Introductory Note
The Epistle of Polycarp is usually made a sort of preface to those of
Ignatius. Yet he was born
later, and lived to a much later period.
They seem to have been friends from the days of their common
discipleship under the apostle John. His own disciple Irenaeus gives us one of the
very few portraits of an apostolic man which are to be found in antiquity, in a
few sentences which are a picture: ‘I could describe the very place in which
the blessed Polycarp sat and taught; his going out and coming in; the whole
tenor of his life; his personal appearance; how he would speak of the
conversations he held with John and with others who had seen the Lord.’ Polycarp’s death, in extreme old age under
the first of the Antonines, has been variously dated; but we may accept the
probable date of around 155-167 AD.
His epistle to the Philippians abounds
in practical wisdom, and is rich in Scripture and Scriptural allusions. It reflects the spirit of the apostle John,
alike in its contrasting features: he is as loving as the beloved disciple
himself when he speaks of Christ and his church, but ‘the son of thunder’ is
echoed in his rebukes of threatened corruptions in faith and morals.
The authenticity of this epistle cannot
be questioned on any fair ground. It is
abundantly established by external testimony, and is also supported by the
internal evidence. Irenaeus refers to it
(Against
Heresies,
iii.3.4): ‘There is extant an epistle of
Polycarp written to the Philippians, most satisfactory, from which those that
have a mind to do so may learn the character of his faith,’ etc. This passage is embodied by Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History (iv. 14); and in another place the
same writer refers to this epistle as an undoubted production of Polycarp (Hist.
Eccl., iii. 36).
Of Polycarp’s life little is known, but that
little is highly interesting. Irenaeus
was his disciple, and he tells us that ‘Polycarp was instructed by the
apostles, and was brought into contact with many who had seen Christ’ (Against Heresies, iii.3.4; Euseb. Hist. Eccl.,
iv. 14). There is also a very graphic
account given of Polycarp by Irenaeus in his Epistle to Florinus. It has been preserved by Eusebius (Hist.
Eccl., v. 20).
The date of the epistle cannot be satisfactorily determined. It depends on the conclusion we reach as to
some points, very difficult and obscure, connected with that account of the martyrdom
of Polycarp which has come down to us.
We shall not, however, probably be far wrong if we fix it about the
middle of the second century.
·
Chapter 13 shows that the early Christians read, copied and circulated
around to other churches letters from the apostles and their associates (cf.
Col. 4:16, and see also chapter 8 of Ignatius’ Epistle to Polycarp). Having access together to these sources indicates that they fed themselves on a similar
spiritual diet to one another.
The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians
Polycarp, and the presbyters with him, to the church of God sojourning
at Philippi: Mercy to you, and peace from God Almighty, and from the Lord Jesus
Christ, our Saviour, be multiplied.
Chapter 1: Praise of the Philippians
I have greatly rejoiced with you in our Lord Jesus Christ, because you have followed the example of true love as displayed by God, and have accompanied, as became you, those who were bound in chains, the fitting ornaments of saints, and which are indeed the diadems of the true elect of God and our Lord; and because the strong root of your faith, spoken of in days long gone by (Phil. 1:5), endures even until now, and brings forth fruit to our Lord Jesus Christ, who for our sins suffered even unto death, but ‘whom God raised from the dead, having loosed the bonds of the grave.’ (Acts 2:24). ‘In whom, though now you see Him not, you believe, and believing, rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;’ (1 Peter 1:8) into which joy many desire to enter, knowing that ‘by grace you are saved, not of works,’ (Eph. 2:8-9) but by the will of God through Jesus Christ.
