Recognitions 1.45–1.71

Then Peter began to teach me in this way: “When God had made the world, as Lord of the universe he appointed rulers over each of the creatures, even over the trees, the mountains and springs, the rivers, and all the things, as we said, that he had made; for it would be long to go through them one by one. So he appointed an angel as ruler over the angels, a spirit over the spirits, a star over the stars, a demon over the demons, a bird over the birds, a beast over the beasts, a serpent over the serpents, a fish over the fishes, and over men a man, who is Christ Jesus. He is called Christ by a certain special rite of religion; for as there are certain names common to kings, as Arsaces among the Persians, Caesar among the Romans, Pharaoh among the Egyptians, so among the Jews a king is called by the common name Christ. The reason for this title is this: although he was the Son of God and the beginning of all things, he became man; him first the Father anointed with oil that had been taken from the tree of life. From that ointment, then, he is called Christ. Hence, finally, he himself also, according to the Father's predestination, will anoint with similar oil all the godly when they come to his kingdom, as those who have overcome a rough road, for refreshment from their labors, so that their light too may shine, and that, filled with the Holy Spirit, they may be endowed with immortality. I remember that I have sufficiently explained to you the whole nature of the plant from which this ointment was taken.”

“But now too I will recall all this to your memory by a very brief outline. In the present life Aaron, the first high priest, anointed with a compound of chrism which was made after the pattern of that spiritual ointment of which we spoke above, was prince of the people, and as a king received first fruits and a poll tribute from the people; and having received by lot the judging of the people, he judged concerning clean and unclean. And if anyone else was anointed with the same ointment, as if receiving power from it, he became a king, or a prophet, or a high priest. If, then, this temporal grace compounded by men could do so much, understand now how great is that ointment which was brought forth by God from the plant of life, when this which was made by men confers such excellent dignities among men. For what in the present age is more glorious than a prophet, more illustrious than a high priest, more exalted than a king?”

And I answered to this: “I remember, Peter, that you said of the first man that he was a prophet; but that he was anointed you did not say. If, then, there is no prophet without ointment, how was the first man a prophet when he was not anointed?” Then Peter, smiling, said: “If the first man prophesied, it is certain that he was also anointed. For although he who set down the law in writing was silent about his anointing, he plainly left these things for us to understand. For as, if he had said that he was anointed, it would not be doubted that he was also a prophet, even if that were not written in the law, so, since it is certain that he was a prophet, it is likewise certain that he was anointed, because he could not prophesy without the ointment. But you ought rather to have said this: if the chrism was compounded by Aaron with the perfumer's art, how could the first man be anointed with ointment before the arts of compounding had been discovered?” And I answered: “Do not misrepresent me, Peter; I am not speaking of the compounded ointment and temporal oil, but of that simple and eternal one which you taught was made by God, and after whose likeness, you say, this one was compounded by men.”

And Peter, seemingly indignant at this, said: “What, Clement? Do you think that we can all know everything before the time? But now, so as not to depart from the subject of our discourse, we will explain these things to you more openly another time, when your progress has become manifest. At that time, then, the high priest or prophet anointed with the compounded ointment, kindling the altar of God, was held illustrious in all the world. But after Aaron, who was high priest, another is taken from the waters—I do not mean Moses, but him who in the waters of baptism was called Son by God. For it is Jesus who by the grace of baptism put out that fire which the high priest kindled for sins; for from the time that he appeared, the chrism ceased by which the priesthood, or prophecy, or kingship was conferred.”

“This one, then, Moses foretold would come, he who handed down the law of God to men; and another before him did so too, as I have already told you. He indicated, then, that he would come humble in his first coming, but glorious in his second. And the first has already been fulfilled, when he came and taught, and he, the judge of all, was judged and put to death. But at his second coming he will come to judge, and he will condemn the wicked, but receive the godly into the fellowship and society of the kingdom. Faith in the second coming rests on the first. For the prophets spoke of the first, especially Jacob and Moses, though some spoke also of the second. But the greatness of prophecy is proved most of all in this, that they said nothing about the future according to the natural sequence of things; otherwise they would seem rather to be wise men who had guessed what the sequence of things dictated.”

