ld
Testament.

There is very little in 1 Clement which throws any light on Christology
or on sacraments. For the history of doctrine, in fact, 1 Clement is,
considering its length, a remarkably disappointing document, but two
passages are important. In 1 Clement xlii., "The Apostles received the
Gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus the Christ was sent
from God," there is a clear statement of the supernatural claims of the
apostles, but made in such a way as to imply a lower view of Christ
than Nicene orthodoxy: he is the middle term between God and the
apostles, and is separated from the one as clearly as from the other.
The "Lord" is more than man, but is not God. The excellence of the
Lord is also expressed in 1 Clement xxxvi., in words reminiscent of
Hebrews. "This is the way" (i.e. the way referred to in Psalms l. 23,
"The sacrifice of praise shall glorify me, and therein is a way in
which I will show him the salvation of God") "beloved, in which we
found our salvation, Jesus Christ, the high priest of our offerings,
the defender and helper of our weakness. Through him we fix our gaze
on the heights of heaven, through him we see the reflection of his
faultless and lofty countenance, through him the eyes of our hearts
were opened, through him our foolish and darkened understanding
blossoms toward the light, through him the Master (_i.e._ God) willed
that we should taste the immortal knowledge, 'who being the brightness
of his majesty is by so much greater {110} than angels, as he hath
inherited a more excellent name.' For it is written that 'Who maketh
his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.' But of his son
the Master said thus, 'Thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee;
ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance.'"
The resemblance to Hebrews is obvious, but throws less light than might
be expected on Clement's Christology. What did he think was the
meaning of "To-day have I begotten thee"? The one point which comes
out clearly is that the Church was regarded as an institution for the
securing of the salvation offered by the death of Christ. It has a
divine authority, for just as Christ came from God, so the Apostles
came from Christ. It may almost be said that the Epistle has a high
Ecclesiology but an undeveloped Christology.

Thus the Christianity revealed by 1 Clement suggests a Church which had
accepted Jewish ethics and a Jewish hope for resurrect