1 Clement Chapters XLVI - LIX

First Epistle to the Corinthians

 Clement of Rome

Chapters XLVI – LIX

 

As noted by Ross Amy, this Epistle of Clement is really an exhortation or a sermon.  His sermon is to confront the sedition in Corinth.  He shows the congregation the tragedy of envy and what it does to relationships. He points out the blessings that came to the saints of the past that sought to obey Christ and also mimic Christ in these areas of relationships. He reminds his listeners that Christ is returning; and there comes with that resurrection and judgment. True faith ought to be evidenced by peace and love.

Clement’s approach is to point out the true order that Christ has established for the church. Implied is his warning that those who rise up in rebellion and rebelling against Christ.

 

The sadness of this situation is that it seems to be more grievous than what Paul dealt with in his First Letter to Corinth.  (Clement surely believed that this letter of Paul was inspired: “Truly, under the inspiration of the Spirit.”[1]).  It was grievous because the dispute even reached the broader community.  Whenever the reputation of Christ is marred it is a indignity.  Clement then calls for a return to a state of brotherly love[2] and repentance[3].   He points to the love of Moses who was willing to intercede with God for the preservation of Israel (Exodus 32).  He appeals to us to live out this ethic:

 “If on my account sedition and disagreement and schisms have arisen, I will depart, I will go away whithersoever ye desire, and I will do whatever the majority commands; only let the flock of Christ live on terms of peace with the presbyters set over it.”[4]

 

He provides examples of such love both from an Apocryphal story of Judith; and of the Old Testament example of Esther  who was prepared to die to preserve her people.  He calls those who are acting in seditious ways to submit to correction and submit to the Church:

 

“Ye therefore, who laid the foundation of this sedition, submit yourselves to the presbyters, and receive correction so as to repent, bending the knees of your hearts. Learn to be subject, laying aside the proud and arrogant self-confidence of your tongue. For it is better for you that ye should occupy a humble but honourable place in the flock of Christ, than that, being highly exalted, ye should be cast out from the hope of His people.”[5]

 Clement concludes this exhortation with a blessing and a hope to hear that things have gone well.

 As to issues of authority, Clement rests heavily on Scripture which he readily acknowledges as inspired by the Holy Spirit.  He quotes from other sources including the Apocrypha but gives no evidence of its inspiration.  This is an argument from silence, I admit.  He clearly sees the authority of the church residing in presbyters of which I have shown elsewhere is synonymous with elders, bishops, and pastors.

 

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[1] Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Locations 1289-1290). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

[2] “Ye see, beloved, how great and wonderful a thing is love, and that there is no declaring its perfection.” -  Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Location 1344). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

[3] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 1382-1383).

[4] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 1423-1425).

[5] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 1496-1500).

1 Clement Chapters XVI - XXX

First Epistle to the Corinthians

Clement of Rome 

Chapters XVI – XXX

 

Previously in the Blog I noted that Clement's approach to this sedition is to point out to the church the tragedy of envy and what it does to relationships. From Cain and Abel, even through to his contemporary era, he dramatically illustrates the devastation that arises from envy and jealousy. Following true Apostolic fashion he calls for repentance. Again referring back to the Scriptures, Clement points out the blessings that came to the saints of the past that sought to obey Christ in these areas of relationships.

Now, Clement reminds us of the greatest example of humility: the Lord Jesus Christ. “For Christ is of those who are humble-minded, and not of those who exalt themselves over His flock.”[1] He then draws as support that classic passage in Isaiah 53, which Clement again attributes not just to Isaiah, but to the Holy Spirit Himself[2].   As a note, Dr. Coxe observes: “The reader will observe how often the text of the Septuagint, here quoted, differs from the Hebrew as represented by our authorized English version.”

The humility of the saints is another example that Clement employs, from Elijah to Moses.  An interesting observation from Chapter XVII is that Clement cites this quotation: ““I am but as the smoke of a pot,”[3] attributed to Moses.  This is likely a misquote and probably attributed to David, not Moses (“For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes.” (Psalm 119:83, ESV)).  His point of calling out the witness of the saints is:

“Wherefore, having so many great and glorious examples set before us, let us turn again to the practice of that peace which from the beginning was the mark set before us; and let us look steadfastly to the Father and Creator of the universe, and cleave to His mighty and surpassingly great gifts and benefactions of peace.”[4]

He continues his argument to show the ordered, harmonious operation of the Universe.