“What I mean is this: it was to be expected that Christ would be received by the Jews, to whom he had come, and that he who was expected for the salvation of the people according to the traditions of the fathers would be believed; but that the foreign nations would be estranged from him, since nothing had been promised or announced to them about him, and indeed he had never been known to them even by name. And yet the prophets, against the order and sequence of things, said that he would be the expectation of the nations, and not of the Jews. And so indeed it came about. For when he came, he was not at all recognized by those who seemed to expect him from the tradition of their ancestors; but those who had heard nothing at all of him both believe that he has come and hope that he will come. And thus in everything the prophecy proved faithful which said that he is the expectation of the nations. The Jews, then, erred about the first coming of the Lord; and between us and them there is disagreement on this point alone. For they too know and expect that Christ will come; but that he has already come in humility, this one who is called Jesus, they do not know. And his coming is confirmed most of all by this, that not all believe in him.”

“God, then, appointed him at the end of the world, because it was impossible for the evils of mortals to be purged by anyone else, so long as the nature of the human race remained intact, that is, with freedom of choice preserved. Keeping this condition unimpaired, then, he came to invite to the kingdom all the righteous and those who have striven to please him, for whom he has prepared ineffable good things and the heavenly city Jerusalem, which will shine above the brightness of the sun as the dwelling of the saints. But the unrighteous and wicked, those who have held God as nothing, have spent the life entrusted to them on various crimes, and have made the time for righteous work an exercise of malice, he will hand over to fitting punishments that they deserve. The rest of what will be done there it is not lawful for angels or men to utter or declare; but it is enough for us to know this, that God will confer on the good an eternal possession of good things.”

When he had said this, I answered: “If those whom his coming finds righteous will enjoy the kingdom of Christ, will those who died before his coming, then, be wholly deprived of the kingdom?” Then Peter said: “You compel me, Clement, to make known some things about matters that are ineffable. Yet, as far as it is lawful to declare them, I will not be reluctant. Christ, who was from the beginning and always, was always present to the godly in every generation, though secretly, and especially to those by whom he was expected, and to whom he frequently appeared. But it was not then the time for the resurrection to take place for bodies that had been dissolved; rather this seemed to be a reward from God, that whoever was found righteous should remain longer in the body, or indeed, as is plainly related of a certain righteous man in the writings of the law, that God translated him. In a similar way it has been done with others who pleased his will, so that, translated to paradise, they are kept for the kingdom. But as for those who could not fulfill the rule of righteousness completely, but had some remains of wickedness in their flesh, their bodies were indeed dissolved, but their souls are kept in good and happy regions, so that at the resurrection of the dead, when they have received back their own, purified by the very dissolution, they may obtain an eternal inheritance for the good they did. And therefore blessed are all who attain the kingdom of Christ, because not only will they escape the punishments of hell, but they will also remain incorruptible, will be the first to see God the Father, and will obtain a rank of honor among the first with God.”

“For this reason no small question is raised about Christ, and all the unbelievers among the Jews are stirred against us with immense madness, fearing lest perhaps he is the one against whom they sinned; and their fear grows all the more because they know that as soon as they fastened him to the cross the whole world suffered with him, that his body, though kept under careful guard, was nowhere to be found, and that countless multitudes are coming to faith in his name. Hence they, together with the high priest Caiaphas, were compelled to send to us more often, so that the truth of his name might be inquired into. And when they repeatedly demanded either to learn or to teach about Jesus, whether he was the Christ, it seemed good to us to go up to the temple and bear witness concerning him before all the people, and at the same time to reprove the Jews for many things that were being done by them absurdly. For the people was already being split into many parties, beginning from John the Baptist.”

