CLEMENT of ALEXANDRIA
... AD 153 -- 193 or 217 ...
wrote an admonishment to the Rich,
following the Words of
YESHUA+ HA MASHYIACH+
in Mark 10:25.
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| Photo from flickr.com |
Note this: Clement was not concerning himself with "camels" nor "rope," but with the Truth of the Holy Words. His words were written long before the Peshitta was written.
"4.
May the Savior then grant to us that, having begun the subject from this we may contribute to the brethren what is true, and suitable, and aving, first touching the hope itself, and, second, touching the access to the hope. He indeed grants to those who beg, and teaches those who ask, and dissipates ignorance and dispels despair, by introducing again the same words about the rich, which become their own interpreters and infallible expounders.
For there is nothing like listening again to the very same statements, which till now in the Gospels were distressing you, hearing them as you did without examination, and erroneously through puerility: "And going forth into the way, one approached and kneeled, saying, Good
Master, what good thing shall I do that I may inherit everlasting life?
And Jesus saith, Why callest thou Me good? There is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments. Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor thy father and thy mother.
And he answering saith to Him, All these have I observed.
And Jesus, looking upon him, loved him, and said, One thing thou lackest. If thou wouldest be perfect, sell what thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow Me.
And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he was rich, having great possessions.
And Jesus looked round about, and saith to His disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
More easily shall a camel enter through the eye of a needle than a rich man into the kingdom of God.
And they were astonished out of measure, and said, Who then can be saved? And He, looking upon them, said, What is impossible with men is possible with God. For with God all things are possible.
Peter began to say to Him, Lo, we have left all and followed Thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall leave what is his own, parents, and brethren, and possessions, for My sake and the Gospel’s, shall receive an hundred-fold now in this world, lands, and possessions, and house, and brethren, with persecutions; and in the world to come is life everlasting. But many that are first shall be last, and the last first."
5.
These things are written in the Gospel according to Mark; and in all the rest correspondingly; although perchance the expressions vary slightly in each, yet all show identical agreement in meaning.
But well knowing that the Savior teaches nothing in a merely human way, but teaches all things to His own with divine and mystic wisdom, we must not listen to His utterances carnally; but with due investigation and intelligence must search out and learn the meaning hidden in them. .... "
This quote from Clement of Alexandria is from his work, "Who is the Rich Man Who Shall Be Saved ? " Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Fathers, page 592, sections 4 and 5 .
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