The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians

Clemens Romanus (Clement of Rome)

Clement of Rome. The Apostolic Fathers, Volume 1. Lake, Kirsopp, editor. London: William Heinemann Ltd.; New York: The Macmillan Company, 1912.

And what wonder is it if those who were in[*](The action of Moses as a type of church organisation) Christ, and were entrusted by God with such a duty, established those who have been mentioned? Since the blessed Moses also A faithful servant in all his house noted down in the sacred books all the injunctions which were given him; and the other prophets follow ed him, bearing witness with him to the laws which he had given.

For when jealousy arose concerning the priesthood, and the tribes w ere quarrelling as to which of them was adorned with that glorious title, Moses himself commanded the

rulers of the twelve tribes to bring him rods, with the name of a tribe written on each; and he took them, and bound them, and sealed them with the rings of the rulers of the tribes, and put them away in the Tabernacle of Testimony on the table of God.

And he shut the Tabernacle, and sealed the keys, as he had done with the rods,

and he said to them, Brethren, of whichsoever tribe the rod shall bud, this has God chosen for his priesthood and ministry.

And when it was daylight he called together all Israel, six hundred thousand men, and showed the seals- to the rulers of the tribes, and opened the Tabernacle of Testimony, and took forth the rods, and the rod of Aaron was found not only to have budded, but also to be bearing fruit.

What do you think, beloved? That Moses did not know beforehand that this was going to happen? Assuredly he knew, but he acted thus that there should be no disorder in Israel, to glorify the name of the true and only God, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.