Clement of Alexandria Who is the Rich Man that Shall Be Saved?

 I. Those who bestow laudatory addresses on the rich appear to me to be rightly judged not only flatterers and base, in vehemently pretending that thin

 II. Perhaps the reason of salvation appearing more difficult to the rich than to poor men, is not single but manifold. For some, merely hearing, and t

 III. Those then who are actuated by a love of the truth and love of their brethren, and neither are rudely insolent towards such rich as are called, n

 IV. May the Saviour then grant to us that, having begun the subject from this point, we may contribute to the brethren what is true, and suitable, and

 V. These things are written in the Gospel according to Mark and in all the rest correspondingly although perchance the expressions vary slightly in

 VI. For our Lord and Saviour was asked pleasantly a question most appropriate for Him,—the Life respecting life, the Saviour respecting salvation, the

 VII. Wherefore the greatest and chiefest point of the instructions which relate to life must be implanted in the soul from the beginning,—to know the

 VIII. He then who would live the true life is enjoined first to know Him “whom no one knows, except the Son reveal (Him).” Next is to be learned the g

 IX. Jesus, accordingly, does not charge him with not having fulfilled all things out of the law, but loves him, and fondly welcomes his obedience in w

 X. “If thou wilt be perfect.” Consequently he was not yet perfect. For nothing is more perfect than what is perfect. And divinely the expression “if t

 XI. What then was it which persuaded him to flight, and made him depart from the Master, from the entreaty, the hope, the life, previously pursued wit

 XII. Why then command as new, as divine, as alone life-giving, what did not save those of former days? And what peculiar thing is it that the new crea

 XIII. And how much more beneficial the opposite case, for a man, through possessing a competency, both not himself to be in straits about money, and a

 XIV. Riches, then, which benefit also our neighbours, are not to be thrown away. For they are possessions, inasmuch as they are possessed, and goods,

 XV. I would then say this. Since some things are within and some without the soul, and if the soul make a good use of them, they also are reputed good

 XVI. The presence of wealth in these is deadly to all, the loss of it salutary. Of which, making the soul pure,—that is, poor and bare,—we must hear t

 XVII. But he who carries his riches in his soul, and instead of God’s Spirit bears in his heart gold or land, and is always acquiring possessions with

 XVIII. So that (the expression) rich men that shall with difficulty enter into the kingdom, is to be apprehended in a scholarly way, not awkwardly, or

 XIX. He then is truly and rightly rich who is rich in virtue, and is capable of making a holy and faithful use of any fortune while he is spuriously

 XX. The wealthy and legally correct man, not understanding these things figuratively, nor how the same man can be both poor and rich, and have wealth

 XXI. But the Lord replies, “Because what is impossible with men is possible with God.” This again is full of great wisdom. For a man by himself workin

 XXII. “And Jesus answering said, Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall leave what is his own, parents, and children, and wealth, for My sake and the

 XXIII. Suppose the matter to be a law-suit. Let your father be imagined to present himself to you and say, “I begot and reared thee. Follow me, and jo

 XXIV. You may even go against wealth. Say, “Certainly Christ does not debar me from property. The Lord does not envy.” But do you see yourself overcom

 XXV. And to this effect similarly is what follows. “Now at this present time not to have lands, and money, and houses, and brethren, with persecutions

 XXVI. “The first shall be last, and the last first.” This is fruitful in meaning and exposition,

 XXVII. Well, first let the point of the parable, which is evident, and the reason why it is spoken, be presented. Let it teach the prosperous that the

 XXVIII. The second in order, and not any less than this, He says, is, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,” consequently God above thyself. And

 XXIX. 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

 XXX. He then is first who loves Christ and second, he who loves and cares for those who have believed on Him. For whatever is done to a disciple, the

 XXXI. Such He names children, and sons, and little children, and friends, and little ones here, in reference to their future greatness above. “Despise

 XXXII. Then to appoint such a reward for liberality,—an everlasting habitation! O excellent trading! O divine merchandise! One purchases immortality f

 XXXIII. How then does man give these things? For I will give not only to friends, but to the friends of friends. And who is it that is the friend of G

 XXXIV. This visible appearance cheats death and the devil for the wealth within, the beauty, is unseen by them. And they rave about the carcase, whic

 XXXV. All these warriors and guards are trusty. No one is idle, no one is useless. One can obtain your pardon from God, another comfort you when sick,

 XXXVI. All the faithful, then, are good and godlike, and worthy of the name by which they are encircled as with a diadem. There are, besides, some, th

 XXXVII. For what further need has God of the mysteries of love? And then thou shalt look into the bosom of the Father, whom God the only-begotten Son

