Clement Of Alexandria: Instructor Book I

As there are these three things in the case of man, habits, actions, and passions; habits are the department appropriated by hortatory discourse the guide to piety, which, like the ship's keel, is laid beneath for the building up of faith; in which, rejoicing exceedingly, and abjuring our old opinions,

through salvation we renew our youth,

singing with the hymning prophecy,

"How good is God to Israel, to such as are upright in heart!" [Ps. lxxiii. 1.]

All actions, again, are the province of preceptive discourse; while persuasive discourse applies itself to heal the passions.

It is, however, one and the self-same word which rescues man from the custom of this world in which he has been reared, and trains him up in the one salvation of faith in God.

When, then, the heavenly guide, the Word, was inviting men to salvation, [See Exhortation to the Heathen, cap. xi. p. 203, supra.] the appellation of hortatory was properly applied to Him: his same word was called rousing (the whole from a part).

For the whole of piety is hortatory, [Ergativity, Syntactic typology and Universal Grammar]

Ergativity ::

As I understand it, the practice of distinguishing between agent (ergative) and non-agent (absolutive), rather than between nonpatient (nominative) and patient (accusative) as is common in Indo-European languages.

Agent = "Subject" of a transitive verb ("we saw Sam")

Agent: Ergative case

J.W.McGarvey A Guide to Bible Study (1897): The study of the Bible is absolutely necessary to the development of the Christian life.

The facts which the Scriptures present are basis of faith in the Christ and in the whole series of providential events which prepared the way for his final disclosure of the life and purposes of God.

Only by acquaintance with these facts and the prophetic, devotional, and horatory discourses and meditations to which they gave occasion

is one able to understand the Old and New Testaments as the records of our holy faith.

For the whole of piety is hortatory, engendering in the kindred faculty of reason a yearning after true life now and to come. But now, being at once curative and preceptive, following in His own steps, He makes what had been prescribed the subject of persuasion, promising the cure of the passions within us.

Let us then designate this Word appropriately by the one name Tutor (or Poedagogue, or Instructor).

[The paedagogus. [This word seems to be used by Clement, with frequent alusion, at least, to its original idea, of one who leads the child to his instructor; which is the true idea, I suppose, in Gal. iii. 24.]

The Instructor being practical, not theoretical, His aim is thus to improve the soul, not to teach, and to train it up to a virtuous, not to an intellectual life. Although this same word is didactic, but not in the present instance.

For the word which, in matters of doctrine, explains and reveals, is that whose province it is to teach.

But our Educator (Gal. iii. 24) being practical, first exhorts to the attainment of right dispositions and character,

and then persuades us to the energetic practice of our duties,
enjoining on us pure commandments,

and exhibiting to such as come after representations of those who formerly wandered in error.

Both are of the highest utility,-that which assumes the form of counselling to obedience,

and that which is presented in the form of example;
which latter is of two kinds, corresponding to the former duality,-

the one having for its purpose that we should choose and imitate the good,
and the other that we should reject and turn away from the opposite.

Hence accordingly ensues the healing of our passions, in consequence of the assuagements of those examples;

the Paedagogue strengthening our souls, and by His benign commands, as by gentle medicines, guiding the sick to the perfect knowledge of the truth.

There is a wide difference between health and knowledge; for the latter is produced by learning, the former by healing. One, who is ill, will not therefore learn any branch of instruction till he is quite well. For neither to learners nor to the sick is each injunction invariably expressed similarly; but to the former in such a way as to lead to knowledge, and to the latter to health. As, then, for those of us who are diseased in body a physician is required, so also those who are diseased in soul require a paedagogue to cure our maladies; and then a teacher, to train and guide the soul to all requisite knowledge when it is made able to admit the revelation of the Word. Eagerly desiring, then, to perfect us by a gradation conducive to salvation, suited for efficacious discipline, a beautiful arrangement is observed by the all-benignant Word, who first exhorts, then trains, and finally teaches.

Chapter II.-Our Instructor's Treatment of Our Sins.

Now, O you, my children, our Instructor is like His Father God, whose son He is, sinless, blameless, and with a soul devoid of passion;

God in the form of man, stainless, the minister of His Father's will, the Word who is God, who is in the Father, who is at the Father's right hand, and with the form of God is God.

He is to us a spotless image; to Him we are to try with all our might to assimilate our souls.

