Clem: our High Priest

Clement goes through a wonderful 4 chapters about Jesus being the High Priest and the leader of our Church.  In 36, he calls him "the High Priest of all our offerings."  By him all blessings have come and all good things exist.  By him, less happy things can be redeemed for his glory.

Christ is not the supreme leader of the Church; he is the only leader.  Clement calls us to act the part of soldiers.  Let us consider those who serve under our generals.  Let us take our body for an example.  The head needs the feet, the feet need the head, and the whole body needs even its most insignificant members.  The people in the Church are very vital.

But they are only vital when Clement says to let our whole body be preserved in Christ Jesus.  Let the strong not despise the weak or vice versa. Let the rich man provide for the wants of the poor while the poor man praises God for blessings that come his way (er, both men should praise God from whom all blessings flow).  Let the wise man display his wisdom not just in words but in his actions.  Let the humble not bear testimony to himself, but let others praise him.  Let him that is pure in the flesh not grow proud.  All people remain physically pure only by the grace of God and cannot boast of their self-control.  Le us consider of what matter we were made.  God just spoke dust into existence and formed it into Adam and then pulled Eve out of his rib.

The Corinthians do remember the foolish and inconsiderate men with no wisdom nor instruction who mock and deride them.  They are equally made by God, and God has blessed the Corinthians with a grace not enjoyed by the others.

This point, Clement refers to the Old Testament temple system.  His theme is to keep the Church order that God established.  I give a hearty amen, but he also did not permanently establish Church order in the priests who could only sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem.  That was only until the true High Priest came and offered his blameless self for our sins.  Now Jesus is the only intercessor before God.  He stands before God in the for real temple's altar.  Anyone who tries to sit in that place is arrogant.  Anyone who places anyone in that place is an idolater.  Only Jesus leads the Church and stands before God the Father, and he replaced all useless priests before he came for all time.