Clement: "we understand, then, the Unknown, by divine grace, and by the word alone"

“It remains that we understand, then, the Unknown, by divine grace, and by the word alone that proceeds from Him; as Luke in the Acts of the Apostles relates that Paul said, "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For in walking about, and beholding the objects of your worship, I found an altar on which was inscribed, To the Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you.””

(λείπεται δὴ θείᾳ χάριτι καὶ μόνῳ τῷ παρ' αὐτοῦ λόγῳ τὸ ἄγνωστον νοεῖν, καθὸ καὶ ὁ Λουκᾶς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι τῶν ἀποστόλων ἀπομνημονεύει τὸν Παῦλον λέγοντα· ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, κατὰ πάντα ὡς δεισιδαιμονεστέρους ὑμᾶς θεωρῶ. περιερχόμενος γὰρ καὶ ἀναθεωρῶν τὰ σεβάσματα ὑμῶν εὗρον καὶ βωμὸν ἐν ᾧ ἐπεγέγραπτο· "7ἀγνώστῳ θεῷ."7 ὃν οὖν ἀγνοοῦντες εὐσεβεῖτε, τοῦτον ἐγὼ καταγγέλλω ὑμῖν.) (Str. 5.12.82.4)

"The Word of God became man, that thou mayest learn from man how man may become God"

“[T]he Word of God became man, that thou mayest learn from man how man may become God.” (ὁ λόγος ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος γενόμενος, ἵνα δὴ καὶ σὺ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου μάθῃς, πῇ ποτε ἄρα ἄνθρωπος γένηται θεός) (Protr. 1.8.4.)

"He is in essence remote [...] But He is very near in virtue of that power"

"He who is far off has—oh ineffable marvel!—come very near. “I am a God that draws near,” says the Lord. He is in essence (κατ' οὐσίαν) remote; “for how is it that what is begotten can have approached the Unbegotten?” But He is very near in virtue of that power (ἐγγυτάτω δὲ δυνάμει) which holds all things in its embrace." (Str. 2.2.5.4)

Clement: Faith is a grace

Faith is a grace which from what is indemonstrable conducts to what is universal and simple, what is neither with matter, nor matter, nor under matter.  (ἡ πίστις δὲ χάρις ἐξ ἀναποδείκτων εἰς τὸ καθόλου ἀναβιβάζουσα τὸ ἁπλοῦν, ὃ οὔτε σὺν ὕλῃ ἐστὶν οὔτε ὕλη οὔτε ὑπὸ ὕλης) (Str. 2.4.14.3-2.4.15.1)

Clement: "we tread the earth, although with light foot"

 "We strain upward with out minds, we have given up sin and the world, we tread the earth, although with light foot, only to the degree that appearances demand, that we may be in this world." (Paed. 1,5,16) (ἀνατεινόμενοι δὲ ἄνω τῇ ἐννοίᾳ, κόσμῳ καὶ ἁμαρτίαις  ἀποτεταγμένοι, ὀλίγῳ ποδὶ ἐφαπτόμενοι τῆς γῆς, ὅσον ἐν κόσμῳ εἶναι δοκεῖν)

Clement: "We, however, as soon as He conceived the thought, became His children"

"We, however, as soon as He conceived the thought, became His children, having had assigned us the best and most secure rank by His orderly arrangement, which first circles about the world, the heavens, and the sun’s circuits, and occupies itself with the motions of the rest of the stars for man’s behoof, and then busies itself with man himself, on whom all its care is concentrated; and regarding him as its greatest work, regulated his soul by wisdom and temperance, and tempered the body with beauty and proportion." (Paed. 1,2,6,5-6)

