--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For the Divine Being cannot be declared…" description: "\"For the Divine Being cannot be declared as it exists: but as we who are fettered in the flesh were able to listen, so the prophets spake to us; the Lor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/clement-of-alexandria-12861_able_for-the-divine-being-cannot-be-declared_1928601.png" --- # For the Divine Being cannot be declared as it exists: but… ![“For the Divine Being cannot be declared as it exists: but as we who are fettered in the flesh were able to listen, so the prophets spake to us; the Lord savingly accommodating Himself to the weakness of men.” quote by Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/clement-of-alexandria-12861_able_for-the-divine-being-cannot-be-declared_1928601.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/clement-of-alexandria-12861_able_for-the-divine-being-cannot-be-declared_1928601.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/clement-of-alexandria-12861_able_for-the-divine-being-cannot-be-declared_1928601.png) > “For the Divine Being cannot be declared as it exists: but as we who are fettered in the flesh were able to listen, so the prophets spake to us; the Lord savingly accommodating Himself to the weakness of men.” [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Divine truth is beyond human description; prophets convey it in terms we can grasp, adapting to human weakness. **In simple terms:** God is beyond words; prophets translate for us. Key Takeaway Seek understanding through humble interpretation. Themes theity humility interpretation Mood reverent thoughtful Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - religious study - personal reflection - teaching - spiritual counseling Key Concepts theology communication anthropology Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance divine mystery with human explanation? - Can humility improve our grasp of the sacred? A Different Perspective Human language may never fully capture the divine. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Prophet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prophet/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) ## Related quotes > [The weakness of men is the facade of strength; the strength of women is the facade of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/the-weakness-of-men-is-the-facade-of-strength-the-strength-of-women/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [Women deluded by these sentiments, sometimes boast of their weakness, cunningly obtaining power by playing on the weakness of men; and they may well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/women-deluded-by-these-sentiments-sometimes-boast-of-their-weakness/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [“The interesting thing about prophets is that most people don't listen to them. That is why prophets often seem to be impatient or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-grant-bangerter/the-interesting-thing-about-prophets-is-that-most-people-don-t-listen/) [William Grant Bangerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-grant-bangerter/) > [The Lord bears all the weaknesses of men, but He does not bear a man who is always murmuring, and does not leave Him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-of-nineveh/the-lord-bears-all-the-weaknesses-of-men-but-he-does-not-bear-a-man/) [Isaac of Nineveh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-of-nineveh/) > [All people, entrepreneurs as well as non-entrepreneurs, look askance upon any profits earned by other people. Envy is a common weakness of men. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/all-people-entrepreneurs-as-well-as-non-entrepreneurs-look-askance/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [In this world is a God whose matchless strength is a fit contrast to the sordid weakness of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/in-this-world-is-a-god-whose-matchless-strength-is-a-fit-contrast-to/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Showing emotion is showing weakness. Men are supposed to be fearless and courageous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola-http-wwwamoreloveforlifecom/showing-emotion-is-showing-weakness-men-are-supposed-to-be-fearless/) Kemmy Nola Http://wwwamoreloveforlifecom > [Money demands that you sell, not your weakness to men's stupidity, but your talent to their reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/money-demands-that-you-sell-not-your-weakness-to-men-s-stupidity-but/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [The weakness of most men they do not know how to become a stone or tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aime-cesaire/the-weakness-of-most-men-they-do-not-know-how-to-become-a-stone-or/) [Aime Cesaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aime-cesaire/) > [The strength of women is the pretense of weakness, and the weakness of men is the pretense of strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-strength-of-women-is-the-pretense-of-weakness-and-the-weakness-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When you say that Christ did not die for all men, you are abusing a weakness of men, who at once apply this exception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/when-you-say-that-christ-did-not-die-for-all-men-you-are-abusing-a/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [~Annalove's When You Really Love A Woman Or Man ~ If when a man truly loves his woman she becomes his weakness, then men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristiana-evans/annalove-s-when-you-really-love-a-woman-or-man-if-when-a-man-truly/) [Kristiana Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristiana-evans/) > [“I knew then, in that small moment, that all my life I would be the kind of woman that inspired weakness in men. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nanci-kincaid/i-knew-then-in-that-small-moment-that-all-my-life-i-would-be-the-kind/) [Nanci Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nanci-kincaid/) > [“I forgive them because they're human and weak. The longer I live, the more I am overwhelmed by the utter, utter weakness of men;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-forgive-them-because-they-re-human-and-weak-the-longer-i-live-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Defects and weakness in men's understandings, as well as other faculties, come from want of a right use of their own minds; I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/defects-and-weakness-in-men-s-understandings-as-well-as-other/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) ## More by Clement of Alexandria > [It is not your outward appearance that you should beautify, but your soul, adorning it with good works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/it-is-not-your-outward-appearance-that-you-should-beautify-but-your/) [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) > [But those who are ready to toil in the most excellent pursuits, will not desist from the search after truth, till they get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/but-those-who-are-ready-to-toil-in-the-most-excellent-pursuits-will/) [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) > [We say that knowledge is not mere talk, but a certain divine knowledge, that light which is kindled in the soul as a result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/we-say-that-knowledge-is-not-mere-talk-but-a-certain-divine-knowledge/) [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) > [All our life is like a day of celebration for us; we are convinced, in fact, that God is always everywhere. We work while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/all-our-life-is-like-a-day-of-celebration-for-us-we-are-convinced-in/) [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) > [When you see your brother, you see God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/when-you-see-your-brother-you-see-god/) [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) > [“Now Aristotle says that the judgment which follows knowledge is in truth faith. Accordingly, faith is something superior to knowledge, and is its criterion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/now-aristotle-says-that-the-judgment-which-follows-knowledge-is-in/) [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) > [Every woman should be filled with shame by the thought that she is a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/every-woman-should-be-filled-with-shame-by-the-thought-that-she-is-a/) [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) > [His Son Jesus, the Word of God, is our Instructor… He is God and Creator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/his-son-jesus-the-word-of-god-is-our-instructor-he-is-god-and-creator/) [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) > [If you enroll as one of God's people, then heaven is your country and God your lawgiver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/if-you-enroll-as-one-of-god-s-people-then-heaven-is-your-country-and/) [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) > [It is absolutely impossible at the same time to be a man of understanding and not to be ashamed to gratify the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/it-is-absolutely-impossible-at-the-same-time-to-be-a-man-of/) [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) > [GOD became man so that we in our turn may become God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/god-became-man-so-that-we-in-our-turn-may-become-god/) [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) > [The Word of God became man, that thou mayest learn from man how man may become God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/the-word-of-god-became-man-that-thou-mayest-learn-from-man-how-man/) [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) > ['Eat my flesh,' Jesus says, 'and drink my blood.' The Lord supplies us with these intimate nutrients, he delivers over his flesh and pours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/eat-my-flesh-jesus-says-and-drink-my-blood-the-lord-supplies-us-with/) [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) > [Every woman should be filled with shame by the thought that she isa woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/every-woman-should-be-filled-with-shame-by-the-thought-that-she-isa/) [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) > [Our whole life can go on in observation of the laws of nature, if we gain dominion over our desires from the beginning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/our-whole-life-can-go-on-in-observation-of-the-laws-of-nature-if-we/) [Clement of Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) [Explore all 51 Clement of Alexandria quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For the Divine Being cannot be declared as it exists: but as we who are fettered in the flesh were able to listen, so the prophets spake to us; the Lord savingly accommodating Himself to the weakness of men.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Clement of Alexandria" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/for-the-divine-being-cannot-be-declared-as-it-exists-but-as-we-who/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/for-the-divine-being-cannot-be-declared-as-it-exists-but-as-we-who/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/clement-of-alexandria-12861_able_for-the-divine-being-cannot-be-declared_1928601.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/clement-of-alexandria-12861_able_for-the-divine-being-cannot-be-declared_1928601.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/clement-of-alexandria-12861_able_for-the-divine-being-cannot-be-declared_1928601.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For the Divine Being cannot be declared as it exists: but as we who are fettered in the flesh were able to…” — Clement of Alexandria", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Clement of Alexandria", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-of-alexandria/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For the Divine Being cannot be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/for-the-divine-being-cannot-be-declared-as-it-exists-but-as-we-who/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-of-alexandria/for-the-divine-being-cannot-be-declared-as-it-exists-but-as-we-who/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```