Chapter 2: An Exhortation to Virtue
‘Wherefore, girding up your
loins,’ (1 Peter 1:13-14) ‘serve the Lord in fear’ and truth (Ps. 2:11), as those who have
forsaken the vain, empty talk and error of the multitude, and ‘believed in Him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and
gave Him glory,’ (1 Peter 1:21) and a throne at His
right hand. To Him all things in heaven
and on earth are subject (cf. 1 Peter 3:22; Phil. 2:10). Him every spirit serves. He comes as the Judge of the living and the
dead (Acts 17:31). His blood will God
require of those who do not believe in and obey Him. But He who raised Him up from the dead will
raise us up also (cf. 1 Cor. 6:14, 2 Cor. 4:14, Rom. 8:11), if we do His will,
and walk in His commandments, and love what He loved, keeping ourselves from
all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money, evil speaking, false witness;
‘not rendering evil for evil, or
railing for railing,’ (1 Peter 3:9) or blow for blow, or
cursing for cursing, but being mindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: ‘Judge not, that you be not judged’ (Matt. 7:1); forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you (Matt. 6:12,14;
Luke 6:37); be merciful, that you may obtain mercy (Luke 6:36); with what
measure you measure, it shall be measured to you again (Matt. 7:2, Luke 6:38);
and once more, ‘Blessed are the poor, and those
that are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God.’ (Matt. 5:3,10; Luke 6:20).
Chapter 3: Expressions of Personal Unworthiness
These things, brethren, I write
to you concerning righteousness, not because I take anything upon myself, but
because you have invited me to do so.
For neither I, nor any other such one, can come up to the wisdom of the blessed and glorified Paul
(cf. 2 Peter 3:15). He, when among you,
accurately and steadfastly taught the word of truth in the presence of those
who were then alive. And when absent
from you, he wrote you a letter, which, if you carefully study, you will find
to be the means of building you up in that faith which has been given you, and
which, being followed by hope, and preceded by love towards God, and Christ,
and our neighbour, ‘is the mother
of us all.’ (cf. Gal. 4:26). For if anyone be inwardly possessed of these
graces, he has fulfilled the command of righteousness, since he that has love
is far from all sin.
Chapter 4: Various Exhortations
‘But the love of money is the
root of all evils.’ (1 Tim. 6:10). Knowing, therefore, that ‘as we brought nothing into the world, so we can carry nothing out,’ (1 Tim. 6:7) let us arm ourselves with the armour of righteousness (cf.
Eph. 6:11) and let us teach, first of all, ourselves to walk in the
commandments of the Lord. Next, teach
your wives to walk in the faith given to them, and in love and purity tenderly
loving their own husbands in all truth, and loving all others equally in all
chastity; and to train up their children in the knowledge and fear of God. Teach the widows to be discreet as respects
the faith of the Lord, praying continually for all (cf. 1 Thess. 5:17), being
far from all slandering, evil-speaking, false-witnessing, love of money, and
every kind of evil; knowing that they are the altar of God, that He clearly
perceives all things, and that nothing is hid from Him, neither reasonings, nor
reflections, nor any one of the secret things of the heart.
Chapter 5: The Duties of Deacons, Youths and Virgins
Knowing, then, that ‘God is
not mocked,’ (Gal. 6:7) we ought to walk worthy of His commandment and glory. In like manner should the deacons be
blameless before the face of His righteousness, as being the servants of God
and Christ, and not of men. They must
not be slanderers, double-tongued, (cf. 1 Tim. 3:8) or lovers of money, but
temperate in all things, compassionate, industrious, walking according to the
truth of the Lord, who was the servant of all (Matt. 20:28). If we please Him in this present world, we
shall receive also the future world, according as He has promised to us that He
will raise us again from the dead, and that if we live worthily of Him, ‘we shall also reign together with Him,’ (2 Tim. 2:12 and cf. Phil. 1:27) provided only we believe. In like manner, let the young men also be
blameless in all things, being especially careful to preserve purity, and
reining themselves in, as with a bridle, from every kind of evil. For it is well that they should emerge and be
cut off from the lusts that are in the world, since ‘every lust wars against the spirit;’ (1 Peter 2:11) and ‘neither
fornicators, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, shall
inherit the kingdom of God,’ (1 Cor. 6:9-10) nor those who do
things inconsistent and unbecoming.
