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The Stromata, or Miscellanies
Clement of Alexandria
Book 4 · Chapter 22 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 XXII.—The True Gnostic Does Good, Not from Fear of Punishment or Hope of Reward, But Only for the Sake of Good Itself. The man of understanding and perspicacity is ,
‹ Book 4 · Chapter 21 Book 4 · Chapter 23 ›
then
,
a
Gnostic
.
And
his
business
is
not
abstinence
from
what
is
evil
(
for
this
is
a
step
to
the
highest
perfection
)
,
or
the
doing
of
good
out
of
fear
.
For
it
is
written
,
“
Whither
shall
I
flee
,
and
where
shall
I
hide
myself
from
Thy
presence
?
If
I
ascend
into
heaven
,
Thou
art
there
;
if
I
go
away
to
the
uttermost
parts
of
the
sea
,
there
is
Thy
right
hand
;
if
I
go
down
into
the
depths
,
there
is
Thy
Spirit
.
”
Nor
any
more
is
he
to
do
so
from
hope
of
promised
recompense
.
For
it
is
said
,
“
Behold
the
Lord
,
and
His
reward
is
before
His
face
,
to
give
to
every
one
according
to
his
works
;
what
eye
hath
not
seen
,
and
ear
hath
not
heard
,
and
hath
not
entered
into
the
heart
of
man
what
God
hath
prepared
for
them
that
love
Him
.
”
But
only
the
doing
of
good
out
of
love
,
and
for
the
sake
of
its
own
excellence
,
is
to
be
the
Gnostic’s
choice
.
Now
,
in
the
person
of
God
it
is
said
to
the
Lord
,
“
Ask
of
Me
,
and
I
will
give
the
heathen
for
Thine
inheritance
;
”
teaching
Him
to
ask
a
truly
regal
request
—
that
is
,
the
salvation
of
men
without
price
,
that
we
may
inherit
and
possess
the
Lord
.
For
,
on
the
contrary
,
to
desire
knowledge
about
God
for
any
practical
purpose
,
that
this
may
be
done
,
or
that
may
not
be
done
,
is
not
proper
to
the
Gnostic
;
but
the
knowledge
itself
suffices
as
the
reason
for
contemplation
.
For
I
will
dare
aver
that
it
is
not
because
he
wishes
to
be
saved
that
he
,
who
devotes
himself
to
knowledge
for
the
sake
of
the
divine
science
itself
,
chooses
knowledge
.
For
the
exertion
of
the
intellect
by
exercise
is
prolonged
to
a
perpetual
exertion
.
And
the
perpetual
exertion
of
the
intellect
is
the
essence
of
an
intelligent
being
,
which
results
from
an
uninterrupted
process
of
admixture
,
and
remains
eternal
contemplation
,
a
living
substance
.
Could
we
,
then
,
suppose
any
one
proposing
to
the
Gnostic
whether
he
would
choose
the
knowledge
of
God
or
everlasting
salvation
;
and
if
these
,
which
are
entirely
identical
,
were
separable
,
he
would
without
the
least
hesitation
choose
the
knowledge
of
God
,
deeming
that
property
of
faith
,
which
from
love
ascends
to
knowledge
,
desirable
,
for
its
own
sake
.
This
,
then
,
is
the
perfect
man’s
first
form
of
doing
good
,
when
it
is
done
not
for
any
advantage
in
what
pertains
to
him
,
but
because
he
judges
it
right
to
do
good
;
and
the
energy
being
vigorously
exerted
in
all
things
,
in
the
very
act
becomes
good
;
not
,
good
in
some
things
,
and
not
good
in
others
;
but
consisting
in
the
habit
of
doing
good
,
neither
for
glory
,
nor
,
as
the
philosophers
say
,
for
reputation
,
nor
from
reward
either
from
men
or
God
;
but
so
as
to
pass
life
after
the
image
and
likeness
of
the
Lord
.
And if , in doing good , he be met with anything adverse , he will let the recompense pass without resentment as if it were good , he being just and good “ to the just and the unjust . ” To such the Lord says , “ Be ye , as your Father is perfect . ”
To him the flesh is dead ; but he himself lives alone , having consecrated the sepulchre into a holy temple to the Lord , having turned towards God the old sinful soul .
Such an one is no longer continent , but has
reached a state of passionlessness , waiting to put on the divine image . “ If thou doest alms , ” it is said , “ let no one know it ; and if thou fastest , anoint thyself , that God alone may know , ” and not a single human being . Not even he himself who shows mercy ought to know that he does show mercy ; for in this way he will be sometimes merciful , sometimes not . And when he shall do good by habit , he will imitate the nature of good , and his disposition will be his nature and his practice . There is no necessity for removing those who are raised on high , but there is necessity for those who are walking to reach the requisite goal , by passing over the whole of the narrow way . For this is to be drawn by the Father , to become worthy to receive the power of grace from God , so as to run without hindrance . And if some hate the elect , such an one knows their ignorance , and pities their minds for its folly .
As is right , then , knowledge itself loves and teaches the ignorant , and instructs the whole creation to honour God Almighty . And if such an one teaches to love God , he will not hold virtue as a thing to be lost in any case , either awake or in a dream , or in any vision ; since the habit never goes out of itself by falling from being a habit . Whether , then , knowledge be said to be habit or disposition ; on account of diverse sentiments never obtaining access , the guiding faculty , remaining unaltered , admits no alteration of appearances by framing in dreams visionary conceptions out of its movements by day . Wherefore also the Lord enjoins “ to watch , ” so that our soul may never be perturbed with passion , even in dreams ; but also to keep the life of the night pure and stainless , as if spent in the day . For assimilation to God , as far as we can , is preserving the mind in its relation to the same things . And this is the relation of mind as mind .
