If the Lord counts the natural beauty of the body inferior to that of the soul, what thinks He of spurious beauty, rejecting utterly as He does all falsehood?
Clement Of AlexandriaRead
For, in truth, an image is only dead matter shaped by the craftsman's hand. But we have no sensible image of sensible matter, but an image that is perceived by the mind alone: God, who alone is truly God.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the distinction between physical reality and the perception of it, suggesting that true understanding lies beyond mere images.
Clement of Alexandria's quote conveys the idea that physical representations, such as images created by craftsmen, are inanimate and devoid of true essence. It suggests that our understanding and perception of reality is deeply mental rather than purely sensory, positing that God embodies the ultimate truth that transcends material representations.
Themes
PerceptionRealityTruthImagesUnderstandingGod
In practice
Example use cases
During a philosophy lecture discussing the nature of reality and perception.
More from Clement Of Alexandria
All quotes →His Son Jesus, the Word of God, is our Instructor.... He is God and Creator.
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But those who are ready to toil in the most excellent pursuits, will not desist from the search after truth, till they get the demonstration from the Scriptures themselves.
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The Word of God became man, that thou mayest learn from man how man may become God.
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We are not to throw away those things which can benefit our neighbor. Goods are called good because they can be used for good: they are instruments for good, in the hands of those who use them properly.
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