The Christology of Pseudo-Clement

In this post I will be referencing two pseudonymous works attributed to St. Clement of Rome. Despite the fact that scholars question the authenticity of these writings, they still serve as an early witness, in fact a 2^nd–4^th century testimony, to the beliefs of the Christians which composed them. These sources show that the author(s) affirmed the essential Deity of Christ, his Incarnation and personally distinction from the Father and the Spirit, as well as testifying to the Personhood of the Holy Spirit. All emphasis will be mine.

2 Clement

The translation I will be using is that of Bart D. Ehrman’s The Apostolic Fathers, Volume I: I Clement. II Clement. Ignatius. Polycarp. Didache, published in 2003 by Harvard University Press.

The epistle begins by describing Jesus as the God who comes to judge the living and the dead:

1

Brothers, we must think about Jesus Christ as we think about God, as about the judge of the living and the dead (peri ‘Iesou Christou, hos peri theou, hos peri kritou zonton kai nekron).¹ And we must not give little thought to our salvation. 2. For when we think little about him, we also hope to receive but little. And we who listen as if these were little things sin, not realizing where we have been called from, by whom, and to what place, nor how many sufferings Jesus Christ endured for us. 3. What then shall we give to him in exchange? How can we produce anything comparable to what he has given us? And how many holy deeds do we owe him? 4. For he graciously bestowed light upon us. Like a father, he called us children; while we were perishing, he saved us. 5. What praise, then, shall we give him, or what can we pay in exchange for what we have received? 6. We were maimed in our understanding, worshiping stones and pieces of wood and gold and silver and copper—all of them made by humans. And our entire life was nothing other than death. Then when we were beset by darkening gloom, our vision blurred by such mist, we regained our sight through his will by setting aside the cloud that enveloped us. 7. For he showed mercy on us and through his compassion saved us. For he saw that a great error and destruction was in us, and that we had not the slightest hope of being saved, unless it came through him. 8. For he called us while we did not exist, and he wished us to come into being from nonbeing.

2

"Be jubilant, you who are infertile and who do not bear children! Let your voice burst forth and cry out, you who experience no pains of labor! For the one who has been deserted has more children than the one who has a husband."² Now when it says, "Be jubilant, you who are infertile and who do not bear children," it is referring to us. For our church was infertile before children were given to it. 2. And when it says, "Cry out, you who experience no pains of labor," it means this: we should raise our prayers up to God sincerely and not grow weary like women in labor. 3. And when it says, "For the one who has been deserted has more children than the one who has a husband," it is because our people appeared to be deserted by God, but now that we believe we have become more numerous than those who appear to have God. 4. And also another Scripture says, "I did not come to call the upright, but sinners."³ 5. This means that he was to save those who were perishing. 6. For it is a great and astonishing feat to fix in place something that is toppling over, not something that is standing. 7. Thus also Christ wished to save what was perishing. And he did save many; for he came and called us while we were on the brink of destruction.

3

He has shown us such mercy since, to begin with, we who are living do not sacrifice to dead gods or worship them; instead, through him we know the Father of truth. What then is the knowledge that is directed toward to him? Is it not refusing to deny the one through whom we have come to know him? 2. For even he himself says, "I will acknowledge before my Father the one who acknowledges me before others."⁴ 3. This then is our reward, if we acknowledge the one through whom we were saved. 4. But how do we acknowledge him? By doing the things he says, not disobeying his commandments, and not honoring him only with our lips but from our whole heart and our whole understanding.⁵ 5. For he also says in Isaiah, "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far removed from me."⁶

4

For this reason we should not merely call him Lord; for this will not save us. 2. For he says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will be saved, but only the one who practices righteousness."⁷ 3. So then, brothers, we should acknowledge him by what we do, by loving one another, by not committing adultery or slandering one another or showing envy. We should be restrained, charitable, and good. We should be sympathetic with one another and not be attached to money. By doing such deeds we acknowledge him, not by doing their opposites. 4. And we must not fear people, but God. 5. For this reason, when you do these things, the Lord has said, "Even if you were nestled close to my breast but did not do what I have commanded, I would cast you away and say to you, 'Leave me! I do not know where you are from, you who do what is lawless.'"⁸

