Themes from the Early Church Fathers Witness of the Early Church

Association of Hebrew Catholics Lecture Series The Mystery of Israel and the Church

Fall 2009 – Series 5 Themes From the Early Church Fathers

Talk #3 Witness of the Early Church on the Road to Martyrdom: St. Ignatius of Antioch

Note: This document contains the unedited text of Dr. Feingold’s talk. It will eventually undergo final editing for inclusion in the series of books being published by The Miriam Press under the series title: “The Mystery of Israel and the Church”. If you find errors of any type, please send your observations [email protected] This document may be copied and given to others. It may not be modified, sold, or placed on any web site. The actual recording of this talk, as well as the talks from all series, may be found on the AHC website at: http://www.hebrewcatholic.net/studies/mystery-of-israel-church/

Association of Hebrew Catholics • 4120 W Pine Blvd • Saint Louis MO 63108 www.hebrewcatholic.org • [email protected] Witness of the Early Church on the Road to Martyrdom: St. Ignatius of Antioch

After the Letter of Clement I of Rome, the most im- with Christ and for life in him with the intensity of Ignatius. portant Christian source after the New Testament are the We therefore read the Gospel passage on the vine, which stupendous letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch, who wrote according to John’s Gospel is Jesus. In fact, two spiritual seven letters on his way to martyrdom in the Coliseum in “currents” converge in Ignatius, that of Paul, straining with Rome. Six were directed to churches—Rome, Ephesus, all his might for union with Christ, and that of John, con- centrated on life in him. In turn, these two currents translate Magnesia, Trallia, Smyrna, and Philadelphia—and one into the imitation of Christ, whom Ignatius several times was directed to St. Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna. proclaimed as “my” or “our God.” Thus, Ignatius implores St. Ignatius, like St. Polycarp, was a direct disciple of the Christians of Rome not to prevent his martyrdom since St. John the Apostle, and he was third bishop of Antioch he is impatient “to attain to Jesus Christ.” And he explains, (after St. Peter and Evodius) from around 70AD to 107AD, “It is better for me to die on behalf of Jesus Christ than to the date of his martyrdom. He is thus a crucial link in reign over all the ends of the earth.... Him I seek, who died showing us the continuity between the Apostles and the for us: him I desire, who rose again for our sake.... Permit me post-apostolic age. to be an imitator of the Passion of my God!” (Romans, 5-6). Antioch, after Rome and Alexandria, was the third most Ignatius’ Letter to the Romans is an amazing expres- important and populous city of the Roman Empire. In ad- sion of the desire to participate in the passion of Christ. dition to its civil importance, it had special significance in He writes to the Romans imploring them not to intercede the Christian world in that it was the first church in which with the Emperor or his court so as to obtain clemency for significant numbers of Gentile converts entered in, it was him. In nos. 2-6 he writes: the city where the name “Christian” was first coined, it was Grant me no more than to be a sacrifice for God while the city in which Paul and Barnabas made their base, and it there is an altar at hand…[ no. 2] was the city where Peter was bishop before going to Rome. Then, too, I shall be a convincing Christian only when Ignatius therefore had a crucial importance as bishop of the world sees me no more. Nothing you can see has real Antioch for 37 years, serving as a key link between the value. Our God Jesus Christ, indeed, has revealed himself apostolic and the post-apostolic age. It is in the letters of Ig- more clearly by returning to the Father. The greatness of natius that we first find the expression, “Catholic Church.” Christianity lies in its being hated by the world, not in its Ignatius was arrested and martyred by the Emperor Trajan being convincing to it. …[no. 3] as a kind of figurehead of the Christian world. I plead with you, do not do me an unseasonable kind- ness. Let me be fodder for wild beasts—that is how I can Eusebius, the first historian of the Church from the begin- get to God. I am God’s wheat and I am being ground by the ning of the fourth century, has a chapter on St. Ignatius, in teeth of wild beasts to make a pure loaf for Christ….Pray which he informs us: Christ for me that by these means I may become God’s sac- Ignatius was sent from Syria to Rome and became food rifice….May nothing seen or unseen begrudge me making for wild animals because of his testimony to Christ. He made my way to Jesus Christ. Come fire, cross, battling with wild the journey through Asia under the strictest military guard, beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of limbs, crushing of encouraging the Christian community, by homilies and my whole body, cruel tortures of the devil—only let me get exhortations, in every city where he stayed. In particular he to Jesus Christ!... I am going through the pangs of being warned them to guard most carefully against the heresies born…. Do not stand in the way of my coming to life—do which were then first becoming prevalent, and exhorted not wish death on me….Let me imitate the Passion of my them to hold fast to the apostolic tradition, which, as he was God [nos. 4-6]. now on his way to martyrdom, he thought it necessary for The same desire to shed his blood for Christ can be seen 1 safety’s sake to set down clearly in writing. in Ignatius’ letters to the other churches. In the Letter to a. Desire for Martyrdom the Ephesians 1, he writes: Pope Benedict XVI, in his Wednesday Audience of For when you heard that I was on my way from Syria March 14, 2007 on St. Ignatius, speaks first of all of Ig- in chains for the sake of our common name and hope, and natius’ ardent desire to be joined to Christ and to imitate was hoping through your prayers to succeed in fighting with Him to the shedding of his blood for Christ: wild beasts in Rome—in order that by so succeeding I might be able to be a disciple—you hurried to visit me. No Church Father has expressed the longing for union Ignatius’ wish was granted. He died in the Coliseum as 1 Eusebius, The History of the Church from Christ to Constantine fodder for wild beasts. The Acts of his martyrdom tell us 3.36, trans. G.A. Williamson (New York: Dorset Press, 1965), 145. that “only the harder portions of his holy remains were left,

