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)

Humility in Young Leaders

In view of the issue in Corinth that Clement of Rome wrote to; and that I recently blogged about, I thought this interview would be timely.  Dr. Justin Holcomb interviewed Dr. Ed Welch and shared some wisdom for young leaders on the importance of humility in ministry. [1]

 

 

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1. http://theresurgence.com/2013/02/13/ed-welch-on-humility-in-young-leaders?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheResurgence+%28The+Resurgence%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

1 Clement Chapters I - XV

First Epistle to the Corinthians

Clement of Rome

Chapters I - XV

Clement starts this letter with these words:

The Church of God which sojourns at Rome, to the Church of God sojourning at Corinth, to them that are called and sanctified by the will of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, from Almighty God through Jesus Christ, be multiplied.

I am struck by how Pauline his introduction is.  For example in Paul's letter to the same church, he writes in 1 Corinthians 1:1–3 (ESV)

¹ Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, ² To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: ³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Another observation I have is that 1 Clement also mimics the Letter to the Hebrews in writing style.  It is too obvious as Clement continues to exhort the church through the "Let us" formula that the writer to the Hebrews also employs. "Clement is more like Hebrews than any other New Testament book. This is true, both with regard to his frequency of usage (next to the Psalms, he uses Hebrews by citation and allusion more frequently than any other book of Scripture, Old or New Testament),and with regard to the nature of the two works."[1]

As with Paul it seems that Clement is responding to questions or concerns from the Corinthian congregation. (in turning our attention to the points respecting which you consulted us."[2]   As noted before in this Blog, there seems to be a condition whereby some people are acting subversive to the leadership of the congregation.   Again in a similar way that Paul addressed churches, Clement commences his letter with words of commendation but comes to the point:

"So the worthless rose up against the honoured, those of no reputation against such as were renowned, the foolish against the wise, the young against those advanced in years."[3]

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.

Clement calls for the church to walk in humility. " By this precept and by these rules let us establish ourselves, that we walk with all humility in obedience to His holy words."[4]  This humility is evidenced by obedience to God rather than the unrepentant and the disloyal.   It is evidence also, according to Clement, by those who genuinely "cultivate peace" in contrast to those who pretend.  In the chapters that follow, Clement will start with look at our greatest example of humility, obedience and peace: the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Use of Scripture[5].

In Clement's words of affirmation to the Corinthians he writes this: "[You were] Content with the provision which God had made for you, and carefully attending to His words, ye were inwardly filled with His doctrine, and His sufferings were before your eyes."[6]  [Emphasis is mine.]  Likewise when he exhorts the church to humility he writes, "Let us act according to that which is written (for the Holy Spirit saith . . .).[7]  Here he quotes Jeremiah and Paul:

·         Jeremiah 9:23–24 (ESV)  ²³ Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, ²⁴ but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

·         1 Corinthians 1:31 (ESV)  ³¹ so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

·         2 Corinthians 10:17 (ESV)  ¹⁷ “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

"No other Apostolic Father cites or alludes to Scripture as frequently as 1 Clement does, nor does he follow the pattern of New Testament usage as Clement does. Also, no author in the New Testament cites the Old Testament as extensively (as far as the amount of material from any one passage is concerned), nor as frequently, as Clement does. Romans cites the Old Testament only 65 times, compared to 105 times for Clement."[8]

It is obvious, to this point, that Clement believes that the Scriptures are inspired of God, authoritative and relevant.  His massive use of referring to Scripture implies that he probably did not assume that he was writing inspired text so he uses Scripture to shore up (if you will) or bolster his arguments.  The text that Clement follows appears to be the Septuagint.  From time to time Drs Roberts and Donaldson annotate Clement's quotation as from the Septuagint but not consistent with the Hebrew text.

"He had no doubt learned the use of the Septuagint, in which his knowledge of the Greek tongue soon rendered him an adept. His copy of that version, however, does not always agree with the Received Text, as the reader will perceive"[9]  (A. Cleveland Coxe, D.D.).

