Chap. i.—we ought to think highly of christ.

Brethren, it is fitting that you should think of Jesus Christ as of God,—as the Judge of the living and the dead. And it does not become us³⁸⁴⁹

3849 [C has here, and in many other places, ὑμᾶς instead of ἡμᾶς. This substitution of the second person plural is one of its marked peculiarities.—R.]

3850 [Literally, “little things;” Lightfoot, “mean things.”—R.]

3851 [Literally, “little things;” Lightfoot, “mean things.”—R.]

3852 [Lightfoot follows the Syriac, and renders: “And they that listen, as concerning mean things, do wrong; and we ourselves do wrong, not knowing,” etc. But the briefer reading of the Greek mss. is Foreign" id="x.iii-p6.3">lectio difficilior —R.]

3853 [Only S has γάρ. A has δέ, which the Edinburgh translators have rendered “for.” So twice in chap. iii.—R.]

3854 Literally, “holy things.”

3855 Comp. Ps. cxvi. 12.

3856 Literally, “lame.”

3857 Literally “of men.” [Compare Arnobius, vol. vi. p. 423.]

3858 Literally, “being full of such darkness in our sight.”

3859 Literally, “having beheld in us much error and destruction.”

3860 [C, S (apparently), and recent editors have ἕχοντας, “even when we had,” instead of ἕχοντες (A), as above paraphrased.—R.]

3861 Comp. Hos. ii. 23; Rom. iv. 17, ix. 25.

3862 Literally, “willed us from not being to be.” [Comp. n. 4, p. 365.]

Chap. ii.—the church, formerly barren, is now fruitful.

“Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for she that is desolate hath many more children than she that hath an husband.”³⁸⁶³

3863 Isa. liv. 1; Gal. iv. 27. [R. V., “the husband.”—R.]

3864 Some render, “should not cry out, like women in travail.” The text is doubtful. [Lightfoot: “Let us not, like women in travail, grow weary of offering up our prayers with simplicity to God.”—R.]

3865 [ἐπει, “since;” hence Lightfoot renders, “He so spake, because.”—R.]

3866 It has been remarked that the writer here implies he was a Gentile.

3867 Matt. ix, 13; Luke v. 32. [The briefer form given above is that of the correct text in Matthew and Mark (ii. 17), not Luke.—R.]

3868 [ἠθέλησε, “willed.”—R.] [Noteworthy. 2 Pet. iii. 9.]

3869 Comp. Matt. xviii. 11. [Luke xix. 10.—R.]

3870 Literally, “already perishing.” [Rev. iii. 2.]

Chap. iii.—the duty of confessing christ.

Since, then, He has displayed so great mercy towards us, and especially in this respect, that we who are living should not offer sacrifices to gods that are dead, or pay them worship, but should attain through Him to the knowledge of the true Father,³⁸⁷¹

3871 [Literally, “the Father of the truth.” The best editions have a period here.—R.]

3872 Literally, “what is the knowledge which is towards Him.” [C, with Bryennios. Hilgenfeld reads τη̑ς ἀληθείας, “what is the knowledge of the truth,” instead of ἡ πρὸς αὐτόν, A, S, Lightfoot, and earlier editors.—R.]

3873 [λέγει δὲ καὶ αυτός, “Yea, He Himself saith,” Lightfoot.—R.]

3874 Matt. x. 32.

3875 Comp. Matt. xxii. 37.

3876 [“Now He saith also.”—R.]

3877 Isa. xxix. 13.

Chap. iv.—true confession of christ.

Let us, then, not only call Him Lord, for that will not save us. For He saith, “Not every one that saith to Me, Lord, Lord, shall be saved, but he that worketh righteousness.”³⁸⁷⁸

3878 Matt. vii. 21, loosely quoted.

3879 [Literally, “in.”—R.]

3880 [A defect in A was thus supplied, but “these” is now accepted; so C, S.—R.]

3881 Some read “God.” [“Him” is correct.—R.]

3882 Or, “with Me.” [This is the more exact rendering of μετ' ἐμου̑.—R.]

3883 The first part of this sentence is not found in Scripture; for the second, comp. Matt. vii. 23, Luke xiii. 27. [The first part is not even identified as a citation from an apocryphal book.—R.]

