{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"drop-cap p-left\">And of such it is said, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise: I\r\nwill bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” The apostle\r\naccordingly adds, “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the\r\ndisputer of this world?” setting in contradistinction to the scribes,\r\nthe disputers<a class=\"fnanchor pginternal\" href=\"#Footnote_963\" id=\"FNanchor_963\">[963]</a> of this world, the philosophers of the Gentiles.\r\n“Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”<a class=\"fnanchor pginternal\" href=\"#Footnote_964\" id=\"FNanchor_964\">[964]</a> which is\r\nequivalent to, showed it to be foolish, and not true, as they thought.\r\nAnd if you ask the cause of their seeming wisdom, he will say, “because\r\nof the blindness of their heart;” since “in the wisdom of God,” that\r\nis, as proclaimed by the prophets, “the world knew not,” in the wisdom\r\n“which spake by the prophets,” “Him,”<a class=\"fnanchor pginternal\" href=\"#Footnote_965\" id=\"FNanchor_965\">[965]</a> that is, God,—“it pleased\r\nGod by the foolishness of preaching”—what seemed to the Greeks\r\nfoolishness—“to save them that believe. For the Jews require signs,”\r\nin order to faith; “and the Greeks seek after wisdom,” plainly those\r\nreasonings styled “irresistible,” and those others, namely, syllogisms.\r\n“But we preach Jesus Christ crucified; to the Jews a stumbling-block,”\r\nbecause, though knowing prophecy, they did not believe the event: “to\r\nthe Greeks, foolishness;” for those who in their own estimation are\r\nwise, consider it fabulous that the Son of God should speak by man and\r\nthat God should have a Son, and especially that that Son should have\r\nsuffered. Whence their preconceived idea inclines them to disbelieve.\r\nFor the advent of the Saviour did not make people foolish,<span class=\"pagenum\" id=\"Page_411\">[411]</span> and hard\r\nof heart, and unbelieving, but made them understanding, amenable\r\nto persuasion, and believing. But those that would not believe, by\r\nseparating themselves from the voluntary adherence of those who obeyed,\r\nwere proved to be without understanding, unbelievers and fools. “But to\r\nthem who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God,\r\nand the wisdom of God.” Should we not understand (as is better) the\r\nwords rendered, “Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”\r\nnegatively: “God hath not made foolish the wisdom of the world?”—so\r\nthat the cause of their hardness of heart may not appear to have\r\nproceeded from God, “making foolish the wisdom of the world.” For on\r\nall accounts, being wise, they incur greater blame in not believing the\r\nproclamation. For the preference and choice of truth is voluntary. But\r\nthat declaration, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,” declares Him\r\nto have sent forth light, by bringing forth in opposition the despised\r\nand contemned barbarian philosophy; as the lamp, when shone upon by the\r\nsun, is said to be extinguished, on account of its not then exerting\r\nthe same power. All having been therefore called, those who are willing\r\nto obey have been named “called.” For there is no unrighteousness\r\nwith God. Those of either race who have believed, are “a peculiar\r\npeople.”<a class=\"fnanchor pginternal\" href=\"#Footnote_966\" id=\"FNanchor_966\">[966]</a> And in the Acts of the Apostles you will find this,\r\nword for word, “Those then who received his word were baptized;”<a class=\"fnanchor pginternal\" href=\"#Footnote_967\" id=\"FNanchor_967\">[967]</a>\r\nbut those who would not obey kept themselves aloof. To these prophecy\r\nsays, “If ye be willing and hear me, ye shall eat the good things of\r\nthe land;”<a class=\"fnanchor pginternal\" href=\"#Footnote_968\" id=\"FNanchor_968\">[968]</a> proving that choice or refusal depends on ourselves.\r\nThe apostle designates the doctrine which is according to the Lord,\r\n“the wisdom of God,” in order to show that the true philosophy has\r\nbeen communicated by the Son. Further, he, who has a show of wisdom,\r\nhas certain exhortations enjoined on him by the apostle: “That ye put\r\non the new man, which after God is renewed in righteousness and true\r\nholiness. Wherefore, putting away lying, speak every man truth. Neither\r\ngive place to the devil. Let him that stole, steal no more; but<span class=\"pagenum\" id=\"Page_412\">[412]</span> rather\r\nlet him labour, working that which is good” (and to work is to labour\r\nin seeking the truth; for it is accompanied with rational well-doing),\r\n“that ye may have to give to him that has need,”<a class=\"fnanchor pginternal\" href=\"#Footnote_969\" id=\"FNanchor_969\">[969]</a> both of worldly\r\nwealth and of divine wisdom. For he wishes both that the word be\r\ntaught, and that the money be put into the bank, accurately tested,\r\nto accumulate interest. Whence he adds, “Let no corrupt communication\r\nproceed out of your mouth,”—that is “corrupt communication” which\r\nproceeds out of conceit,—“but that which is good for the use of\r\nedifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers.” And the word of\r\nthe good God must needs be good. And how is it possible that he who\r\nsaves shall not be good?</p>","headings":["THE WRITINGS OF CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA.","THE MISCELLANIES.","BOOK I.","CHAPTER XVIII. HE ILLUSTRATES THE APOSTLE’S SAYING, “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE.”"],"marker_anchor":"FNanchor_967","paragraph_id":"pg71937-paragraph-745"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"de33a9448e7cf8f512660f3bcba7508b4889557dfdfd27718b94b1b38aa4e0e6","edition_title":"The writings of Clement of Alexandria, Vol. 1 (of 2)","edition_translators":["William Wilson"],"edition_year":1867,"explicit_reference_candidates":[{"book":"ACT","chapter":2,"kind":"unreviewed","source_notation":"Acts ii. 41","verse":41,"verse_end":41}],"headings":[],"id":"pg71937-Footnote_967","license_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html","public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"original-editor-translator-note","review_required":["work and recension attribution","original-work chronology","Bible reference numbering and citation kind","English edition rights and attribution"],"review_status":"needs_review","rights_evidence":"Project Gutenberg metadata: Public domain in the USA. Existing 1867 English translation; translator died 1875. Electronic transcription subject to Project Gutenberg reuse terms.","source_anchor":"Footnote_967","source_ebook":71937,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\">\n<p><a class=\"label pginternal\" href=\"#FNanchor_967\" id=\"Footnote_967\">[967]</a> Acts ii. 41.</p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"8e5c5bc39922dbad2626ac7651c2eb2e3d94cdcbd721f781e9792143ebb1cd03","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/71937/pg71937-images.html#Footnote_967","text_sha256":"d9df0a8813fbab8f26640ff29b74af15da6ad724178f4323bb409b7a542914f7","verified":false,"work_id":null}