Chapter 50
Let us seek God’s love
| 1 Ὁρᾶτε, ἀγαπητοί, πῶς μέγα καὶ θαυμαστόν ἐστιν ἡ ἀγάπη, καὶ τῆς τελειότητος αὐτῆς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐξήγησις. |
You see, dear friends, how great and wonderful love is. And its perfection is without description. |
| 2 τίς ἱκανὸς ἐν αὐτῇ εὑρεθῆναι, εἰ μὴ οὓς ἂν καταξιώσῃ ὁ θεός; δεώμεθα οὖν καὶ αἰτώμεθα ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐλέους αὐτοῦ, ἵνα ἐν ἀγάπῃ εὑρεθῶμεν δίχα προσκλίσεως ἀνθρωπίνης, ἄμωμοι. |
Who is worthy to be found in it, except those to whom God considers worthy? Therefore, let’s pray and ask for His mercy so that we may be found blameless in love, standing apart from the bias of men. |
| 3 αἱ γενεαὶ πᾶσαι ἀπὸ Ἀδὰμ ἕως τῆσδε τῆς ἡμέρας παρῆλθον, ἀλλ' οἱ ἐν ἀγάπῃ τελειωθέντες κατὰ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ χάριν ἔχουσιν χῶρον εὐσεβῶν, οἱ[1] φανερωθήσονται ἐν τῇ ἐπισκοπῇ τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Χριστοῦ. | All the generations from Adam to this day have passed away, but those who by God’s grace were perfected in love have a place among the godly; and they will be revealed when the Kingdom of God visits us. |
[1] Alt. text: οἵ
| 4 γέγραπται γάρ· Εἰσέλθετε εἰς τὰ ταμεῖα μικρὸν ὅσον ὅσον, ἕως οὗ παρέλθῃ ἡ ὀργὴ καὶ ὁ θυμός μου, καὶ μνησθήσομαι ἡμέρας ἀγαθῆς, καὶ ἀναστήσω ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν θηκῶν ὑμῶν. | For it is written, "Enter into the inner room for a little while until My anger and my wrath will pass away, and I will remember a good day, and will raise you from your tombs" {Isa. 26:20; Ezek. 37:12}. |
| 5 μακάριοί ἐσμεν, ἀγαπητοί, εἰ τὰ προστάγματα τοῦ θεοῦ ἐποιοῦμεν ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ ἀγάπης, εἰς τὸ ἀφεθῆναι ἡμῖν δι' ἀγάπης τὰς ἁμαρτίας. | We are blessed, dear friends, if we perform the commands of God in harmony of love, so that our sins be forgiven us through love. |
| 6 γέγραπται γάρ· Μακάριοι, ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι καὶ ὧν ἐπεκαλύφθησαν αἱ ἀμαρτίαι· μακάριος ἀνήρ, οὗ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται κύριος ἁμαρτίαν, οὐδέ ἐστιν ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ δόλος· |
For it is written, "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will impute no sin, nor is there deceit in his mouth" {Ps. 32:1-2}. |
| 7 οὗτος ὁ μακαρισμὸς ἐγένετο ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐκλελεγμένους ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ἀμήν. |
This declaration of blessedness was pronounced upon those who have been chosen by God through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. |
Summary
In Chapter 50, Clement concludes his discourse on divine love (agapē) by highlighting its perfection, eschatological promise, and necessity for salvation. Because the full scope of love’s perfection is beyond human explanation (οὐκ ἔστιν ἐξήγησις), Clement asserts that no one can possess it unless granted by God. Consequently, believers must pray earnestly to be found blameless in love, free from human partiality or factionalism (δίχα προσκλίσεως ἀνθρωπίνης).
Clement then situates love within the sweeping scope of salvation history:
The Place of the Pious: Though all generations from Adam to the present have passed away, those made perfect in love by God’s grace inhabit a dedicated place of the pious (χῶρον εὐσεβῶν). They are assured of glorious revelation when Christ’s kingdom is manifested (ἐν τῇ ἐπισκοπῇ τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Χριστοῦ).
Old Testament Eschatological Hope: Clement quotes Isaiah 26:20 LXX and Ezekiel 37:12 LXX, reassuring the faithful that God will remember them in the "good day" and raise them up from their tombs (θήκη).
Forgiveness through Love: Citing Psalm 31:1–2 LXX (Psalm 32:1–2 MT), Clement proclaims a beatitude upon those who perform God’s commandments in the harmony of love (ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ ἀγάπης), for through love their sins are forgiven and covered.
Clement concludes by reminding the Corinthians that this beatitude belongs exclusively to those chosen by God through Jesus Christ, offering a final doxology to Christ’s eternal glory.
Significant Greek Expressions
τῆς τελειότητος αὐτῆς (Of its perfection / maturity): Teleiotēs refers to the highest state of moral perfection, completeness, or spiritual maturity (cf. Colossians 3:14: "love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony").
δίχα προσκλίσεως ἀνθρωπίνης (Without human partiality / partisan preference):
Dicha: without, apart from.
Prosklisis: factional inclination, partiality, bias (cf. 1 Clement 47.3, 1 Timothy 5:21).
Love must be untainted by personal alliances, political cliques, or party loyalties.
ἐν τῇ ἐπισκοπῇ τῆς βασιλείας (At the visitation / manifestation of the kingdom): Uses episkopē (visitation, inspection, oversight; cf. 1 Peter 2:12, Luke 19:44). Refers to the ultimate eschatological moment when Christ appears to inspect His Church, reward the faithful, and inaugurate His Kingdom.
ἐκ τῶν θηκῶν ὑμῶν (From your tombs / sepulchres): Noun thēkē means a chest, repository, tomb, or grave (translating Hebrew graves in Ezekiel 37:12 LXX). Points to the physical reality of the future resurrection promised to those who remain in love.
ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ ἀγάπης (In the concord / harmony of love): Combines homonoia (concord, oneness of mind) with agapē. Clement repeatedly reinforces that true love cannot express itself in isolation or schism, but only within corporate unity.
οὗτος ὁ μακαρισμὸς ἐγένετο (This blessing / beatitude came upon): Uses makarismos (a pronouncement of blessedness; cf. Romans 4:6–9). Clement interprets David’s psalm of forgiveness as a prophetic pronouncement directed specifically to God’s elect (ἐκλελεγμένοι) through Jesus Christ.