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

XXXVII. For what further need has God of the mysteries of love?65    Segaar reads: For what more should I say? Behold the mysteries of love. And then thou shalt look into the bosom of the Father, whom God the only-begotten Son alone hath declared. And God Himself is love; and out of love to us became feminine.66    Ἐθηλύνθη, which occurs immediately after this, has been suggested as the right reading here. The text has ἐθηράθη. 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; and the fruit brought forth by love is love.

For this also He came down. For this He clothed Himself with man. For this He voluntarily subjected Himself to the experiences of men, that by bringing Himself to the measure of our weakness whom He loved, He might correspondingly bring us to the measure of His own strength. And about to be offered up and giving Himself a ransom, He left for us a new Covenant-testament: My love I give unto you. And what and how great is it? For each of us He gave His life,—the equivalent for all. This He demands from us in return for one another. And if we owe our lives to the brethren, and have made such a mutual compact with the Saviour, why should we any more hoard and shut up worldly goods, which are beggarly, foreign to us and transitory? Shall we shut up from each other what after a little shall be the property of the fire? Divinely and weightily John says, “He that loveth not his brother is a murderer,”67    1 John iii. 14, 15. the seed of Cain, a nursling of the devil. He has not God’s compassion. He has no hope of better things. He is sterile; he is barren; he is not a branch of the ever-living supercelestial vine. He is cut off; he waits the perpetual fire.

37.1 Τί γὰρ ἔτι δεῖ; θεῶ τὰ τῆς ἀγάπης μυστήρια, καὶ τότε ἐποπτεύ σεις τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρός, ὃν ὁ μονογενὴς θεὸς μόνος ἐξηγήσατο. 37.2 ἔστι δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ θεὸς ἀγάπη καὶ δι' ἀγάπην ἡμῖν ἐθεάθη. καὶ τὸ μὲν ἄρρητον αὐτοῦ πατήρ, τὸ δὲ εἰς ἡμᾶς συμπαθὲς γέγονε μήτηρ. ἀγαπήσας ὁ πατὴρ ἐθηλύνθη, καὶ τούτου μέγα σημεῖον ὃν αὐτὸς 37.3 ἐγέννησεν ἐξ αὑτοῦ· καὶ ὁ τεχθεὶς ἐξ ἀγάπης καρπὸς ἀγάπη. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ αὐτὸς κατῆλθε, διὰ τοῦτο ἄνθρωπον ἐνέδυ, διὰ τοῦτο τὰ ἀνθρώπων ἑκὼν ἔπαθεν, ἵνα πρὸς τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀσθένειαν οὓς 37.4 ἠγάπησε μετρηθεὶς ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ δύναμιν ἀντιμετρήσῃ. καὶ μέλλων σπένδεσθαι καὶ λύτρον ἑαυτὸν ἐπιδιδοὺς καινὴν ἡμῖν δια θήκην καταλιμπάνει· "ἀγάπην ὑμῖν δίδωμι τὴν ἐμήν." τίς δέ ἐστιν αὕτη καὶ πόση; ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἑκάστου κατέθηκε τὴν ψυχὴν τὴν ἀντα 37.5 ξίαν τῶν ὅλων· ταύτην ἡμᾶς ὑπὲρ ἀλλήλων ἀνταπαιτεῖ. εἰ δὲ τὰς ψυχὰς ὀφείλομεν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, καὶ τοιαύτην τὴν συνθήκην πρὸς τὸν σωτῆρα ἀνθωμολογήμεθα, ἔτι τὰ τοῦ κόσμου, τὰ πτωχὰ καὶ ἀλλότρια καὶ παραρρέοντα, καθείρξομεν ταμιευόμενοι; ἀλλήλων ἀπο 37.6 κλείσομεν, ἃ μετὰ μικρὸν ἕξει τὸ πῦρ; θείως γε καὶ ἐπιπνόως ὁ Ἰω άννης "ὁ μὴ φιλῶν" φησὶ "τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἀνθρωποκτόνος ἐστί", σπέρμα τοῦ Κάιν, θρέμμα τοῦ διαβόλου, θεοῦ σπλάγχνον οὐκ ἔχει, ἐλπίδα κρειττόνων οὐκ ἔχει, ἄσπορός ἐστιν, ἄγονός ἐστιν, οὐκ ἔστι κλῆμα τῆς ἀεὶ ζώσης ὑπερουρανίας ἀμπέλου, ἐκκόπτεται, τὸ πῦρ ἄθρουν ἀναμένει.