Lucian of Samosata: Concerning Sacrifices.3

21 Sunday Dec 2014

Posted by memoirandremains in Culture, Greek, Lucian of Samosata, New Testament Background

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1 Clement, Concerning Sacrifices, Culture, Greek, Greek Translation, Lucian, Lucian of Samosata, New Testament Background

The previous post in this series may be found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2014/12/20/lucian-of-samosata-concerning-sacrifices-2/

It was like this, I suppose, for Chryses – so holy and so advanced and so wise concerning divine things – after he leaves Agamemnon, without the win. Chryses pleads a return for all the bribes he had given to Apollo. He has absolutely no shame in saying,

“O Great Apollo! How often I have dressed your unadorned temples, and burned thousands of bulls and goats on your altars. But you ignore my sufferings: the ‘Benefactor’ counts these as nothing.”

So by these words he shames Apollo, who grabs some arrows, drops himself in the harbor and rains plague upon the Achaeans and on their donkeys and dogs.

Greek Text & Notes

Continue reading →

When Whitefield slowed down

18 Thursday Sep 2014

Posted by memoirandremains in George Whitefield, Preaching

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1 Clement, Church History, George Whitefield, Ministry, Preaching

George Whitefield, 1758, on the effect of his continued ill-health:

my nightly rests are continually broken;…to my great mortification, through continual vomitings, want of rest and of appetite, I have been reduced for some time to the short allowance of only preaching once a day, except Sundays, when I generally preach thrice [Works, vol. 3, p. 227]

The Example of Christ as used in First Clement 16

21 Saturday Dec 2013

Posted by memoirandremains in 1 Clement, Christology, Humility

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1 Clement, 1 Clement 16, Christ, Christ as an example, christology, Dictionary of the Later New Testament, First Clement, humility

As an appendix to the translation of 1 Clement 16, found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2013/12/20/1-clement-161-2-christ-is-of-the-humble/

Not only did Jesus teach reversal of the world’s norms but also he embodied it in his own ministry. He was “meek and lowly of heart” and bade his disciples to be the same (Mt 11:29). He entered Jerusalem as its meek King in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9 (Mt 21:5) and set an example of servanthood by washing his disciples’ feet (John 13:14–15; cf. 1 Tim 5:10). Above all he was obedient to God’s will, even to the death of the cross (Phil 2:5–11; see Death of Christ).

Later Christian writers appeal to Christ’s humility as an example to imitate (Heb 12:2–3; 1 Pet 2:18–24; and Rev 14:4, where “following the lamb” is a key idiom; see Bauckham, 66–108; see Imitation; Lamb). This is particularly true of 1 Clement, where humility is held up as the essence of Christian living (1 Clem. 13, 14), and Christ’s sufferings are portrayed as the supreme example of humility (1 Clem. 2.1). Clement quotes all of Isaiah 53:1–12 and Psalm 22:6–8 to depict the humiliation of Christ (1 Clem. 16.16) and concludes with the question, If Christ was so humble in spirit what else could his followers be? (1 Clem. 16.17). Not content to end there, Clement launches into a long roll call of “pioneers in humility,” a list that includes Abraham, Job and Moses (1 Clem. 17), David (1 Clem. 18), Jacob (1 Clem. 31.4), and Esther (1 Clem. 55.6-7).

Dictionary of the Later New Testament
“Pride and Humility”

1 Clement 16:1-2, Christ is of the humble

20 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by memoirandremains in 1 Clement, Ante-Nicene, Christology, Greek

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1 Clement, 1 Clement translation, First Clement, Greek Grammar, Greek Translation, Translation First Clement

The previous post in this series may be found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2013/08/08/translation-and-notes-1-clement-15-deceitful-lips/

Chapter 16:1-2:

For Christ is of the humble: not of those who exalt themselves over His sheep. The majestic scepter of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, did not come in pretentious boasting or haughty arrogance (even though he was able to do so); instead he came in humility, just as the Holy Spirit spoke concerning Him.

Greek Text and Translation Notes:

Ταπεινοφρονούντων γάρ ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός, οὐκ ἐπαιρομένων ἐπὶ τὸ ποίμνιον αὐτοῦ. ² τὸ σκῆπτρον τῆς μεγαλωσύνης τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς, οὐκ ἦλθεν ἐν κόμπῳ ἀλαζονείας οὐδὲ ὑπερηφανίας, καίπερ δυνάμενος, ἀλλὰ ταπεινοφρονῶν, καθὼς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον περὶ αὐτοῦ ἐλάλησεν·

Ταπεινοφρονούντων γάρ ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός

For of those who are humble is the Christ

Christ is those who are humble.

Ho Christos: nominative; the subject of the sentence.

The genitive is used to indicate relationship with; similar to a familial relationship. Christ is not merely in proximity with the humble, rather, they stand in relationship to one-another.

Gar, for, draws a connection to the preceding paragraph, Let us unite with those who practice peace, for Christ is with the humble.

οὐκ ἐπαιρομένων ἐπὶ τὸ ποίμνιον αὐτοῦ

Not of those who exalt themselves over the flock his (that is, Christ’s)

Not of those who exalt themselves over Christ’s flock.

Again the genitive of relationship: Christ is not in relationship with the self-exalting.

Epit + accusative, just epi + the dative or genitive means over. Smyth gives this understanding of prepositions with epi: with genitive, “on”; with dative “on”; with accusative, “to, toward, for” (Smyth, 1676). I wonder if the use of the accusative creates a whiff an adversarial relationship between those subjected to the self-exalting leadership.

τὸ σκῆπτρον τῆς μεγαλωσύνης τοῦ Θεοῦ

The scepter of the majesty of God

The majesty, genitive: the attributive genitive: the noun in the genitive functions as an attributive adjective of the head noun, “scepter”. Accordingly, “the majestic secpeter”.

Of the God, genitive: a genitive of possession.

ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς,

The Lord of us, Jesus Christ

The entire phrase is in apposition the preceding phrase: Jesus is the scepter.

The Lord of us=our Lord.

οὐκ ἦλθεν ἐν κόμπῳ ἀλαζονείας

He did not come in pretentious boasting

ἦλθεν: He came, aorist.

ἐν κόμπῳ: in a boast. The dative here is appears to be associative dative or perhaps instrumental dative. One could argue this was in the sphere of a boast, which is true by rather vague.

The noun is related to the verb: κομπάζω , fut. -άσομαι B.7.42:—

A.= κομπέω, boast, brag, A.Th.436, Ag.1671, etc.; “κ. μέγα” S.Aj.1122; “μάτην” E.Hipp.978; κ. ἐπί τινι speak big against . . , A.Th.480 (but also, boast of . . , Phld.Rh.1.24 S.): c. acc., κ. λόγον speak big words, A.Ag.1400, etc.; κ. γέρας boast one’s office, Id.Eu.209; “οὐ πατρῴαν τὴν τέχνην ἐκόμπασας” S.El.1500: c. inf., boast that . . , A.Ag.1130, E.Ba.340; κ. ὡς . . X.Oec.10.3, Plu. Crass.18:—Pass., to be made a boast of, be renowned, “οὕνεκ᾽ ὄλβου” E.HF64; φόβος . . κομπάζεται fear is loudly spoken, A.Th.500; τίνος δὲ . . παῖς πατρὸς κομπάζεται; of what father is he said to be the son? E.Alc.497.—Rare in early Prose, Lys.6.18,48, X.Smp.4.19, Oec. l.c.

II. = κομπέω 1.2, ring a jar to test its soundness, PLond. ined.2327 (iii B.C.).

III. ἐκομπάσθη: ἠπατήθη, εἰς ὄγκον διετέθη, Hsch., cf. Suid.

It appears to be relatively rare.

ἀλαζονείας: pretentiousness, arrogance, boasting. The genitive of attribution modifies the preceding noun: pretentious boast/arrogant boast

οὐδὲ ὑπερηφανίας

Neither of a contemptuous arrogance

καίπερ δυνάμενος

even though he was able.

The participle probably indicates manner of coming: Jesus could have come as a haughty lord (Wallace, 627).

ἀλλὰ ταπεινοφρονῶν,

yet [he came] in an attitude of humility

The participle again indicates manner.

It seems the “de” connects the elements in a series; the “alla” creates the primary contrast in the sentence.

καθὼς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον περὶ αὐτοῦ ἐλάλησεν

Just as the Spirit, the Holy one, concerning him [Christ] he spoke

τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον: The SBL NT has this construction given 20 times for the Holy Spirit. This is the second attributive position.

