Freethought & Rationalism Archive

stephan huller · 04-20-2012, 10:29 PM

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Respecting exchange (metadosews) He said: "Come to me, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungry, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger (xenos), and ye took Me in; naked, and ye clothed Me; sick, and ye visited Me; in prison, and ye came unto Me (kai elthate pros me)." And when have we done any of these things to the Lord? The Instructor Himself will say it is a good-making lovingly done to the brother as Himself (ten eupoiian kai ton adelphon agapetikws), "Inasmuch as ye have done it to these little ones (epoiesate tois mikrois toutois), ye have done it to Me (emoi epoiesate ). And these shall go away into everlasting life."

Such are the laws of the Word, words that impart (spiritual) inspiration, written by the hand of God not on tablets of stone, but inscribed on men's hearts, provided only that those hearts are not attached to corruption. Therefore the tablets of the hard of heart have been broken, that the faith of the little ones may be formed in impressionable minds. [Paed 3.12]

I think this is a major discovery. I sent a letter to Professor Rapp formerly of UCLA and now of the University of Vienna who is writing a book on this tradition. I will keep everyone informed with respect to what she says. I am going through references in Clement of Rome to see if there are any parallel interpretations. I think I found one (emboldened below).

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Thus a profound and rich peace was given to all, and an insatiable desire of doing good [ἀγαθοποιΐαν]. An abundant outpouring also of the Holy Spirit fell upon all [1 Clement 2]

Ye repented not of any well-doing [ἀγαθοποιΐᾳ], but were ready unto every good work [ἕτοιμοι εἰς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθόν]. Being adorned with a most virtuous and honorable life, ye performed all your duties in the fear of Him. The commandments and the ordinances of the Lord were written on the tablets of your hearts. [ibid]

What then must we do [ποιήσωμεν], brethren [ἀδελφοί]? Must we idly abstain from doing good [ἀγαθοποιΐας], and forsake love [ἀγάπην]? May the Master never allow this to befall us at least; but let us hasten with instancy and zeal to accomplish every good work [ἔργον ἀγαθὸν]. For the Creator and Master of the universe Himself rejoiceth in His works. For by His exceeding great might He established the heavens, and in His incomprehensible wisdom He set them in order. And the earth He separated from the water that surroundeth it, and He set it firm on the sure foundation of His own will; and the living creatures which walk upon it He commanded to exist by His ordinance. Having before created the sea and the living creatures therein, He enclosed it by
His own power. Above all, as the most excellent and exceeding great work of His intelligence, with His sacred and faultless hands He formed man in
the impress of His own image. [ibid 33]

Seeing then that we have this pattern, let us conform ourselves with all diligence to His will; let us with all our strength work the work of righteousness. The good workman [ἀγαθὸς ἐργάτης] receiveth the bread of his work with boldness, but the slothful and careless dareth not look his employer in the face. It is therefore needful that we should be zealous unto well doing [ἀγαθοποιΐαν], for of Him are all things: since He forewarneth us saying, Behold, the Lord, and His reward is before His face, to recompense each man according to his work. He exhorteth us therefore to believe on Him with our whole heart, and to be not idle nor careless unto every good work [ἔργον ἀγαθόν] [ibid]

Let us consider, brethren [ἀδελφοί], of what matter we were made [ἐκ ποίας ὕλης ἐγενήθημεν]; who and what manner of beings we were, when we came into the world [ποῖοι καὶ τίνες εἰσήλθαμεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον]; from what a sepulchre [ἐκ ποίου τάφου] and what darkness He that molded and created us brought us into His world, having prepared His benefits aforehand ere ever we were born. Seeing therefore that we have all these things from Him, we ought in all things to give thanks to Him, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen [ibid 38]

Previously the earliest reference to the phenomenon of 'brother-making' was thought to be dated to the fifth, sixth or seventh centuries. Athanasius does reference the concept in the fourth century.

stephan huller · 04-20-2012, 10:43 PM

The concept is in 2 Clement (not surprisingly). Notice the connection with 'love' (= agape):

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If Christ the Lord who saved us, being first spirit, then became flesh, and so called us, in like manner also shall we in this flesh receive our reward. Let us therefore love one another, that we all may come unto the kingdom of God. While we have time to be healed, let us place ourselves in the hands of God the physician, giving Him a recompense. What recompense? Repentance from a sincere heart. For He discerneth all things beforehand and knoweth what is in our heart. Let us therefore give unto Him eternal praise, not from our lips only, but also from our heart, that He may receive us as sons. For the Lord also said, These are my brethren, which do the will of My Father. Wherefore, my brethren [ἀδελφοί μου], let us do [ποιήσωμεν] the will of the Father which called us, that we may live; and let us the rather pursue virtue, but forsake vice as the forerunner of our sins, and let us flee from ungodliness, lest evils overtake us. For if we be diligent in doing good [ἀγαθοποιεῖν], peace will pursue us. [2 Clement 10]

stephan huller · 04-21-2012, 12:57 AM

The use of ἀγαθοποιὰ in the astrological writings of Serapio of Alexandria:

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For the benefic [ἀγαθοποιὰ] Zoidia are the Horoskopos, the MC, 11th, 5th, God, Goddess. The 2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th, <8th>, 12th (zoidia from the Horoskopos) are malefic [κακοποιὰ]

stephan huller · 04-21-2012, 01:13 AM

More in Clement of Alexandria:

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But all that is characterized by virtue proceeds from virtue, and leads back to virtue. And it is given either in order that men may become good, or that those who are so may make use of their natural advantages. For it co-operates both in what is general and what is particular. How absurd, then, is it, to those who attribute disorder and wickedness to the devil, to make him the bestower of philosophy, a virtuous thing! For he is thus all but made more benignant to the Greeks, in respect of making men good [τὸ ἀγαθοὺς ἄνδρας], than the divine providence [τῆς θείας προνοίας] and mind.

Again, I reckon it is the part of law and of right reason to assign to each one what is appropriate to him, and belongs to him, and falls to him. For as the lyre is only for the harper, and the flute for the flute-player; so good things are the possessions of good men [τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν]. As the nature of the beneficent is to do good [τοῦ ἀγαθοποιοῦ τὸ ἀγαθοποιεῖν], as it is of the fire to warm, and the light to give light, and a good man will not do evil, or light produce darkness, or fire cold; so, again, vice cannot do aught virtuous. For its activity is to do evil, as that of darkness to dim the eyes.

Philosophy is not, then, the product of vice, since it makes men virtuous; it follows, then, that it is the work of God, whose work it is solely to do good [τὸ ἀγαθύνειν ἔργον]. And all things given by God are given and received well.

stephan huller · 04-21-2012, 01:21 AM

Book Seven, Chapter Twelve

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Now fear works abstinence from what is evil; but love [ἀγάπη] exhorts to the doing of good [ἀγαθοποιεῖν], by building up to the point of spontaneousness; that one may hear from the Lord, "I call you no longer servants, but friends," and may now with confidence apply himself to prayer.

And the form of his prayer is thanksgiving for the past, for the present, and for the future as already through faith present. This is preceded by the reception of knowledge. And he asks to live the allotted life in the flesh as a Gnostic, as free from the flesh, and to attain to the best things, and flee from the worse. He asks, too, relief in those things in which we have sinned, and conversion to the acknowledgment of them.

He follows, on his departure, Him who calls, as quickly, so to speak, as He who goes before calls, hasting by reason of a good conscience to give thanks; and having got there with Christ shows himself worthy, through his purity, to possess, by a process of blending, the power of God communicated by Christ. For he does not wish to be warm by participation in heat, or luminous by participation in flame, but to be wholly light.

He knows accurately the declaration, "Unless ye hate father and mother, and besides your own life, and unless ye bear the sign [of the cross]." For he hates the inordinate affection: of the flesh, which possess the powerful spell of pleasure; and entertains a noble contempt for all that belongs to the creation and nutriment of the flesh. He also withstands the corporeal soul, putting a bridle-bit on the restive irrational spirit: "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit." And "to bear the sign of [the cross]" is to bear about death, by taking farewell of all things while still alive; since there is not equal love in "having sown the flesh," and in having formed the soul for knowledge.

He having acquired the habit of doing good, exercises beneficence well, quicker than speaking; praying that he may get a share in the sins of his brethren, in order to confession and conversion on the part of his kindred; and eager to give a share to those dearest to him of his own good things. And so these are to him, friends. Promoting, then, the growth of the seeds deposited in him, according to the husbandry enjoined by the Lord, he continues free of sin, and becomes continent, and lives in spirit with those who are like him, among the choirs of the saints, though still detained on earth.

stephan huller · 04-21-2012, 02:35 PM

Clement's use of εὐποιία (= beneficence). First in the context of baptism:

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As, then, we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to the household of faith." And let each of these, according to the blessed David, sing, giving thanks. "Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed. Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than the snow. Thou shalt make me to hear gladness and joy, and the bones which have been humbled shall rejoice. Turn Thy face from my sins. Blot out mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my inward parts. Cast me not away from Thy face, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, and establish me with Thy princely spirit." He who addresses those who are present before him, both tests them by time, and judges by his judgment, and from the others distinguishes him who can hear; watching the words, the manners, the habits, the life, the motions, the attitudes, the look, the voice; the road, the rock, the beaten path, the fruitful land, the wooded region, the fertile and fair and cultivated spot, that is able to multiply the seed. But he that speaks through books, consecrates himself before God, crying in writing thus: Not for gain, not for vainglory, not to be vanquished by partiality, nor enslaved by fear nor elated by pleasure; but only to reap the salvation of those who read, which he does, not at present participate in, but awaiting in expectation the recompense which will certainly be rendered by Him, who has promised to bestow on the labourers the reward that is meet. But he who is enrolled in the number of men ought not to desire recompense. For he that vaunts his good services [εὐποιίαν], receives glory [εὐδοξίας] as his reward. And he who does any duty for the sake of recompense, is he not held fast in the custom of the world, either as one who has done well, hastening to receive a reward, or as an evil-doer avoiding retribution? We must, as far as we can, imitate the Lord.I And he will do so, who complies with the will of God, receiving freely, giving freely, and receiving as a worthy reward the citizenship itself. [Stromata 1.1]

Strom 1.5 references παιδοποιίαν = begetting/making children

Strom 1.6 -

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For nutriment, and the training which is maintained gentle, make noble natures; and noble natures, when they have received such training, become still better than before both in other respects but especially in productiveness [τροφὴ γὰρ καὶ ἡ παίδευσις ἡ χρηστὴ σῳζομένη φύσεις ἀγαθὰς ποιεῖ, καὶ αἱ φύσεις αἱ χρησταὶ τοιαύτης παιδείας ἀντιλαμβανόμεναι ἔτι βελτίους τῶν πρότερον φύονται εἴς τε τὰ ἄλλα καὶ εἰς τὸ γεννᾶν], as is the case with the other creatures

Strom 1.7 -

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And now we must look also at this, that if ever those who know not how to do well, live well [διαβιοῦσι καλῶς εὖ ποιεῖν]; for they have lighted on well-doing [εὐποιίᾳ γὰρ περιπεπτώκασιν] Some, too, have aimed well [εὐστοχοῦσι] at the word of truth [ἀληθείας λόγον] through understanding. "But Abraham was not justified by works, but by faith." It is therefore of no advantage to them after the end of life, even if they do good works now, if they have not faith. Wherefore also the Scriptures were translated into the language of the Greeks, in order that they might never be able to allege the excuse of ignorance, inasmuch as they are able to hear also what we have in our hands, if they only wish. One speaks in one way of the truth, in another way the truth interprets itself. The guessing at truth is one thing, and truth itself is another. Resemblance is one thing, the thing itself is another. And the one results from learning and practice, the other from power and faith. For the teaching of piety is a gift, but faith is grace. "For by doing the will of God we know the will of God."

Strom 1.10 -

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Wherefore the Saviour, taking the bread, first spake and blessed. Then breaking the bread, He presented it, that we might eat it, according to reason, and that knowing the Scriptures we might walk obediently. And as those whose speech is evil are no better than those whose practice is evil (for calumny is the servant of the sword, and evil-speaking inflicts pain; and from these proceed disasters in life, such being the effects of evil speech); so also those who are given to good speech are near neighbours to those who accomplish good deeds. Accordingly discourse refreshes the soul and entices it to nobleness; and happy is he who has the use of both his hands. Neither, therefore, is he who can act well [εὐποιητικὸς] to be vilified by him who is able to speak well [εὖ λέγειν]; nor is he who is able to speak well [εὖ πάσχειν] to be disparaged by him who is capable of acting well [εὖ ποιεῖν]. But let each do that for which he is naturally fitted. What the one exhibits as actually done, the other speaks, preparing, as it were, the way for well-doing [εὐποιίᾳ], and leading the hearers to the practice of good [εὐεργεσίαν]. For there is a saving word, as there is a saving work. Righteousness, accordingly, is not constituted without discourse. And as the receiving of good [εὖ πάσχειν] is abolished if we abolish the doing of good [εὖ ποιεῖν]; so obedience and faith are abolished when neither the command, nor one to expound the command, is taken along with us.

Strom 1.15 -

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And as appears to me, it was in consequence of perceiving the great benefit [τῆς μεγάλης εὐποιίας] which is conferred through wise men, that the men themselves Were honoured and philosophy cultivated publicly by all the Brahmins, and the Odrysi, and the Getae.

stephan huller · 04-21-2012, 03:27 PM

I will interrupt this study for a fragment of Epictetus (25):

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Neither is a horse elated nor proud of his manger and trappings and coverings, nor a bird of his little shreds of cloth and of his nest: but both of them are proud of their swiftness, one proud of the swiftness of the feet, and the other of the wings. Do you also then not be greatly proud of your food and dress and, in short, of any external things, but be proud of your integrity and good deeds (εὐποιία).