5

Therefore, brothers, having abandoned our temporary residence in this world, we should do the will of the one who called us and not fear departing from this world. 2. For the Lord said, "You will be like sheep in the midst of wolves."⁹ 3. But Peter replied to him, "What if the wolves rip apart the sheep?" 4. Jesus said to Peter, "After they are dead, the sheep should fear the wolves no longer. So too you: do not fear those who kill you and then can do nothing more to you; but fear the one who, after you die, has the power to cast your body and soul into the hell of fire."¹⁰ 5. You should realize, brothers, that our visit in this realm of the flesh is brief and short-lived, but the promise of Christ is great and astounding—namely, a rest in the coming kingdom and eternal life. 6. What then must we do to obtain these things, except conduct ourselves in a holy and upright way and consider these worldly affairs foreign to us, and not yearn after them? 7. For when we yearn to obtain these things we fall away from the right path.

¹ Acts 10:42; 1 Pet 4:5.

² Isa 54:1; cf. Gal 4:27.

³ Matt 9:13; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:32.

⁴ Matt 10:32; Luke 12:8.

⁵ Mark 12:30.

⁶ Isa 29:13; cf. Matt 15:8; Mark 7:6; 1 Clem 15:2.

⁷ Matt 7:21.

⁸ Source unknown.

⁹ Cf. Matt 10:16; Luke 10:3.

¹⁰ Source unknown. Cf. Matt 10:28; Luke 12:4-5. (Ibid., pp. 165, 167, 169, 171, 173)

In this next excerpt, Jesus said to be the Lord who is a preexistent Spirit that later became flesh:

9

And none of you should say that this flesh is neither judged nor raised. 2. Think about it! In what state were you saved? In what state did you regain your sight? Was it not while you were in this flesh? 3. And so we must guard the flesh like the temple of God. 4. For just as you were called in the flesh, so also you will come in the flesh. 5. Since Jesus Christ¹⁶—the Lord who saved us—was first a spirit and then became flesh, and in this way called us, so also we will receive the reward in this flesh. 6. And so we should love one another, that we may all enter the Kingdom of God. 7. While we have time to be healed, let us give ourselves over to the God who brings healing, paying him what is due. 8. And what is that? Repentance from a sincere heart. 9. For he knows all things in advance and recognizes what is in our hearts. 10. And so we should give him praise, not from our mouth alone but also from our heart, that he may welcome us as children. 11. For the Lord also said, "My brothers are these who do the will of my Father."¹⁷

¹⁶ Translating an emendation that makes sense in context and in light of the variant readings. See Greek apparatus.

¹⁷ Matt 12:50; Mark 3:35; Luke 8:21. (Ibid., 179)

The next example is remarkable since it quotes a saying of Jesus as the speech of God himself:

13

And so brothers, now at last we should repent and be alert for the good. For we are filled with great foolishness and evil. We should wipe our former sins away from ourselves; and if we repent from deep within we will be saved. We should not be crowd-pleasers nor wish to please only ourselves, but through our righteous activity we should be pleasing as well to those outside the fold, that the name not be blasphemed because of us. 2. For the Lord says, "My name is constantly blasphemed among all the outsiders [Literally: Gentiles, or nations]/'²² And again he says, "Woe to the one who causes my name to be blasphemed."²³ How is it blasphemed? When you fail to do what I wish. 3. For when outsiders hear the sayings of God from our mouths, they are astonished at their beauty and greatness. Then when they discover that our actions do not match our words, they turn from astonishment to blasphemy, saying that our faith is some kind of myth and error. 4. For, on the one hand, they hear from us that God has said (hoti legei ho theos), "It is no great accomplishment for you to love those who love you; it is great if you love your enemies and those who hate you."²⁴ And when they hear these things, they are astonished by their extraordinary goodness. But then when they see that we fail to love not only those who hate us, but even those who love us, they ridicule us and the name is blasphemed.

