Early Church Father: Clement

Got it! This site "creationpie.com" uses cookies. You consent to this by clicking on "Got it!" or by continuing to use this website. Note: This appears on each machine/browser from which this site is accessed.

Clement of Alexandria was an early church father. Some of his works have been preserved.

In the letters of the early church father Clement (35-99 AD) to the churches, Michal W. Holmes in his book "The Apostolic Fathers" (3rd Edition, 2007) provides the following remarks about "slanderers" and "backbiters".

Greek: «έργοις δικαιούμενοι και μη λόγοις» (p. 84)
English: "justified by works and not by words" (p. 85)

The "justified" in the Greek is a verb for what might be called "righteous-fied" in English. The modern Greek word "δίκαιος" (THEE-keh-os) ≈ "observant of custom, righteous, balanced".

How about being righteous from thoughts alone, as in "study"?

Clement, an early church father, in Clement 1, part 23.5 has the following (underline added) in a section explaining why the things described have not yet happened. Here is the translation by Holmes (underline added).

English: Truly his purpose will be accomplished quickly and suddenly, just as the scripture also testifies. "He will come quickly and not delay; and the Lord will come suddenly into his temple, even the Holy One whom you expect."

Greek: επ αληθειας ταχυ και εξαιφνης τελειωθησεται το βουλημα αυτου, συνεπιμαρτυρουσης και της γραφης οτι ταχυ ηξει και ου χρονιει, και εξαιφνης ηξει ο κυριος εις τον ναον αυτου, και ο αγιος ον υμεις προσδοκατε.

Holmes, M. (2007). The Apostolic Fathers. 3rd Ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, p. 79.

More: Come quickly: sooner or later

More: Book: Apostolic Fathers

Talking about false teachers, early church father Ignatius writes the following to the Trallians (part 6.2, underlining added).

The Greek for "unsuspecting" is "ignorant". One needs to study the truth to not be "ignorant".

English: ... these people, while pretending to be trustworthy, mix Jesus Christ with themselves - like those who administer a deadly drug with honeyed wine, which the unsuspecting victim accepts without fear and so with final pleasure drinks down death. Holmes, M. (2007). The Apostolic Fathers. 3rd Ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, p. 219.

What is the functional difference between the following?

Someone who says "I am Christ. Do this." (false Christ).
Someone who says "I represent Christ. Christ says to do this.".

More: The taste of false teaching

More: Book: Apostolic Fathers

Late in the first century, church father Clement wrote from Rome to Corinth in what is known as the First Epistle of Clement . In the second section, Clement says the following.

English: You mourned for the transgressions of your neighbors: you considered their shortcomings to be your own. (Holmes, 2007, p. 47)

Greek: ἐπὶ τοῖς παραπτώματα αὐτῶν ἴδια πλησίον ἐπενθεῖτε· τὰ ὑστερήματα αὐτῶν ἴδια ἐκρίνετε. [1 Clement 2.6]

Paraphrase (using the above definition analogy to unify both thoughts): You grieved for the stupid things done by your neighbors. You considered their shortcomings to be your own.

The ancient Greek word "πένθος" ≈ "grief, mourning, misery".
The ancient Greek word "ὑστέρημα" ≈ "shortcoming, deficiency".

More: Matthew 6: 14-15: Forget about the debts, sins and trespasses

English: for when we desire to acquire these things, we fall away from the path of righteousness. [5.7]

Greek: ἐν γὰρ τῷ ἐπιθυμεῖν ἡμᾶς κτήσασθαι ταῦτα ἀποπίπτομεν τῆς ὁδοῦ τῆς δικαίας. [5.7]

Clement uses the word for "acquire" in 2 Clement 5.7.

Note: 2 Clement is not accepted as authentic by many.

More: Matthew 10:5-10 Possessing acquired purchases

Clement, in his first letter, gives many examples where he uses the Greek words for "zeal" (as eager rivalry) and "covet".

Details are left as a future topic.

More: Seeking damages from zealous jealousy