Clement Was a Marcionite: The Second Explicit Reference to a Pauline Epistle in Clement

We have identified twenty two sections of the Stromata which make explicit reference to the epistles of Paul.    Our purpose is demonstrate that most of them do not come from the hand of Clement but from a later redactor and possible Eusebius (whom Jerome acknowledges purged the writings of Clement as well as Origen of 'heresy').  The list is:

1. 1.1.4.4 τῷ Τιμοθέῳ φησὶν ἐπιστέλλων
2. 1.4.8.65.1 πρὸς Κολοσσαεῖς ἐπιστολῇ 
3. 1.14.59.2 πρὸς Τίτον ἐπιστολῇ 
4. 2.6.29.2 πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἐπιστολῇ 
5. 2.11.52.5 πρὸς Τιμόθεον ἀθετοῦσιν ἐπιστολάς 
6. 2.22.134.3 πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἐπιστολῇ ... 2.22.136.5 ὁ ἀπόστολος ἐν τῇ προτέρᾳ τῶν πρὸς Κορινθίους
7. 3.4.39.1 πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἐπιστολῇ 
8. 3.6.53.4 πρὸς Τιμόθεον ἐπιστολῇ 
9. 3.11.75.3 πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἐπιστολῇ ... 3.11.76.1 πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἐπιστολῇ 
10. 3.15.99.2  Παῦλος Γαλάταις ἐπιστέλλων ... 3.15.99.3 πάλιν τε αὖ Κορινθίοις γράφων
11. 4.3.9.1 πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἐπιστολῇ 
12.  4.7.49.5 τῷ Τιμοθέῳ γράφει ... 4.8.64.1 πρὸς Ἐφεσίους γράφει ... 4.8.65.1 πρὸς Κολοσσαεῖς 
13. 4.13.92.5 περὶ Τιμοθέου καὶ ἑαυτοῦ γράφων  
14. 4.16.100.2 εἴρηκεν ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ πρὸς Κορινθίους
15.  4.20.128.1 πρὸς Τίτον ἐπιστολῇ 
16. 4.22.145.1 Θείως οὖν ὁ Παῦλος Ῥωμαίοις ἄντικρυς ἐπιστέλλει
17. 5.4.26.5 πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἐπιστολῇ 
18. 5.10.60.2 πρὸς τοὺς Κολοσσαεῖς γράφων
19. 5.12.80.4 πρὸς Κορινθίους ἐπιστολῇ 
20. 6.8.62.2  τοῖς Ἑβραίοις γράφων τοῖς ... 6.8.62.3 καὶ τοῖς ἐξ Ἑλλήνων ἐπιστρέφουσι Κολοσσαεῦσι
21. 6.18.164.4 τοῖς Ἑλλαδικοῖς ἐκείνοις γράφων Κορινθίοις
22. 7.14.84.3 πρὸς Κορινθίους ἐπιστολῇ

In our last section we saw what I consider to be clear evidence of a later addition by a hand other than Clement's at the beginning of the Stromata.  Clement is certainly talking about a twofold division in the Church - between those who have mere 'faith' and those who 'know.'  The later mention of Timothy was meant to demonstrate that Clement was not a heretic.  After all, it would have been noted by astute observers that since he accepted and named the Epistle to Timothy, Clement could not be a Marcionite or a heretic for that matter given the fact that no one outside the Church accepted the authenticity of this letter.  As such the early citation of this epistle - within a few sentences of the opening words of the work - were clearly intended to be a sign of Clement's orthodoxy.

Yet as we noted in our last post there was something more to this large insertion.  The addition of material from the Catholic New Testament canon was intended to break up an original argument which was clearly heretical.  Indeed the Stromata opens with a declaration which seems to be at the heart of Irenaeus's criticism of the enemies of the Church.  Irenaeus writes that when the heretics "are confuted from the Scriptures, they turn round and accuse these same Scriptures, as if they were not correct, nor of authority, and [assert] that they are ambiguous, and that the truth cannot be extracted from them by those who are ignorant of tradition. For [they allege] that the truth was not delivered by means of written documents, but viva voce." This is precisely Clement's point in the opening words of the Stromata - he knows the secret gnosis of the apostles which he wants to gradually pass on to the reader.

