Clement of Alexandria — Commentary on Scripture

Psalms 1:1

And “the chair of pestilences” will be the theaters and tribunals, or rather the compliance with wicked and deadly powers and complicity with their deeds.

The Stromata Book 2

Psalms 8:3

But how shall I tell what God makes? Behold the whole universe; it is His work: and the heaven, and the sun, and angels, and men, are the works of His fingers. How great is the power of God! His bare volition was the creation of the universe. For God alone made it, because He alone is truly God. By the bare exercise of volition He creates; His mere willing was followed by the springing into being of what He willed. Consequently the choir of philosophers are in error, who indeed most nobly confess that man was made for the contemplation of the heavens, but who worship the objects that appear in the heavens and are apprehended by sight. For if the heavenly bodies are not the works of men, they were certainly created for man. Let none of you worship the sun, but set his desires on the Maker of the sun; nor deify the universe, but seek after the Creator of the universe.

Exhortation to the Heathen

Psalms 9:11

Those who are wild in respect of faith and polluted in life, not purified by the righteousness that is according to the law, are called wild beasts. But changed from wild beasts by the faith of the Lord, they become people of God, advancing from the wish to change to the fact. For some the Lord exhorts, and to those who have already made the attempt he stretches forth his hand and draws them up. “For the Lord dreads not the face of anyone, nor will he regard greatness; for he has made small and great and cares alike for all.” And David says, “For the heathen are fixed in the destruction they have caused; their foot is taken in the snare that they hid.” “But the Lord was a refuge to the poor, a help in season also in affliction.” Those, then, who were in affliction had the gospel seasonably proclaimed. And therefore it said, “Declare among the heathen his pursuits,” that they may not be judged unjustly.

The Stromata Book 6

Psalms 9:17

And already clearly David, bearing testimony to the truth, sings, "Let sinners be turned into Hades, and all the nations that forget God." They forget, plainly, Him whom they formerly remembered, and dismiss Him whom they knew previous to forgetting Him. There was then a dim knowledge of God also among the nations.

The Stromata Book 6

Psalms 18:26

By perverse, he means he will chastise sinners. For his natural uprightness … and his goodness toward those who believe obediently are immovable and unshakable.… Therefore, he treats them severely in the hope that perhaps he might curb their impulse toward death.

The Instructor Book 3

Psalms 19:9

He recognises a twofold [element in faith], both the activity of him who believes, and the excellence of that which is believed according to its worth; since also righteousness is twofold, that which is out of love, and that from fear. Accordingly it is said, "The fear of the Lord is pure, remaining for ever and ever." For those that from fear turn to faith and righteousness, remain for ever. Now fear works abstinence from what is evil; but love exhorts to the doing of good, by building up to the point of spontaneousness; that one may hear from the Lord, "I call you no longer servants, but friends," and may now with confidence apply himself to prayer.

The Stromata Book 7

Psalms 19:10

"Sweet is the Word that gives us light, precious above gold and gems; it is to be desired above honey and the honey-comb." For how can it be other than desirable, since it has filled with light the mind which had been buried in darkness, and given keenness to the "light-bringing eyes" of the soul? For just as, had the sun not been in existence, night would have brooded over the universe notwithstanding the other luminaries of heaven; so, had we not known the Word, and been illuminated by Him; we should have been nowise different from fowls that are being fed, fattened in darkness, and nourished for death. Let us then admit the light, that we may admit God; let us admit the light, and become disciples to the Lord.

Exhortation to the Heathen

Psalms 22:26

To inquire, respecting God, if it tends not to strife but to discovery, is salutary. For it is written in David, “The poor eat and shall be filled; and they shall praise the Lord that seek him. Your heart shall live forever.” For they who seek him after the true search, praising the Lord, shall be filled with the gift that comes from God, that is, knowledge. And their soul shall live; for the soul is figuratively termed the heart, which ministers life: for by the Son is the Father known.

The Stromata Book 5

Psalms 33:6

Some, however, who have fallen into error, I know not how, worship God's work instead of God Himself,-the sun and the moon, and the rest of the starry choir,-absurdly imagining these, which are but instruments for measuring time, to be gods; "for by His word they were established, and all their host by the breath of His mouth."

