Miscellanies 2.19.98
Summary: Hands, heart, and mouth stand for action, counsel, and speech; God chooses the repentant as his people, and even one counts as the people; true nobility lies in choosing the good, which Adam, noblest of all, neglected, exchanging immortality for death, though not forever.
Greek text · Stählin 2:166–167
σύμβολον δʼ ἂν εἴη ταῦτα, πράξεως μὲν αἱ χεῖρες, βουλῆς δὲ ἡ καρδία καὶ λόγου στόμα. καλῶς οὖν ἐπὶ τῶν μετανοούντων εἴρηται τὸ λόγιον ἐκεῖνο· τὸν θεὸν εἵλου σήμερον εἶναί σου θεόν, καὶ κύριος εἵλετό σε σήμερον γενέσθαι λαὸν αὐτῷ. τὸν γὰρ σπεύδοντα θεραπεύειν τὸ ὂν ἱκέτην ὄντα ἐξοικειοῦται ὁ θεός. κἂν εἷς τὸν ἀριθμόν, ἐπʼ ἴσης τῷ λαῷ τετίμηται· μέρος γὰρ ὢν τοῦ λαοῦ συμπληρωτικὸς αὐτοῦ γίνεται, ἀποκατασταθεὶς ἐξ οὗ ἦν, καλεῖται δὲ καὶ ἐκ μέρους τὸ πᾶν. αὕτη δὲ ἡ εὐγένεια ἐν τῷ ἑλέσθαι καὶ συνασκῆσαι τὰ κάλλιστα διαδείκνυται. ἐπεὶ τί τὸν Ἀδὰμ ὠφέλησεν ἡ τοσαύτη αὐτοῦ εὐγένεια; πατὴρ δὲ αὐτοῦ θνητὸς οὐδείς· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἀνθρώπων τῶν ἐν γενέσει πατήρ. τὰ μὲν αἰσχρὰ οὗτος προθύμως εἵλετο ἑπόμενος τῇ γυναικί, τῶν δὲ ἀληθῶν καὶ καλῶν ἠμέλησεν· ἐφʼ οἷς θνητὸν ἀθανάτου βίον, ἀλλʼ οὐκ εἰς τέλος, ἀνθυπηλλάξατο.
English · Claude translation
These would be symbols: the hands of action, the heart of counsel, the mouth of speech. Well, then, has that oracle been spoken about those who repent: “You have chosen God today to be your God, and the Lord has chosen you today to become his people.” For God makes his own the one who hastens to serve Him who Is, being a suppliant. And even if he is one in number, he is honored equally with the people; for being part of the people, he helps to complete it, restored to what he was; and the whole is also named from the part. This nobility is shown in choosing and practicing the best things. For what did his great nobility profit Adam? No mortal was his father; for he himself was the father of men who are born. He eagerly chose shameful things, following the woman, and neglected what is true and good; for which he exchanged immortal life for a mortal one, but not forever.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotation is Deut 26:17–18 (a free form). “Him who Is” renders τὸ ὄν (Exod 3:14). “But not forever” points to Adam's restoration.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (misspelling in the digital text; wrong breathing on εἶναί): σύμβολον δʼ ἂμ εἴη → σύμβολον δʼ ἂν εἴη; εἷναί σου θεόν → εἶναί σου θεόν.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 2.19.98 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/2/19/98/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 2.19.98 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/2/19/98/).
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