The next reference to the names of Pauline Epistles comes shortly thereafter in the same chapter of Book One.  Yet this example is quite different.  The editor of Clement's work has 'corrected' a clear sign of heresy - a scriptural citation which betrays the fact that it is from a different canon.  The original quotation 'fuses' together material from - what is in our canon - to the Hebrews and to the Colossians - but apparently in Clement's church was one continuous text.  To correct the material the editor broke up the continuous citation with the words 'also in the Epistle to the Colossians' making it seem he is citing from two separate sources.  Yet the idea makes no sense when you actually read the citation in its original context.  The two sentences have to belong together in order for the citation to make sense - i.e. as one continuous declaration.

We begin by citing the section as a whole so the reader can get a better sense of the context for the original statement now emboldened in red:

Thus the Lord did not hinder from doing good while keeping the Sabbath; but allowed us to communicate of those divine mysteries, and of that holy light, to those who are able to receive them. He did not certainly disclose to the many what did not belong to the many; but to the few to whom He knew that they belonged, who were capable of receiving and being moulded according to them. But secret things are entrusted to speech, not to writing, as is the case with God.

The writing of these memoranda of mine, I well know, is weak when compared with that spirit, full of grace, which I was privileged to hear. But it will be an image to recall the archetype to him who was struck with the thyrsus. For "speak," it is said, "to a wise man, and he will grow wiser; and to him that hath, and there shall be added to him." And we profess not to explain secret things sufficiently -- far from it -- but only to recall them to memory, whether we have forgot aught, or whether for the purpose of not forgetting. Many things, I well know, have escaped us, through length of time, that have dropped away unwritten. Whence, to aid the weakness of my memory, and provide for myself a salutary help to my recollection in a systematic arrangement of chapters, I necessarily make use of this form.

There are then some things of which we have no recollection; for the power that was in the blessed men was great. There are also some things which remained unnoted long, which have now escaped; and others which are effaced, having faded away in the mind itself, since such a task is not easy to those not experienced; these I revive in my commentaries. Some things I purposely omit, in the exercise of a wise selection, afraid to write what I guarded against speaking: not grudging -- for that were wrong -- but fearing for my readers, lest they should stumble by taking them in a wrong sense; and, as the proverb says, we should be found "reaching a sword to a child." For it is impossible that what has been written should not escape, although remaining unpublished by me.

But being always revolved, using the one only voice, that of writing, they answer nothing to him that makes inquiries beyond what is written; for they require of necessity the aid of some one, either of him who wrote, or of some one else who has walked in his footsteps. Some things my treatise will hint; on some it will linger; some it will merely mention. It will try to speak imperceptibly, to exhibit secretly, and to demonstrate silently. The dogmas taught by remarkable sects will be adduced; and to these will be opposed all that ought to be premised in accordance with the profoundest contemplation of the knowledge, which, as we proceed to the renowned and venerable canon of tradition, from the creation of the world, will advance to our view; setting before us what according to natural contemplation necessarily has to be treated of beforehand, and clearing off what stands in the way of this arrangement. So that we may have our ears ready for the reception of the tradition of true knowledge; the soil being previously cleared of the thorns and of every weed by the husbandman, in order to the planting of the vine. For there is a contest, and the prelude to the contest; and them are some mysteries before other mysteries.

Our book will not shrink from making use of what is best in philosophy and other preparatory instruction. "For not only for the Hebrews and those that are under the law," according to the apostle, "is it right to become a Jew, but also a Greek for the sake of the Greeks, that we may gain all. Also in the Epistle to the Colossians he writes Advising every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ." The nicety of speculation, too, suits the sketch presented in my commentaries. In this respect the resources of learning are like a relish mixed with the food of an athlete, who is not indulging in luxury, but entertains a noble desire for distinction.

By music we harmoniously relax the excessive tension of gravity. And as those who wish to address the people, do so often by the herald, that what is said may be better heard; so also in this case. For we have the word, that was spoken to many, before the common tradition. Wherefore we must set forth the opinions and utterances which cried individually to them, by which those who hear shall more readily turn.