One other hermeneutical note has to do with an insertion of a unique use of allegory.  In Chapter XII, Clement brings in the testimony of Rahab.   Recalling the story of Rahab from Joshua 2, Clement implies that the red sign the woman used to identify her house to the attacking Israelites, thus bringing her safety was a pre-cursor or sign of the redeeming blood of Christ. He writes:

"And thus they made it manifest that redemption should flow through the blood of the Lord to all them that believe and hope in God."[10]  

As correct it is that the shedding of Christ's blood brought redemption to all who believed, it appears fanciful hermeneutics to draw such a thought from the red ribbon of Rahab.  This may present a hint of an allegorical interpretation that proves to be a concern.

Another observation about Clement's work within these first chapters is his use apocryphal  literature.  In Chapter VII we read, "Let us turn to every age that has passed, and learn that, from generation to generation, the Lord has granted a place of repentance to all such as would be converted unto Him."[11] It could be noted that the phrase "a place of repentance" may originate in the apocryphal book of the Wisdom of Solomon ("But executing thy judgments upon them by little and little, thou gavest them place of repentance, not being ignorant that they were a naughty generation, and that their malice was bred in them, and that their cogitation would never be changed.)^[12]   There is no evidence at this point whether Clement viewed these books as inspired, but his use of them at least attests to some value.

Conclusion

So Clement employs a massive amount of Scripture; he clearly follows a style of approach that is apostolic in nature; he makes use of material outside of Scripture including the Apocrypha; and he imports an allegorical interpretative method that is suspect, in my opinion.

 

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[1] http://www.westernseminary.edu/papers/Faculty/DeYoung/1CLEMENT99paper.pdf

[2] Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Locations 234-235). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

[3] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 289-290).

[4] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 515-516).

[5] By "Scripture" I mean the Protestant Canon of Scripture.

[6] Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Locations 255-257). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

[7] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 509-512).

[8] http://www.westernseminary.edu/papers/Faculty/DeYoung/1CLEMENT99paper.pdf

[9] Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Locations 102-112). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

[10] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 498-499).

[11] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 392-393).

^[12] The Apocrypha: King James Version. 1995 (Wis 12:10). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

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.

The Standard of Relationships

Note John 5:16–30

 What an awesome description of the relationships within the Godhead!  Unity and diversity; submission and harmony; delegation and humility; and authority with cooperation.

V18	Jesus speaks in a way that makes Himself equal with God
V19	Equality of the Son & Father is so fused that the Son can only do what the Father does.
V20	The Son is shown all that the Father is doing because of the co-existent love
V21	The Father & Son both can give life to the dead if they will
V22	The Father has given all judgment to the Son
V23	To dishonor the Son is to dishonor the Father
V24	Belief in the Father who sent the Son brings eternal life

“Jesus provides compelling insight into His relationship with God. Jesus’ authority stems from His relationship with the Father, which is one of complete submission. In fact, He can do nothing on His own. Whatever the Father does, He does likewise. There is complete trust and openness—the Father loves the Son and shows Him all that He is doing. Both the Father and the Son give life. But with authority, the Father has also given the Son judgment.”^[1]

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^[1] Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A Daily Devotional. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

This Bloody Baptism of the Church

Frederick Faber wrote in that great hymn:

Faith of our fathers, living still,
In spite of dungeon, fire and sword;

That appears to be an apt description of the era that the Apostolic Fathers wrote there timeless scripts.  "Those were times of heroism, not of words; an age, not of writers, but of soldiers; not of talkers, but of sufferers." [1]

"The Apostolic Fathers are characterized by edification as they sought to build up or strengthen believers in the faith . . .." [2] The first three hundred years after the last of the Twelve died was one wave of persecution after another. "Thus this bloody baptism of the church resulted in the birth of a Christian world."[3]  The persecutions started first with the Jews and then with the Gentiles, particularly the Roman Empire.

The Jewish hatred of Christianity was not only obvious in the crucifixion of Christ, but in the systematic elimination of many of the Twelve. "They caused the death of Symeon, bishop of Jerusalem (107); they were particularly active in the burning of Polycarp of Smyrna; and they inflamed the violence of the Gentiles by eliminating the sect of the Nazarenes." [3].

