𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐌Ō𝐍𝐈𝐔𝐌 — 𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄-𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐒… — Patrimōnium — TG.ME

𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐌Ō𝐍𝐈𝐔𝐌 — 𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄-𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐕.𝟒: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐀𝐆𝐄 — 𝐂𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐦 First, we showed how Clement attaches familial possession to Adam toward the Corinthians, next we are going to examine Clement’s discussion of Abraham which opens another important window into how he and early Christian civilization understands the people of God. Rather than simply citing Abraham as a distant example of faith, Clement refers to him personally as “our father.” He then proceeds through Isaac and Jacob, eventually arriving at the twelve tribes of Israel and Christ’s descent “according to the flesh.” Wherefore was our father Abraham blessed? was it not because he wrought righteousness and truth through faith? Isaac, with confidence of the knowledge of things to come, willingly yielded himself as a sacrifice. Jacob with humility departed from his land because of his brother, and went unto Laban and served; and the twelve tribes of Israel were given unto him. — Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians 31.2-4, trans. J. B. Lightfoot Clement then continues: For of Jacob are all the priests and levites who minister unto the altar of God; of him is the Lord I Jesus as concerning the flesh; of him are kings and rulers and governors in the line of Judah; yea and the rest of his tribes… — Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians 32.2, trans. J. B. Lightfoot The progression of the passage is purposeful. Clement begins with “our father Abraham,” moves through Isaac and Jacob, and then explicitly identifies Jacob as the source of the twelve tribes of Israel. He even describes Christ as being “of him … according to the flesh.” Thus, Clement is not merely appealing to Abraham for a moral lesson. He places Abraham within a continuing ancestral succession and at the same time, Abraham’s righteousness through faith is precisely what Clement wants his readers to imitate. The passage therefore brings together ancestry and conduct: Abraham is called “our father,” while his faith and righteousness provide the example for those who follow him. When placed beside Clement’s earlier “our father Adam.” We are now seeing the same familial designation applied to figures occupying successive places within the Adamic ancestral line and attaching it to the people of Corinth, the identification is undeniably striking and clearly shows the nonexistence of universalism within the earliest form of the Christian church, we shall continue our examination of Clement for many more sections within this series as he speaks heavily on succession of the covenant to the church and who it pertains. Ad fontes. V.3