Wherefore, it is needful to abstain from all these things, being subject
to the presbyters and deacons, as unto God and Christ. Virgins also must walk in a blameless and
pure conscience.
Chapter 6: The Duties of Presbyters and Others
And let the presbyters be
compassionate and merciful to all, bringing back those that wander, visiting
all the sick, and not neglecting the widow, the orphan, or the poor, but always
‘providing for that which is becoming in the sight of God and man;’ (Rom. 12:17, 2 Cor. 8:21)
abstaining from all wrath, respect of persons, and unjust judgment; keeping far
off from all covetousness, not quickly crediting an evil report against anyone,
not severe in judgment, as knowing that we are all under a debt of sin. If then we entreat the Lord to forgive us, we
ought also ourselves to forgive (Matt. 6:12-14), for we are before the eyes of
our Lord and God, and ‘we must all
appear at the judgment-seat of Christ, and must every one give an account of
himself.’ (Rom. 14:10-12, 2 Cor. 5:10). Let us then serve Him in fear, and with all
reverence, even as He Himself has commanded us, and as the apostles who
preached the gospel unto us, and the prophets who proclaimed beforehand the
coming of the Lord have alike taught us.
Let us be zealous in the pursuit of that which is good, keeping
ourselves from causes of offence, from false brethren, and from those who in
hypocrisy bear the name of the Lord and draw away vain men into error.
Chapter 7: Avoid the Docetae, and Persevere in Fasting and Prayer
‘For whosoever does not confess
that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is antichrist;’ (1 John 4:3) and whosoever does not confess the suffering of the cross,
is of the devil; and whosoever perverts the oracles of the Lord to his own
lusts, and says that there is neither a resurrection nor a judgment, he is the
first-born of Satan. Wherefore,
forsaking the vanity of many, and their false doctrines, let us return to the
word which has been handed down to us from the beginning (cf. Jude 1:3);
‘watching unto prayer,’ (1 Peter 4:7) and persevering in fasting; beseeching in our
supplications the all-seeing God ‘not to lead us
into temptation,’ (Matt. 6:13, 26:41) as the Lord
has said: ‘The spirit truly is willing, but
the flesh is weak.’ (Matt. 26:41, Mark 14:38).
Chapter 8: Persevere in Hope and Patience
Let us then continually persevere
in our hope, and the earnest of our righteousness, which is Jesus Christ, ‘who
bore our sins in His own body on the tree,’ (1 Peter 2:24) ‘who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth,’ (1 Peter 2:22) but endured all things for us, that we might live in Him
(cf. 1 John 4:9). Let us then be
imitators of His patience; and if we suffer for His name’s sake, let us glorify Him (cf. Acts 5:41, 1 Peter 4:16). For He has set us this example
in Himself, and we have believed that such is the case (cf. 1 Peter 2:21).
Chapter 9: Patience Inculcated
I exhort you all, therefore, to
yield obedience to the word of righteousness, and to exercise all patience,
such as you have seen set before your eyes, not only in the case of the blessed
Ignatius, Zosimus and Rufus, but also in others among yourselves, and in Paul
himself, and the rest of the apostles.
Do this in the assurance that all these have not run in vain (cf. Phil. 2:16, Gal. 2:2), but in
faith and righteousness, and that they are now in their due place in the
presence of the Lord, with whom also they suffered. For they loved not this present world, but
Him who died for us, and for our sakes was raised again by God from the dead.