2 AHC Lecture Series 5: Themes From the Early Church Fathers –– Lecture 3: Witness of Early Church: St. Ignatius of Antioch which were conveyed to Antioch and wrapped in linen, For when you obey the bishop as if he were Jesus Christ, as an inestimable treasure left to the holy Church by the you are… living not in a merely human fashion but in Jesus grace which was in the martyr.”2 Christ’s way, who for our sakes suffered death that you might believe in his death and so escape dying yourselves. It is es- b. Hierarchical Structure of the Church sential, therefore, to act in no way without the bishop, just Ignatius’ seven letters give us very complete picture of as you are doing. Rather submit even to the presbytery as to the principal pastoral concerns of one of the greatest saints, the apostles of Jesus Christ. He is our Hope, and if we live in bishops, and martyrs of the first century of Christianity. union with him now, we shall gain eternal life. Those too who Card. Newman wrote that “the whole system of Catholic are deacons of Jesus Christ’s mysteries must give complete satisfaction to everyone. For they do not serve mere food and doctrine may be discovered, at least in outline, not to say in 3 drink, but minister to God’s Church. . . . Inside the sanctuary parts filled up, in the course of them [his seven epistles].” a man is pure; outside he is impure. That means: whoever The theme that is foremost in his mind, to which he does anything without bishop, presbytery, and deacons does returns again and again, is the unity of the Church. He not have a clear conscience. explains that this unity has its foundation in the sacramental Again in the Letter to the Smyrnaeans, no. 8: and hierarchical structure of the Church, with one bishop Flee from schism as the source of mischief. You should in each diocese presiding over a college of presbyters and all follow the bishop as Jesus Christ did the Father. Follow, deacons dedicated to the works of charity. This is very too, the presbytery as you would the Apostles; and respect the valuable evidence that by the year 107 AD the hierarchical deacons as you would God’s law. Nobody must do anything structure of the Church had exactly the same basic form that has to do with the Church without the bishop’s approval. that we know today. You should regard that Eucharist as valid which is celebrated St. Ignatius is in perfect continuity with Pope Clement either by the bishop or by someone he authorizes. Where the bishop is present, there let the congregation gather, just as in his Letter to the Corinthians, in placing the greatest where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.4 Without importance on maintaining unity in the Church, won by the bishop’s supervision, no baptisms or love feasts [the the blood of Christ, through obedience to the legitimate Eucharist] are permitted. On the other hand, whatever he bishop and presbyters in every city. approves pleases God as well. . . . He who pays the bishop In the Letter to the Ephesians, nos. 3-5, he writes: honor has been honored by God. But he who acts without the bishop’s knowledge is in the devil’s service. I hasten to urge you to harmonize your actions with God’s mind. For Jesus Christ—that life from which we can’t In the Letter to the Philadelphians, nos. 2-3, he stresses be torn—is the Father’s mind, as the bishops too, appointed the danger of heresy and schism: the world over, reflect the mind of Jesus Christ. Since you are children of the light of truth, flee from Hence you should act in accord with the bishop’s mind, schism and false doctrine. Where the shepherd is, there fol- as you surely do. Your presbytery, indeed, which deserves its low like sheep. For there are many specious wolves who, name and is a credit to God, is as closely tied to the bishops by means of wicked pleasures, capture those who run God’s as the strings to a harp…. Let no one be misled: if anyone race. In the face of your unity, however, they will not have is not within the sanctuary, he lacks the bread of God. For a chance. . . . As many as are God’s and Jesus Christ’s, they if the prayer of one or two has such power, how much more are on the bishop’s side; and as many as repent and enter the that of the bishop together with the whole Church! There- unity of the Church, they shall be God’s, and thus they shall fore whoever does not meet with the congregation thereby live in Jesus Christ’s way. Make no mistake, my brothers, if demonstrates his arrogance and has separated himself, for anyone joins a schismatic he will not inherit God’s Kingdom. it is written: “God resists the proud.” Let us, therefore, be If anyone walks in the way of heresy, he is out of sympathy careful not to oppose the bishop, in order that we may be with the Passion. obedient to God. Later in the same letter he continues to ardently insist on In the Letter to the Magnesians, no. 7, he writes: the necessity of a spirit of unity with the bishop, priests, As then, the Lord did nothing without the Father… be- and deacons: cause he was at one with him, so you must not do anything I called out when I was with you, . . . with God’s voice: without the bishop and presbyters. Do not, moreover, try Pay attention to the bishop and to the presbytery and dea- to convince yourselves that anything done on your own is cons.” . . . But He for whose sake I am in chains is my wit- commendable. Only what you do together is right. Hence ness, that I did not learn this from any human being. No, the you must have one prayer, one petition, one mind, one hope, Spirit itself was preaching, saying these words: “Do nothing dominated by love and unsullied joy. without the bishop. Guard your bodies as the temple of God. In the Letter to the Trallians, nos. 2 and 7 he writes: Love unity. Flee from divisions.” . . . God does not dwell where there is division and anger. The Lord, however, for- 2 “The Martyrdom of Ignatius,” ch. 6, available online ate http:// www.newadvent.org/fathers/0123.htm. 4 This is perhaps the first use that has come down to us of the ex- 3 Newman, “The Theology of the Seven Epistles of St. Ignatius,” pression “Catholic Church.” Catholic means universal. Here it signifies in Essays Critical and Historical, vol. 1, (London, 1901), 255. the Church throughout the world.

