 6, Chapter 15 1 1 Cor 1.23 2 Mt 11.15 etc 3 1 Cor 1.24 4 Likely the New Jerusalem, cf Apoc 21.2 5 Source Unknown

Very Superstitious

Εἰκότως τοίνυν δεισιδαίμονες περὶ τοὺς εὐοργήτους γινόμενοι πάντα σημεῖα ἡγοῦνται εἶναι τὰ συμβαίνοντα καὶ κακῶν αἴτια· ἐὰν μῦς διορύξῃ βωμὸν ὄντα πήλινον κἂν μηδὲν ἄλλο ἔχων διατράγῃ θύλακον, ἀλεκτρυὼν τρεφόμενος ἐὰν ἀπὸ ἑσπέρας ᾄσῃ, τιθέμενοι τοῦτο σημεῖόν τινος. Τοιοῦτόν τινα ἐν τῷ ∆εισιδαίμονι ὁ Μένανδρος διακωμῳδεῖ· Ἀγαθόν τι γένοιτό μοι, ὦ πολυτίμητοι θεοί, ὑποδούμενος τὸν ἱμάντα τῆς δεξιᾶς ἐμβάδος διέρρηξα. Εἰκότως, ὦ φλήναφε· σαπρὸς γὰρ ἦν, σὺ δὲ σμικρολόγος οὐ θέλων καινὰς πρίασθαι. Χαρίεν τὸ τοῦ Ἀντιφῶντος· οἰωνισαμένου τινός, ὅτι κατέφαγεν ὗς τὰ δελφάκια, θεασάμενος αὐτὴν ὑπὸ λιμοῦ διὰ μικροψυχίαν τοῦ τρέφοντος κατισχναμένην, χαῖρε, εἶπεν, ἐπὶ τῷ σημείῳ, ὅτι οὕτω πεινῶσα τὰ σὰ οὐκ ἔφαγεν τέκνα. Τί δὲ καὶ θαυμαστόν, εἰ ὁ μῦς, » φησὶν ὁ Βίων, τὸν θύλακον διέτραγεν, οὐχ εὑρὼν ὅ τι φάγῃ; τοῦτο γὰρ ἦν θαυμαστόν, εἰ, ὥσπερ Ἀρκεσίλαος παίζων ἐνεχείρει, τὸν μῦν ὁ θῦλαξ κατέφαγεν. Εὖ γοῦν καὶ ∆ιογένης πρὸς τὸν θαυμάζοντα, ὅτι εὗρεν τὸν ὄφιν ἐν τῷ ὑπέρῳ περιειλημένον, μὴ θαύμαζε, ἔφη· ἦν γὰρ παραδοξότερον ἐκεῖνο, εἰ τὸ ὕπερον περὶ ὀρθῷ τῷ ὄφει κατειλημένον ἐθεάσω. ∆εῖ γὰρ καὶ τὰ ἄλογα τῶν ζῴων τρέχειν καὶ θεῖν καὶ μάχεσθαι καὶ τίκτειν καὶ ἀποθνῄσκειν, ἃ δή, ἐκείνοις ὄντα κατὰ φύσιν, οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἡμῖν γένοιτο παρὰ φύσιν· Ὄρνιθες δέ τε πολλοὶ ὑπ' αὐγὰς ἠελίοιο φοιτῶσιν. Ὁ κωμικὸς δὲ Φιλήμων καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα κωμῳδεῖ· Ὅταν ἴδω παρατηροῦντα, τίς ἔπταρεν ἢ τίς ἐλάλησεν, ἤ, τίς ἐστιν ὁ προϊών, σκοποῦντα, πωλῶ τοῦτον εὐθὺς ἐν ἀγορᾷ. Αὑτῷ βαδίζει καὶ λαλεῖ καὶ πτάρνυται ἕκαστος ἡμῶν, οὐχὶ τοῖς ἐν τῇ πόλει. Τὰ πράγματα ὡς πέφυκεν, οὕτως γίγνεται. Εἶτα νήφοντες μὲν ὑγείαν αἰτοῦνται, ὑπερεμπιπλάμενοι δὲ καὶ μέθαις ἐγκυλιόμενοι κατὰ τὰς ἑορτὰς νόσους ἐπισπῶνται. Πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ τὰς γραφὰς δεδίασι τὰς ἀνακειμένας. Ἀστείως πάνυ ὁ ∆ιογένης, ἐπὶ οἰκίᾳ μοχθηροῦ τινος εὑρὼν ἐπιγεγραμμένον· Ὁ καλλίνικος Ἡρακλῆς ἐνθάδε κατοικεῖ· μηδὲν εἰσίτω κακόν, καὶ πῶς, ἔφη, ὁ κύριος εἰσελεύσεται τῆς οἰκίας; Οἱ αὐτοὶ δ' οὗτοι πᾶν ξύλον καὶ πάντα λίθον, τὸ δὴ λεγόμενον, λιπαρὸν προσκυνοῦντες, ἔρια πυρρὰ καὶ ἁλῶν χόνδρους καὶ δᾷδας σκίλλαν τε καὶ θεῖον δεδίασι, πρὸς τῶν γοήτων καταγοητευθέντες κατά τινας ἀκαθάρτους καθαρμούς. Θεὸς δέ, ὁ τῷ ὄντι θεός, ἅγιον μόνον οἶδεν τὸ τοῦ δικαίου ἦθος, ὥσπερ ἐναγὲς τὸ ἄδικον καὶ μοχθηρόν Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λογος Ζ', Κεφ' Δ' Source: Migne PG 9.429b-433b

It is natural, then, that because of fear of angry gods, they treat everything as signs and causes of evils. If a mouse bores through an altar of clay, or else gnaws through an oil flask for want of anything else; if a cock that is being fattened up crows at evening, they judge such things to be a sign of something. Menander gives a comic description of such a fellow in 'The Superstitious Man': 'May good fortune be mine, O honoured gods! The strap of my right sandal broke as I walked. More likely, babbler, it's because it was rotten, For you, you miser, will not buy new ones.' When it was considered a bad omen that a sow had eaten her piglets, on seeing her emaciated because of the meanness of the man who kept her, Antiphon agreeably remarked:, 'Rejoice over this sign: that even though she is starving, she did not eat your own children.' 'And why is it a wonder,' says Bion, 'if a mouse, finding nothing to eat, gnaws a bag?' For it would be a wonder if, as Arcesilaus argued in jest, 'the bag had eaten the mouse.' Indeed Diogenes spoke well to a man who wondered at finding a snake coiled round a pestle: 'Don't wonder at that; it would have been more wonderful if you had seen the pestle coiled around the snake, and the snake had been straightened out.' For irrational creatures must run and scamper and fight and breed and die, and since these things are natural to them, they can never be unnatural to us. 'And many birds beneath the sunbeams range.' 1 And the comic poet Philemon ridicules such things: 'When I see a watcher of who has sneezed, Or who has spoke, or who goes away first, I immediately sell him off in the market. Each one of us sneezes, talks and walks For his own self, not for others in the city: According to their nature things will be.' Then by temperance men seek health, and by stuffing themselves and rolling about in drink at feasts they attract diseases. There are many, too, who are in awe of inscriptions which have been set up. Finding in the house of a wicked man the inscription, 'Hercules, famed for victory, dwells here; let nothing bad enter,' Diogenes very neatly remarked, 'And how shall the master of the house go in?' The same folk who worship every stick and every oily stone, as the saying is, tremble before ruddy wool, lumps of salt, pine torches, and squills, and sulphur, all bewitched by sorcerers in certain foul rites of expiation. But God, the true God, knows as holy only the character of the righteous man, and as unholy, unrighteousness and wickedness. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 7, Chapter 4 1 Hom Odyssey 2.181-2

