Christ the Educator

Chapter 6

24 CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA His shoulders: and His name shall be called Angel of the great council.'48 What is this child, this little one, after whose image we also are little ones? Through the same Prophet He goes on to describe His greatness: 'Wonderful, Counsellor, God the mighty, eternal Father, Prince of peace; because He maintains His childhood, of His peace there shall be no end.'49 0, the great God; 0, the perfect Child! Son, while He is Father; Father, while He is Son. Is not the childhood of this child perfect, embracing as it does all of us children, educating us little ones as His children? This is He who stretches out His hands to US,50 hands so clearly to be trusted. Again, St. John, 'the prophet greatest among those born of woman,'51 also testifies to His childhood: 'Behold the Lamb of God.'52 Scripture speaks of children and little ones as 'lambs'; then in this passage, in calling God the Word, become man for us, 'the Lamb of God,' because of His desire to be like us in all things, he is speaking of Him as the Son of God, the little one of the Father. Chapter 6 (25) It is possible, too, for us to make a completely adequate answer to any carping critics.1 We are children and little ones, but certainly not because the learning we acquire is puerile or rudimentary, as those puffed up in their own knowledge falsely charge. On the contrary, when we 48 Isa. 9.6.7 (Septuagint). 49 Idem. Cf. reading of Symmachus. 50 Cf. Isa. 65.2; Rom. 10.21. Possibly a reference to the Cross. 51 Luke 7.28. 52 John 1.29.36. I The Gnostics. CHRIST THE EDUCATOR 25 were reborn, we straightway received the perfection for which we strive. For we were enlightened/ that is, we came to the knowledge of God. Certainly, he who possesses knowledge of the Perfect Being is not imperfect. But do not find fault with me for claiming that I have such knowledge of God. This claim was rightfully made by the Word, and He is outspoken. When the Lord was baptized, a voice loudly sounded from heaven, as a witness to Him who was beloved: 'Thou art My beloved Son; this day have I begotten Thee.'3 Now let us ask the wise: on that day when Christ was reborn , was He already perfect, or-a very foolish questionwas He defective? If this last, then He needed to add to His knowledge. But, since He is God, it is not likely that He learned even one thing more. No one can be greater than the Word, nor can anyone teach Him who is the one only Teacher. Are they unwilling, then, to admit that the Word, perfect Son born of a perfect Father, was perfectly reborn, as a prefigurement of the divine plan? But, if He is perfect, then why was one already perfect baptized? It was necessary, they tell us, that the commandment given to men might be fulfilled. Very good, I reply. But was He, by that baptism conferred through John, made perfect? It is clear that He was. But not by learning anything more? No, indeed. 2 phOtiz6, taken from pagan mysteries. but applied by Clement to baptism. Cf. H . A. Echle, Terminology of the Sacrament Of Regeneration according to Clement of Alexandria (Washington, D. C. 1949) 208-209. 3 Cf. Matt. 3.17; Ps, 2.7. This is the reading of Codex D and a few Latin manuscripts and of other early Christian writings. Cf. Titus, op. cit. 14. 26 CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA Is it, then, that He was made perfect only in the sense of being washed, and that He was consecrated by the descent of the Holy Spirit? Yes, that is the true explanation. (26) This is what happens with us, whose model the Lord made Himself. When we are baptized, we are enlightened; being enlightened, we become adopted sons;4 becoming adopted sons, we are made perfect; and becoming perfect, we are made divine. 'I have said,' it is written, 'you are gods and all of you the sons of the most High.'; This ceremony is often called 'free gift,'6 'enlightenment,'7 'perfection" g and 'cleansing'9-'cleansing,' because through it we are completely purified of our sins; 'free gift,' because by it the punishments...