Chapter 22
The appeal from Christ
| 1 Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα βεβαιοῖ ἡ ἐν Χριστῷ πίστις· καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου οὕτως προσκαλεῖται ἡμᾶς· Δεῦτε, τέκνα, ἀκούσατέ μου, φόβον κυρίου διδάξω ὑμᾶς. | Now faith in Christ confirms all these things. Through the Holy Spirit, He Himself invites us, “Come, children, listen to Me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. |
| 2 τίς ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος ὁ θέλων ζωήν, ἀγαπῶν ἡμέρας ἰδεῖν ἀγαθάς; | Who is the person who desires life and loves to see good days? |
| 3 παῦσον τὴν γλῶσσάν σου ἀπὸ κακοῦ, καὶ χείλη σου τοῦ μὴ λαλῆσαι δόλον. | Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. |
| 4 ἔκκλινον ἀπὸ κακοῦ, καὶ ποίησον ἀγαθόν. | Turn away from evil and do good. |
| 5 ζήτησον εἰρήνην, καὶ δίωξον αὐτήν· | Seek peace and pursue it. |
| 6 ὀφθαλμοὶ κυρίου ἐπὶ δικαίους, καὶ ὦτα αὐτοῦ πρὸς δέησιν αὐτῶν· πρόσωπον δὲ κυρίου ἐπὶ ποιοῦντας κακά, τοῦ ἐξολεθρεῦσαι ἐκ γῆς τὸ μνημόσυνον αὐτῶν. | The eyes of the Lord watch over the righteous and His ears are turned to their prayers. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to destroy the memory of them from the earth. |
| 7 ἐκέκραξεν ὁ δίκαιος, καὶ ὁ κύριος εἰσήκουσεν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεων αὐτοῦ ἐρύσατο αὐτόν. πολλαὶ αἱ θλίψεις τοῦ δικαίου καὶ ἐκ πασῶν αὐτῶν ῥύσεται αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος· | The righteous one cried out, and the Lord heard him and delivered him from all his troubles. Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord will deliver him from them all” {Ps. 34:11-17, 19}. |
| 8 εἶτα, Πολλαὶ αἱ μάστιγες τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ, τοὺς δὲ ἐλπίζοντας ἐπὶ κύριον ἔλεος κυκλώσει. | Also, “Many are the afflictions of the sinner, but mercy will surround those who set their hope on the Lord” {Ps. 32:10}. |
Summary
In Chapter 22, Clement solidifies the domestic and social ethics he prescribed in Chapter 21 by grounding them directly in scriptural authority. He asserts that faith in Christ (ἡ ἐν Χριστῷ πίστις) serves as the ultimate validation for these moral principles. To demonstrate this, Clement draws heavily on Psalm 33:11–18 LXX (Psalm 34 in MT/English numbering), utilizing the voice of the Holy Spirit to call the Corinthian community back to spiritual discipline.
The passage serves as a direct antidote to the verbal strife and arrogance plaguing the Corinthian church. By emphasizing the restraint of the tongue, the pursuit of peace, and the protective enclosure of divine mercy over those who trust in God, Clement shifts the community’s focus away from factional posturing toward reverent, humble obedience.
Significant Greek Expressions
ἡ ἐν Χριστῷ πίστις (Faith in Christ): The foundational theological axiom. For Clement, faith is not a static intellectual assent, but an active, living commitment that substantiates (βεβαιοῖ) and enacts ethical behavior.
φόβος κυρίου (The fear of the Lord): Framed not as a paralyzing dread, but as a teachable discipline (διδάξω ὑμᾶς). Reverence for God is the primary safeguard against human pride and self-exaltation.
ζήτησον εἰρήνην, καὶ δίωξον αὐτήν (Seek peace and pursue it): Citing Psalm 34:14 LXX. The verb diōkō (to chase, pursue eagerly, or hunt down) implies that peace requires active, intentional, and vigorous effort—serving as a direct rebuke to the passive or destructive acceptance of stasis (schism) in Corinth.
ἔλεος κυκλώσει (Mercy will encircle): Employs kyklōō (to surround, encompass, or form a protective ring around). God’s steadfast mercy actively shields those who place their hope (hoi elpizontes) in Him, offering a divine security that far outweighs human alliances or factional power.