Transcription
Shalom! Welcome back. I haven't made a video in a while, but I wanted to delve into the work known as the Clementine Homilies. If you've listened to my series of videos on the Clementine Recognitions, you're probably somewhat familiar with the Clementine writings. There are two works that are very similar; I've compared them to the Book of Matthew and the Book of Mark. While they follow essentially the same narrative, there are some differences—certain elements in the Homilies that are not found in the Recognitions, and vice versa. At times, they are even word-for-word the same. For that reason, I think the comparison between Matthew and Mark serves as a good example.
I have never actually read the Homilies from beginning to end; I've only read parts of them numerous times and looked through them to find the sections that correlate with the Recognitions. So I decided that if I am going to read this, I might as well make a video about it, in hopes that someone else might enjoy the experience of reading along with me. You can easily find a copy of the Clementine Homilies online—just type "Clementine Homilies" or "Homilies of Clement" into Google. If you add the term "PDF," you should find a downloadable version. The one I'm using, for instance, is available from ccel.org. I’ll try to remember to include a link to that in the description of this video on YouTube, so you can access it easily.
Additionally, you can find the Homilies in a work called "The Ante-Nicene Fathers," specifically in Volume 8. This compilation includes various documents from early believers in Yeshua. While many people may not prefer the term "Church," these writings can be viewed as early Church documents. When I refer to "Church," I'm including both the Gentile Church and the Nazarenes in that grouping for this discussion. I recognize that the Nazarenes are not traditionally part of the Church, but these documents have been preserved by the Church, contributing to our historical understanding.
Now, let's get into the Homilies. Before we dive into the actual text, we’ll read the introduction, authored by Reverend Thomas Smith. He mentions that he has already discussed the Clementines in the introductory notice to the Recognitions. What remains is to note the principal editions of the Homilies. The first edition was published by Kotelmureas, who derived assistance from an epitome of the work found in the Royal Library at Paris—at that time, the only known manuscript. His text was revised, first by Glorios’s edition and, more carefully, by Swaggler Stewart in 1847. The Paris manuscript cuts off in the middle of the 14th chapter of the 19th book.
In 1853, Dressel published a new recension of the Homilies after discovering a complete manuscript in the Apostolic Library in Rome. In 1859, Leipzig published an edition of two epitomes of the Homilies, presenting one that had been previously edited and another for the first time. In these editions, notes were appended by Frederick Wheeler. The last edition of the Clementines is by Paul de la Garde in 1865, which, while ambitious, is not particularly accurate.
This version of the Homilies seems to come from Volume 8 of the Ante-Nicene Fathers, where they may have compiled certain sections into a separate PDF. Now, let's move on to the Clementine Homilies. We begin with a copy of an Epistle of Peter to James. I have already discussed this Epistle in a previous video, so you can find that on my channel.
The key point in this letter is that Peter writes about a person whom I believe to be Paul, referring to him as his enemy. He mentions that some among the Gentiles have forsaken his legal preaching and have attached themselves to some lawless and trifling doctrines from this person. Some have tried to transform his words to dissolve the law, although he states that this should not be assumed. He then cautions against sharing his writings indiscriminately, emphasizing that they should only be given to those who are firm in their understanding of the faith, to avoid misinterpretation.
There is also the Epistle of Clement to James, which I have covered in a previous video. In this Epistle, Clement details the death of Keifa (Peter) and how he appointed Clement as the leader of the Roman assembly.
Now we turn to the Clementine Homilies, starting off with a footnote indicating that books one through five are translated by Reverend Thomas Smith, books six through twelve by Peter Peterson, and books thirteen through twenty by Dr. Donaldson.
The text begins: "I, Clement, being a Roman citizen, even from my earliest youth, was able to live chaste in my mind. I drew away the lust that was within me into dejection and distress, for I had a habit of reasoning, origin unknown, making frequent cogitations concerning death." He contemplates life after death—whether he will cease to exist entirely or have some form of remembrance. Clement wonders whether the world was always here or whether it was created. If it has been made, will it be dissolved? And if so, will there be anything again afterward?
In Chapter 2, he reflects on his grief over these questions. He notes that even when he attempted to dismiss these thoughts as unproductive, his suffering only intensified. He comes to realize that this very thought, which was initially troubling him, compelled him to search for and discover the truth.
In Chapter 3, Clement continues to engage in philosophical inquiry. He recounts attending schools of philosophers in search of certainty but only witnessing the setting up and tearing down of doctrines, along with endless debates. He felt disheartened that he could not establish a definitive understanding of either the immortality or mortality of the soul. He concludes that people’s acceptance of opinions often depends more on the eloquence of those presenting them rather than their inherent truth.
This struggle for clarity continues as he acknowledges the pressure to seek pleasures in life versus the fear of not living piously due to uncertain outcomes regarding the soul's nature after death, prompting him to weigh his decisions carefully.
In later chapters, he wrestles with thoughts of seeking out necromancers to gain certainty about the soul's immortality. His philosophical friend cautions him against this, noting the potential for harming his conscience and offending divine laws. Clement grapples with these complexities, remaining troubled as he searches for a resolution.
As we continue, I will delve into the subsequent chapters and further explore Clement's reflections and the philosophical questions he grapples with regarding life, death, and existence. Thank you for joining me, and Shalom!