Pursuing Veritas

One of the earliest specifically Christian writings not included in the New Testament canon, the First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians (hereafter 1 Clement) contains a wealth of insights into the doctrine and practice of the early Church and its relation to the Septuagint.

Authorship

The authorship of 1 Clement remains moderately uncertain, as the letter lists no author apart from the church sojourning in Rome. Because of this some have argued that the letter is pseudonymous. More widely accepted is the traditional designation of 1 Clement, taken to indicate that the letter was written by the third bishop of Rome (d. 99 CE). Origen and Eusebius identified this Clement with the man mentioned in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, though this remains unlikely. Other traditions suggest that this Clement was a cousin of Emperor Domitian, Roman consul, and acquaintance of both Peter and Paul. Whoever Clement was, his background certainly engaged Hellenistic Judaism, as he displays significant knowledge of the Septuagint and traditions of the Hellenistic synagogue while simultaneously ignoring specifically Hebrew elements and influence. Almost certainly the author of this epistle was not the author of the so-called Second Epistle of Clement, Clementine Homilies, or Recognitions.

Date

Scholars have suggested three ranges of dates for the composition of 1 Clement: Early (ca. 64-70 CE), Middle (ca. 94-98 CE), and Late (ca. 100-140 CE). The Late range remains largely unsupported among contemporary scholars. The Early argument hinges upon arguments for the apparently contemporary martyrdoms of Peter and Paul, as well as a potential reference in 1 Clement 41 to the still standing Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Generally, the Middle dates of 94-98 CE are accepted. In favor of this view are interpretations of 1 Clement 1:1 as a reference to persecution under Domitian and the likelihood of the letter’s acceptance if written during Clement’s tenure as bishop of Rome (ca. 92-99 CE).

Purpose and Genre

1 Clement addresses a division in the Corinthian church in which presbyters had been forcibly deposed from their ecclesial offices and replaced. While the source of the schism remains unclear, Clement’s proposed resolution involves reinstating the duly appointed and unjustly deposed leaders of the Corinthian church. Using the occasion of this schism to address broader theological concerns, 1 Clement admonishes the divided Corinthians to reassert concord and order in their community. This example of paraenetic admonition has been classified as deliberative rhetoric (sumbouleutikon) stipulating that concord and harmony again reign in Corinth.

History

1 Clement was well received by the Corinthian church, as Dionysius of Corinth reported to Rome that the church was still reading the letter in the late second century. The letter also found acceptance outside of Rome and Corinth, as Polycarp of Smyrna, Irenaeus of Lyons, Didymus the Blind, the Syriac Apostolic Canons, and Clement of Alexandria all used the letter. However, 1 Clement became lost to the West until its discovery in Codex Alexandrinus in the 17th century. This manuscript, along with several other ancient versions, forms the basis for contemporary editions of 1 Clement.

Greco-Roman Context

The influence of various Greco-Roman traditions on 1 Clement has long been noted. Among the most recognizable is the legend of the phoenix (1 Clement 25:1-5), wherein Clement offers a ‘natural’ argument for resurrection. 1 Clement consistently affirms and employs Hellenistic moral idealism—especially ideals of concord, harmony, and order—and obedience to civil authorities, including an implicit affirmation of the Roman imperial system. Likewise, there are likely appeals in 1 Clement to Greco-Roman historical exemplars (6:2, 4; 55:1), Stoic imagery (20:1-2; 37:1-3), Hellenistic literary arrangement, and a Cynic-Stoic martyrology (5:4-5). The general consensus indicates that 1 Clement employs Greco-Roman sources and morals as authoritative and appropriate guides for the actions of the Corinthian church.