He is wholly free from human passions; wherefore also He alone is judge, because He alone is sinless. As far, however, as we can, let us try to sin as little as possible. For nothing is so urgent in the first place as deliverance from passions and disorders, and then the checking of our liability to fall into sins that have become habitual.

It is best, therefore, not to sin at all in any way, which we assert to be the prerogative of God alone;

next to keep clear of voluntary transgressions, which is characteristic of the wise man;

thirdly, not to fall into many involuntary offences, which is peculiar to those who have been excellently trained. Not to continue long in sins, let that be ranked last. But this also is salutary to those who are called back to repentance, to renew the contest.

And the Instructor, as I think, very beautifully says, through Moses: "If any one die suddenly by him, straightway the head of his consecration shall be polluted, and shall be shaved," [Num. vi. 9.] designating involuntary sin as sudden death. And He says that it pollutes by defiling the soul:

wherefore He prescribes the cure with all speed, advising the head to be instantly shaven; that is, counselling the locks of ignorance which shade the reason to be shorn clean off, that reason (whose seat is in the brain),

being left bare of the dense stuff of vice, may speed its way to repentance.

Then after a few remarks He adds, "The days before are not reckoned irrational,"[Num. vi. 12.] by which manifestly sins are meant which are contrary to reason. The involuntary act He calls "sudden, " the sin He calls "irrational."

Wherefore the Word, the Instructor, has taken the charge of us, in order to the prevention of sin, which is contrary to reason.

Hence consider the expression of Scripture, "Therefore these things saith the Lord; "the sin that had been committed before is held up to reprobation by the succeeding expression "therefore," according to which the righteous judgment follows. This is shown conspicuously by the prophets, when they said, "Hadst thou not sinned, He would not have uttered these threatenings." "Therefore thus saith the Lord; "Because thou hast not heard these words, therefore these things the Lord; "and, "Therefore, behold, the Lord saith." For prophecy is given by reason both of obedience and disobedience: for obedience, that we may be saved; for disobedience, that we may be corrected.

Our Instructor, the Word, therefore cures the unnatural passions of the soul by means of exhortations. For with the highest propriety the help of bodily diseases is called the healing art-an art acquired by human skill.

But the paternal Word is the only Paeonian physician of human infirmities, and the holy charmer of the sick soul. "Save," it is said, "Thy servant, O my God, who trusteth in Thee. Pity me, O Lord; for I will cry to Thee all the day." [Ps. lxxxvi. 2,3.]

For a while the "physician's art," according to Democritus, "heals the diseases of the body;

wisdom frees the soul from passion." But the good Instructor, the Wisdom, the Word of the Father, who made man, cares for the whole nature of His creature; the all-sufficient Physician of humanity, the Saviour, heals both body and soul. "Rise up," He said to the paralytic; "take the bed on which thou liest, and go away home; " [Mark ii. 11] and straightway the infirm man received strength. And to the dead He said, "Lazarus, go forth; " [John xi. 43] and the dead man issued from his coffin such as he was ere he died, having undergone resurrection. Further, He heals the soul itself by precepts and gifts-by precepts indeed, in course of time, but being liberal in His gifts, He says to us sinners, "Thy sins be forgiven thee." [Matt. ix. 2.]

AND there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: Isa 11:1

And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; Isa 11: 2

And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: Isa 11: 3

But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. Isa 11: 4

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. And whatever in human actions is right and regular, is the result of the inspiration of its rectitude and order.

Chapter III.-The Philanthropy of the Instructor.

The Lord ministers all good and all help, both as man and as God: as God, forgiving our sins; and as man, training us not to sin. Man is therefore justly dear to God, since he is His workmanship.

The other works of creation He made by the word of command alone, but man He framed by Himself, by His own hand, and breathed into him what was peculiar to Himself. What, then, was fashioned by Him, and after He likeness, either was created by God Himself as being desirable on its own account, or was formed as being desirable on account of something else. If, then, man is an object desirable for itself, then He who is good loved what is good, and the love-charm is within even in man, and is that very thing which is called the inspiration [or breath of God; but if man was a desirable object on account of something else, God had no other reason for creating him, than that unless he came into being, it was not possible for God to be a good Creator, or for man to arrive at the knowledge of God. For God would not have accomplished that on account of which man was created otherwise than by the creation of man; and what hidden power in willing God possessed, He carried fully out by the forth-putting of His might externally in the act of creating, receiving from man what He made man;

[Bishop Kaye (Some Account of the Writings and Opinions of Clement of Alexandria, p. 48) translates, "receiving from man that which made man (that on account of which man was made)." But it seems more likely that Clement refers to the ideal man in the divine mind, whom he indentifies elsewhere with the Logos, the a!nqrwpoj a0paqh/j, of whom man was the image. The reader will notice that Clement speaks of man as existing in the divine mind before his creation, and creation is represented by God's seeing what He had previously within Him merely as a hidden power.]

and whom He had He saw, and what He wished that came to pass; and there is nothing which God cannot do. Man, then, whom God made, is desirable for himself, and that which is desirable on his account is allied to him to whom it is desirable on his account; and this, too, is acceptable and liked.