14

So then, brothers, if we do the will of God our Father we will belong to the first church, the spiritual church, the church that was created before the sun and moon. But if we do not do what the Lord wants, we will belong to the Scripture that says, "My house has become a cave of thieves."²⁵ So then, let us choose to belong to the church of life, that we may be saved. 2. But I cannot imagine that you do not realize that the living church is the body of Christ. For the Scripture says, "God made the human male and female."²⁶ The male is Christ, the female the church. And, as you know, the Bible [Or: the books] and the apostles indicate that the church has not come into being just now, but has existed from the beginning. For it existed spiritually, as did our Jesus; but he [Or: it] became manifest here in the final days so that he [Or: it] might save us. 3. And even though the church was spiritual, it became manifest in Christ's flesh, showing us that any of us who protects the church in the flesh, without corrupting it, will receive it in the Holy Spirit. For this flesh is the mirror image of the Spirit. No one, therefore, who corrupts the mirror image will receive the reality that it represents. And so, brothers, he says this: "Protect the flesh that you may receive the Spirit."²⁷ 4. But if we say that the flesh is the church and the Spirit is Christ, then the one who abuses the flesh abuses the church. Such a person, therefore, will not receive the Spirit, which is Christ. 5. This flesh is able to receive such a great and incorruptible life when the Holy Spirit clings to it; nor can anyone proclaim or speak about the things that the Lord has prepared for those he has chosen.

²² Isa 52:5.

²³ Source unknown.

²⁴ Luke 6:32, 35.

²⁵ Jer 7:11; cf. Matt 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46.

²⁶ Gen 1:27.

²⁷ Source unknown. (Ibid., pp. 185, 187, 189)

In this final quotation, Ps. Clement attributes the words of YHWH in Isa. 66:18 to the Lord Jesus, thereby equating them:

17

And so we should repent from our whole heart, lest any of us perish. For since we have his commandment and drag people from idols, giving them instruction, how much more must we keep a person from destruction when he has already come to know God? 2. For this reason we should help one another and bring those who are weak back to what is good, so that we may all be saved and turn one another around and admonish one another. 3. And not only should we appear to believe and pay attention now, while being admonished by the presbyters, but also when we return home we should remember the commandments of the Lord and not be dragged away by worldly desires. But by coming together for worship more frequently we should try to progress in the Lord’s commandments, so that all of us, being unified in what we think, may be gathered together to inherit life. 4. For the Lord said, "I am coming to gather all the nations, tribes, and tongues."³² And this is what he calls the "day of his appearance," when he comes to redeem each of us, according to our deeds. 5. And the unbelievers will see his glory and power and be shocked when they see that the rulership of this world has been given to Jesus. And they will say, "Woe to us! You were here, and we did not know or believe; and we were not persuaded by the presbyters who announced your salvation to us." And their worm will not die nor their fire be extinguished, and they will be a spectacle for all to see.³³ 6. He calls that the day of judgment, when others see those who have acted with impiety among us and distorted the commandments of Jesus Christ. 7. But those who are upright, who have acted well, endured torments, and hated the sweet pleasures of the soul, when they observe those who have deviated from the right path and denied Jesus through their words or deeds are punished with terrible torments in a fire that cannot be extinguished, they, the upright, will give glory to their God, saying "there will be hope for the one who has served as God s slave from his whole heart."

³² Isa 66:18.

³³ Isa 66:18, 24; cf. Mark 9:48. (Ibid., pp. 193, 195)

Recognitions (Clement of Rome) 

Recognitions attributes full divinity to Christ, calling him the God of all princes and the Beginning or Cause of all creation. Christ is further said to have been with all the pious from the beginning of creation. Recognitions is also clear that no created mutable being can be god in nature, and that Jehovah alone is God.

Book I

Chapter 6. Hears of Christ.