Chap. v.—this world should be despised.

Wherefore, brethren, leaving willingly our sojourn in this present world, let us do the will of Him that called us, and not fear to depart out of this world. For the Lord saith, “Ye shall be as lambs in the midst of wolves.”³⁸⁸⁴

3884 Matt. x. 16.

3885 No such conversation is recorded in Scripture. [Comp. note 13.—R.]

3886 Or, “Let not the lambs fear.”

3887 Matt. x. 28; Luke xii. 4, 5.

3888 Or, “know.”

3889 The text and translation are here doubtful. [All doubt has been removed; the above rendering is substantially correct.—R.]

3890 [More exactly, “the righteous path,” τη̑ς ὁδοῦ τη̑ς δικαίας.—R.]

Chap. vi.—the present and future worlds are enemies to each other.

Now the Lord declares, “No servant can serve two masters.”³⁸⁹¹

3891 Matt. vi. 24; Luke xvi. 13.

3892 Matt. xvi. 26. [The citation is not exactly according to any evangelist. Literally, “For what advantage is it, if any one gain the whole (Comits ‘whole’) world, but forfeit his life,” or “soul.”—R.]

3893 Literally, “speaks of.” [So Lightfoot.—R].

3894 Or, “enjoy.” [Lightfoot: “but must bid farewell to the one and hold companionship with the other;” thus preserving the correspondence with the preceding sentence.—R.]

3895 The ms. has, “we reckon.” [So C and S, but Lightfoot retains the subjunctive.—R.]

3896 Ezek. xiv. 14; 20.

3897 [Literally, “But if even such righteous men.”—R.]

3898 Literally, “with what confidence shall we.”

3899 Wake translates “kingdom,” as if the reading had been βασιλείαν; but the ms. has βασίλειον, “palace.” [Lightfoot gives the former rendering, though accepting βασίλειον.—R.]

3900 [Literally, “holy and righteous works.”—R.]

Chap. vii.—we must strive in order to be crowned.

Wherefore, then, my brethren, let us struggle³⁹⁰¹

3901 [ἀγωνισωμεθα, “let us strive,” as in the games.—R.]

3902 Literally, “that many set sail for corruptible contests,” referring probably to the concourse at the Isthmian games.

3903 Or, “Let us place before us.” [The latter rendering is that of the reading found in A and C, and now accepted by many editors (θω̑μεν); but Lightfoot adheres to θέωμεν (so S), and holds the former reading to be a corruption.—R.]

3904 Or, “set sail.”

3905 Literally, “know.”

3906 Literally “if he be found corrupting.”

3907 Baptism is probably meant. [See Eph. i. 13 and Acts xix. 6.]

3908 [Or, “He saith;” “unbroken” is not necessary.—R.]

3909 Isa. lxvi. 24.

Chap. viii.—the necessity of repentance while we are on earth.

As long, therefore, as we are upon earth, let us practice repentance, for we are as clay in the hand of the artificer. For as the potter, if he make a vessel, and it be distorted or broken in his hands, fashions it over again; but if he have before this cast it into the furnace of fire, can no longer find any help for it: so let us also, while we are in this world, repent with our whole heart of the evil deeds we have done in the flesh, that we may be saved by the Lord, while we have yet an opportunity of repentance. For after we have gone out of the world, no further power of confessing or repenting will there belong to us. Wherefore, brethren, by doing the will of the Father, and keeping the flesh holy, and observing the commandments of the Lord, we shall obtain eternal life. For the Lord saith in the Gospel, “If ye have not kept that which was small, who will commit to you the great? For I say unto you, that he that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much.”³⁹¹⁰

3910 Comp. Luke xvi. 10–12.

3911 ms. has “we,” which is corrected by all editors as above. [The newly discovered authorities have the second person; most recent editors, however, adopt the first person, as Foreign" id="x.iii-p72.2">lectio difficilior. So Lightfoot; but Hilgenfeld restores ἀπολάβητε in his second edition.—R.]

3912 Some have thought this a quotation from an unknown apocryphal book, but it seems rather an explanation of the preceding words.

Chap. ix.—we shall be judged in the flesh.