Clement Pedegogue Vol III Commands, Examples and Inferences.

But what is loveable, and is not also loved by Him? And man has been proved to be loveable; consequently man is loved by God. For how shall he not be loved for whose sake the only-begotten Son is sent from the Father's bosom, the Word of faith, the faith which is superabundant; the Lord Himself distinctly confessing and saying,

"For the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me; " [John xvi. 27] and again, "And hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me?" [ John xvii. 23.]

What, then, the Master desires and declares, and how He is disposed in deed and word,

how He commands what is to be done, and forbids the opposite, has already been shown.

Plainly, then, the other kind of discourse, the didactic, is powerful and spiritual, observing precision, occupied in the contemplation of mysteries. But let it stand over for the present. Now, it is incumbent on us to return His love, who lovingly guides us to that life which is best;

and to live in accordance with the injunctions of His will,

not only fulfilling what is commanded,
or guarding against what is forbidden,

but turning away from some examples, and imitating others as much as we can, and thus to perform the works of the Master according to His similitude,

and so fulfil what Scripture says as to our being made in His image and likeness.

For, wandering in life as in deep darkness, we need a guide that cannot stumble or stray; and our guide is the best, not blind, as the Scripture says, "leading the blind into pits." [Matt. xv. 14]

But the Word is keen-sighted, and scans the recesses of the heart. As, then, that is not light which enlightens not, nor motion that moves not, nor loving which loves not, so neither is that good which profits not, nor guides to salvation.

Let us then aim at the fulfilment of the commandments by the works of the Lord; for the Word Himself also, having openly become flesh, [John i. 14] exhibited the same virtue, both practical and contemplative.

Wherefore let us regard the Word as law, and His commands and counsels as the short and straight paths to immortality; for His precepts are full of persuasion, not of fear.

Chapter IV.-Men and Women Alike Under the Instructor's Charge.

Let us, then, embracing more and more this good obedience, give ourselves to the Lord; clinging to what is surest,

the cable of faith in Him, and understanding that the virtue of man and woman is the same.

For if the God of both is one, the master of both is also one; one church, one temperance, one modesty; their food is common, marriage an equal yoke; respiration, sight, hearing, knowledge, hope, obedience, love all alike.

And those whose life is common, have common graces and a common salvation; common to them are love and training. "For in this world," he says, "they marry, and are given in marriage," [Luke xx. 34] in which alone the female is distinguished from the male; "but in that world it is so no more."

There the rewards of this social and holy life, which is based on conjugal union, are laid up, not for male and female, but for man, the sexual desire which divides humanity being removed. Common therefore, too, to men and women, is the name of man. For this reason I think the Attics called, not boys only, but girls, paida/rion, using it as a word of common gender; if Menander the comic poet, in Rhapizomena, appears to any one a sufficient authority, who thus speaks:-

"My little daughter; for by nature
The child (paida/rion) is most loving.
Arnej, too, the word for lambs, is a common name of simplicity for the male and female animal.

Now the Lord Himself will feed us as His flock forever. Amen. But without a sheperd, neither can sheep nor any other animal live, nor children without a tutor, nor domestics without a master."

Chapter V.-All Who Walk According to Truth are Children of God.

That, then, Paedagogy is the training of children, is clear from the word itself. It remains for us to consider the children whom Scripture points to; then to give the paedagogue charge of them. We are the children. In many ways Scripture celebrates us, and describes us in manifold figures of speech, giving variety to the simplicity of the faith by diverse names Accordingly, in the Gospel, "the Lord, standing on the shore, says to the disciples"-they happened to be fishing-"and called aloud, Children, have ye any meat? " [John xxi. 4,5] -addressing those that were already in the position of disciples as children. "And they brought to Him," it is said, "children, that He might put His hands on them and bless them; and when His disciples hindered them, Jesus said, Suffer the children, and forbid them not to come to Me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." [Matt. xix. 14.] What the expression means the Lord Himself shall declare, saying,

"Except ye be converted, and become as little chidren, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" [Matt. xviii. 3.] not in that place speaking figuratively of regeneration,

but setting before us, for our imitation, the simplicity that is in children. [The dignity ascribed to Christian childhood in this chapter is something noteworthy. The Gospel glorifying children, sanctifies marriage, and creates the home.]

