Among these np^crp&repoi Polycarp mentions one called Valens who greatly horrihed his colleagues by his greed (xi. 1) ; the wife of Valens was as giilty as he (xi. 4). ' He who cannot govern him- lelf in these things,' writes Polycarp how doth he enjoin this upon another?' (xi. 2). Polycarp exhorts the presbyters to bring back Jalens and his wife as members who were weak and had gone astray, for the good of the whole community (xi. 4). The sinner, though offensive is not to be despaired of and abandoned by the community. The presbyters must be merciful to all, bring back the erring, visit the weak, neglect neither the widows, the orphans, nor the poor; avoid unjust judgments, not believe evil readily (vi. 1). Ihe deacons must be beyond reproach, remembering that they are 'deacons of God and Christ and not of men.' avoid evil-speaking duplicity cupidity (V 1) Married women must be faitlitul to tiie virtues of faith, charity, chastity, ove their husbands, bring up their children in the fear of (iod (iv. 2). Widows are the altar of God, evaiaa- rripJ e«0 (iv. 3), in the sense that there must be
nothing in them that would not be worthy of being olleied to God, and also in the sense that tj'ey I'v" on the ollerings of the charity of the faith u H Achelis (Das Christcntnm m den ersten diei T,dXnLten, Leipzig, 1912, i. 192) shows that widows are always in the a«t rank of the people to whom alms are given. Virgins (i.e. youi..' Christian girls in general, not v,,.. 'ins consec ated to God) must lead a perfectly l.'ure li e (\. -i). Yomig peo,de must flee from all cvi , all the sordid pagan lices branded by St. Paul in 1 Co 6>"-, anS they must be under the subjection of the presbyter and the deacons (v 3). T'e Epistle o I'olycarp is above all a moral exhortation which recalls the manner of 1 Clem, more than that of the Ignatian epistles. It undoubtedly gives a fairly accurate idea of what ought to be the preaching of a bishop (vovdeala). ^ ,. „,„ „-r,r
Its speculative and dogmatic contents are very poor, but there are some elementary features worthy of notice. , ^ , r„„„„
God is called ' the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,' as Jesus Christ is said to be the Son ot God ' and ' Eternal Pontiff' [sempiternus pontifex rxil 21). Cf. the doxology with which m t'le Martyrium Polycarpi(py. 3) the prayer of loly- carp ends: 'For all things I praise f lee, I bless Thee, I glorify Thee, through the eternal and heavenly High-priest, Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son Ui^ouglf wl^m with Him and the Holy Spint be glory both now [and ever].' The idea of the Priesthood of Christ is also found in Ignatius, ad Phil. ix. 1, and in Clem, ad Cor. xxxyi. 1, Ixi. S, Ixiv : it is the fundamental idea of Hebrews. Jesus Christ deigned to descend even to death for our sins (i. 2). Give up vain speeches and the errors of the majority, i.e. paganism, to believe in the Risen One to whom God has given a throne at His right hand, and to whom all has been sub- jected inSieaven and on earth : God wil demand an account of His blood from those who do not believeTn Him (ii. 1). God will f^o.^^e. "^,. ™7 the dead if we observe the precepts of Christ (ii. ^). The ei ror of Docetism is denounced by Polycarp as an imminent danger: 'Whosoever Bhal not con- fess the testimony of the Cross, is of the ( ev'' (vii 1); FO also is the perversion of Christian moraitV by false teachers: 'Whosoever shal pervert the oracles of the Lord (rd X^y^a rou Kvpcou) to his own lusts and say that there ib neither resurrection nor judgment, that man is the hrst^ born of Satan' (vii. 1). Let us avoid tie false brethren and them th.at bear the name of the Lord in hypocrisy, who lead foolish men astray (vi 3). Faith is our mother in all things, 'while hope followeth after and love goeth before-love «« ard God and Christ and toward our neighbour (in. i). Let us reject the folly of the majority (i.e pagan- ism) and false teaching (^ei,5o6.Sa<rKaMa, the new doctrines of the heretics), and return to the teach- ing which has been given us from the beginning (^ri rl^ildpxv^ VP.-^" ^apaSoBivra \6yo.,t\x^ teaching of [he apo^tFes and of the gospel), tradition being the criteiion of Christian truth (vu. 2) Let us have our eyes constantly lixed on our hope and the pledge of our justice, i.e. on Jesus Christ, who has ^endured all things, that ^^e might ijen Him (viii 1). Lastly, let us pray for all the saints for he magistrates and princes, for o";" P.^^e'^'to f and for the enemies of the Cross (xii. 3). Ihe Church is not mentioned, but Polycarp says: •May God give you a share in the inheritance of tie Lints may He let us participate in it >vith ymi, we and alUhose who are under heaven, nv^io Wlieve in our Lord Jesus Christ and in His Father' (xii. 2). Prayer does not go mthout fasting (vii. 2). The prayer recommended is the Lord's Prayer (vi. 2, vii. 2).
POLYGAMY