Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament (47 page)

in Christ should do what Christ

man approved by them.

commanded.

5
But now consider who has corrupted

2
Who can explain the bond of God’s

you and diminished the respect you had

love?

because of your esteemed love of others.

3
Who is able to recount the greatness

6
It is shameful, loved ones, exceedof its beauty?

ingly shameful and unworthy of your

4
The height to which love leads is

conduct in Christ, that the most secure

beyond description.

and ancient church of the Corinthians is

5
Love binds us to God; love hides a

reported to have created a faction against

multitude of sins;60 love bears all things

its presbyters, at the instigation of one or

and endures all things. There is nothing

two persons.

vulgar in love, nothing haughty. Love has

7
And this report has reached not only

no schism, love creates no faction, love

us but even those who stand opposed to

does all things in harmony. Everyone

us, so that blasphemies have been uttered

chosen by God has been perfected in

against the Lord’s name because of your

love; apart from love nothing is pleasing

foolishness; and you are exposing yourto God.61

selves to danger.

6
The Master has received us in love.

Because of the love he had for us, our

And so let us dispose of this

48

Lord Jesus Christ gave his blood for us,

problem quickly and fall down

by God’s will—his flesh for our flesh, his

before the Master and weep, begging him

soul for our souls. . . .

to be merciful and to be reconciled to us,

and to restore us to our respected and

holy conduct, seen in our love of others.

53 For you know the sacred Scriptures, loved ones—and know
2
For this is a gate of righteousness

them quite well—and you have gazed

that opens up onto life, just as it is writinto the sayings of God. And so we write ten, “Open up for me gates of righteousthese things simply as a reminder.

ness; when I enter through them I will

2
For after Moses went up onto the

give praises to the Lord.

mountain and spent forty days and nights

3
This is the gate of the Lord, and the

in fasting and humility,62 God said to him,

upright will enter through it.”59

“Moses, Moses, go down from here at

4
Although many gates open, this is

the one that leads to righteousness—the

one that is in Christ. All those who enter

it are most fortunate; they make their path

rOr:
with
spiritual
concerns

straight in holiness and righteousness, ac58

complishing all things without disorder.

1 Cor 1:12. 59Ps 118:19–20. 601 Pet 4:8. 61Cf. 1

Cor 13:4–7. 62The following account is drawn from

5
Let a person be faithful, let him be

Exod 32:7–10, 31–32 and Deut 9:12–14.

THE LETTER OF 1 CLEMENT

181

once: your people, whom you brought

of plague, in order to deliver their fellow

out of the land of Egypt, have broken the

citizens by shedding their own blood.

Law. They have departed quickly from

Many left their own cities to avoid crethe path you commanded them to take ating more factions.

and cast metal idols for themselves.”

2
Among ourselves, we know many

3
And the Lord said to him, “I have

who put themselves in prison in order to

spoken with you once and again: I have

ransom others; many placed themselves

seen this people and know they are stiff-

in slavery and fed others with the purnecked. Let me destroy them and I will chase price they received.

blot their name out from beneath the sky;

3
Many women were empowered by

and I will make you into a great and

the gracious gift of God to perform nuspectacular nation, much greater than this merous “manly” deeds.

one.”

4
The blessed Judith, when her city lay

4
And Moses said, “May it never be

under siege, asked the elders for permis

Lord! Forgive the sin of this people—or

sion to go out to the foreigners’ camp.64

blot me also out from the book of the

5
And so she handed herself over to

living.”

danger, going out because she loved her

5
O great love! O incomparable perhomeland and the people under siege.

fection! The servant speaks boldly to the

And the Lord handed Holofernes over to

Lord, and asks for the multitude to be

the hand of a female.

forgiven—or pleads for himself to be

6
No less did Esther, a woman perfect

blotted out with them.

in faith, put herself in danger to rescue

the twelve tribes of Israel who were about

Who, therefore, among you is

54

to perish.65 For through her fasting and

noble? Or compassionate? Or

humility she petitioned the all-seeing

filled with love?

Master, the God of eternity, who saw the

2
Let that one say, “If I am the cause

humbleness of her soul and rescued the

of faction, strife, and schisms, I will depeople for whom she put herself in part; I will go wherever you wish and do

danger. . . .

what is commanded by the congregation.

Only allow the flock of Christ to be at

But if some disobey the words

peace with the presbyters who have been

59 he has spoken through us, they

appointed.”

should realize that they entangle them

3
The one who does this will have

selves in transgression and no little

made himself eminent in Christ and will

danger.

be welcomed everywhere. “For the earth,

2
But we ourselves will be innocent of

and all that is in it, belongs to the Lord.”63

this sin, and we will ask with a fervent

4
Those who have performed their

prayer and petition that the Creator of all

civic duty to God, without regrets, have

may safeguard the number of those

done these things and will continue to do

counted among his elect throughout the

them.

entire world, through his beloved child

Jesus Christ, through whom he called us

But we should bring in exam55 ples from the Gentiles as well.

