Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 4.djvu/37

 CLEMENT

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CLEMENT

(See False Decretals.) (4) Ascribed to Clement are the "Apostolical Constitutions", "Apostolic Canons", and the "Testament of Our Lord", also a Jacobite Anaphora (Renaudot, Liturg. Oriental. Coll., Paris, 1716, II: Migne. P. G., II). For other attributions see Harnack, "Gesch. der altchr. Lit.", 1,777-80. (5) The " Clementines " or Pseudo-Clem- entines, (q. V.)

III. The Epistle to the Corinthi.\ns. — The Church of Corinth had been led by a few \'iolent spirits into a sedition against its rulers. No appeal seems to have been made to Rome, but a letter was sent in the name of the Church of Rome by St. Clement to restore peace and imity. He begins by explaining that his delay in writing has been caused by the sudden calamities which, one after another, had just Vjeen falling ui>on the Roman Church. The reference is clearly to the persecution of Domitian. The former high reputation of the Corinthian Church is recalled, its piety and hospi- tality, its obedience and discipline. Jealousy had caused the di\'isions; it was jealousy that led Cain, Esau, etc., into sin, it was jealousy to which Peter and Paul and multitudes with them fell victims. The Corinthians are urged to repent after the example of the Patriarchs, and to he humble like Christ himself. Let them observe order, as all creation does. A curious passage on the Resurrection is somewhat of an interniption in the sequence: all creation proves the Resurrection, and so does the phcenix, which every five hundred years consumes itself, that its offspring may ari.se out of its ashes (23-6). Let us, Clement continues, forsake evil and approach God with purity, clinging to His blessing, which the Patriarchs so richly obtained, for the Lord will quickly come with His rewards: let us look to Jesus Christ, our High-Priest, above the angels at the right hand of the Father (36). Discipline and subordina- tion are necessary as in an array and in the human body, while arrogance is absurd, for man is nothing. The Apostles foresaw feuds, and pro%'ided for a suc- cession of bishops and deacons: such, therefore, can- not be removed at pleasure. The just have always been persecuted. Read St. Paul's first epistle to you, how he condemns party spirit. It is shocking that a few should disgrace the Church of Corinth. Let us beg for pardon: nothing is more beautiful than charity; it was shown by Christ when He gave His Flesh for our flesh. His Soul for our souls: by li\'ing in this love, we shall be in the number of the saved through Jesus Christ, by Whom is glory to God for ever and ever. Amen (58). But if any disobey, he is in great danger: but we will pray that the Creator may preserve the number of His elect in the whole world. — Here follows a beautiful Euchar- istic prayer (59-61). The conclusion follows: "We have said enough, on the necessity of repentance, unity, peace; for we have been speaking to the faith- ful, who have deeply studied the Scriptures, and will understand the examples pointed out, and will follow them. We shall indeed be happy if you obey. We have sent two venerable messengers, to show how great is our anxiety for peace among you" (62-4). "Finally may the all-seeing God and Master of Spirits and Lord of all flesh, who chose the Lord Jesus Christ and us through Him for a peculiar peo- ple, grant unto every soul that is called after His excellent and holy Name faith, fear, peace, patience, long-suffering, temperance, chastity, and soberness, that they may be well-pleasing unto His Name through our High Prie-st and Guardian, Jesus Christ, through whom unto Him be glory and majesty, might and honour, both now and for ever and ever. Amen. Now send ye back speedily unto us our messengers Claudius Ephebus and Valerius Bito, together with Fortunatus also, in peace and with joy, to the end that they may the more quickly

report the peace and concord which is prayed for and earnestly desired by us, that we also may the more speedily rejoice over your good order. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and with all men in all places who have been called by God and through Him, through whom is glory and honour, power and greatness and eternal dominion, unto Him, from the ages past and for ever and ever. Amen." (64-5.)

The style of the Epistle is earnest and simple, restrained and dignified, and sometimes eloquent. The Greek is correct, though not classical. The quo- tations from the Old Testament are long and numer- ous. The version of the Septuagint used by Clement inclines in places towards that which appears in the New Testament, yet presents sufficient evidence of independence; his readings are often with A, but are less often opposed to B than are those in the New Testament; occasionally he is found against the Sejituagint with Theodotion or even Aquila (see H. B. Swete, Introd. to the O. T. in Greek, Cam- bridge, 1900). The New Testament he never quotes verbally. Sayings of Christ are now and then given, but not in the words of the Gospels. It cannot be proved, therefore, that he used any one of the Synop- tic Gospels. He mentions St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians, and appears to imply a second. He knows Romans and Titus, and apparently cites sev- eral other of St. Paul's Epistles. But Hebrews is most often employed of all New Testament books. James, probably, and I Peter, perhaps, are referred to. (See the lists of citations in Funk and Lightfoot, Wcstcott and Zahn on the Canon; Introductions to Holy Scripture, such as those of Comely, Zahn, etc., and "The New Test, in the Apost. Fathers", by a Committee of the Oxford Society of Hist. Theology, Oxford, 1906.) The tone of authority with which the letter speaks is noteworthy, especially in the later part (56, 58, etc.): "But if certain persons should be disobedient unto the words spoken by Him through us, let them understand that they will entangle them- selves in no slight transgression and danger; but we shall be guiltless of this sin" (59). "It may, per- haps, seem strange", writes Bishop Lightfoot, "to describe this noble remonstrance as the first step towards papal domination. And yet undoubtedly this is the case." (I, 70.)

Doctrine. — There is little intentional dogmatic teaching in the Epistle, for it is almost wholly hortatory. A passage on the Holy Trinity is im- portant. Clement uses the Old Testament affirma- tion "The Lord liveth", substituting the Trinity thus: "As God liveth, and the Lord Jesus Christ liveth and the Holy Spirit, — the faith and hope of the elect, so surely he that performeth", etc. (58). Christ is frequently represented as the High-Priest, and redemption is often referred to. Clement speaks strongly of justification by works. His words on the Christian ministry have given rise to much dis- cussion (42 and 44): "The Apostles received the Gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ was sent from God. So then Christ is from God, and the Apostles from Christ. Both [missions]

therefore came in due order by the will of God

So preaching everywhere in country and town, they appointed their first-fruits, having proved them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons for those who should believe. And this in no new fashion, for it had indeed bean written from very ancient times about bishops and deacons: for thus saith the Scrip- ture: 'I will appoint their bishops in justice and their deacons in faith'" (a strange citation of Is., Ix, 17).

"Andour Apostles knew through our Lord Jesus

Christ that there would be strife over the name of the oflSce of bishop. For this cause therefore, having received complete foreknowledge, they appointed the aforesaid persons, and afterwards they have given a