(From the "Works of the apostolic Fathers" of Karl Josef von Hefele, <published> at Tubingen, 1842, in octavo)
Author: Karl Josef von Hefele
Googlebooks PDF: PG001
III. No one denies that Clement the Roman wrote to the Corinthians. However, there were those who thought our epistle not genuine, nor considered that it was <the one> which the ancient Fathers praised and mentioned. Especially John Toland[[25]], Christian August Salig[[26]], and Gisbert Voetius, professor of theology at the Utrecht Academy[[27]], denied the authority of our epistle, those <former two> imperiously bringing forth no arguments, <and> this <latter one> proffering rather a hallucination than a demonstration. Listen how badly he has <dealt with> it, led by preconceived opinion. He says, "I marvel at the singular divine providence that took care that from the disciples of the apostles, and apostolic men, and <those> near to the century of the apostles, either nothing was written, or nothing was preserved and remained for later <sc. men>, or at least nothing survived from the beginning of the Church up to this day, about which it is doubted, or which was not mutilated by worms and moths or some other army of God; such that for Scripture alone so much more evidently <stood established> its authority, and proper to it alone was incorruptibility and eternity."
That we have the same epistle which Clement wrote is thereupon satisfactorily proved, since those things which the ancient Fathers of the Church recounted from the mentioned epistle are found in our <epistle>.
a) Already St. Polycarp, as Gallandi pointed out, turned over with <his> hand the same Clementine epistle, and transferred several things from it almost verbatim in his epistle to the Philippians.
That we have the same epistle which Clement wrote is thereupon satisfactorily proved, since those things which the ancient Fathers of the Church recounted from the mentioned epistle are found in our <epistle>.
a) Already St. Polycarp, as Gallandi pointed out, turned over with <his> hand the same Clementine epistle, and transferred several things from it almost verbatim in his epistle to the Philippians.
First Epistle of Clement Chapter 1. And to women...command, <that they> properly loving their men...<and> being very prudent. Chapter 5. Peter...thus having borne witness journeyed to the owed place of glory. Chapter 7. Wherefore let us abandon empty and vain thoughts, and let us go according to the well-reputed and august rule of our holy calling. Chapter 9. Wherefore let us heed the magnificent and honorable counsel of him (God)...having abandoned the vanity and the strife, etc. Chapter 13. Recalling the words of the Lord Jesus, which he spoke <when> teaching, '...By which measure you measure, in the same it will be measured to you.' Chapter 21. Let us see how close is (the Lord), and that nothing has escaped him of our thoughts, nor of the discussions which we make. 'For <he> is a searcher of thoughts and considerations.' <The same>. Let us educate the young <in> the education of the fear of God, let us direct our women towards the good. Let us indicate the love-worthy disposition of purity, '...Let them provide their love equal<ly>, not according to inclinations, but to all <who> fear God devoutly.' | Epistle of Polycarp Chapter 4. Let us teach...your women...loving their men in all truth and...in all continence. Chapter 9. Peter and Paul...to the place owed to them are beside the Lord. Chapter 7. Wherefore having abandoned the vanity of the many...let us turn towards the word handed over to us from old. Chapter 2. Wherefore having girded up <your> loins, serve God in fear and truth, having abandoned the empty vanity and the error of the many. Chapter 2. And having recalled <the things> which the Lord said <when> teaching, '...In which measure you measure, it will be measured back to you.' Chapter 4.[[B]] Knowing...that <God> examines everything of ours, and nothing has escaped him, neither of conversations, nor of thoughts, nor any of the hidden things of the heart. <The same>. Let us teach...your women (to journey) en the faith and love and purity given to them...<they> all also loving <equally> in all continence; and to educate the children <in> the education of the fear of God. |
b) <The things> which Irenaeus reports about the epistle of the Roman Church to the Corinthians, best correspond to the nature of our epistle. Behold his words: "Therefore, <in the time of> this Clement, <when> a not minor sedition <had occurred> for the brothers in Corinth, the Church in Rome sent a most sufficient writing to the Corinthians, bringing them together towards peace, and renewing their faith, which tradition also recently it had taken from the apostles."
c) Clement of Alexandria praises many passages of the Clementine epistle, which still are found in our epistle.