Considerations Of Wealth

Πλούτου τοίνυν μεταληπτέον ἀξιολόγως καὶ μεταδοτέον φιλανθρώπως, οὐ βαναύσως οὐδὲ ἀλαζονικῶς, οὐδὲ ἐκτρεπτέον τὸ φιλόκαλον εἰς φιλαυτίαν καὶ ἀπειροκαλίαν, μή πῃ ἄρα καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς φήσῃ τις· ὁ ἵππος αὐτοῦ πεντεκαίδεκα ταλάντων ἐστὶν ἄξιος ἢ τὸ χωρίον ἢ ὁ οἰκέτης ἢ τὸ χρυσίον, αὐτὸς δὲ χαλκῶν ἐστι τίμιος τριῶν. Αὐτίκα γοῦν περίελε τὸν κόσμον τῶν γυναικῶν καὶ τοὺς οἰκέτας τῶν δεσποτῶν, οὐδὲν διαφέροντας τῶν ἀργυρωνήτων εὑρήσεις τοὺς δεσπότας, οὐκ ἐν βαδίσματι, οὐκ ἐν βλέμματι, οὐκ ἐν φθέγματι· οὕτως τοίνυν τοῖς ἀνδραπόδοις ἐοίκασιν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ ἀσθενέστεροι εἶναι τῶν οἰκετῶν διακρίνονται καὶ τῷ νοσηλότερον ἀνατεθράφθαι. Ἄριστον γοῦν δογμάτων τοῦτο ᾄδειν παρ' ἕκαστα χρή, ὡς ὁ μὲν ἀγαθὸς ἀνὴρ σώφρων ὢν καὶ δίκαιος ἐν οὐρανῷ θησαυρίζει τὰ χρήματα· οὗτος ὁ τὰ ἐπίγεια καταπωλήσας καὶ πτωχοῖς ἐπιδοὺς τὸν ἀνώλεθρον ἐξευρίσκει θησαυρόν, ἔνθα οὐ σής, οὐ λῃστής· μακάριος οὗτος ὄντως, ἐάν τε σμικρὸς καὶ ἀσθενὴς καὶ ἄδοξος ᾖ, καὶ πλοῦτον ὄντως πλουτεῖ τὸν μέγιστον· ἐὰν δὲ ἄρα πλουτῇ μὲν Κινύρα τε καὶ Μίδα μᾶλλον, ᾖ δὲ ἄδικος καὶ ὑπερήφανος, καθάπερ ὁ ἐν τῇ πορφύρᾳ καὶ βύσσῳ τρυφῶν καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον ὑπερηφανῶν, ἄθλιός τέ ἐστι καὶ ἀνιαρῶς ζῇ καὶ οὐ ζήσεται. Ἐοικέναι γοῦν μοι δοκεῖ ὁ πλοῦτος ἑρπετῷ, οὗ εἰ μή τις ἐπίσταιτο λαβέσθαι ἀβλαβῶς, πόρρωθεν ἀκινδύνως ἄκρας οὐρᾶς ἀνακρημνὰς τὸ θηρίον, περιπλέξεται τῇ χειρὶ καὶ δήξεται· δεινὸς δὲ καὶ ὁ πλοῦτος ἰλυσπώμενος παρὰ τὴν ἔμπειρον ἢ ἄπειρον αὐτοῦ λαβὴν προσφῦναι καὶ δάκνειν, εἰ μή τις αὐτῷ καταμεγαλοφρονῶν ἐπιστημόνως χρῷτο, ἵνα σὺν τῇ ἐπῳδῇ τοῦ λόγου καταξέσηται μὲν τὸ θηρίον, αὐτὸς δὲ ἀπαθὴς μείνῃ. Ἀλλ', ὡς ἔοικεν, τὰ πλείονος ἄξια κεκτημένος πλούσιος ὢν μόνος ἐλελήθει· πολλοῦ δὲ ἄξια οὐ λίθος, οὐκ ἄργυρος, οὐκ ἐσθής, οὐ κάλλος σώματος, ἀλλ' ἡ ἀρετή, ὅς ἐστι λόγος διὰ τοῦ παιδαγωγοῦ παραδιδόμενος εἰς ἄσκησιν·λόγος οὗτος ὁ τὴν τρυφὴν ἐξομνύμενος, τὴν δὲ αὐτουργίαν διάκονον παρακαλῶν καὶ τὴν εὐτέλειαν ἐξυμνῶν τῆς σωφροσύνης τὴν ἔγγονον, λάβετε παιδείαν, φησί, καὶ μὴ ἀργύριον, καὶ γνῶσιν ὑπὲρ χρυσίον δεδοκιμασμένον· κρείσσων γὰρ σοφία λίθων πολυτελῶν, πᾶν δὲ τίμιον οὐκ ἄξιον αὐτῆς ἐστι. Καὶ πάλιν· ἐμὲ καρπίζεσθαι ὑπὲρ χρυσίον καὶ λίθον τίμιον καὶ ἄργυρον· τὰ γὰρ ἐμὰ γενήματα κρείττω ἀργυρίου ἐκλεκτοῦ. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Ὁ Παιδαγωγός, Λογὸς Τρίτιος, Κεφ' Ϛ' Source: Migne PG 8.604b-605b

Riches, then, are to be partaken of rationally, bestowed lovingly, not vulgarly, or pompously, nor is the love of what is beautiful to be turned into self-love and ostentation, lest it be that someone says to us, 'His horse, or land, or servant, or gold, is worth fifteen talents, but the man himself three coppers.' Take away, then, directly ornamentation from women, and servants from masters, and you will find the masters no different from bought slaves, but in step, or look, or voice they are like their slaves. But they are distinguished in that they are weaker than their slaves, having had a more sickly upbringing. This best of maxims, then, one must be repeatedly declaim: 'The good man, being temperate and just, treasures up his wealth in heaven.' He who has sold his worldly goods and given them to the poor discovers the imperishable treasure, 'where is neither moth nor robber.' 1 This man is truly blessed, though he may be insignificant and feeble and obscure, even then he is truly rich with the greatest of all riches. Even if a man is richer than Cinyras and Midas, and he is wicked and haughty, as he who was luxuriously clothed in purple and fine linen and despised Lazarus, 2 he is miserable, and lives in trouble, and he shall not live. Wealth, then, seems to me to be a serpent, which if one knows not how to lay hold of it without danger by the point of the tail, it will twist around the hand and bite, and riches, wriggling either in the experienced or inexperienced grasp, are fearfully adept at clinging and biting, unless one, despising them, uses them wisely, so as to crush the beast by the charm of the Word, and oneself remain unhurt. But this it seems, is not recognised: that only he who possesses what is worth most is truly rich. And it is not jewels, nor money, nor clothing, nor fairness of body, but virtue, which is the Word given by the Teacher put into practice. This is the Word who abjures luxury but calls to one's own work as a servant, and praises frugality, the child of temperance. 'Receive instruction,' he says, ' and not silver, and knowledge over proven gold, for Wisdom is better than precious stones and nothing valuable is worthy of her.' 3 And again: 'Acquire me over gold and precious stones and silver, for my yields are better than choicest silver.' 4 Clement of Alexandria, The Teacher, Book 3, Chapter 6 1 Mt 6.20 2 Lk 16.19- 3 Prov 8.10-11 4 Prov 8.19

A Place Far Off

Πάλιν· Ὁ Ἀβραὰμ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὸν τόπον ὃν εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ θεὸς τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναβλέψας ὁρᾷ τὸν τόπον μακρόθεν· πρώτη μὲν γὰρ ἡ δι´ ὄψεως τῶν καλῶν ἡμέρα, δευτέρα δὲ ἡ ψυχῆς τῶν ἀρίστων ἐπιθυμία, τῇ τρίτῃ δὲ ὁ νοῦς τὰ πνευματικὰ διορᾷ, διοιχθέντων τῶν τῆς διανοίας ὀμμάτων πρὸς τοῦ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ διαναστάντος διδασκάλου. Eἶεν δ´ ἂν καὶ αἱ τρεῖς ἡμέραι τῆς σφραγῖδος μυστήριον, δι´ ἧς ὁ τῷ ὄντι πιστεύεται θεός. μακρόθεν οὖν ἀκολούθως ὁρᾷ τὸν τόπον· δυσάλωτος γὰρ ἡ χώρα τοῦ θεοῦ, ὃν χώραν ἰδεῶν ὁ Πλάτων κέκληκεν, παρὰ Μωυσέως λαβὼν τόπον εἶναι αὐτόν, ὡς τῶν ἁπάντων καὶ τῶν ὅλων περιεκτικόν. Ἀτὰρ εἰκότως πόρρωθεν ὁρᾶται τῷ Ἀβραὰμ διὰ τὸ ἐν γενέσει εἶναι, καὶ δι´ ἀγγέλου προσεχῶς μυσταγωγεῖται. Ἐντεῦθεν ὁ ἀπόστολος, Βλέπομεν νῦν ὡς δι´ ἐσόπτρου, φησί, τότε δὲ πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον, κατὰ μόνας ἐκείνας τὰς ἀκραιφνεῖς καὶ ἀσωμάτους τῆς διανοίας ἐπιβολάς. Δυνατὸν δὲ κἀν τῷ διαλέγεσθαι τὸ καταμαντεύεσθαι τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐὰν ἐπιχειρῇ τις ἄνευ πασῶν τῶν αἰσθήσεων διὰ τοῦ λόγου ἐπ´ αὐτὸ ὅ ἐστιν ἕκαστον ὁρμᾶν καὶ μὴ ἀποστατεῖν τῶν ὄντων, πρὶν ἄν, ἐπαναβαίνων ἐπὶ τὰ ὑπερκείμενα, αὐτὸ ὅ ἐστιν ἀγαθὸν αὐτῇ νοήσει λάβῃ, ἐπ´ αὐτῷ γινόμενος τῷ τοῦ νοητοῦ τέλει κατὰ Πλάτωνα. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λογος Ε' Κεφ IA' Source: Migne PG 9.109c-112b

Again: 'Abraham, coming to the place which God told him of on the third day, looking up, saw the place far off.' 1 For the first day is the sight of good things, and the second is the soul's desire for best things, and on the third the mind perceives spiritual things, the eyes of the understanding being opened by the teacher who rose on the third day. The three days may be the mystery of the seal, in which God is really believed. 2 In consequence he sees the place far off. For the place of God is hard to attain, which Plato called the place of ideas, taking from Moses that it was a place which contained all things universally. But it is rightly seen by Abraham far off since he is in the realms of generation, and he is immediately initiated into the mystery by an angel. Thence says the Apostle: 'Now we see as through a mirror, but then face to face,' 3 which latter is achieved only by the pure and incorporeal workings of the intellect. 'It is possible by reasoning to come to an understanding of God, if it is attempted without any of the senses, and by reason to strive to what is individual and does not perish from being, until, rising up to the things which which are above, by the mind itself man grasps what is good, being within the bounds of intellectual things,' according to Plato. 4 Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 5, Chapter 11 1 Gen 22.3-4 2 Baptism, The Three Persons 3 1 Cor 13.12 4 Plato, Repub Bk 7, 532a-b

Caring For Beasts And Men

Ὁ μὲν ἐλεήμων ἀνὴρ μακροθυμεῖ, ἐν παντί τε μεριμνῶντι ἔνεστι σοφία· ἐμπεσεῖται γὰρ μέριμνα ἀνδρὶ νοήμονι, φροντιστής τε ὢν ζωὴν ζητήσει· καὶ ὁ ζητῶν τὸν θεὸν εὑρήσει γνῶσιν μετὰ δικαιοσύνης, οἱ δὲ ὀρθῶς ζητήσαντες αὐτὸν εἰρήνην εὗρον. Ἐμοὶ δὲ δοκεῖ καὶ Πυθαγόρας τὸ ἥμερον τὸ περὶ τὰ ἄλογα ζῷα παρὰ τοῦ νόμου εἰληφέναι. Αὐτίκα τῶν γεννωμένων κατά τε τὰς ποίμνας κατά τε τὰ αἰπόλια καὶ βουκόλια τῆς παραχρῆμα ἀπολαύσεως, μηδὲ ἐπὶ προφάσει θυσιῶν λαμβάνοντας, ἀπέχεσθαι διηγόρευσεν, ἐκγόνων τε ἕνεκα καὶ μητέρων, εἰς ἡμερότητα τὸν ἄνθρωπον κάτωθεν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀλόγων ζῴων ἀνατρέφων. Χάρισαι γοῦν, φησί, τῇ μητρὶ τὸ ἔκγονον κἂν ἑπτὰ τὰς πρώτας ἡμέρας. Εἰ γὰρ μηδὲν ἀναιτίως γίνεται, γάλα δὲ ἐπομβρεῖται ταῖς τετοκυίαις εἰς διατροφὴν τῶν ἐκγόνων, ὁ ἀποσπῶν τῆς τοῦ γάλακτος οἰκονομίας τὸ τεχθὲν ἀτιμάζει τὴν φύσιν. Δυσωπείσθωσαν οὖν Ἕλληνες καὶ εἴ τις ἕτερός ἐστι τοῦ νόμου κατατρέχων, εἰ ὃ μὲν καὶ ἐπ´ ἀλόγων ζῴων χρηστεύεται, οἳ δὲ καὶ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐκτιθέασιν ἔκγονα, καίτοι μακρόθεν καὶ προφητικῶς ἀνακόπτοντος αὐτῶν τὴν ἀγριότητα τοῦ νόμου διὰ τῆς προειρημένης ἐντολῆς. Εἰ γὰρ τῶν ἀλόγων τὰ ἔκγονα διαζεύγνυσθαι τῆς τεκούσης πρὸ τῆς γαλακτουχίας ἀπαγορεύει, πολὺ πλέον ἐπ´ ἀνθρώπων τὴν ὠμὴν καὶ ἀτιθάσευτον προθεραπεύει γνώμην, ἵν´ εἰ καὶ τῆς φύσεως, μαθήσεως γοῦν μὴ καταφρονῶσιν. Ἐρίφων μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἀρνῶν ἐμφορεῖσθαι ἐπιτέτραπται, καί τις ἴσως ἀπολογία τῷ διαζεύξαντι τῆς τεκούσης τὸ ἔκγονον· ἡ δὲ τοῦ παιδίου ἔκθεσις τίνα τὴν αἰτίαν ἔχει; ἐχρῆν γὰρ μηδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν γῆμαι τῷ μηδὲ παιδοποιεῖσθαι γλιχομένῳ ἢ δι´ ἡδονῆς ἀκρασίαν παιδοκτόνον γεγονέναι. Πάλιν αὖ ὁ χρηστὸς νόμος ἀπαγορεύει ἡμέρᾳ τῇ αὐτῇ συγκαταθύειν ἔκγονον καὶ μητέρα. Ἐντεῦθεν καὶ Ῥωμαῖοι, εἰ καί τις ἔγκυος καταδικασθείη τὴν ἐπὶ θανάτῳ, οὐ πρότερον ἐῶσιν ὑποσχεῖν τὴν τιμωρίαν πρὶν ἢ ἐκτεκεῖν. Ἄντικρυς γοῦν καὶ ὅσα τῶν ζῴων κυοφορεῖ, ὁ νόμος οὐκ ἐπιτρέπει ἄχρις ἂν ἀποτέκῃ σφαγιάζεσθαι, μακρόθεν ἐπισχὼν τὴν εὐχέρειαν τῶν εἰς ἄνθρωπον ἀδικούντων. Οὕτως ἄχρι καὶ τῶν ἀλόγων ζῴων τὸ ἐπιεικὲς ἀπέτεινεν, ἵνα ἐν τοῖς ἀνομογενέσιν ἀσκήσαντες πολλῇ τινι περιουσίᾳ φιλανθρωπίας ἐν τοῖς ὁμογενέσι χρησώμεθα. Οἳ δὲ καὶ περιλακτίζοντες τὰς γαστέρας πρὸ τῆς ἀποτέξεως ζῴων τινῶν, ἵνα δὴ γάλακτι ἀνακεκραμένην σάρκα θοινάζωνται, τάφον τῶν κυοφορουμένων τὴν εἰς γένεσιν κτισθεῖσαν μήτραν πεποιήκασι, διαρρήδην τοῦ νομοθέτου κελεύοντος, Ἀλλ´ οὐδὲ ἑψήσεις ἄρνα ἐν γάλακτι μητρὸς αὐτοῦ· μὴ γὰρ γινέσθω ἡ τοῦ ζῶντος τροφὴ ἥδυσμα τοῦ ἀναιρεθέντος ζῴου, φησίν ἡ σάρξ, μηδὲ τὸ τῆς ζωῆς αἴτιον συνεργὸν τῇ τοῦ σώματος καταναλώσει γινέσθω. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λογος Β' Κεφ' ΙΗ' Source: Migne PG 8.1033a-35b

'The merciful man is long-suffering, in every one who has care there is wisdom. For to the thoughtful man care will come, and, given to thought, he will seek life, and he who seeks God shall find knowledge with righteousness, and they who have sought Him rightly have found peace.' 1 And it seems to me that Pythagoras took his gentleness for irrational creatures from the Law. For example, he prohibited the immediate use of the young of sheep and goats and cattle at the instant of their birth, not permitting it even for the sake of sacrifice, both on account of the offspring and the mothers, thus by use of irrational creatures educating man to gentleness for what is inferior. 'Allow, then,' he says, 'the offspring to be with the mother for the first seven days.' For if nothing happens without a cause, and at birth milk is for the sustenance of the offspring, he that removes that which has been born for the supply of milk, dishonours nature. Let the Greeks, then, be ashamed, and whoever else disputes the Law, since it is kind to irrational creatures. And moreover they expose even the offspring of men, though long ago and prophetically the Law thrust back their savagery in the above-mentioned commandment. For if it prohibits the offspring of irrational creatures to be taken from the mother before suckling, much more in the case of men does it set down beforehand a remedy for brutishness and savagery of disposition, so that even if they scorn nature, they might not do teaching. For they are permitted to make use of kids and lambs, and perhaps there might be some reason for removing the offspring from the mother, but what cause is there for the exposure of a child? For the man who dislikes siring children has no right to marry in the first place, he who then by eagerness for pleasure becomes a child killer. Again, the kindly law prohibits the slaying of the offspring and the mother together on the same day. Thence also the Romans, if some pregnant woman were condemned to death, do not allow her to suffer the punishment until she gives birth. The Law too expressly prohibits the killing of animals who are pregnant until they have given birth, at a remove restraining the inclination of man to do wrong to man. Thus it extended its clemency to irrational creatures, that from the exercise of kindness for creatures of different species, we might practice it with much greater abundance for those of the same species. Those also who kick the bellies of certain animals before birth that they might feast on flesh mixed with milk, make a grave of the womb that was created for the birth of the child, even though the Law expressly commands, 'But neither shall you boil a lamb in the milk of its mother.' 2 For it should not be that the nourishment of the living animal should become relish for that which has been deprived of life, and that which is the cause of life should not be an assistant in the consumption of the body. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 2, Chapter 18 1 Prov 9.11,14.23,17.12 2 Deut 14.21