Of this phrase, Robertson remarks:

As for Middleton’s rule that the article is present when the personality of the Holy Spirit is taught,4 that is illustrated by Jo. 14:26, τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, where the Holy Spirit is spoken of in distinction from the Father and the Son. Cf. also 15:26. See also τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον (Lu. 3:22), at the baptism of Jesus. Κύριος, like θεός and πνεῦμα, is often practically a proper name in the N. T.

A. T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research (Logos Bible Software, 1919), 795.

περὶ αὐτοῦ: peri + genitive, “concerning”

ἐλάλησεν: aorist lalao, he spoke. That is the Holy Spirit spoke concerning Jesus.

Other English Translations:

1 FOR Christ is of those who are humble-minded, not of those who exalt themselves over His flock. 2 The sceptre of the greatness of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, came not with the pomp of pride or of arrogance, for all his power, but was humble-minded, as the Holy Spirit spake concerning him.

Pope Clement I et al., The Apostolic Fathers, ed. Pope Clement I et al., vol. 1, The Loeb Classical Library (London; New York: Heinemann; Macmillan, 1912–1913), 35.

For Christ is with them that are lowly of mind, not with them that exalt themselves over the flock. 2The sceptre [of the majesty] of God, even our Lord Jesus Christ, came not in the pomp of arrogance or of pride, though He might have done so, but in lowliness of mind, according as the Holy Spirit spake concerning Him.

Joseph Barber Lightfoot and J. R. Harmer, The Apostolic Fathers (London: Macmillan and Co., 1891), 63.

Translation and Notes: 1 Clement 15: Deceitful Lips

08 Thursday Aug 2013

Posted by memoirandremains in 1 Clement, Church History, Greek, New Testament Background

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1 Clement, 1 Clement 14, 1 Clement translation, Biblical Counseling, First Clement, Isaiah 29:13, nahum, peace, Proverbs 13:15, Psalm 1:2, Psalm 31, Psalm 6:2, Psalm 78

The previous post in this series is found here:

https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/translation-and-notes-1-clement-14-2-the-pattern-of-teaching-and-the-pattern-of-the-quotation/

1 Clement 15:

Therefore, let us be joined with the pious who seek peace – not with hypocrites only pretend to want peace. For it says somewhere

This people honors me with their lips

But their heart is far from me.

And again,

With their mouth they praise

But in their heart they always curse.

And again it says,

They loved Him with their mouths;

But their tongue lied to him.

Their heart was not upright within them;

Neither did they keep the His covenant.

Therefore, let their deceitful lips be silent

-those who condemn the righteous.

And again

May the Lord utterly destroy the deceitful lips

Tongues that speak great things

Those who say,

We will magnify our tongue

Our lips are our ours!

Who is lord over us?

Yet, because of the wretchedness of the poor

And the groaning of the beggar

Now I shall arise, says the Lord.

I will place him in safety,

I will act boldly for him.

Comment:

Clement here unleashes a series of Biblical texts from the prophets and Psalms which demonstrate God’s hatred of the usurper and hypocrite. He begins with calls to peace but ends with a warning: God will act on behalf of the one who is persecuted.

3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips,

the tongue that makes great boasts,

4 those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,

our lips are with us; who is master over us?”

5 “Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,

I will now arise,” says the LORD;

“I will place him in the safety for which he longs.” Psalm 12:3–5 (ESV)

I heard Wayne Mack give this counseling advice: Where someone refuses to take good, Scriptural counsel, I let them go but warn them that “the way of the transgressor is hard.”

15 Good understanding giveth favour:

but the way of transgressors is hard. Proverbs 13:15 (AV)

Providing a true warning is in no way unloving; though, it may not be pleasant.

Greek Text and Translation Notes:

1 Τοίνυν κολληθῶμεν τοῖς μετʼ εὐσεβείας εἰρηνεύουσιν, καὶ μὴ τοῖς μεθʼ ὑποκρίσεως βουλομένοις εἰρήνην. 2 * λέγει γάρ που· Οὗτος ὁ λαὸς τοῖς χείλεσίν με τιμᾷ·, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἄπεστιν ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ. 3 * καὶ πάλιν· Τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν εὐλογοῦσιν, τῇ δὲ καρδίᾳ αὐτῶν κατηρῶντο. 4 * καὶ πάλιν λέγει· Ἠγάπησαν αὐτὸν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν καὶ τῇ γλώσσῃ αὐτῶν ἐψεύσαντο αὐτόν, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν οὐκ εὐθεῖα μετʼ αὐτοῦ, οὐδὲ ἐπιστώθησαν ἐν τῇ διαθήκῃ αὐτοῦ. 5 * διὰ τοῦτο ἄλαλα γενηθήτω τὰ χείλη· τὰ δόλια τὰ λαλοῦντα κατὰ τοῦ δικαίου ἀνομίαν. καὶ πάλιν· Ἐξολεθρεύσαι κύριος πάντα τὰ χείλη· τὰ δόλια,1 γλῶσσαν μεγαλορήμονα, τοὺς εἰπόντας· Τὴν γλῶσσαν ἡμῶν μεγαλυνοῦμεν, τὰ χείλη· ἡμῶν παρʼ ἡμῖν ἐστιν· τίς ἡμῶν κύριός ἐστιν; 6 ἀπὸ τῆς ταλαιπωρίας τῶν πτωχῶν καὶ τοῦ στεναγμοῦ τῶν πενήτων νῦν ἀναστήσομαι, λέγει κύριος· θήσομαι ἐν σωτηρίῳ, 7 παρρησιάσομαι ἐν αὐτῷ.

Τοίνυν κολληθῶμεν τοῖς μετʼ εὐσεβείας εἰρηνεύουσιν

Therefore, let us be joined with those pious peace-makers

Τοίνυν: therefore (toi: Emphatic particle; nun: now)

κολληθῶμεν: Aorist, passive hortatory subjunctive

τοῖς… εἰρηνεύουσιν: Articular, substantive participle. By using a participle, Clement puts the emphasis on their action of making/being/pursuing peace

Meta: The preposition controls the entire clause and thus requires the dative.

καὶ μὴ τοῖς μεθʼ ὑποκρίσεως βουλομένοις εἰρήνην.

And not with those hypocrites who claim to want peace.

καὶ μὴ: The kai (and) draws a parallel between the two halves of the sentence. The “and” is thus ambiguous or awkward in English.

τοῖς μεθʼ ὑποκρίσεως βουλομένοις εἰρήνην: with those hypocritically desiring peace.

λέγει γάρ που· Οὗτος ὁ λαὸς τοῖς χείλεσίν με τιμᾷ

For he/it says somewhere, “These people by their lips honor me”

λέγει γάρ που: This speech formula sounds similar to the formulas used in Hebrews.[1]

Οὗτος ὁ λαὸς: This particular people.

τοῖς χείλεσίν: Dative of means.

τιμᾷ: Present active third person singular

ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἄπεστιν ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ

But their heart is far away from me

Isaiah 29:13.

De creates a contrast with the previous clause and thus explains the hypocrisy.

Πόρρω: adverb, far.

ἄπεστιν, apeimi rather than the LXX’s apechein. Little change in meaning.

καὶ πάλιν· Τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν εὐλογοῦσιν

And, again, By means of their mouth they bless

LXX, Ps. 61:5

Τῷ στόματι: By means of their mouth: dative of means.

τῇ δὲ καρδίᾳ αὐτῶν κατηρῶντο

But with their hearts they curse

Dative of means.

The imperfect κατηρῶντο is interesting because it contrasts with the present tense, “they bless”. It should be taken as an iterative imperfect, they started and kept going in their cursing, i.e., it is in their nature.

καὶ πάλιν λέγει· Ἠγάπησαν αὐτὸν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν

And again it says, They loved him with their mouth

LXX, Psalm 77:36-37: “Under severe punishment, they repented and searched for God, remembering that he was their redeemer and source of security (vv 33–35), their Rock. But the turning to God was not genuine (v 36); it was done out of necessity and not out of steadfast loyalty and consistency of commitment to Yahweh (v 37)” (Marvin E. Tate, Psalms 51–100, vol. 20, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1998), 291).

καὶ πάλιν λέγει: Quotation formula from Romans 15:10.

Ἠγάπησαν αὐτὸν : In the context of the Psalm “him” is God. The Hebrew has they deceived/flattered (NASB 95/ESV), וַיְפַתּ֥וּהוּ. The meaning is not that distinct, in that they loved only with their mouth, i.e., it was a false profession of love.

