The Instructor 1.9.87
Summary: Reverent fear, like a good child's toward a father, differs from a slave's hateful fear; the one God is both just in rebuke and good in mercy.
Greek text · Stählin 1:140–141
διττὸν δὲ τὸ εἶδος τοῦ φόβου, ὧν τὸ μὲν ἕτερον γίνεται μετὰ αἰδοῦς, ᾧ χρῶνται πολῖται μὲν πρὸς ἡγεμόνας ἀγαθοὺς καὶ ἡμεῖς πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καθάπερ οἱ παῖδες οἱ σώφρονες πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας· »ἵππος γάρ«, φησίν, »ἀδάμαστος ἐκβαίνει σκληρός, καὶ υἱὸς ἀνειμένος ἐκβαίνει προαλής·« τὸ δὲ ἕτερον εἶδος τοῦ φόβου μετὰ μίσους γίνεται, ᾧ δοῦλοι πρὸς δεσπότας κέχρηνται χαλεποὺς καὶ Ἑβραῖοι δεσπότην ποιήσαντες, οὐ πατέρα, τὸν θεόν. πολλῷ δέ, οἶμαι, καὶ τῷ παντὶ τὸ ἑκούσιον καὶ κατὰ προαίρεσιν τοῦ κατὰ ἀνάγκην εἰς εὐσέβειαν διαφέρει. »αὐτὸς γάρ«, φησίν, »οἰκτίρμων ἐστίν, ἰάσεται τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν καὶ οὐ διαφθερεῖ· καὶ πληθυνεῖ τοῦ ἀποστρέψαι τὸν θυμὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐκκαύσει πᾶσαν τὴν ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ.« ὅρα πῶς τὸ δίκαιον ἐπιδείκνυται τοῦ παιδαγωγοῦ τὸ περὶ τὰς ἐπιτιμήσεις καὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ περὶ τὰς οἰκτειρήσεις. διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Δαβίδ, τουτέστι τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ διʼ αὐτοῦ, ἄμφω περιλαβὼν ἐπὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ψάλλει θεοῦ· »δικαιοσύνη καὶ κρίμα ἑτοιμασία τοῦ θρόνου σου· ἔλεος καὶ ἀλήθεια προπορεύσονται πρὸ προσώπου σου.«
English · Claude translation
Fear is of two kinds. One comes with reverence: citizens have it toward good rulers, and we toward God, as sensible children toward their fathers. “For an untamed horse turns out stubborn,” it says, “and a son left to himself turns out headstrong.” The other kind of fear comes with hatred: slaves have it toward harsh masters, and the Hebrews had it, who made God a master, not a father. The voluntary, freely chosen fear differs greatly, I think, indeed entirely, from compelled fear in relation to piety. “For he is merciful,” it says; “he will heal their sins and not destroy them; and he will abound in turning away his anger, and will not kindle all his wrath.” See how the justice of the Instructor is shown in his rebukes, and the goodness of God in his compassion. That is why David, that is, the Spirit through him, including both, sings of the same God: “Righteousness and judgment are the foundation of your throne; mercy and truth will go before your face.”
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotations are Sir 30:8, Ps 78:38 (77:38 LXX), and Ps 89:14 (88:15 LXX). “The Hebrews … made God a master, not a father” reflects Clement's contrast between the old covenant of fear and the new covenant of love (1.7.59); compare Rom 8:15.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (word divided in the digital text): οὐ πα τέρα → οὐ πατέρα.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.9.87 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1/9/87/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.9.87 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-paedagogus/1/9/87/).
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