Clement of Alexandria · a new plain-English translation from the original language
Before the Lord's coming, philosophy was necessary to the Greeks for righteousness; but now it becomes useful for reverence toward God, being a kind of preliminary training for those who reap faith through demonstration, since "your foot," it says, "shall not stumble," for the one who refers what is good back to Providence, whether it be Greek or ours. For God is the source of every good thing—directly the cause of some, such as the Old and New Covenants, and of others, such as philosophy, only by consequence. Perhaps philosophy too was given to the Greeks directly at that time, before the Lord called the Greeks as well; for this too was a tutor to the Greek race, as the Law was to the Hebrews, leading them to Christ. Philosophy, then, prepares the way in advance, making a road for the one who is brought to perfection by Christ. At once Solomon says, "Fence wisdom about, and it will exalt you highly; it will shield you with a crown of delight," since even you, having fortified her further with a battlement through philosophy and true magnificence, would keep her unassailable by the sophists.
There is, then, one road of truth, but into it, as into an ever-flowing river, streams flow in from different places. It is therefore rightly said in an inspired way: "Hear, my son, and receive my words," it says, "that there may be for you many roads of life; for I teach you the roads of wisdom, that the springs may not fail you, springs that gush forth from the same earth." He did not, then, list many saving roads for one just man only, but adds further many roads belonging to many just men, indicating it thus: "But the roads of the just shine alike as light." And the commandments and the preliminary trainings would also be roads and starting-points of life. "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often I desired to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks." And Jerusalem is interpreted "vision of peace." It shows, then, prophetically that those who have contemplated things peaceably have been trained in many ways toward the calling. What then? He desired it, but was not able; how often, then, or where? Twice — through the prophets, and through his coming. The word "how often," then, indicates wisdom's manifold character, and by each single mode of quality and quantity it altogether saves some, both in time and in the age, because the Spirit of the Lord has filled the inhabited world. And if someone should press the point and say, "Do not pay heed to a base woman, for honey drips from the lips of a harlot woman," meaning that this is Greek education, let him listen to what follows: "which for a season smooths your throat," it says, "but philosophy does not flatter." Whom, then, does it hint at as the one who has played the harlot? It adds explicitly: "for the feet of folly lead down those who make use of her, together with death, into Hades, and her tracks are not sure." "Therefore keep your road far away from senseless pleasure, do not draw near the doors of her house, lest you hand your life over to others." And it further attests: "then in your later years you will feel regret, once your body's flesh has wasted away." For this is the end of senseless pleasure. And so much for that. But whenever it says, "Do not be much occupied with what belongs to another," it counsels making use of, but not lingering in and remaining fixed upon, worldly education; for it prepares in advance the way for the Lord's word by the things fittingly given to each generation according to the appropriate seasons. For already some, enticed by the love-charms of the handmaidens, have slighted their true mistress, philosophy, and grown gray instead—some in music, others in geometry, others in grammar, and the majority in rhetoric.
But just as the general course of studies contributes toward philosophy, their mistress, so too philosophy itself works together toward the possession of wisdom. For philosophy is the pursuit of wisdom, while wisdom is the understanding of matters both divine and human, together with their causes. Wisdom, then, is sovereign over philosophy, as philosophy is over the preliminary studies. For if philosophy professes self-control of tongue and belly and what is below the belly, and is choiceworthy for its own sake, it will appear all the more venerable and sovereign if it is pursued for the sake of the honor and knowledge of God.
Scripture will furnish testimony to what has been said, through the following: Sarah was barren long ago, and Abraham's wife. Since Sarah did not bear children, she hands over her own handmaid, by name Hagar the Egyptian, to Abraham for the begetting of children. Wisdom, then, who dwells together with the faithful man—and Abraham was counted righteous and trustworthy—remained at that time barren and without children, having as yet borne no virtuous offspring for Abraham, and reasonably thought it fitting that he, who already had the season for advancement, should first be joined with worldly education (Egypt being allegorized as the world), and only afterward, coming also to her, should beget Isaac according to divine providence.
Philo interprets Hagar as "sojourning" (for it is here said, "Do not be much occupied with what belongs to another"), and Sarah as "my rule." It is possible, then, for one who has first been trained to come to the most ruling wisdom, from which the Israelite race increases. From these things it is shown that wisdom, which Abraham pursued, is teachable — Abraham passing from the contemplation of the heavenly bodies to faith and righteousness according to God. Isaac, in turn, indicates what is self-taught; which is why he is also discovered to prefigure Christ. He had only a single wife, Rebecca, whose name is translated "patience." Jacob, on the other hand, is said to have come together with several women, inasmuch as he is interpreted as "the athlete" (for exercises in doctrines come through several and differing things), whence he is also renamed Israel, the one who is truly clear-sighted, as being both greatly experienced and given to exercise. There would also be something else signified through the three forefathers: that the seal of knowledge is sovereign, being composed of nature, learning, and exercise. You could also find a further illustration of these matters in Tamar, who sat at the crossroads and gave the impression of being a harlot, whom Judah, the lover of learning (his name being interpreted "capable"), who left nothing unconsidered and unexamined, visited and turned aside to, while still preserving his confession toward God.
For this reason too Abraham, when Sarah grew jealous of Hagar who was gaining favor at her expense — as one who had chosen only what was useful from worldly philosophy — said: "Behold, the handmaid is in your hands; deal with her as seems good to you," showing that I embrace worldly education both as younger and as your handmaid, but I honor and revere your knowledge as the perfect mistress. And "Sarah afflicted her" is equivalent to "she brought her to her senses and admonished her." Well, then, is it said: "My son, do not make light of the discipline of God, nor faint when reproved by him; for whom the Lord loves he disciplines, and he scourges every son whom he receives." In other places, however, the aforesaid passages of Scripture, when examined, turn out to indicate other mysteries.
We say, then, that on this basis, in bare statement, philosophy has for its object the inquiry into truth and the nature of the things that are — and this is the truth about which the Lord in his own words declared, "I myself am truth" — while the preliminary training, in turn, exercises the mind toward the rest that is in Christ, and arouses the understanding, begetting through true philosophy an inquiring sharpness of intellect. Having found this — or rather, having received it from truth itself — those who are initiated possess it.
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