First Epistle to the Corinthians
Clement of Rome
Chapters XXXI - XLV
Clement's approach to deal with the sedition in Corinth is to point out to the church 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 readers that Christ is returning; and there comes with that resurrection and judgment..
Establishing a context for justification, Clement first of all affirms that salvation is by faith alone. Citing the patricarchs he notes:
And we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all men; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.[1]
But even as the Scripture reflects a balance in this, Clement notes that saving justification produces fruit. "Let us hasten with all energy and readiness of mind to perform every good work." As with Paul in Romans 6 when approached as to the possibility of experiencing saving grace and suggesting that it doesn't produce holiness, Clement explains, "God forbid!" The incentive is that this same Christ who is coming again to judge, is also coming to reward. "Let us therefore earnestly strive to be found in the number of those that wait for Him, in order that we may share in His promised gifts." [3] We emphasize that these blessings are given to us through Christ. He is the victor. He is our Head and King.
Under our Sovereign are various leadership roles. Clement is still chipping away at this sedition. He points out that we all serve in various and differenct capacities under Christ. "All are not prefects, nor commanders of a thousand, nor of a hundred, nor of fifty, nor the like, but each one in his own rank performs the things commanded by the king and the generals." [4] The sovereign Christ has not only placed us in various positions to serve Him, but He has prepared our works even prior to creation. Clement writes, "having prepared His bountiful gifts for us before we were born." [5]. Reminiscent of Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)
10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
In Chapter XXXIX, Clement employs a massive argument that supposes if all this is true then there ought to be no room for conceit. Drawing from God's response to Job, Clement imagines our futility of contesting with the greatness and might of God. Clement employs a massive summary of Job (probably Job 4:16–18, Job 15:15, Job 4: 19–21, Job 5:1–5.).
It seems to me that Clement now shifts to the subject of order. Importing God's regulations for order within the Old Covenant, he points out in Chapters XL &XLI, that the worship of God is systematic. "Those, therefore, who do anything beyond that which is agreeable to His will, are punished with death." [6]. The severity of breaking God's order is sobering. He writes that "Both these [the calling of Christ and the Apostles] appointments, then, were made in an orderly way, according to the will of God." [7] He then shows that the future leadership of the Church is also orderly and according to the will of God. He illustrates God's choice of leadership with the story of Aaron's budding rod in Numbers 12 and 17. What is that future leadership? Clement see two offices that have been established by the Lord: bishops and deacons (Kindle Locations 1149-1150). I believe that Clement views (as does Paul) that bishops were synonimous with presbyters. For example he writes, "For our sin will not be small, if we eject from the episcopate those who have blamelessly and holily fulfilled its duties. Blessed are those presbyters who, having finished their course before now, have obtained a fruitful and perfect departure . . .." [8] Clearly he views the episcopate and presbytery as the same.
Similarily Paul views these offices as synonimous. In Acts 20:17 (ESV) we read that, Paul "sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him." There the word for elders is in the Greek text πρεσβύτερος (presbuteros) or presbyter. When Paul speaks to this group he says, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28, ESV). The Greek word of overseer is the word ἐπίσκοπος (episkopo) where we get our English word episcopal or bishop. "The Ephesian church leaders are called elders (Gk. presbyteroi) and are in v. 28 addressed as "overseers" (Gk. episkopoi, sometimes translated "bishops") who are to "care for" (or "shepherd") "the flock" (the role of pastors). This overlap of terminology indicates that "elders," "overseers," and "pastors" likely refer to the same office."[10] There seems no hint in Clement's theology (to this point) of apostolic succession, an office of Pope or priests. It seems he would agree with Paul's call to Titus:
“This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—” (Titus 1:5, ESV). And by implication when Paul wrote Philippi and addressed its leaders, he wrote,
“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:” (Philippians 1:1, ESV).
The righteous have this fate that they are oppressed by the wicked. It is the wicked that subvert God's order and appointments in the Church. That is a serious charge by our author.
In Chapter , Clement reveals again his view that Holy Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit. "Look carefully into the Scriptures, which are the true utterances of the Holy Spirit," [9], He implors the reader. He doesn't allows quote exactly or sometimes he quotes the Septuigant which doesn't follow the Received Text exactly. For example in Chapter XXXV we see this:
Clement’s Quotation from the Septuigant
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Authorized Version
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“But to the sinner God said, Wherefore dost thou declare my statutes,
and take my covenant into thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction, and
castest my words behind thee? When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst with
him, and didst make thy portion with adulterers. Thy mouth has abounded with
wickedness, and thy tongue contrived deceit. Thou sittest, and speakest
against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son.”
Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced
Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Locations 993-1002). Christian
Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.
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Psalm 50:16–20
(AV)
16 But unto the wicked God
saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou
shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? 17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. 18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou
consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. 19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue
frameth deceit. 20 Thou sittest
and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son.
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Clement appears to have an New Testament view of Scripture and Church order. There appears nothing but the highest regard to Holy Scripture. It is to this he appeals. As to the gifts and blessings of the righteous, he affirms that they all come through Christ. We see no veiled intercessors such as past saints or even the Mother of our Lord. He visible leadership of the Church seems to be elders and deacons, with elders being synonimous with bishops.
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1. Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Locations 914-916). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.
2. Ibid, (Kindle Locations 929-930).
3. Ibid, (Kindle Locations 986-987).
4. Ibid, (Kindle Locations 1054-1055).
5. Ibid, (Kindle Location 1080).
6. Ibid, (Kindle Location 1135).
7. Ibid, (Kindle Locations 1144-1145).
8. Ibid, (Kindle Locations 1198-1202).
9. Ibid, (Kindle Locations 1216-1217).
10. Crossway
Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible
(2129). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
