Sophia Scriptura

The Instructor 1.7.53–1.7.61

Clement of Alexandria · The Instructor · ca. 190–200 · Alexandria · 9 passages

Greek text: Stählin, GCS 12 (Greek text: Otto Stählin, Clemens Alexandrinus 1: Protrepticus und Paedagogus (GCS 12, 1905), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 2 (1885).

The 1, chapter 7

1.7.53Stählin 1:121–122

Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ἀπεδείξαμεν παῖδας ἡμᾶς τοὺς πάντας ὑπὸ τῆς γραφῆς καλουμένους οὐ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς Χριστῷ κατηκολουθηκότας ἡμᾶς νηπίους ἀλληγορουμένους, μόνον δὲ εἶναι τέλειον τὸν πατέρα τῶν ὅλων (ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς καὶ ἐν τῷ υἱῷ ὁ πατήρ), ὥρα ἡμῖν ἑπομένοις τῇ τάξει καὶ τὸν παιδαγωγὸν ἡμῶν εἰπεῖν ὅστις ἐστί. καλεῖται δὲ Ἰησοῦς. ἔσθʼ ὅτε οὖν ποιμένα ἑαυτὸν καλεῖ καὶ λέγει »ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός«, κατὰ μεταφορὰν ἀπὸ τῶν ποιμένων τῶν καθηγουμένων τοῖς προβάτοις ὁ καθηγούμενος τῶν παιδίων παιδαγωγὸς νοούμενος, ὁ τῶν νηπίων κηδεμονικὸς ποιμήν· ἁπλοῖ γὰρ οἱ νήπιοι ὡς πρόβατα ἀλληγορούμενοι· »καὶ γενήσονται«, φησίν, »οἱ πάντες μία ποίμνη καὶ εἷς ποιμήν.« παιδαγωγὸς οὖν εἰκότως ὁ λόγος ὁ τοὺς παῖδας ἡμᾶς εἰς σωτηρίαν ἄγων. ἐναργέστατα γοῦν ὁ λόγος περὶ ἑαυτοῦ διὰ Ὠσηὲ εἴρηκεν »ἐγὼ δὲ παιδευτὴς ὑμῶν εἰμι«. παιδαγωγία δὲ ἡ θεοσέβεια, μάθησις οὖσα θεοῦ θεραπείας καὶ παίδευσις εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἀγωγή τε ὀρθὴ ἀνάγουσα εἰς οὐρανόν.

Epei toinyn apedeixamen paidas hēmas tous pantas hypo tēs graphēs kaloumenous ou monon, alla kai tous Christǭ katēkolouthēkotas hēmas nēpious allēgoroumenous, monon de einai teleion ton patera tōn holōn (en autǭ gar ho huios kai en tǭ huiǭ ho patēr), hōra hēmin hepomenois tę̄ taxei kai ton paidagōgon hēmōn eipein hostis esti. kaleitai de Iēsous. esthʼ hote oun poimena heauton kalei kai legei »egō eimi ho poimēn ho kalos«, kata metaphoran apo tōn poimenōn tōn kathēgoumenōn tois probatois ho kathēgoumenos tōn paidiōn paidagōgos nooumenos, ho tōn nēpiōn kēdemonikos poimēn; haploi gar hoi nēpioi hōs probata allēgoroumenoi; »kai genēsontai«, phēsin, »hoi pantes mia poimnē kai heis poimēn.« paidagōgos oun eikotōs ho logos ho tous paidas hēmas eis sōtērian agōn. enargestata goun ho logos peri heautou dia Ōsēe eirēken »egō de paideutēs hymōn eimi«. paidagōgia de hē theosebeia, mathēsis ousa theou therapeias kai paideusis eis epignōsin alētheias agōgē te orthē anagousa eis ouranon.

Since, then, we have shown that Scripture calls all of us children, and also speaks figuratively of us who have followed Christ as infants, and that the Father of all alone is perfect (for the Son is in him and the Father in the Son), it is time, following our order, to say who our Instructor is. He is called Jesus. Sometimes he calls himself a shepherd and says, “I am the good shepherd,” by a metaphor from shepherds who lead sheep: he is understood as the Instructor who leads children, the shepherd who cares for infants; for infants, being simple, are figuratively called sheep. “And they shall all become,” he says, “one flock and one shepherd.” The Word, then, who leads us children to salvation, is rightly called the Instructor. Most clearly the Word has said of himself through Hosea, “I am your instructor.” And godliness is instruction, being the learning of the service of God and training for the knowledge of the truth, and right guidance leading up to heaven.

John 14:10 (allusion, high confidence) · John 10:11 (quotation, high confidence) · John 10:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Hos 5:2 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 2:4 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Our Instructor is Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who leads his children to salvation; godliness is his instruction.

  • The quotations are John 10:11, John 10:16, and Hos 5:2 (LXX, “I am your instructor”); the allusions are John 14:10 and 1 Tim 2:4.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.7.53 (Stählin 1:121–122; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1-7-53/#p-1-7-53).

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-clement-paedagogus-1-7-53) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Stählin (1905); made independently of existing English translations.

