Clement of Alexandria · a new plain-English translation from the original language
In both commandments, then, he sets forth love, but he has divided it by rank, and in the one place assigns the first place of love to God, while in the other he allots the second place to the neighbor. But who else could this neighbor be but the Savior himself? Or who has shown us more mercy than he, we who were all but put to death by the world-rulers of darkness with their many wounds — fears, desires, angers, griefs, deceits, pleasures? Of these wounds Jesus alone is the physician, cutting out the passions utterly by the root, not merely, as the law does, the bare results, the fruits of the evil plants, but bringing his own axe to the very roots of wickedness. This is he who poured the wine, the blood of the vine of David, upon our wounded souls; this is he who brought the oil, the mercy that flows from the Father's inmost heart, and lavished it upon us; this is he who displayed the unbreakable bonds of health and salvation — love, faith, hope; this is he who commanded angels and principalities and powers to serve us, for a great reward, since they too shall be set free from the vanity of the world at the revealing of the glory of the sons of God. This one, then, we must love equally with God. And he loves Christ Jesus who does his will and keeps his commandments. "It is not everyone crying out to me, 'Master, Master,' who will pass into heaven's kingdom, but the one carrying out my Father's wishes." And: "Why do you address me as 'Master, Master,' yet fail to do what I tell you?" And: "Blessed are you who see and hear what neither the righteous nor the prophets saw or heard," if you do what I say.
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