But the variety of disposition arises from inordinate affection to material things . And for this reason , as they appear to me , to have called night Euphrone ; since then the soul , released from the perceptions of sense , turns in on itself , and has a truer hold of intelligence ( φρόνησις ) . Wherefore the mysteries are for the most part celebrated by night , indicating the withdrawal of the soul from the body , which takes place by night . “ Let us not then sleep , as do others ; but let us watch and be sober . For they that sleep , sleep in the night ; and they that are drunken , are drunken in the night . But let us who are of the day be sober , putting on the breastplate of faith and love , and as an helmet the hope of salvation . ” And as to what , again , they say of sleep , the very same things are to be understood of death . For each exhibits the departure of the soul , the one more , the other less ; as we may also get this in Heraclitus : “ Man touches night in himself , when dead and his light quenched ; and alive , when he sleeps he touches the dead ; and awake , when he shuts his eyes , he touches the sleeper . ” “ For blessed are those that have seen the Lord , ” according to the apostle ; “ for it is high time to awake out of sleep . For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed . The night is far spent , the day is at hand . Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness , and put on the armour of light . ” By day and light he designates figuratively the Son , and by the armour of light metaphorically the promises .
So it is said that we ought to go washed to sacrifices and prayers , clean and bright ; and that this external adornment and purification are practiced for a sign . Now purity is to think holy thoughts . Further , there is the image of baptism , which also was handed down to the poets from Moses as follows : —
“ And she having drawn water , and wearing on her body clean clothes . ”
It is Penelope that is going to prayer : —
“ And Telemachus , Having washed his hands in the hoary sea , prayed to Athene . ”
It was a custom of the Jews to wash frequently after being in bed . It was then well said , —
“ Be pure , not by washing of water , but in the mind . ”
For sanctity , as I conceive it , is perfect pureness of mind , and deeds , and thoughts , and words too , and in its last degree sinlessness in dreams .
And sufficient purification to a man , I reckon , is thorough and sure repentance . If , condemning ourselves for our former actions , we go forward , after these things taking thought , and divesting our mind both of the things which please us through the senses , and of our former transgressions .
If , then , we are to give the etymology of ἐπιστήμη , knowledge , its signification is to be derived from στάσις , placing ; for our soul , which was formerly borne , now in one way , now in another , it settles in objects . Similarly faith is to be explained etymologically , as the settling ( στάσις ) of our soul respecting that which is .
But we desire to learn about the man who is always and in all things righteous ; who , neither dreading the penalty proceeding from the law ,
nor fearing to entertain hatred of evil in the case of those who live with him and who prosecute the injured , nor dreading danger at the hands of those who do wrong , remains righteous . For he who , on account of these considerations , abstains from anything wrong , is not voluntarily kind , but is good from fear . Even Epicurus says , that the man who in his estimation was wise , “ would not do wrong to any one for the sake of gain ; for he could not persuade himself that he would escape detection . ” So that , if he knew he would not be detected , he would , according to him , do evil . And such are the doctrines of darkness . If , too , one shall abstain from doing wrong from hope of the recompense given by God on account of righteous deeds , he is not on this supposition spontaneously good . For as fear makes that man just , so reward makes this one ; or rather , makes him appear to be just . But with the hope after death — a good hope to the good , to the bad the reverse — not only they who follow after Barbarian wisdom , but also the Pythagoreans , are acquainted . For the latter also proposed hope as an end to those who philosophize . Whereas Socrates also , in the Phædo , says “ that good souls depart hence with a good hope ; ” and again , denouncing the wicked , he sets against this the assertion , “ For they live with an evil hope . ” With him Heraclitus manifestly agrees in his dissertations concerning men : “ There awaits man after death what they neither hope nor think . ” Divinely , therefore , Paul writes expressly , “ Tribulation worketh , patience , and patience experience , and experience hope ; and hope maketh not ashamed . ” For the patience is on account of the hope in the future . Now hope is synonymous with the recompense and restitution of hope ; which maketh not ashamed , not being any more vilified .
But he who obeys the mere call , as he is called , neither for fear , nor for enjoyments , is on his way to knowledge ( γνῶσις ) . For he does not consider whether any extrinsic lucrative gain or enjoyment follows to him ; but drawn by the love of Him who is the true object of love , and led to what is requisite , practices piety . So that not even were we to suppose him to receive from God leave to do things forbidden with impunity ; not even if he were to get the promise that he would receive as a reward the good things of the blessed ; but besides , not even if he could persuade himself that God would be hoodwinked with reference to what he does ( which is impossible ) , would he ever wish to do aught contrary to right reason , having once made choice of what is truly good and worthy of choice on its own account , and therefore to be loved . For it is not in the food of the belly , that we have heard good to be situated . But he has heard that “ meat will not commend us , ” nor marriage , nor abstinence from marriage in ignorance ; but virtuous gnostic conduct . For the dog , which is an irrational animal , may be said to be continent , dreading as it does the uplifted stick , and therefore keeping away from the meat . But let the predicted promise be taken away , and the threatened dread cancelled , and the impending danger removed , and the disposition of such people will be revealed .
