Church Fathers, Part 2
“2 Clement”

July, 2008

by: Edward Wilde

Last time we learned a bit about the letter commonly known as “1 Clement”. This month we will look at a sermon titled “2 Clement.” Almost nothing is certain about the source or date of this letter, except that it is almost certainly not from Clement.

2 Clement is the oldest complete Christian sermon. It was probably written sometime during the 100's A.D., with most guesses being toward the first half of the Second Century. The letter apparently has some association with Clement, because it comes directly after 1 Clement in the ancient manuscripts containing the document.

Since no one knows for certain how this document is connected with 1 Clement (if at all), there have been various guesses which connect it with either Rome (Clement’s home) or Corinth (the recipient of Clement’s letter). One guess is that 2 Clement is a sermon by one of the elders who had been thrown out in Corinth (which rebellion led to the writing of 1 Clement).

However, just to keep it interesting, there is also the guess that the sermon originated in Egypt, probably from Alexandria.

The sermon is relatively short. The text we have was being read by someone (whether the reader wrote the sermon is unknown). It was written by an elder as an admonition of the congregation by the elder(s) to repent.

The sermon is about 20 paragraphs long and contains numerous references to Scripture, both Old and New Testament. In fact, it is probably the first document outside of the New Testament to plainly call New Testament writing “Scripture.” The document contains at least nine quotations from Jesus, four of which quotations are not found in the New Testament Gospels.

A representative section of the sermon is found in chapter 4: “Let us not then merely call him Lord, for this will not save us. For he says, ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will be saved. So then, brethren, let us acknowledge him in deeds – by loving one another, by refraining from adultery and slander and jealousy, being instead self-controlled, merciful, kind. We ought also to share each other’s lot and not be avaricious. In behavior of that kind and not its opposite we acknowledge him. Further, we must fear not men but God.”

The sermon continues in this manner, constantly urging its readers on to repentance. Another section shows how the call to repentance was urged on the congregation, “So while we are on earth, let us repent. For we are clay in the hands of the craftsman. It is like a potter making a vessel: if it becomes misshapen or breaks in his hands, he molds it again; but if he already put it into the kiln, he can no longer repair it. So it is with us. While we are in this world, let us repent will all our hearts of the evil we have done in the flesh in order that we may be saved by the Lord while we still have opportunity to repent. For after we have passed out of this world we shall no longer be able in the next to confess or to repent.” (Chap. 8; translation by Grant.)

This call to repentance is fully proper and wise. However, the next section makes a statement which may indicate a tendency toward a view of salvation based upon works or effort, “So then brethren, if we do the will of the Father and keep the flesh pure and keep the commandments of the Lord, we shall receive eternal life . . . . keep the flesh pure and the seal undefiled so that we may receive eternal life.” (Chap. 8)

The sermon does not contain any plain statement of justification by grace through faith. The lack of such material may be due to the needs of the congregation; perhaps there was an abuse of the doctrines of grace which needed a sound correction, i.e., saving faith is not faith which has no fruit (we see a similar idea in Colossians 1:23 which can be misread as works salvation if not understood in context). Yet, since the context for the sermon is missing, it is possible to misread the contents. Another problem with the sermon is the presence of certain Gnostic ideas (ideas about the opposition of physical and “spiritual”). Without further context, it is impossible to know precisely what was meant by the phrases and ideas. It does suggest that the threat from Gnosticism was not yet realized for the danger that it would become. The sermon may just be borrowing from dangerous ideas which had begun to infect the Church and was unaware of the danger.

The tendency toward legalism and toward incorporating unbiblical ideas from the culture is always a threat to the Church. It was a threat 100 years after Jesus resurrected, and it is still a threat today. Legalism always looks right. It is sometimes difficult to condemn mere moralism without ignoring sin. Neither salvation by the law nor lawlessness are options for Christians; yet they are two ditches which lie along either side of the narrow way. Likewise, the latest and smartest ideas from the culture always find their way into the Church.

The only sure way to avoid the errors of the world is to keep our eyes fixed firmly upon the demands of God as written down by the prophets and apostles and found recorded in the Bible.