 In this call for peace by our author, one might presume that peace is the avoidance of conviction or conflict.  He clarifies this when he writes:

 “Let us rather offend those men who are foolish, and inconsiderate, and lifted up, and who glory in the pride of their speech, than [offend] God. Let us reverence the Lord Jesus Christ, whose blood was given for us . . ..”[5]

 At Chapter XXIII Clement moves his argumentation to the fact that we ought to live in such a way as anticipating the return of Jesus Christ and the resurrection of the dead unto judgment. “Having then this hope, let our souls be bound to Him who is faithful in His promises, and just in His judgments.”[6]  And again “Since then all things are seen and heard [by God], let us fear Him, and forsake those wicked works which proceed from evil desires; so that, through His mercy, we may be protected from the judgments to come.”[7]

 Clement calls us to draw near to God (direct language from the Book of Hebrews) and returns to his exhortation:

“Let us cleave, then, to those to whom grace has been given by God. Let us clothe ourselves with concord and humility, ever exercising self-control, standing far off from all whispering and evil-speaking, being justified by our works, and not our words.”[8]  

Clement, like the Apostle James understands that the verification and vindication of our salvation is more than just a profession of faith, but our manifestation of faith. “But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:18, ESV)

Clement continues to shore up is argument for humility and avoidance of strife and sedition by Scripture.  He follows the Septuagint most closely and willingly imports other literature into his argument.  In Chapter XXV he even brings a fable into the argument.[9]He is profoundly Christological and seems to clearly understand the outworking of the Gospel in the lives of Believers.

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[1] Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Locations 570-571). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

[2] Note in Chapter XXII, Clement attributes the Psalms to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (Kindle Location 732)

[3] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 623-624).

[4] (Kindle Locations 673-676).

[5] (Kindle Locations 707-708).

[6] (Kindle Location 810).

[7] (Kindle Locations 836-838).

[8]  (Kindle Locations 869-871).

[9] This fable respecting the phœnix is mentioned by Herodotus (ii. 73) and by Pliny (Nat. Hist., x. 2.) and is used as above by Tertullian (De Resurr., §13) and by others of the Fathers.  (Kindle Locations 790-791)

Let's Get Rid of These Leaders!

What do you do when you want to overthrow your church leaders without due cause?   Well what you DON'T do is read 1 Clement.  He will not sympathize with your ambitions.

Who is Clement?  He was probably a Gentile and lived between A.D. 30-100.  Most believe that this is the Clement referred to in Philippians 4:3 (evidently written from Rome); and a co-worker with the Apostle Paul. This belief is founded on the writings of Eusebius (see below). The internal evidence also tends to support this opinion.

Others thought that he may have been an ex-slave of the family of Titus Flavius Clemens, cousin of the Emperor Domitian. One tradition claims that he was the second bishop of Rome, immediately after the apostle Peter; another tradition indicates that two bishops served between Peter and Clement.

It seems likely that Clement was a pastor in the church at Rome.  His letter to Corinth entitled 1 Clement assumes a similar responsbility to answering an important question for the Corinthian Church regarding unity and sedition. This letter probably was written about A.D. 95.   Because this is probably the earliest extrabiblical writings it stands in a place of great prominence.  His letter also is an important testimony to the canon of the New Testament, alluding to 1 Corinthians, Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 1 Timothy, Titus, Hebrews, and 1 Peter. [1]   These New Testament allusions are employed as authoritative sources which strengthen Clement’s arguments to the Corinthian church. The letter was lengthy and includes several references to the Old Testament.  Clement repeatedly refers to the Old Testament as Scripture.

Clement’s admonition to “Take up the epistle of the blessed Paul the Apostle” (xlvii. 1)  implies his intimate knowledge of Paul's letter and implies that these documents were available to the Corinthian church. 
 

"This Epistle was held in very great esteem by the early Church. The account given of it by Eusebius (Hist. Eccl., iii. 16) is as follows: “There is one acknowledged Epistle of this Clement (whom he has just identified with the friend of St. Paul), great and admirable, which he wrote in the name of the Church of Rome to the Church at Corinth, sedition having then arisen in the latter Church. We are aware that this Epistle has been publicly read in very many churches both in old times, and also in our own day.” The Epistle before us thus appears to have been read in numerous churches, as being almost on a level with the canonical writings. And its place in the Alexandrian ms., immediately after the inspired books, is in harmony with the position thus assigned it in the primitive Church." [2]


The purpose of the letter seems to be some dispute (sedition) in Corinth, which had led to the removal from office of several elders. Certain younger leaders had not given proper respect to the bishops and deacons and have set up new leaders in their place. Since there was no moral offense, Clement deemed their removal as unjustifiable.







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1. Vos, H. F., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1996). Exploring church history. Nelson's Christian Cornerstone Series. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

2. Dr. A. Cleveland Coxe, in Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Locations 157-162). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.