Sophia Scriptura

The Instructor 1.8.67

Clement of Alexandria · The Instructor · ca. 190–200 · Alexandria · Read in context

Summary: Rebuke aims at salvation; Moses and even Plato teach that just punishment benefits the one punished, and the fear of the Lord brings life.

Greek text · Stählin 1:129

ἡ δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας ἐπίπληξις ἔχει σκοπὸν τὴν σωτηρίαν, μεθαρμοζομένου μουσικῶς τοῦ λόγου κατὰ τοὺς οἰκείους ἑκάστων τρόπους, πῇ μὲν ἐπιτείνοντος αὐτοῦ, πῇ δὲ ἀνιέντος. σαφέστατα γοῦν διὰ Μωσέως λέλεκται· »θαρρεῖτε, ἕνεκεν τοῦ πειράσαι ὑμᾶς παρεγενήθη ὁ θεός, ὅπως ἂν γένηται ὁ φόβος αὐτοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν, ἵνα μὴ ἁμαρτάνητε.« ἐντεῦθεν καλῶς καὶ ὁ Πλάτων μαθὼν »πάντες μὲν γὰρ« φησὶν »ὡς ἀληθῶς ἀγαθὰ πάσχουσιν οἱ δίκην διδόντες· ὠφελοῦνται γὰρ τῷ βελτίω τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῖς γίνεσθαι δικαίως κολαζομένοις.« εἰ δὲ ἀγαθὰ πάσχουσιν ὑπὸ τοῦ δικαίου οἱ ἐπανορθούμενοι καὶ κατὰ Πλάτωνα, ὁμολογεῖται ἀγαθὸν εἶναι τὸν δίκαιον. αὐτὸς γοῦν ὁ φόβος ὠφελεῖ καὶ πρὸς ἀγαθοῦ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐξεύρηται, ὅτι »πνεῦμα φοβούμενον κύριον ζήσεται· ἡ γὰρ ἐλπὶς ἐπὶ τὸν σῴζοντα αὐτούς.«

English · Claude translation

Reprimand of sinners aims at salvation, the Word adjusting himself musically to each person's character, now tightening, now loosening the strings. It is said most clearly through Moses: “Take heart; God has come to test you, so that his fear may be in you and you may not sin.” Plato, who learned from this, says well: “All who pay a penalty truly suffer what is good; for they are benefited, since their soul becomes better when they are justly punished.” If those who are corrected suffer good at the hands of the just one, even according to Plato, the just one is admitted to be good. Fear itself benefits and has been found out for the good of human beings, since “the spirit of those who fear the Lord will live; for their hope is in him who saves them.”

About this passage

Source
Stählin 1:129 · Otto Stählin, ed., Clemens Alexandrinus, vol. 1, Protrepticus und Paedagogus, GCS 12 (Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1905) · 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
Text
As printed in Stählin, GCS 12. Manuscript variants and the editor's apparatus are not reproduced; no textual problem is noted in this passage.
Translation
Claude translation (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-26 · Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Stählin (1905); made independently of existing English translations.
Compare
Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 2 (1885) (an older public-domain English translation, whole volume at CCEL; checked against ours only after ours was made)
Scripture
Extrabiblical texts
  • Plato, Gorg. 477a (Plato (works)) · quotation, high confidence
  • Sir 34:13 (Sirach) · quotation, high confidence

Notes

Translation notes

  • The quotations are Exod 20:20, Plato, Gorgias 477a (loosely), and Sir 34:13 (31:14 in some numberings). Clement often holds that Plato learned from Moses.

Cite this passage

Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.8.67 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1/8/67/).

Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.8.67 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1/8/67/).

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