1.2.6.5 Ἡμεῖς δὲ ἅμα νοήματι νήπιοι γεγόναμεν, τὴν ἀρίστην καὶ βεβαιοτάτην τάξιν παρὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ εὐταξίας μεταλαμβάνοντες, ἣ πρῶτον μὲν ἀμφὶ τὸν κόσμον καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν τάς τε ἡλιακὰς περιδινήσεις κύκλους τε καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἄστρων τὰς φορὰς ἀσχολεῖται διὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἔπειτα δὲ περὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον 1.2.6.6 αὐτόν, περὶ ὃν ἡ πᾶσα σπουδὴ καταγίνεται· καὶ τοῦτον ἔργον ἡγουμένη μέγιστον, ψυχὴν μὲν αὐτοῦ φρονήσει καὶ σωφροσύνῃ κατηύθυνεν, τὸ δὲ σῶμα κάλλει καὶ εὐρυθμίᾳ συνεκεράσατο, περὶ δὲ τὰς πράξεις τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος τό τε ἐν αὐταῖς κατορθοῦν καὶ τὸ εὔτακτον ἐνέπνευσεν τὸ  αὑτῆς.

"It was not without the wood of the tree that He came to our knowledge."

Moses says, “Show Thyself to me,”—intimating most clearly that God is not capable of being taught by man, or expressed in speech, but to be known only by His own power. For inquiry was obscure and dim; but the grace of knowledge is from Him by the Son. Most clearly Solomon shall testify to us, speaking thus: “The prudence of man is not in me: but God giveth me wisdom, and I know holy things.” Now Moses, describing allegorically the divine prudence, called it the tree of life planted in Paradise; which Paradise may be the world in which all things proceeding from creation grow. In it also the Word blossomed and bore fruit, being “made flesh,” and gave life to those “who had tasted of His graciousness”; since it was not without the wood of the tree that He came to our knowledge. For our life was hung on it, in order that we might believe. (ἐκρεμάσθη γὰρ ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῶν εἰς πίστιν ἡμῶν.)” (Clement, Str. V 71,5-V 72,4)

Clement: The One is infinite

 “[...]since the first principle (ἀρχὴ) of everything is difficult to find out
(δυσεύρετος), the absolutely first and oldest principle (πρώτη καὶ
πρεσβυτάτη ἀρχὴ), which is the cause of all other things being and having
been, is difficult to exhibit (δύσδεικτος). For how can that be expressed
which is neither genus, nor difference, nor species, nor individual, nor
number; nay more, is neither an event, nor that to which an event happens?
No one can rightly express Him wholly. For on account of His greatness He
is ranked as the All, and is the Father of the universe. Nor are any parts to
be predicated of Him. For the One is indivisible (ἀδιαίρετον γὰρ τὸ ἕν); wherefore also it is infinite (ἄπειρον), not considered with reference to
inscrutability (ἀδιεξίτητον), but with reference to its being without
dimensions (ἀδιάστατον), and not having a limit (μὴ ἔχον πέρας). And
therefore it is without form and name (ἀσχημάτιστον καὶ ἀνωνόμαστον).” (Str. 5.12.81.4, pp. 463-464)

Clement: "abstracting all that belongs to bodies and things called incorporeal, we cast ourselves into the greatness of Christ"

 

“We shall understand the mode of purification by confession (καθαρτικὸν τρόπον ὁμολογίᾳ), and that of contemplation by analysis (ἀναλύσει), advancing by analysis to the first notion, beginning with the properties underlying it; abstracting (ἀφελόντες) from the body its physical properties, taking away (περιελόντες) the dimension (διάστασιν) of depth, then that of breadth, and then that of length. For the point (σημεῖόν) which remains (ὑπολειφθὲν) is a unit (μονὰς), so to speak, having position; from which if we abstract (περιέλωμεν) position, there is the conception of unity. If, then, abstracting all that belongs to bodies and things called incorporeal, we cast ourselves into the greatness of Christ (τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ Χριστοῦ κἀκεῖθεν), and thence advance (προΐοιμεν) into immensity (ἀχανὲς) by holiness, we may reach somehow to the thought (νοήσει) of the Almighty, knowing not what He is, but what He is not (οὐχ ὅ ἐστιν, ὃ δὲ μή ἐστι γνωρίσαντες).” (Str. 5,71,2-5)

