Clement of Alexandria — Commentary on Scripture

Jude 1:1

Jude, who wrote the Catholic Epistle, the brother of the sons of Joseph, and very religious, while knowing the near relationship of the Lord, yet did not say that he himself was His brother. But what said he? "Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ,"— of Him as Lord; but "the brother of James." For this is true; he was His brother, (the son) of Joseph.

(as quoted by Cassiodorus) From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus

Jude 1:4

For certain men have entered unawares, ungodly men, who had been of old ordained and predestined to the judgment of our God;" not that they might become impious, but that, being now impious, they were ordained to judgment.

(as quoted by Cassiodorus) From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus

Jude 1:5

"For the Lord God," he says, "who once delivered a people out of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not;" that is, that He might train them through punishment. For they were indeed punished, and they perished on account of those that are saved, until they turn to the Lord.

(as quoted by Cassiodorus) From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus

Jude 1:6-7

"But the angels," he says, "that kept not their own pre-eminence," that, namely, which they received through advancement, "but left their own habitation," meaning, that is, the heaven and the stars, became, and are called apostates. "He hath reserved these to the judgment of the great day, in chains, under darkness." He means the place near the earth, that is, the dark air. Now he called "chains" the loss of the honour in which they had stood, and the lust of feeble things; since, bound by their own lust, they cannot be converted. "As Sodom and Gomorrha," he says.

(as quoted by Cassiodorus) From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus

Jude 1:6

To which also we shall add, that the angels who had obtained the superior rank, having sunk into pleasures, told to the women the secrets which had come to their knowledge; while the rest of the angels concealed them, or rather, kept them against the coming of the Lord.

The Stromata Book 5

Jude 1:8

"Similarly to the same," he says, "also those dreamers,"—that is, who dream in their imagination lusts and wicked desires, regarding as good not that which is truly good, and superior to all good,—"defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of majesty," that is, the only Lord, who is truly our Lord, Jesus Christ, and alone worthy of praise. They "speak evil of majesty," that is, of the angels.

(as quoted by Cassiodorus) From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus

Jude 1:9

"When Michael, the archangel, disputing with the devil, debated about the body of Moses." Here he confirms the assumption of Moses. He is here called Michael, who through an angel near to us debated with the devil.

(as quoted by Cassiodorus) From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus

Jude 1:10

"But these," he says, "speak evil of those things which they know not; but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves." He means that they eat, and drink, and indulge in uncleanness, and says that they do other things that are common to them with animals, devoid of reason.

(as quoted by Cassiodorus) From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus

Jude 1:11-13

"Woe unto them!" he says, "for they have gone in the way of Cain." For so also we lie under Adam's sin through similarity of sin. "Clouds," he says, "without water; who do not possess in themselves the divine and fruitful word." Wherefore, he says, "men of this kind are carried about both by winds and violent blasts." "Trees," he says, "of autumn, without fruit,"— unbelievers, that is, who bear no fruit of fidelity. "Twice dead," he says: once, namely, when they sinned by transgressing, and a second time when delivered up to punishment, according to the predestined judgments of God; inasmuch as it is to be reckoned death, even when each one does not immediately deserve the inheritance. "Waves," he says, "of a raging sea." By these words he signifies the life of the Gentiles, whose end is abominable ambition. "Wandering stars,"— that is, he means those who err and are apostates are of that kind of stars which fell from the seats of the angels— "to whom," for their apostasy, "the blackness of darkness is reserved forever.

(as quoted by Cassiodorus) From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus

Jude 1:14

Enoch also, the seventh from Adam," he says, "prophesied of these." In these words he verities the prophecy.

(as quoted by Cassiodorus) From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus

Jude 1:19

"Those," he says, "separating" the faithful from the unfaithful, be convicted according to their own unbelief. And again those separating from the flesh. He says, "Animal not having the spirit;" that is, the spirit which is by faith, which supervenes through the practice of righteousness.

(as quoted by Cassiodorus) From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus

Jude 1:22-23

"But some," he says, "save, plucking them from the fire;" "but of some have compassion in fear," that is, teach those who fall into the fire to free themselves. "Hating," he says, "that spotted garment, which is carnal:" that of the soul, namely; the spotted garment is a spirit polluted by carnal lusts.

(as quoted by Cassiodorus) From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus

Jude 1:24

"Now to Him," he says, "who is able to keep you without stumbling, and present you faultless before the presence of His glory in joy." In the presence of His glory: he means in the presence of the angels, to be presented faultless, having become angels. When Daniel speaks of the people and comes into the presence of the Lord, he does not say this, because he saw God: for it is impossible that any one whose heart is not pure should see God; but he says this, that everything that the people did was in the sight of God, and was manifest to Him; that is, that nothing is hid from the Lord.

(as quoted by Cassiodorus) From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus