The Instructor 1.8.69
Summary: God punishes not in anger but for justice, and each sinner chooses his own penalty; the fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom.
Greek text · Stählin 1:130
καὶ τὴν κόλασιν ὁ θεὸς οὐχ ὑπὸ ὀργῆς ἐπιφέρει, ἀλλὰ τὸ δίκαιον σκοπεῖ, ὡς οὐ συμφέρει παραλειφθῆναι τὸ δίκαιον διʼ ἡμᾶς. αἱρεῖται δὲ ἕκαστος ἡμῶν τὰς τιμωρίας αὐτὸς ἑκὼν ἁμαρτάνων· »αἰτία δὲ ἑλομένου, ὁ θεὸς ἀναίτιος.« »εἰ δὲ ἡ ἀδικία ἡμῶν θεοῦ δικαιοσύνην συνίστησιν, τί ἐροῦμεν; μὴ ἄδικος ὁ θεὸς ὁ ἐπιφέρων τὴν ὀργήν; μὴ γένοιτο.« λέγει γοῦν ἀπειλῶν· »παροξυνῶ τὴν μάχαιράν μου, καὶ ἀνθέξεται κρίματος ἡ χείρ μου καὶ αὐτὸς ἀνταποδώσω δίκην τοῖς ἐχθροῖς καὶ τοῖς μισοῦσιν ἀνταποδώσω· μεθύσω τὰ βέλη μου ἀφʼ αἵματος, καὶ ἡ μάχαιρά μου φάγεται κρέα ἀπὸ αἵματος τραυματιῶν.« σαφὲς γὰρ ἐνταῦθα ὡς ἄρα οἱ μὴ διεχθρεύοντες τῇ ἀληθείᾳ μηδὲ μισοῦντες τὸν λόγον οὐκ ἂν τὴν σφῶν αὐτῶν μισήσαιεν σωτηρίαν, ἐκφύγοιεν δʼ ἂν τῆς ἔχθρας τὰ ἐπιτίμια. »στέφανος ἄρα σοφίας«, ᾗ φησιν ἡ σοφία, »φόβος κυρίου.« σαφέστατα γοῦν διὰ τοῦ Ἀμὼς τοῦ προφήτου τὴν οἰκονομίαν μεμήνυκεν ὁ λόγος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ, »κατέστρεψα ὑμᾶς« λέγων, »καθὼς κατέστρεψεν ὁ θεὸς Σόδομα καὶ Γόμορρα, καὶ ἐγένεσθε ὡς δαλὸς ἐξεσπασμένος ἐκ πυρός, καὶ οὐδʼ ὣς
English · Claude translation
God does not inflict punishment out of anger, but looks to justice, since it is not good that justice be neglected for our sake. Each of us chooses his punishments himself, sinning willingly: “The blame is the chooser's; God is blameless.” “But if our unrighteousness shows the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust, who inflicts wrath? By no means.” Threatening, he says: “I will sharpen my sword, and my hand will take hold of judgment, and I myself will render justice to my enemies and repay those who hate me; I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword will eat flesh with the blood of the wounded.” For it is clear here that those who are not at enmity with the truth and do not hate the Word would not hate their own salvation, and would escape the penalties of enmity. “The crown of wisdom, then,” as Wisdom says, “is the fear of the Lord.” Most clearly the Word has declared his own plan through the prophet Amos, saying: “I overthrew you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you became like a brand plucked from the fire; and even so
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotations are Plato, Republic 10.617e, Rom 3:5–6, Deut 32:41–42, Sir 1:18, and Amos 4:11. The sentence continues in the next section.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.8.69 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1/8/69/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.8.69 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1/8/69/).
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