Apostolic Fathers
2 Clement
Anonymous (Rome or Corinth) · c. 140 – 160
Historical Context
Not actually by Clement, but the earliest surviving Christian sermon (homily) outside the New Testament, preserved with 1 Clement in the same manuscripts.
Summary
The preacher urges his hearers to think of Christ 'as of God' and as the judge of the living and the dead, warns against apostasy under persecution, and calls for repentance, almsgiving, and confidence in the resurrection of the flesh.
Major Themes
- High Christology
- Repentance
- Resurrection of the flesh
- Preaching after the Eucharist
Important Quotations
“Brethren, we ought so to think of Jesus Christ as of God, as of the Judge of the living and the dead.”— 2 Clement 1
Related Church Fathers
Related Doctrines
Primary Sources
Further Reading
- Christopher Tuckett, 2 Clement: Introduction, Text, and Commentary