Chapter 61
Prayer is continued
|
1 Σύ,
δέσποτα,
ἔδωκας
τὴν
ἐξουσίαν
τῆς
βασιλείας
αὐτοῖς
διὰ
τοῦ
μεγαλοπρεποῦς
καὶ
ἀνεκδιηγήτου
κράτους
σου,
εἰς
τὸ
γινώσκοντας
ἡμᾶς
τὴν
ὑπὸ
σοῦ
αὐτοῖς
δεδομένην
δόξαν
καὶ
τιμὴν
ὑποτάσσεσθαι
αὐτοῖς,
μηδὲν
ἐναντιουμένους
τῷ
θελήματί
σου·
οἷς δός, κύριε, ὑγίειαν, εἰρήνην, ὁμόνοιαν, εὐστάθειαν, εἰς τὸ διέπειν αὐτοὺς τὴν ὑπὸ σοῦ δεδομένην αὐτοῖς ἡγεμονίαν ἀπροσκόπως. |
You, Master, have given them the authority of sovereignty through Your majestic and inexpressible might, so that as we acknowledge the glory and honour You have given them, we may be subject to them, resisting nothing of Your will.
Therefore, Lord, give health, peace, harmony, and stability to them so that they may blamelessly administer the government that You have given them. |
|
2 σὺ
γάρ,
δέσποτα
ἐπουράνιε,
βασιλεῦ
τῶν
αἰώνων,
δίδως
τοῖς
υἱοῖς
τῶν
ἀνθρώπων
δόξαν
καὶ
τιμὴν
καὶ
ἐξουσίαν
τῶν
ἐπὶ
τῆς
γῆς
ὑπαρχόντων·
σύ, κύριε, διεύθυνον τὴν βουλὴν αὐτῶν κατὰ τὸ καλὸν καὶ εὐάρεστον ἐνώπιόν σου, ὅπως διέποντες ἐν εἰρήνῃ καὶ πραΰτητι εὐσεβῶς τὴν ὑπὸ σοῦ αὐτοῖς δεδομένην ἐξουσίαν ἵλεώ σου τυγχάνωσιν. |
For You, heavenly Master, King of the ages, give to the sons of men, glory, honour, and authority over things that exist upon the earth.
Lord, direct their plans according to what is good and pleasing in Your sight, so that by administering in peace and gentleness the authority You have given them, they may experience Your mercy. |
| 3 ὁ μόνος δυνατὸς ποιῆσαι ταῦτα καὶ περισσότερα ἀγαθὰ μεθ' ἡμῶν, σοί ἐξομολογούμεθα διὰ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως καὶ προστάτου τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι' οὗ σοί ἡ δόξα καὶ ἡ μεγαλωσύνη καὶ νῦν καὶ εἰς γενεὰν γενεῶν καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ἀμήν. |
You alone are able to do these things and even far better things for us. We praise You through Jesus Christ, the high priest and benefactor of our souls, through whom be the glory and the majesty to You, both now and for all generations and for ever and ever, Amen. |
Summary
In Chapter 61, Clement concludes the Great Liturgical Prayer with a landmark petition for secular civil authorities and a final Christological doxology. Continuing directly from Chapter 60, this chapter contains one of the earliest and most detailed prayers for earthly rulers in post-New Testament Christian literature:
Divinely Instituted Civil Authority: Clement explicitly confesses that civil authority (ἐξουσία) and rule (ἡγεμονία) are granted to secular rulers directly by God through His majestic and inexpressible power (ἀνεκδιήγητον κράτος). Recognizing that their glory and honor derive from God, Christians are called to submit to them without opposing God’s will.
Intercession for Rulers: Clement prays that God grant these rulers health, peace, concord, and stability (ὑγίειαν, εἰρήνην, ὁμόνοιαν, εὐστάθειαν) so that they may exercise their governance blamelessly (ἀπροσκόπως). He asks the Heavenly Sovereign (δέσποτα ἐπουράνιε) to direct their counsel toward what is good and pleasing in His sight, enabling them to govern in peace, gentleness, and piety (εὐσεβῶς).
Closing Doxology through Christ: Clement closes the prayer by offering praise and thanksgiving to God, who alone can perform these and even greater blessings. This worship is offered through Jesus Christ, designated here as the High Priest and Protector (ἀρχιερεύς καὶ προστάτης) of human souls, attributing to God eternal glory and majesty through Him.
Significant Greek Expressions
τὴν ἐξουσίαν τῆς βασιλείας... διὰ τοῦ... κράτους σου (The authority of royalty / kingdom... through Your power):
Exousia: authority, right, power to rule.
Kratos: sovereignty, mighty power.
Directly reflects the Pauline theology of state authority found in Romans 13:1–7 ("there is no authority except from God"). Clement views the Roman imperial power not as a demonic enemy, but as a divinely ordained instrument of civic order.
ὑποτάσσεσθαι... μηδὲν ἐναντιουμένους (To submit... in no way opposing):
Hypotassō: to submit, place under, obey.
Enantioomai: to oppose, withstand, set oneself against.
Frames political submission as a theological duty: opposing legitimate civic authorities means resisting the divine decree (thēlēma) that established them.
εὐστάθειαν (Stability / tranquility / steadfastness): Noun eustatheia (from eu "well" + histēmi "to stand"). A classical Greek civic virtue referring to internal political stability and orderly government, contrasting sharply with the chaotic factionalism (stasis) infecting Corinth.
ἀπροσκόπως (Without offense / blamelessly / without stumbling): Adverb aproskopōs (from a- "not" + proskoptō "to strike against / stumble"; cf. 1 Corinthians 10:32, Philippians 1:10). Clement prays that secular rulers may govern without stumbling or becoming an obstacle to justice and peace.
διεύθυνον τὴν βουλὴν αὐτῶν (Direct / guide their counsel):
Dieuthynō: to direct straight, guide, govern.
Boulē: counsel, deliberation, policy decisions.
A petition for divine providence to overrule and guide imperial policy toward justice, public welfare, and the protection of the innocent.
ἐν εἰρήνῃ καὶ πραΰτητι εὐσεβῶς (In peace and gentleness piously):
Praütēs: gentleness, meekness, mildness.
Eusebōs: piously, reverently, devoutly.
Parallels the pastoral instructions of 1 Timothy 2:1–2 ("pray for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way").
διὰ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως καὶ προστάτου... Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ (Through the High Priest and Protector... Jesus Christ):
Archiereus: High Priest (a key title for Jesus in 1 Clement; cf. 36.1, 64.1, echoing the Epistle to the Hebrews).
Prostatēs: patron, guardian, protector, defender (a Greco-Roman legal term for a patron who represents and defends clients).
Christ mediates humanity’s worship to the Father while serving as the divine patron and guardian of the Church’s soul.