The prophetic spirit also distinguishes us as children. "Plucking," it is said, "branches of olives or palms, the children went forth to meet the Lord, and cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; " [Matt. xxi. 9.] light, and glory, and praise, with supplication to the Lord: for this is the meaning of the expression Hosanna when rendered in Greek. And the Scripture appears to me, in allusion to the prophecy just mentioned, reproachfully to upbraid the thoughtless: "Have ye never read, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise? " [Matt. xxi. 16; Ps. viii. 2.] In this way the Lord in the Gospels spurs on His disciples, urging them to attend to Him, hastening as He was to the Father; rendering His hearers more eager by the intimation that after a little He was to depart, and showing them that it was requisite that they should take more unsparing advantage of the truth than ever before, as the Word was to ascend to heaven.

This is assuredly untrue. The Jews were like children (chorus leaders in the marketplace). They were hoping that John wore the SOFT clothing of the king's Catamite. Because, their Messiah was hoped to be Dionysus, they tested Jesus and the faithful to see whether they would do the perverted lamenting and the choral dance.

Again, therefore, He calls them children; for He says, "Children, a little while I am with you." [John xiii. 33.] And, again, He likens the kingdom of heaven to children sitting in the market-places and saying,

"We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned, and ye have not lamented; " [Matt. xi. 16,17.

[In the Peshitoi-Syraic version, where are probably found the very words our Saviour thus quotes from children in Nazareth, this saying is seen to be metrical and alliterative.]

And whatever else He added agreeably thereto. And it is not alone the Gospel that holds these sentiments. Prophecy also agrees with it. David accordingly says, "Praise, O children, the Lord; praise the name of the Lord." [Ps. cxiii. 1] It says also by Esaias, "Here am I, and the children that God hath given me." [Isa. viii. 18.] Are you amazed, then, to hear that men who belong to the nations are sons in the Lord's sight?

You do not in that case appear to give ear to the Attic dialect, from which you may learn that beautiful, comely, and freeborn young maidens are still called paidi/skai, and servant-girls paidiska/ria; and that those last also are, on account of the bloom of youth, called by the flattering name of young maidens.

And when He says, "Let my lambs stand on my right," [Matt. xxv. 33.] He alludes to the simple children, as if they were sheep and lambs in nature, not men; and the lambs He counts worthy of preference, from the superior regard He has to that tenderness and simplicity of disposition in men which constitutes innocence. Again, when He says, "as suckling calves," He again alludes figuratively to us; and "as an innocent and gentle dove," [Matt. x. 16.] the reference is again to us. Again, by Moses, He commands "two young pigeons or a pair of turtles to be offered for sin; " [Lev. xv. 29, xii. 8; Luke ii. 24.] thus saying, that the harmlessness and innocence and placable nature of these tender young birds are acceptable to God, and explaining that like is an expiation for like. Further, the timorousness of the turtle-doves typifies fear in reference to sin.

And that He calls us chickens the Scripture testifies: "As a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings." [Matt. xxiii. 37] Thus are we the Lord's chickens; the Word thus marvellously and mystically describing the simplicity of childhood. For sometimes He calls us children, sometimes chickens, sometimes infants, and at other times sons, and "a new people," and "a recent people." "And my servants shall be called by a new name" [Isa. lxv. 15,16.] (a new name, He says, fresh and eternal, pure and simple, and childlike and true), which shall be blessed on the earth. And again, He figuratively calls us colts unyoked to vice, not broken in by wickedness; but simple, and bounding joyously to the Father alone; not such horses "as neigh after their neighbours' wives, that are under the yoke, and are female-mad; " [Jer. v. 8.] but free and new-born,

jubilant by means of faith, ready to run to the truth,
swift to speed to salvation, that tread and stamp under foot the things of the world.

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion; tell aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh, just, meek, and bringing salvation; meek truly is He, and riding on a beast of burden, and a young colt." [Zech. ix. 9; Gen. xlix. 11.]