Miscellanies I, chapter 7, page 339: "For example, Clement in the epistle to the Corinthians, [<as the phrase goes>], says, <in> setting forth the differences of <approved abilities> according to the Church: 'Let one be faithful, let one be able to declare knowledge, let <one> be wise in the judgment of words, let <one> be vigorous in labors." The Alexandrian repeats the same words, taken from <the first epistle> of Clement, chapter 48, <in> "Miscellanies", <book> 4, chapter 8, page 773.
Miscellanies IV, chapter 17, page 609, 610: "Yes, indeed, the the epistle to the Corinthians the apostle Clement even himself speaks to us <in> outlining <a certain> type of <knowing>: 'For who <having sojourned as a stranger> among you, etc." Here the Alexandrian excerpts chapters 1, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 21, 22, 36, 38, 40, 41, 48, 49, 50, 51, <and> 53 of our epistle.
Miscellanies V, chapter 12, page 693: "But also in the epistle of the Romans to the Corinthians it has been written, '<The> ocean boundless to men, and the worlds beyond it." Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 20.
Miscellanies VI, chapter 8, page 773: "'For <to so great an extent> should <one> be more humble, <to such an extent as> <one> seems to be much greater,' says Clement in the <epistle> to the Corinthians." Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 48.
Miscellanies I, chapter 7, page 339: "But if you should seek the royal and authoritative inroad, hear: 'This is the gate of the Lord, the just will enter in it. And so, <while> many gates <are> opened in justice, this <gate> was <sc. opened> in Christ." Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 48.
d) Origen, "On First Principles", <book> 2, chapter 3, number 6, tome 1, page 82, ed. BB[[C]]: "Clement the disciple of the apostles clearly mentioned also those which the Greeks called "antipodes", and other parts of the <earth>, to which neither anyone of us can approach, nor <can> anyone from those who are there come across to us; which very things he called worlds, when he says: 'The ocean is impassible to men, and these which are across it <are> worlds which are governed by these same <organizational principles> of the master God.'"[[D]] Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 20.
Origen, "<Commentary> on Ezekiel", chapter 8, tome 3, page 422: "And Clement says, 'The ocean <is> boundless to men, and if <there are> worlds beyond it, <they are> organized with the <just as great> ordinances of the Master." Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 20.
The same, "<Commentary> on John" I, 29[[E]], tome 4, page 153: "And it has been borne witness also among the gentiles, that many a one, <when> pestilential diseases <had fallen upon> <them>, have given themselves over <as> sacrifices on behalf of the public; and the faithful Clement receives these things as <having happened>, not irrationally believing the narratives, <the Clement who> is borne witness by Paul saying, 'With Clement...,' etc." Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 55.
e) That Eusebius had before <his> eyes the same epistle of Clement that is now extant, his words satisfactorily demonstrate:
"Ecclesiastical History", book 3, chapter 16: "Therefore, of indeed this Clement is reported one agreed-upon epistle, great and wondrous, which he cast as from the Church of the Romans to the Corinthians, <when> sedition <had occurred> at that time in Corinth."
Ibid., book 3, chapter 38: "In the <epistle> of Clement admitted by all, which he cast <as> from the person of the Roman Church to the Corinthians. Having provided in which many thoughts of the <epistles> to the Hebrews, and furthermore using phrases from it in the very <same> words, etc."
No one does not know that our epistle uses often the same words which are found in the Epistle to the Hebrews[[28]].
f) Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechesis 18, chapter 8, brings forth from the epistle of Clement, as he himself testifies, the tale of the phoenix (<First> Clement, <chapter> 25).
g) Epiphanius, heresy 27, number 6: "For (Clement) says in one of his epistles, 'I <will> depart, I <will> go away, let the people of God [be established]." Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 54.
h) Jerome, "Catalog of Ecclesiastical Writers", chapter 15: "(Clement) wrote <in> the person of the Roman Church to the Church of the Corinthians a very useful epistle that also in several places is publicly read, <and> which seems to me to suit the character of the epistle which is reported under the name of Paul to the Hebrews. But also it misuses many things from the same epistle, not only in meanings, but also according to the order of words."
<The same>, book 14, "Commentary on Isaiah 52:13": "Clement, an apostolic man, who ruled the Church after Peter, writes to the Corinthians, 'The scepter of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, did not come in the boasting of arrogance, although he could <do> all, but in humility.'" Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 16.
<The same>, book 1, "Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians 2:2": "Clement in his epistle writes: 'The ocean and worlds which are across it.'" Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 20.
<The same>, <in the same place>, book 2 at <Ephesians> 4:1 : "Of which matter also Clement to the Corinthians is a witness: 'The bond of love of God, who could declare?'" Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 49.
Let us remain silent <about> the testimony of later <writers>.
c) Clement of Alexandria praises many passages of the Clementine epistle, which still are found in our epistle.
Miscellanies I, chapter 7, page 339: "For example, Clement in the epistle to the Corinthians, [<as the phrase goes>], says, <in> setting forth the differences of <approved abilities> according to the Church: 'Let one be faithful, let one be able to declare knowledge, let <one> be wise in the judgment of words, let <one> be vigorous in labors." The Alexandrian repeats the same words, taken from <the first epistle> of Clement, chapter 48, <in> "Miscellanies", <book> 4, chapter 8, page 773.
Miscellanies IV, chapter 17, page 609, 610: "Yes, indeed, the the epistle to the Corinthians the apostle Clement even himself speaks to us <in> outlining <a certain> type of <knowing>: 'For who <having sojourned as a stranger> among you, etc." Here the Alexandrian excerpts chapters 1, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 21, 22, 36, 38, 40, 41, 48, 49, 50, 51, <and> 53 of our epistle.
Miscellanies V, chapter 12, page 693: "But also in the epistle of the Romans to the Corinthians it has been written, '<The> ocean boundless to men, and the worlds beyond it." Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 20.
Miscellanies VI, chapter 8, page 773: "'For <to so great an extent> should <one> be more humble, <to such an extent as> <one> seems to be much greater,' says Clement in the <epistle> to the Corinthians." Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 48.
Miscellanies I, chapter 7, page 339: "But if you should seek the royal and authoritative inroad, hear: 'This is the gate of the Lord, the just will enter in it. And so, <while> many gates <are> opened in justice, this <gate> was <sc. opened> in Christ." Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 48.
d) Origen, "On First Principles", <book> 2, chapter 3, number 6, tome 1, page 82, ed. BB[[C]]: "Clement the disciple of the apostles clearly mentioned also those which the Greeks called "antipodes", and other parts of the <earth>, to which neither anyone of us can approach, nor <can> anyone from those who are there come across to us; which very things he called worlds, when he says: 'The ocean is impassible to men, and these which are across it <are> worlds which are governed by these same <organizational principles> of the master God.'"[[D]] Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 20.
Origen, "<Commentary> on Ezekiel", chapter 8, tome 3, page 422: "And Clement says, 'The ocean <is> boundless to men, and if <there are> worlds beyond it, <they are> organized with the <just as great> ordinances of the Master." Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 20.
The same, "<Commentary> on John" I, 29[[E]], tome 4, page 153: "And it has been borne witness also among the gentiles, that many a one, <when> pestilential diseases <had fallen upon> <them>, have given themselves over <as> sacrifices on behalf of the public; and the faithful Clement receives these things as <having happened>, not irrationally believing the narratives, <the Clement who> is borne witness by Paul saying, 'With Clement...,' etc." Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 55.
e) That Eusebius had before <his> eyes the same epistle of Clement that is now extant, his words satisfactorily demonstrate:
"Ecclesiastical History", book 3, chapter 16: "Therefore, of indeed this Clement is reported one agreed-upon epistle, great and wondrous, which he cast as from the Church of the Romans to the Corinthians, <when> sedition <had occurred> at that time in Corinth."
Ibid., book 3, chapter 38: "In the <epistle> of Clement admitted by all, which he cast <as> from the person of the Roman Church to the Corinthians. Having provided in which many thoughts of the <epistles> to the Hebrews, and furthermore using phrases from it in the very <same> words, etc."
