Texts in Conversation
1 Clement echoes the argumentation of 1 Enoch, pointing the divided Corinthian church to the sun, moon, stars, and seas as creatures that obey God without swerving from their courses.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
1 Enoch 2:1
Pseudepigrapha
1 Observe everything that occurs in the heaven, how the celestial bodies do not alter their paths, and the luminaries in the sky, how they all rise and set orderly, each in its own season, without deviating from their assigned courses. 2 Look at the earth, and pay attention to the things that unfold from beginning to end, how consistent they are, how nothing on earth changes, how all of God’s works appear to you. 3 Observe the summer and winter, how the entire earth is filled with water, and how clouds, dew, and rain cover it.
1 Clement 20:1
First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians
Early Christian
1 The heavens are moved by His direction and obey Him in peace. 2 Day and night accomplish the course assigned to them by Him, without hindrance one to another. 3 The sun and the moon and the dancing stars according to His appointment circle in harmony within the bounds assigned to them, without any swerving aside.
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Notes and References
... 6.3.2.1. 1 Clement 19-20 As part of his moral instruction, Clement of Rome (ca. 100 C.E.) cites the example of the obedience of the inanimate creation. The passage closely parallels 1 Enoch 2-5 and 101 and seems to reflect knowledge of either 1 Enoch or a Jewish instructional tradition on which 1 Enoch also drew. These six texts should be added to a text of undisputedly Christian provenance, viz. 1 Clement 19-20. As part of his admonition for peace, Clement appeals to the Corinthians to look to the Creator and to the obedient creation, which follows the divine decrees and commands and does not alter them. Cited as examples are: the heavens, day and night, which do not hinder each other; the sun, moon, and stars, which do not swerve from their courses; the earth and its seasons and agriculture; the abyss and the seas, which do not pass their barriers; and the stations of the winds. The similarity to Sipre Deuteronomy 32:1 is notable, including the use of language similar to Jeremiah 5:22. Along with most of the other texts, may attest a common Jewish instructional tradition. ...
Nickelsburg, George W. E.
A Commentary on the Book of 1 Enoch Chapters 1-36, 81-108
(p. 87, 154) Fortress Press, 2001
* 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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