It was not enough to have said colt alone, but He added to it also young, to show the youth of humanity in Christ, and the eternity of simplicity, which shall know no old age. And we who are little ones being such colts, are reared up by our divine colt-tamer. But if the new man in Scripture is represented by the ass, this ass is also a colt. "And he bound," it is said, "the colt to the vine," having bound this simple and childlike people to the word, whom He figuratively represents as a vine. For the vine produces wine, as the Word, produces blood, and both drink for health to men-wine for the body, blood for the spirit.

And that He also calls us lambs, the Spirit by the mouth of Isaiah is an unimpeachable witness: "He will feed His flock like a shepherd, He will gather the lambs with His arm," [Isa. xl. 11.] -using the figurative appellation of lambs, which are still more tender than sheep, to express simplicity.

And we also in truth, honouring the fairest and most perfect objects in life with an appellation derived from the word child, have named training paideia, and discipline paidagwgia. Discipline (paidagwgia) we declare to be right guiding from childhood to virtue.

Accordingly, our Lord revealed more distinctly to us what is signified by the appellation of children. On the question arising among the apostles, "which of them should be the greater," Jesus placed a little child in the midst, saying, "Whosoever, shall humble himself as this little child, the same shall be the greater in the kingdom of heaven."^. [Matt. xviii. 4.]

AT the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Matt 18:1

And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, Matt 18:2

And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matt 18:3

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matt 18:4

And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. Matt 18:5

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Matt 18:6

He does not then use the appellation of children on account of their very limited amount of understanding from their age, as some have thought. Nor, if He says, "Except ye become as these children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God," are His words to be understood as meaning "without learning."

We, then, who are infants, no longer roll on the ground, nor creep on the earth like serpents as before, crawling with the whole body about senseless lusts; but, stretching upwards in soul, loosed from the world and our sins, touching the earth on tiptoe so as to appear to be in the world, we pursue holy wisdom, although this seems folly to those whose wits are whetted for wickedness.

Rightly, then, are those called children who know Him who is God alone as their Father, who are simple, and infants, and guileless, who are lovers of the horns of the unicorns. [Theodoret explains this to mean that, as the animal referred to has only one horn, so those brought up in the practice of piety worship only one God. [It might mean lovers of those promises which are introduced by these words in the marvellous twenty-second Psalm.]]

To those, therefore, that have made progress in the word, He has proclaimed this utterance, bidding them

dismiss anxious care of the things of this world, and exhorting them to adhere to the Father alone,
in imitation of children. Wherefore also in what follows He says:

"Take no anxious thought for the morrow; sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." [Matt. vi. 34] Thus He enjoins them to lay aside the cares of this life, and depend on the Father alone.

Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Mt.11:28

Labor is:

Kopiao (g2872)kop-ee-ah'-o; from a der. of 2873; to feel fatigue; by impl. to work hard: - (bestow) labour, toil, be wearied.

Laden is:

Phortizo (g5412) for-tid'-zo; from 5414; to load up (prop. as a vessel or animal), i.e. (fig.) to overburden with ceremony (or spiritual anxiety): - lade, be heavy laden.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them. Luke 11:44

Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest (Hubrizo-exercise violence, abuse) us also. Luke 11:45

And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. Lu.11:46

Phoros (g5411) for'-os; from 5342; a load (as borne,) i.e. (fig.) a tax (prop. an individ. assessment on persons or property; whereas 5056 is usually a gen. toll on goods or travel): - tribute.

Rest is:

Anapauo (g373) an-up-ow'-o; from 303 and 3973; (reflex.) to repose (lit. or fig. [be exempt], remain); by impl. to refresh: - take ease, refresh, (give, take) rest.

And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. Mk.6:31

And he who fulfils this commandment is in reality a child and a son to God and to the world,-to the one as deceived, to the other as beloved. And if we have one Master in heaven, as the Scripture says,

then by common consent those on the earth will be rightly called disciples. (Christians)

For so is the truth, that perfection is with the Lord, who is always teaching, and infancy and childishness with us, who are always learning. Thus prophecy hath honoured perfection, by applying to it the appellation man. For instance, by David, He says of the devil: "The Lord abhors the man of blood; " [Ps. v. 6.] he calls him man, as perfect in wickedness. And the Lord is called man, because He is perfect in righteousness.

Directly in point is the instance of the apostle, who says, writing the Corinthians: "For I have espoused you to one man, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ," [2 Cor. xi. 2] whether as children or saints, but to the Lord alone.