 XXXVIII. But learn thou the more excellent way, which Paul shows for salvation. “Love seeketh not her own,” but is diffused on the brother. About him

 XXXIX. If one should escape the superfluity of riches, and the difficulty they interpose in the way of life, and be able to enjoy the eternal good thi

 XL. Forgiveness of past sins, then, God gives but of future, each one gives to himself. And this is to repent, to condemn the past deeds, and beg obl

 XLI. Wherefore it is by all means necessary for thee, who art pompous, and powerful, and rich, to set over thyself some man of God as a trainer and go

 XLII. And that you may be still more confident, that repenting thus truly there remains for you a sure hope of salvation, listen to a tale, which is n

XIV. Riches, then, which benefit also our neighbours, are not to be thrown away. For they are possessions, inasmuch as they are possessed, and goods, inasmuch as they are useful and provided by God for the use of men; and they lie to our hand, and are put under our power, as material and instruments which are for good use to those who know the instrument. If you use it skilfully, it is skilful; if you are deficient in skill, it is affected by your want of skill, being itself destitute of blame. Such an instrument is wealth. Are you able to make a right use of it? It is subservient to righteousness. Does one make a wrong use of it? It is, on the other hand, a minister of wrong. For its nature is to be subservient, not to rule. That then which of itself has neither good nor evil, being blameless, ought not to be blamed; but that which has the power of using it well and ill, by reason of its possessing voluntary choice. And this is the mind and judgment of man, which has freedom in itself and self-determination in the treatment of what is assigned to it. So let no man destroy wealth, rather than the passions of the soul, which are incompatible with the better use of wealth. So that, becoming virtuous and good, he may be able to make a good use of these riches. The renunciation, then, and selling of all possessions, is to be understood as spoken of the passions of the soul.

14.1 Οὐκ ἄρα ἀπορριπτέον τὰ καὶ τοὺς πέλας ὠφελοῦντα χρήματα· κτήματα γάρ ἐστι κτητὰ ὄντα καὶ χρήματα χρήσιμα ὄντα καὶ εἰς χρῆ σιν ἀνθρώπων ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ παρεσκευασμένα, ἃ δὴ παράκειται καὶ ὑποβέβληται καθάπερ ὕλη τις καὶ ὄργανα πρὸς χρῆσιν ἀγαθὴν τοῖς 14.2 εἰδόσι. τὸ ὄργανον, ἐὰν χρῇ τεχνικῶς, τεχνικόν ἐστιν, ἐὰν ὑστερῇς 14.3 τῆς τέχνης, ἀπολαύει τῆς σῆς ἀμουσίας, ὂν ἀναίτιον. τοιοῦτον καὶ ὁ πλοῦτος ὄργανόν ἐστι. δύνασαι χρῆσθαι δικαίως αὐτῷ· πρὸς δικαιοσύνην καθυπηρετεῖ· ἀδίκως τις αὐτῷ χρῆται· πάλιν ὑπηρέτης 14.4 ἀδικίας εὑρίσκεται· πέφυκε γὰρ ὑπηρετεῖν, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἄρχειν. οὐ χρὴ τοίνυν τὸ ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ μὴ ἔχον μήτε τὸ ἀγαθὸν μήτε τὸ κακόν, ἀναί τιον ὄν, αἰτιᾶσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὸ δυνάμενον καὶ καλῶς τούτοις χρῆσθαι καὶ κακῶς, ἀφ' ὧν ἂν ἕληται, κατ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο αἴτιον ὄν. τοῦτο δ' ἐστὶ νοῦς ἀνθρώπου, καὶ κριτήριον ἐλεύθερον ἔχων ἐν ἑαυτῷ καὶ 14.5 τὸ αὐτεξούσιον τῆς μεταχειρίσεως τῶν δοθέντων· ὥστε μὴ τὰ κτή ματά τις ἀφανιζέτω μᾶλλον ἢ τὰ πάθη τῆς ψυχῆς, τὰ μὴ συγχω ροῦντα τὴν ἀμείνω χρῆσιν τῶν ὑπαρχόντων, ἵνα καλὸς καὶ ἀγαθὸς 14.6 γενόμενος καὶ τούτοις τοῖς κτήμασι χρῆσθαι δυνηθῇ καλῶς. τὸ οὖν ἀποτάξασθαι πᾶσι τοῖς ὑπάρχουσι καὶ πωλῆσαι πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντα τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον ἐκδεκτέον ὡς ἐπὶ τῶν ψυχικῶν παθῶν διειρη μένον.