Exhortation to the Heathen

Psalms 34:12

But are ye so devoid of fear, or rather of faith, as not to believe the Lord Himself, or Paul, who in Christ's stead thus entreats: "Taste and see that Christ is God?" Faith will lead you in; experience will teach you; Scripture will train you, for it says, "Come hither, O children; listen to me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord." Then, as to those who already believe, it briefly adds, "What man is he that desireth life, that loveth to see good days?" It is we, we shall say-we who are the devotees of good, we who eagerly desire good things. Hear, then, ye who are far off, hear ye who are near: the word has not been hidden from any; light is common, it shines "on all men." No one is a Cimmerian in respect to the word. Let us haste to salvation, to regeneration; let us who are many haste that we may be brought together into one love, according to the union of the essential unity; and let us, by being made good, conformably follow after union, seeking after the good Monad.

Exhortation to the Heathen

Psalms 48:12

Thence now, by knowledge collecting materials to be the food of contemplation, having embraced nobly the magnitude of knowledge, he advances to the holy recompense of translation hence. For he has heard the Psalm which says: "Encircle Zion, and encompass it, tell upon its towers." For it intimates, I think, those who have sublimely embraced the Word, so as to become lofty towers, and to stand firmly in faith and knowledge.

The Stromata Book 7

Psalms 68:7-13

Again, Aeschylus the tragedian, setting forth the power of God, does not shrink from calling him the Highest, in these words:Place God apart from mortals; and think not
That he is, like yourself, corporeal.
You know him not. Now he appears as fire,
Dread force; as water now; and now as gloom;
And in the beasts is dimly shadowed forth,
In wind, and cloud, in lightning, thunder, rain;
And minister to him the seas and rocks,
Each fountain and the water’s floods and streams.
The mountains tremble, and the earth, the vast
Abyss of sea, and towering height of hills,
When on them looks the Sovereign’s awful eye:
Almighty is the glory of the Most High God.
Does he not seem to you to paraphrase that text, “At the presence of the Lord the earth trembles”?

The Stromata Book 5

Psalms 78:7-8

His righteousness cried, "If ye come straight to me, I also will come straight to you but if ye walk crooked, I also will walk crooked saith the Lord of hosts;" meaning by the crooked ways the chastisements of sinners. For the straight and natural way which is indicated by the iota of the name of Jesus is His goodness, which is firm and sure towards those who have believed at hearing: "When I called, ye obeyed not, saith the Lord; but set at nought my counsels, and heeded not my reproofs." Thus the Lord's reproof is most beneficial. David also says of them, "A perverse and provoking race; a race which set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful with God: they kept not the covenant of God, and would not walk in His law." Such are the causes of provocation for which the Judge comes to inflict punishment on those that would not choose a life of goodness. Wherefore also afterwards He assailed them more roughly; in order, if possible, to drag them back from their impetuous rush towards death. He therefore tells by David the most manifest cause of the threatening: "They b…

His righteousness cried, "If ye come straight to me, I also will come straight to you but if ye walk crooked, I also will walk crooked saith the Lord of hosts;" meaning by the crooked ways the chastisements of sinners. For the straight and natural way which is indicated by the iota of the name of Jesus is His goodness, which is firm and sure towards those who have believed at hearing: "When I called, ye obeyed not, saith the Lord; but set at nought my counsels, and heeded not my reproofs." Thus the Lord's reproof is most beneficial. David also says of them, "A perverse and provoking race; a race which set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful with God: they kept not the covenant of God, and would not walk in His law." Such are the causes of provocation for which the Judge comes to inflict punishment on those that would not choose a life of goodness. Wherefore also afterwards He assailed them more roughly; in order, if possible, to drag them back from their impetuous rush towards death. He therefore tells by David the most manifest cause of the threatening: "They believed not in His wonderful works. When He slew them, they sought after Him, and turned and inquired early after God; and remembered that God was their Helper, and God the Most High their Redeemer." Thus He knew that they turned for fear, while they despised His love: for, for the most part, that goodness which is always mild is despised; but He who admonishes by the loving fear of righteousness is reverenced.