1.7.54Stählin 1:122

Παιδαγωγία δὲ καλεῖται πολλαχῶς· καὶ γὰρ ἡ τοῦ ἀγομένου καὶ μανθάνοντος, καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἄγοντος καὶ διδάσκοντος, καὶ αὐτὴ τρίτον ἡ ἀγωγή, καὶ τὰ διδασκόμενα τέταρτον, οἷον αἱ ἐντολαί. ἔστι δὲ ἡ κατὰ τὸν θεὸν παιδαγωγία κατευθυσμὸς ἀληθείας εἰς ἐποπτείαν θεοῦ καὶ πράξεων ἁγίων ὑποτύπωσις ἐν αἰωνίῳ διαμονῇ. ὥσπερ οὖν κατευθύνει τὴν φάλαγγα ὁ στρατηγὸς τῆς σωτηρίας τῶν μισθοφόρων προμηθούμενος, καὶ ὡς ὁ κυβερνήτης οἰακίζει τὸ σκάφος σῴζειν προαιρούμενος τοὺς ἐμπλέοντας, οὕτως καὶ ὁ παιδαγωγὸς ἄγει τοὺς παῖδας ἐπὶ τὴν σωτήριον δίαιταν τῆς ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἕνεκεν κηδεμονίας· καὶ καθόλου ὁπόσα ἂν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ εὐλόγως αἰτήσαιμεν ἡμῖν γενέσθαι, ταῦτα πειθομένοις τῷ παιδαγωγῷ περιέσται. ὅνπερ οὖν τρόπον ὁ κυβερνήτης οὐκ αἰεὶ τοῖς ἀνέμοις ὑπείκει, ἀντίπρῳρος δὲ ἔσθʼ ὅτε ὅλαις ἀνθίσταται καταιγίσιν, οὕτως ὁ παιδαγωγὸς οὐχὶ τοῖς ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τῷδε καταπνέουσιν ἀνέμοις ὑπείκει ποτὲ οὐδὲ ἐπιτρέπει αὐτοῖς τὸ παιδίον, ὥσπερ σκάφος, εἰς θηριώδη καὶ ἀσελγῆ προσρῆξαι δίαιταν, μόνῳ δὲ ἄρα τῷ ἀληθείας πνεύματι ἔπουρος ἀρθεὶς ἀντέχεται μάλα ἐρρωμένως τῶν οἰάκων τοῦ παιδός, τῶν ὤτων λέγω, ἕως ἂν ἀβλαβὲς καθορμίσῃ τὸ παιδίον εἰς τὸν λιμένα τῶν οὐρανῶν· τὸ μὲν γὰρ πάτριον καλούμενον παρʼ ἀνθρώποις ἔθος ὅσον οὐδέπω

Paidagōgia de kaleitai pollachōs; kai gar hē tou agomenou kai manthanontos, kai hē tou agontos kai didaskontos, kai autē triton hē agōgē, kai ta didaskomena tetarton, hoion hai entolai. esti de hē kata ton theon paidagōgia kateuthysmos alētheias eis epopteian theou kai praxeōn hagiōn hypotypōsis en aiōniǭ diamonę̄. hōsper oun kateuthynei tēn phalanga ho stratēgos tēs sōtērias tōn misthophorōn promēthoumenos, kai hōs ho kybernētēs oiakizei to skaphos sǭzein proairoumenos tous empleontas, houtōs kai ho paidagōgos agei tous paidas epi tēn sōtērion diaitan tēs hēmōn autōn heneken kēdemonias; kai katholou hoposa an para tou theou eulogōs aitēsaimen hēmin genesthai, tauta peithomenois tǭ paidagōgǭ periestai. honper oun tropon ho kybernētēs ouk aiei tois anemois hypeikei, antiprǭros de esthʼ hote holais anthistatai kataigisin, houtōs ho paidagōgos ouchi tois en tǭ kosmǭ tǭde katapneousin anemois hypeikei pote oude epitrepei autois to paidion, hōsper skaphos, eis thēriōdē kai aselgē prosrēxai diaitan, monǭ de ara tǭ alētheias pneumati epouros artheis antechetai mala errōmenōs tōn oiakōn tou paidos, tōn ōtōn legō, heōs an ablabes kathormisę̄ to paidion eis ton limena tōn ouranōn; to men gar patrion kaloumenon parʼ anthrōpois ethos hoson oudepō

“Instruction” is used in many senses: for the one who is led and learns, for the one who leads and teaches, third for the guidance itself, and fourth for what is taught, such as the commandments. The instruction that is according to God is the right direction of truth to the contemplation of God, and a pattern of holy actions in eternal perseverance. As the general directs the phalanx, taking thought for the safety of his soldiers, and as the pilot steers the ship, choosing to save those on board, so the Instructor leads the children to a saving way of life, out of care for us; and in general, whatever we might reasonably ask God to grant us will be ours if we obey the Instructor. As the pilot does not always yield to the winds, but sometimes turns his bow into them and resists whole storms, so the Instructor never yields to the winds that blow in this world, nor lets the child, like a ship, be dashed against a beastly and licentious way of life; but, borne along by the favoring wind of the Spirit of truth alone, he holds very firmly to the child's rudders, I mean his ears, until he brings the child safely to anchor in the harbor of heaven. For what people call ancestral custom

Heb 2:10 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Instructor, like a general or a pilot, steers the child through the storms of the world to the harbor of heaven.

  • “Contemplation” (ἐποπτεία) is the term for the highest vision in the mysteries. The sentence continues in the next section.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (missing accent): Παιδαγωγία δε καλεῖται → Παιδαγωγία δὲ καλεῖται.

Cite (SBL): Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.7.54 (Stählin 1:122; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1-7-53/#p-1-7-54).

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-clement-paedagogus-1-7-54) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Stählin (1905); made independently of existing English translations.