And writing to the Ephesians, he has unfolded in the clearest manner the point in question, speaking to the following effect:

"Till we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

that we be no longer children, tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, by the craft of men, by their cunning in stratagems of deceit;

but, speaking the truth in love,
may grow up to Him in all things," [Eph. iv. 13-15.]

saying these things in order to the edification of the body of Christ, who is the head and man, the only one perfect in righteousness; and we who are children

guarding against the blasts of heresies, which blow to our inflation; and not putting our trust in fathers who teach us otherwise,

are then made perfect when we are the church, having received Christ the head.

Then it is right to notice, with respect to the appellation of infant (nh/pioj), that to\ nh/pion is not predicated of the silly: for the silly man is called nhpu/tioj: and nh/pioj is neh/pioj (since he that is tender-hearted is calledh !pioj), as being one that has newly become gentle and meek in Conduct.

This the blessed Paul most clearly pointed out when he said,

"When we might have been burdensome as the apostles of Christ, we were gentle (h !pioi) among you, as a nurse cherisheth her children."[1 Thess. ii. 6,7.]

The child (nh/pioj) is therefore gentle (h !pioj), and therefore more tender, delicate, and simple, guileless, and destitute of hypocrisy, straightforward and upright in mind, which is the basis of simplicity and truth.

For He says, "Upon whom shall I look, but upon him who is gentle and quiet?" [ Isa. lxvi. 2.]

For such is the virgin speech, tender, and free of fraud; whence also a virgin is wont to be called "a tender bride," and a child "tender-hearted." And we are tender who are pliant to the power of persuasion, and are easily drawn to goodness, and are mild, and free of the stain of malice and perverseness, for the ancient race was perverse and hard-hearted; but the band of infants, the new people which we are, i.s delicate as a child. On account of the hearts of the innocent, the apostle, in the Epistle to the Romans, owns that he rejoices, and furnishes a kind of definition of children, so to speak, when he says,

"I would have you wise toward good, but simple towards evil.' [Rom. xvi. 19]

For the name of child, nh/pioj, is not understood by us privatively, though the sons of the grammarians make thenh a privative particle. For if they call us who follow after childhood foolish, see how they utter blasphemy against the Lord, in regarding those as foolish who have betaken themselves to God. But if, which is rather the true sense, they themselves understand the designation children of simple ones, we glory in the name. For the new minds, which have newly become wise, which have sprung into being according to the new covenant, are infantile in the old folly. Of late, then, God was known by the coming of Christ: "For no man knoweth God but the Son, and he to whom the Son shall reveal Him.' [Matt. xi. 27: Luke x. 22]

In contradistinction, therefore, to the older people, the new people are called young, having learned the new blessings; and we have the exuberance of life's morning prime in this youth which knows no old age, in which we are always growing to maturity in intelligence, are always young, always mild, always new: for those must necessarily be new, who have become partakers of the new Word. And that which participates in eternity is wont to be assimilated to the incorruptible: so that to us appertains the designation of the age of childhood, a lifelong spring-time, because the truth that is in us, and our habits saturated with the truth, cannot be touched by old age; but Wisdom is ever blooming, ever remains consistent and the same, and never changes. "Their children," it is said, "shall be borne upon their shoulders, and fondled on their knees; as one whom his mother comforteth, so also shall I comfort you.' [Isa. lxvi. 12,13][

The mother draws the children to herself; and we seek our mother the Church. Whatever is feeble and tender, as needing help on account of its feebleness, is kindly looked on, and is sweet and pleasant, anger changing into help in the case of such: for thus horses' colts, and the little calves of cows, and the lion's whelp, and the stag's fawn, and the child of man, are looked upon with pleasure by their fathers and mothers.

Thus also the Father of the universe cherishes affection towards those who have fled to Him; and having begotten them again by His Spirit to the adoption of children, knows them as gentle, and loves those alone, and aids and fights for them; and therefore He bestows on them the name of child.

The word Isaac I also connect with child. Isaac means laughter. He was seen sporting with his wife and helpmeet Rebecca by the prying king. [Gen. xxvi. 8] The king, whose name was Abimelech, appears to me to represent a supramundane wisdom contemplating the mystery of sport. They interpret Rebecca to mean endurance. O wise sport, laughter also assisted by endurance, and the king as spectator! The spirit of those that are children in Christ, whose lives are ordered in endurance, rejoice. And this is the divine sport. "Such a sport, of his own, Jove sports," says Heraclitus. For what other employment is seemly for a wise and perfect man, than to sport and be glad in the endurance of what is good-and, in the administration of what is good, holding festival with God? That which is signified by the prophet may be interpreted differently,-namely, of our rejoicing for salvation, as Isaac.

