Elucidations - The Stromata, Book 4

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I.
(The Lord's Discipline, book iv. [80]cap. vi. p. 413.)

he kuriake askesis. Casaubon explains this as Dominica exercitatio (the
religion which the Lord taught), and quotes the apostolic canons (li.
and lii.), which, using this word (askesis), ordain certain fasts on
account of pious exercise. Baronius, more suo, grasps at this word
askesis, as a peg to hang the system of monkery upon. Casaubon answers:
"If so, then all the early Christians were monks and nuns; as this word
is always used by the Fathers for the Christian discipline, or
Christianity itself." Such are the original ascetics, nothing more. The
Christian Fathers transferred the word from heathen use to that of the
Church, to signify the training to which all the faithful should
subject themselves, in obedience to St. Paul (1 Cor. ix. 24-27). See
Isaaci Casauboni, De Annalibus Baronianis Exercitationes, p. 171.

II.
(Theano, [81]cap. xix. p. 431.)

The translator has not been happy in this rendering, but I retain it as
in the Edinburgh Edition, which leaves one in doubt whether this second
saying was Theano's; for, possibly, the translator meant to leave it
so. But the Migne note is very good: "Jamblichus mentions two Theanos,
one the wife of Brontinus, or Brotinus, and the other of Pythagoras.
Both alike were devoted to the Pythagorean philosophy; and it is not
certain, therefore, to which of them these dicta belong." Theodoret
quotes both, but decides not this doubt. Hoffman says, "There were many
of the name;" and he mentions five different ones. Suidas makes mention
of Theano of Crotona as the wife of Pythagoras, "the first woman who
philosophized and wrote poetry;" and Hoffman doubts not this lady is
the one quoted by Clement. She seems to have presided over the school
of her husband after his death. Of the beauty and morality of the
second dictum, I have spoken already (p. 348, Elucidation XI.); and I
think it worth whole volumes of casuistry on a subject which (natura
duce, sub lege Logi) the Gospel modestly leaves to natural decency and
enlightened conscience. (See Clement's fine remarks, on p. 435.

III.
(St. Paul, [82]note 4, p. 434.)

Better rendered, "Paul is more recent (or later) in respect of time."
This seems a strangely apologetic way to speak of this glorious
apostle; though the reference may be to his own words (1 Cor. xv. 8),
"as of one born out of due time." And it suggests to me, that, among
the Alexandrian Christians, there were many Jewish converts who said,
"I am of Apollos," and with whom the name of the great apostle of the
Gentiles was still unsavoury. This goes to confirm the Pauline origin
of the Epistle to the Hebrews, so far as it accounts for (what is
testified by Eusebius, vi. 14) his omission of his own name from his
treatise, lest it should prejudice his argument with his Hebrew
kinsmen. Apollos may have sent it to Alexandria.

IV.
(Socrates, [83]cap. xxii. p. 436.)

Who can read the Phaedo, and think of Plato and Socrates, without hope
that the mystery of redemption applies to them in some effectual way,
under St. Paul's maxims (Rom. ii. 26)? It would torture me in reading
such sayings as are quoted here, were I not able reverently to indulge
such hope, and then to desist from speculation. Cannot we be silent
where Scripture is silent, and leave all to Him who loved the Gentiles,
and died for them on the cross? I suspect the itch of our times, on
this and like subjects, to be presumption (2 Cor. x. 5) "against the
obedience of Christ." As if our own concern for the heathen were
greater than His who died for the unjust, praying for His murderers!
Why not leave the ransomed world to the world's Redeemer? The cross
bore the inscription in Greek, and Latin also; for the Jews scorned it
in Hebrew: and who can doubt that those outstretched arms embraced all
mankind?

V.
(Basilides answered, [84]cap. xxiv. p. 437.)

Note the pith and point of this chapter, and the beauty of Clement's
dictum, "So it would be, were it a man and not God that justifies! As
it is written, Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as
thyself." (Compare Matt. xx. 14.) But let us not overlook his
exposition of the ends and purposes of chastisement. The great
principle which he lays down destroys the whole Trent theology about
penance, and annihilates the logical base of its figment about
"Purgatory." "Punishment does not avail to him who has sinned, to undo
his sin." The precious blood of Christ "speaketh better things."

VI.
(Sin after Baptism, [85]cap. xxiv. p. 438.)

Not to broach any opinion of my own, it is enough to remark, that this
reference to primitive discipline shows that a defined penitential
system in the early Church was aimed at by the Montanists, and inspired
their deadly animosity, not merely as a theory, but as a system.
Although differing on many points with Dr. Bunsen (he is both Baron and
Doctor, and I give him the more honourable title of the two), I feel it
due to my contract with the reader of this series to refer him to what
he says of the baptismal vow, etc. (Hippol., iii. p. 187), as
furnishing a valuable commentary on the text, and on the whole plan of
Alexandrian teaching and discipline.

