Chapter 57
Warning to the leaders of division
| 1 Ὑμεῖς οὖν οἱ τὴν καταβολὴν τῆς στάσεως ποιήσαντες ὑποτάγητε τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις καὶ παιδεύθητε εἰς μετάνοιαν, κάμψαντες τὰ γόνατα τῆς καρδίας ὑμῶν. | Therefore, you who laid the foundation of the revolt, submit yourselves to the elders and receive the discipline that leads to repentance, bending the knees of your heart. |
| 2 μάθετε ὑποτάσσεσθαι, ἀποθέμενοι τὴν ἀλαζόνα καὶ ὑπερήφανον τῆς γλώσσης ὑμῶν αὐθάδειαν· ἄμεινον γάρ ἐστιν ὑμῖν, ἐν τῷ ποιμνίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ μικροὺς καὶ ἐλλογίμους εὑρεθῆναι, ἢ καθ' ὑπεροχὴν δοκοῦντας ἐκριφῆναι ἐκ τῆς ἐλπίδος αὐτοῦ. |
Learn to submit yourselves, laying aside the arrogant and proud stubbornness of your tongue. For it is better for you to be found least and still be in the flock of Christ, than having great honour and yet be excluded from His hope. |
| 3 οὕτως γὰρ λέγει ἡ πανάρετος σοφία· Ἰδού, προήσομαι ὑμῖν ἐμῆς πνοῆς ῥῆσιν, διδάξω δὲ ὑμᾶς τὸν ἐμὸν λόγον. | For thus says the all-virtuous Wisdom: "Behold I will pour out for you a saying of My spirit, and I will teach you My word. |
| 4 ἐπειδὴ ἐκάλουν καὶ οὐχ ὑπηκούσατε, καὶ ἐξέτεινον λόγους καὶ οὐ προσείχετε, ἀλλὰ ἀκύρους ἐποιεῖτε τὰς ἐμὰς βουλάς, τοῖς δὲ ἐμοῖς ἐλέγχοις ἠπειθήσατε· τοιγαροῦν κἀγὼ τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ ἀπωλείᾳ ἐπιγελάσομαι, καταχαροῦμαι δὲ ἡνίκα ἄν ἔρχηται ὑμῖν ὄλεθρος καὶ ὡς ἂν ἀφίκηται ὑμῖν ἄφνω θόρυβος, ἡ δὲ καταστροφὴ ὁμοία καταιγίδι παρῇ, ἢ ὅταν ἔρχηται ὑμῖν θλῖψις καὶ πολιορκία. | Because I called you and you didn’t obey, and I held out words and you didn’t regard them, but you ignored my advice and disobeyed my correction, therefore I will laugh at your destruction, and rejoice when ruin comes upon you, and when confusion overtakes you suddenly, and your catastrophe arrives like a whirlwind, or when tribulation and distress come upon you. |
| 5 ἔσται γὰρ ὅταν ἐπικαλέσησθέ με, ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ εἰσακούσομαι ὑμῶν· ζητήσουσίν με κακοί, καὶ οὐχ εὑρήσουσιν. ἐμίσησαν γὰρ σοφίαν, τὸν δὲ φόβον τοῦ κυρίου οὐ προείλαντο, οὐδὲ ἤθελον ἐμαῖς προσέχειν βουλαῖς, ἐμυκτήριζον δὲ ἐμοὺς ἐλέγχους. |
When you call on Me, I won’t hear you. Evil men will seek Me and not find Me, for they hated wisdom, and didn’t choose the fear of the Lord, nor would they pay attention to My advice, but mocked My corrections. |
| 6 τοιγαροῦν ἔδονται τῆς ἑαυτῶν ὁδοῦ τοὺς καρπούς, καὶ τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἀσεβείας πλησθήσονται· | Therefore they will eat the fruits of their own way, and will be filled with their own ungodliness. |
| 7 ἀνθ' ὧν γὰρ ἠδίκουν νηπίους φονευθήσονται, καὶ ἐξετασμὸς ἀσεβεῖς ὀλεῖ· ὁ δὲ ἐμοῦ ἀκούων κατασκηνώσει ἐπ' ἐλπίδι πεποιθὼς καὶ ἡσυχάσει ἀφόβως ἀπὸ παντὸς κακοῦ. |
Because they wronged infants, they will be slain, and a searching inquiry will destroy the ungodly. But the one who hears Me will dwell safely, trusting in hope, and will live quietly, free from fear of all evil" {Prov. 1:23-33}. |
Summary
In Chapter 57, Clement moves from general principles of divine discipline to a direct, unyielding command addressed to the instigators of the Corinthian revolt (οἱ τὴν καταβολὴν τῆς στάσεως ποιήσαντες). He demands their immediate submission to the legitimately appointed presbyters and urges them to accept discipline leading to repentance, illustrating their submissive posture through the striking image of "bending the knees of your heart."
Clement insists that they put away the boastful, arrogant, and stubborn insolence (αὐθάδεια) of their tongues. He establishes a critical spiritual calculus: it is far better to be small and held in high repute (ἐλλόγιμοι) within Christ’s flock than to hold an exalted opinion of oneself (καθ̓ ὑπεροχὴν δοκοῦντας) only to be cast out from the hope of Christ.
To emphasize the grave eschatological risk of ignoring this warning, Clement cites a extended warning from Proverbs 1:23–33 LXX (personified as all-virtuous Wisdom, ἡ πανάρετος σοφία):
Wisdom calls out to the disobedient, offering her word, but those who reject her counsel and mock her reproofs will face swift destruction, distress, and siege (θλίψις καὶ πολιορκία).
When calamity strikes like a storm (καταιγίς), Wisdom will laugh at their ruin. Though the wicked call out in their distress, they will not be heard because they hated wisdom and refused the fear of the Lord.
They will be forced to eat the bitter fruit of their own wicked ways. However, those who listen to Wisdom will dwell securely in confident hope (κατασκηνώσει ἐπ̓ ἐλπίδι) and rest free from fear of evil.
Significant Greek Expressions
οἱ τὴν καταβολὴν τῆς στάσεως ποιήσαντες (You who laid the foundation of the rebellion):
Katabolē: foundation, laying down, beginning (often used in the phrase katabolē kosmou, foundation of the world).
Stasis: rebellion, faction, sedition.
Clement directly isolates the prime movers/architects of the revolt, placing the direct responsibility for initiating the schism on their shoulders.
κάμψαντες τὰ γόνατα τῆς καρδίας ὑμῶν (Bending the knees of your heart): A profound metaphor combining outward physical posture (kamtō ta gonata, kneeling/bending the knees; cf. Ephesians 3:14) with inner spiritual submission (kardia). Expresses total, unreserved humility and heart-repentance before God and His appointed leaders.
αὐθάδειαν (Stubbornness / self-willed arrogance / insolence): Noun authadeia (from autos "self" and hēdomai "to please"). Refers to self-willed arrogance, obstinacy, and contempt for others—a key trait prohibited in church overseers (cf. Titus 1:7: mē authadē, "not self-willed").
ἐν τῷ ποιμνίῳ... μικροὺς καὶ ἐλλογίμους (Small and approved / counted in the flock):
Poimnion: flock (a favorite Clementine term for the church body).
Mikros: small, humble, low-ranking.
Ellogimos: held in esteem, approved, accounted among the elect (cf. 1 Clement 44.3).
Clement asserts that true spiritual honor consists in humble membership in Christ’s flock rather than exalted status outside it.
ἡ πανάρετος σοφία (All-virtuous Wisdom): A compound title (pan-aretos, "all-virtuous" / "possessing all virtue") used in Hellenistic Judaism and early Christian writers (such as Hegesippus and Jerome) to describe the Book of Proverbs or Wisdom literature personified.
καταιγίδι (A tempest / storm / hurricane): Noun kataigis (from katagō, to strike down). Quotation of Proverbs 1:27 LXX. Describes a sudden, catastrophic windstorm that swoops down from above, illustrating the suddenness of divine judgment upon persistent schismatics.
κατασκηνώσει ἐπ̓ ἐλπίδι... καὶ ἡσυχάσει ἀφόβως (Shall dwell securely in hope... and shall be at rest without fear):
Kataskēnoō: to pitch a tent, dwell, reside (cf. Psalm 15:9 LXX).
Hēsychazō: to be quiet, rest, remain tranquil.
Contrasts the chaotic, fear-ridden destiny of the rebels with the serene, unshakeable peace enjoyed by those who yield to divine wisdom and maintain ecclesial order.