Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament (46 page)

time has been fulfilled, it enters into the

5
Not even heaven is pure before him.

tomb and dies.

But see! We who inhabit clay houses are

3
But when its flesh rots, a worm is

ourselves made from the same clay. He

born. And nourished by the secretions of

smashed them like a moth, and from

the dead creature, it sprouts wings. Then

when it becomes strong, it takes the tomb

containing the bones of its predecessor

and bears these from Arabia to Egypt, to

mMeaning obscure

the city called Heliopolis.

42

4
In the daytime, while all are watch

Cf. Isa 13:22 (LXX); Mal 3:1. 431 Cor 15:20.

44Mark 4:3; cf. 1 Cor 15:36ff. 45Ps 28:7. 46Ps 3:5.

ing, it flies onto the altar of the sun and

47Job 19:26.

THE LETTER OF 1 CLEMENT

177

dawn to dusk they are no more. They

Brothers, let each of us be

41

perished, unable to come to their own

pleasing to God by keeping to

assistance.

our special assignments with a good con

6
He breathed upon them and they died

science, not violating the established rule

for want of wisdom.

of his ministry, acting in reverence.

7
But call out; see if anyone listens or

2
The sacrifices made daily, or for

if you observe any of the holy angels.

vows, for sin, or for transgression, are not

For wrathn destroys the ignorant and zealo

offered everywhere, brothers, but in Jekills the one who has been deceived.

rusalem alone; and even there a sacrifice

8
I have seen the ignorant casting forth

is not made in just any place, but before

their roots, but their sustenance was imthe sanctuary on the altar, after the sacmediately consumed.

rificial animal has been inspected for

9
May their children be far removed

blemishes by both the high priest and the

from safety; may they be derided before

ministers mentioned earlier.

the doors of their inferiors, with no one

3
Thus, those who do anything conthere to deliver them. For the food pretrary to his plan bear the penalty of death.

pared for them will be devoured by the

4
You see, brothers, the more knowlupright, and they will not be delivered edge we have been deemed worthy to

from those who are evil.”48

receive, the more we are subject to

danger.

40 Since these matters have been

clarified for us in advance and

The apostles were given the

we have gazed into the depths of divine

42 gospel for us by the Lord Jesus

knowledge, we should do everything the

Christ, and Jesus Christ was sent forth

Master has commanded us to perform in

from God.

an orderly way and at appointed times.

2
Thus Christ came from God and the

2
He commanded that the sacrificial

apostles from Christ. Both things hapofferings and liturgical rites be perpened, then, in an orderly way according formed not in a random or haphazard

to the will of God.

way, but according to set times and hours.

3
When, therefore, the apostles re

3
In his superior plan he set forth both

ceived his commands and were fully conwhere and through whom he wished vinced through the resurrection of our

them to be performed, so that everything

Lord Jesus Christ and persuaded by the

done in a holy way and according to his

word of God, they went forth proclaimgood pleasure might be acceptable to his ing the good news that the Kingdom of

will.

God was about to come, brimming with

4
Thus, those who make their sacrificonfidence through the Holy Spirit.

cial offerings at the arranged times are

4
And as they preached throughout the

acceptable and blessed. And since they

countryside and in the cities, they apfollow the ordinances of the Master, they pointed the first-fruits of their ministries

commit no sin.

as bishops and deacons of those who

5
For special liturgical rites have been

assigned to the high priest, and a special

place has been designated for the regular

priests, and special ministries are estabnOr:
his
wrath
oOr:
his
zeal
lished for the Levites. The lay person is

assigned to matters enjoined on the laity.

48Job 4:16–18; 15:15; 4:19–5:5.

178

NON-CANONICAL EPISTLES AND RELATED WRITINGS

were about to believe, testing them by

Moses did not know in advance this

the Spirit.

would happen? Of course he knew. But

5
And this was no recent development.

he did this so that there might be no

For indeed, bishops and deacons had

disorderliness in Israel, that the name of

been mentioned in writings long before.

the one who is true and unique might be

For thus the Scripture says in one place,

glorified. To him be the glory forever and

“I will appoint their bishops in rightever. Amen.

eousness and their deacons in faith.”49

So too our apostles knew

And why should it be so amaz43

44 through our Lord Jesus Christ

ing if those who were in Christ

that strife would arise over the office of

and entrusted by God with such a work

the bishop.

appointed the leaders mentioned earlier?

2
For this reason, since they under

For even the most fortunate Moses, a

stood perfectly well in advance what

faithful servant in all the house,50 rewould happen, they appointed those we corded in the sacred books all the direchave already mentioned; and afterwards tives that had been given him. And he

they added a codicilp to the effect that if

was followed by all the other prophets,

these should die, other approved men

who together testified to the laws he laid

should succeed them in their ministry.

down.