And let no one of you say that this very flesh shall not be judged, nor rise again. Consider ye³⁹¹³

3913 [Editors differ as to the punctuation. Lightfoot: “Understand ye. In what were ye saved? In what did ye recover your sight? if ye were not in the flesh.” Hilgenfeld puts a comma after γνω̑τε (understand ye), and a period after ἐσώθητε (saved).—R.]

3914 Literally, “looked up.” [Both senses of ἀναβλέπειν occur in New Testament.—R.]

3915 The ms. has εἷς, “one,” which Wake follows, but it seems clearly a mistake for ὡς. [Lightfoot reads ει,with a Syriac fragment; both C and S have εἷς—R.]

3916 [C has here the curious reading λόγος instead of πνευ̑μα, but all editors retain the latter.—R.]

3917 [A reads “eternal,” and C, S, “praise;” Lightfoot and others combine the two, “eternal praise,”—R.]

3918 Matt. xii. 50.

Chap. x.—vice is to be forsaken, and virtue followed.

Wherefore, my brethren, let us do the will of the Father who called us, that we may live; and let us earnestly³⁹¹⁹

3919 Literally, “rather.”

3920 Literally, “malice, as it were, the precursor of our sins.” Some deem the text corrupt.

3921 Literally, according to the ms., “it is not possible that a man should find it who are”—the passage being evidently corrupt. [The evidence of C and S does not clear up the difficulty here, the reading of these authorities being substantially that of A. Lightfoot renders: “For for this cause is a man unable to attain happiness, seeing that they call in the fears of men,” etc. Hilgenfeld (2d ed.) assumes here a considerable gap in all the authorities, and inserts two paragraphs, cited in other authors as from Clement. The first and longer passage is from John of Damascus, and it may be accounted for as a loose citation from chap. xx. in the recovered portion of this Epistle. The other is from pseudo-Justin (Questions to the Orthodox, 74) This was formerly assigned by both Hilgenfeld and Lightfoot (against Harnack) to the First Epistle of Clement, lviii., in that portion wanting in A. But the recovered chapters (lviii.-lxiii.) contain, according to C and S, no such passage. Lightfoot thinks the reference in pseudo-Justin is to chap. xvi. of this homily, and that the mention of the Sibyl in the same author is not necessarily part of the citation from Clement. Comp. Lightfoot, pp. 308, 447, 448, 458, 459, and Hilgenfeld, 2d ed., pp. xlviii., 77.—R.]

3922 [Lightfoot, more literally, “but now they continue teaching evil to innocent souls.”—R.]

Chap. xi.—we ought to serve god, trusting in his promises.

Let us therefore serve God with a pure heart, and we shall be righteous; but if we do not serve Him, because we believe not the promise of God, we shall be miserable. For the prophetic word also declares, “Wretched are those of a double mind, and who doubt in their heart, who say, All these things have we heard even in the times of our fathers; but though we have waited day by day, we have seen none of them accomplished. Ye fools! compare yourselves to a tree; take, for instance, the vine. First of all it sheds its leaves, then the bud appears; after that the sour grape, and then the fully-ripened fruit. So, likewise, my people have borne disturbances and afflictions, but afterwards shall they receive their good things.”³⁹²³

3923 The same words occur in Clement’s first epistle, chap. xxiii.

3924 1 Cor. ii. 9.

Chap. xii.—we are constantly to look for the kingdom of god.

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.”³⁹²⁵

3925 These words are quoted (Clem. Alex., Strom., iii. 9, 13) from the Gospel according to the Egyptians, no longer extant.

3926 Thus ends the ms., but what followed will be found in Clem. Alex. as just cited.

 [The newly recovered portion follows: ]³⁹²⁷

3927 For details respecting the version here given, see Introductory Notice, pp. 514, 515.

… meaneth,³⁹²⁸

3928 Or, more correctly, both here and above, “by this He meaneth.”

3929 All editors read οὐδὲν φρονη̑, but C has φρονει̑ which is ungrammatical. In this clause, after ἵνα we would expect μηδέν; but as Lightfoot suggests, οὐδὲν may be combined as a substantive idea with θηλυκόν; comp. the use of οὐ with participles.

3930 For μηδέ (so C) Gebhardt would substitute μηδ' ἥδε, while S supplies in full, Foreign" id="x.iii-p99.3">quum soror videbit fratrem, an obvious interpretament.

3931 This seems to be an explanation of the saying above referred to, and not a citation; similar cases occur in the homily.

Chap. xiii.—disobedience causeth god’s name to be blasphemed.³⁹³²

3932 The headings to the chapters have been supplied by the editor, but in so rambling a discourse they are in some cases necessarily unsatisfactory.

Therefore, brethren,³⁹³³

3933 Hilgenfeld reads μου instead of οὗν; so S apparently. The chapters are usually introduced with οὗν (nine times) or ὤστε (five times).

3934 γινώμεθα; Lightfoot, “be found.”

3935 Literally, “ourselves,” ἑαυτοι̑ς; but the reciprocal sense is common in Hellenistic Greek, and is here required by the context.

3936 Comp. Acts v. 41, where the correct text omits αὺτου̑. The Revised Version properly capitalizes “Name” in that passage.

3937 C here, and in many other cases, reads ὑμα̑ς; comparison of mss. shows that it is a correction of the scribe.

3938 Lightfoot renders διὰ παντός, “every way;” but the temporal sense is common in Hellenistic Greek, and here required by the Hebrew.

3939 Isa. lii. 5, with πασι̑ν inserted.

3940 Lightfoot reads, καὶ πάλιν Οὐαί, following the Syriac. C has καὶ Διό. There is difficulty in identifying this second quotation: comp. Ezek. xxxvi. 20–23. Lightfoot thinks it probable that the preacher used two different forms of Isa. lii. 5.

3941 This sentence is not part of the citation, but an explanation, the words being used as if spoken by God. The Syriac text seeks to avoid this difficulty by reading, “by our not doing what we say.”

3942 Here τὰ λόγια του̑ Θεου̑ is used of the Scriptures, and with distinct reference to the New Testament; see next note.

3943 In view of the connection, this must mean “God in His oracles;” a significant testimony to the early belief in the inspiration of the Gospels.

3944 Luke vi. 27; 32, freely combined; comp. Matt. v. 44; 46. The use of χάρις υἠμιν shows that the quotation is from the former Gospel.

Chap. xiv.—the living church is the body of christ.

Wherefore,³⁹⁴⁵

3945 ὤστε, as at the beginning of chs. vii., x.

3946 Comp. Ps. lxxii. (LXX. lxxi.) 5, 17.

3947 Jer. vii. 11. Comp. Matt. xii. 13; Mark xi. 17; Luke xix. 46.

3948 Harnack says, “The Jewish synagogue is the church of death.” Lightfoot, more correctly, accepts a contrast “between mere external membership in the visible body and spiritual communion in the celestial counterpart.”

3949 Comp. Eph. i. 23 and many similar passages.

3950 Gen. i. 27; comp. Eph. v. 31-33.

3951 The reference is here is probably to the Old-Testament “books,” while the term “Apostles” may mean the New Testament in whole or part. The more direct reference probably is to Genesis and Ephesians.

3952 Lightfoot inserts in brackets λέγουσιν, δῆλον, rendering as above. Hilgenfield suggests φασὶν οἴδατε, “Ye know that the books, etc., say that.” Byrennios joins this sentence to the preceding, taking the whole as dependent on ἀγνοεῖν. Ropes renders accordingly, making a parenthesis from “for the Scripture” to “the Church.” In any case a verb of saying must be supplied, as in the Syriac.

3953 ἄνωθεν has a local and a temporal sense; the latter is obviously preferable here.

3954 “Jesus” is the subject of the latter part of the sentence.

3955 “Keep her pure;” comp. chap. viii. Lightfoot renders τηρεῖν, “guard,” here and elsewhere.

3956 The verb corresponds with that rendered “partake” in what follows.

3957 “Copy,” ἀντίτυπος, ἀντίτυπον. Comp. Heb. ix. 24; 1 Pet. iii. 21. Our use of “antitype” is different. The antithesis here is αὐθεντικόν, the original, or archetype. This mystical interpretation has a Platonic basis.

3958 Comp. the close of chap. viii.

3959 Lightfoot calls attention to the confusion of metaphors; but there is also evidence of that false exegesis which made “flesh” and “spirit” equivalent to “body” and “soul,”—an error which always leads to further mistakes.

3960 Here the word “flesh” is used in an ambiguous sense.

3961 1 Cor. ii. 9.

Chap. xv.—faith and love the proper return to god.

Now I do not think I have given you any light counsel concerning self-control,³⁹⁶²

3962 περὶ ἐγκρατείας, “temperance” in the wide New-Testament sense. Lightfoot, “continence;” in these days the prominent danger was from libidinous sins.

3963 Comp. Jas. v. 19, 20, with which our passage has many verbal correspondences.

3964 “A favorite word with our author, especially in this connection.”—Lightfoot.

3965 Isa. lviii. 9, LXX.

3966

3967 είς τὸ διδόναι του̑ αίτου̑ντος; the sense of the elliptical construction is obviously as above.

3968 ἑαυτοι̑ς. Here again in the reciprocal sense; comp. chap. xiii.

Chap. xvi.—the excellence of almsgiving.

Wherefore, brethren, having received no small occasion³⁹⁶⁹

3969 ἀφορμὴν λαβόντες, as in Rom. vii. 8; 11.

3970

3971 καιρὸν ἔχοντες, “seeing that we have time” (Lightfoot). But “opportunity” is more exact.

3972 ἀποταξώμεθα, “bid farewell to;” comp. chap. vi.

3973

3974 Comp. Mal. iv. 1.

3975

3976 Comp. Isa. xxxiv. 4, which resembles the former clause, and 2 Pet. iii. 7, 10, where the same figures occur. The text seems to be corrupt: τινες (“some”) is sustained by both the Greek and the Syriac, but this limitation is so peculiar as to awaken suspicion; still, the notion of several heavens might have been in the author’s mind.

3977

3978 Comp. Tobit xii. 8, 9; but the position given to almsgiving seems to be contradicted by the next sentence. Lightfoot seems to suspect a corruption of text here also, but in the early Church there was often an undue emphasis placed upon almsgiving.

3979

3980 1 Pet. iv. 8. Comp. Prov. x. 12; Jas. v. 20.

3981

3982 Literally, “becometh a lightener (κούφισμα) of sin;” comp. Ecclus. iii. 30.

Chap. xvii.—the danger of impenitence.

Let us therefore repent from the whole heart, that no one of us perish by the way. For if we have commandments that we should also practice this,³⁹⁸³

3983 Lightfoot, with Syriac, reads ἵνα καὶ του̑το πράσσωμεν. Comits ἵνα, and reads πράσσομεν, “If we have commandments and practise this.”

3984 Here Lightfoot thinks a verb has probably fallen out of the text.

3985 Bryennios thus connects: “in order that all may be saved, and may convert,” etc.

3986

3987 “This clearly shows that the work before us is a sermon delivered in church” (Lightfoot). The preacher is himself one of “the presbyters;” comp. chap. xix. It is possible, but cannot be proven, that he was the head of the presbyters, the parochial bishop.

3988

3989 ἐνταλμάτων, not the technical word for the commandments of the Decalogue (ἐντολαι).

3990 Syriac, “praying,” which Lightfoot thinks may be correct; but προσερχόμενοι might very easily be mistaken for προσευχόμενοι. The former means coming in worship: comp. Heb. x. 1; 22.

3991 2 Cor. xiii. 11; Phil. ii. 2.

3992 Isa. lxvi. 18. But “tribes” is inserted; comp. Dan. iii. 7. The phrase “shall see His glory” is from the passage in Isaiah, The language seems to be put into the mouth of Christ by the preacher.

3993 This implies various degrees of reward among these redeemed.

3994 τὸ βασίλειον; not exactly “the kingdom,” rather “the kingly rule.” ἐν τῷ 'Ιησου̑ is rightly explained by Lightfoot, “in the hands, in the power, of Jesus;” ξενισθήσονται is rendered above “shall think it strange,” as in 1 Pet. iv. 4; 12.

3995 “He” is properly supplied as frequently in the Gospels. There seems to be a reminiscence of John viii. 24 and similar passages.

