Chapter XII.--Exhortation to various graces.
For I trust that ye are well versed in the Sacred Scriptures, and that nothing is hid from you; but to me this privilege is not yet granted. [404] It is declared then in these Scriptures, "Be ye angry, and sin not," [405] and, "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath." [406] Happy is he who remembers [407] 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." [408] Pray for all the saints. Pray also for kings, [409] and potentates, and princes, and for those that persecute and hate you, [410] and for the enemies of the cross, that your fruit may be manifest to all, and that ye may be perfect in Him.
[404] This passage is very obscure. Some render it as follows: "But at present it is not granted unto me to practise that which is written, Be ye angry," etc.
[405] Ps. iv. 5.
[406] Eph. iv. 26.
[407] Some read, "believes."
[408] Gal. i. 1.
[409] Comp. 1 Tim. ii. 2.
[410] Matt. v. 44.
Chapter XIII.--Concerning the transmission of epistles.
Both you and Ignatius [411] wrote to me, that if any one went [from this] into Syria, he should carry your letter [412] 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 [413] 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 ye may be greatly profited; for they treat of faith and patience, and all things that tend to edification in our Lord. Any [414] more certain information you may have obtained respecting both Ignatius himself, and those that were [415] with him, have the goodness to make known [416] to us.
[411] Comp. Ep. of Ignatius to Polycarp, chap. viii.
[412] Or, "letters."
[413] Reference is here made to the two letters of Ignatius, one to Polycarp himself, and the other to the church at Smyrna.
[414] Henceforth, to the end, we have only the Latin version.
[415] The Latin version reads "are," which has been corrected as above.
[416] Polycarp was aware of the death of Ignatius (chap. ix.), but was as yet apparently ignorant of the circumstances attending it. [Who can fail to be touched by these affectionate yet entirely calm expressions as to his martyred friend and brother? Martyrdom was the habitual end of Christ's soldiers, and Polycarp expected his own; hence his restrained and temperate words of interest.]
Chapter XIV.--Conclusion.
These things I have written to you by Crescens, whom up to the present [417] time I have recommended unto you, and do now recommend. For he has acted blamelessly among us, and I believe also among you. Moreover, ye will hold his sister in esteem when she comes to you. Be ye safe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with you all. [418] Amen.
[417] Some read, "in this present Epistle."
[418] Others read, "and in favour with all yours."
[337] The title of this Epistle in most of the mss. is, "The Epistle of St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, and holy martyr, to the Philippians."
[338] Or, "Polycarp, and those who with him are presbyters."
Introductory Note to the Epistle Concerning the Martyrdom of Polycarp
Internal evidence goes far to establish the credit which Eusebius lends to this specimen of the martyrologies, certainly not the earliest if we accept that of Ignatius as genuine. As an encyclical of one of "the seven churches" to another of the same Seven, and as bearing witness to their aggregation with others into the unity of "the Holy and Catholic Church," it is a very interesting witness, not only to an article of the creed, but to the original meaning and acceptation of the same. More than this, it is evidence of the strength of Christ perfected in human weakness; and thus it affords us an assurance of grace equal to our day in every time of need. When I see in it, however, an example of what a noble army of martyrs, women and children included, suffered in those days "for the testimony of Jesus," and in order to hand down the knowledge of the Gospel to these boastful ages of our own, I confess myself edified by what I read, chiefly because I am humbled and abashed in comparing what a Christian used to be, with what a Christian is, in our times, even at his best estate.
That this Epistle has been interpolated can hardly be doubted, when we compare it with the unvarnished specimen, in Eusebius. As for the "fragrant smell" that came from the fire, many kinds of wood emit the like in burning; and, apart from Oriental warmth of colouring, there seems nothing incredible in the narrative if we except "the dove" (chap. xvi.), which, however, is probably a corrupt reading, [419] as suggested by our translators. The blade was thrust into the martyr's left side; and this, opening the heart, caused the outpouring of a flood, and not a mere trickling. But, though Greek thus amended is a plausible conjecture, there seems to have been nothing of the kind in the copy quoted by Eusebius. On the other hand, note the truly catholic and scriptural testimony: "We love the martyrs, but the Son of God we worship: it is impossible for us to worship any other."
Bishop Jacobson assigns more than fifty pages to this martyrology, with a Latin version and abundant notes. To these I must refer the student, who may wish to see this attractive history in all the light of critical scholarship and, often, of admirable comment.
The following is the original Introductory Notice:--
The following letter purports to have been written by the Church at Smyrna to the Church at Philomelium, and through that Church to the whole Christian world, in order to give a succinct account of the circumstances attending the martyrdom of Polycarp. It is the earliest of all the Martyria, and has generally been accounted both the most interesting and authentic. Not a few, however, deem it interpolated in several passages, and some refer it to a much later date than the middle of the second century, to which it has been commonly ascribed. We cannot tell how much it may owe to the writers (chap. xxii.) who successively transcribed it. Great part of it has been engrossed by Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History (iv. 15); and it is instructive to observe, that some of the most startling miraculous phenomena recorded in the text as it now stands, have no place in the narrative as given by that early historian of the Church. Much discussion has arisen respecting several particulars contained in this Martyrium; but into these disputes we do not enter, having it for our aim simply to present the reader with as faithful a translation as possible of this very interesting monument of Christian antiquity.
[419] See an ingenious conjecture in Bishop Wordsworth's Hippolytus and the Church of Rome, p. 318, C.
polycarp martyrdom_of_polycarp anf01 polycarp-martyrdom_of_polycarp The Martyrdom of Polycarp http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.iv.iv.html
The Encyclical Epistle of the Church at Smyrna Concerning the Martyrdom of the Holy Polycarp
The Church of God which sojourns at Smyrna, to the Church of God sojourning in Philomelium, [420] and to all the congregations [421] of the Holy and Catholic Church in every place: Mercy, peace, and love from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, be multiplied.