The writings of Clement of Alexandria, Vol. 2 (of 2)Clement, of Alexandria, Saint
Religion
The writings of Clement of Alexandria, Vol. 2 (of 2)
Clement, of Alexandria, Saint
Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- Early Church, ca. 30-600
Now among the Greeks, Minos the king of nine years’ reign, and
familiar friend of Zeus, is celebrated in song; they having heard how
once God conversed with Moses, “as one speaking with his friend.”[39]
Moses, then, was a sage, king, legislator. But our Saviour surpasses
all human nature. He is so lovely, as to be alone loved by us, whose
hearts are set on the true beauty, for “He was the true light.”[40] He
is shown to be a King, as such hailed by unsophisticated children and
by the unbelieving and ignorant Jews, and heralded by the prophets.
So rich is He, that He despised the whole earth, and the gold above
and beneath it, with all glory, when given to Him by the adversary.
What need is there to say that He is the only High Priest, who alone
possesses the knowledge of the worship of God?[41] He is Melchizedek,
“King of peace,”[42] the most fit of all to head the race of men.
A legislator too, inasmuch as He gave the law by the mouth of the
prophets, enjoining and teaching most distinctly what things are to be
done, and what not. Who of nobler lineage than He whose only Father is
God? Come, then, let us produce Plato assenting to those very dogmas.
The wise man he calls rich in the _Phædrus_, when he says, “O
dear Pan, and whatever other gods are here, grant me to become fair
within; and whatever external things I have, let them be agreeable to
what is within. I would reckon the wise man rich.”[43] And the Athenian
stranger,[44] finding fault with those who think that those who have
many possessions are rich, speaks thus: “For the very rich to be also
good is impossible--those, I mean, whom the multitude count rich. Those
they call rich, who, among a few men, are owners of the possessions
worth most money; which any bad man may possess.” “The whole world of
wealth belongs to the believer,”[45] Solomon says, “but not a penny to
the unbeliever.” Much more, then, is the scripture to be believed which
says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than
for a rich man”[46] to lead a philosophic life. But, on the other
hand, it blesses “the poor;”[47] as Plato understood when he said,
“It is not the diminishing of one’s resources, but the augmenting of
insatiableness, that is to be considered poverty; for it is not slender
means that ever constitutes poverty, but insatiableness, from which
the good man being free, will also be rich.” And in _Alcibiades_
he calls vice a servile thing, and virtue the attribute of freemen.
“Take away from you the heavy yoke, and take up the easy one,”[48] says
the Scripture; as also the poets call [vice] a slavish yoke. And the
expression, “Ye have sold yourselves to your sins,” agrees with what is
said above: “Every one, then, who committeth sin is a slave; and the
slave abideth not in the house for ever. But if the Son shall make you
free, then shall ye be free, and the truth shall make you free.”[49]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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