καὶ τῇ γλώσσῃ αὐτῶν ἐψεύσαντο αὐτόν

and by means of their tongue, they lied to him.

ἐψεύσαντο: aorist.

ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν οὐκ εὐθεῖα μετʼ αὐτοῦ

But their heart was not right/upright with him

De draws the contrast.

εὐθύς, εῖα: when used with “heart”, it means upright, proper: Acts 8:21.

μετʼ αὐτοῦ: “With him” is awkward in English. “Towards God”. (The New Fowlers states that “towards” is more formal in AmE. Although both toward and towards are acceptable.)

οὐδὲ ἐπιστώθησαν ἐν τῇ διαθήκῃ αὐτοῦ

Neither were they faithful to the covenant with Him/His covenant.

διὰ τοῦτο ἄλαλα γενηθήτω τὰ χείλη τὰ δόλια

Because of this, unable to speak them him be the lips the deceitful ones

LXX Psalm 30:19

διὰ τοῦτο: idiom: Because of this, on account of this.

ἄλαλα: Dumb, unable to speak.

Γενηθήτω: Third person singular: ‘his lips’

τὰ χείλη: accusative as the direct object of the verb. The article is used to indicate possession (without the use of a pronoun), Wallace, 215, “The article is sometimes used where possession is implied.”

τὰ λαλοῦντα κατὰ τοῦ δικαίου ἀνομία

The lawless ones speaking against the righteous

τὰ … ἀνομία: It is also like speaking a great deal in one breath: Those speaking-against-the-righteous lawless one.

κατὰ τοῦ: kata with the genitive: against.

καὶ πάλιν· Ἐξολεθρεύσαι κύριος πάντα τὰ χείλη τὰ δόλια

And again, May the Lord utterly destroy all deceitful lips

LXX Pslam 11:4-5

Ἐξολεθρεύσαι: an aorist optative. Tense shows aspect: destroy once and for all.

γλῶσσαν μεγαλορήμονα, τοὺς εἰπόντας

(the) boastful tongue, those saying ….

Tongue is definite because it is a generic noun.

τοὺς εἰπόντας: participle with article: Those speaking. The participle is aorist, but the translation is present, due to idiom.

Τὴν γλῶσσαν ἡμῶν μεγαλυνοῦμεν:

The tongue of us we will exalt

τὰ χείλη ἡμῶν παρʼ ἡμῖν ἐστιν

The lips of us are with us

Our lips are our own.

τίς ἡμῶν κύριός ἐστιν;

Who is our Lord?

Who is Lord over us?

Implied answer: No one.

Genitive of subordination (Wallace, 103).

ἀπὸ τῆς ταλαιπωρίας τῶν πτωχῶν

From the wretchedness of the poor

Apo + genitive can used to indicate cause: Because of ….

Of the poor: the wretchedness which belongs to the poor. Alternative: the wretched poor, attributive genitive.

καὶ τοῦ στεναγμοῦ τῶν πενήτων

and the groaning of the beggars

ἀναστήσομαι λέγει κύριος

I shall arise! Says the Lord

The king stands to act.

θήσομαι ἐν σωτηρίῳ,

I shall place him/put him salvation/safety

Soterios is a technical term for “salvation” but also is used more broadly for health or safety. The “him” is the poor/needly one who cries out to the Lord.

παρρησιάσομαι ἐν αὐτῷ

I shall act boldly for him.

[1]

In the same line with these passages are commonly ranged certain others, in which Scripture seems to be adduced with a subjectless λέγει or φησί, the authoritative subject—whether the divinely given Word or God Himself—being taken for granted.

Benjamin B. Warfield, The Works of Benjamin B. Warfield, Volume 1: Revelation and Inspiration (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2008), 285.

Translation and Notes, 1 Clement 14.2 (The pattern of teaching and the pattern of the quotation)

22 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by memoirandremains in 1 Clement, Biblical Counseling, Humility, Preaching, Proverbs, Psalms

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1 Clement, 1 Clement 14, 1 Clement translation, Biblical Counseling, First Clement, nahum, peace, Poetry, Proverbs 2:21-22, Psalm 37, Teaching

The previous post in this series is found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2013/07/09/translation-and-notes-1-clement-14-1-let-us-do-kindness/

For it is written

The kind shall live in the land and the innocent shall remain upon it. But the lawless will be utterly destroyed from the land.

And again it says,

I saw the ungodly –raised up, towering like the cedars of Lebanon! Then, I passed by; I looked, yet he was not. I searched everywhere for him, but found him not.

Protect innocence; observe righteousness: a future remains for the man of peace.

Comment:

As good counselor, Clement lays out the consequence for both warring and peace. For those who seek peace, there will be a future. They will “live in the land.” For those who bring disorder, “the ungodly”, there will be utter destruction.

The pattern of demonstrating the consequence, whether good or ill, of decisions is the pattern of wisdom literature. Biblical counselors should not merely use the conclusions of Scripture, but should also use the pattern of presentation. When Clement used narrative, he briefly recounted the narratives and then drew a conclusion. In this instance, using wisdom literature, he presents his counsel in the same pattern as his original.

Many people have a particular idiom of thought and then try to stuff all their presentation in that idiom. Young men fresh out of seminary are often drawn to Paul’s propositional argument. While such a structure is valid; such a structure is not the only appropriate structure. To force everything into the same mold it is to (1) misrepresent the original; and (2) ignore your audience.

For example, when the poetry of a prophet is stuffed into an analytical framework, the beauty and mystery of the original is lost. The prophet/poet does not draw out images merely to make a emphatic statement: God will judge! Or, God will restore! Certainly that is true, but it is not everything.

When Nahum writes, the Lord will “pursue his enemies into darkness” (Nahum 1:8), he does not merely mean that God can see in the dark. Rather he means to convey the utter horror of the enemy who realizes that he cannot hide. When the criminal runs, he dashes into a dark alley and dives behind a dumpster. The camera comes in close. In the poor light of a dim overhead bulb we see the shivering and fear as the he realizes there is no escape. When teaching (where in a sermon to a congregation or to an individual in counseling) a line from a prophet, the goal must be convey both the proposition – you cannot escape God – and the recognition of that truth – you must know a shiver of fear.

Too often the teacher transforms the poetry into proposition. In so doing, he radically misrepresents the original. By stripping out the beauty, he makes the prophet sound long-winded. The audience will begin to think, “Why didn’t Amos just say, God will judge you! Didn’t he waste a lot of words by going on for three paragraphs?”

It also cheats the hearer. First, the teacher simply hides the text from the audience by misrepresenting the text. Second, he it cheats the audience, because some people will be more sensitive to poetry or narrative than to proposition and argument. To reduce everything to argument is to cheat everyone.

The same takes place with wisdom. The pointedness of wisdom literature is to drop the point of a proposition squarely in the conscience. It must come in so sharply that is seen as self-evident. Of course, the godly will remain and the wicked will be destroyed!

Since the proposition is so plain, merely stating and restating the proposition will have little effect. Therefore, the emphasis in teaching wisdom will (most often) be upon heeding.

Look at how Clement makes his argument (in chapter 14):

Therefore, it is just and holy, men and brothers, that we should be obedient to God – rather than follow leaders of a loathsome jealousy in their arrogance and chaos. For we will not suffer common harm, but rather endure profound danger if we recklessly surrender ourselves to the will of mere men – men who hurl you out into strife and rebellion, separating you from everything good. Rather, let us do kindness to them, according to the compassion and sweetness of the One who made us.

For it is written

The kind shall live in the land and the innocent shall remain upon it. But the lawless will be utterly destroyed from the land.

And again it says,

I saw the ungodly –raised up, towering like the cedars of Lebanon! Then, I passed by; I looked, yet he was not. I searched everywhere for him, but found him not.

Protect innocence; observe righteousness: a future remains for the man of peace.

Clement’s understanding of Scripture is also interesting. He considers it beyond cavil that what Scripture says is true and authoritative. Having made his argument he sets it beyond question by quoting Scripture.

Comment on Clement’s Quotations

He first quotes Proverbs 2:21(-22):

Proverbs 2:21–22 (ESV)

²¹ For the upright will inhabit the land,

and those with integrity will remain in it,

²² but the wicked will be cut off from the land,

and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

Proverbs 2:21–22 (LXX)

²¹χρηστοὶ ἔσονται οἰκήτορες γῆς, ἄκακοι δὲ ὑπολειφθήσονται ἐν αὐτῇ, ὅτι εὐθεῖς κατασκηνώσουσι γῆν, καὶ ὅσιοι ὑπολειφθήσονται ἐν αὐτῇ, ²²ὁδοὶ ἀσεβῶν ἐκ γῆς ὀλοῦνται, οἱ δὲ παράνομοι ἐξωσθήσονται ἀπ̓ αὐτῆς.

