Church Fathers, Part 1
“1 Clement”

June, 2008

by: Edward Wilde

Church history is a great blank spot for most Christians. We would consider it terribly wrong to know nothing of George Washington and yet find it acceptable to know nothing of Polycarp or Ignatius or Justin.

For those who have slightly more knowledge, there is a vague belief that immediately following the Apostles, the Church descended in complete heresy until the Reformation. That sort of faulty reasoning has routinely been used by heretics to support their re-discovery of the “Gospel.” Ignorance of Christian history also lies behind nonsense like the Da Vinci Code.

The history of the Christian church is the history of Christians. These people are our people. We will begin our review of Church History by looking at the earliest documents from outside the New Testament, written by those commonly known as the “Apostolic Fathers”.

Late during the first century AD, sometime around the year 95, the church at Corinth returned to its schismatic ways. Apparently, one or two persons managed to stir up the congregation in rebellion against the elders of the church. The report of this rebellion reached not only to other churches but to the wider world. As Clement of Rome wrote in his letter to the church at Corinth, “you heap blasphemies upon the name of the Lord because of your stupidity, and create danger for yourselves as well.” (47:7).

The elders at the church at Rome wrote a letter to the church at Corinth through the hand of Clement (who apparently acted as the secretary for the elder board). His letter has been preserved and passed down to us under the common name “First Clement” [as we will learn next time, there is no real “Second Clement”]. This letter is fascinating because, it helps us understand the nature of the early church, immediately after the time of the Apostles.

The first thing which may strike you is the fact the church at Rome is lead by a group of elders. While Clement may have been the most notable one among those ruling the Roman church, he does not appear to be the sole bishop who ruled the church in the absolute manner of the later popes. Moreover, he does not act like a man who has the right to command obedience of any other church. In fact, Clement’s name no where appears in the letter; it is known as a letter from Clement only from other sources in the early church.

The second striking thing about the letter is the insistence on right thinking about the doctrine of salvation and justification. He writes, “Be contentious and zealous, brothers, but about the things which relate to salvation.” (45.1)

On the subject of justification, which was the cause of the split between the Protestants and Bishop of Rome, Clement writes, “And so we, having been through his will in Christ Jesus, are not justified through ourselves or through our own wisdom or understanding or piety or works which have done in holiness of heart, but through faith, by which the almighty God has justified all who have existed from the beginning; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (32.4). He writes of Abraham, who “attained righteousness and truth through faith.” (31.2) He also affirms the doctrine of election and refers to “the specified number of his elect throughout the whole world”. (59.2)

Clement holds to a very high view of Scripture: “You have searched the Scriptures, which are true, which were given by the Holy Spirit; you know that nothing unrighteous or counterfeit is written in them.” (45.2-3). Clement demonstrates a tremendous knowledge of the Old Testament (through the Greek translation known as the Septuagint). He likewise demonstrates a knowledge of what will become known as the New Testament, seeming to be familiar with Romans, Hebrews, James, Acts, Titus, the Gospels, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Philippians and 1 Peter. Clement also provides valuable information about the life of Peter and Paul which took place after the Book of Acts. For instance, Clement explained that Paul Continued on Page 7 Adult Min. Continued from Page 3 finally made his trip to Spain, after which he returned to Rome where he was killed. (5)

The letter itself is a wide-ranging call to the church of Corinth to repent of their sin and rebellion and to care more for the Gospel than their own pride. As Clement writes, “For we have touched upon every subject – faith, repentance, genuine love, self-control, sobriety and patience – and have reminded you that you must reverently please almighty God in righteousness and truth and steadfastness, living in harmony without bearing malice, in love and peace with constant gentleness, just as our fathers, of whom we spoke earlier, pleased him, by being humble toward the Father and God and Creator and toward all men.” (62.2)

I will end with Clement’s ending, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and with all people everywhere who have been called by God through him, through whom be glory, honor, power, majesty, and eternal dominion to him, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen.” (65.1)

The quotations come from The Apostolic Fathers, edited by Michael W. Holmes, published by Baker Books. If you have money and time for a cable TV connection, you have money and time for this. Buy & Read!