Many kings and rulers, after receiving

instruction from an oracle, have handed

63Ps 24:1. 64The account is drawn from Judith 8ff.

themselves over to death during the time

65The account is drawn from Esther 7; 4:16.

182

NON-CANONICAL EPISTLES AND RELATED WRITINGS

out of darkness into light, from ignorance

your judgments, spectacular in your

into the knowledge of his glorious name.

strength and magnificence; you are wise

3
Grant us, O Lord,s that we may hope

when you create and understanding when

in your name, the ultimate source of all

you establish what exists; you are good

creation. Open the eyes of our heart, that

in what is seen and kind to those who

we may recognize you as the one alone

trust you. You who are merciful and comwho is the highest among the highest, passionate, forgive us for our lawless

the holy one who rests among the holy,

acts, unjust deeds, transgressions, and

the one who humbles the insolence of the

faults.

proud, who destroys the reasonings of

2
Take into account none of the sins

the nations, who exalts the humble to the

committed by your male slaves and feheights and humiliates the exalted, the male servants, but cleanse us with your

one who enriches and impoverishes, who

truth. Set our steps straight that we may

kills and brings to life, the sole benefacgo forward with devout hearts, to do what tor of spirits and the God of all flesh, the

is good and pleasing to you and to those

one who peers into the places of the

who rule us.

abyss, who observes the works of hu

3
Yes, Master, make your face shine

mans and helps those in danger, the

on us in peace, for our own good, that

savior of those who have abandoned

we may be protected by your powerful

hope, the creator and overseer of every

hand and rescued from our every sin by

spirit, the one who multiplies the nations

your exalted arm. And rescue us from

upon the earth and who from them all

those who hate us without cause.

has chosen those who love you through

4
Give harmony and peace both to us

Jesus Christ, your beloved child, through

and to all those who inhabit the earth,

whom you have disciplined, sanctified,

just as you gave it to our ancestors when

and honored us.

they called upon you in a holy way, in

4
We ask you, O Master, to be our

faith and truth; and allow us to be obehelper and defender. Save those of us dient to your all-powerful and all-who are in affliction, show mercy to those

virtuous name, and to those who rule and

who are humble, raise those who have

lead us here on earth.

fallen, show yourself to those who are in

need, heal those who are sick, set straight

those among your people who are going

61 You have given them, O Master, the authority to rule astray. Feed the hungry, ransom our pristhrough your magnificent and indescriboners, raise up the weak, encourage the able power, that we may both recognize

despondent. Let all the nations know you,

the glory and honor you have given them

that you alone are God, that Jesus Christ

is your child, and that we are your people

and the sheep of your pasture.

60 For you have made plain the

eternal structure of the world

through the works you have accomsThere is an abrupt and ungrammatical shift between plished. You, O Lord, created the world

vv. 2 and 3 in the Greek; I have followed an emendain which we live; you are faithful from tion which restores three words to the beginning of v.

3 to indicate that the long prayer of the following

one generation to the next, upright in

chapters begins here; see 61.1

THE LETTER OF 1 CLEMENT

183

and subject ourselves to them, resisting

have gazed into the sayings of God’s

nothing that conforms to your will. Give

teaching.u

to them, O Lord, health, peace, harmony,

and stability, so that without faltering

Now that we have considered

they may administer the rule that you

63 such great and so many examhave given to them.

ples, it is right for us to bow our necks

2
For you, O Master, Heavenly King

in submission and assume a position of

forever, give humans glory, honor, and

obedience. In this way, by putting a halt

authority over the creatures of the earth.

to the futile faction, we will truly reach

O Lord, make their plan conform with

the goal set before us, with no blame

what is good and acceptable before you,

attached.

that when they administer with piety the

2
For you will make us joyful and

authority you have given them, in peace

happy if you become obedient to what

and meekness, they may attain your

we have written through the Holy Spirit

mercy.

and excise the wanton anger expressed

3
You who alone can to do these things

through your jealousy, in accordance

for us, and do what is more abundantly

with the request we have made in this

good, we praise you through the high

letter for your peace and harmony.

priest and benefactor of our souls, Jesus

3
And we have sent faithful and tem

Christ, through whom the glory and majperate men who have lived blamelessly esty be yours both now and for all genamong us from youth to old age; these erations and forever. Amen.

also will serve as witnesses between you

and us.

Brothers, we have written you

62

4
We have done this that you may

enough about what is fitting for

know that our every concern has been—

our worship and what is most profitable

and is—for you to establish the peace

for the virtuous life, for those who want