Salvation And Hell

Πέμπων ἐπὶ τὸν κόσμον εὐαγγελίσασθαι τοὺς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἀνθρώπους, γινώσκειν ὅτι εἷς θεός ἐστιν, διὰ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ πίστεως ἐμῆς δηλοῦντας τὰ μέλλοντα, ὅπως οἱ ἀκούσαντες καὶ πιστεύσαντες σωθῶσιν, οἱ δὲ μὴ πιστεύσαντες ἀκούσαντες μαρτυρήσωσιν, οὐκ ἔχοντες ἀπολογίαν εἰπεῖν· οὐκ ἠκούσαμεν. Tί οὖν; οὐχὶ καὶ ἐν Ἅιδου ἡ αὐτὴ γέγονεν οἰκονομία; ἵνα κἀκεῖ πᾶσαι αἱ ψυχαὶ ἀκούσασαι τοῦ κηρύγματος ἢ τὴν μετάνοιαν ἐνδείξωνται ἢ τὴν κόλασιν δικαίαν εἶναι, δι' ὧν οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν, ὁμολογήσωσιν. Ἦν δ' ἂν πλεονεξίας οὐ τῆς τυχούσης ἔργον τοὺς προεξεληλυθότας τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ Kυρίου, μὴ εὐηγγελισμένους μηδὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν τὴν αἰτίαν παρασχομένους κατὰ τὸ πιστεῦσαι ἢ μή, ἤτοι τῆς σωτηρίας ἢ τῆς κολάσεως μετασχεῖν. Oὐ γάρ που θέμις τοὺς μὲν ἀκρίτως καταδεδικάσθαι, μόνους δὲ τοὺς μετὰ τὴν παρουσίαν τῆς θείας ἀπολελαυκέναι δικαιοσύνης. πάσαις δ' ἄνωθεν ταῖς ψυχαῖς εἴρηται ταῖς λογικαῖς· ὅσα ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ τις ὑμῶν ἐποίησεν μὴ εἰδὼς σαφῶς τὸν θεόν, ἐὰν ἐπιγνοὺς μετανοήσῃ, πάντα αὐτῷ ἀφεθήσεται τὰ ἁμαρτήματα. Ἰδοὺ γάρ· φησί, τέθεικα πρὸ προσώπου ὑμῶν τὸν θάνατον καὶ τὴν ζωήν, ἐκλέξασθαι τὴν ζωήν, πρὸς σύγκρισιν ἐκλογῆς τεθεῖσθαι λέγων ὁ θεός, οὐ πεποιηκέναι ἄμφω. καὶ ἐν ἑτέρᾳ γραφῇ λέγει· ἐὰν ἀκούσητέ μου καὶ θελήσητε, τὰ ἀγαθὰ τῆς γῆς φάγεσθε· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀκούσητέ μου μηδὲ θελήσητε, μάχαιρα ὑμᾶς κατέδεται· τὸ γὰρ στόμα Kυρίου ἐλάλησεν ταῦτα. Πάλιν δὲ ἄντικρυς ὁ Δαβίδ, μᾶλλον δὲ ὁ Kύριος ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ ὁσίου εἷς δὲ οὗτος ἐκ καταβολῆς κόσμου, πᾶς ὁ διαφόροις χρόνοις διὰ πίστεως σωθείς τε καὶ σωθησόμενος· ηὐφράνθη μου ἡ καρδία καὶ ἠγαλλιάσατο ἡ γλῶσσά μου. ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἡ σάρξ μου κατασκηνώσει ἐπ' ἐλπίδι, φησίν, ὅτι οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς Ἅιδην οὐδὲ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν. ἐγνώρισάς μοι ὁδοὺς ζωῆς· πληρώσεις με εὐφροσύνης μετὰ τοῦ προσώπου σου. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λογος Ϛ', Κεφ Ϛ' Source: Migne PG 9.269c-272c

He sent the Apostles into the world, preaching to the men dwelling there, that they know there is one God, showing clearly what would come by the faith of Christ, that hearing and having faith they might be saved, and that those who do not have faith, after hearing, bear witness to this, not having any excuse to say, 'We did not hear.' What then? Was there not the same arrangement in Hell, that there all the souls, hearing the preaching, either declared their repentance, or that their punishment was just because they had no faith? And this was not the work of chance, for those who departed before the advent of the Lord, not being evangelised, provided no cause from themselves, for believing or not, to partake of either salvation or punishment. For it is not at all right that they should be condemned without trial and that only those who lived after the advent should benefit by the Divine righteousness. But from above it was said to all rational souls, 'Whatever one of you has done in ignorance, without clearly knowing God, if, becoming conscious, he repent, all sin will be forgiven him.' 'For, behold,' it is said, 'I have set before your face death and life, that you may choose life.' 1 And for the judgement of choice God says that He set them forth, not that he had made both. And in another passage He says, 'If you hear Me, and are willing, you shall eat the good things of the land. But if you do not hear me and are not willing, the sword shall devour you, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken these things.' 2 Again, David says openly, or rather the Lord in the person of the holy one, and everyone from the foundation of the world who at different times is saved through faith and shall be saved, 'My heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced, and my flesh shall yet rest in hope. For You shall not leave my soul in hell, nor will You give Your holy one to see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life, You will fill me with joy in Your presence.' 3 Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 6, Chapter 6 1 Deut 30. 15,19 2 Isaiah 1:19-20 3 Ps 6, 9,10,11, Acts 2 26,27,28

Persecutions And Death

Διώγμὸς δὲ ὁ μέν τις ἔξεωεν περιγίνεται, τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἤ δι' ἔχθραν, ἤ διὰ φθόνον, ἤ διὰ φιλοκέρδειαν, ἤ κατ' ἑνέργειαν διαβολικὴν τοὺς πιστοὺς ἑλαυνόντων· ὁ δὲ χαλεπώτατος ἔνδοθέν ἐστι διωθγμὸς, ἐξ αὐτῆς ἐκάστῳ τῆς ψυχῆς προπεμπόμενος, λυμαινομένης ὑπὸ ἐπιθυμιῶν ἀθέων καὶ ἡδονῶν ποικίλων καὶ φαύλων ἐλπίδων καὶ φθαρτῶν ὀνειροπολημάτων· ὅταν ἀεὶ τῶν πλειόνων ὀρεγομένη, καὶ λυσσῶσα ὑπὸ ἀγρίων ἐρώτων, καὶ φλεγομένη καθάπερ κέντροις ἤ μύωψι τοῖς προκειμένοις αὐτῇ πάθεσιν, ἐξαιμάσσηται πρὸς σπουδὰς μανιώδεις καὶ ζωῆς ἀπόγνωσιν καὶ Θεοῦ καταφρόνησιν. Οὕτος ὁ διωγμὸς βαρύτερος καὶ χαλεπώτερος, ἔνδοθεν ὁρμώμενος, ἀεὶ συνὼν, ὄν οὐδὲ ἐκφυγεῖν ὁ διωκόμενος δύναται· τὸν γὰρ ἐχθρὸν ἐν ἑαυτῷ περιαγει πανταχοῦ. Οὕτω καὶ πύρωσις, ἡ μὲν ἔξωθεν προσπίπτουσα δοκιμασίαν κατεργάζεταιἡ ἡ δὲ ἔνδοθέν θάνατον διαπραττεται. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Τις Ὁ Σώζομενος Πλούσιος Source: Migne PG 9.629b-c

There is a persecution that comes from outside, from men who assail the faithful, because of hatred, or envy, or avarice, or through diabolic agency. But the most grievous is the persecution that comes from within, which proceeds from each man's soul, when it is vexed by unholy desires and shifting pleasures and vile hopes and ruinous dreams, when always desiring more and maddened by brutish loves and inflamed by the passions that strike it like goads and stings, soaked in blood, it rushes to insane pursuits and to despair of life and to contempt of God. This persecution is more grievous and painful, which arises from within, which is ever with a man and which the persecuted cannot escape, for a man carries the enemy about everywhere in himself. Thus the burning which comes from persecution from outside works proof, but that from within accomplishes death. Clement of Alexandria, Who Is The Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?

