Miscellanies 7.2.8
Summary: Out of love for humanity the Son took flesh and came for the salvation of all; the Word rules by providence, causes all good, and showed in the flesh what obedience makes possible.
Greek text · Stählin 2
οὐκ ἂν οὖν ποτε ὁ σωτὴρ μισάνθρωπος, ὅς γε διὰ τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν φιλανθρωπίαν σαρκὸς ἀνθρωπίνης εὐπάθειαν οὐχ ὑπεριδών, ἀλλʼ ἐνδυσάμενος, ἐπὶ τὴν κοινὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐλήλυθεν σωτηρίαν· κοινὴ γὰρ ἡ πίστις τῶν ἑλομένων. ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ τοῦ ἰδίου ποτʼ ἂν ἀμελοίη ἔργου τῷ μόνῳ τῶν ἄλλων ζῴων ἀνθρώπῳ ἔννοιαν κατὰ τὴν δημιουργίαν ἐνεστάχθαι θεοῦ. οὐδʼ ἂν βελτίων τις ἄλλη καὶ ἁρμονιωτέρα διοίκησις ἀνθρώπων εἴη τῷ θεῷ τῆς τεταγμένης. προσήκει γοῦν ἀεὶ τῷ κρείττονι κατὰ φύσιν ἡγεῖσθαι τοῦ χείρονος, καὶ τῷ δυναμένῳ καλῶς τι διέπειν ἀποδεδόσθαι τὴν ἐκείνου διοίκησιν. ἔστιν δὲ τὸ ὡς ἀληθῶς ἄρχον τε καὶ ἡγεμονοῦν ὁ θεῖος λόγος καὶ ἡ τούτου πρόνοια, πάντα μὲν ἐφορῶσα, μηδενὸς δὲ τῶν οἰκείων ἑαυτῆς παρορῶσα τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν. οὗτοι δʼ ἂν εἶεν οἱ ἑλόμενοι οἰκεῖοι εἶναι αὐτῷ. οἱ διὰ πίστεως τελειούμενοι. οὕτως ἁπάντων τῶν ἀγαθῶν θελήματι τοῦ παντοκράτορος πατρὸς αἴτιος ὁ υἱὸς καθίσταται, πρωτουργὸς κινήσεως δύναμις. ἄληπτος αἰσθήσει. οὐ γὰρ ὃ ἦν, τοῦτο ὤφθη τοῖς χωρῆσαι μὴ δυναμένοις διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκός, αἰσθητὴν δὲ ἀναλαβὼν σάρκα τὸ δυνατὸν ἀνθρώποις κατὰ τὴν ὑπακοὴν τῶν ἐντολῶν δείξων ἀφίκετο. Δύναμις οὖν πατρικὴ ὑπάρχων ῥᾳδίως περιγίνεται ὧν ἂν ἐθέλῃ.
English · Claude translation
So the Savior would never hate human beings, he who, because of his surpassing love for humanity, did not disdain the tender sensitivity of human flesh but put it on, and came for the common salvation of human beings; for faith is common to those who choose it. Nor would he ever neglect his own work, the human being, the only living creature into whom, at creation, a notion of God was instilled. Nor could there be any other better and more harmonious government of human beings for God than the one appointed. It is fitting, at any rate, for what is better by nature always to lead what is worse, and for the government of anything to be given to the one who can manage it well. And what truly rules and leads is the divine Word and his providence, overseeing all things and neglecting the care of none of its own. And these would be those who have chosen to be his own, those made perfect through faith. Thus, by the will of the almighty Father, the Son is established as the cause of all good things, the first-working power of motion, beyond the grasp of sense. For he was not seen as what he was by those unable to receive him because of the weakness of the flesh; but, taking on flesh that could be perceived, he came to show what is possible for human beings in obedience to the commandments. Being, then, the Father's power, he easily prevails over whatever he wishes,
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- “Tender sensitivity” renders εὐπάθεια, the capacity of flesh to feel.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray period in the digital text): ἐφορῶσα. μηδενὸς → ἐφορῶσα, μηδενὸς.
Cite this passage
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 7.2.8 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/7/2/8/).
Plain text
Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 7.2.8 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/clement-stromata/7/2/8/).
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