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
In the midst of the covering and veil, where the priests were allowed
to enter, was situated the altar of incense, the symbol of the earth
placed in the middle of this universe; and from it came the fumes of
incense. And that place intermediate between the inner veil, where the
high priest alone, on prescribed days, was permitted to enter, and the
external court which surrounded it--free to all the Hebrews--was, they
say, the middlemost point of heaven and earth. But others say it was
the symbol of the intellectual world, and that of sense. The covering,
then, the barrier of popular unbelief, was stretched in front of the
five pillars, keeping back those in the surrounding space.
So very mystically the five loaves are broken by the Saviour, and fill
the crowd of the listeners. For great is the crowd that keep to the
things of sense, as if they were the only things in existence. “Cast
your eyes round, and see,” says Plato, “that none of the uninitiated
listen.” Such are they who think that nothing else exists, but what
they can hold tight with their hands; but do not admit as in the
department of existence, actions and processes of generation, and the
whole of the unseen. For such are those who keep by the five senses.
But the knowledge of God is a thing inaccessible to the ears and
like organs of this kind of people. Hence the Son is said to be the
Father’s face, being the revealer of the Father’s character to the
five senses by clothing Himself with flesh. “But if we live in the
Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”[763] “For we walk by faith,
not by sight,”[764] the noble apostle says. Within the veil, then, is
concealed the sacerdotal service; and it keeps those engaged in it far
from those without.
Again, there is the veil of the entrance into the holy of holies.
Four pillars there are, the sign of the sacred tetrad of the ancient
covenants. Further, the mystic name of four letters which was affixed
to those alone to whom the adytum was accessible, is called Jave, which
is interpreted, “Who is and shall be.” The name of God, too, among the
Greeks contains four letters.
Now the Lord, having come alone into the intellectual world, enters
by His sufferings, introduced into the knowledge of the Ineffable,
ascending above every name which is known by sound. The lamp, too, was
placed to the south of the altar of incense; and by it were shown the
motions of the seven planets, that perform their revolutions towards
the south. For three branches rose on either side of the lamp, and
lights on them; since also the sun, like the lamp, set in the midst of
all the planets, dispenses with a kind of divine music the light to
those above and to those below.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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