VII.
(Jubilee, [86]cap. xxv. p. 438.)

Here the reader may feel that an Elucidation is requisite to any
intelligent idea of what Clement means to say. "We wish he would
explain his explanation" of Ezekiel. Let me give a brief rendering of
the annotations in Migne, as all that can here be furnished. (1) The
tabernacle is the body, as St. Paul uses the word (2 Cor. v. 1-4), and
St. Peter (2 Ep. i. 13, 14). (2) The seven periods are the Sabbatical
weeks of years leading up to the year of Jubilee. (3) The aplanes chora
refers to the old system of astronomy, and its division of the heavens
into an octave of spheres, of which the seven inner spheres are those
of the seven planets; the fixt stars being in the eighth, which
"borders on the intellectual world,"--the abode of spirits, according
to Clement.

The Miltonic student will recall the perplexity with which, perhaps, in
early years, he first read:--


"They pass the planets seven, and pass the fixt,

And that crystalline sphere whose balance weighs

The trepidation talked, and that first moved.

Paradise Lost, book iii. 481.

The Copernican system was, even in Milton's time, not generally
accepted; but, for one who had personally conversed with Galileo, this
seems incorrigibly bad. The true system would have given greater
dignity, and in fact a better topography, to his great poem.

VIII.
(Rebecca, [87]p. 439.)

Le Nourry, as well as Barbeyrac (see Kaye, pp. 109 and 473), regards
Clement as ignorant of the Hebrew language. Kaye, though he shows that
some of the attempts to demonstrate this are fanciful, inclines to the
same opinion; remarking that he borrows his interpretations from Philo.
On the passage here under consideration, he observes, that, "having
said repeatedly [2942] that Rebekah in Hebrew is equivalent to hupomone
in Greek, he now makes it equivalent to Theou doxa. He elsewhere refers
our Saviour's exclamation, Eli, Eli, etc., to the Greek word helios,
and the name Jesus to iasthai."

IX.
(Plato's City, [88]cap. xxvi. p. 441.)

This is worth quoting from the Republic (book ix. p. 423, Jowett): "In
heaven there is laid up a pattern of such a city; and he who desires
may behold this, and, beholding, govern himself accordingly; He will
act according to the laws of that city, and of no other." Sublime old
Gentile! Did not the apostle of the Gentiles think of Socrates, when he
wrote Heb. xii. 28, and xiii. 14? On this noble passage, of which
Clement has evidently thought very seriously, Schleiermacher's remarks
seem to me cold and unsatisfactory. (See his Introductions, translated
by Dobson; ed. Cambridge, 1836.)
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[2942] e.g., this vol., p. 309.

The Pastor of Hermas - Introductions

The Pastor of Hermas: Book 1

The Pastor of Hermas: Book 2

The Pastor of Hermas: Book 3

Tatian the Assyrian's Address to the Greeks

Fragments - Tatian the Assyrian

Theophilus of Antioch - Introduction

Theophilus of Antioch to Autolycus: Book 1

Theophilus of Antioch to Autolycus: Book 2

Theophilus of Antioch to Autolycus: Book 3

Athenagoras

A Plea for Christians by Athenagoras the Athenian: Philosopher and Christian

The Treatise of Athenagoras the Athenian, Philosopher and Christian, on the Resurrection of the Dead

Clement of Alexandria - Introductory Note

Exhortation to the Heathen

The Instructor (Paedagogus) - Book 1

The Instructor (Paedagogus) - Book 2

The Instructor (Paedagogus) - Book 3

Elucidations - Clement of Alexandria

The Stromata, or Miscellanies - Book 1

Elucidations - Purpose of the Stromata

The Stromata, or Miscellanies - Book 2

Elucidations - The Stromata, Book 2

The Stromata, or Miscellanies - Book 3

The Stromata, or Miscellanies - Book 4

Elucidations - The Stromata, Book 4

The Stromata, or Miscellanies - Book 5

Elucidations - The Stromata, Book 5

The Stromata, or Miscellanies - Book 6

Elucidations - The Stromata, Book 6

The Stromata, or Miscellanies - Book 7

Elucidations - The Stromata, Book 7

The Stromata, or Miscellanies - Book 8

Elucidations - The Stromata, Book 8

Fragments of Clemens Alexandrinus

Clemens Alexandrinus on the Salvation of the Rich Man

Elucidations - Clemens Alexandrinus on the Salvation of the Rich Man