In the first two clauses he differs from Ralfs in the final prepositional phrase: Clement substitutes (? Is he working from a different original) epi + genitive for en + dative. The difference in meaning is negligible in this instance.

Clement does not quote verse 22, although the concept is present in his next quotation:

Psalm 37:35–37 (ESV)

³⁵ I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,

spreading himself like a green laurel tree.

³⁶ But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;

though I sought him, he could not be found.

³⁷ Mark the blameless and behold the upright,

for there is a future for the man of peace.

Psalm 36:35–37 (LXX)

³⁵εἶδον ἀσεβῆ ὑπερυψούμενον καὶ ἐπαιρόμενον ὡς τὰς κέδρους τοῦ Λιβάνου, ³⁶καὶ παρῆλθον, καὶ ἰδοὺ οὐκ ἦν, καὶ ἐζήτησα αὐτόν, καὶ οὐχ εὑρέθη ὁ τόπος αὐτοῦ. ³⁷φύλασσε ἀκακίαν καὶ ἰδὲ εὐθύτητα, ὅτι ἔστιν ἐγκατάλειμμα ἀνθρώπῳ εἰρηνικῷ,

Clement here also shows some minor variations.

In verse 36, Clement uses ekzeteo rather than zeteo. The difference is that Clement uses what is often a more emphatic form of the verb; although, the meaning is substantially the same.

In addition, LXX has, “I sought him, but [and] it was not found the place of him [his place]”; while Clement has “I sought the place of him, but [and] not I found [I didn’t find (it)].” The difference in writing does not change the essential meaning.

I do not know whether Clement altered his text; worked from a different text; or quoted from memory.

Greek Text:

1 Clement 14.2

4 * γέγραπται γάρ· Χρηστοὶ ἔσονται οἰκήτορες γῆς, ἄκακοι δὲ ὑπολειφθήσονται ἐπʼ αὐτῆς· οἱ δὲ παρανομοῦντες ἐξολεθρευθήσονται ἀπʼ αὐτῆς. 5 * καὶ πάλιν λέγει· Εἶδον ἀσεβῆ ὑπερυψούμενον καὶ ἐπαιρόμενον ὡς τὰς κέδρους τοῦ Λιβάνου· καὶ παρῆλθον, καὶ ἰδοὺ οὐκ ἦν, καὶ ἐξεζήτησα τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐχ εὗρον. φύλασσε ἀκακίαν καὶ ἴδε εὐθύτητα, ὅτι ἐστὶν ἐγκατάλειμμα ἀνθρώπῳ εἰρηνικῷ

γέγραπται γάρ

For it is has been written

This is an introductory formula for Scriptural quotation: Matthew 4:6, 26:31; Luke 4:10; Acts 1:20, et cetera. It is used in Plutarch’s “Ceasar” at 65.1: γέγραπται γὰρ ὑπὲρ πραγμάτων μεγάλων καὶ σοὶ διαφερόντων^.

Χρηστοὶ ἔσονται οἰκήτορες γῆς

The kind, they shall be those who inhabit the earth

Gh, earth, is anarthrous and definite as a generic noun.

ἄκακοι δὲ ὑπολειφθήσονται ἐπʼ αὐτῆς

Even the innocent they shall be left upon it.

οἱ δὲ παρανομοῦντες ἐξολεθρευθήσονται ἀπʼ αὐτῆς

But the law breakers they shall be completely destroyed from it.

οἱ παρανομοῦντες: substantive, articular participle. The participle emphasizes the action: they are destroyed because they are law breakers.

ἐξολεθρεύω: an emphatic form of destruction: utterly destroyed.

καὶ πάλιν λέγει: And again it says [Scripture]

Scripture has been written and yet it presently speaks. No need to overstate the case.

Εἶδον ἀσεβῆ ὑπερυψούμενον:

I saw the ungodly lifted up high/exalted/praised.

ὑπερυψούμενον: complementary participle. It completes the idea of “seeing”.

καὶ ἐπαιρόμενον ὡς τὰς κέδρους τοῦ Λιβάνου: and lifted up as the cedars of Lebanon.

The participle matches is ahendiadys: two nouns expressing a single idea. The effect is emphatic. The emphasis is completed with the simile, “as the cedars of Lebanon.” The ungodly were supremely exalted. This makes the disappearance more pointed.

καὶ παρῆλθον, καὶ ἰδοὺ οὐκ ἦν: I passed by, and behold, he [the ungodly] was not.

καὶ ἐξεζήτησα τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ: and I thoroughly sought the place of him (his place)

The parallel aorist verbs emphasize the thorough nature of the search and its completion: He is certain the ungodly cannot be found.

καὶ οὐχ εὗρον.: and I did not find [him]

The kai (and) places the passing and searching in conjunction with not-finding. It was all part of a singular [although not instantaneous] event.

φύλασσε ἀκακίαν: guard/protect innocence.

Φύλασσε: present imperative: guard. Thus, some emphasis on continually guarding.

ἀκακίαν: adjective which recalls the “the innocent” who shall remain in the land.

καὶ ἴδε εὐθύτητα: and see uprightness

ἴδε: With a moral object, “observe”: Not merely ‘see’ but also a direction to be upright.

εὐθύτητα: “the scepter of uprightness,” Hebrews 1:8.

ὅτι ἐστὶν ἐγκατάλειμμα: because there is a remnant

Here hoti introduces the dependent causal clause (Wallace, 460).

ἀνθρώπῳ εἰρηνικῷ: for the peaceful man

A dative of interest. This is an example of the fourth attributive position of the adjective (Wallace, 310-311).

Translation and Notes: 1 Clement 14.1 (Let us do kindness …)

09 Tuesday Jul 2013

Posted by memoirandremains in 1 Clement, Church History, Greek, New Testament Background

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1 Clement, 1 Clement 14, 1 Clement translation, Apostolic Fathers, Apostolic Fathers Translation, First Clement, Greek Translation, New Testament Background, NT Background

(The previous post in this series can be found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2013/06/18/translation-and-notes-1-clement-13-walk-humbly/)

Translation:

Therefore, it is just and holy, men and brothers, that we should be obedient to God – rather than follow leaders of a loathsome jealousy in their arrogance and chaos. For we will not suffer common harm, but rather endure profound danger if we recklessly surrender ourselves to the will of mere men – men who hurl you out into strife and rebellion, separating you from everything good. Rather, let us do kindness to them, according to the compassion and sweetness of the One who made us.

Greek Text:

XIV. Δίκαιον οὖν καὶ ὅσιον, ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, ὑπηκόους ἡμᾶς μᾶλλον γενέσθαι τῷ Θεῷ ἢ τοῖς ἐν ἀλαζονείᾳ καὶ ἀκαταστασίᾳ μυσεροῦ ζήλους ἀρχηγοῖς ἐξακολουθεῖν. 2 βλάβην γὰρ οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν, μᾶλλον δὲ κίνδυνον ὑποίσομεν μέγαν, ἐὰν ῥιψοκινδύνως ἐπιδῶμεν ἑαυτοὺς τοῖς θελήμασιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οἵτινες ἐξακοντίζουσιν εἰς ἔριν καὶ στάσεις εἰς τὸ ἀπαλλοτριῶσαι ἡμᾶς τοῦ καλῶς ἔχοντος. 3 χρηστευσώμεθα αὐτοῖς κατὰ τὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν καὶ γλυκύτητα τοῦ ποιήσαντος ἡμᾶς.

Translation Notes:

Δίκαιον οὖν καὶ ὅσιον, Therefore, just and holy

The clause contains an ellipsis: the verb “to be” is implied but not stated. Therefore it is just and holy

ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί: men, brothers

Vocative.

ὑπηκόους ἡμᾶς μᾶλλον γενέσθαι τῷ Θεῷ: obedient for us more/especially so to be to God – for us to be particularly obedient to God.

Obedience is accusative as an adjective modifying the direct object (us) of the verb “to be”. The dative is the dative of the indirect object: we are obedient to God. The infinitive is complementary.

ἢ τοῖς ἐν ἀλαζονείᾳ καὶ ἀκαταστασίᾳ or to those [leaders who] in boasting and disorder

ἢ τοῖς: or to those [leaders].