And, in truth, to speak briefly: Among many small pearls there is the one; and in a great take of fish there is the beauty-fish; and by time and toil truth will gleam forth, if a good helper is at hand. For most benefits are supplied, from God, through men. All of us who make use of our eyes see what is presented before them. But some look at objects for one reason, others for another. For instance, the cook and the shepherd do not survey the sheep similarly: for the one examines it if it be fat; the other watches to see if it be of good breed. Let a man milk the sheep's milk if he need sustenance: let him shear the wool if he need clothing. And in this way let me produce the fruit of the Greek erudition.

For I do not imagine that any composition can be so fortunate as that no one will speak against it. But that is to be regarded as in accordance with reason, which nobody speaks against, with reason. And that course of action and choice is to be approved, not which is faultless, but which no one rationally finds fault with. For it does not follow, that if a man accomplishes anything not purposely, he does it through force of circumstances. But he will do it, managing it by wisdom divinely given, and in accommodation to circumstances. For it is not he who has virtue that needs the way to virtue, any more than he, that is strong, needs recovery. For, like farmers who irrigate the land beforehand, so we also water with the liquid stream of Greek learning what in it is earthy; so that it may receive the spiritual seed cast into it, and may be capable of easily nourishing it.

The Stromata will contain the truth mixed up in the dogmas of philosophy, or rather covered over and hidden, as the edible part of the nut in the shell. For, in my opinion, it is fitting that the seeds of truth be kept for the husbandmen of faith, and no others. I am not oblivious of what is babbled by some, who in their ignorance are frightened at every noise, and say that we ought to occupy ourselves with what is most necessary, and which contains the faith; and that we should pass over what is beyond and superfluous, which wears out and detains us to no purpose, in things which conduce nothing to the great end. Others think that philosophy was introduced into life by an evil influence, for the ruin of men, by an evil inventor. But I shall show, throughout the whole of these Stromata, that evil has an evil nature, and can never turn out the producer of aught that is good; indicating that philosophy is in a sense a work of Divine Providence.

There is clearly an original understanding on the part of Clement that he has the 'secret knowledge' which Jesus gave to his disciples -  cf. "we have the word, that was spoken to many, before the common tradition."  He does not want to openly reveal this doctrine and openly speaks in terms of it being preserved in a mystery setting - note the allusion to 'they who were struck by a thyrsus.'  This is why it is so important to see the material cited in red as one unit rather than being fooled by the editorial emendations to the text.

Clement's point clearly is that just as the god Jesus became a Jew, the religion of Christianity has taken on a Greek appearance in Alexandria - that is all the trappings of a mystery religion.  One may even go so far as to suppose that the 'faith' religion was Jewish but the 'knowledge' religion was Greek.  The purpose of the Greek religion is to 'present each man perfect in Christ.'  Yet the sense is only preserved if the two statements are understood to be a continuous citation from a common (lost) source:

For not only for the Hebrews and those that are under the law, is it right to become a Jew, but also a Greek for the sake of the Greeks, that we may gain all. Advising every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ.

We have already noted previously that the first half of the citation is very, very different from our surviving material in 1 Corinthians.  The text speaks of 'Hebrews' as opposed to 'Jews' among other differences.

It is only when we go to Stromata 5.10.60.2 however that Clement explains to us the context of the aforementioned fragment.  He begins by citing two sections - what appears according to our canon to be Ephesians 3:3 - 5 and Colossians 1:9 - 11, 1:25 - 27:

According to revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in brief, in accordance with which, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets.  For there is an instruction of the perfect for which (κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν φησὶν ἐγνωρίσθη μοι τὸ μυστήριον,  καθὼς προέγραψα ἐν ὀλίγῳ,  πρὸς ὃ δύνασθε ἀναγινώσκοντες νοῆσαι τὴν σύνεσίν μου ἐν τῷ μυ στηρίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ,  ὃ ἑτέραις γενεαῖς οὐκ ἐγνωρίσθη τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὡς νῦν ἀπεκαλύφθη τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις αὐτοῦ καὶ προφήταις. ἔστιν γάρ τις καὶ τελείων μάθησις περὶ ἧς) we cease not to pray for you, and beseech that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing; being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might according to the glory of His power (οὐ παυόμεθα ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι καὶ αἰτούμενοι, ἵνα πληρωθῆτε τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ καὶ συνέσει πνευματικῇ, περιπατῆσαι ἀξίως τοῦ κυρίου εἰς πᾶσαν ἀρέσκειαν, παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ καρποφοροῦντες καὶ αὐξανόμενοι τῇ ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ θεοῦ,  ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει ἐνδυνα μούμενοι κατὰ τὸ κράτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ καὶ) and according to the disposition of the grace of God which is given me, that you may fulfil the word of God; the mystery which has been hid from ages and generations, which now is manifested to His saints: to whom God wished to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations (κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν δοθεῖσάν μοι φησὶν εἰς ὑμᾶς πληρῶσαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ, τὸ μυστήριον τὸ ἀποκεκρυμμένον ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γενεῶν,  ὃ νῦν ἐφανερώθη τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ,  οἷς ἠθέλησεν ὁ θεὸς γνωρίσαι,  τί τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τοῦ μυστηρίου τούτου ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν). 