Not to make a long story of it, while I was tossed upon these billows of my thought, a certain report, which took its rise in the regions of the East in the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, gradually reached us; and gaining strength as it passed through every place, like some good message sent from God, it was filling the whole world, and suffered not the divine will to be concealed in silence. For it was spread over all places, announcing that there was a certain person in Judæa, who, beginning in the springtime, was preaching the kingdom of God to the Jews, and saying that those should receive it who should observe the ordinances of His commandments and His doctrine. And that His speech might be believed to be worthy of credit, and full of the Divinity, He was said to perform many mighty works, and wonderful signs and prodigies by His mere word; so that, as one having power from God, He made the deaf to hear, and the blind to see, and the lame to stand erect, and expelled every infirmity and all demons from men; yea, that He even raised dead persons who were brought to Him; that He cured lepers also, looking at them from a distance; and that there was absolutely nothing which seemed impossible to Him. These and such like things were confirmed in process of time, not now by frequent rumours, but by the plain statements of persons coming from those quarters; and day by day the truth of the matter was further disclosed.

Chapter 45. The True Prophet: Why Called the Christ.

Then Peter began to instruct me in this manner: When God had made the world, as Lord of the universe, He appointed chiefs over the several creatures, over the trees even, and the mountains, and the fountains, and the rivers, and all things which He had made, as we have told you; for it were too long to mention them one by one. He set, therefore, an angel as chief over the angels, a spirit over the spirits, a star over the stars, a demon over the demons, a bird over the birds, a beast over the beasts, a serpent over the serpents, a fish over the fishes, a man over men, who is Christ Jesus. But He is called Christ by a certain excellent rite of religion; for as there are certain names common to kings, as Arsaces among the Persians, Cæsar among the Romans, Pharaoh among the Egyptians, so among the Jews a king is called Christ. And the reason of this appellation is this: Although indeed He was the Son of God, and the beginning of all things, He became man; Him first God anointed with oil which was taken from the wood of the tree of life: from that anointing therefore He is called Christ. Thence, moreover, He Himself also, according to the appointment of His Father, anoints with similar oil every one of the pious when they come to His kingdom, for their refreshment after their labours, as having got over the difficulties of the way; so that their light may shine, and being filled with the Holy Spirit, they may be endowed with immortality. But it occurs to me that I have sufficiently explained to you the whole nature of that branch from which that ointment is taken.

Chapter 52. The Saints Before Christ's Coming.

When he had thus spoken, I answered: If those shall enjoy the kingdom of Christ, whom His coming shall find righteous, shall then those be wholly deprived of the kingdom who have died before His coming? Then Peter says: You compel me, O Clement, to touch upon things that are unspeakable. But so far as it is allowed to declare them, I shall not shrink from doing so. Know then that Christ, who was from the beginning, and always, was ever present with the pious, though secretly, through all their generations: especially with those who waited for Him, to whom He frequently appeared. But the time was not yet that there should be a resurrection of the bodies that were dissolved; but this seemed rather to be their reward from God, that whoever should be found righteous, should remain longer in the body; or, at least, as is clearly related in the writings of the law concerning a certain righteous man, that God translated him. Genesis 5:24 In like manner others were dealt with, who pleased His will, that, being translated to Paradise, they should be kept for the kingdom. But as to those who have not been able completely to fulfil the rule of righteousness, but have had some remnants of evil in their flesh, their bodies are indeed dissolved, but their souls are kept in good and blessed abodes, that at the resurrection of the dead, when they shall recover their own bodies, purified even by the dissolution, they may obtain an eternal inheritance in proportion to their good deeds. And therefore blessed are all those who shall attain to the kingdom of Christ; for not only shall they escape the pains of hell, but shall also remain incorruptible, and shall be the first to see God the Father, and shall obtain the rank of honour among the first in the presence of God.

Book II

Chapter 22. Righteousness; What It is.