The article will be matched by “leaders” after the intervening adjectival phrase. The “those [leaders]” is the indirect object and parallels “God” in the previous clause. Note that the adjectives are singular; the pronoun plural. The adjectives are thus abstracted.

ἐν: This phrase presents some difficulties in translation. If we omit this phrase, first, it will help to determine a translation. Therefore, the discussion of the translation will follow the translation of the clause, μυσεροῦ ζήλους ἀρχηγοῖς ἐξακολουθεῖν.

ἀλαζονείᾳ: pretense, arrogance, boasting – a thoroughly negative word: James 4:16; 1 John 2:16

ἀκαταστασίᾳ: disorder. The word is used twice in Paul’s letter to Corinth, 1 Cor. 14:33 & 2 Cor. 12:20: “For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder” (ESV). “Jealousy” is also used by Clement in the next phrase; however, this is not a clear allusion – even though the ideas are similar.

μυσεροῦ ζήλους ἀρχηγοῖς ἐξακολουθεῖν: to follow leaders of loathsome jealousy;

This entire clause present some difficulties due to the variability of usage and the mix of cases.

μυσεροῦ: Not used in the NT, “of loathsome”. This potentially modifies rulers: loathsome rulers (attributive genitive). It could modify “jealousy” “loathsome jealousy”.

Ζήλους: jealousy, genitive.

ἐξακολουθεῖν: to follow. Complementary infinitive, parallels “to be” in the previous clause.

The “en” of the preceding phrase, of itself presents some possibilities of translation: First, the preposition + dative describes the agency used by the agent (those) (see, Wallace 373). Second, it could be a general adjectival reference. Third, this may be the ‘dative of rule,” that is, they are such according to the particular standard. Fourth, it may be a dative of manner, “with”.

The genitive phrase, “of loathsome jealousy” – this could modify either “disorder” or “leaders”.

The difficulty of the translation can be seen in the slight variations of the translators. Lightfoot translates the “en” phrase as an agency used by the leaders.

rather than follow those who in arrogance and unruliness have set themselves up as leaders in abominable jealousy

Joseph Barber Lightfoot and J. R. Harmer, The Apostolic Fathers (London: Macmillan and Co., 1891), 63. This seems ambiguous: the phrase “in abominable jealousy” comes along awkwardly at the end as a limping adjectival phrase

Lake:

rather than to follow those who in pride and unruliness are the instigators of an abominable jealousy.

Pope Clement I, Pope Clement I, et al., The Apostolic Fathers, ed. Pope Clement I et al., vol. 1, The Loeb Classical Library (London: Heinemann, 1912–1913), 31. Lake takes “pride and unruliness” to describe at least the sphere in which the leaders are operating. Their leadership is “an abominable jealousy.”

Brannan:

rather than to follow those instigators of loathsome jealousy in arrogance and insurrection.

Rick Brannan, trans., The Apostolic Fathers in English (Logos Bible Software, 2012). The dative describe the sphere of action. The accusative jealousy is an adjective (accusative of manner

The dative is the sphere of activity.

Holmes:

Rather than follow those who in arrogance and unruliness have set themselves up as leaders in abominable jealousy

Holmes follows largely after Lightfoot.

Grant & Osborne:

Rather than follow those arrogant and unruly instigators of a detestable jealousy.

They take arrogant and unruly as adjectives describing the leaders and place the whole in the sphere of detestable jealousy.

The leaders are leaders of a “loathsome jealousy”. They operate by means of arrogance and disorder.

βλάβην γὰρ οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν: For it is not just receiving harm

βλάβην: means harm. However, due to the contrast in the next phrase, “great danger”, the implication is “mere harm”, “insignificant harm”.

τὴν τυχοῦσαν: the [harm] received, that is, “common” [context dependent].

μᾶλλον δὲ κίνδυνον ὑποίσομεν μέγαν: but rather great danger we shall endure

ὑποίσομεν: we shall endure.

ἐὰν ῥιψοκινδύνως ἐπιδῶμεν ἑαυτοὺς: if we rashly surrender ourselves

Third class conditional sentence, “ean” + subjunctive: This specifies what is (likely) to occur in the future, if something happens. The triggering future event is uncertain, but the connection to the outcome is not.

ῥιψοκινδύνως: Rashly, foolhardy. Not used in NT.

ἐπιδῶμεν ἑαυτοὺς: we hand over ourselves. The verb is subjunctive: hand over, yield control over, surrender. The pronoun is reflexive.

τοῖς θελήμασιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων: to the will of men

The dative is the dative of indirect object.

The genitive “of men” is adjectival (producer: men produce the will/desire). The use of “men” is to highlight the distinction with God.

οἵτινες ἐξακοντίζουσιν εἰς ἔριν καὶ στάσεις: those who will hurl [you] out to anger and rebellion

οἵτινες: relative pronoun, nominative plural.

ἐξακοντίζουσιν: very emphatic verb; not very common in the literature. Once in the Apostolic Fathers; never in NT. Xenophon uses it to describe the “hurling” of soldiers in battle, “καὶ ἐξηκόντιζον τοῖς παλτοῖς,” they hurled their spears.

στάσεις: means riot, revolt, rebellion – the crime of Barabbas, Mark 15:7.

εἰς τὸ ἀπαλλοτριῶσαι ἡμᾶς τοῦ καλῶς ἔχοντος: to estrange you from having good.

Eis + articular infinitive (Wallace, 611): εἰς τὸ ἀπαλλοτριῶσαι. For the purpose of (or with the result).

χρηστευσώμεθα αὐτοῖς: let us [hortatory subjunctive] to them

Note that Clement responds to evil with love.

κατὰ τὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν καὶ γλυκύτητα: according to the compassion and sweetness

Kata plus accusative: according to the standard of.

τοῦ ποιήσαντος ἡμᾶς: the maker of us

The participle is substantival: the one who made us. The genitive is source/producer: God produces the compassion – he is the source of the compassion.

Lightfoot and Grant translate “them” as “one-another” – which is not tenable here. First, it is the wrong word. Second, it is the wrong idea. Holmes rightly identifies “them” as the leaders of the schism.

Translation and Notes, 1 Clement 13 (Walk Humbly)

18 Tuesday Jun 2013

Posted by memoirandremains in 1 Clement, Greek, Humility, New Testament Background

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1 Clement, 1 Clement translation, Apostolic Fathers, Commentary on 1 Clement, First Clement, Greek Translation, humility

(The previous post in this series can be found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/1-clement-12-commentary-and-translation/)

1 Clement 13:

Therefore, let us humble ourselves, brothers – putting away all boasting and blindness and foolishness and wrath; let us obey what is written. For the Holy Spirit says

Let not the wiseman boast in his wisdom

Neither the strong man in his strength

Neither the rich man in his riches

But let him who boast, boast in the Lord, so that he will seek him and do justice and righteousness.

Especially, remember the word of the Lord – as he taught gentleness and longsuffering:

Show mercy that you may receive more

Forgive that you may be forgiven

As you do, thus it will be done to you.

As you give, thus it will be given to you.

As you judge, thus you shall be judged.

As you showing loving kindness, thus you will be shown loving kindness.

With what you measure, so it will be measured for you.

By means of this command and these promises, let us strength ourselves for the purpose of obedience [to walk in obedience]– being humble mind through his words which show us what is fitting for a saint. For the holy word says,

Upon whom will I look, but upon the one who is meek and quiet and trembles at my word.

Comment: The tone of Clement throughout is humble and emphatic. He does not state that the Corinthians need such humility, but he does not. Rather, the exhortations are all “we” , “let us”.

He calls them onto humility: first by referencing the OT examples given; second, by means of new quotations: 1) Jeremiahs 9:23-24 (quoted by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:31); 2) a summary of Jesus’ exhortations; and 3) a promise from Isaiah 66:2.

Translation Notes:

The only difficulty in translation appears in the last clause of the third verse. Here are the alternative translations:

With this commandment and these precepts let us confirm ourselves, that we may walk in obedience to His hallowed words, with lowliness of mind.

-Lightfoot.

With this commandment and with these instructions let us strengthen ourselves to walk, being obedient to his saintly words, being humble-minded

-Brannan.

With this commandment and with these injunctions let us strengthen ourselves to walk in obedience to his hallowed words and let us be humble-minded

-Lake

…for conduct obedient to his holy words in all humility

-Grant

…that we may humbly walk in obedience to his holy words

-Holmes

Ταπεινοφρονήσωμεν οὖν, ἀδελφοί

Let us be humble (have humble minds) therefore, brothers

Hortatory subjunctive: “let us be humble”.