3 AHC Lecture Series 5: Themes From the Early Church Fathers –– Lecture 3: Witness of Early Church: St. Ignatius of Antioch gives all who repent, if in repenting they return to the unity We shall see in the next talk that St. Irenaeus (formed of God and the council [sanhedrin] of the bishop. (nn. 7-8) by St. Polycarp) speaks in a similar although more explicit Marriage is also to be celebrated with the bishop’s ap- way of the pre-eminence of the Roman see. proval, as we see in the Letter to Polycarp, no. 5: “It is d. Danger of Docetism: Defense of the Humanity of right for men and women who marry to be united with the Christ, and of His Passion, Death, and Resurrection bishop’s approval. In that way their marriage will follow God’s will and not the promptings of lust. Let everything The warnings of St. Ignatius against heresy and schism be done so as to advance God’s honor.” were directed principally at the heresy of Docetism, which denies the true humanity of Christ. We would tend to think c. The Primacy of the See of Rome today that the first heresy in the life of the Church would In the beginning of his letter to the Romans, St. Ignatius have been a denial of the divinity of Christ. Surprisingly, seems to allude to a primacy of the see of Rome, although however, the first major heresy was the denial not of it is somewhat obscure and disputed. He addresses the Christ’s divinity, but of His true humanity. The scandal church in Rome with a very formal and elaborate praise, of the Incarnation led these first heretics to deny that the as “the church . . . which also presides in the place of the Word took on a true and physical humanity. district of the Romans, worthy of God, worthy of honor, This heresy especially denied the truth of the suffering worthy of blessing, worthy of praise, worthy of success, of Christ on the Cross, because it was thought to be too worthy of sanctification, andpresiding over love, observ- demeaning. The bodily reality of the Resurrection was ing the law of Christ.” also logically denied. Thus Christ’s Passion and Resur- The expression, “presiding over love” (agape), could rection were mere “appearance” (which is the root of the also be rendered, “presiding over the communion [of the term “docetism”), or better, a “sham.” Such a doctrine was Church],” in that the communion and unity of the Church is terribly pernicious, for it took away the greatest proof of the proper fruit and expression of charity. The grammatical God’s love for man, and denied the means of our Redemp- structure favors this interpretation, for one presides prop- tion. In addition, it destroyed the Gospel of suffering, our erly over a community, which here would be the universal vocation to participation in the Redemption through a church itself,5 formed by the love of Christ, poured forth in participation in the cross of Christ. This doctrine of co- our hearts through the Holy Spirit.6 Furthermore, in other redemption through suffering was very vivid in the early places St. Ignatius uses the term “agape” to designate the Church through the constant danger of martyrdom. St. communion of the church in various cities.7 Ignatius, of course, is very conscious of this consequence, for he was on his way to be fed to the wild beasts. Pope Benedict comments: Ignatius was the first