This is the date (or dates) that most scholarship suggests the Epistle was originally written.

Because of this person, the apostles were given authority over the church.

This group of people were given the Gospel from Jesus Christ. They also were given authority to appoint those that follow them – even though they knew that ‘strife’ would arise in the church (42-43).

In chapter 25, Clement uses this mythological creature to prove his point.

In Chapter 5, the author of the letter refers to these two men as his contemporaries.

Originally written in Greek, Clement joins Paul in sending letters to this community.

The core of the letter is relating to this concept.

This Old Testament hero is cited in Chapter 45 when the author questions if those that threw him into the lion’s den feared God.

The phoenix is known for this miraculous feat.

Clement is mention in this other extra canonical text:
“Thou shalt therefore write two little books, and shalt send one to Clement, and one to Grapte. So Clement shall send to the foreign cities, for this is his duty; while Grapte shall instruct the widows and the orphans. But thou shalt read (the book) to this city along with the elders that preside over the Church.”

Clement may have been a disciple of this person and later (possibly) succeeded him as bishop of Rome.

Examples of leadership in Clement’s letter are abundant from this corpus of scriptures.

The following quotation from the author shows his familiarity with this letter from Paul:
“do we not have one God, one Christ, and one gracious Spirit that has been poured out upon us, and one calling in Christ?”

The only other biblical text to mention the phoenix comes from this book of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Faithful, humble, righteousness.

Clement joins this group of apostles.

This consists of a sender, recipient, and greeting.

For the author and the Christians in Rome, this ejecting of chosen leaders is viewed in this way (47:6).

“Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest,
and I shall multiply my days as the sand.” Though this form of Biblical interpretation of the Talmudic literature translates “sand” as “phoenix.”

The author of 1 Clement refers to the church in Corinth in Chapter 47. He also refers to these same two men that Paul did in his 1st letter to the church in Corinth. (47:3)

Division within the community in regard to the ejecting of apostolic leadership.

This was not a friendly letter checking in. In fact, this letter can be part of a literary genre of ancient rhetoric/persuasion. These are some accusations against the church in Corinth made by Clement.

In chapters 42-44 the author makes the argument that the ejection of the duly chosen leaders is unlawful to the church and to the desires of the Apostles. By rejecting apostolic succession, the perpetrators are also going against this person/entity.

The phoenix is used often to describe the resurrection. What other individual has the phoenix also been used to illustrate

The concept of Apostolic Succession is a contentious point even today. In 2001 the ELCA and the Episcopal Church almost did not enter into agreement because of this. What document ultimately shows the ELCA’s acceptance of Apostolic Succession?