Beyond Words

Τὸν γὰρ πατέρα καὶ ποιητὴν τοῦδε τοῦ παντὸς εὑρεῖν τε ἔργον καὶ εὑρόντα εἰς πάντας ἐξειπεῖν ἀδύνατον. Ῥητὸν γὰρ οὐδαμῶς ἐστιν ὡς τἄλλα μαθήματα, ὁ φιλαλήθης λέγει Πλάτων. Ἀκήκοεν γὰρ εὖ μάλα ὡς ὁ πάνσοφος Μωυσῆς εἰς τὸ ὄρος ἀνιὼν, διὰ τὴν ἁγίαν θεωρίαν ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τῶν νοητῶν, ἀναγκαίως διαστέλλεται μὴ τὸν πάντα λαὸν συναναβαίνειν ἑαυτῷ· καὶ ὅταν λέγῃ ἡ γραφὴ εἰσῆλθεν δὲ Μωυσῆς εἰς τὸν γνόφον οὗ ἦν ὁ θεός, τοῦτο δηλοῖ τοῖς συνιέναι δυναμένοις, ὡς ὁ θεὸς ἀόρατός ἐστι καὶ ἄρρητος, γνόφος δὲ ὡς ἀληθῶς ἡ τῶν πολλῶν ἀπιστία τε καὶ ἄγνοια τῇ αὐγῇ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπίπροσθε φέρεται. Ὀρφεύς τε αὖ ὁ θεολόγος ἐντεῦθεν ὠφελημένος εἰπών· εἷς ἔστ', αὐτοτελής, ἑνὸς ἔκγονα πάντα τέτυκται ἢ πέφυκεν, γράφεται γὰρ καὶ οὕτως, ἐπιφέρει· οὐδέ τις αὐτὸν εἰσοράᾳ θνητῶν, αὐτὸς δέ γε πάντας ὁρᾶται. σαφέστερον δὲ ἐπιλέγει· αὐτὸν δ' οὐχ ὁρόω· περὶ γὰρ νέφος ἐστήρικται. Πᾶσιν γὰρ θνητοῖς θνηταὶ κόραι εἰσὶν ἐν ὄσσοις μικραί, ἐπεὶ σάρκες τε καὶ ὀστέα ἐμπεφυῖα ἐμπεφύασιν. Mαρτυρήσει τοῖς εἰρημένοις ὁ ἀπόστολος, οἶδα λέγων ἄνθρωπον ἐν Χριστῷ ἁρπαγέντα ἕως τρίτου οὐρανοῦ, κἀκεῖθεν εἰς τὸν παράδεισον, ὃς ἤκουσεν ἄρρητα ῥήματα, ἃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἀνθρώπῳ λαλῆσαι, τὸ ἄρρητον τοῦ θεοῦ οὕτως αἰνισσόμενος, οὐ νόμῳ καὶ φόβῳ παραγγελίας τινὸς τὸ οὐκ ἐξὸν προστιθείς, δυνάμει δὲ ἀνθρωπείᾳ ἄφθεγκτον εἶναι τὸ θεῖον μηνύων, εἴ γε ὑπὲρ οὐρανὸν τὸν τρίτον ἄρχεται λαλεῖσθαι, ὡς θέμις, τοῖς ἐκεῖ μυσταγωγοῦσιν τὰς ἐξειλεγμένας ψυχάς. Oἶδα γὰρ ἐγὼ καὶ παρὰ Πλάτωνι, τὰ γὰρ ἐκ τῆς βαρβάρου φιλοσοφίας παραδείγματα πολλὰ ὄντα ὑπερτίθεταί μοι νῦν ἡ γραφή, κατὰ τὰς πρώτας ὑποσχέσεις τὸν καιρὸν ἀναμένουσα, πολλοὺς οὐρανοὺς νοουμένους. Ἀπορήσας γοῦν ἐν τῷ Τιμαίῳ, εἰ χρὴ πλείονας κόσμους ἢ τοῦτον ἕνα νομίζειν, ἀδιαφορεῖ περὶ τὰ ὀνόματα, συνωνύμως κόσμον τε καὶ οὐρανὸν ἀποκαλῶν· τὰ δὲ τῆς λέξεως ὧδε ἔχει· πότερον οὖν ὀρθῶς ἕνα οὐρανὸν εἰρήκαμεν ἢ πολλοὺς καὶ ἀπείρους ἦν λέγειν ὀρθότερον; ἕνα, εἴπερ κατὰ τὸ παράδειγμα ἔσται δεδημιουργημένος. Ἀλλὰ κἀν τῇ πρὸς Κορινθίους Ῥωμαίων ἐπιστολῇ ὠκεανὸς ἀπέραντος ἀνθρώποις γέγραπται καὶ οἱ μετ' αὐτὸν κόσμοι. Ἀκολούθως τοίνυν πάλιν ἐπιφθέγγεται ὢ βάθος πλούτου καὶ σοφίας καὶ γνώσεως θεοῦ ὁ γενναῖος ἀπόστολος. Kαὶ μή τι τοῦτ' ἦν ὃ ᾐνίσσετο ὁ προφήτης, ἐγκρυφίας κελεύων ποιεῖν ἀζύμους, μηνύων ὅτι τὸν ἱερὸν ὡς ἀληθῶς περὶ τοῦ ἀγενήτου καὶ τῶν δυνάμεων αὐτοῦ μύστην λόγον ἐπικεκρύφθαι δεῖ. Βεβαιῶν ταῦτα ἐν τῇ πρὸς Κορινθίους ἐπιστολῇ ὁ ἀπόστολος ἀναφανδὸν εἴρηκεν· σοφίαν δὲ λαλοῦμεν ἐν τοῖς τελείοις, σοφίαν δὲ οὐ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου οὐδὲ τῶν ἀρχόντων τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου τῶν καταργουμένων· ἀλλὰ λαλοῦμεν θεοῦ σοφίαν ἐν μυστηρίῳ, τὴν ἀποκεκρυμμένην. Kαὶ πάλιν ἀλλαχοῦ λέγει· εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ, ἐν ᾧ εἰσι πάντες οἱ θησαυροὶ τῆς σοφίας καὶ τῆς γνώσεως ἀπόκρυφοι. Ἐπισφραγίζεται ταῦτα ὁ σωτὴρ ἡμῶν αὐτὸς ὧδέ πως λέγων· ὑμῖν δέδοται γνῶναι τὸ μυστήριον τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν. Kαὶ πάλιν φησὶ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, ὡς ὁ σωτὴρ ἡμῶν ἔλεγεν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις τὸν λόγον ἐν μυστηρίῳ· Kαὶ γὰρ ἡ προφητεία περὶ αὐτοῦ φησιν· ἀνοίξει ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξερεύξεται τὰ ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου κεκρυμμένα. Ἤδη δὲ καὶ διὰ τῆς περὶ τὴν ζύμην παραβολῆς τὴν ἐπίκρυψιν ὁ Kύριος δηλοῖ· φησὶ γάρ· ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ζύμῃ, ἣν λαβοῦσα γυνὴ ἐνέκρυψεν εἰς ἀλεύρου σάτα τρία, ἕως οὗ ἐζυμώθη ὅλον. Ἤτοι γὰρ ἡ τριμερὴς καθ' ὑπακοὴν σῴζεται ψυχὴ διὰ τὴν ἐγκρυβεῖσαν αὐτῇ κατὰ τὴν πίστιν πνευματικὴν δύναμιν, ἢ ὅτι ἡ ἰσχὺς τοῦ λόγου ἡ δοθεῖσα ἡμῖν, σύντονος οὖσα καὶ δυνατή, πάντα τὸν καταδεξάμενον καὶ ἐντὸς ἑαυτοῦ κτησάμενον αὐτὴν ἐπικεκρυμμένως τε καὶ ἀφανῶς πρὸς ἑαυτὴν ἕλκει καὶ τὸ πᾶν αὐτοῦ σύστημα εἰς ἑνότητα συνάγει. Σοφώτατα τοίνυν γέγραπται τῷ Σόλωνι ταῦτα περὶ θεοῦ· γνωμοσύνης δ' ἀφανὲς χαλεπώτατόν ἐστι νοῆσαι μέτρον, ὃ δὴ πάντων πείρατα μοῦνον ἔχει. Tὸ γάρ τοι θεῖον, ὁ Ἀκραγωντῖνός φησι ποιητής, οὐκ ἔστιν πελάσασθαι ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἐφικτὸν ἡμετέροις ἢ χερσὶ λαβεῖν, ᾗπέρ τε μεγίστη πειθοῦς ἀνθρώποισιν ἁμαξιτὸς εἰς φρένα πίπτει. Kαὶ Ἰωάννης ὁ ἀπόστολος· θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε· ὁ μονογενὴς θεός, ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρός, ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο, τὸ ἀόρατον καὶ ἄρρητον κόλπον ὀνομάσας θεοῦ· βυθὸν δ' αὐτὸν κεκλήκασιν ἐντεῦθεν τινὲς ὡς ἂν περιειληφότα καὶ ἐγκολπισάμενον τὰ πάντα ἀνέφικτόν τε καὶ ἀπέραντον. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λογος Ε' Κεφ ΙΒ' Source: Migne PG 9.116b-121a

