Miscellanies 4.6.39
Summary: Works and knowledge are two ways to perfection; the pure in heart see God; knowledge purifies the mind, and good actions need the neutral things of life and health; those who come to know God must be pure in body and thought.
Greek text · Stählin 2:265–266
Ἐπεὶ δὲ τῶν ἀπαγόντων εἰς τὴν τελείωσιν τῆς σωτηρίας ὁδοὶ εὑρίσκονται δύο, ἔργα καὶ γνῶσις, μακαρίους εἶπεν τοὺς καθαροὺς τὴν καρδίαν, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται. κἂν τῷ ὄντι τὸ ἀληθὲς σκοπῶμεν, ἡ γνῶσις, ᾗ τοῦ ἡγεμονικοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς κάθαρσίς ἐστι, καὶ ἐνέργειά ἐστιν ἀγαθή. ἀγαθὰ γοῦν τὰ μὲν αὐτὰ καθʼ ἑαυτά, τὰ δὲ μετέχοντα τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ὡς τὰς καλὰς πράξεις φαμέν· ἄνευ δὲ τῶν μεταξύ, ἃ δὴ ὕλης ἐπέχει τάξιν, οὔθʼ αἱ ἀγαθαὶ οὔθʼ αἱ κακαὶ συνίστανται πράξεις, οἷον ζωῆς λέγω καὶ ὑγιείας τῶν τε ἄλλων τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἢ περιστατικῶν. καθαροὺς οὖν κατὰ τὰς σωματικὰς ἐπιθυμίας καὶ ἁγίους τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς τοὺς εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ θεοῦ ἀφικνουμένους εἶναι βούλεται, ἵνα μηδὲν ἔχῃ νόθον ἐπιπροσθοῦν τῇ δυνάμει ἑαυτοῦ τὸ ἡγεμονικόν.
English · Claude translation
Since two ways are found of those leading to the perfection of salvation, works and knowledge, he called blessed “the pure in heart, for they will see God.” And if we truly consider the truth, knowledge, as the purification of the ruling part of the soul, is also a good activity. Of good things, some are good in themselves, others by sharing in good things, as we say of good actions. But without the intermediate things, which hold the place of matter, neither good nor bad actions come about, such as, I mean, life and health and the other necessities or circumstances. He wishes, then, those who come to the knowledge of God to be pure as regards bodily desires and holy in their thoughts, so that the ruling part may have nothing spurious obstructing its power.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotation is Matt 5:8.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 4.6.39 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/4/6/39/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 4.6.39 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/4/6/39/).
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