After citing this long section of text he finally attempts an explanation of its mystical significance "so that, on the one hand, then, are the mysteries which were hid till the time of the apostles, and were delivered by them as they received from the Lord, and, concealed in the Old Testament, were manifested to the saints. And, on the other hand, there is the riches of the glory of the mystery in the Gentiles, which is faith and hope in Christ; which in another place he has called the foundation."

Of course our thesis here would have to be that Clement's Apostolikon - and by implication Marcion's - did not resemble our own in any way.  While this is certainly going to be disputed by just about everyone who has ever studied the problem of Clement or the Marcionites, it is indisputable that Clement continually makes reference to - what appears to be, relative to our existing canon - a patchwork of references from the writings of Paul strung together like a patchwork.  In fact the idea bears a striking resemblance to Irenaeus's 'cento-gospel' argument and parallel arguments made by opponents of the authenticity of Secret Mark, namely that such 'patchworks' or mosaics where different sentences were 'rearranged' to - in the words of Irenaeus - change the image of a king into that of a fox.

In this particular case it is easy to discern that Clement is not only arguing for two dispensations - i.e. that of the Jews through 'the prophets' and the nations through 'the apostles' - but also two different divine powers being associated with each.  There is 'the glory of his power' associated with the Jews (i.e. clearly his regal power, the power of judgment) and a dispensation of grace associated with the person of the apostle himself and made manifest in 'mysteries' which have special appeal to the Greeks.

To this end the addition of our original fragment in fact fits perfectly within this framework.  The section as a whole reads:

According to revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in brief, in accordance with which, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets.  For there is an instruction of the perfect for which we cease not to pray for you, and beseech that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing; being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might according to the glory of His power and according to the disposition of the grace of God which is given me, that you may fulfil the word of God; the mystery which has been hid from ages and generations, which now is manifested to His saints: to whom God wished to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations.  

For not only for the Hebrews and those that are under the law, is it right to become a Jew, but also a Greek for the sake of the Greeks, that we may gain all. Advising every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ.

Indeed we can see this a little clearer if we continue to examine what Clement says in the material that follows it becomes clear that the concept of 'Jew' and 'Gentile' have to do with two gospels - one aimed at 'Jews' and grounded in 'faith' and fear of God, and another secret text aimed at 'the Greeks' speaking through a mystery.

It is terribly significant that there are no other references to Colossians chapter 1 in the writings of Clement besides what we have cited here. Thus is we go through the material not referenced in the Stromata or any other work written by the Alexandrian we see:

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. 21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of[g] your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. 24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.

Indeed if we go one step further we see that even those two sections of text that are found now in the Catholic Epistle to the Colossians, we see that they appear completely pared down:

Clement - οὐ παυόμεθα ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι καὶ αἰτούμενοι, ἵνα πληρωθῆτε τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ καὶ συνέσει πνευματικῇ, περιπατῆσαι ἀξίως τοῦ κυρίου εἰς πᾶσαν ἀρέσκειαν, παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ καρποφοροῦντες καὶ αὐξανόμενοι τῇ ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ θεοῦ,  ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει ἐνδυνα μούμενοι κατὰ τὸ κράτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ

Colossians 1:9 - 11 - Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἀφ’ ἧς ἡμέρας ἠκούσαμεν, οὐ παυόμεθα ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι καὶ αἰτούμενοι, ἵνα πληρωθῆτε τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ καὶ συνέσει πνευματικῇ, περιπατῆσαι ἀξίως τοῦ κυρίου εἰς πᾶσαν ἀρεσκείαν, ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ καρποφοροῦντες καὶ αὐξανόμενοι τῇ επιγνώσει τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει δυναμούμενοι κατὰ τὸ κράτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ εἰς πᾶσαν ὑπομονὴν καὶ μακροθυμίαν. μετὰ χαρᾶ εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ πατρὶ τῷ ἱκανώσαντι ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ φωτί· ὃς ἐρρύσατο ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ σκότους καὶ μετέστησεν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς ἀγάπης αὐτοῦ, ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν· ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου, πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἄρχαι εἴτε ἐξουσίαι· τὰ πάντα δι’ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται· καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν πρὸ πάντων καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν, καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ σώματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας· ὅς ἐστιν ἡ ἀρχή, πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, ἵνα γένηται ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύων, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ εὐδόκησεν πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα κατοικῆσαι καὶ δι’ αὐτοῦ ἀποκαταλλάξαι τὰ πάντα εἰς αὐτὸν εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ αὐτοῦ, δι’ αὐτοῦ εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Καὶ ὑμᾶς ποτε ὄντας ἀπηλλοτριωμένους καὶ ἐχθροὺς τῇ διανοίᾳ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς πονηροῖς, νυνὶ δὲ ἀποκατήλλαξεν ἐν τῷ σώματι τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου παραστῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους καὶ ἀνεγκλήτους κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ, εἴ γε ἐπιμένετε τῇ πίστει τεθεμελιωμένοι καὶ ἑδραῖοι καὶ μὴ μετακινούμενοι ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλπίδος τοῦ εὐαγγελίου οὗ ἠκούσατε, τοῦ κηρυχθέντος ἐν πάσῃ κτίσει τῇ ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν, οὐ ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ Παῦλος διάκονος. Νῦν χαίρω ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ ἀνταναπληρῶ τὰ ὑστερήματα τῶν θλίψεων τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου ὑπὲρ τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ ἐκκλησία, ἧς ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ διάκονος κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν δοθεῖσαν μοι εἰς ὑμᾶς πληρῶσαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ, τὸ μυστήριον τὸ ἀποκεκρυμμένον ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γενεῶν— νῦν δὲ ἐφανερώθη τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ, οἷς ἠθέλησεν ὁ θεὸς γνωρίσαι τί τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τοῦ μυστηρίου τούτου ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ὅ ἐστιν Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς δόξης· ὃν ἡμεῖς καταγγέλλομεν νουθετοῦντες πάντα ἄνθρωπον καὶ διδάσκοντες πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ, ἵνα παραστήσωμεν πάντα ἄνθρωπον τέλειον ἐν Χριστῷ· εἰς ὃ καὶ κοπιῶ ἀγωνιζόμενος κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ενεργουμένην ἐν ἐμοὶ ἐν δυνάμει.

Clement - κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν δοθεῖσάν μοι φησὶν εἰς ὑμᾶς πληρῶσαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ, τὸ μυστήριον τὸ ἀποκεκρυμμένον ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γενεῶν,  ὃ νῦν ἐφανερώθη τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ,  οἷς ἠθέλησεν ὁ θεὸς γνωρίσαι,  τί τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τοῦ μυστηρίου τούτου ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν

The emerging implication of all of this for me is that there likely was never an original 'Epistle to the Colossians.'  This was created from key 'spare parts' from a lost original Marcionite treatise - my guess at this point being the fabled Epistle to the Alexandrians mentioned in the Muratorian Canon.  The Epistle to the Colossians (and likely also the Epistle to the Ephesians) was likely manufactured in the manner of the Epistle to the Trallians in the Ignatian corpus.

