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Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/Pseudo-Clementine Literature/The Clementine Homilies/Homily XIX/Chapter 2

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Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. VIII, Pseudo-Clementine Literature, The Clementine Homilies, Homily XIX
Anonymous, translated by Thomas Smith
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160656Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. VIII, Pseudo-Clementine Literature, The Clementine Homilies, Homily XIX — Chapter 2Thomas Smith (1817-1906)Anonymous

Chapter II.—The Existence of the Devil Affirmed.

“Do you maintain that there is any prince of evil or not?[1]  For if you say that there is not, I can prove to you from many statements, and those too of your teacher, that there is; but if you honestly allow that the evil one exists, then I shall speak in accordance with this belief.”  And Peter said:  “It is impossible for me to deny the assertion of my Teacher.  Wherefore I allow that the evil one exists, because my Teacher, who spoke the truth in all things, has frequently asserted that he exists.  For instance, then, he acknowledges that he conversed with Him, and tempted Him for forty days.[2]  And I know that He has said somewhere else, ‘If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself:  how then is his kingdom to stand?’[3]  And He pointed out that He saw the evil one like lightning falling down from heaven.[4]  And elsewhere He said, ‘He who sowed the bad seed is the devil.’[5]  And again, ‘Give no pretext to the evil one.’[6]  Moreover, in giving advice, He said, ‘Let your yea be yea, and your nay nay; for what is more than these is of the evil one.’[7]  Also, in the prayer which He delivered to us, we have it said, ‘Deliver us from the evil one.’[8]  And in another place, He promised that He would say to those who are impious, ‘Go ye into outer darkness, which the Father prepared for the devil and his angels.’[9]  And not to prolong this statement further, I know that my Teacher often said that there is an evil one.  Wherefore I also agree in thinking that he exists.  If, then, in future you have anything to say in accordance with this belief, say it, as you promised.”


Footnotes

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  1. ↑ [Compare with this discussion respecting the origin of the evil one, Recognitions, ix. 55, 56; x. 3, etc.  In Recognitions, iii. 15–23, the existence of evil is discussed.—R.]
  2. ↑ Mark i. 13.
  3. ↑ Matt. xii. 26.
  4. ↑ Luke x. 18.
  5. ↑ Matt. xiii. 39.
  6. ↑ This passage is not found in the New Testament.  It resembles Eph. iv. 27.
  7. ↑ Matt. v. 37; Jas. v. 12.
  8. ↑ Matt. vi. 13.
  9. ↑ Matt. xxv. 41.
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