1 Clement, Diognetus, and the Atlanta Braves

EARLY CHRISTIAN WRITINGS (1)

1 Clement (c.95 AD)

• This letter’s 65 “chapters” are even shorter than most Bible “chapters,” making the letter readable—although it is still longer than 1 or 2 Corinthians.

• The writer is Clement of Rome, the year is about 95 AD, and the recipients are the Corinthians. The young bucks have risen up against the older leaders—a fairly common theme throughout church history—and Clement attempts to calm them down. The factionalism that Paul addresses in 1 Cor 1 (approximately 40 years earlier) has reared its ugly head again!

• 1 Clement shows the influence of Roman church over another congregation, Corinth. And yet it is clear from the tone of the letter that Clement has no papal authority. (That would come many generations later.) His tone is respectful, appealing, attempting to persuade, not cajole.

• The letter is full of colorful illustrations, for example the phoenix (the mythical bird that underwent a sort of resurrection). We also read that the apostle Paul ventured to the extreme limit of the west, before suffering martyrdom (1 Clem v). In other words, he reached Spain (his stated desire in Rom 15:24, 28). He was martyred (beheaded) under the wicked emperor Nero, sometime between 64 and 68 AD.

I’ve enjoyed teaching 1 Clement in a series, “The Corinthian Correspondence,” beginning with the establishment of the church (Acts 18), then discussing Paul’s four letters to the Corinthians (1 Cor 1:1; 5:9; 2 Cor 1:1; 7:8), and finally reading 1 Clement. I’ve taught this material in a campus ministry setting, as well as for a church in Georgetown, Guyana (South America).

There is also a later document called 2 Clement, unlikely to have been authored by our Clement.

The Epistle of a Disciple to Diognetus (2nd century)

This fabulous second-century letter defends the fledgling faith. It addresses such matters as the identity of the God Christians trust, their love for one another, and Christian confidence in the face of death. I’ve selected a single passage, with seven observations following (the things that struck me—you may respond differently).

V. ¹For Christians are not distinguished from the rest of mankind either in locality or in speech or in customs. ²For they dwell not somewhere in cities of their own, neither do they use some different language, nor practice an extraordinary kind of life. ³Nor again do they possess any invention discovered by any intelligence or study of ingenious men, nor are they masters of any human dogma as some are. ⁴But while they dwell in cities of Greeks and barbarians as the lot of each is cast, and follow the native customs in dress and food and the other arrangements of life, yet the constitution of their own citizenship, which they set forth, is marvelous, and confessedly contradicts expectation. ⁵They dwell in their own countries, but only as sojourners; they bear their share in all things as citizens, and they endure all hardships as strangers. Every foreign country is a fatherland to them, and every fatherland is foreign.

 ⁶They marry like all other men and they beget children; but they do not cast away their offspring. ⁷They have their meals in common, but not their wives. ⁸They find themselves in the flesh, and yet they live not after the flesh. ⁹Their existence is on earth, but their citizenship is in heaven.¹⁰They obey the established laws, and they surpass the laws in their own lives. ¹¹They love all men, and they are persecuted by all. ¹²They are ignored, and yet they are condemned. They are put to death, and yet they are endued with life. ¹³They are in beggary, and yet they make many rich. They are in want of all things, and yet they abound in all things.¹⁴They are dishonored, and yet they are glorified in their dishonor. They are evil spoken of, and yet they are vindicated.

¹⁵They are reviled, and they bless; they are insulted, and they respect. ¹⁶Doing good they are punished as evildoers; being punished they rejoice, as if they were thereby quickened by life. ¹⁷War is waged against them as aliens by the Jews, and persecution is carried on against them by the Greeks, and yet those that hate them cannot tell the reason of their hostility.

• Distinctiveness: Christians were unusual by virtue of their character and righteous behavior—not because they dressed oddly or has a different way of talking. That is, they blended into society in one way, but not in another.

• The world: They weren’t charmed by the world’s delights. Rather, they were convinced that their citizenship was in heaven, and this was reflected in their lifestyle.

• Babies: They didn’t expose unwanted children—a common practice in the Roman empire when a child was born sickly, female, or otherwise unwanted.

• Fellowship meals: The believers were known for their table fellowship. Meals bring us closer and create the essential climate for honest communication.

• Sexual purity: They didn’t commit adultery—so common in the empire at this time.

• Model citizens: Despite commendable civic behavior, they were consistently persecuted. (In the 2nd century the practice of Christianity became illegal.)

• Persecution: They responded graciously to their enemies. (See Rom 12; Matt 5.) Yet it was difficult for their persecutors (whether Jews or Gentiles) to specify the cause of their hostility.

If you liked the excerpt above, why not read the entire work? The Epistle to Diognetus is by no means inspired scripture; none of the ancient documents in this series are inspired, Yet they do open up a window on the life and thoughts of our early brothers and sisters in the faith. That makes these writings—at least in my opinion—well worth examining.

Upcoming:

• The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians

• The Martyrdom of Polycarp

Are you familiar with Polycarp? He was a disciple of the apostle John, and a church leader in Smyrna (the modern Aegean city of Izmir, Turkey). This great man of faith was executed around 155 AD. More next week!

COOL QUOTES

• The evangelistic message which deals with man as the sinner but not the sinned against is not remaining true to the Bible as the Word of God. — Unknown

• Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage. — Richard Lovelace

• Gratitude turns what we have into enough. — Aesop

Think about these words. And if you have any quotes you think our readers will appeciate, please feel free to send them in. Thanks.