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The Second Epistle of Clement
Introductory Notice to the Homily Known as the Second Epistle of Clement.
[3838] If this reference to 2 Pet. iii. 9 be probable, it is one of the earliest testimonies to the genuine character of that Epistle. The true Clement has two references to the same (pp. 8 and 11, vol. i., this series), and Justin also (vol. i. p. 240) is credited with a similar reference to 2 Peter and the Apocalypse. See Lardner, Credib., vol. ii. p. 123 et seq.
Introductory Notice by Professor M. B. Riddle, D.D.
[3839] The full title of his edition, in English form, is as follows: “The two Epistles of our holy father Clement Bishop of Rome to the Corinthians; from a manuscript in the Library of the Most Holy Sepulchre in Fanar of Constantinople; now for the first time published complete, with prolegomena and notes, by Philotheos Bryennios, Metropolitan of Serræ. Constantinople, 1875.”
[3840] Novum Test. extra canonem receptum (2d ed., Leipzig, 1876). Pp. xliv.-xlix., 69–106, contain prolegomena, text, and notes, 2 Clement.
[3841] Patrum Apost. Opera, 2d ed., Leipzig, 1876.
[3842] St. Clement of Rome An Appendix containing the newly recovered portions, with introductions, notes, and translations. London, 1877. The original volume, London, 1869.
[3843] See chap. xii., and Clem. Alex., Stromata, iii. 13, vol. ii. p. 398.
[3844] See Vision II. 4, vol. ii. p. 12.
[3845] See vol. ii. p. 4; and comp. Lightfoot, Appendix, pp. 316, 317.
[3846] First Apology, ch. lxvii. (vol. i. p. 186).
[3847] St. Clement, Appendix, p. 317.
[3848] No title, not even a letter, is preserved in the ms. [In C (= ms. at Constantinople found by Bryennios) the title is Κλήμεντος πρὸς Κορινθίους B’, corresponding to that of the First Epistle. In S (= Syriac ms. at Cambridge) there is a subscription to the First Epistle ascribing it to Clement, then these words: “Of the same the second Epistle to the Corinthians.” At the close this subscription occurs: “Here endeth the Second Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians.”—R.]
Chap. i.—we ought to think highly of christ.
[3849] [C has here, and in many other places, ὑμᾶς instead of ἡμᾶς. This substitution of the second person plural is one of its marked peculiarities.—R.]
[3850] [Literally, “little things;” Lightfoot, “mean things.”—R.]
[3851] [Literally, “little things;” Lightfoot, “mean things.”—R.]
[3852] [Lightfoot follows the Syriac, and renders: “And they that listen, as concerning mean things, do wrong; and we ourselves do wrong, not knowing,” etc. But the briefer reading of the Greek mss. is lectio difficilior —R.]
[3853] [Only S has γάρ. A has δέ, which the Edinburgh translators have rendered “for.” So twice in chap. iii.—R.]
[3854] Literally, “holy things.”
[3855] Comp. Ps. cxvi. 12.
[3856] Literally, “lame.”
[3857] Literally “of men.” [Compare Arnobius, vol. vi. p. 423.]
[3858] Literally, “being full of such darkness in our sight.”
[3859] Literally, “having beheld in us much error and destruction.”
[3860] [C, S (apparently), and recent editors have ἕχοντας, “even when we had,” instead of ἕχοντες (A), as above paraphrased.—R.]
[3861] Comp. Hos. ii. 23; Rom. iv. 17, ix. 25.
[3862] Literally, “willed us from not being to be.” [Comp. n. 4, p. 365.]
Chap. ii.—the church, formerly barren, is now fruitful.
[3863] Isa. liv. 1; Gal. iv. 27. [R. V., “the husband.”—R.]
[3864] Some render, “should not cry out, like women in travail.” The text is doubtful. [Lightfoot: “Let us not, like women in travail, grow weary of offering up our prayers with simplicity to God.”—R.]
