The End of the 'Hoax Hypothesis' and 'Secret Mark' [Part Three]

I want to remind my readership that we have finally sounded the death knell of the 'hoax hypothesis' with our discovery of a reference to 'Secret Mark' in Strom 5.3.  In other words, that this narrative (LGM 1):

a great cry was heard from the tomb. And going near, Jesus rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb. And straightaway, going in where the youth was, he stretched forth his hand and raised him, seizing his hand. But the youth, looking upon him, loved him (ἠγάπησεν) and began to beseech him that he might be with him. And going out of the tomb, they came into the house of the youth, for he was rich. And after six days Jesus gave charge to him, and in the evening the youth comes to him, wearing a linen cloth over his naked body. And he remained with him that night, for Jesus taught him the mystery of the Kingdom of God.

is witnessed by Clement in this passage set in the middle of a discussion of Platonic love in Strom 5.3:

The knowledge of ignorance (τῆς ἀγνοίας ἐπίστασις) is, then, the first lesson in walking according to the Word (τῷ κατὰ λόγον βαδίζοντι). An ignorant man has sought (ἐζήτησεν), and having sought (ζητήσας), he finds (εὑρίσκει) the teacher (τὸν διδάσκαλον); and finding (εὑρών) has believed (ἐπίστευσεν), and believing (πιστεύσας) has hoped (ἤλπισεν); and henceforward having loved (ἀγαπήσας), is assimilated (ἐξομοιοῦται) to what was loved (τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ)-- endeavouring (σπεύδων) to be what he first loved (ἠγάπησεν).

I have absolutely no doubts that Clement is ultimately making reference to LGM 1.  Yet Clement is a sophisticated writer.  We should notice that Clement layers yet another extra-canonical saying over the passage witnessed in the Letter to Theodore.

It should be noted that the structure of the second sentence is clearly imitating a variant of what is cited later in same book.  First the sentence just cited:

An ignorant man has sought (ἐζήτησεν), and having sought (ζητήσας), he finds (εὑρίσκει) the teacher (τὸν διδάσκαλον); and finding (εὑρών) has believed (ἐπίστευσεν), and believing (πιστεύσας) has hoped (ἤλπισεν); and henceforward having loved (ἀγαπήσας), is assimilated (ἐξομοιοῦται) to what was loved (τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ)

and now the citation of an extra-canonical gospel which many presume to be the Gospel according to the Hebrews:

He who seeks (ζητῶν) will not give up until he finds (εὕρῃ); and having found (ἂνεὑρὼν), he will marvel (θαμβηθήσεται); and having marveled (θαμβηθεὶς), he will reign (βασιλεύσει); and having reigned (βασιλεύσας), he will rest (ἐπαναπαήσεται)

It should be obvious that Strom. 5.3 begins as an imitation of the non-canonical gospel reference in Strom 5.14.  The beginning takes the form of a sorites, where the last word in one line is taken up at the beginning of the next line. The effect of this rhetorical device is to create the impression of a compelling necessity, where one line leads logically to the next:

Strom. 5.3                                                       Strom. 5.14
ἐζήτησεν - ζητήσας                                            ζητῶν
εὑρίσκει - εὑρών                                               εὕρῃ - ἂνεὑρὼν

It is worth noting that the parallel saying in the Gospel of Thomas of Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 654 has the doubling of Strom. 5.3 - ζητῶν του ζητειν. 

The point of this discussion is that Clement is continuing his practice of comparing 'like with like' - i.e. one non-canonical pericope with a non-canonical saying.  If we look again at LGM 1 it becomes obvious what matches with what:

a great cry was heard from the tomb.

is the state of 'ignorance' or 'not knowing' which starts Strom 5.3 is the impetus to 'seek.' 

And going near, Jesus rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb. And straightaway, going in where the youth was, he stretched forth his hand and raised him, seizing his hand.

represents 'finding' while 'being surprised' or 'astounded' is clearly connected with beholding the beauty of Jesus:

But the youth, looking upon him (ἐμβλέψας), loved him (ἠγάπησεν) and began to beseech him that he might be with him.

