Polyvariance of the Exegetic Hypotheses of Clement of Alexandria

Abstract

Clement of Alexandria often offers several meanings for this or that number, fact, biblical verse. Two approaches can be distinguished in the presentation by this author of various options for understanding texts. In the first case, he gives several true, from his point of view, interpretations, in the second case, several probable interpretations. In the first case, apparently, we are dealing with a presentation by him of the previous oral tradition. In the second case, we have the contribution of Clement himself to this tradition, his own, author's interpretations, introduced by the words τάχα μέν, τάχα δὲ καί, ἤδη δὲ καί κτλ or optative.