| Clement passage | Greek cited / alluded to | Synoptic locus | Markan corridor location | Gospel profile | Effect on Secret Mark / Canon thesis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strom. 5.1.2.6–3.1 | ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε; πίστιν ὄρη μετατιθέναι καὶ δένδρα μεταφυτεύειν | Mark 5:34; Matt 17:20; Luke 17:6 | Partially inside corridor (Mark 5 pre-corridor; faith motifs recur in Mark 8–10) | Mixed synoptic cluster, Markan phrasing combined with Matthean/Lukan extensions | Mildly supportive (conceptual Markan continuity, not narrative) |
In Stromateis 5.1.2.6–3.1 Clement appeals to a cluster of dominical sayings centered on faith. He explicitly cites the healing formula “ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε,” a phrase that is characteristically Markan in diction and narrative deployment, appearing repeatedly in Mark (e.g., Mark 5:34; 10:52) and functioning as a theological refrain emphasizing effective trust rather than legal or cognitive assent.
Alongside this, Clement invokes the hyperbolic sayings concerning faith’s power to “move mountains” and “transplant trees,” traditions attested in Matthew 17:20 and Luke 17:6. These latter elements are not tied to a single Markan pericope, yet they are conceptually continuous with Mark’s emphasis on δυναμικὴ πίστις—faith that produces real transformation, healing, and authority.
Clement does not present these sayings as discrete gospel citations with preserved narrative settings. Instead, he fuses them into a synthetic theological progression: faith saves; perfected faith is built up through knowledge; obedience to commandments completes faith; and apostolic faith exemplifies this perfected state. The apostles are presented as paradigmatic figures whose faith embodies the dominical promise of transformative power.
From a gospel-profile perspective, the passage is not purely Matthean or Lukan. The anchor formula “ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε” is strongly Markan in tone and usage, while the mountain- and tree-moving imagery reflects broader synoptic circulation. Clement’s concern is not textual exactness but the construction of a hierarchy of faith culminating in γνωστικὴ τελείωσις.
With respect to the Secret Mark / Canon thesis, this passage is mildly supportive but indirect. It reinforces the observation that Clement repeatedly gravitates toward Markan theological idioms—especially those emphasizing efficacy, transformation, and discipleship—while freely incorporating parallel material from Matthew and Luke. There is no attempt to reconstruct Mark’s narrative sequence here, nor to privilege Matthew’s redactional framework.
Accordingly, Stromateis 5.1.2.6–3.1 does not function as evidence for a hidden or expanded Markan gospel text. However, it does contribute to the cumulative pattern in which Markan formulations serve as conceptual anchors within Clement’s dominical theology, even when surrounded by harmonized or generalized synoptic material