It is very important to notice that Clement's other citation of this saying in Strom 2.4 makes absolutely clear that he is connecting it to LGM 1.  Indeed before we look at this other reference we have to understand why this saying takes the form of a sorites - it is imitating the pattern of 'looking' and 'loving' that is established in the so-called Phillips gospel narrative  - i.e. the pattern in Diatessaronic texts to make all that follows the Question of the Rich Youth or Mark 10:17 - 31 about the 'rich youth.' 

In other words, in the original Alexandrian gospel (much like Origen's citation of the Gospel According to the Hebrews) the rich youth participates in the Rich Man and Lazarus narrative that follows (i.e. he 'dies') only to be resurrected in LGM 1.  While the long narrative begins with Jesus as the one who looks (ἐμβλέψας) in Mark 10:27 and the one who 'loves' (ἠγάπησεν) the youth in Mark 10:21, by the time LGM 1 rolls around and the initiate imitates the example of his master - i.e. he 'looks' (ἐμβλέψας) and 'loves' (ἠγάπησεν) Jesus apparently amazed by his beauty.

So when we look to the application of the same non-canonical saying layered on top of LGM 1 in Strom 2.4, we see the exact same exegesis we just noticed in Strom 5.3:

The philosopher loves and likes the truth, being now considered as a friend, on account of his love, from his being a true servant. The beginning of knowledge is wondering at objects, as Plato says is in his Theoetetus; and Matthew exhorting in the Traditions, says, "Wonder at what is before you;" laying this down first as the foundation of further knowledge. So also in the Gospel to the Hebrews it is written, "He that wonders shall reign, and he that has reigned shall rest. It is impossible, therefore, for an ignorant man, while he remains ignorant, to philosophize, not having apprehended the idea of Wisdom (μὴ ἔννοιαν σοφίας εἰληφότα); since philosophy is an effort to grasp that which truly is, and the studies that conduce thereto. And it is not the rendering of one accomplished in good habits of conduct, but the knowing how we are to use and act and labour, according as one is assimilated to God (καὶ ὁμοιοῦταί τις θεῷ). I mean God the Saviour, by serving the God of the universe through the High Priest, the Word, by whom what is in truth good and right is beheld (καθορᾶται).

There can be absolutely no doubt that Clement makes absolutely plain that the context of the 'amazement' in the non-canonical saying is the act of seeing Jesus.  This is clear in two places in the text.  The first immediately follows the citation of the saying, where Clement says that ignorance is dispelled upon the initiate "having apprehended the idea of Wisdom (μὴ ἔννοιαν σοφίας εἰληφότα).  Jesus is the 'Wisdom' of God throughout the writings of Clement and the act of 'loving' him is 'philosophia.'  The same idea also appears at the end of the passage where Clement mentions Jesus 'the logos' is finally 'seen clearly' (καθορᾶται). 

It should now be patently obvious that when Strom 5.3 and Strom. 2.4 are read together the only passage which can possible be meant is LGM 1 of Secret Mark.  This becomes even clearer when we look at what follows in both the non-canonical saying and the non-canonical pericope:

and having marveled, he will reign (βασιλεύσει) ...

And going out of the tomb, they came into the house of the youth, for he was rich. And after six days Jesus gave charge to him, and in the evening the youth comes to him, wearing a linen cloth over his naked body. And he remained with him that night, for Jesus taught him the mystery of the Kingdom of God (της βασιλειας του θεου).

My God, what more is there left to consider?  The next idea which appears in the non-canonical saying is 'reigning.'  The same term βασιλεύσει is usually translated as 'kingdom' in Luke 1.33.  In the non-canonical pericope is the mystery rite introduced by Jesus to establish the 'kingship of God.' 

My question is only - why hasn't anyone seen this before?