There is a "fellow-laborer" with Paul of the name of Clement, mentioned
in his Epistle to the Philippians (iv., 3), but whether this is the
same individual whom the Catholics make a Pope of Rome, and some of the
Fathers say was a kinsman of the Roman Emperor, is a matter of dispute,
and much doubted by the best authorities. Bishop Lightfoot ("St. Paul's
Epistles: Philippians," p. 166) says: "The notices of time and place are
opposed to the identification of the two." A sufficient evidence of the
estimation in which St. Clement was held, however, is to be found in the
number of forgeries which Christian piety have palmed upon the world in
his name. In the Alexandrian Codex, one of the oldest and most important
manuscripts of the New Testament, two epistles addressed to the
Corinthians stand inscribed with his name, and are enumerated in the
list of books of the New Testament. Of these, the second is on all hands
allowed to be a forgery, and the first is generally considered to be
interpolated. That forgeries or interpolations have taken place in
regard to those books of the same Codex which, upon the authority of
certain Fathers, have been formed into the received canon of sacred
Scripture, must not, of course, be suspected on pain of everlasting
burning. The fact of the Epistle to the Hebrews being ascribed to St
Paul, the second Epistle ascribed to St Peter, and such texts as those
of the heavenly witnesses (1 John v., 7, 8), show any scholar that
nothing of the kind could have taken place by any possibility whatever.
Is it likely that God would allow his Holy Word to be tampered with?
The history of Clement of Rome, says Canon Westcott ("On the Canon," p.
22,1881), "is invested with mythic dignity which is without example in
the Ante-Nicene Church." It was too utterly impossible for other Fathers
and founders of the Church to be invested with mythic dignity. Jesus
must have come of the seed of King David, even though Joseph had nothing
to do with his genealogy. "The events of his life," Westcott goes on to
say, "have become so strangely involved in consequence of the religious
romances which bear his name, that they remain in inextricable
confusion." And so indeed they are; almost as badly as those of the
founder of Christianity.
Clement is called at one time a disciple of St. Paul, and at another of
St. Peter, who Paul withstood to his face because he was to be blamed
(Gal. ii., 11). The Abbe Migne, in his Patrologie, makes him Pope in
91 A.C. The Clementine Homilies, purporting to be written by Clement
himself, says he was ordained by Peter. Some put the first Popes as
Linus, Cletus, Anacletus, and then Clement; others give their order as
Linus, Cletus, Clement, Anacletus; others Clement, Linus, &c.; in
short, they are given every way. Baron Bunsen called Anacletus a purely
apocryphal and mythical personage, and some wicked sceptics have thought
the same of the whole batch. In addition to the two epistles which stand
on the same parchment with Holy Scripture, St. Clement is credited with
two epistles to Virgins--which, though superstitious, are possibly none
the less authentic; two epistles to James the brother of the Incarnate
God, the Apostolic Canons (which include his own writings as sacred
scripture), the Apostolic Constitutions, the Recognitions, a Liturgy,
and twenty Clementine Homilies. All of these, says Mosheim, were
fraudulently ascribed to this eminent father by some deceivers, for
the purpose of procuring them greater authority. Clement has also been
supposed the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews and the Acts of the
Apostles.
Restricting ourselves for the present to the first epistle, generally
put forward as genuine, until a comparatively late date quoted as
authoritative scripture by the Fathers, put in the apostolic canons
among sacred and inspired writings, and which Eusebius tells us ("Hist.
Eccl." iii., 16) was publicly read in very many churches in old times
and even in his own day; we at once discover evidence that the writer
could not have been akin to the Caesars or of a noble Roman family. He
bespeaks his Jewish birth by his continual citation of the Jew books, by
his references to the services at Jerusalem (chaps. xl. and xli.), and
by speaking of "our father Jacob." But, like other Christian writers, he
is very loose in his quotations. For instance, he jumbles up the first
Isaiah and an apocryphal Ezekiel in the following quotation, "Say to the
children of my people, Though your sins reach from earth to heaven, and
though they be redder than scarlet and blacker than sackcloth, yet if
ye turn to me with your whole heart, and say, 'Father,' I will listen to
you as to a holy people."* He mentions (chap, lv.) "the blessed Judith,"
which book, by the way, Volkmar and others think must be dated a.c.
117-118. He also (chap, xvii.) quotes Moses as saying, "I am but as the
smoke of a pot," and other passages (chap. xxiii.-xxvi), probably from
the apocryphal "Assumption of Moses." But this is no worse than Matthew
(ii., 23) quoting as from the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene;"
Paul's wrongly quoting the Psalms (Eph. iv., 8); or Jude (ver. 14)
citing the apocryphal book of Enoch as by "the seventh from Adam." But
it somewhat vitiates his supposed testimony to the canonical books. It
is evident, however, that he was acquainted with Paul's Epistles to the
Corinthians, and his own reads at times like a bad imitation of Paul.