[3865] [ἐπει, “since;” hence Lightfoot renders, “He so spake, because.”—R.]
[3866] It has been remarked that the writer here implies he was a Gentile.
[3867] Matt. ix, 13; Luke v. 32. [The briefer form given above is that of the correct text in Matthew and Mark (ii. 17), not Luke.—R.]
[3868] [ἠθέλησε, “willed.”—R.] [Noteworthy. 2 Pet. iii. 9.]
[3869] Comp. Matt. xviii. 11. [Luke xix. 10.—R.]
[3870] Literally, “already perishing.” [Rev. iii. 2.]
Chap. iii.—the duty of confessing christ.
[3871] [Literally, “the Father of the truth.” The best editions have a period here.—R.]
[3872] Literally, “what is the knowledge which is towards Him.” [C, with Bryennios. Hilgenfeld reads τη̑ς ἀληθείας, “what is the knowledge of the truth,” instead of ἡ πρὸς αὐτόν, A, S, Lightfoot, and earlier editors.—R.]
[3873] [λέγει δὲ καὶ αυτός, “Yea, He Himself saith,” Lightfoot.—R.]
[3875] Comp. Matt. xxii. 37.
[3876] [“Now He saith also.”—R.]
Chap. iv.—true confession of christ.
[3878] Matt. vii. 21, loosely quoted.
[3879] [Literally, “in.”—R.]
[3880] [A defect in A was thus supplied, but “these” is now accepted; so C, S.—R.]
[3881] Some read “God.” [“Him” is correct.—R.]
[3882] Or, “with Me.” [This is the more exact rendering of μετ' ἐμου̑.—R.]
[3883] The first part of this sentence is not found in Scripture; for the second, comp. Matt. vii. 23, Luke xiii. 27. [The first part is not even identified as a citation from an apocryphal book.—R.]
Chap. v.—this world should be despised.
[3885] No such conversation is recorded in Scripture. [Comp. note 13.—R.]
[3886] Or, “Let not the lambs fear.”
[3887] Matt. x. 28; Luke xii. 4, 5.
[3888] Or, “know.”
[3889] The text and translation are here doubtful. [All doubt has been removed; the above rendering is substantially correct.—R.]
[3890] [More exactly, “the righteous path,” τη̑ς ὁδοῦ τη̑ς δικαίας.—R.]
Chap. vi.—the present and future worlds are enemies to each other.
[3891] Matt. vi. 24; Luke xvi. 13.
[3892] Matt. xvi. 26. [The citation is not exactly according to any evangelist. Literally, “For what advantage is it, if any one gain the whole (Comits ‘whole’) world, but forfeit his life,” or “soul.”—R.]
[3893] Literally, “speaks of.” [So Lightfoot.—R].
[3894] Or, “enjoy.” [Lightfoot: “but must bid farewell to the one and hold companionship with the other;” thus preserving the correspondence with the preceding sentence.—R.]
[3895] The ms. has, “we reckon.” [So C and S, but Lightfoot retains the subjunctive.—R.]
[3897] [Literally, “But if even such righteous men.”—R.]
[3898] Literally, “with what confidence shall we.”
[3899] Wake translates “kingdom,” as if the reading had been βασιλείαν; but the ms. has βασίλειον, “palace.” [Lightfoot gives the former rendering, though accepting βασίλειον.—R.]
[3900] [Literally, “holy and righteous works.”—R.]
Chap. vii.—we must strive in order to be crowned.
[3901] [ἀγωνισωμεθα, “let us strive,” as in the games.—R.]
[3902] Literally, “that many set sail for corruptible contests,” referring probably to the concourse at the Isthmian games.
[3903] Or, “Let us place before us.” [The latter rendering is that of the reading found in A and C, and now accepted by many editors (θω̑μεν); but Lightfoot adheres to θέωμεν (so S), and holds the former reading to be a corruption.—R.]
[3904] Or, “set sail.”
[3905] Literally, “know.”
