Chapter 48
Reverse this division with reconciliation
| 1 Ἐξάρωμεν οὖν τοῦτο ἐν τάχει καὶ προσπέσωμεν τῷ δεσπότῃ καὶ κλαύσωμεν ἱκετεύοντες αὐτόν, ὅπως ἵλεως γενόμενος ἐπικαταλλαγῇ ἡμῖν καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν σεμνὴν τῆς φιλαδελφίας ἡμῶν ἁγνὴν ἀγωγὴν ἀποκαταστήσῃ ἡμᾶς. | Therefore, let’s remove this quickly and let’s fall down before the Master and pray to Him with tears, so that He may be merciful and be reconciled to us, and may restore us to the honourable and pure conduct of love for our brothers. |
| 2 πύλη γὰρ δικαιοσύνης ἀνεῳγυῖα εἰς ζωὴν αὕτη, καθὼς γέγραπται· Ἀνοίξατέ μοι πύλας δικαιοσύνης, ἵνα εἰσελθὼν ἐν αὐταῖς ἐξομολογήσωμαι τῷ κυρίῳ. | For this the gate of righteousness opening to life just as it is written, “Open to me the gates of righteousness, so that I may enter through them and praise the Lord. |
| 3 αὕτη ἡ πύλη τοῦ κυρίου· δίκαιοι εἰσελεύσονται ἐν αὐτῇ. |
This is the gate of the Lord. The righteous will enter through it" {Ps. 118:19-20}. |
| 4 πολλῶν οὖν πυλῶν ἀνεῳγυιῶν ἡ ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἐν Χριστῷ, ἐν ᾗ μακάριοι πάντες οἱ εἰσελθόντες καὶ κατευθύνοντες τὴν πορείαν αὐτῶν ἐν ὁσιότητι καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ, ἀταράχως πάντα ἐπιτελοῦντες. |
While there are many open gates, this righteous gate is the Christian gate. Blessed are all those who enter and direct their path in godliness and righteousness, doing everything without confusion. |
| 5 ἤτω τις πιστός, ἤτω δυνατὸς γνῶσιν ἐξειπεῖν, ἤτω σοφὸς ἐν διακρίσει λόγων, ἤτω γοργὸς ἐν ἔργοις, ἤτω ἁγνὸς. | Let a man be faithful, let him be able to expound knowledge, let him be wise in the distinction of words, let him be strenuous in deeds, let him be pure. |
| 6 τοσούτῳ γὰρ μᾶλλον ταπεινοφρονεῖν ὀφείλει, ὅσῳ δοκεῖ μᾶλλον μείζων εἶναι, καὶ ζητεῖν τὸ κοινωφελὲς πᾶσιν, καὶ μὴ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ. | The greater the person is, so much more should he be humble, and he should seek the common good of all and not his own thing. |
Summary
In Chapter 48, Clement turns from the sharp rebuke of Chapter 47 to an urgent, pastoral call for collective repentance and spiritual restoration. He urges the Corinthians to cast out the sin of rebellion without delay (ἐξάρωμεν οὖν τοῦτο ἐν τάχει) and fall down in supplication before the Master (δεσπότης), weeping and begging Him to be gracious, reconcile with them, and restore them to the noble, pure conduct of brotherly love (ἐπὶ τὴν σεμνὴν τῆς φιλαδελφίας ἡμῶν ἁγνὴν ἀγωγήν).
Drawing on Psalm 117:19–20 LXX (Psalm 118:19–20 MT), Clement identifies this path of righteous, harmonious conduct as the "gate of righteousness" (πύλη δικαιοσύνης) that leads to true life in Christ. While many doors stand open in the world, the gate that opens in righteousness is the one in Christ—where all who enter direct their path in holiness, carrying out their duties calmly and without disturbance (ἀταράχως).
Finally, Clement addresses those in Corinth who possess prominent spiritual gifts. Whether someone is faithful, articulate in imparting divine knowledge (γνῶσις), skilled in evaluating speeches (διάκρισις λόγων), or chaste in conduct, Clement establishes a fundamental rule of kingdom leadership: the greater one appears to be, the more humble-minded (ταπεινοφρονεῖν) they ought to be. Spiritual giftedness must never be exploited for self-aggrandizement, but directed toward the common good (τὸ κοινωφελὲς πᾶσιν).
Significant Greek Expressions
Ἐξάρωμεν... ἐν τάχει (Let us cast [it] out / remove [it] with speed): First-person plural aorist active subjunctive of exairō (to drive away, root out, or remove completely; cf. 1 Corinthians 5:13). Clement groups himself with the congregation, urging immediate, decisive action to purge the scandal of schism.
ἐπικαταλλαγῇ (Be reconciled / restored to favor): Aorist passive subjunctive of epikatallassō (a intensified compound of katallassō, to reconcile or restore to divine favor). Indicates total restoration of peaceful fellowship between God and a repentant congregation.
ἀταράχως (Without disturbance / calmly / undisturbed): Adverb from atarachos (calm, undisturbed, unagitated). Contrasts the peaceful, orderly execution of Christian duties with the chaotic, turbulent factionalism (stasis) instigated by the Corinthian rebels.
σοφὸς ἐν διακρίσει λόγων (Wise in the discernment / judgment of speeches): Uses diakrisis (distinction, evaluation, discernment; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:10). Targets those in Corinth who prided themselves on rhetorical skill or spiritual discernment, reminding them that true wisdom serves unity rather than debate.
τοσούτῳ γὰρ μᾶλλον ταπεινοφρονεῖν ὀφείλει (By so much the more he ought to be humble-minded): A core Clementine ethical principle (a fortiori framing). True spiritual prominence in the Church is measured not by office-grabbing or charismatic displays, but by a proportional increase in humility (tapeinophrosynē).
τὸ κοινωφελὲς (The common good / mutual benefit): Compound noun/adjective (koinōphelēs, from koinos "common" and ōpheleia "benefit/profit"). Directly echoes Paul’s instruction in 1 Corinthians 10:24, 12:7 ("for the common good"), emphasizing that spiritual gifts find their true purpose only when edifying the whole ecclesial body.