'For to discover the Father and Maker of all things and having found Him to declare it to all it is impossible. For this is not capable of expression at all, like the other things of instruction,' says the truth-loving Plato. 1 For he had heard well that the all-wise Moses, ascending the mount for holy contemplation on the summit of intellectual objects, necessarily commanded that the whole people must not accompany him. And when Scripture says, 'Moses entered into the darkness where God was,' 2 this clearly shows to those who are able to understand that God is invisible and beyond words. And the darkness, which, in truth, is the unbelief and ignorance of the multitude, obstructs the ray of truth. And Orpheus the theologian, aided by this, says: 'One is perfect in himself, and all things are made the progeny of one,' or, 'are born.' Thus it is written, he continues: 'No mortal has seen Him, but He sees all.' And he adds more clearly: 'I see Him not; around a cloud has been set. In mortal eyes mortal pupils are small, Since only flesh and bones grow there.' To these statements the Apostle will testify: 'I know a man in Christ, caught up into the third heaven, and thence into Paradise, who heard unutterable words which it is not permitted a man to speak,' 3 thus intimating the inexpressibility of God, and indicating that neither by law or fear is the declaration prohibited but that what is Divine is unutterable by human ability; for if indeed he begins to speak above the third heaven, so it is right for the elect souls of the mysteries there. For I know what is in Plato, and the examples of the barbarian philosophy, which are many, are suggested to me now by the composition which in according to the promises given has waited for the suitable time, and doubting in the Timaeus whether we should think numerous worlds to be understood by many heavens, or this one, he makes no distinction concerning the names, calling the world and heaven by the same. The words of his statement are: 'Have we, then, spoken correctly of one heaven, or was it more correct to speak of many and infinite? One, if indeed it was created according to the model.' 4 Further, in the Letter of the Romans to the Corinthians it is written, 'An ocean without bounds to men and the worlds after it.' 5 Consequently, therefore, the noble Apostle exclaims, 'Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God!' 6 And was it not this which the prophet hinted at, when he ordered unleavened cakes to be made, intimating that the truly sacred mystic word, concerning the Unbegotten and His powers, should be concealed? Confirming which things, in the letter to the Corinthians the Apostle openly said: 'But we speak wisdom among those who are perfect, but not the wisdom of this world, or of the princes of this world, which perishes, but we speak the wisdom of God hidden in mystery.' 7 And again in another place he says: 'To the acknowledgment of the mystery of God in Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.' 8 These things our Saviour Himself gives the seal to when He says: 'To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.' 9 And again the Gospel says that our Saviour spoke to the Apostles the word in a mystery. For indeed the prophecy says of Him: 'He will open His mouth in parables, and will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.' 10 And now in the parable of the leaven, the Lord reveals concealment, for He says, 'The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened.' 11 For the tripartite soul is saved according to obedience, through the spiritual power hidden in it according to faith, or because the power of the word which is given to us, being firm and strong, draws to itself secretly and invisibly every one who receives it, and keeps it within himself, and brings the whole system into unity. Wisely, then, Solon has written respecting God: 'The mind's invisible measure it is most difficult to know Which alone the limits of all things holds.' For the Divine, says the poet of Agrigento, 12 'One cannot approach it with the eyes, We cannot grasp it with our hands; but persuasion Is the great highway that leads to men's minds.' And John the Apostle says: 'No man has ever seen God. The only-begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him,' 13 calling invisibility and ineffableness the bosom of God. Hence some have called it the Depth, as containing and embracing all things, inaccessible and boundless. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 5 Chap 12 1 Plato Timeaus 28c 2 Exod 22.21 3 2 Cor 12.2-4 4 Plato Timeaus 31a 5 1 Clem 20 6 Rom 11.33 7 1 Cor 2.6-7 8 Colos 2.2-3 9 Mt 13.11 10 Ps 77.2 11 Mt 13.33 12 Empedocles 13 Jn 1.18

The Wise Man's Choice

Mόνη δ' ἡ δι' ἀγάπην εὐποιία ἡ δι' αὐτὸ τὸ καλὸν αἱρετὴ τῷ γνωστικῷ. αὐτίκα ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ τῷ Kυρίῳ λέλεκται· αἴτησαι παρ' ἐμοῦ καὶ δώσω σοι ἔθνη τὴν κληρονομίαν σου, αἴτημα τὸ βασιλικώτατον διδάσκων αἰτεῖσθαι τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων σωτηρίαν ἀμισθί, ἵνα δὴ ἡμεῖς κληρονομήσωμεν καὶ κτησώμεθα τὸν Kύριον. Ἔμπαλιν γὰρ χρείας τινὸς ἕνεκεν, ἵνα μοι τόδε γένηται καὶ τόδε μὴ γένηται, τῆς ἐπιστήμης ἐφίεσθαι τῆς περὶ τὸν θεὸν οὐκ ἴδιον γνωστικοῦ, ἀπόχρη δ' αὐτῷ αἰτία τῆς θεωρίας ἡ γνῶσις αὐτή. Tολμήσας γὰρ εἴποιμ' ἄν, οὐ διὰ τὸ σῴζεσθαι βούλεσθαι τὴν γνῶσιν αἱρήσεται ὁ δι' αὐτὴν τὴν θείαν ἐπιστήμην μεθέπων τὴν γνῶσιν· τὸ μὲν γὰρ νοεῖν ἐκ συνασκήσεως εἰς τὸ ἀεὶ νοεῖν ἐκτείνεται, τὸ δὲ ἀεὶ νοεῖν, οὐσία τοῦ γινώσκοντος κατὰ ἀνάκρασιν ἀδιάστατον γενομένη καὶ ἀίδιος θεωρία, ζῶσα ὑπόστασις μένει. Eἰ γοῦν τις καθ' ὑπόθεσιν προθείη τῷ γνωστικῷ, πότερον ἑλέσθαι βούλοιτο, τὴν γνῶσιν τοῦ θεοῦ ἢ τὴν σωτηρίαν τὴν αἰώνιον, εἴη δὲ ταῦτα κεχωρισμένα παντὸς μᾶλλον ἐν ταὐτότητι ὄντα, οὐδὲ καθ' ὁτιοῦν διστάσας ἕλοιτ' ἂν τὴν γνῶσιν τοῦ θεοῦ, δι' αὑτὴν αἱρετὴν κρίνας εἶναι τὴν ἐπαναβεβηκυῖαν τῆς πίστεως δι' ἀγάπην εἰς γνῶσιν ἰδιότητα. Αὕτη τοίνυν ἡ πρώτη ἀγαθοποιία τοῦ τελείου, ὅταν μὴ διά τι χρειῶδες τῶν εἰς αὐτὸν συντεινόντων γίνηται, κρίναντος δ' ὅτι καλὸν τὸ ἀγαθὸν ποιεῖν, ἐκτενῶς ἡ ἐνέργεια φερομένη ἐν πάσῃ πράξει ἀγαθύνηται, οὐκ ἐφ' ὧν μέν, ἐφ' ὧν δ' οὔ, ἀλλ' ἐν ἕξει εὐποιίας καταστᾶσα μήτε διὰ δόξαν ἔτι ἤ, ὥς φασιν οἱ φιλόσοφοι, τὴν εὔκλειαν μήτε διὰ μισθὸν εἴτε παρὰ ἀνθρώπων εἴτε καὶ ἐκ θεοῦ· κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν τοῦ Kυρίου τὸν βίον ἐκτελοίη. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λογος Δ' Κεφ' ΚΒ' Source: Migne PG 8.1345c-1348b

But the choice of the wise man is to do good out of love alone. Now, in the person of God it was said to the Lord, 'Ask of me, and I will give the Gentiles for your inheritance,' 1 teaching Him to ask a regal request, that is, the salvation of men without price, that we may inherit and possess the Lord. For on the contrary if it is on account of something that this is done, or not done, it is not proper to the wise man, but the knowledge itself is enough as the reason for contemplation. For I will venture to say that it is not because he wishes to be saved that knowledge shall be chosen by him who by knowledge seeks Divine understanding. For thinking by practice is extended to perpetual thinking, and to be always thinking is the essence of an intelligent being, according to a continual process of admixture, and there is everlasting contemplation, a living substance. If, then, we supposed that someone proposed to the wise man a preference, the knowledge of God or everlasting salvation, and if these things were separable which are in every way alike, he would without hesitation choose the knowledge of God, judging as desirable in itself the ascension of faith through love to knowledge. This, then, is the first good work of the perfect man, when it is done not for any advantage in what concerns him, but because he judges it right to do good, and the energy zealously exerted in all deeds becomes good, not good in this and not good in that, but in the habit of doing good, neither for glory, nor, as the philosophers say, for reputation, nor for reward from men or God, but to pass life as an image and likeness of the Lord. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 4, Ch 22 1 Ps 2.8