Chapter 10: Exhortation to the Practice of Virtue
Stand fast, therefore, in these things, and follow the example of the
Lord, being firm and unchangeable in the faith, loving the brotherhood (1 Peter
2:17) and being attached to one another, joined together in the truth,
exhibiting the meekness of the Lord in your intercourse with one another, and
despising no-one. When you can do good,
defer it not, because ‘alms delivers from
death.’ (Tobit 4:10, 12:9). Be all of you subject one to another (1 Peter 5:5) ‘having your conduct
blameless among the Gentiles,’ (1
Peter 2:12) that you may both receive praise for your good works, and the Lord
may not be blasphemed through you. But
woe to him by whom the name of the Lord is blasphemed! (Isa. 52:5). Teach, therefore, sobriety to all, and
manifest it also in your own conduct.
Chapter 11: Expression of Grief on Account of Valens
I am greatly grieved for Valens,
who was once a presbyter among you, because he so little understands the place
that was given him in the church. I
exhort you, therefore, that you abstain from covetousness, and that you be chaste and
truthful. ‘Abstain from every form of
evil.’ (1 Thess. 5:22). For if a man cannot govern himself in such
matters, how shall he enjoin them on others?
If a man does not keep himself from covetousness, he shall be defiled by
idolatry, and shall be judged as one of the heathen. But who of us are ignorant of the judgment of
the Lord? ‘Do we not know that the saints shall judge the world?’ as Paul teaches (1 Cor. 6:2).
But I have neither seen nor heard of any such thing among you, in the
midst of whom the blessed Paul laboured, and who are commended in the
beginning of his epistle. For he
boasts of you in all those churches which alone then knew the Lord; but we of
Smyrna had not yet known Him. I am
deeply grieved, therefore, brethren, for Valens and his wife; to whom may the
Lord grant true repentance! And be then
moderate in regard to this matter, and ‘do not count such as enemies,’ (2 Thess. 3:15) but call them back as suffering and straying members,
that you may save your whole body. For
by so acting you shall edify yourselves (1 Cor. 12:26).
Chapter 12: Exhortation to Various Graces
For I trust that you are well versed
in the sacred Scriptures, and that nothing is hid from you; but to me this
privilege is not yet granted. It is declared then in these
Scriptures, ‘Be angry, and sin not,’ (Ps.
4:5) and, ‘Let not the sun go down upon your
wrath.’ (Eph. 4:26). Happy is he who remembers this, which I
believe to be the case with you. But may
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ Himself, who is
the Son of God, and our everlasting High Priest, build you up in faith and
truth, and in all meekness, gentleness, patience, long-suffering, forbearance,
and purity; and may He bestow on you a lot and portion among His saints, and on
us with you, and on all that are under heaven, who shall believe in our Lord
Jesus Christ, and in His Father, who ‘raised Him from the dead.’ (Gal.
1:1). Pray for all the saints. Pray also for kings (1 Tim. 2:2) and
potentates, and princes, and for those that persecute and hate you (Matt. 5:44)
and for the enemies of the cross, that your fruit may be manifest to all, and
that ye may be perfect in Him.
Chapter 13: Concerning the Transmission of Epistles
Both you and Ignatius wrote to me, that if anyone went from
here into Syria, he should carry your letter with him; which request I will
attend to if I find a fitting opportunity, either personally, or through some
other acting for me, that your desire may be fulfilled. The epistles of Ignatius written by him to
us, and all the rest of his epistles which we have by us, we have sent to you,
as you requested. They are subjoined to
this epistle, and by them you may be greatly profited; for they treat of faith
and patience, and all things that tend to edification in our Lord. Any more certain information you may have
obtained respecting both Ignatius himself, and those that were with him, have
the goodness to make known to us.[1]
Chapter 14: Conclusion
These things I have written to you by
Crescens, whom up to the present time I have recommended unto you, and do now recommend. For he has acted blamelessly among us, and I
believe also among you. Moreover, you
will hold his sister in esteem when she comes to you. Be safe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with you all. Amen.
[1] Polycarp was aware of the death of Ignatius, but
was as yet apparently ignorant of the circumstances attending it. Martyrdom was the habitual end of Christ’s soldiers, and
Polycarp expected his own; hence his restrained and temperate words of
interest.
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