The Instructor 3.12.94
Summary: The law of Moses was written on stone, the law of the apostles on hearts; the Instructor now gives the apostolic commands, beginning with Ephesians on truth, anger, and kindness.
Greek text · Stählin 1:287–288
Τοιοίδε μὲν οἱ λογικοὶ νόμοι, οἱ παρακλητικοὶ λόγοι οὐκ ἐν πλαξὶ λιθίναις δακτύλῳ γεγραμμέναις κυρίου, ἀλλʼ ἐν καρδίαις ἀνθρώπων ἐναπογεγραμμένοι ταῖς μόνον φθορὰν οὐκ ἐπιδεχομέναις. διὰ τοῦτό τοι κατεάγασιν αἱ πλάκες τῶν σκληροκαρδίων, ἵνʼ αἱ πίστεις τῶν νηπίων ἐν μαλθακαῖς τυπωθῶσιν διανοίαις. ἄμφω δὲ τὼ νόμω διηκόνουν τῷ λόγῳ εἰς παιδαγωγίαν τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, ὃ μὲν διὰ Μωυσέως, ὃ δὲ διʼ ἀποστόλων. οἵα γοῦν καὶ διʼ ἀποστόλων ἡ παιδαγωγία. ἀναγκαῖόν μοι δοκεῖ καὶ περὶ τοῦ εἴδους διαλεχθῆναι τούτου, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐμαυτοῦ μεμνημένος ὁ παιδαγωγός φησιν αὐτός, οὗ σπερματικῶς πάλιν τὰς ὑποθήκας ἐκθήσομαι· »ἀποθέμενοι τὸ ψεῦδος λαλεῖτε ἀλήθειαν ἕκαστος μετὰ τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐσμὲν ἀλλήλων μέλη. ὁ ἥλιος μὴ ἐπιδυέτω ἐπὶ τῷ παροργισμῷ ὑμῶν, μηδὲ δίδοτε τόπον τῷ διαβόλῳ. ὁ κλέπτων μηκέτι κλεπτέτω, μᾶλλον δὲ κοπιάτω ἐργαζόμενος τὸ ἀγαθόν, ἵνα ἔχῃ μεταδιδόναι τῷ χρῄζοντι. πᾶσα πικρία καὶ ὀργὴ καὶ θυμὸς καὶ κραυγὴ καὶ βλασφημία ἀρθήτω ἀφʼ ὑμῶν σὺν πάσῃ κακίᾳ. γίνεσθε εἰς ἀλλήλους χρηστοί, εὔσπλαγχνοι, χαριζόμενοι ἑαυτοῖς, καθὼς καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἐν Χριστῷ ἐχαρίσατο ὑμῖν. γίνεσθε οὖν φρόνιμοι καὶ μιμηταὶ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὡς τέκνα ἀγαπητά, καὶ περιπατεῖτε ἐν ἀγάπῃ, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς.«
English · Claude translation
Such are the rational laws, the words of exhortation, written not on tablets of stone by the finger of the Lord but inscribed in human hearts, which alone do not admit corruption. That is why the tablets of the hard-hearted were broken: so that the faith of the little ones might be impressed on soft minds. Both laws served the Word for the instruction of humanity, the one through Moses, the other through the apostles. Such, then, is the instruction through the apostles too. It seems necessary to me to discuss this kind as well, or rather, the Instructor himself says, “reminding myself,” whose counsels I will set out again in seed form: “Putting away falsehood, let each of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Let not the sun go down on your anger, nor give place to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, working what is good, so that he may have something to share with one in need. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Be, then, wise, and imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us.”
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The allusions are Exod 31:18 and 32:19 (the tablets broken), 2 Cor 3:3, and Jer 31:33; the quotation is Eph 4:25–5:2, with “wise” added.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 3.12.94 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/3/12/94/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 3.12.94 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/3/12/94/).
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