[3906] Literally “if he be found corrupting.”
[3907] Baptism is probably meant. [See Eph. i. 13 and Acts xix. 6.]
[3908] [Or, “He saith;” “unbroken” is not necessary.—R.]
Chap. viii.—the necessity of repentance while we are on earth.
[3910] Comp. Luke xvi. 10-12.
[3911] ms. has “we,” which is corrected by all editors as above. [The newly discovered authorities have the second person; most recent editors, however, adopt the first person, as lectio difficilior. So Lightfoot; but Hilgenfeld restores ἀπολάβητε in his second edition.—R.]
[3912] Some have thought this a quotation from an unknown apocryphal book, but it seems rather an explanation of the preceding words.
Chap. ix.—we shall be judged in the flesh.
[3913] [Editors differ as to the punctuation. Lightfoot: “Understand ye. In what were ye saved? In what did ye recover your sight? if ye were not in the flesh.” Hilgenfeld puts a comma after γνω̑τε (understand ye), and a period after ἐσώθητε (saved).—R.]
[3914] Literally, “looked up.” [Both senses of ἀναβλέπειν occur in New Testament.—R.]
[3915] The ms. has εἷς, “one,” which Wake follows, but it seems clearly a mistake for ὡς. [Lightfoot reads ει, with a Syriac fragment; both C and S have εἷς—R.]
[3916] [C has here the curious reading λόγος instead of πνευ̑μα, but all editors retain the latter.—R.]
[3917] [A reads “eternal,” and C, S, “praise;” Lightfoot and others combine the two, “eternal praise,”—R.]
Chap. x.—vice is to be forsaken, and virtue followed.
[3919] Literally, “rather.”
[3920] Literally, “malice, as it were, the precursor of our sins.” Some deem the text corrupt.
[3921] Literally, according to the ms., “it is not possible that a man should find it who are”—the passage being evidently corrupt. [The evidence of C and S does not clear up the difficulty here, the reading of these authorities being substantially that of A. Lightfoot renders: “For for this cause is a man unable to attain happiness, seeing that they call in the fears of men,” etc. Hilgenfeld (2d ed.) assumes here a considerable gap in all the authorities, and inserts two paragraphs, cited in other authors as from Clement. The first and longer passage is from John of Damascus, and it may be accounted for as a loose citation from chap. xx. in the recovered portion of this Epistle. The other is from pseudo-Justin (Questions to the Orthodox, 74) This was formerly assigned by both Hilgenfeld and Lightfoot (against Harnack) to the First Epistle of Clement, lviii., in that portion wanting in A. But the recovered chapters (lviii.-lxiii.) contain, according to C and S, no such passage. Lightfoot thinks the reference in pseudo-Justin is to chap. xvi. of this homily, and that the mention of the Sibyl in the same author is not necessarily part of the citation from Clement. Comp. Lightfoot, pp. 308, 447, 448, 458, 459, and Hilgenfeld, 2d ed., pp. xlviii., 77.—R.]
[3922] [Lightfoot, more literally, “but now they continue teaching evil to innocent souls.”—R.]
Chap. xi.—we ought to serve god, trusting in his promises.
[3923] The same words occur in Clement’s first epistle, chap. xxiii.
Chap. xii.—we are constantly to look for the kingdom of god.
[3925] These words are quoted (Clem. Alex., Strom., iii. 9, 13) from the Gospel according to the Egyptians, no longer extant.
[3926] Thus ends the ms., but what followed will be found in Clem. Alex. as just cited.
[3927] For details respecting the version here given, see Introductory Notice, pp. 514, 515.
[3928] Or, more correctly, both here and above, “by this He meaneth.”
[3929] All editors read οὐδὲν φρονη̑, but C has φρονει̑ which is ungrammatical. In this clause, after ἵνα we would expect μηδέν; but as Lightfoot suggests, οὐδὲν may be combined as a substantive idea with θηλυκόν; comp. the use of οὐ with participles.
