Texts in Conversation
In Luke 6, Jesus calls for love beyond those who return it. In 2 Clement, the preacher repeats this as God's command, likely drawing on Luke's version to warn that Christians discredit their message when they fail to love others.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Luke 6:32
New Testament
31 Treat others in the same way that you would want them to treat you. 32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to be repaid, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, so that they may be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people.
2 Clement 13:4
Early Christian
3 For when the Gentiles hear from our mouths the oracles of God, they marvel at their beauty and greatness; then, when they discover that our deeds are not worthy of the words we speak, straightaway they turn to blasphemy, saying that it is an empty tale and a deception. 4 For when they hear from us that God says, “It is no credit to you if you love those who love you, but you gain credit if you love your enemies and those who hate you,” when they hear these things, they marvel at their extreme goodness. But when they see that we do not love them, they ridicule us, and the Name is blasphemed.
Date: 130-160 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
“... The introductory ‘formula’ here claims that the words that follow are what ‘God’ says. However, there seems to be a clear echo of the Jesus tradition, especially the demand of Jesus to love one’s enemies in Matt. 5 // Luke 6. On the other hand, there is clearly no verbatim repetition of the synoptic texts. [...] In support of this, one may also note that, with reference to the demand itself to love one’s enemies, 2 Clement agrees with Luke in referring to those who ‘hate’ you. It is not certain if Luke’s longer, fourfold form of the command, or Matthew’s shorter twofold form, is more original. And 2 Clement certainly does not have a fourfold form of the command here. On the other hand, 2 Clement does align with Luke against Matthew in referring to those who ‘hate’ you. Given the earlier agreement between 2 Clement and the (probably) LkR reference to χάρις, it seems most likely that 2 Clement is here again showing some dependence (direct or indirect) on the Lucan form of the tradition. ...”
Gregory, Andrew F.
The Reception of the New Testament in the Apostolic Fathers
(p. 271) Oxford University Press, 2005
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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