And therefore I advise that His righteousness be first inquired into, that, pursuing our journey through it, and placed in the way of truth, we may be able to find the true Prophet, running not with swiftness of foot, but with goodness of works, and that, enjoying His guidance, we may be under no danger of mistaking the way. For if under His guidance we shall merit to enter that city to which we desire to come, all things concerning which we now inquire we shall see with our eyes, being made, as it were, heirs of all things. Understand, therefore, that the way is this course of our life; the travellers are those who do good works; the gate is the true Prophet, of whom we speak; the city is the kingdom in which dwells the Almighty Father, whom only those can see who are of pure heart. Matthew 5:8 Let us not then think the labour of this journey hard, because at the end of it there shall be rest. For the true Prophet Himself also from the beginning of the world, through the course of time, hastens to rest. For He is present with us at all times; and if at any time it is necessary, He appears and corrects us, that He may bring to eternal life those who obey Him. Therefore this is my judgment, as also it is the pleasure of the true Prophet, that inquiry should first be made concerning righteousness, by those especially who profess that they know God. If therefore any one has anything to propose which he thinks better, let him speak; and when he has spoken, let him hear, but with patience and quietness: for in order to this at the first, by way of salutation, I prayed for peace to you all.

Chapter 42. Guardian Angels.

Therefore the name God is applied in three ways: either because he to whom it is given is truly God, or because he is the servant of him who is truly; and for the honour of the sender, that his authority may be full, he that is sent is called by the name of him who sends, as is often done in respect of angels: for when they appear to a man, if he is a wise and intelligent man, he asks the name of him who appears to him, that he may acknowledge at once the honour of the sent, and the authority of the sender. For every nation has an angel, to whom God has committed the government of that nation; and when one of these appears, although he be thought and called God by those over whom he presides, yet, being asked, he does not give such testimony to himself. For the Most High God, who alone holds the power of all things, has divided all the nations of the earth into seventy-two parts, and over these He has appointed angels as princes. But to the one among the archangels who is greatest, was committed the government of those who, before all others, received the worship and knowledge of the Most High God. But holy men also, as we have said, are made gods to the wicked, as having received the power of life and death over them, as we mentioned above with respect to Moses and the judges. Wherefore it is also written concerning them, 'You shall not curse the gods, and you shall not curse the prince of your people.' Exodus 22:28 Thus the princes of the several nations are called gods. But Christ is God of princes, who is Judge of all. Therefore neither angels, nor men, nor any creature, can be truly gods, forasmuch as they are placed under authority, being created and changeable: angels, for they were not, and are; men, for they are mortal; and every creature, for it is capable of dissolution, if only He dissolve it who made it. And therefore He alone is the true God, who not only Himself lives, but also bestows life upon others, which He can also take away when it pleases Him.

Chapter 43. No God But Jehovah.

Wherefore the Scripture exclaims in name of the God of the Jews, saying, 'Behold, behold, seeing that I am God, and there is none else besides me, I will kill, and I will make alive; I will smite, and I will heal; and there is none who can deliver out of my hands.' Deuteronomy 32:39 See therefore how, by some ineffable virtue, the Scripture, opposing the future errors of those who should affirm that either in heaven or on earth there is any other god besides Him who is the God of the Jews, decides thus: 'The Lord your God is one God, in heaven above, and in the earth beneath; and besides Him there is none else.' Deuteronomy 4:39 How, then, have you dared to say that there is any other God besides Him who is the God of the Jews? And again the Scripture says, 'Behold, to the Lord your God belong the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, the earth, and all things that are in them: nevertheless I have chosen your fathers, that I might love them, and you after them.' Deuteronomy 10:14-15 Thus that judgment is supported by the Scripture on every side, that He who created the world is the true and only God.

Chapter 44. The Serpent, the Author of Polytheism.

