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The Stromata, or Miscellanies

Clement of Alexandria

Book 1 · Chapter 7

About this work

A wide-ranging collection on faith, knowledge, philosophy, Scripture, ethics, and Christian maturity that intentionally mixes subjects while portraying the ideal Christian knower formed through disciplined inquiry.

Author: Clement of Alexandria
Date: c. AD 195–215
Origin: Alexandria
Genre: Theological Treatise

Chapter VII.—The Eclectic Philosophy Paves the Way for Divine Virtue.

The Greek preparatory culture, therefore, with

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philosophy

itself

,

is

shown

to

have

come

down

from

God

to

men

,

not

with

a

definite

direction

but

in

the

way

in

which

showers

fall

down

on

the

good

land

,

and

on

the

dunghill

,

and

on

the

houses

.

And

similarly

both

the

grass

and

the

wheat

sprout

;

and

the

figs

and

any

other

reckless

trees

grow

on

sepulchres

.

And

things

that

grow

,

appear

as

a

type

of

truths

.

For

they

enjoy

the

same

influence

of

the

rain

.

But

they

have

not

the

same

grace

as

those

which

spring

up

in

rich

soil

,

inasmuch

as

they

are

withered

or

plucked

up

.

And

here

we

are

aided

by

the

parable

of

the

sower

,

which

the

Lord

interpreted

.

For

the

husbandman

of

the

soil

which

is

among

men

is

one

;

He

who

from

the

beginning

,

from

the

foundation

of

the

world

,

sowed

nutritious

seeds

;

He

who

in

each

age

rained

down

the

Lord

,

the

Word

.

But

the

times

and

places

which

received

[

such

gifts

]

,

created

the

differences

which

exist

.

Further

,

the

husbandman

sows

not

only

wheat

(

of

which

there

are

many

varieties

)

,

but

also

other

seeds

—

barley

,

and

beans

,

and

peas

,

and

vetches

,

and

vegetable

and

flower

seeds

.

And

to

the

same

husbandry

belongs

both

planting

and

the

operations

necessary

in

the

nurseries

,

and

gardens

,

and

orchards

,

and

the

planning

and

rearing

of

all

sorts

of

trees

.

In like manner, not only the care of sheep, but the care of herds, and breeding of horses, and dogs, and bee-craft, all arts, and to speak comprehensively, the care of flocks and the rearing of animals, differ from each other more or less, but are all useful for life. And philosophy—I do not mean the Stoic, or the Platonic, or the Epicurean, or the Aristotelian, but whatever has been well said by each of those sects, which teach righteousness along with a science pervaded by piety,—this eclectic whole I call philosophy. But such conclusions of human reasonings, as men have cut away and falsified, I would never call divine.

And now we must look also at this, that if ever those who know not how to do well, live well; for they have lighted on well-doing. Some, too, have aimed well at the word of truth through understanding. “But Abraham was not justified by works, but by faith.” It is therefore of no advantage to them after the end of life, even if they do good works now, if they have not faith. Wherefore also the Scriptures were translated into the language of the Greeks, in order that they might never be able to allege the excuse of ignorance, inasmuch as they are able to hear also what we have in our hands, if they only wish. One speaks in one way of the truth, in another way the truth interprets itself. The guessing at truth is one thing, and truth itself is another. Resemblance is one thing, the thing itself is another. And the one results from learning and practice, the other from power and faith. For the teaching of piety is a gift, but faith is grace. “For by doing the will of God we know the will of God.” “Open, then,” says the Scripture, “the gates of righteousness; and I will enter in, and confess to the Lord.” But the paths to righteousness (since God saves in many ways, for He is good) are many and various, and lead to the Lord’s way and gate. And if you ask the royal and true entrance, you will hear, “This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter in by it.” While there are many gates open, that in righteousness is in Christ, by which all the blessed enter, and direct their steps in the sanctity of knowledge. Now Clemens, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, while expounding the differences of those who are approved according to the Church, says expressly, “One may be a believer; one may be powerful in uttering knowledge; one may be wise in discriminating between words; one may be terrible in deeds.”

Notes

80
[Most important as defining Clement’s system, and his use of this word, “philosophy.”]
81
Something seems wanting to complete the sense.
82
Rom. iv.
83
[Stillingfleet, Origines Sacræ, vol. i. p.55. Important reference.]
84
John vii. 17.
85
Ps. cxviii. 19.
86
Ps. cxviii. 20.
87
[See vol. i. p. 18, First Epistle of Clement, chap. xlviii. S.]