1.7.55Stählin 1:122–123

παρέρχεται, ἡ δὲ ἀγωγὴ ἡ θεία κτῆμά ἐστιν εἰς ἀεὶ παραμένον. Ἀχιλλέως μὲν οὖν παιδαγωγὸν τὸν Φοίνικά φασι γεγονέναι καὶ τῶν Κροίσου παίδων Ἄδραστον, Ἀλεξάνδρου δὲ Λεωνίδην καὶ Φιλίππου Ναυσίθοον. ἀλλʼ ὃ μὲν γυναικομανής, ὁ Φοῖνιξ, ἦν, ὃ δὲ φυγάς, ὁ Ἄδραστος, ἦν, Λεωνίδης δὲ οὐ περιεῖλεν τὸν τῦφον τοῦ Μακεδόνος οὐδὲ Ναυσίθοος μεθύοντα τὸν ἐκ Πέλλης ἰάσατο· Ἀλκιβιάδου δὲ τὴν πορνείαν ὁ Θρᾷξ ἐπισχεῖν οὐκ ἴσχυσεν Ζώπυρος, ἀλλʼ ὠνητὸν ἀνδράποδον ὁ Ζώπυρος ἦν, καὶ τῶν Θεμιστοκλέους παίδων ὁ παιδαγωγὸς Σίκιννος οἰκέτης ῥᾴθυμος ἦν· ὀρχεῖσθαί φασιν αὐτὸν καὶ σικιννίζειν εὑρηκέναι. οὐκ ἔλαθον ἡμᾶς οἱ παρὰ Πέρσαις βασίλειοι καλούμενοι παιδαγωγοί, οὓς τέτταρας τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἀριστίνδην ἐκλέγοντες ἐκ πάντων Περσῶν οἱ βασιλεῖς Περσῶν τοῖς σφῶν αὐτῶν ἐφίστων παισίν· ἀλλὰ τοξεύειν μόνον οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῖς μανθάνουσιν, ἡβήσαντες δὲ ἀδελφαῖς καὶ μητράσιν καὶ γυναιξὶν γαμεταῖς τε ἅμα καὶ παλλακίσιν ἀναρίθμοις ἐπιμίσγονται, καθάπερ οἱ κάπροι εἰς συνουσίαν ἠσκημένοι.

parerchetai, hē de agōgē hē theia ktēma estin eis aei paramenon. Achilleōs men oun paidagōgon ton Phoinika phasi gegonenai kai tōn Kroisou paidōn Adraston, Alexandrou de Leōnidēn kai Philippou Nausithoon. allʼ ho men gynaikomanēs, ho Phoinix, ēn, ho de phygas, ho Adrastos, ēn, Leōnidēs de ou perieilen ton typhon tou Makedonos oude Nausithoos methyonta ton ek Pellēs iasato; Alkibiadou de tēn porneian ho Thrąx epischein ouk ischysen Zōpyros, allʼ ōnēton andrapodon ho Zōpyros ēn, kai tōn Themistokleous paidōn ho paidagōgos Sikinnos oiketēs rhąthymos ēn; orcheisthai phasin auton kai sikinnizein heurēkenai. ouk elathon hēmas hoi para Persais basileioi kaloumenoi paidagōgoi, hous tettaras ton arithmon aristindēn eklegontes ek pantōn Persōn hoi basileis Persōn tois sphōn autōn ephistōn paisin; alla toxeuein monon hoi paides autois manthanousin, hēbēsantes de adelphais kai mētrasin kai gynaixin gametais te hama kai pallakisin anarithmois epimisgontai, kathaper hoi kaproi eis synousian ēskēmenoi.

is all but passing away, but divine guidance is a possession that remains forever. They say that Phoenix was the tutor of Achilles, Adrastus of the sons of Croesus, Leonidas of Alexander, and Nausithous of Philip. But Phoenix was mad for women, Adrastus was an exile; Leonidas did not remove the Macedonian's arrogance, nor did Nausithous cure the man from Pella of drunkenness. The Thracian Zopyrus could not restrain the sexual immorality of Alcibiades; but Zopyrus was a bought slave. And Sicinnus, the tutor of Themistocles's children, was a lazy servant; they say he invented dancing, and the sikinnis dance. We are not unaware of the so-called royal tutors among the Persians: the Persian kings chose four of them, the best from all the Persians, and set them over their own sons. But the boys learned from them only to shoot the bow; and when they came of age they had intercourse with sisters and mothers, with wedded wives and countless concubines at once, like boars trained for mating.

Notes and citation

Summary: The famous tutors of antiquity failed to form their pupils' character; the Persian princes learned only archery and grew up in incest and license.

  • The Persian royal tutors are described in Plato, Alcibiades I 121e–122a. The charge of incest against the Persians was a Greek commonplace.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Alc. maj. 121e–122a (Plato (works); allusion)

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.7.55 (Stählin 1:122–123; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1-7-53/#p-1-7-55).

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-clement-paedagogus-1-7-55) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Stählin (1905); made independently of existing English translations.

1.7.56Stählin 1:123

ὁ δὲ ἡμέτερος παιδαγωγὸς ἅγιος θεὸς Ἰησοῦς, ὁ πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος καθηγεμὼν λόγος, αὐτὸς ὁ φιλάνθρωπος θεός ἐστι παιδαγωγός. λέγει δέ που διὰ τῆς ᾠδῆς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον εἰς αὐτόν· »αὐτάρκησεν τὸν λαὸν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἐν δίψει καύματος, ἐν ἀνύδρῳ· ἐκύκλωσεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπαίδευσεν αὐτὸν καὶ διεφύλαξεν ὡς κόρην ὀφθαλμοῦ. ὡς ἀετὸς σκεπάσαι νοσσιὰν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς νεοσσοῖς αὐτοῦ ἐπεπόθησεν. διεὶς τὰς πτέρυγας αὐτοῦ ἐδέξατο αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀνέλαβεν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν μεταφρένων αὐτοῦ· κύριος μόνος ἦγεν αὐτοὺς καὶ οὐκ ἦν μετʼ αὐτῶν θεὸς ἀλλότριος.« σαφῶς, οἶμαι, τὸν παιδαγωγὸν ἐνδείκνυται ἡ γραφὴ τὴν ἀγωγὴν αὐτοῦ διηγουμένη. πάλιν δὲ ὅταν λέγῃ διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου προσώπου, ἑαυτὸν ὁμολογεῖ παιδαγωγόν· »ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεός σου, ὁ ἐξαγαγών σε ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου.« τίς οὖν ἔχει ἐξουσίαν τοῦ ἄγειν εἴσω τε καὶ ἔξω; οὐχὶ ὁ παιδαγωγός; οὗτος »ὤφθη τῷ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ θεός σου· εὐαρέστει ἐνώπιόν μου.« τοῦτον δὲ παιδαγωγικώτατα ὑποκατασκευάζει παῖδα πιστόν, »καὶ γίνου« φήσας »ἄμεμπτος· καὶ θήσω τὴν διαθήκην μου ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον σοῦ καὶ τοῦ σπέρματός σου«. φιλίας ἐνταῦθα ἐπιστατικῆς ἐστι κοινωνία. τοῦ δὲ Ἰακὼβ ἐναργέστατα παιδαγωγὸς εἶναι φαίνεται. λέγει γοῦν αὐτῷ· »ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ μετὰ σοῦ, διαφυλάσσων σε ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ πάσῃ, οὗ ἂν πορευθῇς· καὶ ἀποστρέψω σε εἰς τὴν γῆν ταύτην, ὅτι οὐ μή σε ἐγκαταλείπω ἕως τοῦ ποιῆσαί με ὅσα ἐλάλησά σοι.« τούτῳ δὲ καὶ συμπαλαίειν λέγεται. »ὑπελείφθη δέ«, φησίν, »Ἰακὼβ μόνος, καὶ ἐπάλαιεν μετʼ αὐτοῦ ἄνθρωπος«, ὁ παιδαγωγός, »μέχρι πρωί.«