The Instructor Book 1

Psalms 86:2-3

Therefore, the Word is our educator who heals the unnatural passions of our soul with his counsel. The art of healing, strictly speaking, is the relief of the ills of the body, an art learned through human wisdom. Yet, the only true divine healer of human sickness, the holy comforter of the soul when it is ill, is the Word of the Father. Scripture says, “Save your servant, O my God, who puts his trust in you. Have mercy on me, O Lord, because I have cried to you the whole day through.” In the words of Democritus, “The healer, by his art, cures the body of its diseases, but it is wisdom that rids the spirit of its ills.” The good educator of little ones, however, Wisdom, the Word of the Father, who created human beings, concerns himself with the whole creation, and as the physician of the whole person heals both body and soul.

The Instructor Book 1

Psalms 112:6-9

However, in my opinion, he who possesses things of higher value is the one, and the only one, who is truly wealthy, without passing for such. A gem is not worth much, nor is silver, nor clothes nor beauty of body; but virtue is, because it is reason translated into deeds under the guidance of the Educator [Christ]. This is reason forbidding luxuriousness, stimulating independent service of self and singing the praises of frugality, offspring of self-control. “Receive instruction,” Scripture says, “and not money, and choose knowledge rather than gold. For wisdom is better than precious stones, and all that is priceless cannot be compared with it.” And, again, “My fruit is better than gold and precious stone and silver; and my blossoms than choice silver.” If we must make distinctions, let the person with a fortune be considered the wealthy one, loaded down as he is with gold like a dingy purse; but the holy one is the discreet one, for discretion is the quality that maintains a properly balanced moderation between spending and giving. “Some distribute their own goods,” it is written…

However, in my opinion, he who possesses things of higher value is the one, and the only one, who is truly wealthy, without passing for such. A gem is not worth much, nor is silver, nor clothes nor beauty of body; but virtue is, because it is reason translated into deeds under the guidance of the Educator [Christ]. This is reason forbidding luxuriousness, stimulating independent service of self and singing the praises of frugality, offspring of self-control. “Receive instruction,” Scripture says, “and not money, and choose knowledge rather than gold. For wisdom is better than precious stones, and all that is priceless cannot be compared with it.” And, again, “My fruit is better than gold and precious stone and silver; and my blossoms than choice silver.” If we must make distinctions, let the person with a fortune be considered the wealthy one, loaded down as he is with gold like a dingy purse; but the holy one is the discreet one, for discretion is the quality that maintains a properly balanced moderation between spending and giving. “Some distribute their own goods,” it is written, “and become richer.” Of such people, Scripture says, “He has distributed, he has given to the poor; his justice remains forever.” Therefore, it is not he who possesses and retains his wealth who is wealthy but he who gives; it is giving, not receiving, that reveals the happy person. Generosity is a product of the soul; so, true wealth is in the soul.

The Instructor Book 3

Psalms 118:16-18

“When we are judged by the Lord,” says the apostle, “it is for our education, so that we may not be condemned along with the world.” Earlier the prophet said, “The Lord has given me a stern lesson but not handed me over to death.” Scripture says, “It is to teach you his righteousness that he taught you a lesson, tested you and exposed you to hunger and thirst in a desolate land, for you to know in your heart all his statutes and judgments that I am laying on you today. The Lord your God will educate you just as a human will educate his son.” Scripture again emphasizes the lesson taught by a good example: “It is a great education when a malefactor sees a criminal punished,” for “the fear of the Lord breeds wisdom.”

The Stromata Book 1

Psalms 118:16-18

Consider the carefulness and the wisdom and the power of this Educator [Christ]: “He shall not judge according to appearance or reprove according to gossip, but he shall render judgment with humility and shall reprove the sinners of the earth.” And through the lips of David, he says, “The Lord chastising has chastised me, but he has not delivered me over to death.” Indeed, the very act of being chastised, and being educated by the Lord as a child, means deliverance from death. Again, he says through the same psalmist: “You shall rule them with a rod of iron.” Similarly, the apostle exclaimed when he was aroused by the Corinthians: “What is your wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and in the spirit of meekness?” By another psalmist, the Lord says again: “The Lord will send forth the rod of power out of Zion.”

The Instructor Book 1

Psalms 119:9

To sum up, David in the Psalms speaks about obedience: “How shall a young person keep his path straight?” The answer comes immediately: “By keeping your Word with his whole heart.” Jeremiah says, “These are the Lord’s words: do not follow the paths of the Gentiles.”

The Stromata Book 3