3996 Isa. lxvi. 24; comp. chap. vii. above.

3997 C reads ὑμιν, as often, for ἡμι̑ν, Syriac, accepted by all editors.

Chap. xviii.—the preacher confesseth his own sinfulness.

Let us also become of the number of them that give thanks, that have served God, and not of the ungodly that are judged. For I myself also, being an utter sinner,³⁹⁹⁸

3998

3999 πανθαμαρτολός; occurring only here; but a similar word, παρθαμάρτητος, occurs in the Teaching, v. 2, Apostolical Constitutions, vii. 18, and Barnabas, xx.

4000 τοι̑ς ὀργάνοις; comp. Ignat., Rom., iv., Ante-Nicene Fathers, i. p. 75, where the word is rendered “instruments,” and applied to the teeth of the wild beasts in the amphitheatre. Here Lightfoot renders “engines,” regarding the metaphor as military.

4001 The phrase κἂν ἑγγὺς αυἠτη̑ς implies a doubt of attaining the aim, in accord with the tone of humility which obtains in this chapter.

Chap. xix.—he justifieth his exhortation.

Wherefore, brethren and sisters,⁴⁰⁰²

4002 Comp. the opening sentence of Barnabas, “Sons and daughters,” Ante-Nicene Fathers, i. p. 137; see also chap. xx.

4003 If any doubt remained as to the character of this writing, it would be removed by this sentence. The passage is elliptical, μετὰ τὸν θεὸν τῆς ἀλνθείας, but there is no doubt as to the meaning. The Scripture was read, and listening to it was regarded as hearing the voice of God, whose words of truth were read. Then followed the sermon or exhortation; comp. Justin, First Apology, chap. lxvii. (vol. i. p. 186). That lessons from some at least of the New Testament were included at the date of this homily, seems quite certain; comp. the references to the New Testament in chaps. ii., iii., iv., and elsewhere. It is here implied that this homily was written and “read.”

4004 The word ἒντευζις, here used, means intercession, or supplication, to God (comp. 1 Tim. ii. 1, iv. 5) in early Christian literature: but the classical sense is “entreaty:” so in the opening sentence of Justin, First Apology (vol. i. p. 163, where it is rendered “petition”).

4005 Lightfoot, with Syriac and most editors, reads σκοπόν; but C has κόπον, so Bryennios.

4006 C had originally φιλοσοφει̑ν (accepted by Hilgenfeld), but was corrected to φιλοπονει̑ν. The latter is confirmed by the Syriac, and now generally accepted, though Hilgenfeld uses the other reading to support his view that Clement of Alexandria was the author.

4007 Eph. iv. 18.

4008 C inserts τούτω; so Bryennios, Hilgenfeld, and others. Lightfoot omits, with Syriac. The punctuation above given is that of Bryennios and Lightfoot. Hilgenfeld joins this clause with what precedes.

Chap. xx.—concluding word of consolation. doxology.

But neither let it trouble your understanding, that we see the unrighteous having riches and the servants of God straitened. Let us therefore, brethren and sisters, be believing: we are striving in the contest⁴⁰⁰⁹

4009 πει̑ραν ἀθλου̑μεν; the construction is classical, and the figure common in all Greek literature.

4010 The verbs here are aorists, and have been rendered by the English past tense; the present participle (μὴ ὂν δίκαιον) describing the character of the “spirit” must, according to English usage, conform to the main verbs. Lightfoot says, “The aorist here has its common gnomic sense;” and he therefore interprets the passage as a general statement: “Sordid motives bring their own punishment in a judicial blindness.” But this gnomic sense of the aorist is not common. C reads δεσμός, which yields this sense: “and a chain weighed upon him.” Hilgenfeld refers the passage to those Christians who suffered persecution for other causes than those of righteousness. Harnack thinks the author has in mind Satan, as the prince of avarice, and regards him as already loaded with chains. If the aorist is taken in its usual sense, this is the preferable explanation; but the meaning is obscure.

To the only God invisible,⁴⁰¹¹

4011 1 Tim. i. 17.

4012 Acts iii. 15, v. 31; comp. Heb. ii. 10.

4013 The doxology is interesting, as indicating the early custom of thus closing a homily. The practice, fitting in itself, naturally followed the examples in the Epistles.

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