"Hail O light!" Hymn from Clement's Protrepticus

Hail, O light! For in us, buried in darkness, shut up in the shadow of death, light has shone forth from heaven, purer than the sun, sweeter than life here below. That light is eternal life; and whatever partakes of it lives. But night fears the light, and hiding itself in terror, gives place to the day of the Lord. Sleepless light is now over all, and the west has given credence to the east. For this was the end of the new creation. For the Sun of Righteousness, who drives His chariot over all, pervades equally all humanity, like His Father, who makes His sun to rise on all men, and distils on them the dew of the truth. He has changed sunset into sunrise, and through the cross brought death to life; and having wrenched man from destruction, He has raised him to the skies, transplanting mortality into immortality, and translating earth to heaven — He, the husbandman of God, “Pointing out the favourable signs and rousing the nations, to good works, putting them in mind of the true sustenance;” having bestowed on us the truly great, divine, and inalienable inheritance of the Father, deifying man by heavenly teaching, putting His laws into our minds, and writing them on our hearts. (A paschal hymn appearing in Clement of Alexandria’s Exhortation to the Greeks, Protrepticus, 11,114,1-5)

"χαῖρε φῶς"· φῶς ἡμῖν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ τοῖς ἐν σκότει κατορωρυγμένοις καὶ ἐν σκιᾷ θανάτου κατακεκλεισμένοις ἐξέλαμψεν ἡλίου καθαρώ 11.114.2 τερον, ζωῆς τῆς ἐνταῦθα γλυκύτερον. Τὸ φῶς ἐκεῖνο ζωή ἐστιν ἀίδιος, καὶ ὅσα μετείληφεν αὐτοῦ, ζῇ, ἡ νὺξ δὲ εὐλα βεῖται τὸ φῶς καὶ δύνουσα διὰ τὸν φόβον παραχωρεῖ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ κυρίου· τὰ πάντα φῶς ἀκοίμητον γέγονεν καὶ ἡ 11.114.3 δύσις εἰς ἀνατολὴν περιέστηκεν. Τοῦτο ἡ κτίσις ἡ καινὴ βεβούληται· ὁ γὰρ τὰ πάντα καθιππεύων "δικαιοσύνης ἥλιος" ἐπ' ἴσης περιπολεῖ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα, τὸν πατέρα μιμούμενος, ὃς "ἐπὶ πάντας ἀνθρώπους ἀνατέλλει τὸν ἥλιον αὐτοῦ", καὶ καταψεκάζει τὴν δρόσον τῆς ἀληθείας. 11.114.4 Οὗτος τὴν δύσιν εἰς ἀνατολὴν μετήγαγεν καὶ τὸν θάνατον εἰς ζωὴν ἀνασταυρώσει, ἐξαρπάσας δὲ τῆς ἀπωλείας τὸν ἄνθρωπον προσεκρέμασεν αἰθέρι, μεταφυτεύων τὴν φθορὰν εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν καὶ γῆν μεταβάλλων εἰς οὐρανούς, ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ γεωργός, "δεξιὰ σημαίνων, λαοὺς δ' ἐπὶ ἔργον" ἀγαθὸν "ἐγείρων, μιμνῄσκων βιότοιο" ἀληθινοῦ, καὶ τὸν μέγαν ὄντως καὶ θεῖον καὶ ἀναφαίρετον τοῦ πατρὸς κλῆρον χαρι ζόμενος ἡμῖν, οὐρανίῳ διδασκαλίᾳ θεοποιῶν τὸν ἄνθρωπον, "διδοὺς νόμους εἰς τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν 11.114.5 γράφων αὐτούς."

Clement: Non natural relation to God

"For a man is made to communicate by righteousness, and bestows what he received from God, in consequence of his natural benevolence and relation, and the commands which he obeys. But God has no natural relation (φυσικὴν σχέσιν) to us, as the authors of the heresies will have it; neither on the supposition of His having made us of nothing, nor on that of having formed us from matter; since the former did not exist at all, and the latter is totally distinct from God unless we shall dare to say that we are a part of Him, and of the same essence as God. And I know not how one, who knows God, can bear to hear this when he looks to our life, and sees in what evils we are involved. For thus it would turn out, which it were impiety to utter, that God sinned in [certain] portions, if the portions are parts of the whole and complementary of the whole; and if not complementary, neither can they be parts. But God being by nature rich in pity, in consequence of His own goodness, cares for us, though neither portions of Himself, nor by nature His children. And this is the greatest proof of the goodness of God: that such being our relation to Him, and being by nature wholly estranged (φύσει ἀπηλλοτριωμένων παντελῶς), He nevertheless cares for us. For the affection in animals to their progeny is natural, and the friendship of kindred minds is the result of intimacy. But the mercy of God is rich toward us, who are in no respect related to Him; I say either in our essence or nature, or in the peculiar energy of our essence (δυνάμει τῇ οἰκείᾳ τῆς οὐσίας), but only in our being the work of His will." (Clement of Alexandria, Str. II,16.74.1)

Clement on the (non-)use of flowers

"Do not encircle my head with a crown, for in the springtime it is delightful to while away the time on the dewy meads, while soft and many-coloured flowers are in bloom, and, like the bees, enjoy a natural and pure fragrance. [...] As beauty, so also the flower delights when looked at; and it is meet to glorify the Creator by the enjoyment of the sight of beautiful objects. The use of them is injurious, and passes swiftly away, avenged by remorse." (Clement of Alexandria, Paed. 1.8)

Clement of Alexandria on participation

"there is one good, the Father; and to be ignorant of the Father is death, as to know Him is eternal life, through participation in the power of the incorrupt One (μετουσίαν τῆς τοῦ ἀφθάρτου δυνάμεως). And to be incorruptible is to participate in divinity (μὴ φθείρεσθαι θειότητος μετέχειν ἐστί); but revolt from the knowledge of God brings corruption." (Clement of Alexandria, Str. V,10.63.8)

"Who else can it be but the Saviour Himself?" Clement of Alexandria on neighbourly love

"In both the commandments, then, He introduces love; but in order distinguishes it. And in the one He assigns to God the first part of love, and allots the second to our neighbour. Who else can it be but the Saviour Himself? or who more than He has pitied us, who by the rulers of darkness were all but put to death with many wounds, fears, lusts, passions, pains, deceits, pleasures?. Of these wounds the only physician is Jesus, who cuts out the passions thoroughly by the root, -- not as the law does the bare effects, the fruits of evil plants, but applies His axe to the roots of wickedness. He it is that poured wine on our wounded souls (the blood of David's vine), that brought the oil which flows from the compassions of the Father? and bestowed it copiously. He it is that produced the ligatures of health and of salvation that cannot be undone, -- Love, Faith, Hope. He it is that subjected angels, and principalities, and powers, for a great reward to serve us. For they also shall be delivered from the vanity of the world through the revelation of the glory of the sons of God. We are therefore to love Him equally with God. And he loves Christ Jesus who does His will and keeps His commandments." (Clement of Alexandria, Who is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?, XXVIII)

Clement of Alexandria: "God, then, being not a subject for demonstration cannot be the object of science"

"God, then, being not a subject for demonstration cannot be the object of science (ὁ μὲν οὖν θεὸς ἀναπόδεικτος ὢν οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπιστημονικός). But the Son is wisdom, and knowledge, and truth, and all else that has affinity thereto. He is also susceptible of demonstration and of description. And all the powers (δυνάμεις) of the Spirit, becoming collectively (συλλήβδην) one thing (ἕν τι πρᾶγμα), terminate (συντελοῦσιν) in the same point – that is, in the Son. But He is incapable of being declared, in respect of the notions of each one of His powers (τῶν δυνάμεων ἐννοίας)." (Str. 4.25.156.1)

"God brought our race into communion by first imparting what was His own" Clement of Alexandria on common property

"God brought our race into communion by first imparting what was His own, when He gave His own Word, common to all, and made all things for all. All things therefore are common, and not for the rich to appropriate an undue share. That expression, therefore, I possess, and possess in abundance: why then should I not enjoy? is suitable neither to the man, nor to society. But more worthy of love is that: I have: why should I not give to those who need? For such an one — one who fulfils the command, You shall love your neighbour as yourself— is perfect. For this is the true luxury — the treasured wealth. But that which is squandered on foolish lusts is to be reckoned waste, not expenditure. For God has given to us, I know well, the liberty of use, but only so far as necessary; and He has determined that the use should be common. And it is monstrous for one to live in luxury, while many are in want. How much more glorious is it to do good to many, than to live sumptuously! How much wiser to spend money on human being, than on jewels and gold! How much more useful to acquire decorous friends, than lifeless ornaments! Whom have lands ever benefited so much as conferring favours has?" (Paed. 2.12.120.3-6, ANF)