* Pp. 12 and 13, vol i., "Ante-Nicene Christian Library."
All our citations, unless otherwise mentioned, will be taken
from this valuable series of volumes.
The apostle to the Gentiles, and thereby the real founder of modern
Christianity, disregarding a certain threat of its supposed founder
(Matt, v., 22), ventured, in arguing for the resurrection, the somewhat
questionable statement, "Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not
quickened except it die" (1 Cor. xv., 36). Clement altogether outdoes
this. He says (chap, xxv.):
"Let us consider that wonderful sign [of the resurrection] which takes
place in eastern lands, that is, in Arabia and the countries round
about. There is a certain bird which is called a phoenix. This is the
only one of its kind, and lives five hundred years. And when the time of
its dissolution draws near that it must die, it builds itself a nest of
frankincense and myrrh, and other spices, into which, when the time is
fulfilled, it enters and dies. But as the flesh decays a certain kind of
worm is produced, which, being nourished by the juices of the dead bird,
brings forth feathers. Then, when it has acquired strength, it takes up
that nest in which are the bones of its parents, and bearing these
it passes from the land of Arabia into Egypt, to the city called
Heliopolis. And, in open day, flying in the sight of all men, it places
them on the altar of the sun, and, having done this, hastens back to its
former abode. The priests then inspect the registers of the dates,
and find that it has returned exactly as the five hundredth year was
completed." This is the way the Christian evidences were presented by
the authoritative head of the Church in the first century. Tertullian
("De Resurr. Cam.," sec. 10), takes Psalm xcii., 12, as referring to
this prodigy. St. Cyril of Jerusalem, St. Ambrose, St. Gregory, St.
Epiphanius, and other of the Fathers, follow Clement in his fable. It
is said that Clement in this only followed Herodotus, Pliny, Ovid, and
Tacitus, who mention the phoenix. This is false. Herodotus (ii., 13)
simply relates the report of others, and does not intimate that he
believed any part of it, but positively declares that some of the
statements were not credible. Pliny ("Nat. Hist," x., 2) states
expressly that the accounts may be fabulous. Ovid ("Metam.," xv.,
392) uses the legend for poetical purposes. Tacitus ("Ann.," vi., 28)
declares that the statements are uncertain. These, be it remembered,
were unenlightened heathen, but the apostolic saint founds the
distinguishing article of the Christian creed upon this mistake of an
Egyptian myth. May it not have been a phoenix, instead of a dove, which
descended on Jesus at Jordan? The cherubim described by Ezekiel were
curious fowl. There are some queer animals mentioned in the Apocalypse;
Isaiah and Job mention unicorns, and the former dragons. The Jews were
indeed great in the natural-history department. Rabbinical references to
the phoenix are numerous. The Talmud speaks of the zig, a bird of such
magnitude that when it spread out its wings the disc of the sun was
obscured; and the bar-juchne, one of whose eggs once fell down and broke
three hundred cedars and submerged sixty villages.*
* See B. H. Cowper's article on the Talmud, in "The Journal
of Sacred Literature," Jan., 1868.
The second epistle, or rather homily, of Clement, though equally bound
up with the sacred records, and placed in the Apostolical Canon, is
admitted to be spurious, and is every way less notable. The concluding
leaves of the Alexandrian manuscript have been lost. It ends abruptly
with this interesting chapter:--
"Let us expect, therefore, hour by hour, the kingdom of God in love and
righteousness, since we know not the day of the appearing of God.
For the Lord himself, being asked by one when his kingdom would come,
replied, 'When two shall be one, and that which is without as that which
is within, and the male with the female, neither male nor female.'
Now, two are one when we speak the truth one to another, and there is
un-feignedly one soul in two bodies. And 'that which is without as that
which is within' meaneth this: He calls the soul 'that which is within,'
and the body 'that which is without.' As, then, thy body is visible to
sight, so also let thy soul be manifest by good works. And 'the male
with the female, neither male nor female, this "....
