Miscellanies 3.9.65
Summary: Eve was called Life as mother of all, righteous and unrighteous; Paul did not despise life in the flesh but saw it as thankful endurance for others, while departure to be with Christ is love's perfection.
Greek text · Stählin 2:225–226
αὐτίκα ἡ προκατάρξασα τῆς παραβάσεως ζωὴ προσηγορεύθη, διότι τῆς διαδοχῆς αἰτία τῶν τε γεννωμένων τῶν τε ἁμαρτανόντων γίνεται, ὁμοίως δικαίων ὡς καὶ ἀδίκων μήτηρ, ἑκάστου ἡμῶν ἑαυτὸν δικαιοῦντος ἢ ἔμπαλιν ἀπειθῆ κατασκευάζοντος. ὅθεν οὐχ ἡγοῦμαι ἔγωγε μυσάττεσθαι τὴν ἐν σαρκὶ ζωὴν τὸν ἀπόστολον, ὁπηνίκα ἂν φῇ· ἀλλʼ ἐν πάσῃ παρρησίᾳ ὡς πάντοτε καὶ νῦν μεγαλυνθήσεται Χριστὸς ἐν τῷ σώματί μου, εἴτε διὰ ζωῆς εἴτε διὰ θανάτου. ἐμοὶ γὰρ τὸ ζῆν Χριστὸς καὶ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν κέρδος. εἰ δὲ τὸ ζῆν ἐν σαρκί, καὶ τοῦτό μοι καρπὸς ἔργου, τί αἱρήσομαι οὐ γνωρίζω· συνέχομαί τε ἐκ τῶν δύο, τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἔχων εἰς τὸ ἀναλῦσαι καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι, πολλῷ γὰρ κρεῖττον· τὸ δὲ ἐπιμένειν τῇ σαρκὶ ἀναγκαιότερον διʼ ὑμᾶς. ἐνεδείξατο γάρ, οἶμαι, διὰ τούτων σαφῶς τῆς μὲν ἐξόδου τοῦ σώματος τὴν πρὸς θεὸν ἀγάπην τελείωσιν εἶναι, τῆς δὲ ἐν σαρκὶ παρουσίας τὴν εὐχάριστον διὰ τοὺς σωθῆναι δεομένους ὑπομονήν.
English · Claude translation
Indeed, the woman who began the transgression was called Life, because she became the cause of the succession both of those born and of those who sin, mother of the righteous and the unrighteous alike, each of us either justifying himself or, conversely, making himself disobedient. So I for my part do not think that the apostle loathes life in the flesh when he says: “But with all boldness, as always, so now too Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. If it is to live in the flesh, this is fruit of labor for me; and what I shall choose I do not know. I am hard pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.” For by these words, I think, he clearly showed that the perfection of love toward God is departure from the body, and that presence in the flesh is thankful endurance for the sake of those who need to be saved.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The allusion is Gen 3:20 (Eve, “Life”); the quotation is Phil 1:20–24.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 3.9.65 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/3/9/65/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 3.9.65 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/3/9/65/).
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