He also, delivered from death, laughed, sporting and rejoicing with his spouse, who was the type of the Helper of our salvation, the Church, to whom the stable name of endurance is given; for this cause surely, because she alone remains to all generations, rejoicing ever,

subsisting as she does by the endurance of us believers, who are the members of Christ.

And the witness of those that have endured to the end, and the rejoicing on their account, is the mystic sport, and the salvation accompanied with decorous solace which brings us aid. The King, then, who is Christ, beholds from above our laughter, and looking through the window, as the Scripture says, views the thanksgiving, and the blessing, and the rejoicing, and the gladness, and furthermore the endurance which works together with them and their embrace: views His Church, showing only His face, which was wanting to the Church, which is made perfect by her royal Head. And where, then, was the door by which the Lord showed Himself? The flesh by which He was manifested. He is Isaac (for the narrative may be interpreted otherwise), who is a type of the Lord, a child as a son; for he was the son of Abraham, as Christ the Son of God, and a sacrifice as the Lord, but he was not immolated as the Lord. Isaac only bore the wood of the sacrifice, as the Lord the wood of the cross.

And he laughed mystically, prophesying that the Lord should fill us with joy, who have been redeemed from corruption by the blood of the Lord. Isaac did everything but suffer, as was right, yielding the precedence in suffering to the Word. Furthermore, there is an intimation of the divinity of the Lord in His not being slain. For Jesus rose again after His burial, having suffered no harm, like Isaac released from sacrifice. And in defence of the point to be established, I shall adduce another consideration of the greatest weight. The Spirit calls the Lord Himself a child, thus prophesying by Esaias: "Lo, to us a child has been born, to us a son has been given, on whose own shoulder the government shall be; and His name has been called the Angel of great Counsel." Who, then, is this infant child? He according to whose image we are made little children. By the same prophet is declared His greatness:

"Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace; that He might fulfil His discipline: and of His peace there shall be no end." [Isa. ix. 6.] O the great God! O the perfect child! The Son in the Father, and the Father in the Son. And how shall not the discipline of this child be perfect, which extends to all, leading as a schoolmaster us as children who are His little ones? He has stretched forth to us those hands of His that are conspicuously worthy of trust. To this child additional testimony is borne by John, "the greatest prophet among those born of women: " [Luke vii. 28.] Behold the Lamb of God!" [John i. 29,36.] For since Scripture calls the infant children lambs, it has also called Him-God the Word-who became man for our sakes, and who wished in all points to be made like to u"-"the Lamb of God"-Him, namely, that is the Son of God, the child of the Father.

Chapter VI.-The Name Children Does Not Imply Instruction in Elementary Principles.

We have ample means of encountering those who are given to carping.

For we are not termed children and infants with reference to the childish and contemptible character of our education, as those who are inflated on account of knowledge have calumniously alleged.

Straightway, on our regeneration, we attained that perfection after which we aspired. For we were illuminated, which is to know God. He is not then imperfect who knows what is perfect.

Clement notes that Christ was baptized because His task was to model the way all are to become free of Sin. Christ actually took on the sin of the whole world.

And do not reprehend me when I profess to know God; for so it was deemed right to speak to the Word, and He is free. John viii. 35,36

For at the moment of the Lord's [baptism?] there sounded a voice from heaven, as a testimony to the Beloved, "Thou art My beloved Son, to-day have I begotten Thee."

Let us then ask the wise, Is Christ, begotten to-day, already perfect, or-what were most monstrous-imperfect?

If the latter, there is some addition He requires yet to make. But for Him to make any addition to His knowledge is absurd, since He is God.

For none can be superior to the Word, or the teacher of the only Teacher.

Will they not then own, though reluctant, that the perfect Word born of the perfect Father was begotten in perfection, according to oeconomic fore-ordination?

And if He was perfect, why was He, the perfect one, baptized?

It was necessary, they say, to fulfil the profession that pertained to humanity. Most excellent.

Well, I assert, simultaneously with His baptism by John, He becomes perfect?

Manifestly. He did not then learn anything more from him? Certainly not.

But He is perfected by the washing-of baptism-alone, and is sanctified by the descent of the Spirit?

Such is the case.

THE PROPHESY of Joshua or Jesus or Jehovah- Saves.