“For when the rising of Christ was already at hand, to restrain sacrifices and to bestow the grace of baptism, the enemy, understanding from what had been foretold that the time was at hand, worked various schisms among the people, so that, if perhaps the former sin could be abolished, the second fault might not be corrected. The first schism, then, was that of those called Sadducees, which began almost in the time of John. These, as being more righteous than the rest, began to separate themselves from the assembly of the people and to deny the resurrection of the dead, asserting this by an argument of unbelief: they said it was not fitting that God should be worshiped as if for a reward set before them. The first author of this opinion was Dositheus, the second Simon. Another schism is that of the Samaritans; for they deny the resurrection of the dead and assert that God is to be worshiped not in Jerusalem but on Mount Gerizim. Yet, though they rightly expect the one true Prophet from the prophecies of Moses, they were prevented by the depravity of Dositheus from believing that the one they expected is Jesus. The scribes and Pharisees, too, are drawn off into another schism. But these, baptized by John and holding as the key of the kingdom of heaven the word of truth received from the tradition of Moses, hid it from the ears of the people. And some of the disciples of John, who seemed to be great, separated themselves from the people and proclaimed their master as if he were the Christ. All these schisms were prepared so that by them both faith in Christ and baptism might be hindered.”

“Nevertheless, as we had begun to say, when the high priest had frequently asked us through the priests that a discussion about Jesus be held between us, when it seemed opportune and the whole church agreed, we went up to the temple; and standing on the steps together with our faithful brethren, when the people had fallen completely silent, the high priest first began to exhort the people to listen patiently and quietly, and at the same time to become witnesses and judges of what was to be said. Then, extolling with many praises the rite of sacrifices, which had been granted by God to the human race for the remission of sins, he complained of the baptism of our Jesus as recently introduced in opposition to them. But Matthew, meeting his propositions, showed clearly that if anyone did not obtain the baptism of Jesus, he will not only be deprived of the kingdom of heaven, but will not be without danger at the resurrection of the dead, even if he is fortified by the advantage of a good life and an upright mind. Having gone through these and similar things, Matthew fell silent.”

“But the party of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection of the dead, were indignant, so that one of them cried out from the midst of the people that those greatly err who think that the dead will ever rise. Against him my brother Andrew replied, and taught that it is not an error but a most certain faith that the dead rise, according to what was taught by him whom Moses foretold as the prophet to come; ‘or if he does not seem to you to be the one whom Moses foretold,’ he said, ‘let this first be inquired into, so that, once he has been clearly proved to be so, there may be no further doubt about what he taught.’ Having testified these and many similar things, Andrew fell silent.”

“But a certain Samaritan, speaking against the people and against God, and asserting neither that the dead will rise nor that the worship of God in Jerusalem should be kept, but that Mount Gerizim should be revered, added this too against us, that our Jesus was not the one whom Moses foretold as the prophet to come. Against him and another who was pursuing the same things with him James and John, the sons of Zebedee, strove vigorously; and although they had a command not to enter their cities nor bring the word of preaching to them, yet, lest their talk, if not refuted, should harm the faith of others, they answered so prudently and boldly that they reduced them to perpetual silence. For James spoke on the resurrection of the dead with the approval of the whole people, while John showed that if they ceased from the error of Mount Gerizim, they would consequently recognize that Jesus is the one who, according to the prophecy of Moses, was expected to come; since, as Moses did signs and wonders, so did Jesus also, and there is no doubt that the likeness of the signs testifies that he is the one who Moses said would come like himself. Having testified these and many other similar things, they fell silent.”

“And behold, one of the scribes cried out from the midst of the people: ‘The signs and wonders your Jesus did, he did as a magician, not as a prophet.’ Philip met him vigorously, showing that on this reasoning he would accuse Moses too. For since Moses did signs and wonders in Egypt, and likewise Jesus in Judaea, there could be no doubt that what was said of Jesus would seem to be said of Moses also. Having testified these and many similar things, Philip fell silent.”