ho de hēmeteros paidagōgos hagios theos Iēsous, ho pasēs tēs anthrōpotētos kathēgemōn logos, autos ho philanthrōpos theos esti paidagōgos. legei de pou dia tēs ǭdēs to pneuma to hagion eis auton; »autarkēsen ton laon en tę̄ erēmǭ, en dipsei kaumatos, en anydrǭ; ekyklōsen auton kai epaideusen auton kai diephylaxen hōs korēn ophthalmou. hōs aetos skepasai nossian autou kai epi tois neossois autou epepothēsen. dieis tas pterygas autou edexato autous kai anelaben autous epi tōn metaphrenōn autou; kyrios monos ēgen autous kai ouk ēn metʼ autōn theos allotrios.« saphōs, oimai, ton paidagōgon endeiknytai hē graphē tēn agōgēn autou diēgoumenē. palin de hotan legę̄ dia tou idiou prosōpou, heauton homologei paidagōgon; »egō kyrios ho theos sou, ho exagagōn se ek gēs Aigyptou.« tis oun echei exousian tou agein eisō te kai exō? ouchi ho paidagōgos? houtos »ōphthē tǭ Abraam kai eipen autǭ; egō eimi ho theos sou; euarestei enōpion mou.« touton de paidagōgikōtata hypokataskeuazei paida piston, »kai ginou« phēsas »amemptos; kai thēsō tēn diathēkēn mou ana meson emou kai ana meson sou kai tou spermatos sou«. philias entautha epistatikēs esti koinōnia. tou de Iakōb enargestata paidagōgos einai phainetai. legei goun autǭ; »idou egō meta sou, diaphylassōn se en tę̄ hodǭ pasę̄, hou an poreuthę̄s; kai apostrepsō se eis tēn gēn tautēn, hoti ou mē se enkataleipō heōs tou poiēsai me hosa elalēsa soi.« toutǭ de kai sympalaiein legetai. »hypeleiphthē de«, phēsin, »Iakōb monos, kai epalaien metʼ autou anthrōpos«, ho paidagōgos, »mechri prōi.«

But our Instructor is the holy God Jesus, the Word, the guide of all humanity; the loving God himself is Instructor. Somewhere in the song the Holy Spirit says of him: “He sufficed for the people in the wilderness, in the thirst of heat, in a waterless place; he encircled him and instructed him, and guarded him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle to shelter its nest, and it yearned over its young; spreading out its wings, it received them and took them up on its back. The Lord alone led them, and there was no foreign god with them.” Clearly, I think, Scripture points to the Instructor in describing his guidance. Again, when he speaks in his own person, he confesses himself to be Instructor: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Who, then, has authority to lead in and out? Is it not the Instructor? He “appeared to Abraham and said to him: I am your God; be well-pleasing before me.” And most like an instructor he prepares him to be a faithful child, saying, “and be blameless; and I will set my covenant between me and you and your seed.” Here there is a fellowship of guiding friendship. Of Jacob he appears most clearly to be the instructor. He says to him: “Behold, I am with you, guarding you in every way you go; and I will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done all that I have spoken to you.” He is also said to wrestle with him: “Jacob was left alone,” it says, “and a man,” the Instructor, “wrestled with him until morning.”

Deut 32:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 32:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 32:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 20:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Num 27:17 (echo, medium confidence) · Gen 17:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 17:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 28:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 32:24 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Our Instructor is Jesus, God and Word, who guided Israel in the desert, made his covenant with Abraham, and led and wrestled with Jacob.

  • Clement, like Justin, identifies the Lord who appeared to the patriarchs with the Word (the Son).
  • The quotations are Deut 32:10–12, Exod 20:2, Gen 17:1–2, Gen 28:15, and Gen 32:24; “to lead in and out” recalls Num 27:17.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.7.56 (Stählin 1:123; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1-7-53/#p-1-7-56).

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-clement-paedagogus-1-7-56) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Stählin (1905); made independently of existing English translations.

1.7.57Stählin 1:123–124

οὗτος ἦν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἄγων καὶ φέρων, ὁ συγγυμναζόμενος καὶ ἀλείφων κατὰ τοῦ πονηροῦ τὸν ἀσκητὴν Ἰακώβ. ὅτι δὲ ὁ λόγος ἦν ὁ ἀλείπτης ἅμα τῷ Ἰακὼβ καὶ παιδαγωγὸς τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, »ἠρώτησεν«, φησίν, »αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἀνάγγειλόν μοι τί τὸ ὄνομά σου. καὶ εἶπεν· ἵνα τί τοῦτο ἐρωτᾷς τὸ ὄνομά μου;« ἐτήρει γὰρ τὸ ὄνομα τὸ καινὸν τῷ νέῳ λαῷ τῷ νηπίῳ· ἔτι δὲ ἀνωνόμαστος ἦν ὁ θεὸς ὁ κύριος, μηδέπω γεγενημένος ἄνθρωπος. πλὴν ἀλλὰ »ὁ Ἰακὼβ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου Εἶδος θεοῦ· εἶδον γάρ«, φησί, »θεὸν πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον, καὶ ἐσώθη μου ἡ ψυχή.« πρόσωπον δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ λόγος, ᾧ φωτίζεται ὁ θεὸς καὶ γνωρίζεται. τότε καὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἐπωνόμασται, ὅτε εἶδεν τὸν θεὸν τὸν κύριον. οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ θεός, ὁ λόγος, ὁ παιδαγωγός, ὁ φήσας αὐτῷ πάλιν ὕστερον »μὴ φοβοῦ καταβῆναι εἰς Αἴγυπτον«. ὅρα πῶς μὲν ἕπεται τῷ δικαίῳ ὁ παιδαγωγός, ὅπως δὲ καὶ ἀλείφει τὸν ἀσκητήν, πτερνίζειν διδάσκων τὸν ἀνταγωνιστήν. αὐτὸς γοῦν οὗτος καὶ τὸν Μωσέα διδάσκει παιδαγωγεῖν· λέγει γὰρ ὁ κύριος· »εἴ τις ἡμάρτηκεν ἐνώπιόν μου, ἐξαλείφω αὐτὸν ἐκ τῆς βίβλου μου.