[3930] For μηδέ (so C) Gebhardt would substitute μηδ' ἥδε, while S supplies in full, quum soror videbit fratrem, an obvious interpretament.
[3931] This seems to be an explanation of the saying above referred to, and not a citation; similar cases occur in the homily.
Chap. xiii.—disobedience causeth god’s name to be blasphemed.
[3932] The headings to the chapters have been supplied by the editor, but in so rambling a discourse they are in some cases necessarily unsatisfactory.
[3933] Hilgenfeld reads μου instead of οὗν; so S apparently. The chapters are usually introduced with οὗν (nine times) or ὤστε (five times).
[3934] γινώμεθα; Lightfoot, “be found.”
[3935] Literally, “ourselves,” ἑαυτοι̑ς; but the reciprocal sense is common in Hellenistic Greek, and is here required by the context.
[3936] Comp. Acts v. 41, where the correct text omits αὺτου̑. The Revised Version properly capitalizes “Name” in that passage.
[3937] C here, and in many other cases, reads ὑμα̑ς; comparison of mss. shows that it is a correction of the scribe.
[3938] Lightfoot renders διὰ παντός, “every way;” but the temporal sense is common in Hellenistic Greek, and here required by the Hebrew.
[3939] Isa. lii. 5, with πασι̑ν inserted.
[3940] Lightfoot reads, καὶ πάλιν Οὐαί, following the Syriac. C has καὶ Διό. There is difficulty in identifying this second quotation: comp. Ezek. xxxvi. 20-23. Lightfoot thinks it probable that the preacher used two different forms of Isa. lii. 5.
[3941] This sentence is not part of the citation, but an explanation, the words being used as if spoken by God. The Syriac text seeks to avoid this difficulty by reading, “by our not doing what we say.”
[3942] Here τὰ λόγια του̑ Θεου̑ is used of the Scriptures, and with distinct reference to the New Testament; see next note.
[3943] In view of the connection, this must mean “God in His oracles;” a significant testimony to the early belief in the inspiration of the Gospels.
[3944] Luke vi. 27, 32, freely combined; comp. Matt. v. 44, 46. The use of χάρις υἠμιν shows that the quotation is from the former Gospel.
Chap. xiv.—the living church is the body of christ.
[3945] ὤστε, as at the beginning of chs. vii., x.
[3946] Comp. Ps. lxxii. (LXX. lxxi.) 5, 17.
[3947] Jer. vii. 11. Comp. Matt. xii. 13; Mark xi. 17; Luke xix. 46.
[3948] Harnack says, “The Jewish synagogue is the church of death.” Lightfoot, more correctly, accepts a contrast “between mere external membership in the visible body and spiritual communion in the celestial counterpart.”
[3949] Comp. Eph. i. 23 and many similar passages.
[3950] Gen. i. 27; comp. Eph. v. 31-33.
[3951] The reference is here is probably to the Old-Testament “books,” while the term “Apostles” may mean the New Testament in whole or part. The more direct reference probably is to Genesis and Ephesians.
[3952] Lightfoot inserts in brackets λέγουσιν, δῆλον, rendering as above. Hilgenfield suggests φασὶν οἴδατε, “Ye know that the books, etc., say that.” Byrennios joins this sentence to the preceding, taking the whole as dependent on ἀγνοεῖν. Ropes renders accordingly, making a parenthesis from “for the Scripture” to “the Church.” In any case a verb of saying must be supplied, as in the Syriac.
[3953] ἄνωθεν has a local and a temporal sense; the latter is obviously preferable here.
[3954] “Jesus” is the subject of the latter part of the sentence.
[3955] “Keep her pure;” comp. chap. viii. Lightfoot renders τηρεῖν, “guard,” here and elsewhere.
[3956] The verb corresponds with that rendered “partake” in what follows.
