Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, or Miscellanies

But the knowledge of those who think themselves wise, whether the barbarian sects or the philosophers among the Greeks, according to the apostle, “puffeth up.”454 1 Cor. viii. 1. But that knowledge, which is the scientific demonstration of what is delivered according to the true philosophy, is founded on faith. Now, we may say that it is that process of reason which, from what is admitted, procures faith in what is disputed. Now, faith being twofold—the faith of knowledge and that of opinion—nothing prevents us from calling demonstration twofold, the one resting on knowledge, the other on opinion; since also knowledge and foreknowledge are designated as twofold, that which is essentially accurate, that which is defective. And is not the demonstration, which we possess, that alone which is true, as being supplied out of the divine Scriptures, the sacred writings, and out of the “God-taught wisdom,” according to the apostle? Learning, then, is also obedience to the commandments, which is faith in God. And faith is a power of God, being the strength of the truth. For example, it is said, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard, ye shall remove the mountain.”455 Matt. xvii. 20. And again, “According to thy faith let it be to thee.”456 Matt. ix. 29. And one is cured, receiving healing by faith; and the dead is raised up in consequence of the power of one believing that he would be raised. The demonstration, however, which rests on opinion is human, and is the result of rhetorical arguments or dialectic syllogisms. For the highest demonstration, to which we have alluded, produces intelligent faith by the adducing and opening up of the Scriptures to the souls of those who desire to learn; the result of which is knowledge (gnosis). For if what is adduced in order to prove the point at issue is assumed to be true, as being divine and prophetic, manifestly the conclusion arrived at by inference from it will consequently be inferred truly; and the legitimate result of the demonstration will be knowledge. When, then, the memorial of the celestial and divine food was commanded to be consecrated in the golden pot, it was said, “The omer was the tenth of the three measures.”457 Ex. xvi. 36, Septuagint; “the tenth part of an ephah,” A.V. For in ourselves, by the three measures are indicated three criteria; sensation of objects of sense, speech,—of spoken names and words, and the mind,—of intellectual objects. The Gnostic, therefore, will abstain from errors in speech, and thought, and sensation, and action, having heard “that he that looks so as to lust hath committed adultery;”458 Matt. v. 28. and reflecting that “blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God;”459 Matt. xv. 11, 19. and knowing this, “that not what enters into the mouth defileth, but that it is what cometh forth by the mouth that defileth the man. For out of the heart proceed thoughts.”460 Matt. v. 8. This, as I think, is the true and just measure according to God, by which things capable of measurement are measured, the decad which is comprehensive of man; which summarily the three above-mentioned measures pointed out. There are body and soul, the five senses, speech, the power of reproduction—the intellectual or the spiritual faculty, or whatever you choose to call it. And we must, in a word, ascending above all the others, stop at the mind; as also certainly in the universe overleaping the nine divisions, the first consisting of the four elements put in one place for equal interchange: and then the seven wandering stars and the one that wanders not, the ninth, to the perfect number, which is above the nine,461 The text here reads θεῶν, arising in all probability from the transcriber mistaking the numeral θ for the above. and the tenth division, we must reach to the knowledge of God, to speak briefly, desiring the Maker after the creation. Wherefore the tithes both of the ephah and of the sacrifices were presented to God; and the paschal feast began with the tenth day, being the transition from all trouble, and from all objects of sense.

The Gnostic is therefore fixed by faith; but the man who thinks himself wise touches not what pertains to the truth, moved as he is by unstable and wavering impulses. It is therefore reasonably written, “Cain went forth from the face of God, and dwelt in the land of Naid, over against Eden.” Now Naid is interpreted commotion, and Eden delight; and Faith, and Knowledge, and Peace are delight, from which he that has disobeyed is cast out. But he that is wise in his own eyes will not so much as listen to the beginning of the divine commandments; but, as if his own teacher, throwing off the reins, plunges voluntarily into a billowy commotion, sinking down to mortal and created things from the uncreated knowledge, holding various opinions at various times. “Those who have no guidance fall like leaves.”462 Prov. xi. 14, Septuagint; “Where no counsel is, the people fall,” A.V.