No one does not know that our epistle uses often the same words which are found in the Epistle to the Hebrews[[28]].
f) Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechesis 18, chapter 8, brings forth from the epistle of Clement, as he himself testifies, the tale of the phoenix (<First> Clement, <chapter> 25).
g) Epiphanius, heresy 27, number 6: "For (Clement) says in one of his epistles, 'I <will> depart, I <will> go away, let the people of God [be established]." Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 54.
h) Jerome, "Catalog of Ecclesiastical Writers", chapter 15: "(Clement) wrote <in> the person of the Roman Church to the Church of the Corinthians a very useful epistle that also in several places is publicly read, <and> which seems to me to suit the character of the epistle which is reported under the name of Paul to the Hebrews. But also it misuses many things from the same epistle, not only in meanings, but also according to the order of words."
<The same>, book 14, "Commentary on Isaiah 52:13": "Clement, an apostolic man, who ruled the Church after Peter, writes to the Corinthians, 'The scepter of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, did not come in the boasting of arrogance, although he could <do> all, but in humility.'" Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 16.
<The same>, book 1, "Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians 2:2": "Clement in his epistle writes: 'The ocean and worlds which are across it.'" Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 20.
<The same>, <in the same place>, book 2 at <Ephesians> 4:1 : "Of which matter also Clement to the Corinthians is a witness: 'The bond of love of God, who could declare?'" Cf. <First> Clement, chapter 49.
Let us remain silent <about> the testimony of later <writers>.
Notes
25. In the Catalog of books attributed to Christ and the apostles, chapter 18, tome 1 <of> "Works", page 392.
26. "On the [books] of the ancients", chapter 3, section 4, page 39. Cf. Mosheim, "Major Institutions", page 213.
27. "Selected disputations", tome[[A]] I, page 103. Cf. Grabe, "Gleanings", tome 1, <page> 260.
28. Many affirm either that Clement himself wrote the epistle to the Hebrews, or that certainly he had it before <his> eyes in writing his own <epistle>. Far differently conjectures Dr. Mack ("Tübingen Theological Quarterly", 1838, fascicle 3, page 385 and following), doing it so that he demonstrates to us the epistle of Clement was earlier than the Epistle to the Hebrews, and that [this <sc. Ep. to Heb.> <was> composed <for the purpose of> well introducing Clement's epistle among the Corinthians, and that together with Clement's epistle it was given to the Corinthians. W. F. Rinck attacks Mack in Ullmann's "Studies and Critiques", 1839, fascicle 4, page 1002 and following.
My Notes
A. Migne follows Hefele in having the abbreviation "P.I.", which seems likely to be a misprint for "T.I".
B. For the first clause I have followed what is printed in Migne; however, in place of, "examines everything of ours", a later edition of Hefele has, "looks for fault <in> everything". The difference is accounted for in the graphical similarity between, "ημων", and the prefix, "μωμο".
C. I don't know what Migne's edition "BB" is supposed to be. The closest thing I can find to a contemporary edition of Origen is that of de la Rue, which is what is cited in the later edition of Hefele I've found.
[Update]Upon further research, the only plausible name I can come up with for "B.B" is Beriah Botfield, who was a "well known bibliographer" who published a collection of prefaces to first printed edition of ancient texts. But I'm not sure this is the same person.
D. The translation here is a bit strange, since Rufinus's Latin translation of Origen seems to be an initially very literal effort awkwardly supplemented by Latin grammatical necessities, resulting in a somewhat cumbersome and redundant diction.
E. I don't know what "I, 29" refers to, but I have found this passage in book VI, chapter 36, of the Roberts-Donaldson English translation.
B. For the first clause I have followed what is printed in Migne; however, in place of, "examines everything of ours", a later edition of Hefele has, "looks for fault <in> everything". The difference is accounted for in the graphical similarity between, "ημων", and the prefix, "μωμο".
C. I don't know what Migne's edition "BB" is supposed to be. The closest thing I can find to a contemporary edition of Origen is that of de la Rue, which is what is cited in the later edition of Hefele I've found.
[Update]Upon further research, the only plausible name I can come up with for "B.B" is Beriah Botfield, who was a "well known bibliographer" who published a collection of prefaces to first printed edition of ancient texts. But I'm not sure this is the same person.
D. The translation here is a bit strange, since Rufinus's Latin translation of Origen seems to be an initially very literal effort awkwardly supplemented by Latin grammatical necessities, resulting in a somewhat cumbersome and redundant diction.
E. I don't know what "I, 29" refers to, but I have found this passage in book VI, chapter 36, of the Roberts-Donaldson English translation.
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