[3957] “Copy,” ἀντίτυπος, ἀντίτυπον. Comp. Heb. ix. 24; 1 Pet. iii. 21. Our use of “antitype” is different. The antithesis here is αὐθεντικόν, the original, or archetype. This mystical interpretation has a Platonic basis.
[3958] Comp. the close of chap. viii.
[3959] Lightfoot calls attention to the confusion of metaphors; but there is also evidence of that false exegesis which made “flesh” and “spirit” equivalent to “body” and “soul,”—an error which always leads to further mistakes.
[3960] Here the word “flesh” is used in an ambiguous sense.
Chap. xv.—faith and love the proper return to god.
[3962] περὶ ἐγκρατείας, “temperance” in the wide New-Testament sense. Lightfoot, “continence;” in these days the prominent danger was from libidinous sins.
[3963] Comp. Jas. v. 19, 20, with which our passage has many verbal correspondences.
[3964] “A favorite word with our author, especially in this connection.”—Lightfoot.
[3965] Isa. lviii. 9, LXX.
[3967] είς τὸ διδόναι του̑ αίτου̑ντος; the sense of the elliptical construction is obviously as above.
[3968] ἑαυτοι̑ς. Here again in the reciprocal sense; comp. chap. xiii.
Chap. xvi.—the excellence of almsgiving.
[3969] ἀφορμὴν λαβόντες, as in Rom. vii. 8, 11.
[3971] καιρὸν ἔχοντες, “seeing that we have time” (Lightfoot). But “opportunity” is more exact.
[3972] ἀποταξώμεθα, “bid farewell to;” comp. chap. vi.
[3974] Comp. Mal. iv. 1.
[3976] Comp. Isa. xxxiv. 4, which resembles the former clause, and 2 Pet. iii. 7, 10, where the same figures occur. The text seems to be corrupt: τινες (“some”) is sustained by both the Greek and the Syriac, but this limitation is so peculiar as to awaken suspicion; still, the notion of several heavens might have been in the author’s mind.
[3978] Comp. Tobit xii. 8, 9; but the position given to almsgiving seems to be contradicted by the next sentence. Lightfoot seems to suspect a corruption of text here also, but in the early Church there was often an undue emphasis placed upon almsgiving.
[3980] 1 Pet. iv. 8. Comp. Prov. x. 12; Jas. v. 20.
[3982] Literally, “becometh a lightener (κούφισμα) of sin;” comp. Ecclus. iii. 30.
Chap. xvii.—the danger of impenitence.
[3983] Lightfoot, with Syriac, reads ἵνα καὶ του̑το πράσσωμεν. Comits ἵνα, and reads πράσσομεν, “If we have commandments and practise this.”
[3984] Here Lightfoot thinks a verb has probably fallen out of the text.
[3985] Bryennios thus connects: “in order that all may be saved, and may convert,” etc.
[3987] “This clearly shows that the work before us is a sermon delivered in church” (Lightfoot). The preacher is himself one of “the presbyters;” comp. chap. xix. It is possible, but cannot be proven, that he was the head of the presbyters, the parochial bishop.
[3989] ἐνταλμάτων, not the technical word for the commandments of the Decalogue (ἐντολαι).
[3990] Syriac, “praying,” which Lightfoot thinks may be correct; but προσερχόμενοι might very easily be mistaken for προσευχόμενοι. The former means coming in worship: comp. Heb. x. 1, 22.
[3991] 2 Cor. xiii. 11; Phil. ii. 2.
[3992] Isa. lxvi. 18. But “tribes” is inserted; comp. Dan. iii. 7. The phrase “shall see His glory” is from the passage in Isaiah, The language seems to be put into the mouth of Christ by the preacher.
[3993] This implies various degrees of reward among these redeemed.
[3994] τὸ βασίλειον; not exactly “the kingdom,” rather “the kingly rule.” ἐν τῷ 'Ιησου̑ is rightly explained by Lightfoot, “in the hands, in the power, of Jesus;” ξενισθήσονται is rendered above “shall think it strange,” as in 1 Pet. iv. 4, 12.
