Clement of Alexandria

436 Pages·2017·7.03 MB·English

CLEMENT
OF ALEXANDRIA
WITH AN ENGLISH TEANSLATION BY
G. W. BUTTERWORTH, M.A.
bODINGTON MEMORIAL FELLOW OP
THE UNIVERSITY OP LEEDS
THE EXHORTATION TO THE GREEKS
THE RICH MAN'S SALVATION
AND THE FRAGMENT OF AN ADDRESS ENTITLED
TO THE NEWLY BAPTIZED

LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN
NEW YORK: G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS
MCMXIX
STJOHNAND THE ROBBER.
NOTE ON ILLUSTRATION
(Forthestoryseepp. 857-365.)
The Illustration reproduces (by kind permission of the
MasterandFellows)apagefrom, a manuscript Apocalypse1
in theLibraryofTrinity College, Cambridge,whichisperhaps
thefinest example of the English art of its time, viz. the
middle of the thirteenth century. It is one of the very few
representationsofthe story ofSt. JohnandtheRobberwhich
occur in mediaeval art. The inscriptions, inAnglo-French,
explainthescenesquiteadequately.
Picture 1 (top of page)..—Here is how St. John asksfor
theyouth, andhowheisintheforestwiththerobbers.
On label (St. John says to the Bishop) Restore me him
whom I entrusted to you, and, by the witness of the Holy
Churchwhichyougovern, I demand ofyoutheyouthwhom I
commended to you. (The Bishop says) He is dead. Verily
he is dead to God;for he is gone awayfull.of all mischief,
andintheendheisbecome awicked robber, and nowhe is in
themountainwithagreat companyofrobbersand hath taken
themountainfortospoilandto killandtorob thepeople.
Picture2.—Here is howtheyouthfled, and how St. John
gallopsafterhimandcallshimgently.
(St. John says) Fair son, why dost thou flee from thy
father? Whereforedost thoufleefromanoldmanunarmed?
Have pity on thyself and have nofear, for thou canst still
havehopeoflife. Fairson, stay!
Picture 3.—Here is how St. John kisses theyouth's right
hand, andhowhebaptizes him, and how he leads him back to
the Churchfromwhencehehadgoneout.
1 ThisApocalypsehasrecently(1909)beeneditedfortheRoxburghe
ClubbytheProvostofKing's.
CONTENTS
PAGE
Introduction xi
Bibliography xix
THE EXHORTATION TO THE GREEKS
Introduction 3-27
The minstrels of Greek legend were supposed to
haveperformedwonderfuldeeds bythepowerof
music. Butthenewminstrel, the Wordof God,
doesgreaterworksinreallife. Hispowerisshown
in savingmenfromslaverytodaemons; andalso
in giving order and harmony to the universe.
HeistheNewSong; andyetold,forHewas"in
thebeginning." HealonerevealsGodtomen.
Description of the Greek Mysteries . 27-51
Sanctuaries,oracles,sacredspringsandtreesarenow —
outofdate. Themysteries; derivationoftheword —
'mystery'; originatorofmysteries. Mysteriesof
(i.)Aphrodite,(ii.)Demeter,(iii.)AttisandCybele.
StoryofPersephone. ThemysteriesofDionysus.
RitesoftheCorybantesandtheCabeiri. TheEle-
usinian formula. These mysteries are profane
andunholy; Heracleituswitnessesagainstthem.
Greeks, notChristians, aretherealatheists.
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Description of the Greek Gods . . 53-101
Seven causes of idolatry. Many gods of the same
name. Godswerereallymen; examplestoprove
this. Theimmoralityofthegods,with examples.
Goddessesequallyguilty. TheGreekgamesare
— allheldinhonourofdeadmen. Originofphallic
emblems in Dionysus-worship. Godshaveeven
been slaves. They have human feelings and
needs. Zeus was once alive, but is now dead.
Greeks themselves call the gods bystupid and
indecent names; Egyptian animal worship is
better than this. Greeks alsoworship animals;
examples. Are the Greek gods daemons, or
secondary divinities? Certainly they are not
guardians of men, but savage and man-hating
creatures,asisprovedbyhumansacrifices. Such
daemons mustbeavoidedlike wildbeasts. Men
are betterthan daemons, e.g. Solon than Apollo.
Thegods'temples arereallytombs.
The Worship op Statues . . . 101-143
The first images were unwrought wood and stone;
inlatertimes they weremadeintohuman shape.
Theyare all the work of men; as is shown by
many examples. Even the image of Sarapis in
Alexandriaisof human workmanship. The dei
fication ofAntinous is another example of god-
making; his tomb is nowa temple. The Sibyl
predicts the destruction of temples with their
images. Heracleitus scoffs at image-worship.
Images are without life, and sacrifices do them
no good. The lowest animals are better than
any statues. God's true image is mental, not
material. Rulers despise statues, and insult
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them. Thievesstealthem. Fireandearthquakes
destroy them. Sculptors make them look like
their own favourites. Both kings and private
persons, scorning image-worship, have styled
themselves gods. The epitaph of Hippo shows
that all gods wereoncemen. Theyare nowun
clean spirits that haunt tombs, and their statues
aresimply earthandart. Thefascination of art —
hasled men to fall in lovewith statues; nowit
leads men toworship them. Storiesofgodsare
full of immorality; but Christians are living
images of God, and must not listen to them.
Indecent pictures hung in houses; indecent
symbols on rings; shameful emblems displayed
inpublic. Image-making is forbidden to Chris
tians. Menmust seek after God, and not after
anycreatedthing.
The Witness of Philosophy . . . 145-163
Early philosophers supposed the elements to be
first principles. This veneration of matter is
mere atheism. It originates with barbarians.
Other philosophers sought for a higher first
principle, as the Infinite, or Mind. The Stoic
doctrine of Immanence. The Peripatetic doc
trine; God the soul of the universe. Epicurus.
A crowd of minor philosophers who exalt the
elements. But Platoisa better guide; together
with Euripides and Democritus, he knows the
majestyofthetrue God. Whence came Plato's
wisdom? From barbarians, as he confesses, i.e.
from the Hebrews. Antisthenes, Xenophon,
Socrates, Cleanthes and Pythagoras also knew
thetruth.
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The Witness of Poetry . . . 163-173
Poetryisentirelyconcernedwith fiction, yetitcannot
help bearing some witness to truth. Examples
fromAratus, Hesiod,Sophocles,Orpheus. Even
comic poets know the truth, for instance, Men-
ander. Homer, too, and many others speak ill
ofthegods; butespeciallyEuripides.?
The Witness of Hebrew Prophecy . 173-195
Thesacredwritingsare simple in style, but of great
power. Apreludefromthe Sibyl. Manyquota
tions to show the majestyof the one true God
and His love for man; from Jeremiah, Isaiah,
Moses, Hosea, Solomon, David. But Christ the
Word speaks with even greater authority. He
invites usinto His kingdom, to be sons of God.
— Punishment awaits unbelievers. We must then
obeyGod "to-day." Themeaningof"to-day."
We must choose between God's grace and His
displeasure. Salvation is beyond price; yet it
can be bought for faith and love. God is our
teacher,throughthescriptures. All maybecome
Hischildren.
The Claims of Custom .... 197-237
Oughtmentoabandon their traditionalways? Yes,
justaschildren abandon childishways. Custom
is the real obstacle to godliness. It refuses
all guidance. The sight of filthyand degraded
priests ought to bring men to God, who is a
loving Father. Yet some men are like worms
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andswine, lovingwhatisfoul. Godhasasplen
did inheritance for His children; heaven and
earth are theirs without cost. An innate faith
in goodness is possessed byall, andis worthyof
trust. Custom isstupid; it deifies mere human
beings, and sets up stones for worship. God's
Word is His true image; and man's mind is an
imageoftheWord. Custom is rooted in ignor
ance. But ignorance is onlyan excuse for him
who has never heard God's message. Custom
destroysmen. It is utterlyabsurd. Thosewho
followitarelikedruggedmen; theyalsobecome
like stones when theyworship stones. Menare
the really sacred things, not animals or stones.
Unbelievers aredeaf and blind in heart; orlike
serpents, wriggling on the earth. Life is the
reward for finding God. Divine wisdom helps
mantodolife'sdutieswell. God'schildrenfollow
God's laws, which are severe, but health-giving.
The Wordhas broughtuntoldblessingstomen.
God's Plan of Redemption . . . 237-251
Man was created innocent and free; but he fell —
through pleasure. The Wordbecameincarnate,
anddiedontheCrossto savehim. Somangains
more than he lost. The Word is now man's
teacher. HebringslightandrevealsGod. The
night of earth gives place to the day of God.
TheWordisalso an amulet that can save from
sin. This is ever God's purpose—to save men.
It is proclaimed to men by Christ's bloodless
army. ThosewhoobeyGodbecomeHis delight
as well as His handiwork, and they inherit a
kingdom.
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Final Exhortation .... 251-263
—Custommustbeshunnedas adeadlyperil. Itis like
Circe's island. Follow Odysseus' example, and
beboundtothe Cross. Bewarned bythe mad
ness of Pentheus. The Word's mysteries are
sober; performedbypure maidensandrighteous
men. These mysteries alone give a vision of
God. Christ is the true hierophant. He offers
restandimmortality. It is sheermadnessto re
main in ignorance when truth is within reach.
Man can become a friend and son of God, but
onlybyfollowing Christ. Finally, the reader is
exhorted to make for himself the great choice
between lifeand destruction.
- THE RICH MAN'S SALVATION . 265-367
" TO THE NEWLY BAPTIZED . . 368-377
APPENDIX ON THE GREEK MYS
TERIES 379-390
INDICES 391-409
x
INTRODUCTION
Few facts are known to us concerning the life of
Clement of Alexandria. His title comes from the
city which was the scene of all his important work ;
but an early tradition spoke of him as being an
Athenian by birth, and this may be correct. The
dateofhis birthcanbefixedroughlyat 150a.d. We
are told nothing of his parentage or early training.
It seems clear, however, that he was not a Christian
to begin with. He is so well acquainted with the
mystery cults that there is a strong probability that
he had been initiated into some of them. We have
it on his own authority that he wandered through
many lands and heard many teachers. Six of these
he singles out for mention, though not by name;
they were"blessed and memorable men," whospoke
plain and living words." Doubtless all of them
were Christians. The last of the six, who was "first
in power," and whom he found in Egypt, is almost
certainly Pantaenus, then head of the Catechetical
School at Alexandria. Here Clement's wanderings
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