The Third Book of the Stromateis begins with an attack against the 'libertine' tradition associated with Epiphanes the Carpocratian, the Carpocratians being same sect condemned in the Letter to Theodore. In to Theodore it is acknowledged that the Carpocratians share a 'mystic gospel' with the Alexandrian tradition of St. Mark which the heretics have apparently corrupted. In the Stromata the argument develops a little differently. The Carpocratians are accused of 'abolishing the Law and the gospel' (cum legem et Evangelium perhæc aperte destruat) with their understanding that the Creator encouraged lust in all living things (cf. Strom. 3.2)
Clement goes on to ask:
And how can this man still be reckoned among our number when he openly abolishes both law and gospel by these words. The one says: "Thou shalt not commit adultery." (Ex. 20:13) The other says: "Everyone who looks lustfully has already committed adultery." (Quicunque respicit ad concupiscentiam, jam mœchatus est cf. Matt 5:28) The saying in the law, "Thou shalt not covet," (Non concupisces) lt shows that one God is proclaimed by law, prophets, and gospel; for it says: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife." (Ex. 20:17) [Strom. 3.2]
It would seem a very straightforward argument on Clement's part - both the Law and the gospel set limits on lust. Yet Epiphanes point cannot be completely rejected either - whereas Creator puts forward 'being fruitful and multiplying' as a blessing, the Christian god promotes ritual celibacy.
The fact that Clement can't apparently see this obvious difference is eye-opening enough (it is as if he is playing stupid). Yet his repeated citation of ascetic gospels like the Gospel according to the Egyptians confirms that he is holding something back. Indeed the whole purpose of Book Three of the Stromateis is to go back to two words which both Clement and Epiphanes the Carpocratian understand to be in the gospel - 'Non concupisces.' Clement's only objection to the Carpocratians is that the same words appear in Exodus 20:13 (see above).
So a little later in the same chapter Clement actually goes on to cite the gospel where Epiphanes the Carpocratian cites the words 'Non concupisces' (οὐ μοιχεύσεις). We read:
If the adulteress and he who committed fornication with her are punished with death, clearly the command which says "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife" speaks of the Gentiles, in order that anyone who, as the law directs, abstains from his neighbour's wife and from his sister may hear clearly from the Lord, "But I say unto you, Thou shalt not lust." (Ego autem dico, non concupisces) The addition of the word "I," however, shows the stricter force of the commandment, and that Carpocrates fights against God, and Epiphanes likewise. [ibid]
It is amazing that with all this debate about 'the question of authenticity of Secret Mark' that this material is never cited! It is as if people want to be heard without having becoming properly familiar with the material.
Indeed as we already noted the controversy over what the meaning of Jesus proclamation 'Ego autem dico, non concupisces' shared by both Clement's Alexandrian tradition of St. Mark and the Carpocratians continues much deeper into the Third Book of the Stromateis. Clement even goes so far as to claim that 'the apostle' read these words and incorporated them into his Epistle to the Romans:
While on this point I think I must not commit mention of the fact that the apostle declares that the same God is the God of the law, the prophets, and the gospel. In the Epistle to the Romans he quotes the gospel saying "Thou shalt not lust" (non concupisces) as if it were from the law, knowing that it is the one Father who is preached by the law and the prophets. For he says: "What shall we say? Is the law sin? God forbid. I had not known sin except through the law; and I had not known lust unless the law had said, Thou shalt not lust." [ibid 3.12]
I don't know how it was the 'debate' over the authenticity has never taken into account this reference to a 'shared gospel' between the Alexandrian tradition and the Carpocratians which contains saying not found in the canonical gospel. Yet it is equally clear that yet another group also shared the same gospel - the Marcionites. The idea that the apostle already had the written gospel while writing the Apostolikon is strictly Marcionite.
We have been saying for some time that the Clementine paradigm in to Theodore sounded Marcionite. Now we have explicit confirmation of that. Indeed Clement's references to the Marcionites in the same book implied that they too shared this text. We read him say that:
They (the Marcionites) say they have received the gospel of the knowledge of the Strange God; yet at least they ought to acknowledge gratitude to the. Lord of the world because they receive this gospel on this earth [ibid 3:12]
Apparently this was a compromise that Clement was willing to make to accomodate his Alexandrian tradition to the Roman Church. Over and over again he makes clear that while his Alexandrian tradition extolled celibacy every bit as much as the heretical traditions, their refusal to compromise to the new authority of the Roman Church was a sign of their haughtiness.
