The Instructor 1.11.97
Summary: The law was Israel's instructor to Christ; the one true Instructor is Jesus, the Father's Son, trustworthy through his knowledge, freedom of speech, and goodwill shown in giving his life.
Greek text · Stählin 1:147–148
ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀλόγως κορεσθέντες ἀλόγως ἔπαιζον, διὰ τοῦτο αὐτοῖς καὶ ὁ νόμος καὶ ὁ φόβος εἵπετο εἰς ἀνακοπὴν ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ προτροπὴν κατορθωμάτων, καταρτίζων εὐηκοΐαν αὐτοῖς τοῦ ἀληθοῦς παιδαγωγοῦ, τὴν εὐπείθειαν, εἷς καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς ὢν λόγος πρὸς τὸ κατεπεῖγον ἁρμοττόμενος· »τὸν νόμον δοθῆναι« γάρ φησιν ὁ Παῦλος »παιδαγωγὸν εἰς Χριστόν«, ὡς ἐκ τούτου συμφανὲς εἶναι ἕνα μόνον ἀληθινόν, ἀγαθόν, δίκαιον, κατʼ εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν τοῦ πατρὸς υἱὸν Ἰησοῦν, τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ, παιδαγωγὸν ἡμῶν εἶναι, ᾧ παρέδωκεν ἡμᾶς ὁ θεός, ὡς πατὴρ φιλόστοργος γνησίῳ παιδαγωγῷ παρακατατιθέμενος τὰ παιδία, διαρρήδην παραγγείλας ἡμῖν· »οὗτός ἐστί μου ὁ υἱὸς ὁ ἀγαπητός, αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε.« ἀξιόπιστος ὁ θεῖος παιδαγωγὸς τρισὶ τοῖς καλλίστοις κεκοσμημένος, ἐπιστήμῃ, εὐνοίᾳ, παρρησίᾳ· ἐπιστήμῃ μὲν ὅτι σοφία ἐστὶ πατρική, »πᾶσα σοφία παρὰ κυρίου καὶ μετʼ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα«· παρρησίᾳ δὲ ὅτι θεὸς καὶ δημιουργός, »πάντα γὰρ διʼ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν«· εὐνοίᾳ δὲ ὅτι μόνος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἱερεῖον ἑαυτὸν ἐπιδέδωκεν, »ὁ γὰρ ἀγαθὸς ποιμὴν τὴν ψυχὴν ἑαυτοῦ τίθησιν ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων« καὶ δὴ ἔθηκεν. εὔνοια δὲ οὐδὲν ἀλλʼ ἢ βούλησίς ἐστιν ἀγαθοῦ τῷ πλησίον, αὐτοῦ χάριν ἐκείνου.
English · Claude translation
But since, glutted irrationally, they played irrationally, the law and fear followed them, to check their sins and urge them to good deeds, preparing them to listen to the true Instructor, that is, to obedience; the Word being one and the same, adapting himself to what was pressing. For Paul says that “the law was given as an instructor to Christ,” so that it is plain from this that the one only true, good, and just Instructor is Jesus, the Son in the image and likeness of the Father, the Word of God, to whom God has handed us over, as a loving father entrusts his children to a genuine tutor, expressly commanding us: “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” The divine Instructor is trustworthy, adorned with the three finest things: knowledge, goodwill, and freedom of speech. Knowledge, because he is the Father's wisdom: “All wisdom is from the Lord and is with him forever.” Freedom of speech, because he is God and Creator: “For all things came to be through him, and without him not one thing came to be.” Goodwill, because he alone has given himself as a sacrifice for us: “For the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep,” and indeed he laid it down. And goodwill is nothing other than wishing good to one's neighbor for his own sake.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotations are Gal 3:24, Matt 17:5, Sir 1:1, John 1:3, and John 10:11; the allusion is Gen 1:26. The definition of goodwill follows Aristotle (Rhetoric 2.4.2).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (accent: grave on υἱὸς before a following word): ὁ υἱός ὁ ἀγαπητός → ὁ υἱὸς ὁ ἀγαπητός.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.11.97 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1/11/97/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.11.97 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1/11/97/).
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