The Christology in the Apostolic Fathers (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1912 edition. Excerpt: ... Christ and God in important functions, and the slight emphasis upon the subordination of the Son to the Father; all these important features show that he is close to Ignatius. C. II CLEMENT Its character as homily.--This designation, II Clement, is still retained by Gebhardt, Harnack, and Zahn in their Patrutn Apostolicorum Opera, though it is generally agreed that it is not a letter, and that it was not written by Clement of Rome who wrote our First Clement. Harnack, however, still maintains that it is a letter. Lightfoot calls it "an ancient homily by an unknown author." The work itself furnishes rather decisive evidence that it is a homily. Chapters nineteen and twenty especially have the hortatory style. Here we find such expressions as the following: "Let us not be displeased and vexed"; "let us therefore practice righteousness"; "let not the godly be grieved"; "let us then have faith, brethren and sisters." This direct appeal is suitable to address. But this is not a decisive element in determining the nature of the work. Paul's letters have such appeals. The letter to the Romans abounds in exhortations more than do the nineteenth and twentieth chapters of this work. The direct address "my brethren" is in Paul's letters as much as "brothers and sisters" cited in this work. There are two expressions, however, which clearly determine that this work is a homily. In XIX. 1, he says: "Therefore, brothers and sisters, after the God of truth has been heard, I read to you an exhortation." Here is a plain statement which shows its nature as a homily. He reads or speaks to them. In XVII. 3, he says: "Let us not think to believe and give heed now only, while we are admonished by the presbyters; but likewise when we have departed home let us...