The verb to be humble carries negative connotations outside of Christian literature.

Liddle & Scott define the word as meaning, “low, mean-spirited, base”. For example, Epictetus, Discourses 1.9.10-11

[10] ἐγὼ μὲν οἶμαι, ὅτι ἔδει καθῆσθαι τὸν πρεσβύτερον ἐνταῦθα οὐ τοῦτο μηχανώμενον, ὅπως μὴ ταπεινοφρονήσητε μηδὲ ταπεινοὺς μηδ᾽ ἀγεννεῖς τινας διαλογισμοὺς διαλογιεῖσθε αὐτοὶ περὶ ἑαυτῶν [11] ἀλλὰ μή τινες ἐμπίπτωσιν τοιοῦτοι νέοι, οἳ ἐπιγνόντες τὴν πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς συγγένειαν καὶ ὅτι δεσμά τινα ταῦτα προσηρτήμεθα τὸ σῶμα

Long translate this, “I indeed think that the old man ought to be sitting here, not to contrive how you may have no mean thoughts nor mean and ignoble talk about yourselves, but to take care that there be not among us any young men of such a mind, that when they have recognised their kinship to God, and that we are fettered by these bonds, the body …”

Or as Wigglesworth has it, “One would think that you would need an instructor, not to guard you from thinking too meanly or ignobly of yourselves”

ἀποθέμενοι πᾶσαν ἀλαζονείαν καὶ τύφος καὶ ἀφροσύνην καὶ ὀργάς

Putting away all boasting and blindness and foolishness and wrath

The structure of this command looks very similar to NT usage[1]. The language of James and 1 Peter is the closest in construction to Clement’s usage – but it is not similar enough to demonstrate copying.

ἀλαζονείας: boasting is a common word for Clement. It is also found in 14.1, 16.2, 21.5 & 35.5.

καὶ ποιήσωμεν τὸ γεγραμμένον

and let us do (obey) that which has been written

The articular participle for the substantive.

λέγει γὰρ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον

For says the the Spirit, the Holy One,

For the Holy Spirit says.

τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον: this particular construction for “the Holy Spirit” is quite common – appearing 20 times in the NT. The clause, “the Holy Spirits says” appears in Hebrews 3:7.

Μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ σοφὸς ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ αὐτοῦ:

Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom

Here he quotes Jeremiah 9:24-25 LXX with slight modification (the LXX appears in the margin[2]). The most notable difference is that Jeremiah attributes the quotation to the Lord (kurios) and Clement (following Hebrews?) attributes the quotation to the Holy Spirit.

μηδὲ ὁ ἰσχυρὸς ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ αὐτοῦ, μηδὲ ὁ πλούσιος ἐν τῷ πλούτῳ αὐτοῦ

Neither the strong one in his strength; neither the rich one in his wealth

ἀλλʼ ἢ ὁ καυχώμενος ἐν Κυρίῳ καυχάσθω

but the boasting one in the Lord let him boast

Participle for the substantive.

τοῦ ἐκζητεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ ποιεῖν κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην

to seek him and to do judgment and righteousness.

The genitive articular infinitive may here indicate result or purpose. The one who boasts in the Lord will result in one who seeks the Lord and does justice and righteousness.

μάλιστα μεμνημένοι τῶν λόγων τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ,

especially remembering the words of the Lord Jesus

These words are similar to the sayings of the Sermon on the Mount but do not directly quote from the sermon. “It cannot be determined whether this compilation was in circulation orally or in writing” (Grant, 36).

οὓς ἐλάλησεν διδάσκων ἐπιείκειαν καὶ μακροθυμίαν

which he spoke, teaching gentleness and longsuffering

The participle “teaching” modifies “he spoke” as a telic participle: the purpose fo the speaking was to teach gentleness and longsuffering.

οὕτως γὰρ εἶπεν

For thus he said

Introduces the quotation.

Ἐλεᾶτε ἵνα ἐλεηθῆτε,

Show mercy in order that you may receive mercy

The use of “hina” plus the subjunctive “indicates both the intention and its sure accomplishment” (Wallace, 473).

ἀφίετε ἵνα ἀφεθῇ ὑμῖν·

Forgive in order that you may be forgiven

ὡς ποιεῖτε, οὕτω ποιηθήσεται ὑμῖν·

As you do, thus it shall be done to you

ὡς δίδοτε οὕτως δοθήσεται ὑμῖν·

as you give, thus it shall be given to you

Luke 6:38 (SBLGNT)

³⁸δίδοτε, καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν·

ὡς κρίνετε, οὕτως κριθήσεσθε·

as you judge, thus you shall be judged.

Matthew 7:2 (SBLGNT)

²ἐν ᾧ γὰρ κρίματι κρίνετε κριθήσεσθε, καὶ ἐν ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε μετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν.

ὡς χρηστεύεσθε, οὕτως χρηστευθήσεται ὑμῖν·

as you show loving kindness, thus you shall be shown loving kindness

This exact verb is not quoted as being used by Jesus, but it does appear in 1 Corinthians 13:4, “love is …kind”.

ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε, ἐν αὐτῷ μετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν

in what measure you measure, thus it shall be measured to you

Matthew 7:2.

3 Ταύτῃ τῇ ἐντολῇ καὶ τοῖς παραγγέλμασιν τούτοις

By means of the command and these promises

The use of the demonstrative pronoun and the article is interesting, although not rare. Here, the articles are anaphoric, pointing back to that just quoted. The pronoun makes it more emphatic This very command …..

Luke 12:20 (ESV)

²⁰But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’

Examples, Matthew 12:45, 16:18, 26:34,

The dative shows the means of obedience.

στηρίξωμεν ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τὸ πορεύεσθαι ὑπηκόους

Let us strength ourselves for the purpose of going on to obedience

Eis + article + infinitive: For the purpose of (Wallace, 591).

We are strengthened with the end of obedience.

ὄντας τοῖς ἁγιοπρεπέσι λόγοις αὐτοῦ, ταπεινοφρονοῦντες

being humble minded by means of his words which show what is fitting for a saint

ὄντας: Being, an accusative predicate, matching “ourselves” in the preceding clause.

τοῖς ἁγιοπρεπέσι λόγοις: The dative demonstrates the means of being humble minded – as the dative was used in the previous sentence “this command ….”

ἁγιοπρεπής: as if fitting for a holy one – not used in the NT. Adjective modifying “words” the fitting for saints words

αὐτοῦ: his, Jesus’.

ταπεινοφρονοῦντες: being … humble minded.

φησὶν γὰρ ὁ ἅγιος λόγος

As the holy word says

Ἐπὶ τίνα ἐπιβλέψω,

Upon whom will I look

Epiblepein – to look upon, means more than merely see; it connotes special concern or care.

ἀλλʼ ἢ ἐπὶ τὸν πραῢν καὶ ἡσύχιον καὶ τρέμοντά μου τὰ λόγιὰ

except upon the one who is meek and quiet and trembles at my words

[1] Hebrews 12:1 (SBLGNT)

Τοιγαροῦν καὶ ἡμεῖς, τοσοῦτον ἔχοντες περικείμενον ἡμῖν νέφος μαρτύρων, ὄγκον ἀποθέμενοι πάντα καὶ τὴν εὐπερίστατον ἁμαρτίαν, διʼ ὑπομονῆς τρέχωμεν τὸν προκείμενον ἡμῖν ἀγῶνα,

Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

James 1:21 (SBLGNT)

²¹διὸ ἀποθέμενοι πᾶσαν ῥυπαρίαν καὶ περισσείαν κακίας ἐν πραΰτητι δέξασθε τὸν ἔμφυτον λόγον τὸν δυνάμενον σῶσαι τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν.

James 1:21 (ESV)

²¹Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

1 Peter 2:1 (SBLGNT)

Ἀποθέμενοι οὖν πᾶσαν κακίαν καὶ πάντα δόλον καὶ ⸀ὑποκρίσεις καὶ φθόνους καὶ πάσας καταλαλιάς,

1 Peter 2:1 (ESV)

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

[2] Jeremiah 9:22–23 (LXX)

²²Τάδε λέγει κύριος Μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ σοφὸς ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ ἰσχυρὸς ἐν τῇ ἰσχύι αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ πλούσιος ἐν τῷ πλούτῳ αὐτοῦ, ²³ἀλλ̓ ἢ ἐν τούτῳ καυχάσθω ὁ καυχώμενος, συνίειν καὶ γινώσκειν ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ποιῶν ἔλεος καὶ κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἐν τούτοις τὸ θέλημά μου, λέγει κύριος.