Acquiring Knowledge

Πλὴν ἀλλὰ τὸ μὴ διστάσαι περὶ θεοῦ, πιστεῦσαι δὲ θεμέλιος γνώσεως, ἄμφω δὲ ὁ Χριστός, ὅ τε θεμέλιος ἥ τε ἐποικοδομή, δι' οὗ καὶ ἡ ἀρχὴ καὶ τὰ τέλη. Kαὶ τὰ μὲν ἄκρα οὐ διδάσκεται, ἥ τε ἀρχὴ καὶ τὸ τέλος, πίστις λέγω καὶ ἡ ἀγάπη, ἡ γνῶσις δὲ ἐκ παραδόσεως διαδιδομένη κατὰ χάριν θεοῦ τοῖς ἀξίους σφᾶς αὐτοὺς τῆς διδασκαλίας παρεχομένοις οἷον παρακαταθήκη ἐγχειρίζεται, ἀφ' ἧς τὸ τῆς ἀγάπης ἀξίωμα ἐκλάμπει ἐκ φωτὸς εἰς φῶς. Eἴρηται γὰρ τῷ ἔχοντι προστεθήσεται, τῇ μὲν πίστει ἡ γνῶσις, τῇ δὲ γνώσει ἡ ἀγάπη, τῇ ἀγάπῃ δὲ ἡ κληρονομία. Γίνεται δὲ τοῦτο, ὁπόταν τις κρεμασθῇ τοῦ Kυρίου διά τε πίστεως διά τε γνώσεως διά τε ἀγάπης καὶ συναναβῇ αὐτῷ ἔνθα ἐστὶν ὁ τῆς πίστεως ἡμῶν καὶ ἀγάπης θεὸς καὶ φρουρός· ὅθεν ἐπὶ τέλει ἡ γνῶσις παραδίδοται τοῖς εἰς τοῦτο ἐπιτηδείοις καὶ ἐγκρίτοις διὰ τὸ πλείονος παρασκευῆς καὶ προγυμνασίας δεῖσθαι καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἀκούειν τῶν λεγομένων καὶ εἰς καταστολὴν βίου καὶ εἰς τὸ ἐπὶ πλέον τῆς κατὰ νόμον δικαιοσύνης κατ' ἐπίστασιν προεληλυθέναι. αὕτη πρὸς τέλος ἄγει τὸ ἀτελεύτητον καὶ τέλειον, προδιδάσκουσα τὴν ἐσομένην ἡμῖν κατὰ τὸν θεὸν μετὰ θεῶν δίαιταν, ἀπολυθέντων ἡμῶν κολάσεως καὶ τιμωρίας ἁπάσης, ἃς ἐκ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων εἰς παιδείαν ὑπομένομεν σωτήριον· μεθ' ἣν ἀπολύτρωσιν τὸ γέρας καὶ αἱ τιμαὶ τελειωθεῖσιν ἀποδίδονται, πεπαυμένοις μὲν τῆς καθάρσεως, πεπαυμένοις δὲ καὶ λειτουργίας τῆς ἄλλης, κἂν ἁγία ᾖ καὶ ἐν ἁγίοις· ἔπειτα καθαροὺς τῇ καρδίᾳ γενομένους κατὰ τὸ προσεχὲς τοῦ Kυρίου προσμένει τῇ θεωρίᾳ τῇ ἀιδίῳ ἀποκατάστασις. καὶ θεοὶ τὴν προσηγορίαν κέκληνται, οἱ σύνθρονοι τῶν ἄλλων θεῶν, τῶν ὑπὸ τῷ σωτῆρι πρώτων τεταγμένων, γενησόμενοι. Tαχεῖα τοίνυν εἰς κάθαρσιν ἡ γνῶσις καὶ ἐπιτήδειος εἰς τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον εὐπρόσδεκτον μεταβολήν. ὅθεν καὶ ῥᾳδίως εἰς τὸ συγγενὲς τῆς ψυχῆς θεῖόν τε καὶ ἅγιον μετοικίζει καὶ διά τινος οἰκείου φωτὸς διαβιβάζει τὰς προκοπὰς τὰς μυστικὰς τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἄχρις ἂν εἰς τὸν κορυφαῖον ἀποκαταστήσῃ τῆς ἀναπαύσεως τόπον, τὸν καθαρὸν τῇ καρδίᾳ πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον ἐπιστημονικῶς καὶ καταληπτικῶς τὸν θεὸν ἐποπτεύειν διδάξασα. Ἐνταῦθα γάρ που τῆς γνωστικῆς ψυχῆς ἡ τελείωσις, πάσης καθάρσεώς τε καὶ λειτουργίας ὑπεκβᾶσαν σὺν τῷ κυρίῳ γίγνεσθαι, ὅπου ἐστὶν προσεχῶς ὑποτεταγμένη. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λόγος Ζ', Κεφ Ι´ Source: Migne PG 8.477d-481a

But it is not doubting concerning God, but believing, that is the foundation of knowledge, Christ being both the foundation and the superstructure, through whom are both the beginning and the ends. And the extremes, the beginning and the end, by which I mean faith and love, are not taught, but knowledge, given with allocation according to the grace of God, is entrusted to those who show themselves worthy of the teaching, and from it the glory of love shines forth from light to light. For it is said, 'To him who has it shall be given:' 1 to faith knowledge, and to knowledge love, and to love the inheritance. And this happens whenever one hangs on to the Lord by faith, by knowledge, by love, and ascends with Him to where the God and guard of our faith and love is, at last, because for the granting of this knowledge there is need of very great preparation and prior training both to hear what is said and for a composed life, and for going beyond, according to the intellect, the righteousness of the Law. This leads to the endless and perfect, teaching us beforehand the future life that we shall lead, according to God, and with divinities, after we are freed from every endurance of punishment and penalty because of our sins, for the learning of salvation. After which redemption the reward and the honours are assigned to those perfected, when they have finished with purification, and with all other service, even holy service, and among the holy. Then being pure in heart, and near to the Lord, there awaits restoration to everlasting contemplation, and they are called by the name of gods, 2 who shall sit on thrones with the other gods who have been first set in their places by the Saviour. Knowledge, then, is quick in purifying and fit for that acceptable transformation to what is better; whence it easily gathers what is akin to the soul, divine and holy, and by its own light conveys man through the spiritual stages of advancement, until it restores the pure in heart to the crowning place of rest, teaching one to gaze on God, face to face, with knowledge and comprehension. 3 For here is the perfection of the knowledgeable soul, after ascent above all purification and service, in being with the Lord, where it is in immediate attendance to Him. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 7, Ch 10 1 Lk 19.26 2 Ps 81.6 3 1 Cor 13.12

Mercy And Enemies

Τί δέ; καὶ ἐχθρῶν ὑποζύγια ἀχθοφοροῦντα συνεπικουφίζειν καὶ συνεγείρειν προστάσσει πόρρωθεν διδάσκων ἡμᾶς ὁ Kύριος ἐπιχαιρεκακίαν μὴ ἀσπάζεσθαι μηδὲ ἐφήδεσθαι τοῖς ἐχθροῖς, ἵνα τούτοις ἐγγυμνασαμένους ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐχθρῶν προσεύχεσθαι διδάξῃ. Oὔτε γὰρ φθονεῖν καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς τοῦ πέλας ἀγαθοῖς λυπεῖσθαι προσῆκεν οὐδὲ μὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς τοῦ πλησίον κακοῖς ἡδονὴν καρποῦσθαι. Kἂν πλανώμενον μέντοι, φησίν, ἐχθροῦ τινος ὑποζύγιον εὕρῃς, τὰ τῆς διαφορᾶς παραλιπὼν ὑπεκκαύματα ἀπαγαγὼν ἀπόδος. Tῇ γὰρ ἀμνηστίᾳ ἕπεται ἡ καλοκἀγαθία, καὶ ταύτῃ ἡ τῆς ἔχθρας διάλυσις. Ἐντεῦθεν εἰς ὁμόνοιαν καταρτιζόμεθα, ἣ δὲ εἰς εὐδαιμονίαν χειραγωγεῖ. Kἄν τινα ἐξ ἔθους ἐχθρὸν ὑπολάβῃς, παραλογιζόμενον δὲ τοῦτον ἀλόγως ἤτοι ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἢ καὶ θυμῷ καταλάβῃς, ἐπίστρεψον αὐτὸν εἰς καλοκἀγαθίαν. Ἆρα ἤδη καταφαίνεται φιλάνθρωπος καὶ χρηστὸς ὁ νόμος, ὁ εἰς Χριστὸν παιδαγωγῶν, θεός τε ὁ αὐτὸς ἀγαθὸς μετὰ δικαιοσύνης, ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς εἰς τέλος ἑκάστῳ γένει προσφυῶς εἰς σωτηρίαν κεχρημένος; ἐλεᾶτε, φησὶν ὁ Kύριος, ἵνα ἐλεηθῆτε· ἀφίετε, ἵνα ἀφεθῇ ὑμῖν· ὡς ποιεῖτε, οὕτως ποιηθήσεται ὑμῖν· ὡς δίδοτε, οὕτως δοθήσεται ὑμῖν· ὡς κρίνετε, οὕτως κριθήσεσθε· ὡς χρηστεύεσθε, οὕτως χρηστευθήσεται ὑμῖν· ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε, ἀντιμετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λογος Β' Κεφ' ΙΗ' Source: Migne PG 8.1029b-1032a