houtos ēn ho anthrōpos ho agōn kai pherōn, ho syngymnazomenos kai aleiphōn kata tou ponērou ton askētēn Iakōb. hoti de ho logos ēn ho aleiptēs hama tǭ Iakōb kai paidagōgos tēs anthrōpotētos, »ērōtēsen«, phēsin, »auton kai eipen autǭ; anangeilon moi ti to onoma sou. kai eipen; hina ti touto erōtąs to onoma mou?« etērei gar to onoma to kainon tǭ neǭ laǭ tǭ nēpiǭ; eti de anōnomastos ēn ho theos ho kyrios, mēdepō gegenēmenos anthrōpos. plēn alla »ho Iakōb ekalese to onoma tou topou ekeinou Eidos theou; eidon gar«, phēsi, »theon prosōpon pros prosōpon, kai esōthē mou hē psychē.« prosōpon de tou theou ho logos, hǭ phōtizetai ho theos kai gnōrizetai. tote kai Israēl epōnomastai, hote eiden ton theon ton kyrion. houtos estin ho theos, ho logos, ho paidagōgos, ho phēsas autǭ palin hysteron »mē phobou katabēnai eis Aigypton«. hora pōs men hepetai tǭ dikaiǭ ho paidagōgos, hopōs de kai aleiphei ton askētēn, pternizein didaskōn ton antagōnistēn. autos goun houtos kai ton Mōsea didaskei paidagōgein; legei gar ho kyrios; »ei tis hēmartēken enōpion mou, exaleiphō auton ek tēs biblou mou.

This was the man who led and carried, who trained with the athlete Jacob and anointed him against the evil one. That the Word was Jacob's trainer and the Instructor of humanity, it says: “He asked him and said to him, Tell me what your name is. And he said, Why do you ask my name?” For he was keeping the new name for the new, infant people; and the Lord God was still unnamed, not yet having become man. Yet “Jacob called the name of that place the Form of God: for I have seen God,” he says, “face to face, and my soul was saved.” The face of God is the Word, by whom God is made visible and known. Then too he was named Israel, when he saw the Lord God. This is God, the Word, the Instructor, who said to him again later, “Do not be afraid to go down into Egypt.” See how the Instructor accompanies the righteous man, and how he anoints the athlete, teaching him to trip up his opponent. This same one teaches Moses to instruct. For the Lord says: “If anyone has sinned before me, I will blot him out of my book.

Gen 32:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 32:30 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 32:28 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 46:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 32:33 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The one who wrestled with Jacob was the Word, the face of God, who kept his name for the new people; he also taught Moses to lead.

  • The quotations are Gen 32:29 and 32:30 (LXX: “Form of God” for Peniel), Gen 46:3, and Exod 32:33. “Trip up” (πτερνίζειν) plays on the name Jacob (“heel-grabber”).

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.7.57 (Stählin 1:123–124; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1-7-53/#p-1-7-57).

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-clement-paedagogus-1-7-57) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Stählin (1905); made independently of existing English translations.

1.7.58Stählin 1:124

νυνὶ δὲ βάδιζε καὶ ὁδήγησον τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον εἰς τὸν τόπον, ὃν εἶπά σοι.« ἐνταῦθα διδάσκαλός ἐστι παιδαγωγίας· καὶ γὰρ ἦν ὡς ἀληθῶς διὰ μὲν Μωσέως παιδαγωγὸς ὁ κύριος τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦ παλαιοῦ, διʼ αὐτοῦ δὲ τοῦ νέου καθηγεμὼν λαοῦ, πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον. »ἰδού«, γάρ φησι τῷ Μωσεῖ, »ὁ ἄγγελός μου προπορεύεταί σου«, τὴν εὐαγγέλιον καὶ ἡγεμόνιον ἐπιστήσας τοῦ λόγου δύναμιν· τὸ δὲ ἀξίωμα τὸ κυριακὸν φυλάττων »ᾗ δʼ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπισκέπτωμαι,« φησίν, »ἐπάξω ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν αὐτῶν«, τουτέστιν, ᾗ δʼ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ κριτὴς καθεσθῶ, ἀποδώσω τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν τὰ ἀντάξια· ὁ γὰρ αὐτὸς παιδαγωγὸς καὶ κριτὴς τοὺς παρακούσαντας αὐτοῦ δικάζει, τὸ δὲ ἁμάρτημα αὐτῶν οὐ παρασιωπᾷ ὁ φιλάνθρωπος λόγος, ἐλέγχει δέ, ἵνα μετανοήσωσιν· »θέλει γὰρ ὁ κύριος τὴν μετάνοιαν τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ μᾶλλον ἢ τὸν θάνατον.« ἡμεῖς δὲ τὰς ἄλλων ἁμαρτίας ὡς νήπιοι διʼ ἀκοῆς παραδεξάμενοι φόβῳ τῆς ἀπειλῆς τοῦ μὴ τὰ ὅμοια παθεῖν ἀποσχώμεθα τῶν ἴσων πλημμελημάτων. τί οὖν ἦν ὃ ἥμαρτον; »ὅτι ἐν τῷ θυμῷ αὐτῶν ἀπέκτειναν ἀνθρώπους καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ αὐτῶν ἐνευροκόπησαν ταῦρον· ἐπικατάρατος ὁ θυμὸς αὐτῶν.« Τίς ἂν οὖν τούτου μᾶλλον ἡμᾶς φιλανθρωπότερον παιδεύσαι;

