Chapter 34
Let us do good in obedience to God
| 1 Ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἐργάτης μετὰ παρρησίας λαμβάνει τὸν ἄρτον τοῦ ἔργου αὐτοῦ, ὁ νωθρὸς καὶ παρειμένος οὐκ ἀντοφθαλμεῖ τῷ ἐργοπαρέκτῃ αὐτοῦ. | The good worker receives the bread from his work with confidence; but the lazy and careless man doesn’t dare look his employer in the face. |
| 2 δέον οὖν ἐστὶν προθύμους ἡμᾶς εἶναι εἰς ἀγαθοποιΐαν· ἐξ αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐστιν τὰ πάντα. | Therefore it is necessary that we should be zealous in doing good work, for all things come from Him. |
| 3 προλέγει γὰρ ἡμῖν· Ἰδοὺ ὁ κύριος, καὶ ὁ μισθὸς αὐτοῦ πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ, ἀποδοῦναι ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ. | He has warned us before, "Behold, the Lord is coming and His reward is with Him, to pay each man according to his work" {Isa. 40:10}. |
| 4 προτρέπεται οὖν ἡμᾶς πιστεύοντας ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας ἐπ' αὐτῷ, μὴ ἀργοὺς μηδὲ παρειμένους εἶναι ἐπὶ πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθόν. | Therefore He exhorts us to believe in Him with our whole heart, and not to be lazy or careless in every good work. |
| 5 τὸ καύχημα ἡμῶν καὶ ἡ παρρησία ἔστω ἐν αὐτῷ· ὑποτασσώμεθα τῷ θελήματι αὐτοῦ· κατανοήσωμεν τὸ πᾶν πλῆθος τῶν ἀγγέλων αὐτοῦ, πῶς τῷ θελήματι αὐτοῦ λειτουργοῦσιν παρεστῶτες. |
Let our boast and confidence be in Him. Let’s submit ourselves to His will. Let’s consider the whole army of His angels who stand ready while serving His will. |
| 6 λέγει γὰρ ἡ γραφή· Μύριαι μυριάδες παρειστήκεισαν αὐτῷ, καὶ χίλιαι χιλιάδες ἐλειτούργουν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἐκέκραγον, Ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος κύριος σαβαώθ, πλήρης πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ. |
For the scripture says, “Ten thousand times ten thousand stood by Him, and thousands of thousands served Him. And they called aloud, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Sabaoth; all creation is full of His glory.’” {Dan. 7:10; Isa. 6:3}. |
| 7 καὶ ἡμεῖς, οὖν, ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ[1] συναχθέντες τῇ συνειδήσει, ὡς ἐξ ἑνὸς στόματος βοήσωμεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐκτενῶς εἰς τὸ μετόχους ἡμᾶς γενέσθαι τῶν μεγάλων καὶ ἐνδόξων ἐπαγγελιῶν αὐτοῦ. | Let’s gather ourselves together, therefore, into harmony in thinking and earnestly call to Him, as though from one mouth, that we may become partners in His great and glorious promises. |
[1] ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό = at same place/time; in common, together.
| 8 λέγει γάρ· Ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδεν, καὶ οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσεν, καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη, ὅσα ἡτοίμασεν κύριος τοῖς ὑπομένουσιν αὐτόν. | For it says, "The eye hasn’t seen and the ear hasn’t heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what great things He has prepared for those who patiently wait for Him" {I Cor. 2:9}. |
Summary
In Chapter 34, Clement expands on the theme of labor and reward, transitioning from God’s example of creative work to the Christian’s calling as a faithful laborer. Using the analogy of a worker (ἐργάτης), Clement contrasts the good worker who receives his wages with boldness (μετὰ παρρησίας) against the lazy and sluggish worker (νωθρὸς καὶ παρειμένος) who cannot look his employer in the eye. Quoting Isaiah 40:10 / 62:11 (and echoing Revelation 22:12), he stresses that the Lord comes with His reward (μισθός) to render to each according to their work.
Clement then directs the assembly’s attention to the heavenly court as the ultimate archetype of order and obedience. He points to the myriads of angels standing in attendance and ministering (λειτουργοῦσιν) according to God’s sovereign will, singing the Trisagion (Isaiah 6:3 and Daniel 7:10).
Finally, Clement applies this cosmic liturgical harmony directly to the local church gathering: just as the angels serve in unified order, the Corinthian believers must assemble in concord (ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ), with a unified conscience, crying out to God "as with one mouth" (ὡς ἐξ ἑνὸς στόματος). By joining the angelic chorus in disciplined unity, they position themselves to inherit the glorious, unsearchable eschatological promises (1 Corinthians 2:9 / Isaiah 64:4) reserved for those who endure (τοῖς ὑπομένουσιν αὐτόν).
Significant Greek Expressions
μετὰ παρρησίας (With boldness / confidence): Parrēsia (freedom of speech, confidence, boldness) denotes the unashamed freedom of a conscientious worker standing before a master. The good laborer has no cause for fear or embarrassment.
νωθρὸς καὶ παρειμένος (Sluggish and paralyzed / slack): Combines nōthros (sluggish, lazy, dull; cf. Hebrews 5:11) with pareimenos (perfect passive participle of pariēmi, literally "slackened" or "paralyzed at the knees/hands"; cf. Hebrews 12:12). Clement uses these terms to characterize spiritual apathy and negligence in performing good works.
οὐκ ἀντοφθαλμεῖ (Does not look in the eye / face directly): Compound verb antophthalmeō (literally to look face-to-face or eyeball-to-eyeball; cf. Acts 27:15). The slothful worker cannot meet the gaze of the employer (ἐργοπαρέκτης) due to guilt and unfulfilled duty.
τῷ θελήματι αὐτοῦ λειτουργοῦσιν (They render liturgical service / minister to His will): Uses leitourgeō (to perform public service, render cultic/liturgical ministry). Clement highlights that angelic heavenly existence consists of ordered, subordinate service to God’s thelēma (will), setting a model for earthly ecclesial order.
ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ συναχθέντες (Gathered together in concord to the same place): Synthesizes core Clementine ecclesiological vocabulary. Homonoia (concord/harmony) is joined with the early liturgical formula epi to auto ("in the same place" / "in unity"; cf. Acts 2:1, 1 Corinthians 11:20), emphasizing that physical assembly must reflect internal spiritual alignment.
ὡς ἐξ ἑνὸς στόματος (As from one mouth): An evocative phrase expressing absolute verbal and liturgical unity (cf. Romans 15:6). The corporate prayer of a unified church harmonizes into a single collective voice before the throne of God.
τοῖς ὑπομένουσιν αὐτόν (For those who patiently endure Him / wait for Him): Present active participle of hypomenō (to remain under, endure, wait patiently). Reminds the Corinthians that attaining God’s unimaginable rewards requires steadfast endurance, stability, and perseverance through trials and internal conflicts.