What more? The Lord exhorts us to aid and raise up even the beasts of enemies when they labour beneath their burdens, at a remove teaching us not to take joy in our neighbour's ills, or exult over our enemies, instructing those who are trained in these things to pray for their enemies. For He does not allow us either to envy and begrudge our neighbour's good, or to take pleasure at his ill. And if you find any enemy's beast straying, He says, you are to pass over the provocations of difference, and taking it back, restore it. For forgetfulness of injuries is followed by goodness, and that by dissolution of hostility. By which we are shaped for agreement, and this leads to happiness. And should you encounter one habitually hostile, and find him to be unreasonably in error either by passion or anger, turn him to goodness. Does not, then, the law which conducts to Christ appear humane and mild? 1 God uses the same good, with righteousness from beginning to end, for each kind suitably for salvation. 'Be merciful,' says the Lord, 'that you may receive mercy; forgive, that you may be forgiven. As you do, so shall it be done to you; as you give, so shall it be given to you; as you judge, so shall you be judged; as you show kindness, so shall kindness be shown to you: with what measure you measure, it shall be measured out to you.' Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 2, Ch 18 1 Galat 3.24

Teaching By Examples

Πολυτρόπως δὲ ὅμως ὠφελῶν ὁ παιδαγωγὸς ὁ φιλάνθρωπος τὰ μὲν παρῄνεσεν, τὰ δὲ καὶ ὠνείδισεν, τὸ δὲ καὶ ἄλλων ἁμαρτανόντων τὸ αἶσχος αὐτῶν ὑπέδειξεν ἡμῖν καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τούτῳ τιμωρίαν ψυχαγωγῶν τε ἅμα καὶ νουθετῶν ἐφανέρωσε, φιλάνθρωπον ἀποτροπὴν τῆς κακίας μηχανώμενος διὰ τῆς τῶν προπεπονθότων ἐνδείξεως· δι' ὧν εἰκόνων σαφέστατα τοὺς μὲν ἔπαυσεν κακῶς διατεθέντας, τοὺς δὲ τὰ ἴσα τολμῶντας ἐκώλυσεν, ἄλλους εἰς ὑπομονὴν ἐθεμελίωσεν, ἑτέρους ἔπαυσε κακίας, τοὺς δὲ καὶ ἰάσατο τῇ τοῦ ὁμοίου θεωρίᾳ μεταθεμένους ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον. Τίς γὰρ οὐκ ἄν τι παραφυλάξαιτο, ἑπόμενός τῳ καθ' ὁδόν, εἶτα μέντοι τοῦ προτέρου εἰς βόθρον ἐμπεσόντος, μὴ οὐχὶ ἀποκλῖναι τὸν ἴσον κίνδυνον, τὴν ἀκολουθίαν τῆς ἁμαρτίας φυλαξάμενος; Τίς δὲ αὖθις ἀσκητὴς ὤν, καταμαθὼν τῆς φιλοδοξίας τὴν ὁδὸν καὶ τὸ ἔπαθλον ἰδὼν τὸν πρὸ αὑτοῦ ἀγωνιστὴν εἰληφότα, οὐκ ἐπὶ τὸν στέφανον ἵεται καὶ αὐτός, μιμούμενος τὸν πρεσβύτερον; Πολλαὶ τοιαῦται τῆς θεϊκῆς σοφίας αἱ εἰκόνες· ἑνὸς δὲ ὑποδείγματος μνησθήσομαι καὶ διὰ βραχέων παραθήσομαι· τὸ Σοδομιτῶν πάθος κρίσις μὲν ἀδικήσασι, παιδαγωγία δὲ ἀκούσασιν. Οἱ Σοδομῖται ὑπὸ πολλῆς τρυφῆς ἐξοκείλαντες εἰς ἀσέλγειαν, μοιχεύοντες μὲν ἀδεῶς, περὶ δὲ τὰ παιδικὰ ἐκμανῶς ἐπτοημένοι, ἐπεῖδεν αὐτοὺς ὁ παντεπόπτης Λόγος, ὃν οὐκ ἔστι λαθεῖν ἀνόσια δρῶντας, οὐδὲ ἐπηρέμησεν τῇ ἀσελγείᾳ αὐτῶν ὁ ἄγρυπνος τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος φύλαξ· ἀποτρέπων δὲ ἡμᾶς τῆς μιμήσεως τῆς ἐκείνων, πρὸς σωφροσύνην τὴν αὑτοῦ παιδαγωγῶν, τίσιν τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς ἐπιβαλών, ὡς μὴ τὸ ἀτιμώρητον τῆς ἀκολασίας ἀδείας ἐπιρροὴν προσλάβῃ, καταφλεχθῆναι προσέταξε τὰ Σόδομα, ὀλίγον τι τοῦ φρονίμου πυρὸς ἐκείνου ἐπὶ τὴν ἀκολασίαν ἐκχέων, ὡς μὴ ἀκόλαστον αὐτῶν τὸ λάγνον γενόμενον πλατείας ἀναπετάσῃ κλισιάδας τοῖς εἰς ἡδυπάθειαν φερομένοις. Γέγονεν τοίνυν ἡ Σοδομιτῶν δικαία τιμωρία τῆς εὐλογίστου τοῖς ἀνθρώποις σωτηρίας εἰκών· οἱ γὰρ μὴ τὰ ὅμοια τοῖς κεκολασμένοις ἁμαρτήσαντες οὐ τὴν ὁμοίαν ποτὲ τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς ὑπόσχοιεν δίκην τῷ μὴ ἁμαρτεῖν τὸ μὴ παθεῖν πεφυλαγμένοι. Εἰδέναι γὰρ ὑμᾶς, φησὶν ὁ Ἰούδας, βούλομαι, ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἅπαξ ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου λαὸν σώσας τὸ δεύτερον τοὺς μὴ πιστεύσαντας ἀπώλεσεν, ἀγγέλους τε τοὺς μὴ τηρήσαντας τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀρχήν, ἀλλὰ ἀπολιπόντας τὸ ἴδιον οἰκητήριον εἰς κρίσιν μεγάλης ἡμέρας δεσμοῖς ἀιδίοις ὑπὸ ζόφον ἀγρίων ἀγγέλων τετήρηκεν. Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Ὁ Παιδαγωγός, Λογὸς Τρίτιος, Κεφ' Η' Source: Migne PG 8.631b-616c

But helping in many ways, the Teacher, the lover of mankind, partly exhorts, partly reproaches, and by the sins of others He shows us their baseness, and the punishment consequent upon it, openly warning and by love striving to turn us from evil, by the exhibition of those who have suffered before, by which examples He openly checked those inclined to wickedness, and hindered those venturing similar things, and others He established in endurance, and others He held from evil, and others He healed by the contemplation of likeness, bringing them over to what is better. For who, when following a man on the way, when the former tumbles into a pit, would not guard against similar danger, by taking care not to follow him in his fall? And again what athlete, who has learned the way to glory, and has seen the competitor before him receiving the prize, does not set himself for the crown by imitation of the elder one? Such images of Divine wisdom given are many, but I will recall one instance, and expound it in a few words. The ruin of the Sodomites is judgment to those who have done wrong, instruction to those who hear. The Sodomites having been by much luxury brought into licentiousness, practicing adultery without shame, and burning with love for boys, the All-seeing Word, from whose notice those who commit impieties cannot be hidden, nor did the sleepless guard of mankind ignore their licentiousness, 1 but dissuading us from the imitation of them to His own temperance, stuck at these sinners, lest lust being unavenged and fearlessness run rampant, so ordered Sodom to be burned, pouring forth a little of the prudent fire of chastisement, lest by lack of chastisement, lust throw wide the gates to those rushing into voluptuousness. So did the just punishment of the Sodomites become an image of the salvation which is well arranged for men. For those who have not sinned like those who are punished, will never receive a like punishment, but guarding against sinning have a guard against suffering. Jude says: 'For I wish you to know, that God, having once saved the people from the land of Egypt, destroyed those who did not believe, and the angels who held not to their original state, but left their own habitation, He has reserved to the judgment of the great day, in everlasting chains under darkness of the savage angels.' 2 Clement of Alexandria, The Teacher, Book 3, Ch 8 1 Gen 18-19 2 cf Jude 5-6