1 Clement 12: Commentary and Translation

05 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by memoirandremains in 1 Clement, Ante-Nicene, Greek, Historical Theology, Justification

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1 Clement, 1 Clement 12, Apostolic Fathers, Apostolic Preaching of the Cross, blood, First Clement, First Clement Translation, historical theology, Justification by Faith, Rahab

Through faith and kindness, Rahab the prostitute was saved.

When Joshua the son of Nun had sent spies into Jericho, the king of that land knew they had come to spy out the land. So the king sent men to seize the spies so they could kill them. It was then that kind Rahab welcomed the spies: she hid them beneath the flax on the roof.

The king’s men appeared and said, “The spies who came into this land came in here. The King orders you to turn them over to us.”

She answered, “The men you are seeking did come in here; but immediately they went out and on their way.” With that she motioned with her hand pointing them in the wrong direction.

Later she said to the spies, “I, I know that the Lord, your God, has already turned this city right here into your hands. I know this because great fear and trembling for you has fallen on everyone who lives here. So, when you come and take this city, recuse me and all my father’s house.”

They said to her, “It will be as you have said: When you know that we are here, bring everyone under your roof – there they will be saved. Now, if we find someone outside of your house, they will be destroyed.”

Then granted to give her a token, some scarlet she should hang from her house.

Doing this made clear that redemption is through the blood of Christ, for all those who believe and hope in God.

You see beloved, not only faith – but prophecy is in this woman.

Comment:

Clement sets before the Corinthians the example of Rahab who was saved by faith and hospitality (of a rather extreme sort). Her physical salvation from the destruction of Jericho is used as an example of the ultimate salvation available in Christ:

πρόδηλον ποιοῦντες ὅτι διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ Κυρίου λύτρωσις ἔσται πᾶσιν τοῖς πιστεύουσιν καὶ ἐλπίζουσιν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεόν

Making plain beforehand that redemption is through the blood of Christ for all those who believe and hope in God.

By drawing this connection, Clement is making a veiled accusation that the Corinthians are demonstrating no true faith – and thus are not saved (very much in the model of James 2).

Translation Notes:

Διὰ πίστιν καὶ φιλοξενίαν

By means of –through – faith and hospitality

ἐσώθη Ῥαὰβ ἡ πόρνη

[she]was saved Rahab the prostitute

Was saved: aorist passive. She was saved by the actions of the spies and Israel. Yet, she was ultimately saved – as is the point of Clement’s account – by the blood of Christ by means of her faith.

ἐκπεμφθέντων γὰρ ὑπὸ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ τοῦ Ναυὴ

For being sent out by Joshua of Nun (the son of Nun)

In Greek “Joshua” and “Jesus” are the same name. The specification of Joshua the son of Nu.

Sent out: an aorist passive participle: the sending occurred prior to the salvation.

κατασκόπων εἰς τὴν Ἰεριχώ

spies into Jericho

The spies actually came into the city. Jericho is an indeclinable proper noun.

ἔγνω ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς γῆς

[he] learned the king of the land

The: that particular land (there many kings in Canaan).

ὅτι ἥκασιν κατασκοπεῦσαι τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν

that they had entered to spy out their country

Had entered/were present. The infinitive gives the purpose of their presence: to spy out the land.

καὶ ἐξέπεμψεν ἄνδρας τοὺς συλλημψομένους αὐτούς

and he sent men to apprehend them

To apprehend is a future middle participle: logically and grammatically, it is subsequent to the action of the main verb – the king sent out men. The participle indicates purpose. Wallace notes that the future participle is “always” telic (636). The king sent the men for the purpose of arresting the spies.

ὅπως συλλημφθέντες θανατωθῶσιν

in order that being apprehended they should be killed

Being apprehended – when they will be apprehended: aorist passive participle. The aorist does not indicate that the apprehension has already occurred; but rather establishes the logical connection: when the arrest has been complete, they will be killed.

Should be killed: a future, passive subjunctive.

ἡ οὖν φιλόξενος Ῥαὰβ εἰσδεξαμένη αὐτοὺς

Therefore the hospitable Rahab to welcome them

Therefore: Rahab knew the spies would be killed. Her actions were for the purpose of protecting the spies.

ἔκρυψεν εἰς τὸ ὑπερῷον ὑπὸ τὴν λινοκαλάμην

hid [them] upstairs under the flax

ἐπισταθέντων δὲ τῶν παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ λεγόντων·

But approaching/while standing [some men] from the king and saying

Approaching/standing by: this is subordinate to the action of speaking: a temporal participle, contemporaneous with the action of speaking.

Speaking/saying: a present active participle: it introduces the action of the main verb.

Πρὸς σὲ εἰσῆλθον οἱ κατάσκοποι τῆς γῆς ἡμῶν·

They came to you the spies of our land [the one’s spying].

Individualizing and particularizing – note the article & “our” land. Rahab, we’re all in this together.

ἐξάγαγε αὐτούς, ὁ γὰρ βασιλεὺς οὕτως κελεύει·

send them out, for thus the King commands

ἡ δὲ ἀπεκρίθη

But she answered

Εἰσῆλθον μὲν οἱ ἄνδρες,

First the men entered

The “men” is answered with the alla – not de, as most common. On one hand they came in, on the other, they went out.

οὕς ζητεῖτε, πρός με,

those you seek [came] to me

ἀλλὰ εὐθέως ἀπῆλθον

But immediately they went out

καὶ πορεύονται τῇ ὁδῷ·

and they went in the way

ὑποδεικνύουσα αὐτοῖς ἐναλλάξ

making plain to them crosswise

Making plain/indicating: present participle: the participle shows the outcome of the main verb: she answered.

ἐναλλάξ: crosswise, in the opposite direction. ἀλλαχοῦ: go in the other direction.

Καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς τοὺς ἄνδρας·

And she said to the men

Knowing I know

γινώσκουσα γινώσκωἐγὼ

knowing I personally know

This sort of complementary participle plus finite verb is similar to the emphatic construction in Hebrew: e.g., “You shall surely die” (מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת the infinite absolute following by finite verb). The emphatic nature of the construction is increased by the unnecessary pronoun: knowing, I know – I.

ὅτι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν

that the Lord your God

Hoti introduces the content of her knowledge.

παραδὶδωσιν ὑμῖν τήν πόλιν ταύτην,

delivers to you this city

The present for the future: “when an action still future is to be designed as good as already present, either because it is already firmly resolved upon or because it follows according to some unalterable law” (Winer, 265). The accusative is the direct object, God is delivering the city ….

Tauten: This city. No ambiguity would result without the demonstrative pronoun – however, Rahab’s language throughout shows extreme emotional agitation: I, I know that the Lord your God is giving you this very city!

ὁ γὰρ φόβος καὶ ὁ τρόμος ὑμῶν ἐπέπεσεν τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν αὐτήν.

For the fear and trembling of you fell upon those dwelling in her

For gives the reason for the certainty of Rahab’s conclusion.

ὡς ἐὰν οὖν γένηται λαβεῖν αὐτὴν ὑμᾶς,

as it will be therefore that you take her [the city]

William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1106.

διασώσατέ με καὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρός μου

absolutely save me and my father’s house

Rahab’s intensity of language continues: an aorist imperative and an emphatic version save: rescue.

καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῇ

and they said to her

Dative of indirect object.

Ἔσται οὕτως ὡς ἐλάλησας ἡμῖν.

It shall be thus as you spoke to us

ὡς ἐὰν οὖν γνῷς παραγινομένους ἡμᾶς,

When you know of our coming to here (appearing)

Our coming here/our presence: In the future, when you know (aorist – the event has taken place) and simultaneously we are present.

συνάξεις πάντας τοὺς σοὺς ὑπὸ τὸ τέγος σου,

gather together all those under your roof

You will gather: the indicative is being used as a substitute for the imperative: gather: “The future indicative is sometimes used for a command, almost always in OT quotations (due to a literal translation of the Hebrew)” (Wallace, 452)

καὶ διασωθήσονται·

and they will be rescued

The rescue will come: indicative not subjunctive.

ὅσοι γὰρ ἐὰν εὑρεθῶσιν ἔξω τῆς οἰκίας, ἀπολοῦνται ⁷

But as many as may be found outside your house, they will be destroyed

A third class condition: ean + subjunctive: there is a logical connection: If they are found outside, they will be destroyed.

καὶ προσέθεντο αὐτῇ δοῦναι σημεῖον,

and they granted to gave her a sign

προστίθημι: to set before, therefore (here) togrant.