[3995] “He” is properly supplied as frequently in the Gospels. There seems to be a reminiscence of John viii. 24 and similar passages.
[3996] Isa. lxvi. 24; comp. chap. vii. above.
[3997] C reads ὑμιν, as often, for ἡμι̑ν, Syriac, accepted by all editors.
Chap. xviii.—the preacher confesseth his own sinfulness.
[3999] πανθαμαρτολός; occurring only here; but a similar word, παρθαμάρτητος, occurs in the Teaching, v. 2, Apostolical Constitutions, vii. 18, and Barnabas, xx.
[4000] τοι̑ς ὀργάνοις; comp. Ignat., Rom., iv., Ante-Nicene Fathers, i. p. 75, where the word is rendered “instruments,” and applied to the teeth of the wild beasts in the amphitheatre. Here Lightfoot renders “engines,” regarding the metaphor as military.
[4001] The phrase κἂν ἑγγὺς αυἠτη̑ς implies a doubt of attaining the aim, in accord with the tone of humility which obtains in this chapter.
Chap. xix.—he justifieth his exhortation.
[4002] Comp. the opening sentence of Barnabas, “Sons and daughters,” Ante-Nicene Fathers, i. p. 137; see also chap. xx.
[4003] If any doubt remained as to the character of this writing, it would be removed by this sentence. The passage is elliptical, μετὰ τὸν θεὸν τῆς ἀλνθείας, but there is no doubt as to the meaning. The Scripture was read, and listening to it was regarded as hearing the voice of God, whose words of truth were read. Then followed the sermon or exhortation; comp. Justin, First Apology, chap. lxvii. (vol. i. p. 186). That lessons from some at least of the New Testament were included at the date of this homily, seems quite certain; comp. the references to the New Testament in chaps. ii., iii., iv., and elsewhere. It is here implied that this homily was written and “read.”
[4004] The word ἒντευζις, here used, means intercession, or supplication, to God (comp. 1 Tim. ii. 1, iv. 5) in early Christian literature: but the classical sense is “entreaty:” so in the opening sentence of Justin, First Apology (vol. i. p. 163, where it is rendered “petition”).
[4005] Lightfoot, with Syriac and most editors, reads σκοπόν; but C has κόπον, so Bryennios.
[4006] C had originally φιλοσοφει̑ν (accepted by Hilgenfeld), but was corrected to φιλοπονει̑ν. The latter is confirmed by the Syriac, and now generally accepted, though Hilgenfeld uses the other reading to support his view that Clement of Alexandria was the author.
[4008] C inserts τούτω; so Bryennios, Hilgenfeld, and others. Lightfoot omits, with Syriac. The punctuation above given is that of Bryennios and Lightfoot. Hilgenfeld joins this clause with what precedes.
Chap. xx.—concluding word of consolation. doxology.
[4009] πει̑ραν ἀθλου̑μεν; the construction is classical, and the figure common in all Greek literature.
[4010] The verbs here are aorists, and have been rendered by the English past tense; the present participle (μὴ ὂν δίκαιον) describing the character of the “spirit” must, according to English usage, conform to the main verbs. Lightfoot says, “The aorist here has its common gnomic sense;” and he therefore interprets the passage as a general statement: “Sordid motives bring their own punishment in a judicial blindness.” But this gnomic sense of the aorist is not common. C reads δεσμός, which yields this sense: “and a chain weighed upon him.” Hilgenfeld refers the passage to those Christians who suffered persecution for other causes than those of righteousness. Harnack thinks the author has in mind Satan, as the prince of avarice, and regards him as already loaded with chains. If the aorist is taken in its usual sense, this is the preferable explanation; but the meaning is obscure.
[4012] Acts iii. 15, v. 31; comp. Heb. ii. 10.
[4013] The doxology is interesting, as indicating the early custom of thus closing a homily. The practice, fitting in itself, naturally followed the examples in the Epistles.
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