But even if there be others, as we have said, who are called gods, they are under the power of the God of the Jews; for thus says the Scripture to the Jews, 'The Lord our God, He is God of gods, and Lord of lords.' Deuteronomy 10:17 Him alone the Scripture also commands to be worshipped, saying, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve;' and, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord your God is one God.' Deuteronomy 6:4 Yea, also the saints, filled with the Spirit of God, and bedewed with the drops of His mercy, cried out, saying, 'Who is like You among the gods? O Lord, who is like You?' And again, 'Who is God, but the Lord; and who is God, but our Lord.' Therefore Moses, when he saw that the people were advancing, by degrees initiated them in the understanding of the monarchy and the faith of one God, as he says in the following words: 'You shall not make mention of the names of other gods;' doubtless remembering with what penalty the serpent was visited, which had first named gods. For it is condemned to feed upon dust, and is judged worthy of such food, for this cause, that it first of all introduced the name of gods into the world. But if you also wish to introduce many gods, see that you partake not the serpent's doom.

Chapter 46. Christ Acknowledged the God of the Jews.

Wherefore also our Lord, who wrought signs and wonders, preached the God of the Jews; and therefore we are right in believing what He preached. But as for you, even if you were really a prophet, and performed signs and wonders, as you promise to do, if you were to announce other gods besides Him who is the true God, it would be manifest that you were raised up as a trial to the people of God; and therefore you can by no means be believed. For He alone is the true God, who is the God of the Jews; and for this reason our Lord Jesus Christ did not teach them that they must inquire after God, for Him they knew well already, but that they must seek His kingdom and righteousness, Matthew 6:33 which the scribes and Pharisees, having received the key of knowledge, had not shut in, but shut out. Luke 11:52 For if they had been ignorant of the true God, surely He would never have left the knowledge of this thing, which was the chief of all, and blamed them for small and little things, as for enlarging their fringes, and claiming the uppermost rooms in feasts, and praying standing in the highways, and such like things; which assuredly, in comparison of this great charge, ignorance of God, seem to be small and insignificant matters.

Chapter 48. Peter's Answer.

Then Peter says: You do not perceive that you are making statements in opposition to yourself. For if our Jesus also knows Him whom you call the unknown God, then He is not known by you alone. Yea, if our Jesus knows Him, then Moses also, who prophesied that Jesus should come, assuredly could not himself be ignorant of Him. For he was a prophet; and he who prophesied of the Son doubtless knew the Father. For if it is in the option of the Son to reveal the Father to whom He will, then the Son, who has been with the Father from the beginning, and through all generations, as He revealed the Father to Moses, so also to the other prophets; but if this be so, it is evident that the Father has not been unknown to any of them. But how could the Father be revealed to you, who do not believe in the Son, since the Father is known to none except him to whom the Son is pleased to reveal Him? But the Son reveals the Father to those who honour the Son as they honour the Father. John 5:23

Chapter 56. No God Above the Creator.

What kind of conduct, then, would it be that we should forsake God, in whose world we live and enjoy all things necessary for life, and follow I know not whom, from whom we not only obtain no good, but cannot even know that he exists? Nor truly does he exist. For whether you call him light, and brighter than that light which we see, you borrow that very name from the Creator of the world; or whether you say that he is a substance above all, you derive from Him the idea with enlargement of speech. Whether you make mention of mind, or goodness, or life, or whatever else, you borrow the words from Him. Since, then, you have nothing new concerning that power you speak of, not only as regards understanding, but even in respect of naming him, how do you introduce a new God, for whom you cannot even find a new name? For not only is the Creator of the world called a Power, but even the ministers of His glory, and all the heavenly host. Do you not then think it better that we should follow our Creator God, as a Father who trains us and endows us as He knows how? But if, as you say, there be some God more benignant than all, it is certain that he will not be angry with us; or if he be angry, he is evil. For if our God is angry and punishes, He is not evil, but righteous, for He corrects and amends His own sons. But he who has no concern with us, if he shall punish us, how should he be good? Inflicting punishments upon us because we have not been drawn by vain imaginations to forsake our own Father and follow him, how can you assert that he is so good, when he cannot be regarded as even just?

Further Reading

CLEMENT OF ROME AND CHRIST’S DEITY

SOLA FIDE IN CLEMENT?