St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Abbot of Clairvaux, Doctor of the Church, and Cistercian reformer. Among the scholars who used Jerome's version of Scripture exclusively.

Works

• Letter to the Brothers of Mont-Dieu
• Sermon 1 On the Annunciation
• Sermon 3 on Pentecost
• Sermon on St. John the Baptist
• Sermons on the Song of Songs

Preliminaries

• PREFACE TO THE READER (1) — Listed among scholars who used Jerome's version

  "Hugh, Bernard, Rupert"

Preface and Praise of Sacred Scripture

• Chapter II: On the Object and Breadth of Sacred Scripture — Quotes Christ's words "sell all that you have" and says these words persuaded the whole world to contempt of the world and voluntary poverty

  "Thus St. Bernard, on those words of Christ"

• Chapter IV: The Judgments and Examples of the Fathers — Quoted on Malachi 2:7: "the lips of the priest shall keep knowledge"

  "the doubtful points of the law about which there is question, says St. Bernard"

• Chapter V: On the Dispositions Required for This Study — Sermon 37 on Canticle: knowledge of God and of oneself must precede

  "St. Bernard beautifully says, sermon 37 on the Canticle"

• Chapter V: On the Dispositions Required for This Study — In letter to Brothers of Mont-Dieu: no one enters meaning of Paul without imbibing his spirit; true wisdom "not taught by reading, but by anointing"

  "St. Bernard does not hesitate to assert (in his letter to the Brothers of Mont-Dieu)"

• Chapter V: On the Dispositions Required for This Study — Attained understanding of Scripture by meditating among beeches and oaks; said he had no other masters

  "In a similar way St. Bernard, by meditating, attained an understanding of the Sacred Letters"

• Saintly Examples of Scripture Study — "Whatever he says, speaks in the words of Scripture"

  "I pass over St. Bernard, who whatever he says, speaks in the words of Scripture"

Chapter I (The Six Days of Creation)

• Verse 6: Let there be a firmament — Cited from Sermon 27 on the Canticle on man as an image of heaven with virtues as stars

  "says St. Bernard, sermon 27 on the Canticle."

• Verse 16: And God Made Two Great Lights — Quoted from Sermon on St. John the Baptist: "to burn and to shine is perfect"

  "as St. Bernard rightly observes and explains, Sermon on St. John the Baptist: \"For,\" he says, \"merely to shine is vain, merely to burn is little, to burn and to shine is perfect.\""

• Verse 26: Let Us Make Man in Our Image and Likeness — Quoted from Sermon 1 On the Annunciation on what the first man enjoyed

  "St. Bernard, Sermon 1 On the Annunciation: "What, he says, was lacking to the first man, whom mercy guarded, truth taught, justice governed, and peace cherished?""

• Verse 26: Let Us Make Man in Our Image and Likeness — Quoted from Sermon 1 On the Annunciation on image vs. likeness

  "St. Bernard, Sermon 1 On the Annunciation, where he also adds: "The image indeed can be burned in hell, but not burned up;"

• Verse 26: Let Us Make Man in Our Image and Likeness — Cited from Sermon 24 on the Song of Songs on the body as image of the mind

  "So St. Augustine, Book VI of On Genesis Literally, chapter 12, and Bernard, Sermon 24 on the Song of Songs."

• Verse 26: Let Us Make Man in Our Image and Likeness — Cited for the perennial spur: "Bernard, say why you are here?"

  "Let this therefore be for us, as for St. Bernard, a perennial spur to a pure and holy life: Bernard, say why you are here?"

• Verse 31: And God Saw All Things That He Had Made, and They Were Very Good — Quoted from Sermon 3 on Pentecost on the three things to consider in creation

  "St. Bernard, Sermon 3 on Pentecost: "Three things," he says, "we must consider in the great work of this world, namely what it is, how it is, and for what purpose it was established. "

Related

• St. Jerome