As long as the Jews received privileged protection under Rome, Christians, deemed a sect of the Jews also enjoyed that liberty.  However the decline of Judaism and the rise of Christianity soon caused the Way to stand out as a new and separate religion.  "To Christianity, appearing not as a national religion, but claiming to be the only true universal one making its converts among every people and every sect, attracting Greeks and Romans in much larger numbers than Jews, refusing to compromise with any form of idolatry, and threatening in fact the very existence of the Roman state religion, even this limited toleration could not be granted."[3]

"The emperor Trajan, in 107, came to Antioch, and there threatened with persecution all who refused to sacrifice to the gods. Ignatius was tried for this offence, and proudly confessed himself a "Theophorus" ("bearer of God") because, as he said, he had Christ within his breast. Trajan condemned him to be thrown to the lions at Rome . . . It was on the 20^th day of December, 107, that he was thrown into the amphitheater: immediately the wild beasts fell upon him, and soon naught remained of his body but a few bones, which were carefully conveyed to Antioch as an inestimable treasure."[3]

These words of Jesus have an ominous ring: ““Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 10:16–22, ESV)


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1. A. Cleveland Coxe, D.D.,Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Location 28). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

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

3. Schaff, P., & Schaff, D. S. (1910). History of the Christian church. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.



Faith of Our "Apostolic Fathers"

I recently joined a 'reading group' who have decided to read the Apostolic Fathers.  As I follow the schedule I hope to collect my thoughts in this blog.  Our gracious facilitator reminded us a couple things about these men and the era they lived in.  First of all it should be noted that they did "theology in community, not in isolation."   That is a fascinating point.   If I have grasped this right that means from the inception, to the development and even the analysis of Christian theology, it didn't occur in the sequestered life of a monastery, nor in the isolation of a seminary. Theology was understood, worked out and lived out in community. As a side-bar, I have learned of the most obscure ideas that originate in the mind of individuals who hold to private interpretation and fail to work it out in community.  

 

The second notable point was that this theology reflected a developmental journey.  For us today who have the advantage of Councils, Systematic Theologies and the like, it proves to be somewhat foreign to recognize that there was a time when our theological under-pinnings were in process. 

 

We learned that the men we now call "Apostolic Fathers" were not know this until the 17th Century.  It seems that the term is used primarily because of their relationship or proximity to the Twelve Apostles of Christ.  All the Twelve had died by 100 A.D. but at least one of the group we call "Apostolic Fathers" worked with or knew the Apostles John and Paul.  These "Fathers" were Greek speaking (therefore their work is a translation) and they all lived prior to the great Church councils.

 

Why would they be called "Fathers"?  We sing a hymn from time to time, written by Frederick W. Faber:

 

Faith of our fathers, living still,
In spite of dungeon, fire and sword;
O how our hearts beat high with joy
Whenever we hear that glorious Word!

Refrain

Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death.

 

It would seem that to designate these men as "Fathers" is to anticipate their influence in our lives as spiritual parents.  This is not unlike Paul's relationship to Timothy (1 Timothy 1:2) and Titus.  For example: “To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.” (Titus 1:4, ESV).  We then might think of these men as parenting us spiritually.  But what of Christ's admonition found in Matthew 23:9 (ESV), "⁹ And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven?"   The notation in the Reformation Study Bible is helpful here.  There we read:

 

"Jesus does not prohibit organization or the use of all titles in the church (cf. Acts 20:17; 1 Cor. 9:1; 1 Tim. 3:1, 2, 8, 12; Titus 1:5–7). His warning is against the temptation to accord human leaders the authority and prerogatives that belong to God alone—a temptation here exemplified by the use of pretentious forms of address."

The application is clear. These "Fathers" are men.  Their instruction and authority does not exceed our Lord.  They are not infallible.  Their work requires examination and testing.  As Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: “but test everything; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, ESV).  These presumes there is some elements that may be imperfect.  There is also some good that should be embraced. Our facilitator reminded us "Remember that at least some of these documents are penned by men who laid down their lives for the Lord and for their brothers and sisters.  They deserve our respect even if we don't always agree with them."