3
Thus we do not think it right to re

2
For when jealousy fell upon the

move from the ministry those who were

tribes and created internal factions over

appointed by them or, afterwards, by

the priesthood—concerning which of

other reputable men, with the entire

them should be adorned with that glorichurch giving its approval. For they have ous name—Moses commanded the

ministered over the flock of Christ blametwelve tribal leaders to bring him rods, lessly and with humility, gently and uneach one inscribed with the tribe’s selfishly, receiving a good witness by all,

name.51 Taking these he bound them tomany times over.

gether, sealed them with the rings of the

4
Indeed we commit no little sin if we

tribal leaders, and set them in the Tent of

remove from the bishop’s office those

Testimony on the table of God.

who offer the gifts in a blameless and

3
And he shut the Tent and sealed the

holy way.

keys just as he had done with the rods.

5
How fortunate are the presbyters

4
And he said to them, “Brothers, the

who passed on before, who enjoyed a

tribe whose rod will blossom has been

fruitful and perfect departure from this

chosen by God to serve as his priests and

life. For they have no fear that someone

ministers.”

will remove them from the place estab

5
When early morning came, he called

lished for them.

together all Israel, some six hundred

6
But we see that you have deposed

thousand men, and showed the tribal

leaders the seals. He opened the Tent of

Testimony and brought out the rods. And

the rod of Aaron was found not only to

pThe text appears here to be corrupt, and several

emendations have been proposed.

have blossomed, but even to be bearing

fruit.

49Isa 60:17 (LXX). 50Num 12:7; Heb 3:5. 51The

6
What do you think, loved ones? That

following account is drawn from Numbers 17.

THE LETTER OF 1 CLEMENT

179

some from the ministry held blamelessly

2
For it is written, “Cling to those who

in honor among them, even though they

are holy; for those who cling to them will

had been conducting themselves well.

themselves be made holy.”54

3
And again in another place it says,

45 You should strive hard, broth “With an innocent man, you too will be ers, and be zealousq in matters

innocent and with one who is chosen,

that pertain to salvation!

you will be chosen. But with one who is

2
You have gazed into the holy and

corrupt, you will cause corruption.”55

true Scriptures that were given through

4
Therefore we should cling to those

the Holy Spirit.

who are innocent and upright, for these

3
You realize that there is nothing unare God’s chosen.

just or counterfeit written in them. There

5
Why are there conflicts, fits of anger,

you will not find the upright cast out by

dissensions, factions, and war among

men who were holy.

you?

4
The upright were persecuted, but by

6
Do we not have one God, and one

the lawless. They were imprisoned, but

Christ, and one gracious Spirit that has

by the unholy. They were stoned by those

been poured out upon us, and one calling

who transgressed the law and killed by

in Christ?56

those who embraced vile and unjust envy.

7
Why do we mangle and mutilate the

5
And they bore up gloriously while

members of Christ and create factions in

suffering these things.

our own body? Why do we come to such

6
For what shall we say, brothers? Was

a pitch of madness as to forget that we

Daniel cast into the lions’ den by those

are members of one another? Remember

who feared God?52

the words of our Lord Jesus,

7
Or were Ananias, Azarias, and Mis

8
for he said, “Woe to that person! It

ael shut up in the fiery furnace by those

would have been good for him not to be

who participated in the magnificent and

born, rather than cause one of my chosen

glorious worship of the Most High?53

to stumble. Better for him to have a mill

This could never be! Who then did

stone cast about his neck and be drowned

these things? Those who were hateful

in the sea than to have corrupted one of

and full of every evil were roused to

my chosen.”57

such a pitch of anger that they tortured

9
Your schism has corrupted many and

those who served God with holy and

cast many into despondency, many into

blameless resolve. But they did not

doubt, and all of us into grief. And your

know that the Most High is the chamfaction persists even now!

pion and protector of those who minister to his all-virtuous name with a pure Take up the epistle of that

conscience. To him be the glory forever

47 blessed apostle, Paul.

and ever. Amen.

2
What did he write to you at first, at

8
But those who endured in confidence

inherited glory and honor; and they were

exalted and inscribed by God in their own

memorial forever and ever. Amen.

qOr:
You
are
contentious,
brothers,
and
envious
52

And so, we too must cling to

46

Dan 6:16. 53Dan 3:19ff. 54Source unknown.

55Ps 18:25–26. 56Eph 4:4–6. 57Matt 26:24; Luke 17:

these examples, brothers.

2.

180

NON-CANONICAL EPISTLES AND RELATED WRITINGS

the beginning of his proclamation of the

able to speak forth knowledge, let him be

gospel?

wise in his discernment of words, let him

3
To be sure, he sent you a letter in the

be pure in deeds.

Spiritr concerning himself and Cephas

6
For the more he appears to be great,

and Apollos, since you were even then

the more he should be humble, striving

engaged in partisanship.58

for the good of all, not just of himself.

4
But that partisanship involved you in

a relatively minor sin, for you were partisan towards reputable apostles and a 49 The one who experiences love