Reason, the governing principle, remaining unmoved and guiding the soul, is called its pilot. For access to the Immutable is obtained by a truly immutable means. Thus Abraham was stationed before the Lord, and approaching spoke.463 Gen. xviii. 22, 23. And to Moses it is said, “But do thou stand there with Me.”464 Ex. xxxiv. 2. And the followers of Simon wish be assimilated in manners to the standing form which they adore. Faith, therefore, and the knowledge of the truth, render the soul, which makes them its choice, always uniform and equable. For congenial to the man of falsehood is shifting, and change, and turning away, as to the Gnostic are calmness, and rest, and peace. As, then, philosophy has been brought into evil repute by pride and self-conceit, so also gnosis by false gnosis called by the same name; of which the apostle writing says, “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding the profane and vain babblings and oppositions of science (gnosis) falsely so called; which some professing, have erred concerning the faith.”465 1 Tim. vi. 20, 21.

Convicted by this utterance, the heretics reject the Epistles to Timothy.466 [See Elucidation III. at the end of this second book.] Well, then, if the Lord is the truth, and wisdom, and power of God, as in truth He is, it is shown that the real Gnostic is he that knows Him, and His Father by Him. For his sentiments are the same with him who said, “The lips of the righteous know high things.”467 Prov. x. 21, Septuagint; “feed many,” A.V.

Ἀλλ' ἡ μὲν τῶν οἰησισόφων, εἴτε αἱρέσεις εἶεν βάρβαροι εἴτε οἱ παρ' Ἕλλησι φιλόσοφοι, γνῶσις φυσιοῖ κατὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον· πιστὴ δὲ ἡ γνῶσις ἥτις ἂν εἴη ἐπιστημονικὴ ἀπόδειξις τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἀληθῆ φιλοσοφίαν παραδιδομένων. φήσαιμεν δ' ἂν αὐτὴν λόγον εἶναι τοῖς ἀμφισβητουμένοις ἐκ τῶν ὁμολογουμένων ἐκπορίζοντα τὴν πίστιν. πίστεως δ' οὔσης διττῆς, τῆς μὲν ἐπιστημονικῆς, τῆς δὲ δοξαστικῆς, οὐδὲν κωλύει ἀπόδειξιν ὀνομάζειν διττήν, τὴν μὲν ἐπιστημονικήν, τὴν δὲ δοξαστικήν, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἡ γνῶσις καὶ ἡ πρόγνωσις διττὴ λέγεται, ἣ μὲν ἀπηκριβωμένην ἔχουσα τὴν ἑαυτῆς φύσιν, ἣ δὲ ἐλλιπῆ. καὶ μή τι ἡ παρ' ἡμῖν ἀπόδειξις μόνη ἂν εἴη ἀληθής, ἅτε ἐκ θείων χορηγουμένη γραφῶν, τῶν ἱερῶν γραμμάτων καὶ τῆς θεοδιδάκτου σοφίας κατὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον. μάθησις γοῦν καὶ τὸ πείθεσθαι ταῖς ἐντολαῖς, ὅ ἐστι πιστεύειν τῷ θεῷ. καὶ ἡ πίστις δύναμίς τις τοῦ θεοῦ, ἰσχὺς οὖσα τῆς ἀληθείας. αὐτίκα φησίν· ἐὰν ἔχητε πίστιν ὡς κόκκον σινάπεως, μεταστήσετε τὸ ὄρος· καὶ πάλιν· κατὰ τὴν πίστιν σου γενηθήτω σοι· καὶ ὃ μὲν θεραπεύεται προσλαβὼν τῇ πίστει τὴν ἴασιν, ὃ δὲ νεκρὸς ἀνίσταται διὰ τὴν τοῦ πιστεύσαντος ὅτι ἀναστήσεται ἰσχύν. ἡ δὲ δοξαστικὴ ἀπόδειξις ἀνθρωπική τέ ἐστι καὶ πρὸς τῶν ῥητορικῶν γινομένη ἐπιχειρημάτων ἢ καὶ διαλεκτικῶν συλλογισμῶν. ἡ γὰρ ἀνωτάτω ἀπόδειξις, ἣν ᾐνιξάμεθα ἐπιστημονικήν, πίστιν ἐντίθησι διὰ τῆς τῶν γραφῶν παραθέσεώς τε καὶ διοίξεως ταῖς τῶν μανθάνειν ὀρεγομένων ψυχαῖς, ἥτις ἂν εἴη γνῶσις. εἰ γὰρ τὰ παραλαμβανόμενα πρὸς τὸ ζητούμενον ἀληθῆ λαμβάνεται, ὡς ἂν θεῖα ὄντα καὶ προφητικά, δῆλόν που ὡς καὶ τὸ συμπέρασμα τὸ ἐπιφερόμενον αὐτοῖς ἀκολούθως ἀληθὲς ἐπενεχθήσεται· καὶ εἴη ἂν ὀρθῶς ἡμῖν ἀπόδειξις ἡ γνῶσις. Ἡνίκα γοῦν τῆς οὐρανίου καὶ θείας τροφῆς τὸ μνημόσυνον ἐν στάμνῳ χρυσῷ καθιεροῦσθαι προσετάττετο, τὸ γόμορ φησὶ τὸ δέκατον τῶν τριῶν μέτρων ἦν. ἐν ἡμῖν γὰρ αὐτοῖς τρία μέτρα, τρία κριτήρια μηνύεται, αἴσθησις μὲν αἰσθητῶν, λεγομένων δὲ [καὶ] ὀνομάτων καὶ ῥημάτων ὁ λόγος, νοητῶν δὲ νοῦς. ὁ τοίνυν γνωστικὸς ἀφέξεται μὲν τῶν κατὰ λόγον καὶ τῶν κατὰ διάνοιαν καὶ τῶν κατὰ αἴσθησιν καὶ ἐνέργειαν ἁμαρτημάτων, ἀκηκοὼς ὅπως ὁ ἰδὼν πρὸς ἐπιθυμίαν ἐμοίχευσεν, λαβών τε ἐν νῷ ὡς μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται, κἀκεῖνο ἐπιστάμενος ὅτι οὐ τὰ εἰσερχόμενα εἰς τὸ στόμα κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἐξερχόμενα διὰ τοῦ στόματος ἐκεῖνα κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον· ἐκ γὰρ τῆς καρδίας ἐξέρχονται διαλογισμοί. τοῦτ', οἶμαι, τὸ κατὰ θεὸν ἀληθινὸν καὶ δίκαιον μέτρον, ᾧ μετρεῖται τὰ μετρούμενα, ἡ τὸν ἄνθρωπον συνέχουσα δεκάς, ἣν ἐπὶ κεφαλαίων τὰ προειρημένα τρία ἐδήλωσεν μέτρα. εἴη δ' ἂν σῶμά τε καὶ ψυχὴ αἵ τε πέντε αἰσθήσεις καὶ τὸ φωνητικὸν καὶ σπερματικὸν καὶ τὸ διανοητικὸν ἢ πνευματικὸν ἢ ὅπως καὶ βούλει καλεῖν. χρὴ δὲ ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν τῶν ἄλλων πάντων ὑπεραναβαίνοντας ἐπὶ τὸν νοῦν ἵστασθαι, ὥσπερ ἀμέλει κἀν τῷ κόσμῳ τὰς ἐννέα μοίρας ὑπερπηδήσαντας, πρώτην μὲν τὴν διὰ τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων ἐν μιᾷ χώρᾳ τιθεμένων διὰ τὴν ἴσην τροπήν, ἔπειτα δὲ τὰς ἑπτὰ τὰς πλανωμένας τήν τε ἀπλανῆ ἐνάτην, ἐπὶ τὸν τέλειον ἀριθμὸν τὸν ὑπεράνω τῶν ἐννέα, τὴν δὲ δεκάτην μοῖραν, ἐπὶ τὴν γνῶσιν ἀφικνεῖσθαι τοῦ θεοῦ, συνελόντι φάναι μετὰ τὴν κτίσιν τὸν ποιητὴν ἐπιποθοῦντας. διὰ τοῦτο αἱ δεκάται τοῦ τε οἶφι τῶν τε ἱερείων τῷ θεῷ προσεκομίζοντο, καὶ ἡ τοῦ πάσχα ἑορτὴ ἀπὸ δεκάτης ἤρχετο, παντὸς πάθους καὶ παντὸς αἰσθητοῦ διάβασις οὖσα. πέπηγεν οὖν τῇ πίστει ὁ γνωστικός, ὁ δὲ οἰησίσοφος ἑκὼν τῆς ἀληθείας οὐχ ἅπτεται, ἀστάτοις καὶ ἀνιδρύτοις ὁρμαῖς κεχρημένος. εἰκότως οὖν γέγραπται· ἐξῆλθεν δὲ Κάιν ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ᾤκησεν ἐν γῇ Ναὶδ κατέναντι Ἐδέμ· ἑρμηνεύεται δὲ ἡ μὲν Ναὶδ σάλος, ἡ δὲ Ἐδὲμ τρυφή· πίστις δὲ καὶ γνῶσις καὶ εἰρήνη ἡ τρυφή, ἧς ὁ παρακούσας ἐκβάλλεται, ὁ δὲ οἰη σίσοφος τὴν ἀρχὴν οὐδὲ ἐπαΐειν βούλεται τῶν θείων ἐντολῶν, ἀλλ' οἷον αὐτομαθὴς ἀφηνιάσας εἰς σάλον κυμαινόμενον ἑκὼν μεθίσταται, εἰς τὰ θνητά τε καὶ γεννητὰ καταβαίνων ἐκ τῆς τοῦ ἀγεννήτου γνώσεως, ἄλλοτε ἀλλοῖα δοξάζων. οἷς δὲ μὴ ὑπάρχει κυβέρνησις, πίπτουσιν ὥσπερ φύλλα· ὁ λογισμὸς καὶ τὸ ἡγεμονικὸν ἄπταιστον μένον καὶ καθηγούμενον τῆς ψυχῆς κυβερνήτης αὐτῆς εἴρηται· ὄντως γὰρ ἀτρέπτῳ πρὸς τὸ ἄτρεπτον ἡ προσαγωγή. οὕτως Ἀβραὰμ ἑστὼς ἦν ἀπέναντι κυρίου καὶ ἐγγίσας εἶπεν· καὶ τῷ Μωυσεῖ λέγεται σὺ δὲ αὐτοῦ στῆθι μετ' ἐμοῦ. οἱ δὲ ἀμφὶ τὸν Σίμωνα τῷ Ἑστῶτι, ὃν σέβουσιν, ἐξομοιοῦσθαι [τὸν] τρόπον βούλονται. ἡ πίστις οὖν ἥ τε γνῶσις τῆς ἀληθείας αἰεὶ κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ καὶ ὡσαύτως ἔχειν κατασκευάζουσι τὴν ἑλομένην αὐτὰς ψυχήν. συγγενὲς δὲ τῷ ψεύδει μετάβασις [καὶ] ἐκτροπὴ καὶ ἀπόστασις, ὥσπερ τῷ γνωστικῷ ἠρεμία καὶ ἀνάπαυσις καὶ εἰρήνη. καθάπερ οὖν τὴν φιλοσοφίαν ὁ τῦφος καὶ ἡ οἴησις διαβέβληκεν, οὕτως καὶ τὴν γνῶσιν ἡ ψευδὴς γνῶσις, ἡ τε ὁμωνύμως καλουμένη, περὶ ἧς ὁ ἀπόστολος γράφων ὦ Τιμόθεε, φησίν, τὴν παραθήκην φύλαξον, ἐκτρεπόμενος τὰς βεβήλους κενοφωνίας καὶ ἀντιθέσεις τῆς ψευδωνύμου γνώσεως, ἥν τινες ἐπαγγελλόμενοι περὶ τὴν πίστιν ἠστόχησαν. ὑπὸ ταύτης ἐλεγχόμενοι τῆς φωνῆς οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν αἱρέσεων τὰς πρὸς Τιμόθεον ἀθετοῦσιν ἐπιστολάς. φέρε οὖν εἰ ὁ κύριος ἀλήθεια καὶ σοφία καὶ δύναμις θεοῦ, ὥσπερ οὖν ἐστι, δειχθείη ὅτι τῷ ὄντι γνωστικὸς ὁ τοῦτον ἐγνωκὼς καὶ τὸν πατέρα τὸν αὐτοῦ δι' αὐτοῦ· συναίσθεται γὰρ τοῦ λέγοντος· χείλη δικαίων ἐπίσταται ὑψηλά.