Fellow laborer with Paul at Philippi (Phil. 4:3). He is accounted to be one of the Apostolic Fathers, a name given to those who lived in the times of the apostles and who have left writings bearing their names.
CLEMENT, EPISTLES OF. There are two epistles ascribed to Clement, and which in the Codex Alexandrinus follow the Revelation. The first is considered genuine, but the second is very doubtful. Eusebius says of the first that it was read in the churches in early times and also in his own day. He calls it “an Epistle in the name of the church of Rome (over which church Clement is recorded as bishop) to the church at Corinth.” Apparently there was dissension in the church at Corinth: he thus addresses them: “It is disgraceful, beloved, yea, highly disgraceful and unworthy of your Christian profession, that such a thing should be heard of as that the most steadfast and ancient church of the Corinthians should, on account of one or two persons, engage in sedition against its presbyters.” A great deal is said about repentance, love, and good works; but sacrifices to be offered at Jerusalem are strangely interwoven with the exhortations, though he was writing to Gentiles.
His fanciful use of the Old Testament scriptures is remarkable. Thus in speaking of the appointment of bishops and deacons he says, “Nor was this any new thing, since indeed many ages before it was written concerning bishops and deacons. For thus saith the scripture, in a certain place, I will appoint their bishops in righteousness, and their deacons in faith” (Chap. 42). This is doubtless intended as a quotation from Isaiah 60:17 in the LXX, but altered to suit his purpose; for the LXX reads “I will make thy princes peaceable, and thine overseers righteous.” As an emblem of the resurrection Clement relates the heathen fable of the phoenix living five hundred years, and then rising again as a fresh bird from its own ashes. He then adds that God “even by a bird shows us the mightiness of His power to fulfill His promise” (Chaps. 25-26). Though there are many pious remarks scattered through the epistle, there is on the whole a great difference between it and holy scripture; a deep dark line separates it widely from everything that bears the stamp of divine inspiration.