Chapter 32
Justification is a gift not a work
| 1 Ὁ ἐάν τις καθ' ἓν ἕκαστον εἰλικρινῶς κατανοήσῃ, ἐπιγνώσεται μεγαλεῖα τῶν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ δεδομένων δωρεῶν. | If anyone will sincerely consider these things one by one, he will understand the greatness of the gifts which have been given by Him. |
| 2 ἐξ αὐτοῦ γὰρ ἱερεῖς καὶ Λευῖται πάντες οἱ λειτουργοῦντες τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ τοῦ θεοῦ· ἐξ αὐτοῦ ὁ κύριος Ἰησοῦς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα. ἐξ αὐτοῦ βασιλεῖς καὶ ἄρχοντες καὶ ἡγούμενοι κατὰ τὸν Ἰούδαν· τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ σκῆπτρα αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐν μικρᾷ δόξῃ ὑπάρχουσιν, ὡς ἐπαγγειλαμένου τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅτι ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου ὡς οἱ ἀστέρες τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. |
From Jacob came all the priests and Levites who minister at the altar of God. From him came the Lord Jesus according to the flesh. From him come kings and rulers and governors in the line of Judah. Yes, and the rest of his tribes are held in no small honour, seeing that God promised, "Your seed will be as the stars of heaven" {Gen. 15:5; 22:17; 26:4}. |
| 3 πάντες οὖν ἐδοξάσθησαν καὶ ἐμεγαλύνθησαν οὐ δι' αὐτῶν ἢ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῶν ἢ τῆς δικαιοπραγίας ἧς κατειργάσαντο, ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ. | Therefore they were all glorified and magnified, not through themselves or through their own works or through the righteous deeds which they did, but through His will |
| 4 καὶ ἡμεῖς οὖν, διὰ θελήματος αὐτοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ κληθέντες, οὐ δι' ἑαυτῶν δικαιούμεθα, οὐδὲ διὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας σοφίας ἢ συνέσεως ἢ εὐσεβείας ἢ ἔργων ὧν κατειργασάμεθα ἐν ὁσιότητι καρδίας, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς πίστεως, δι' ἧς πάντας τοὺς ἀπ' αἰῶνος ὁ παντοκράτωρ θεὸς ἐδικαίωσεν· ᾧ ἔστω ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ἀμήν. |
And so we, having been called through His will in Christ Jesus, aren’t justified through ourselves or through our own wisdom or understanding or piety or works which we did in holiness of heart, but through faith, by which the Almighty God justified all who have existed from the beginning; to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. |
Summary
In Chapter 32, Clement brings his reflection on the patriarchs to a climactic theological crescendo, moving from the historical lineage of Jacob to the doctrine of unmerited election and justification by faith. He invites a careful, sincere contemplation (εἰλικρινῶς κατανοήσῃ) of the majestic lineage derived from Jacob—highlighting the levitical priesthood, kingship, and ultimately the incarnation of the Lord Jesus according to the flesh (τὸ κατὰ σάρκα).
Clement stresses that none of the patriarchal figures achieved their glory or stature through their own merit, wisdom, or righteous deeds. Applying this principle directly to the Church, he presents one of the clearest early post-apostolic statements of justification by faith: believers are saved not by personal wisdom, piety, or even holy works (ἐν ὁσιότητι καρδίας), but solely through the divine sovereign will (διὰ τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ) enacted through faith (διὰ τῆς πίστεως). By demonstrating that justification has operated through faith across all ages, Clement strips the Corinthian agitators of any ground for spiritual pride or self-exaltation.
Significant Greek Expressions
εἰλικρινῶς κατανοήσῃ (Considers sincerely / with purity of mind): Adverb eilikrinōs means sincerely, without self-interest, or with unmixed motives. A discerning, honest examination of God’s history reveals that all blessing stems from grace rather than human merit.
τὸ κατὰ σάρκα (According to the flesh): A distinct Pauline phrase (cf. Romans 1:3, 9:5). Clement maintains a balanced Christology, emphasizing both Christ’s real human descent from the lineage of Jacob/Judah and His divine Lordship (ὁ κύριος Ἰησοῦς).
οὐ δἰ αὐτῶν ἢ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῶν... ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ (Not through themselves or their works... but through His will): Sets up a sharp antithesis between human self-determination and divine sovereignty. True glory originates entirely in God’s initiating thelema (will/purpose).
οὐ διὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας σοφίας ἢ συνέσεως ἢ εὐσεβείας (Not through our wisdom or understanding or piety): Explicitly rules out intellectual attainment (sophia), cognitive insight (synesis), or personal religious devotion (eusebeia) as grounds for justification, directly undercutting the Corinthians' pride in spiritual gifts and knowledge.
διὰ τῆς πίστεως, δἰ ἦς πάντας... παντοκράτωρ θεὸς ἐδικαίωσεν (Through faith, by which Almighty God has justified all): Synthesizes Pauline soteriology with a universal historical scope. Pistis is presented as the single, timeless instrument through which God has justified believers "from the beginning" (ἀπ̓ αἰῶνος).