nyni de badize kai hodēgēson ton laon touton eis ton topon, hon eipa soi.« entautha didaskalos esti paidagōgias; kai gar ēn hōs alēthōs dia men Mōseōs paidagōgos ho kyrios tou laou tou palaiou, diʼ autou de tou neou kathēgemōn laou, prosōpon pros prosōpon. »idou«, gar phēsi tǭ Mōsei, »ho angelos mou proporeuetai sou«, tēn euangelion kai hēgemonion epistēsas tou logou dynamin; to de axiōma to kyriakon phylattōn »hę̄ dʼ an hēmerą episkeptōmai,« phēsin, »epaxō epʼ autous tēn hamartian autōn«, toutestin, hę̄ dʼ an hēmerą kritēs kathesthō, apodōsō tōn hamartiōn autōn ta antaxia; ho gar autos paidagōgos kai kritēs tous parakousantas autou dikazei, to de hamartēma autōn ou parasiōpą ho philanthrōpos logos, elenchei de, hina metanoēsōsin; »thelei gar ho kyrios tēn metanoian tou hamartōlou mallon ē ton thanaton.« hēmeis de tas allōn hamartias hōs nēpioi diʼ akoēs paradexamenoi phobǭ tēs apeilēs tou mē ta homoia pathein aposchōmetha tōn isōn plēmmelēmatōn. ti oun ēn ho hēmarton? »hoti en tǭ thymǭ autōn apekteinan anthrōpous kai en tę̄ epithymią autōn eneurokopēsan tauron; epikataratos ho thymos autōn.« Tis an oun toutou mallon hēmas philanthrōpoteron paideusai?

But now go, and lead this people to the place of which I told you.” Here he is a teacher of instruction. For truly the Lord was, through Moses, the Instructor of the old people, and through himself the guide of the new people, face to face. “Behold,” he says to Moses, “my angel goes before you,” setting over them the power of the Word as bearer of good news and guide; but keeping the Lord's own dignity, he says, “On the day I visit, I will bring their sin upon them,” that is, on the day I sit as judge I will repay what their sins deserve. For the same one is Instructor and Judge, and he judges those who disobey him; the loving Word does not pass over their sin in silence, but convicts it, so that they may repent. “For the Lord wills the repentance of the sinner rather than his death.” And let us, as infants, hearing of the sins of others, keep from similar offenses for fear of the threat, lest we suffer the same. What, then, was their sin? “That in their anger they killed men, and in their desire they hamstrung a bull; cursed be their anger.” Who, then, could train us more lovingly than he?

Exod 32:34 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 18:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 33:11 (quotation, medium confidence) · Gen 49:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 49:7 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The same Lord instructed Israel through Moses and now guides the new people directly; he is Instructor and Judge, who rebukes sin so that sinners may repent.

  • The quotations are Exod 32:34 (twice), Ezek 18:23 and 33:11 (freely), and Gen 49:6–7.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (stray space before the closing quotation mark): αι, « → αι,«.

Topics: Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.7.58 (Stählin 1:124; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1-7-53/#p-1-7-58).

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-clement-paedagogus-1-7-58) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Stählin (1905); made independently of existing English translations.

1.7.59Stählin 1:124–125

τὸ μὲν οὖν πρότερον τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ λαῷ πρεσβυτέρα διαθήκη ἦν καὶ νόμος ἐπαιδαγώγει τὸν λαὸν μετὰ φόβου καὶ λόγος ἄγγελος ἦν, καινῷ δὲ καὶ νέῳ λαῷ καινὴ καὶ νέα διαθήκη δεδώρηται καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ γεγένηται καὶ ὁ φόβος εἰς ἀγάπην μετατέτραπται καὶ ὁ μυστικὸς ἐκεῖνος ἄγγελος Ἰησοῦς τίκτεται. ὁ γὰρ αὐτὸς οὗτος παιδαγωγὸς τότε μὲν »φοβηθήσῃ κύριον τὸν θεὸν« ἔλεγεν, ἡμῖν δὲ »ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου« παρῄνεσεν. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐντέλλεται ἡμῖν »παύσασθε ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων ὑμῶν«, τῶν παλαιῶν ἁμαρτιῶν, »μάθετε καλὸν ποιεῖν· ἔκκλινον ἀπὸ κακοῦ καὶ ποίησον ἀγαθόν· ἠγάπησας δικαιοσύνην, ἐμίσησας ἀνομίαν.« αὕτη μου ἡ νέα διαθήκη παλαιῷ κεχαραγμένη γράμματι. οὐκ ἄρα ἡ νεότης τοῦ λόγου ὀνειδιστέα. ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ Ἱερεμίᾳ ὁ κύριος λέγει· »μὴ λέγε ὅτι νεώτερός εἰμι· πρὸ τοῦ με πλάσαι σε ἐν κοιλίᾳ ἐπίσταμαί σε, καὶ πρὸ τοῦ σε ἐξελθεῖν ἐκ μήτρας ἡγίακά σε.« ταῦτα δύναται πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἡ προφητεία αἰνίττεσθαι τοὺς πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου εἰς πίστιν ἐγνωσμένους θεῷ, νυνὶ δὲ νηπίους διὰ τὴν ἔναγχος πεπληρωμένην βούλησιν τοῦ θεοῦ, καθὸ εἰς κλῆσιν καὶ σωτηρίαν νεογνοὶ

to men oun proteron tǭ presbyterǭ laǭ presbytera diathēkē ēn kai nomos epaidagōgei ton laon meta phobou kai logos angelos ēn, kainǭ de kai neǭ laǭ kainē kai nea diathēkē dedōrētai kai ho logos sarx gegenētai kai ho phobos eis agapēn metatetraptai kai ho mystikos ekeinos angelos Iēsous tiktetai. ho gar autos houtos paidagōgos tote men »phobēthēsę̄ kyrion ton theon« elegen, hēmin de »agapēseis kyrion ton theon sou« parę̄nesen. dia touto kai entelletai hēmin »pausasthe apo tōn ergōn hymōn«, tōn palaiōn hamartiōn, »mathete kalon poiein; ekklinon apo kakou kai poiēson agathon; ēgapēsas dikaiosynēn, emisēsas anomian.« hautē mou hē nea diathēkē palaiǭ kecharagmenē grammati. ouk ara hē neotēs tou logou oneidistea. alla kai en tǭ Hieremią ho kyrios legei; »mē lege hoti neōteros eimi; pro tou me plasai se en koilią epistamai se, kai pro tou se exelthein ek mētras hēgiaka se.« tauta dynatai pros hēmas hē prophēteia ainittesthai tous pro katabolēs kosmou eis pistin egnōsmenous theǭ, nyni de nēpious dia tēn enanchos peplērōmenēn boulēsin tou theou, katho eis klēsin kai sōtērian neognoi

Formerly, then, the older people had an older covenant, and the law instructed the people with fear, and the Word was an angel; but to the fresh and new people a fresh and new covenant has been given, the Word has become flesh, fear has been turned into love, and that mystic angel, Jesus, is born. For this same Instructor then said, “You shall fear the Lord your God,” but to us he has urged, “You shall love the Lord your God.” That is why he also commands us, “Cease from your deeds,” your old sins; “learn to do good; turn away from evil and do good; you have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness.” This is my new covenant, engraved in the old letter. The newness of the Word, then, is not to be reproached. In Jeremiah too the Lord says: “Do not say, I am too young; before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you came out of the womb I sanctified you.” The prophecy can hint at us here, who before the foundation of the world were known to God for faith, and now are infants because of God's will recently fulfilled, since we are newborn to the call and to salvation.

John 1:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 John 4:18 (echo, medium confidence) · Deut 6:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 6:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 1:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 1:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 34:14 (33:15 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 45:7 (44:8 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 1:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 1:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 1:4 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The old covenant taught by fear through the Word as angel; in the new, the Word became flesh and fear became love, and God's people, foreknown from eternity, are newborn.

  • “The Word was an angel” means that the Word acted as God's messenger (ἄγγελος) in the old covenant, not that he is a created angel.
  • The quotations are Deut 6:13 and 6:5, Isa 1:16–17, Ps 34:14 (33:15 LXX), Ps 45:7 (44:8 LXX), and Jer 1:7, 5; the allusions are John 1:14 and Eph 1:4.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (misplaced space at the opening quotation mark; stray period in the digital text): ἄγγελος ἦν, καινῷ. δὲ → ἄγγελος ἦν, καινῷ δὲ; ἡμῖν δὲ» ἀγαπήσεις → ἡμῖν δὲ »ἀγαπήσεις.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.7.59 (Stählin 1:124–125; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1-7-53/#p-1-7-59).

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-clement-paedagogus-1-7-59) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Stählin (1905); made independently of existing English translations.

1.7.60Stählin 1:125–126

γεγόναμεν. διὸ καὶ ἐπιφέρει »προφήτην εἰς ἔθνη τέθεικά σε«, προφητεῦσαι λέγων αὐτὸν δεῖν μηδὲ ὄνειδος εἶναι δοκεῖν τοῦ νεωτέρου τὴν προσηγορίαν τοῖς νηπίοις καλουμένοις. ὁ δὲ νόμος χάρις ἐστὶν παλαιὰ διὰ Μωσέως ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου δοθεῖσα. διὸ καὶ φησιν ἡ γραφή· »ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωσέως ἐδόθη« (οὐχὶ ὑπὸ Μωσέως, ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ μὲν τοῦ λόγου, διὰ Μωσέως δὲ τοῦ θεράποντος αὐτοῦ· διὸ καὶ πρόσκαιρος ἐγένετο), »ἡ δὲ ἀίδιος χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο.« ὁρᾶτε τὰς λέξεις τῆς γραφῆς· ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ νόμου »ἐδόθη« φησὶ μόνον, »ἡ δὲ ἀλήθεια«, χάρις οὖσα τοῦ πατρός, ἔργον ἐστὶ τοῦ λόγου αἰώνιον καὶ οὐκέτι δίδοσθαι λέγεται, ἀλλὰ »διὰ Ἰησοῦ γίνεσθαι, οὗ χωρὶς ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν«. 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«.

gegonamen. dio kai epipherei »prophētēn eis ethnē tetheika se«, prophēteusai legōn auton dein mēde oneidos einai dokein tou neōterou tēn prosēgorian tois nēpiois kaloumenois. ho de nomos charis estin palaia dia Mōseōs hypo tou logou dotheisa. dio kai phēsin hē graphē; »ho nomos dia Mōseōs edothē« (ouchi hypo Mōseōs, alla hypo men tou logou, dia Mōseōs de tou therapontos autou; dio kai proskairos egeneto), »hē de aidios charis kai hē alētheia dia Iēsou Christou egeneto.« horate tas lexeis tēs graphēs; epi men tou nomou »edothē« phēsi monon, »hē de alētheia«, charis ousa tou patros, ergon esti tou logou aiōnion kai ouketi didosthai legetai, alla »dia Iēsou ginesthai, hou chōris egeneto oude hen«. autika goun ho Mōsēs, tǭ teleiǭ prophētikōs parachōrōn paidagōgǭ tǭ logǭ, kai to onoma kai tēn paidagōgian prothespizei kai tǭ laǭ paratithetai ton paidagōgon, entolas hypakoēs encheirisas; »prophētēn hymin anastēsei«, phēsin, »ho theos hōs eme ek tōn adelphōn hymōn«, ton Iēsoun ton tou Nauē, ainittomenos ton Iēsoun ton tou theou huion; skiagraphia gar ēn tou kyriou to onoma to Iēsou prokēryssomenon en nomǭ. epipherei goun, to lysiteles tǭ laǭ symbouleuōn, »autou akousesthe« legōn, »kai ho anthrōpos, hos an mē akousę̄ tou prophētou toutou, toutǭ apeilei«.