To give: a complementary infinitive.

ὅπως κρεμάσῃ ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτῆς κόκκινον,

thus she should hang from out of her house a scarlet []

It does not specify exactly what was scarlet: they just gave her a “scarlet” for her to hang.

πρόδηλον ποιοῦντες

making clear beforehand

ὅτι διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ Κυρίου λύτρωσις

that through the blood of Christ redemption/ransom

For lutrosis, see Morris, The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross.

ἔσται πᾶσιν τοῖς πιστεύουσιν καὶ ἐλπίζουσιν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεόν.

is to all those who believe and hope upon God

This is as emphatic a statement of justification by faith as could be found in Luther or Calvin.

Ὁρᾶτε, ἀγαπητοί,

You see, beloved

οὐ μόνον πίστις ἀλλὰ προφητεία ἐν τῇ γυναικὶ γέγονεν.

Not only faith but prophecy in the woman is found/has been found.

1 Clement 11, Translation and Commentary

29 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by memoirandremains in 1 Clement, Faith, Genesis, Greek, Hospitality, James

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1 Clement, Apostolic Fathers, First Clement, Genesis 19, godliness, Greek Translation, hospitality, James 1, judgment, Lot, Lot's Wife, Sodom

Because he showed hospitality and was godly, Lot was saved when Sodom and all the surrounding country was destroyed by fire and sulphur. The Master has made clear already that he does not forsake those who trust him; but those of a contrary bent, he appoints to pain and punishment. For even Lot’s wife, though she went out with him did not have the same mind; and she was appointed as a sign for everyone, a salt pillar which remains until today: those doubled-minded, those who doubt the power of God will find themselves also tokens of God’s judgment for all generations.

XI. Διὰ φιλοξενίαν καὶ εὐσέβειαν Λὼτ ἐσώθη ἐκ Σοδόμων, τῆς περιχώρου πάσης κριθείσης διὰ πυρὸς καὶ θείου· πρόδηλον ποιήσας ὁ δεσπότης, ὅτι τοὺς ἐλπίζοντας ἐπʼ αὐτὸν οὐκ ἐγκαταλείπει, τοὺς δὲ ἑτεροκλινεῖς ὑπάρχοντας εἰς κόλασιν καὶ αἰκισμὸν τίθησιν· 2 συνεξελθούσης γὰρ αὐτῷ τῆς γυναικός, ἑτερογνώμονος ὑπαρχούσης καὶ οὐκ ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ, εἰς τοῦτο σημεῖον ἐτέθη ὥστε γενέσθαι αὐτὴν στήλην ἁλὸς ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης, εἰς τὸ γνωστὸν εἶναι πᾶσιν ὅτι οἱ δίψυχοι καὶ οἱ διστάζοντες περὶ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δυνάμεως εἰς κρίμα καὶ εἰς σημείωσιν πάσαις ταῖς γενεαῖς γίνονται.

Comment:

Clement continues to press his point to the rebellious Corinthians. Here he notes that God rescues those who trust God (as shown by Lot’s hospitality and godliness). Yet those who doubt God’s power will find themselves (like Lot’s wife) the subject of God’s judgment.

Translation:

Διὰ φιλοξενίαν καὶ εὐσέβειαν

Because of/due to hospitality and godliness

Dia + the accusative means “owing to, thank to, on account of, in consequence of” …dia tous qeous eswxomhn I was saved thanks to the gods” …Smyth, 1685.2.d, p. 375. By throwing this clause prior to the main action of the sentence (the salvation of Lot), Clement forces attention on the cause of the salvation.

In referencing “hospitality”, Clement apparently refers to the hospitality granted to the angels (that Lot would have been hospitable at other times may not be doubted, but it is likely not in view):

19 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth 2 and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” 3 But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. Genesis 19:1–3 (ESV)

As for godliness, while the LXX does not use the word “godliness” to describe those saved (it uses the word “righteous”); the negative – ungodly (asebhs) is used to describe those who will be destroyed (Gen. 18:24, LXX).

Λὼτ ἐσώθη ἐκ Σοδόμων

Lot was saved from Sodom

Saved is a “divine passive”. The preposition “ek” shows that Lot was taken out from the middle of, as opposed to the side of, Sodom.

τῆς περιχώρου πάσης κριθείσης

of the surrounding country, all of it, was judged

At the time when all the area was judged.

The article probably is used to refer to the monadic (Wallace, 223) judgment – the only one of its kind. This is an example of the first attributive position, article, adjective (here an adjectival phrase), substantive.

The genitive here refers to the time during which the judgment took place: Lot was saved at the time of judgment (Wallace, 122). For thorough examination of the theme of rescue from judgment, see God’s Glory in Salvation Through Judgment, James M. Hamilton, Jr.

διὰ πυρὸς καὶ θείου

by means of fire and sulphur

Symth notes that dia plus genitive can reference the “means” of an action and gives the example, dia toutou grammata pemyas sending a letter by this man. Smyth, 1685.1.d, 374.

πρόδηλον ποιήσας ὁ δεσπότης

before plainly he did the master: the Master made clear [to Lot] beforehand

“Made/did” is an aorist participle, subordinated to the main verb forsake in the next clause. This is a temporal participle, it tells us when the Master acted: First, the participle is aorist (which tends to indicate an time prior to a principle, present, active verb; Wallace, 624). Second, the adverb, before-clear/plain (beforehand is the closest English) requires a temporal reference.

ὅτι τοὺς ἐλπίζοντας ἐπʼ αὐτὸν οὐκ ἐγκαταλείπει

that those who hope (those hoping) upon him he would not leave behind

Here hoti functions as a content conjunction (that), “This use involves a conjunction that introduces a subject ….” Wallace, 678.

The verb is singular, because the subject is the Master: the Master does not leave

Symth notes that epi + the accusative can mean “reference”. Symth also has a note that epi + accusative can be used to bring out “hostility” towards; hence, it could also bring a positive intense relationship. Here is an interesting note, “To express purpose epi with accusative is generally used when the purpose involves actual or implied motion toward an object; epi with dative is used when the purpose may be attained by mental activity” (Smyth, 1689.3.d, note; 379).

τοὺς δὲ ἑτεροκλινεῖς ὑπάρχοντας

but those inclined to

The de sets up a contrast with those saved.

The substantive is a present, active accusative participle those existing.

The adjective (heteroklineis) means, inclined to, having a propensity for (a metaphorical use derived from leaning) – here there is a contrast with those who hope. Thus, the hetero-leaning is leaning away from trust in God.

Εἰς κόλασιν καὶ αἰκισμὸν τίθησιν

to punishment and mistreatment he [God] appoints

συνεξελθούσης γὰρ αὐτῷ τῆς γυναικός

For [when] she had gone out with him, the wife

She had gone out: an adverbial, temporal participle.

ἑτερογνώμονος ὑπαρχούσης καὶ οὐκ ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ,

being otherwise opinioned and not in one mind (not having the same mind, as Lot)

εἰς τοῦτο σημεῖον ἐτέθη

to this sign she was appointed

The verb tiqhmi is repeated here from the preceding sentence: God has appointed to punishment those who will not hope on him. Lot’s wife was appointed to be a “sign”.

ὥστε γενέσθαι αὐτὴν στήλην ἁλὸς

so that she became a salt pillar

hoste with the anarthrous infinitive expresses result: With the result that she became (Wallace, 610)

ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης

until this day

εἰς τὸ γνωστὸν εἶναι πᾶσιν

to be known by all

Eis is here used to express the goal, purpose, intention of God’s action. Smyth, 686.d, 376.

ὅτι οἱ δίψυχοι καὶ οἱ διστάζοντες

that the double-minded and the doubting

The language here very much echoes James 1:5-8:

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:5–8 (ESV)

While the world “doubled-minded” is the same in Clement and James, the word for “doubt” is different. Neither Holmes nor Grant note this as an allusion to James. Grant writes, “It is obviously a concept characteristic of Jewish Christianity” (Grant, Apostolic Fathers vol. 1, p. 33).

περὶ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δυνάμεως

concerning the power of God

Peri + genitive, concerning, Smyth, 1393.b, 383.

Lot’s wife (and those like her) doubt the power of God.

εἰς κρίμα καὶ εἰς σημείωσιν

for judgment and for a sign

πάσαις ταῖς γενεαῖς γίνονται

for/thoughout all generations they are

Those like Lot’s wife are a made to be a sign of those who doubt.

The dative emphasizes the point in time – here defined as “all generations”.