But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Read Chapter 12
Clement Of Alexandria
AD 215
But in the case of a priestess the punishment is increased, because "to whom much is given, from him shall more be required."
But he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes. That Isaiah , with fewer than he who knew his lord"s will, according to the measure as well of his ignorance as of his act and fault. There are four degrees of ignorance, the first invincible, which is without blame; the second vincible, but hardly Song of Solomon , which has some fault and is subject to punishment; the third crass, which has more blame; the fourth wilful, which has the most blame and the heaviest punishment. Of this the Psalm 36:4 speaks, "He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good, he abhorreth not evil." "This Prayer of Manasseh ," says Euthymius, "despised everything; that one was slothful. But contempt is worse than sloth." For the slothful man knew not when he might have known, and, as Titus says, he neglected to learn and despised, and derided contemptuously. Hence it is plain against Jovinian and modern heretics that there are degrees e...
But if you pay no regard to our prayers and frank explanations, we shall suffer no loss, since we believe (or rather, indeed, are persuaded) that every man will suffer punishment in eternal fire according to the merit of his deed, and will render account according to the power he has received from God, as Christ intimated when He said, "To whom God has given more, of him shall more be required."
And thus, preministering the justice of judgment, He issued the materials of liberty; preparing through allowance an undergrowth of discipline; permitting all things, with a view to take some away; meaning to "exact more "if He had "committed more; "