“But a certain Pharisee, hearing this, charged Philip with making Moses equal to Jesus. Bartholomew answered him and steadfastly taught that we do not say that Jesus is only equal to Moses, but greater; because Moses was indeed a prophet, as Jesus also was, but what Jesus was, Moses was not, that is, the Christ; and therefore he who is both prophet and Christ is without doubt greater than he who is only a prophet. Having gone through these and many similar things, he fell silent. After him James the son of Alphaeus addressed the people, to show that we should not believe in Jesus because the prophets foretold him, but rather believe the prophets to be truly prophets because Christ bears witness to them. For the presence and coming of Christ shows that they were truly prophets. For he said that the testimony of faith is given not by inferiors to the greater, but by the greater to inferiors. Having gone through these and many similar things, James too fell silent. After him Lebbaeus began vehemently to reproach the people for not believing in Jesus, who had done them so much good, teaching the things of God, comforting the afflicted, healing the sick, consoling the poor, and for all these good things they had returned hatred and death. When he had testified these and many similar things to the people, he fell silent.”

“And behold, one of John's disciples asserted that John had been the Christ, and not Jesus; ‘so much so,’ he said, ‘that Jesus himself declared John to be greater than all men and prophets. If, then,’ he said, ‘he is greater than all, he must without doubt be held greater than Moses and than Jesus himself. And if he is the greatest of all, he is the Christ.’ To this Simon the Canaanite replied, asserting that John was indeed greater than all the prophets and all who are sons of women, yet not greater than the Son of Man. And therefore Jesus is also the Christ, whereas John is only a prophet; and there is as much difference between him and Jesus as between the forerunner and him before whom he runs, and as between him who gives the law and him who keeps the law. Having gone through these and similar things, the Canaanite too fell silent. After him Barnabas, who is also Matthias, who was substituted as an apostle in place of Judas, began to admonish the people not to hate Jesus nor blaspheme him. For it is much more right, even for one who is ignorant of Jesus or in doubt about him, to love him than to hate him. For God has set a reward for love, and punishment for hatred. ‘For this very fact,’ he said, ‘that he took a Jewish body and was born among the Jews—how has it not kindled in all of you the incentives of love for him?’ When he had spoken these and similar things, he made an end of speaking.”

“Then Caiaphas tried to find fault with the teaching of Jesus, saying that he had spoken vain things: for he called the poor blessed, promised earthly rewards, placed the chief reward in an earthly inheritance, and promised that those who kept righteousness would be filled with food and drink; and he is found to have taught many things like these. Thomas, answering him, showed that he was finding fault in vain, pointing out that it was rather the prophets, whom he himself believes, who taught so, and yet did not show how these things will be or how they are to be received, whereas Jesus showed in what way they ought to be understood. And when he had said these and many similar things, Thomas too fell silent.”

“After this Caiaphas, looking at me again, now as if warning, now as if blaming, said that I ought henceforth to cease from preaching Christ Jesus, lest I do this to my own ruin, and lest, being deceived by error myself, I should also deceive others by my error. Then besides he charged me with rashness, because, though I was myself unlearned, a fisherman and a rustic, I dared to take up the office of teacher. When he said these and many similar things, I too answered in these words: that there was less danger for me if, as he said, this man is not the Christ, because I had received a teacher of the law; but for him the risk was enormous if this man is the Christ, as he certainly is. ‘For I believe in him who has appeared; but for what other, who has never appeared, does he think he is keeping his faith? But if I, an unlettered man, as you say, unskilled, a fisherman and a rustic, have more understanding than wise elders, this,’ I said, ‘ought to strike you with more fear. For if by disputing from some learning I prevailed over you, wise and learned men, it would surely seem that long study, and not the grace of divine power, had given me this; but now, when, as I said, we unskilled men convince and overcome you wise men, to whom that has sense is it not plain that this is not the work of human cleverness, but of the divine will and gift?’”

“Going through these and other such things, then, we unskilled men and fishermen testified and taught in turn: the priests concerning the one only God of heaven; the Sadducees concerning the resurrection of the dead; the Samaritans concerning the sanctity of Jerusalem (not entering their city, however, but disputing in public); the scribes and Pharisees concerning the kingdom of heaven; the disciples of John, that they should not stumble over John; and all the people, that Jesus is the eternal Christ. Last of all I admonished them that, before we went out to the Gentiles to preach to them the knowledge of God the Father, they themselves should be reconciled to God by receiving his Son. For I showed that they could in no other way be saved than by hastening, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, to be washed in baptism with the threefold invocation, and by receiving the Eucharist of Christ the Lord, whom alone they ought to believe concerning what he taught, so that thus they might be found worthy to attain eternal salvation; but that otherwise it is altogether impossible for them to be reconciled to God, even if they kindle a thousand altars and a thousand high altars to him.”

“‘For we have learned for certain,’ I said, ‘that God is much more provoked by the sacrifices you offer, now that the time of sacrifices has been completed. And because you do not wish to acknowledge that the time for offering victims has already run out, for this reason the temple too will be destroyed, and the abomination of desolation will be set up in the holy place; and then the gospel will be preached to the Gentiles as a testimony against you, so that your unbelief may be judged by their faith. For the whole world at different times suffers different diseases of wickedness, either in all generally or in individuals specially, and therefore needs a physician to visit it for its healing. So we testify to you and announce what has been hidden from each of you. It is for you to deliberate what is profitable for you.’”

“When I had said this, the whole multitude of priests groaned because I had foretold to them the overthrow of the temple. When Gamaliel, a ruler of the people, who was secretly our brother in the faith but by our counsel remained among them, saw that they were raging greatly and were moved with enormous fury against us, he rose and said: ‘Be quiet for a little, men of Israel; for you do not perceive the trial that hangs over you. Therefore refrain from these men; and if what they are doing is of human counsel, it will soon cease; but if it is from God, why do you sin without cause and gain nothing? For who can overcome the will of God? Now, then, since the day is declining toward evening, tomorrow, in this very place and in your hearing, I myself will dispute with them, so as to refute all error openly and confute it clearly.’ By these words their fury was somewhat checked, especially by the hope that on the next day we would be publicly convicted of error. And so he dismissed the people in peace.”

“We, then, when we had come to our James and set out all that had been said and done, took food with him and stayed there, praying to almighty God through the whole night that the discourse of the coming disputation might show the undoubted truth of our faith. So on the following day James the bishop went up to the temple with us and with the whole church, where we found a vast multitude that had been waiting for us since midnight. We stood, then, in the same places as before, so that, standing higher, we might be seen by all the people. And when there was complete silence, Gamaliel—who, as we said above, was of our faith, but by arrangement remained among them, so that if ever they plotted anything unjust or impious against us, he might either restrain them by counsel prudently adapted or warn us, so that we could either guard against it or avoid it—he, then, as if acting against us, looking first of all at James the bishop, addressed him in this way:”

“‘If I, Gamaliel, consider it no disgrace either to my learning or to my old age to learn something from little ones and the unlearned, if perhaps there is something of profit or salvation to be gained (for one who lives reasonably knows that nothing is more precious than the soul), how should it not be lovable to all and desired by all to learn what they do not know and to teach what they have learned? For it is most certain that neither friendship, nor kinship, nor the height of royal power ought to be more precious to a man than the truth. You too, then, brethren, if you know anything more, do not hesitate to set it before the people of God who are present, and likewise before your brethren, while the whole people hears what you say gladly and in all quiet. For how should the people not do this, when they see me myself wishing, together with them, to learn from you, if perhaps God has revealed something more to you? But if you are lacking in anything, likewise do not hesitate to be taught by us, so that God may fill up whatever is lacking on either side. And if perhaps some fear troubles you now because of some of our people who bear prejudiced minds against you, and, fearing their plots, you do not dare to say more openly what you think, then, to free you from this occasion of fear also, I swear to you by almighty God, who lives forever, that I will allow no one to lay hands on you. Having, then, all this people as witness of this oath of mine, and holding the covenant of our oath as a fit pledge, let each one of you without any hesitation set forth what he has learned, and let us, brethren, listen attentively and in silence.’”

