Miscellanies 6.17.161
Summary: The knower benefits others in the same three ways God benefits him—by guidance, example, and command; every good comes from the Father through the Son, the Savior of all, and reaches each person through nearer ministers, including angels.
Greek text · Stählin 2:514–515
ὁ γνωστικὸς τοίνυν θεόθεν λαβὼν τὸ δύνασθαι ὠφελεῖν ὀνίνησι τοὺς μὲν τῇ παρακολουθήσει σχηματίζων, τοὺς δὲ τῇ ἐξομοιώσει προτρεπόμενος, τοὺς δὲ καὶ τῇ προστάξει παιδεύων καὶ διδάσκων. ἀμέλει καὶ αὐτὸς τοῖς ἴσοις παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου ὠφέληται. οὕτως οὖν καὶ ἡ θεόθεν διατείνουσα εἰς ἀνθρώπους ὠφέλεια γνώριμος καθίσταται, συμπαρακαλούντων ἀγγέλων· καὶ διʼ ἀγγέλων γὰρ ἡ θεία δύναμις παρέχει τὰ ἀγαθά, εἴτʼ οὖν ὁρωμένων εἴτε καὶ μή. τοιοῦτος καὶ ὁ κατὰ τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν τοῦ κυρίου τρόπος. ὁτὲ δὲ καὶ κατὰ τὰς ἐπινοίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ τοὺς ἐπιλογισμοὺς ἐμπνεῖ τι καὶ ἡ δύναμις καὶ ἐντίθησι ταῖς φρεσὶν ἰσχύν τε καὶ συναίσθησιν ἀκριβεστέραν, μένος τε καὶ θάρσος προθυμίας ἐπί τε τὰς ζητήσεις ἐπί τε τὰ ἔργα παρέχουσα. ἔκκειται δʼ ὅμως καὶ πρὸς μίμησίν τε καὶ ἐξομοίωσιν ἡμῖν θαυμαστὰ τῷ ὄντι καὶ ἅγια τὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς ὑποδείγματα διὰ τῶν ἀναγεγραμμένων πράξεων. καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ τὸ τῆς προστάξεως εἶδος ἐμφανέστατον διά τε τῶν διαθηκῶν τῶν κυριακῶν διά τε τῶν παρʼ Ἕλλησι νόμων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν φιλοσοφίαν παρηγγελμένων. καὶ συνελόντι φάναι πᾶσα ὠφέλεια βιωτικὴ κατὰ μὲν τὸν ἀνωτάτω λόγον ἀπὸ τοῦ παντοκράτορος θεοῦ τοῦ πάντων ἐξηγουμένου πατρὸς διʼ υἱοῦ ἐπιτελεῖται, ὃς καὶ διὰ τοῦτο σωτὴρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, φησὶν ὁ ἀπόστολος, μάλιστα δὲ πιστῶν, κατὰ δὲ τὸ προσεχὲς ὑπὸ τῶν προσεχῶν ἑκάστοις κατὰ τὴν τοῦ προσεχοῦς τῷ πρώτῳ αἰτίῳ κυρίου ἐπίταξίν τε καὶ πρόσταξιν.
English · Claude translation
The one who knows, then, having received from God the power to benefit others, helps some by shaping them through close attendance, urges others on by their becoming like him, and trains and teaches others by command. Indeed, he himself too has been benefited by the Lord in the same ways. So too the benefit that extends from God to men becomes known, with angels also giving encouragement; for through angels too the divine power provides good things, whether they are seen or not. Of this kind too was the way of the Lord's appearing. And sometimes the power also breathes something into men's thoughts and reflections and places in their minds strength and more exact perception, providing the vigor and daring of eagerness both for inquiries and for works. Yet there are set before us for imitation and assimilation the truly wonderful and holy examples of virtue in the recorded deeds. And indeed the form of command is most evident both in the Lord's covenants and in the laws of the Greeks, and also in the precepts of philosophy. And, to sum up, every benefit in life, according to the highest account, is accomplished from God Almighty, the Father who leads all things, through the Son, who for this reason is also “Savior of all men,” says the apostle, “especially of believers”; but according to the proximate account, it is accomplished by those nearest to each, according to the injunction and command of the Lord, who is nearest to the first cause.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotation is 1 Tim 4:10; compare Heb 1:14 (angels as ministering spirits). Calling the Lord “nearest to the first cause” reflects Clement's theology of the Word as the Father's agent.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 6.17.161 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/6/17/161/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 6.17.161 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/6/17/161/).
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