Here is an interesting quotation by the earliest Christian Father of
words uttered by God Incarnate upon an important matter. Had they found
their way into the Canonical Gospels, what books would have been written
upon their beauty and sublimity! As it is, we gather from Clement of
Alexandria* that these words and other important sayings of Jesus were
found in the Gospel of the Egyptians. This gospel was certainly an
ancient one, and is supposed by Grabe, Erasmus, Du Pin, Father Simon,
Grotius, Mills, and others, to have been among those referred to by Luke
in his preamble: "Forasmuch as _many_ have taken in hand to set forth in
order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed
among us." This Gospel of the Egyptians was received by the Ophites, the
Encratites, the Valentinians, and the Sabellians. It was evidently at
one with the doctrines of the Essenes in regard to women. For instance,
Clement of Alexandria quotes from it the following: "The Lord says to
Salome: 'Death shall prevail as long as women bring forth children.'" "I
am come to destroy the works of the woman, that is, the works of female
concupiscense, generation, and corruption. When you despise a covering
for your nakedness, and when two shall be one, and the male with
the female neither male nor female." Intimations that similar views
regarding marriage were found in the early Christian Church may be
gathered from Matt, xix., 12; Rev. xiv., 4; 1 Cor. vii., 8, etc. But the
subject is too delicate to be handled by other than a divinity student.
* "Stromata," book ill-, 9, 13. The English editors have
deemed it best to give the whole of this book in Latin.
Passing, then, Clement's two epistles to virgins with the remark
that although generally rejected as spurious by Protestants, they are
considered genuine by their editors, Wetstein, Bellet, and Cardinal
Villecourt, we come to "The Recognitions of Clement." Of these
remarkable documents Hilgenfeld says, "There is scarcely a single
writing which is of so great importance for the history of Christianity
in its first stage." The editors of the Anti-Nicene Christian Library
call it "a theological romance;" but it is a question whether that
epithet would not equally fit every other so-called historical
composition of the first three centuries of the Christian era. Cardinal
Baronius ("Annal." tom, i., an. 51) call sit "a gulf of filth and
uncleanliness, full of prodigious lies and frantic fooleries." But
Cardinal Beliarmine says it was written either by Clement or by some
other author as ancient and learned as he.
It begins, "I, Clement, who was born in the city of Rome," and proceeds
to narrate his thoughts on philosophy, his doubts and hopes of a future
life. To resolve these the worthy Father determined to go to Egypt,
and bribe a magician to bring him a soul from the infernal regions to
consult whether the soul be immortal. But he heard of the Son of God
in Judea and was ready to accredit the wonders ascribed to him.
Having heard Barnabas, Clement proceeds to Caesarea and sees Peter, who
instructs him concerning the True Prophet. And now comes the curious
part of the story. Peter is engaged in continuous controversy on the
true Mosaic and Christian religion with a miracle worker, called Simon
the magician, who it is said confessed he wrought his wonders by the
help of the soul of a healthy young boy, who had been violently put to
death for that purpose, and then called up from the dead and compelled
to be his assistant. Peter follows this Simon about from place to
place, exposing him. He especially follows him to Rome. The astounding
revelation in connexion with this story we give in the words of the
author of "Supernatural Religion" (vol. ii., p. 34): "There cannot be a
doubt that the Apostle Paul is attacked in it, as the great enemy of
the true faith, under the hated name of Simon the magician, who Peter
followed everywhere for the purpose of unmasking and confuting him. He
is robbed of the title of 'Apostles of the Gentiles,' which, together
with the honor of founding the Churches of Antioch, of Laodicea, and of
Rome, is ascribed to Peter. All that opposition to Paul which is implied
in the Epistle to the Galatians and elsewhere (1 Cor. i., 11, 12; 2 Cor.
xi., 13--20; Philip i., 15, 16) is here realised and exaggerated, and
the personal difference with Peter to which Paul refers is widened into
the most bitter animosity."
The most able authorities, such as Davidson, B. Lightfoot, Mansel,
Hilgenfeld, Reuss, Baur, Scholten, and Schwegler agree in this view,
which is strongly confirmed by the epistle of Peter to James, which
stands as a preface to the Clementine Homilies, dealing with the same
matter of Simon Magus. Peter says: "For some among the Gentiles have
rejected my lawful preaching, and accepted certain lawless and foolish
teaching of the hostile man." Canon Westcott, in his edition of 1866,
said on this passage: "There can be no doubt that St. Paul is referred
to as 'the enemy'" (on the Canon, p. 252). Since the quotation of this
damaging admission by the author of "Supernatural Religion," it has been
removed. But whether the fact that the Simon Magus who is reviled in the
Clementine Recognitions is intended to represent Paul has the authority
of Canon Westcott or not, there can be no doubt that this view better
agrees with Paul's epistles, and all we know of the early Christians,
than the reconciling but unhistoric "Acts of the Apostles," which took
the place of the Clementine "theological romance," because, in the
struggle for existence, the Christian Church which was built on Paul
rather than that which was built on Peter (Matt. xvi., 18), proved to be
the fittest to survive.