“It is God Himself who has brought our race into communion, by sharing Himself, first of all, and by sending His Word to all men alike, and by making all things for all. Therefore, everything is common, and the rich should not grasp a greater share. The expression, then, ‘I own something, and have more than enough; should I not enjoy it?’ is not worthy of man nor does it indicate any community feeling. The other expression does, however: ‘I have something, why should I not share it with those in heed?’ Such a one is perfect, and fulfills the command: ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’” (Christ the Educator (The Fathers of the Church, Volume 23) (CUA Press, 2010), 192)

"Παρήγαγεν δὲ τὸ γένος ἡμῶν ἐπὶ κοινωνίᾳ ὁ θεὸς αὐτὸς τῶν ἑαυτοῦ πρότερος μεταδοὺς καὶ κοινὸν πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἐπικουρήσας λόγον, πάντα ποιήσας ὑπὲρ πάντων. Κοινὰ οὖν τὰ πάντα καὶ μὴ πλεονεκτούντων οἱ πλούσιοι. Τὸ οὖν πάρεστί μοι καὶ πλεονάζει μοι, διὰ τί μὴ τρυφήσω; οὐκ ἀνθρώπινον οὐδὲ κοινωνικόν, ἐκεῖνο δὲ μᾶλλον ἀγαπητικόν· πάρεστί μοι, διὰ τί μὴ μεταδῶ τοῖς δεομένοις; Ὁ γὰρ τοιοῦτος τέλειος ὁ τὸ ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτὸν πληρώσας. Αὕτη γὰρ ἡ ἀληθὴς τρυφή, ἡ θησαυριζομένη πολυτέλεια, ἣ δὲ εἰς τὰς ματαίους ἐπιθυμίας ἀνάλωσις ἀπωλείας, οὐ δαπάνης, ἐπέχει λόγον. ∆έδωκεν γὰρ ὁ θεὸς οἶδ' ὅτι τῆς χρήσεως ἡμῖν τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ἀλλὰ μέχρι τοῦ ἀναγκαίου, καὶ τὴν χρῆσιν κοινὴν εἶναι βεβούληται. Ἄτοπον δὲ ἕνα τρυφᾶν πενομένων πλειόνων. Πόσῳ μὲν γὰρ εὐκλεέστερον τοῦ πολυτελῶς οἰκεῖν τὸ πολλοὺς εὐεργετεῖν; Πόσῳ δὲ συνετώτερον τοῦ εἰς λίθους καὶ χρυσίον τὸ εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἀναλίσ κειν; Πόσῳ δὲ ὠφελιμώτερον τῶν ἀψύχων κοσμίων τὸ φίλους κεκτῆσθαι κοσμίους; Τίνα δὲ ἂν ἀγροὶ τοσοῦτον ὅσον τὸ χαρίζεσθαι ὠφελήσειαν;"

Clement: “Wisdom is a communicative and philantropic thing"

“Wisdom is a communicative and philantropic thing (κοινωνικὸν δὲ ἡ σοφία καὶ φιλάνθρωπο)” (Clement of Alexandria, Str. 1.1.1.3)

Clement on unreflective mercy

“[n]ot even he himself who shows mercy ought to know (γινώσκειν) that he does show mercy; for in this way he will be sometimes merciful, sometimes not." (Clement of Alexandria, Str. 4.22.138)

Clement of Alexandria: Christ is both father and mother

"The Word [Christ] is everything to his little ones, both father and mother."

 Clement of Alexandria, Christ the Educator, trans. S. Wood (New York: Fathers of the Church Inc., 1954), p. 40.

Clement of Alexandria on God's feminine character

"God himself is love; and out of love to us became feminine. In his ineffable essence he is father; in his compassion to us he became mother. The father by loving became feminine, and the great proof of this is he whom he begot of himself; the first fruit brought forth by God is love."(Quis Dives 37)