“As Gamaliel said this, he did not greatly please Caiaphas; and, holding him suspect, as it seemed, Caiaphas began to insert himself more subtly into the disputations. For, smiling at what Gamaliel had said, the chief of the priests asked James, the chief of the bishops, that the discussion about Christ should be drawn from no other source than the Scriptures, ‘so that we may know,’ he said, ‘whether Jesus is the Christ or not.’ Then James said: ‘First let us inquire from which Scriptures especially the disputation ought to be held.’ And he, scarcely at last overcome by reason itself, answered that it must be held from the law, and after this added mention of the prophets too.”

“Our James began to show him that the prophets too took what they say from the law and spoke in harmony with the law. He also discussed something of the books of the Kingdoms: how, when, and by whom they were written, and how they ought to be used. And when he had discussed the law most fully, and by the clearest exposition had brought to light everything in it concerning Christ, he showed by the most abundant proofs that Jesus is the Christ, and that in him all that had been foretold of his humble coming is fulfilled. For he taught that two comings of his had been foretold: one of humility, which he has fulfilled; the other of glory, which is hoped to be fulfilled when he comes to give the kingdom to those who believe in him and keep all that he has commanded. And when he had clearly taught the people about these things, he added this too: that unless someone has been baptized in water under the name of the threefold blessedness, as the true Prophet taught, he will neither receive remission of sins nor enter the kingdom of heaven; and he affirmed that this is the decree of the unbegotten God. To this he also added: ‘Do not think that we speak of two unbegotten gods, or that one is divided into two, or, as the impious say, that the same became male and female of himself; but we say that the only-begotten Son of God was born ineffably, not from another beginning, but from him himself. And we say likewise concerning the Paraclete.’ And when he had said some things also about baptism, through seven continuous days he persuaded all the people and the high priest to hasten at once to receive baptism.”

“And when matters had come to this point, that they should come and be baptized, a certain hostile man, entering the temple at that time with very few others, began to shout and say: ‘What are you doing, men of Israel? Why are you so easily carried away? Why are you led headlong by most wretched men, deceived by Simon, a magician?’ And when he was saying this and adding more, and was being overcome by James the bishop, he began to stir up the people and raise riots, so that the people could not hear what was being said. So he began to throw everything into confusion with shouts, to overturn what had been arranged with much labor, and at the same time to accuse the priests and inflame them with reproaches and rebukes, and like a madman to rouse each one to slaughter, saying: ‘What are you doing? Why do you hesitate? You sluggish and idle men, why do we not lay hands on all these and tear them to pieces?’ When he had said this, he was the first to snatch a strong brand from the altar and to begin the slaughter. Then the rest too, seeing him, were carried away with like madness; a shout goes up from all, from those striking and those struck alike; much blood is shed; there is confused flight; and meanwhile that hostile man attacked James and threw him headlong from the top of the steps, and, believing him dead, took no care to beat him further.”

“But our people took him up and carried him off; for they were both more numerous and stronger than the others, but out of reverence for God they preferred to let themselves be killed by fewer men rather than to kill others. When evening came, the priests shut the temple; and we, returning to the house of James and spending the night there in prayer, went down before dawn to Jericho, about five thousand men. After three days one of the brethren came to us from Gamaliel, whom we mentioned above, bringing us secret news that that hostile man had received a commission from Caiaphas the high priest to persecute all who believed in Jesus, and to go to Damascus with his letters, so that there too, using the help of the unbelievers, he might bring destruction on the faithful; and that he was hastening to Damascus especially because he believed Peter had fled there. And after about thirty days he passed through Jericho on his way to Damascus, at the time when we had gone out to the tombs of two of the brethren, which were whitened of their own accord every year; by this miracle the fury of many against us was checked, as they saw that our brethren were held in remembrance before God.”