stephan huller · 04-21-2012, 03:49 PM

The Letter from Clement to James

οἶδα δὲ ταῦτα ποιήσειν ὑμᾶς, ἐὰν ἀγάπην εἰς τὸν ὑμέτερον ἱδρύσητε νοῦν. πρὸς δὲ τὴν αὐτῆς εἴσοδον μία τίς ἐστιν ἱκανὴ πρόφασις, ἡ κοινὴ τῶν ἁλῶν μετάληψις. διὸ σπουδάζετε πυκνότερον συνέστιοι ἀλλήλων γίνεσθαι ὡς δύνασθε, ὅπως αὐτὴν μὴ ἀπεμπολήσητε· αἰτία γάρ ἐστιν τῆς εὐποιίας, ἡ δὲ εὐποιία τῆς σωτηρίας. κοινοὺς οὖν πάντες πᾶσιν τοῖς κατὰ θεὸν ἀδελφοῖς τοὺς ἑαυτῶν παρέχετε βίους, εἰδότες ὅτι πρόσκαιρα δωρούμενοι αἰώνια λήψεσθε.

But I know that ye will do these things if you fix love into your minds; and for its entrance there is one only fit means, viz., the common partaking of salt. Wherefore see to it that ye be frequently one another's guests, as ye are able, that you may not fail of it. For it is the cause of well-doing, and well-doing of salvation. Therefore all of you present your provisions in common to all your brethren in God, knowing that, giving temporal things, you shall receive eternal things.

Davka · 04-21-2012, 04:19 PM

How do you interpret this? Do you see it as the origin of this teaching in Christianity? Or is it merely further transmogrifying of Leviticus 19:18b, "You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD" ?

This is just a thought of mine: the nascent Christian community was adopting not only large chunks of Judaism, but also declaring Believers to be the true "chosen people" and the spiritual continuation of the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Just as the Jews were commanded to treat their (blood-relative) neighbors in certain ways, so the early Christians adopted the idea of "relatedness" one to another. Therefore they were all "brothers in Christ," and commanded (just as the Jews before them) to treat other members of their "family" with a special deference.

Obviously, the admonition to "present your provisions in common to all your brethren in God" is far more than anything Judaism ever demanded - it is as if the religious duty to one's immediate family is extended to all of Christendom.

stephan huller · 04-21-2012, 04:29 PM

clement says the neighbor (the one who is near), the other and the brother are all titles of jesus

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04-21-2012, 03:49 PM	#8
stephan huller Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: seattle, wa Posts: 9,337	The Letter from Clement to James οἶδα δὲ ταῦτα ποιήσειν ὑμᾶς, ἐὰν ἀγάπην εἰς τὸν ὑμέτερον ἱδρύσητε νοῦν. πρὸς δὲ τὴν αὐτῆς εἴσοδον μία τίς ἐστιν ἱκανὴ πρόφασις, ἡ κοινὴ τῶν ἁλῶν μετάληψις. διὸ σπουδάζετε πυκνότερον συνέστιοι ἀλλήλων γίνεσθαι ὡς δύνασθε, ὅπως αὐτὴν μὴ ἀπεμπολήσητε· αἰτία γάρ ἐστιν τῆς εὐποιίας, ἡ δὲ εὐποιία τῆς σωτηρίας. κοινοὺς οὖν πάντες πᾶσιν τοῖς κατὰ θεὸν ἀδελφοῖς τοὺς ἑαυτῶν παρέχετε βίους, εἰδότες ὅτι πρόσκαιρα δωρούμενοι αἰώνια λήψεσθε. But I know that ye will do these things if you fix love into your minds; and for its entrance there is one only fit means, viz., the common partaking of salt. Wherefore see to it that ye be frequently one another's guests, as ye are able, that you may not fail of it. For it is the cause of well-doing, and well-doing of salvation. Therefore all of you present your provisions in common to all your brethren in God, knowing that, giving temporal things, you shall receive eternal things.

04-21-2012, 04:19 PM	#9
Davka Contributor Join Date: May 2010 Location: Babble Belt Posts: 20,748	How do you interpret this? Do you see it as the origin of this teaching in Christianity? Or is it merely further transmogrifying of Leviticus 19:18b, "You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD" ? This is just a thought of mine: the nascent Christian community was adopting not only large chunks of Judaism, but also declaring Believers to be the true "chosen people" and the spiritual continuation of the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Just as the Jews were commanded to treat their (blood-relative) neighbors in certain ways, so the early Christians adopted the idea of "relatedness" one to another. Therefore they were all "brothers in Christ," and commanded (just as the Jews before them) to treat other members of their "family" with a special deference. Obviously, the admonition to "present your provisions in common to all your brethren in God" is far more than anything Judaism ever demanded - it is as if the religious duty to one's immediate family is extended to all of Christendom.

04-21-2012, 04:29 PM	#10
stephan huller Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: seattle, wa Posts: 9,337	clement says the neighbor (the one who is near), the other and the brother are all titles of jesus

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