It is difficult to get a handle on the exact import of "the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but now is made manifest to his saints" (Col 1:26) but for Basilides at least it was the existence of a god higher than the Creator.  As Hippolytus notes:

Now, we who are spiritual are sons, he says, who have been left here to arrange, and mould, and rectify, and complete the souls which, according to nature, are so constituted as to continue in this quarter of the universe. "Sin, then, reigned from Adam unto Moses," as it has been written. For the Great Archon exercised dominion and possesses an empire with limits extending as far as the firmament. And He imagines Himself alone to be God, and that there exists nothing above Him, for (the reason that) all things have been guarded by unrevealed Siope. This, he says, is the mystery which has not been made known to former generations; but in those days the Great Archon, the Ogdoad, was King and Lord, as it seemed, of the universe. But (in reality) the Hebdomad was king and lord of this quarter of the universe, and the Ogdoad is Arrhetus, whereas the Hebdomad is Rhetus. This, he says, is the Archon of the Hebdomad, who has spoken to Moses, and says: "I am the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and I have not manifested unto them the name of God" ... This is the wisdom spoken in a mystery, concerning which, says (Basilides), Scripture uses the following expressions: "Not in words taught of human wisdom, but in (those) taught of the Spirit." The Archon, then, being orally instructed, and taught, and being (thereby) filled with fear, proceeded to make confession concerning the sin which He had committed in magnifying Himself. This, he says, is what is declared: "I have recognised my sin, and I know my transgression, (and) about this I shall confess for ever." When, then, the Great Archon had been orally instructed, and every creature of the Ogdoad had been orally instructed and taught, and (after) the mystery became known to the celestial (powers), it was also necessary that afterwards the Gospel should come to the Hebdomad, in order likewise that the Archon of the Hebdomad might be similarly instructed and indoctrinated into the Gospel. The Son of the Great Archon (therefore) kindled in the Son of the Archon of the Hebdomad the light which Himself possessed and had kindled from above from the Sonship. And the Son of the Archon of the Hebdomad had radiance imparted to Him, and He proclaimed the Gospel to the Archon of the Hebdomad. And in like manner, according to the previous account, He Himself was both terrified and induced to make confession ... Now this (mystery) was not made known to previous generations, as he says, it has been written, "By revelation was made known unto me the mystery;" and, "I have heard inex pressible words which it is not possible for man to declare." The light, (therefore,) which came down from the Ogdoad above to the Son of the Hebdomad, descended from the Hebdomad upon Jesus the son of Mary, and he had radiance imparted to him by being illuminated with the light that shone upon him. [Philosophumena 7.13 - 14]

The reason we bring up this witness is that it helps explain the emphasis in Clement's text where by there is both a 'Jewish' and 'Gentile' revelation.  Basilides's revelation of the gospel to the Jewish god is clearly one and the same as the revelation directed at 'the Hebrews' and moreover the revelation associated with the fullness (the secret existence of a God above God) is the secret gospel associated with the Alexandrian mysteries.

While Clement doesn't get that deeply involved in revealing the twofold mystery (i.e. for Jews and Gentiles) he does explain the Pauline material in what follows in Book Five as:

on the one hand, then, are the mysteries which were hid till the time of the apostles, and were delivered by them as they received from the Lord, and, concealed in the Old Testament, were manifested to the saints. And, on the other hand, there is "the riches of the glory of the mystery in the Gentiles," which is faith and hope in Christ; which in another place he has called the "foundation." (Strom 5.60.2)

The reference to the 'foundation' is to our 1 Cor 3:10 and which we have previously noted is for Clement the analogy of a short gospel and a longer 'secret' text (the one build as on a 'foundation' the other gospel).

While Clement no longer specifically mentions the 'become a Jew' and 'become a Gentile' reference here he does make clear again there is a twofold division in the Alexandrian Church:

And again, as if in eagerness to divulge this knowledge, he thus writes: "Warning every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man (the whole man) perfect in Christ;" not every man simply, since no one would be unbelieving. Nor does he call every man who believes in Christ perfect; but he says all the man, as if he said the whole man, as if purified in body and soul. For that the knowledge does not appertain to all, he expressly adds: "Being knit together in love, and unto all the riches of the full assurance of knowledge, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God in Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge." "Continue in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving." And thanksgiving has place not for the soul and spiritual blessings alone, but also for the body, and for the good things of the body. And he still more clearly reveals that knowledge belongs not to all, by adding: "Praying at the same time for you, that God would open to us a door to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am bound; that I may make it known as I ought to speak." For there were certainly, among the Hebrews, some things delivered unwritten. "For when ye ought to be teachers for the time," it is said, as if they had grown old in the Old Testament, "ye have again need that one teach you which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. For every one that par-taketh of milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness; for he is a babe, being instructed with the first lessons. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, who by reason of use have their senses exercised so as to distinguish between good and evil. Wherefore, leaving the first principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection."