Stromata 2.15.70.3-4

[mikeatnip]

I am not successfully wrapping my brain around this text in the Stromata. The ANF translation doesn't help, but I ran it through ChatGPT and its translation at least makes some sense. I am trying to understand the sentence about "forgiveness is not constituted as pardon, but rather as a healing" (as per ChatGPT). So what I am missing seems to be the distinction between συγγνώμη and ἄφεσιν, both of which relate to our English concept of forgiveness/pardon, although συγγνώμη seems closer to our English concession/forbearance.
Anyone care to help me understand the point of that sentence? Thank you!

τί δέ; οὐχὶ καὶ ὁ θεὸς μετὰ τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ Κάιν συγγνώμην ἀκολούθως οὐ πολλῷ ὕστερον τὸν μετανοήσαντα Ἐνὼχ εἰσάγει δηλῶν ὅτι συγγνώμη μετάνοιαν πέφυκε γεννᾶν; ἡ συγγνώμη δὲ οὐ κατὰ ἄφεσιν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἴασιν συνίσταται. τὸ δ' 2.15.70.4 αὐτὸ γίνεται κἀν τῇ κατὰ τὸν Ἀαρὼν τοῦ λαοῦ μοσχοποιίᾳ. ἐντεῦθέν τις τῶν παρ' Ἕλλησι σοφῶν συγγνώμη τιμωρίας κρείσσων ἀπεφθέγξατο, ὥσπερ ἀμέλει καὶ τὸ ἐγγύα, πάρα δ' ἄτα ἀπὸ τῆς Σολομῶντος φωνῆς λεγούσης· υἱέ, ἐὰν ἐγγυήσῃ σὸν φίλον, παραδώσεις σὴν χεῖρα ἐχθρῷ·

ANF
And what? Does not God, after the pardon bestowed on Cain, suitably not long after introduce Enoch, who had repented? showing that it is the nature of repentance to produce pardon; but pardon does not consist in remission, but in remedy. An instance of the same is the making of the calf by the people before Aaron. Thence one of the wise men among the Greeks uttered the maxim, “Pardon is better than punishment;” as also, “Become surety, and mischief is at hand,” is derived from the utterance of Solomon which says, “My son, if thou become surety for thy friend, thou wilt give thine hand to thy enemy;

Chat GPT
"What then? Is it not the case that God, following the forgiveness extended to Cain, subsequently introduces Enoch, who repented much later, indicating that forgiveness naturally gives rise to repentance? However, forgiveness is not constituted as pardon, but rather as a healing. The same occurs in the case of Aaron's making of the golden calf for the people. From there, one of the wise men among the Greeks declared that forgiveness is a more powerful form of punishment, just as the proverb says, 'If you guarantee for your friend, you will deliver your hand to the enemy.'"

[Philip Arend]

Below is BrillGE's range of meaning for the usage of συγγνώμη. From this it seems that a slight difference in nuance might be that this word can reflect a note of kindness and sympathy. I don't have time to look more closely at aphesin. At any rate Clement is the most frequent quoter of Proverbs among the Greek teachers (except for Origen whose output in everything was huge). So whatever he is saying comes from much meditation in that book. Is there more context to show what Clement might have been meaning in the proverbs quote? For the rest it seems clear he is extolling the power of kindness in forgiveness which results in a repentance of the heart. In general Clement was quite focused on heart attitudes, especially in relation to giving. I think his reference to healing in context would refer to a healing of relationship between God and people. (shown by the two examples given). Could the proverb be a contrasting statement that points to the estrangement that may occur when people unwisely lend money to one who cannot repay? I would be curious to see what further research might lead to

συγγνώμη -ης, ἡ συγγιγνώσκω sympathy, indulgence, forgiveness PLAT. Criti. 107a ARISTOT. E.N. 1143a 23 etc. ‖ often in the locut. συγνώμην ἔχειν to judge kindly EUR. Or. 661 ARISTOPH. Pax 668 etc.; but to deserve forgiveness SOPH. Tr. 328; later ἐχέτω συγγνώμην let it be conceded PLUT. Col. 1118e | σ. ἔχειν τινί to forgive s.o. HDT. 1.116.5, 155.4 SOPH. Ph. 1319 LYS. 12.29 etc.; ▶ τινος for sthg. HDT. 6.86. γ2 SOPH. El. 400 ARISTOPH. Ve. 360 PLAT. Phaedr. 233c etc. = περί τι ARISTOT. E.N. 1143a 22 | ▶ with inf. SOPH. Ai. 1322 | ▶ with gen. abs.: σ. ἔχε ἐμοῦ παρανοήσαντος forgive me if I have misunderstood ARISTOPH. Nub. 1479 | ▶ with ὅτι the fact HDT. 7.13.2 PLAT. Rp. 472a | ▶ with εἰ if EUR. Hip. 117 | also συγγνώμην ποιήσασθαι to grant pardon HDT. 2.110.3 = διδόναι POL. 8.35.2 = νέμειν PAUS. 2.27.4 = ἀπονέμειν LUC. Nigr. 14 ‖ συγγνώμης τυγχάνειν to obtain pardon XEN. Mem. 1.7.4 AND. 1.141 LYS. 1.3 etc.; ▶ τινος for sthg. EUR. Hip. 1326 = ὑπέρ τινος ISOCR. 271 | ▶ συγγνώμην λαμβάνειν with inf. to obtain pardon for … THUC. 3.40.1; συγγνώμην αἰτεῖσθαι to beg pardon PLAT. Criti. 106b ‖ impers. ▶ σ. (ἐστί) it is excusable, with inf. THUC. 4.61.5, 5.88 etc.; ▶ with ptc. PLAT. Theaet. 197a LUCIL.1 (AP 11.389.2); with εἰ or ἐάν if THUC. 1.32.5, 4.114.5 PLAT. HipMi. 372a Att. ξυγγ-.

Franco Montanari, The Brill Dictionary of Ancient Greek (Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2015).

[mikeatnip]

Thank you for the reply. I need to think about this more; probably in the broader context as you mentioned. Yes, the end result is supposed to be a reconciliation, prompted by the "kindness" of a pardon that is extended before it is "deserved." I do get that point; but the language that he uses to get to that point is still in the fuzzy-wuzzy stage for me.