Clement of Alexandria · a new plain-English translation from the original language
I myself would counsel married men never to kiss their own wives in front of the household servants. Aristotle would not even allow smiling at slaves, still less would he have a wife appear affectionate toward her husband in their sight. It is better that from the very beginning, starting at home from the marriage itself, one display dignity. For the union of self-control is the greatest thing, breathing out a pure pleasure. Tragedy indeed puts it wonderfully: "Alas, alas, women," it says, "among men, it seems, neither gold, nor tyranny, nor the luxury of wealth held pleasures so distinctive as the just judgment of a noble man and a devout woman, minding what is right." These precepts of justice, uttered even among those who pursue worldly wisdom, are not to be rejected. Knowing then "each one's task, conduct yourselves in fear through the time of your sojourning, knowing that you were redeemed from the futile way of life handed down from your fathers not by perishable things, silver or gold, but by Christ's own precious blood, as of an unblemished, spotless lamb." "Sufficient," says Peter, "is the time already past for having carried out the will of the nations, having walked in licentiousness, lusts, drunkenness, revelings, drinking-bouts, and unlawful idolatries." Let us hold the cross of the Lord as our boundary, by which we are fenced about and hedged in from our former sins. Having been born again, then, let us be nailed fast to the truth, let us return to soberness and be sanctified, "because the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears toward their petition, but the Lord sets his face against those who do wrong. And who shall harm us if we become zealous for what is good?" The best training is good order, being complete propriety and a firm, disciplined power, rendering well in action the things that follow in sequence upon one another, unsurpassable in virtue.
These things, even if I have spoken somewhat harshly, have been said by me while managing the salvation that comes through correction, says the Instructor; since "he who rebukes with frankness makes peace." As for you, if you will listen to me, you will be saved; but if you will not attend to what has been said, it is no concern of mine — and yet it is a concern even so; for "he desires the sinner's turning-back far more than that sinner's death." "But if you listen to me, you will eat the good things of the land," says the Instructor again, naming as the good things of the land the goods that belong to humankind — beauty, wealth, health, strength, nourishment. For the things that are truly good are those "which ear has not heard nor has ever come up into the heart," the truly existing goods that belong to the truly existing King, and that await us; for he is both the giver and the guardian of good things. By participation in those, the things here below share the same name, the Word divinely training the weakness of humankind, leading it from things perceived by sense up to the level of thought.
As for the things one must guard at home, and how one must set one's life in order, the Instructor has discoursed to us at length. But as for what it also pleases him to converse about with the children along the roads, until he brings them to the Teacher, these things he lays before us and sets out, in summary fashion, through the very scriptures themselves, setting forth the precepts unadorned, adapting himself to the season of guidance, and entrusting their exposition to the Teacher; for indeed his law wishes to relax fear, having set the willing choice free unto faith. Listen, he says, O child well trained, to the chief points of salvation, for I will lay bare my own character, and I will set before you these good commandments, through which you will arrive at salvation. I lead you on the saving way. Turn away from the paths of error, "for the Lord watches over the path of the righteous, while the course of the godless comes to ruin." Follow, then, O child, the good way which I shall set forth for you, lending me your listening ears, "and I will give you treasures dark, hidden, invisible" to the nations, but visible to us; "for the treasures of wisdom are unfailing," which the apostle marvels at, saying, "O the depth of the riches and wisdom!" These are treasures supplied by one God, though many, revealed some through the law, some through the prophets, some by the divine mouth itself, and another still singing by the sevenfold gift of the Spirit; yet, being one, the Lord through all these is the same Instructor. There is, then, straightaway a summary counsel and a rule for living that embraces everything: "as you wish that men should do to you, do to them." It is also possible to comprise the commandments under two heads, as the Lord says: "You shall love your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole strength, and your neighbor as yourself." Then he adds, "on these hang the whole law and the prophets." And indeed, to the one who asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" he answered, "you know the commandments"; and when the man affirmed this, he said, "do this and you shall be saved." Nevertheless we must set out the loving-kindness of the Instructor in a more detailed way, through his varied and saving commandments, so that we may have, out of the ungrudging arrangement of the scriptures, a readier discovery also of salvation.
We have the Decalogue given through Moses, hinting at it through a single, unique element, † inscribing a saving title of the sins: "you shall not commit adultery, you shall not practice idolatry," you shall not corrupt children, "you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother," and what follows these. These things we must guard, and whatever else is enjoined in the readings of the books. He also gives commands through Isaiah: "wash yourselves, become clean, remove your wickedness from your souls before my eyes; learn to do good, seek out justice, rescue the one wronged, judge for the orphan, do justice for the widow; and come and let us reason together, says the Lord." We might find many other counsels among the rest as well — for instance, concerning prayer: "good works," it says, "are a prayer acceptable to the Lord," says the scripture. And the manner of the prayer is prescribed: "if you see," it says, "one naked, clothe him, and do not overlook those of your own household and seed. Then your light shall shine forth early, and your garments shall quickly rise, and your righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of God shall enfold you." What then is the fruit of this prayer? "Then you shall cry out, and God will listen to you; while you are still speaking he will say, behold, I am here." Concerning fasting: "why," it says, "do you fast for me? says the Lord. This is not the fast I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul; not even if you bend your neck like a hoop and spread out sackcloth and ashes beneath you, even so shall you call it an acceptable fast." What then does fasting really signify? "Behold, this," it says, "is the fast which I have chosen, says the Lord. Loose every bond of injustice, untie the knots of violent contracts, set free the crushed in release, and tear up every unjust bond. Break your bread for the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; if you see one naked, clothe him." And indeed concerning sacrifices: "what are all your many sacrifices to me? says the Lord. I have had my fill of the whole burnt offerings of rams, and I take no pleasure in the fat of he-lambs, nor in the blood of oxen and goats, not even should you come to stand before me. For who required any of this at your hands? Stop trampling through my court; bringing fine flour is worthless; incense disgusts me; I cannot endure your new-moon feasts and your sabbaths." So how, then, am I to bring the Lord a sacrifice? "A sacrifice," it says, "to the Lord is a broken spirit." So how, then, should I crown my head or rub myself with myrrh? Or what shall I burn as incense to the Lord? "A fragrance," it says, "of sweet savor to God is a heart glorifying him who fashioned it." These are the crowns and sacrifices and spices and flowers of God. Further, concerning forbearance of wrongs: "if your brother sins," it says, "rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in the day and turns to you seven times, saying, I repent, forgive him." And to soldiers he commands, through John, to be content with their wages alone, and to tax collectors, to exact nothing more than what has been appointed; and to the judge: "you must not," it says, "favor persons in judgment, for bribes darken the vision of the seeing and twist righteous words"; "rescue those who are wronged." And also to those managing households: "wealth eagerly gained through lawlessness becomes less." And indeed concerning love: "love," it says, "covers a multitude of sins"; and concerning civic life: "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's"; and concerning oaths and the bearing of grudges: "did I command your fathers, when they came out of the land of Egypt, to bring me whole burnt offerings and sacrifices? But this I commanded them: let each of you bear no grudge in his heart against his neighbor, and love no false oath." But he also threatens liars and the puffed-up, the former in this way: "woe to those who call the sweet bitter and the bitter sweet," the latter in this way: "woe to those who count themselves wise and reckon themselves shrewd in their own judgment"; "whoever humbles himself shall be exalted, and whoever exalts himself shall be humbled." And he calls the merciful blessed, "for they shall obtain mercy," while wisdom pronounces wrath wretched, "for it will destroy even the prudent." And already he commands us to love our enemies, and to bless those who curse us, and to pray for those who mistreat us. "To the one who strikes you," he says, "on the cheek, offer the other also, and if anyone takes your coat, do not forbid him your cloak as well." Concerning faith: "whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive," he says; "but nothing that is trustworthy belongs to the untrustworthy," according to Pindar. And servants must be treated as ourselves, for they are human beings just as we are; "since, if you think it through, God treats free and slave alike, showing no difference." And erring servants must not be punished but rebuked; "for the one who spares," it says, "his rod hates his own son." Further, he casts out the desire for glory, declaring, "woe to you, Pharisees, for you cherish the front seats in the synagogues and the flattering greetings in the marketplace." But he embraces the repentance of the sinner, cherishing the repentance that follows upon sins; for the Word himself alone is without sin, since sinning is innate and common to all, but retracing one's steps from sin belongs not to just anyone, but to a person of worth. Concerning the sharing of goods, he said, "come, you who are blessed, and take possession of the realm made ready for you since the world began. For when I hungered you gave me food, when I thirsted you gave me something to drink, I was a foreigner and you welcomed me in, naked and you put clothing on me, sick and you came to see me, in prison and you came to me." And when did we ever do any of these things for the Lord? The Instructor himself will answer again, lovingly turning the good deeds done to the brethren back upon himself, and saying, "insofar as you did it to these little ones, you did it to me. And such as these shall go away into eternal life."
Such then are the rational laws, the exhortatory words, not carved on stone tablets by God's own finger, but written within the hearts of men, the only tablets not susceptible to decay. For this reason the tablets of the hard-hearted were broken, so that the faith of the childlike might be stamped upon soft and yielding minds. Both covenants alike served the Word for the training of humanity, the one through Moses, the other through the apostles. What sort of training, then, is that given through the apostles? It seems necessary to me to discourse also on this form of it — or rather, the Instructor himself, remembering his own character, speaks it, and I shall again set out his precepts in seed form: "having put away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Do not let the sun go down upon your anger, and do not give an opening to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to share with the one in need. Put away from yourselves every trace of bitterness, fury, anger, clamor, and slander, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God forgave you in Christ. Become, then, imitators of God, thoughtful as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ loved us too." "Wives are to submit to their husbands, as one would to the Lord, and husbands are to cherish their wives, just as Christ cherished the church." Let those so joined, then, hold each other dear "as one holds one's own body." "Children, obey your parents. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and admonition of the Lord. Slaves, obey your earthly masters with reverence and trembling, in singleness of heart, as though obeying Christ, serving from the soul with goodwill. And masters, do well by your servants, relaxing threats, knowing that the Lord of both them and you is in the heavens, and that there is no partiality with him." "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Make no mistake: God cannot be mocked. Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not give up." "Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, comfort the fainthearted, hold fast to the weak, be patient toward all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil. Do not quench the Spirit, do not despise prophecies; but test everything, hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil." "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Walk in wisdom toward those outside, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each one." "Nourish yourselves on the words of the faith; train yourselves for godliness. For bodily training is of some little profit, but godliness is profitable for everything, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come." "Those who have believing masters must not despise them because they are brothers, but must serve them all the more, because they are believers." "Let the one who shares do so with sincerity, the one who leads, with diligence, the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good; be devoted to one another in brotherly love; outdo one another in showing honor; do not be slothful in diligence; be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord; rejoice in hope; be patient in tribulation; be constant in prayer; pursue hospitality; share in the needs of the saints."
Having gone through these few examples, for the sake of illustration, out of many, drawn from the divine scriptures themselves, the Instructor sets them before his own children, through which, so to speak, wickedness is utterly cut away and injustice is bounded and erased. And countless are the counsels directed to select persons that stand written in the holy books, some to elders, some to bishops and deacons, others to widows, concerning which it would be another occasion to speak. And many things too, through riddles, and many through parables, it is possible for those who read to be helped. But it is no longer mine, says the Instructor, to teach these things further; we need a Teacher for the exposition of those holy words, to whom we must now proceed. And truly the hour has come for me to lay aside this task of tutoring, so that your ears may now turn toward the Teacher. Once he has taken you in hand and raised you within a noble upbringing, he will impart the sacred sayings in full. This church is the schoolroom, and the bridegroom alone holds the office of Teacher, the goodwill of a good Father, Wisdom itself, the consecration of knowledge; "he stands as atonement for our offenses," so John writes, the healer of both flesh and spirit, the man everlasting, Jesus, "nor only for our offenses, but for the sake of the entire world besides. Through this we perceive that we have come to know him, provided we hold fast to his commandments. He who says, I have known him, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps his word, truly in him the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him: he who says he abides in him ought himself also to walk just as that one walked."
O nurslings of blessed instruction! Let us fill out the lovely countenance belonging to the church, and let us, like little ones, hasten toward our good mother, and even if we become hearers of the word only, let us glorify the blessed dispensation through which man is instructed, and is sanctified as a child of God, and is enrolled as a citizen of heaven while being instructed upon earth, and there receives that Father whom on earth he is learning to know. All things the Word both does and teaches and instructs. A horse is led by the bit, and a bull is led by the yoke, a wild beast is caught by the snare, but man is remolded by the Word, by which wild beasts are tamed and swimming creatures are lured and winged creatures are brought down. This one truly devises for the horse a bit, for the bull a yoke, for the beast a snare, for the fish a rod, for the bird a trap; this one exercises citizenship and farms the land, rules and serves and fashions the whole of things; "in one part he wrought the earth, in another the heaven, in another the sea, and in another all the constellations with which the heaven is crowned." O divine works of craft! O divine commands! Let this water surge within itself; let this fire restrain its rage; let this air wander into the upper ether; and let earth both be made solid and be borne along, whenever I will it. I wish still to fashion man; I have the elements as material; I dwell together with my creature. If you come to know me, fire will be your slave. So great is this Word, the Instructor of the world and the Maker of man, and, on man's account, already also the Instructor of the world; at whose command both stand fast together, awaiting the judgment. "For he does not carry a stealthy, sounding word for mortals † the word shall be wisdom," as Bacchylides says. But "the innocent, unadulterated, spotless children of God," as Paul puts it, "amid a twisted and depraved generation, appear in the world as luminaries."
As for what remains, then, at such a festival gathering of the Word, let us pray to the Word: be gracious to your own children, Instructor, Father, charioteer of Israel, Son and Father, the two being one, Lord. Grant to us who follow your commands to fulfill the likeness of the image, and to perceive with all our strength the good God who is also a judge not harsh, and grant us all things yourself, as we conduct our citizenship in your peace, as we are transferred into your city, having sailed unshaken through the surge of sin, calm and borne along with the Holy Spirit, with wisdom that cannot be told; by night, by day, unto the perfect day, singing thankful praise to the one Father and Son, Son and Father, Instructor and Teacher in the Son, together also with the Holy Spirit. All things to the One, in whom are all things, through whom all things are one, through whom stands the everlasting, of whom every one of us forms a limb, whose splendor the passing ages constitute; all things to the good, all things to the beautiful, all things to the wise, to the just belong all things. To whom be glory both now and unto the ages. Amen.
Since, then, the Instructor, having established us in the church, has himself entrusted us to himself under the teaching and all-overseeing Word, it would be well for us, now that we have come to this point, to send up to the Lord, as a fitting payment of just thanksgiving, a hymn of praise for his gracious instruction. Bridle of untaught colts, wing of unwandering birds, sure rudder of ships, shepherd of royal lambs: gather your guileless children, to praise in holiness, to hymn without guile with innocent mouths of children, Christ their guide. King of the holy ones, all-subduing Word of the Father most high, steward of wisdom, support that gladdens forever amid toils, savior of the race of mortals, Jesus, shepherd, plowman, rudder, bridle, celestial pinion of the wholly sacred flock, one who fishes for people, drawing out those rescued from wickedness's sea, luring pure fish out of the hostile wave with sweet life. Lead on, holy shepherd of rational sheep; lead on, king of untouched children. The footprints of Christ are the heavenly way. Word everflowing, boundless age, eternal light, fountain of mercy, worker of virtue for those who in reverent life hymn God, Christ Jesus, heavenly milk of the sweet breasts of the bride, of the graces of your wisdom, which infants, nursed with tender mouths, being pressed out and filled from the rational breast with dewy spirit, let us sing together guileless praises, true hymns, to Christ the king, holy wages for the teaching of life; let us send up simply the mighty child. Chorus of peace, the Christ-begotten people; sober people, let us sing together to the God of peace.
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