Texts in Conversation
1 Clement and Polycarp share a Greco-Roman household code addressing the conduct of women and the training of children. Each calls for purity and gentleness in women, and for raising children in the fear of God.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
1 Clement 21:6
First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians
Early Christian
5 Let us rather give offense to foolish and senseless men who exalt themselves and boast in the arrogance of their words, than to God. 6 Let us fear the Lord Jesus, whose blood was given for us. Let us reverence our rulers; let us honor our elders; let us instruct our young men in the lesson of the fear of God. Let us guide our women toward that which is good. 7 let them show forth their lovely disposition of purity; let them prove their sincere affection of gentleness; let them make manifest the moderation of their tongue through their silence; let them show their love, not in factious preferences but without partiality towards all those that fear God, in holiness. Let our children be partakers of the instruction which is in Christ. 8 let them learn how lowliness of mind prevails with God, what power chaste love has with God, how the fear of Him is good and great and saves all those that walk therein in a pure mind with holiness.
Polycarp Epistle to the Philippians 4:2
Early Christian
1 But the love of money is the beginning of all troubles. Knowing therefore that we brought nothing into the world neither can we carry anything out, let us arm ourselves with the armor of righteousness, and let us teach ourselves first to walk in the commandment of the Lord; 2 and then our wives also, to walk in the faith that hath been given unto them and in love and purity, cherishing their own husbands in all truth and loving all men equally in all chastity, and to train their children in the training of the fear of God. 3 Our widows must be sober-minded as touching the faith of the Lord, making intercession without ceasing for all men, abstaining from all calumny, evil speaking, false witness, love of money, and every evil thing, knowing that they are God's altar, and that all sacrifices are carefully inspected, and nothing escapeth Him either of their thoughts or intents or any of the secret things of the heart.
Date: 135-155 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
... There are similarities with other New Testament household codes (e.g. Ephesians 5“22-6“9; 1 Peter 2“18-3“7), early Christian writings (Didache 4“9-11; Barnabas 19“5-7; 1 Clement 21“6-9; Ignatius, To Polycarp 4“1-5“2; Polycarp, To the Philippians 4“2-3) and other examples from contemporary Greek, Roman and Jewish writing (Aristotle, Politics 1.1253b.1-14; Philo, On the Decalogue 165-167; Philo, On the Special Laws 2“224-241; Josephus, Against Apion 2“199-208). The household code addresses six different groups of persons, who form three reciprocal relationships (wives-husbands in 3.18-19; children-parents in 3.20-21; slaves-masters in 3.22-4.1) ...
Smith, Ian K.
Heavenly Perspective: A Study of the Apostle Paul’s Response to a Jewish Mystical Motif at Colossae
(p. 201) T&T Clark, 2006
* 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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