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Clement of Rome

1 Clement

First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians

About this book

A Blessing

Chapter 64

1 Finally may the All-seeing God and Master of spirits and Lord of all flesh,⁠ who chose the Lord Jesus Christ, and us through Him to be His own people, grant to every soul that is called after His excellent and holy Name faith, fear, peace, patience, forbearance, self-control, purity and sobriety, so that they may be pleasing to His Name through our High priest and Guardian Jesus Christ, through whom to Him be glory and majesty, might and honor, both now and forever and ever. Amen.

Texts in conversation

Compare Hebrews 12:9 and Clement of Rome, 1 Clement 64:1

New Testament · Early Christian

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Summary

In 1 Clement, the author closes the letter with a blessing that calls God the Master of spirits, close to the title Father of spirits in Hebrews, one of a series of expressions shared with Hebrews that suggest Clement knew that letter well.

Passages

Hebrews 12:9

New Testament
7 Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 8 But if you do not experience discipline, something all sons have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons. 9 Besides, we have experienced discipline from our earthly fathers and we respected them; shall we not submit ourselves all the more to the Father of spirits and receive life? 10 For they disciplined us for a little while as seemed good to them, but he does so for our benefit, that we may share his holiness. 11 Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness for those trained by it.
80–90 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Hebrews

Clement of Rome, 1 Clement 64:1

Early Christian · First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians
1 Finally may the All-seeing God and Master of spirits and Lord of all flesh, who chose the Lord Jesus Christ, and us through Him to be His own people, grant to every soul that is called after His excellent and holy Name faith, fear, peace, patience, forbearance, self-control, purity and sobriety, so that they may be pleasing to His Name through our High priest and Guardian Jesus Christ, through whom to Him be glory and majesty, might and honor, both now and forever and ever. Amen.
90–100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Clement of Rome, 1 Clement

References

“... The most important similarities are as follows: Jesus is one “who, being the reflection of [God’s] majesty is greater than angels to the extent that he has inherited a more excellent name” (1 Clem. 36:2 / Heb 1:2–4). [...] Both authors list examples of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Rahab, and those who went about “in the skins of sheep and goats” (1 Clem. 9:3–10:1; 12:1–3; 17:1 / Heb 11). Both exhort listeners to hasten toward their goal with eyes fixed upon God (1 Clem. 19:2 / Heb 12:1), caution that God searches people (1 Clem. 21:9 / Heb 4:12), say that it is impossible for God to lie (1 Clem. 27:2 / Heb 6:18), recall that Moses was faithful in God’s house (1 Clem. 43:1 / Heb 3:5), quote Prov 3:12 (1 Clem. 56:4 / Heb 12:6), and identify God as the master or father of spirits (1 Clem. 64:1 / Heb 12:9). ...”
Craig R. Koester, Hebrews: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary (New York: Doubleday, 2001), 22.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Hebrews 12:9 and Clement of Rome, 1 Clement 64:1

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