So he adds, “I have appointed you a prophet to the nations,” saying that he must prophesy, and that the name of “youth” should not seem a reproach to those called infants. The law is an old grace given by the Word through Moses. That is why Scripture says, “The law was given through Moses” (not by Moses, but by the Word through Moses his servant; that is why it was temporary), “but eternal grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” See the words of Scripture: of the law it says only “was given”; but “the truth,” being the grace of the Father, is the eternal work of the Word, and is no longer said to be given, but “to come through Jesus, without whom not one thing came to be.” So Moses, prophetically yielding place to the perfect Instructor, the Word, foretells both the name and the instruction, and commends the Instructor to the people, handing over commandments of obedience: “God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers,” he says, speaking of Jesus the son of Nun, but hinting at Jesus the Son of God; for the name Jesus, proclaimed beforehand in the law, was a sketch of the Lord. So he adds, counseling what is profitable for the people, “You shall hear him,” and “the man who does not hear this prophet,” him he threatens.

Jer 1:5 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:17 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 18:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 18:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 3:22 (quotation, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The law was given by the Word through Moses and was temporary; grace and truth came through Jesus, whom Moses foretold as the prophet like himself, prefigured by Joshua.

  • Joshua son of Nun is Ἰησοῦς in Greek; Clement sees the name as a prefiguring of Jesus.
  • The quotations are Jer 1:5, John 1:17 (with “eternal” added), John 1:3, and Deut 18:15, 19 (Acts 3:22–23).

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (stray period in the digital text): »ἐδόθη« φησὶ. μόνον, → »ἐδόθη« φησὶ μόνον,.

Topics: Christology, Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.7.60 (Stählin 1:125–126; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1-7-53/#p-1-7-60).

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-clement-paedagogus-1-7-60) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Stählin (1905); made independently of existing English translations.

1.7.61Stählin 1:126

τοιοῦτον ἡμῖν ὄνομα σωτηρίου προφητεύει παιδαγωγοῦ. διὰ τοῦτο αὐτῷ ῥάβδον περιτίθησιν ἡ προφητεία, ῥάβδον παιδευτικήν, ἀρχικήν, κατεξουσιαστικήν, ἵνʼ 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· »κύριος 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 κύριος ἐκ Σιὼν« διʼ 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.

toiouton hēmin onoma sōtēriou prophēteuei paidagōgou. dia touto autǭ rhabdon peritithēsin hē prophēteia, rhabdon paideutikēn, archikēn, katexousiastikēn, hinʼ hous ho logos ho peithēnios ouk iatai, apeilē iasetai, hous de hē apeilē ouk iatai, hē rhabdos iasetai, hous de hē rhabdos ouk iatai, to pyr epinemetai. »exeleusetai«, phēsi, »rhabdos ek tēs rhizēs Iessai.« hora kai tēn epimeleian kai tēn sophian kai tēn dynamin tou paidagōgou; »ou kata tēn doxan«, phēsi, »krinei, oude kata tēn lalian elenxei, alla krinei tapeinǭ krisin kai elenxei tous hamartōlous tēs gēs.« kai dia Dabid; »kyrios paideuōn epaideusen me kai tǭ thanatǭ ou paredōken me;« to gar hypo kyriou paideuthēnai kai paidagōgēthēnai thanatou estin apallagē. kai dia tou autou prophētou phēsin; »en rhabdǭ sidērą poimaneis autous.« tautę̄ kai ho apostolos kinētheis en tę̄ pros Korinthious »ti thelete?« phēsin, »en rhabdǭ elthō pros hymas ē en agapę̄ pneumati te praÿtētos?« alla kai »rhabdon dynameōs exapostelei kyrios ek Siōn« diʼ allou prophētou legei. hē de paidagōgikē hautē »hē rhabdos sou kai hē baktēria sou parekalesan me«, eipen tis heteros hautē tou paidagōgou hē dynamis hē semnē, hē paraklētikē, hē sōtērios.

Such is the name of the saving Instructor that he prophesies to us. That is why prophecy puts a rod in his hand, a rod of discipline, of rule, of authority: so that those whom the persuasive Word does not heal, a threat will heal; those whom the threat does not heal, the rod will heal; and those whom the rod does not heal, fire consumes. “There shall come forth,” it says, “a rod from the root of Jesse.” See the care, the wisdom, and the power of the Instructor: “He will not judge by appearance,” it says, “nor convict by hearsay; but he will give judgment to the humble and convict the sinners of the earth.” And through David: “The Lord has disciplined me severely, but has not given me over to death”; for to be disciplined and instructed by the Lord is deliverance from death. And through the same prophet he says, “You shall shepherd them with a rod of iron.” Moved by this, the apostle too says in the letter to the Corinthians, “What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?” And through another prophet he says, “The Lord will send out a rod of power from Zion.” And this rod of instruction, another said, “your rod and your staff, they have comforted me.” This is the Instructor's power: holy, consoling, saving.

Isa 11:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 11:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 11:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 118:18 (117:18 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 2:9 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 4:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 110:2 (109:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 23:4 (22:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Prophecy gives the Instructor a rod: persuasion, threat, rod, and finally fire each heal those the previous could not; the Lord's discipline saves from death.

  • The quotations are Isa 11:1, 3–4; Ps 118:18 (117:18 LXX); Ps 2:9; 1 Cor 4:21; Ps 110:2 (109:2 LXX); and Ps 23:4 (22:4 LXX).

Topics: Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.7.61 (Stählin 1:126; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1-7-53/#p-1-7-61).

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-clement-paedagogus-1-7-61) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Stählin (1905); made independently of existing English translations.