Chapter 42
The proper order of church ministers
| 1 Οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἡμῖν εὐηγγελίσθησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστὸς ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐξεπέμφθη. | The Apostles received the Gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ was sent forth from God. |
| 2 ὁ Χριστὸς οὖν ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἀπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ· ἐγένοντο οὖν ἀμφότερα εὐτάκτως ἐκ θελήματος θεοῦ. |
Christ, therefore, is from God, and the apostles are from Christ. Both, therefore, came from the will of God in good order. |
| 3 παραγγελίας οὖν λαβόντες καὶ πληροφορηθέντες διὰ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ πιστωθέντες ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ θεοῦ, μετὰ πληροφορίας πνεύματος ἁγίου ἐξῆλθον εὐαγγελιζόμενοι, τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ μέλλειν ἔρχεσθαι. | Therefore, after they received their orders and been fully assured through the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and being faithful in the word of God they went forth with the full assurance of the Holy Spirit preaching the good news that the kingdom of God was about to come. |
| 4 κατὰ χώρας οὖν καὶ πόλεις κηρύσσοντες καθίστανον τὰς ἀπαρχὰς αὐτῶν, δοκιμάσαντες τῷ πνεύματι, εἰς ἐπισκόπους καὶ διακόνους τῶν μελλόντων πιστεύειν. | Then preaching from country to country and city to city, they appointed their first fruits, after they had tested them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons for those about to believe. |
| 5 καὶ τοῦτο οὐ καινῶς· ἐκ γὰρ δὴ πολλῶν χρόνων ἐγέγραπτο περὶ ἐπισκόπων καὶ διακόνων. οὕτως γάρ που λέγει ἡ γραφή· Καταστήσω τοὺς ἐπισκόπους αὐτῶν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ τοὺς διακόνους αὐτῶν ἐν πίστει. | They did this by no new method, for it had been written about bishops and deacons from long ago, for the scripture says somewhere, "I will appoint their bishops in righteousness and their deacons in faith" {Isa. 60:17 LXX only}. |
Summary
In Chapter 42, Clement lays down his foundational argument for apostolic succession and the divine authorization of church governance. He traces a clear, top-down chain of authority that originates in God Himself, flows through Jesus Christ, extends to the apostles, and culminates in the appointment of local church leaders:
God⟶Christ⟶Apostles⟶Bishops & Deacons
Clement asserts that both Christ’s sending by God and the apostles' sending by Christ occurred in an orderly manner (εὐτάκτως) according to the divine will. Reassured by the resurrection of Christ, grounded in the Word of God, and fully convinced by the Holy Spirit (μετὰ πληροφορίας πνεύματος ἁγίου), the apostles went forth preaching the coming Kingdom.
As they evangelized countryside regions and cities (κατὰ χώρας καὶ πόλεις), the apostles appointed their first converts (τὰς ἀπαρχὰς αὐτῶν) to serve as bishops (ἐπίσκοποι) and deacons (διάκονοι) for future believers, having first tested them by the Spirit (δοκιμάσαντες τῷ πνεύματι). Finally, Clement defends this structural arrangement against charges of novelty (οὐ καινῶς), appealing to scriptural precedent via a dynamic quotation of Isaiah 60:17 LXX to prove that these offices were preordained by God long ago.
Significant Greek Expressions
εὐηγγελίσθησαν (They were preached / received the Gospel): Aorist passive of euangelizō. Reminds the reader that the apostles did not invent their message; they were commissioned recipients of the divine Gospel directly from the Lord Jesus Christ.
εὐτάκτως ἐκ θελήματος θεοῦ (In an orderly manner out of the will of God): Adverb eutaktōs (orderly, in due rank) paired with thelēma (will). Reinforces Clement’s overarching thesis (taxis): hierarchy and order in the Church are not human administrative inventions, but reflect the cosmic and eternal will of God.
μετὰ πληροφορίας πνεύματος ἁγίου (With full conviction / assurance of the Holy Spirit): Uses plērophoria (full assurance, complete conviction, certainty; cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:5, Colossians 2:2). Emphasizes that apostolic authority was empowered and guaranteed by the Holy Spirit rather than human ambition.
τὰς ἀπαρχὰς αὐτῶν (Their firstfruits): Aparchē refers to the first gathered portion of a harvest, dedicated to God (cf. Romans 16:5, 1 Corinthians 16:15). The earliest converts in a given region were entrusted with leadership roles, establishing continuity and proven maturity.
δοκιμάσαντες τῷ πνεύματι (Having tested / approved [them] by the Spirit): Aorist active participle of dokimazō (to test, examine, or prove fit after scrutiny). Episcopal appointment was not arbitrary or based on personal popularity, but preceded by spiritual discernment and qualification.
εἰς ἐπισκόπους καὶ διακόνους (As bishops / overseers and deacons / ministers): Uses episkopos (overseer, guardian, bishop) and diakonos (servant, minister, deacon). In Clement’s usage at this stage, episkopos functions interchangeably with presbyteros (elder), representing the ordained leadership structure challenged by the Corinthian rebels.
οὐ καινῶς (Not as a new thing / not novel): Adverbial form from kainos (new, innovative). Directly refutes the Corinthian agitators by framing their uprising as the real "innovation" (neōterismos), whereas the presbyterial/episcopal structure rests on ancient, scripturally attested foundations.