AND he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. Zech 3:1

And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Zech 3:2

Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. Zech 3:3

Filthy is well defined in the Dead Sea Scroll version of Psalm 41 which prophesied the use of music to panic Jesus into becoming a reproached (naked, showing the private parts). As God lived in a body subjected to such extremes that he would be covered by urine and excrement even before the cross,

Cow (g6674) tso; or 6629 tso; from an unused root mean. to issue; soiled (as if excrementitious): - filthy.

The garment includes some interesting symbolism.

Beged (h899) behg'-ed; from 898; a covering, i. e. clothing; also treachery or pillage: - apparel, cloth (-es, -ing), garment, lap, rag, raiment, robe, * very [treacherously], vesture, wardrobe.

And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. Mk 15:15

And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, Mk.15:17

And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. Mk 15:19

And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. Mk 15:20

And when they had crucified him, they parted HIS garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. Mk 15:24

The chief priests MOCKED Him. The word is empaizo where those who PIPED trying to force Jesus to sing and dance the Dionysus ritual, were defined as PAIS which defines the CHORUS LEADERS in the market places.

Back to the prophecy of Jehovah- Saves in Zechariah:

And he (king or messenger) answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him.

And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. Zech 3:4

And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. Lu.9:29

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. Re.3:5

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. Re.19:8

THE Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved. Ps.93:1

If God in Christ (His right hand) planned to redeem or buy back a tiny few who would FOLLOW Him, he MUST die as a common criminal. Unless Jesus ASSUMED all sins He should not be crucified.

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: John 3:16

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. John 3:17

God speaking through the angel to Zechariah:

And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by. Zech 3:5

And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying, Zech 3:6

Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by. Zech 3:7

John was of the priestly line and would prophetically WASH the new High Priest. However, John resisted baptizing Jesus because no human priest could annoint God. However, God in Christ had taken on the sins of the world like a filthy garment. To carry out or FULLY PREACH the role of Baptism, Jesus could not be recognized as the Son of the Father God until He had submitted to water baptism.

And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. Matthew 3:15

Fulfill means:

Pleroo (g4137) play-ro'-o; from 4134.. execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), fully preach, perfect, supply.

Righteousness means:

Dikaiosune (g1343) dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay; from 1342; equity (of character or act); spec. (Chr.) justification: - righteousness.

The common people would JUSTIFY God and not, therefore, call Him a liar but the Pharisees and Doctors of the Law would reject the PRE-COUNSEL of God:

And all the people (laos, laity) that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. Luke 7:29

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. Luke 7:30

The Nicolaitans were CLERGY over the LAOS, but Jesus HATES them (Rev. 2:6)

Nikolaos (g3532) nik-ol'-ah-os; from 3534 and 2994; victorious over the people; Nicolaus, a heretic: - Nicolaus.

The NIKOS or clergy REJECTED the predestinated plan of God because it would REMOVE the clergy classes and put them out of doing CHURCH as BUSINESS.

Atheteo (g114) ath-et-eh'-o; from a compound of 1 (as a neg. particle) and a der. of 5087; to set aside, i.e. (by impl.) to disesteem, neutralize or violate: - cast off, despise, disannul, frustrate, bring to nought, reject.

Of the Pharisees, Jesus said:

And he said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe [set up] your own traditions! Mk 7:9NIV

And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. Mk.7:9KJV traditionary law

You are simply rejecting God's laws and trampling them under your feet for the sake of tradition. Mk 7:9LIV

The SPIRIT as a dove spoke of the messenger of God. The SPIRIT on Jesus was prophesied to be the SEVEN SPIRITS of knowledge represented by the Menorah or candlesticks in the Holy Place where no rhetorician, singer or musician could go on the penalty of death.

Joshua or Jesus had to SHOW THE WAY into the Most Holy Place. This was was to take on the sins of the whole world: past, present and future.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Cor 5:17

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:26

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Gal 3:27

This was God's ONLY PREDESTINATED plan to reconcile both Jew and Gentile EFFECTIVELY when He broke down the middle wall of partition into the MOST HOLY PLACE where neither non Levitical priests, singers or musicians could go on the penalty of Death.

That wall is broken down ONLY when the message of that PAST TENSE reconciliation is preached resulting in Baptism.

And all things are of God, who

hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,

and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 2 Cor 5:18

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses unto them;

and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 2 Cor 5:19

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God. 2 Cor 5:20

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2Co.5:21