Christ the Educator

Chapter 7

230 CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA Chapter 7 (37) When self-indulgence wanders off into sense-pleasures , then it makes serious shipwreck out of a man. Such an easy and dishonorable way of life, although pursued by many, is foreign to true love of the beautiful and to the higher pleasures. By nature, man is a noble and majestic animal who seeks the beautiful, simply because he is a creature made by the only true Beauty. But a way of life that thinks only of the stomach is without nobility, and is blameworthy and ugly and even ridiculous. Utterly alien to a nature that is divine is concentration upon pleasures of the senses: feeding like sparrows and mating like swine and goats. To consider sense-pleasure a good is very poor judgment as to what is beautiful; attachment to wealth disorientates a man from a right way of living, robbing him of all shame in the presence of base things, 'if only he have the opportunity like a beast, of eating and drinking all sort of things, and of providing himself with ample opportunity for the pleasures of sex.'l That is why it is very rare that a rich man inherits the kingdom of God. What are all these dishes prepared for, except to gorge one single stomach? Privies are silent witnesses to the uncleanness of gluttony, for they are the depositories of the remains of the stomach's feasting. Why should men assemble all these many cup-bearers when they can satisfy their thirst with one single cup? Why a chest of garments? Why all the gold plate? And why all the ornamentation? These men are simply catering to thieves and greedy eyes. 'Let not alms and pledges leave thee,'2 says Scripture. (38) See how Elias the Thesbite offers us an excellent I Cf. Plato. Laws VIII 831DE. 2 Provo 3.3. CHRIST THE EDUCATOR 231 example of frugality when he sat down beneath the juniper tree and the angel brought him food. 'There was a hearth cake and a vessel of water.'3 The Lord sent that sort of meal as the best sort for him. It seems, then, that we should travel light on our road toward truth. 'Carry neither a purse nor wallet nor sandals,'4 the Lord said, meaning that we should not hold any wealth stored away in our purse; that we should not fill up our storehouses as though we were laying away in a barn, but share it with the needy; that we should not trouble ourselves about cattle and domesticswhich is what the sandals symbolize, for it is the sandals that bear the burden when the rich go on a journey. We must, then, get rid of our multiplicity of vessels, our silver and gold drinking cups, our band of servants; we have received from our Educator those beautiful and holy mates, self-service and frugality. In fact, we must walk according to reason even if we have a wife and children in our home. A household is not a burden if it has but learned to follow in the lead of the wayfarer who knows self-control. (39) Invariably the wife who loves her husband will be his faithful reflection, both of them wayfarers carrying provisions best suited for a journey toward heaven : frugality, together with a united and determined practise of self-restraint. Just as the foot is the measure of the sandal, so the physical needs of each man are the measure of what he should possess. Whatever is excessive-the things they call adornmentsand the trappings of the rich are not adornments, but a burden for the body. If one is to use violence to ascend to heaven,5 it is necessary to carry the good staff of holy deeds 3 Cf. 3 Kings 19.4.6. 4 Luke lOA. 5 Cf. Matt. 11.12. 232 CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA and first to share our goods with the oppressed before laying hold of the true rest. Scripture declares that really 'his own riches is the redemption of the soul of man,'6 that is, if a man is rich, he will obtain salvation by sharing his wealth. Like the spring that remains full naturally, returning to its original measure after water has been drawn off, or like milk that flows back to breasts that have been suckled or milked, so too, generosity, which is the wellspring...