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First Epistle to the Corinthians

St Clement of Rome, Lake, Loeb 1912

Chapter 17

Humility in the Old Testament

Let us also be imitators of those who went about “in the skins of goats and sheep,” heralding the coming of Christ; we mean Elijah and Elisha, and moreover Ezekiel, the prophets, and in addition to them the famous men of old.

Abraham

Great fame was given to Abraham, and he was called the Friend of God, and he, fixing his gaze in humility on the Glory of God, says “But I am dust and ashes.”

Job

Moreover it is also written thus concerning Job:—“Now Job was righteous and blameless, true, a worshipper of God, and kept himself from all evil.”

But he accuses himself, saying, “No man is clean from defilement, not even if his life be but for a single day.”

Noah

Moses was called “Faithful with all his house,” and through his ministry God judged Egypt with their scourges and torments; but he, though he was given great glory, did not use great words, but, when an oracle was given to him from the bush, said:—“Who am I that thou sendest me? Nay, I am a man of feeble speech, and a slow tongue.”

And again he says, “But I am as smoke from a pot.”