person in Christian literature to at- A beautiful creed-like affirmation of the humanity of tribute to the Church the adjective “catholic” or “universal”: Christ and the reality of His Passion and Resurrection is “Wherever Jesus Christ is”, he said, “there is the Catholic found in the Letter to the Trallians, nos. 9-11: Church” (Smyrnaeans, 8: 2). And precisely in the service Be deaf, then, to any talk that ignores Jesus Christ, of of unity to the Catholic Church, the Christian community David’s lineage, of Mary; who was really born, ate, and of Rome exercised a sort of primacy of love: “The Church drank; was really persecuted under Pontius Pilate; was re- which presides in the place of the region of the Romans, and ally crucified and died, in the sight of heaven and earth and which is worthy of God, worthy of honour, worthy of the the underworld. He was really raised from the dead, for highest happiness... and which presides over love, is named his Father raised him, just as his Father will raise us, who from Christ, and from the Father...” (Romans, Prologue). As believe on him, through Christ Jesus, apart from whom we can be seen, Ignatius is truly the “Doctor of Unity”: unity of have no genuine life. God and unity of Christ (despite the various heresies gaining And if, as some atheists (I mean unbelievers) say, his ground which separated the human and the divine in Christ), suffering was a sham (it’s really they who are a sham!), unity of the Church, unity of the faithful in “faith and love, 8 why, then, am I a prisoner? Why do I want to fight with to which nothing is to be preferred” (Smyrnaeans, 6:1). wild beasts? Flee then these wicked offshoots which produce deadly 5 See G. Bareille, “Ignace d’Antioche (saint),” in Dictionnaire de fruit…. They are none of the Father’s planting. For had they theologie catholique, vol. 7/1 (Paris: Librairie Letouzey et Ané, 1927), been, they would have shown themselves as branches of the 709. cross, and borne immortal fruit. It is through the cross, by 6 See Rom 5:5. Agape also has a clear Eucharistic reference in his suffering, that he summons you who are his members. Ignatius, for the unity of charity is sacramentally communicated to the A similar creed-like affirmation is found in the Letter to Church through the Eucharist. 7 See Letter to the Trallians 13.1: “The church [agape] of the Smyr- the Smyrnaeans, no. 1: neans and Ephesians greets you”; Letter to the Romans 9.3; Letter to Regarding our Lord, you are absolutely convinced that the Philadelphians 11.2; Letter to the Smyrnaeans 12.1. on the human side He was actually sprung from David’s line, 8 Wednesday Audience, March 14, 2007.

4 AHC Lecture Series 5: Themes From the Early Church Fathers –– Lecture 3: Witness of Early Church: St. Ignatius of Antioch Son of God according to God’s will and power, actually born clearly by returning to the Father. [Letter to the Romans, of a virgin, baptized by John, that “all righteousness might be no. 3] fulfilled by Him,” and actually crucified for us in the flesh, . . . By the will of the Father and of Jesus Christ our under Pontius Pilate and Herod the Tetrarch. We are part of God. . . (Letter to the Ephesians, prol.) His fruit which grew out of His most blessed Passion. And thus, by His resurrection, He raised a standard to rally His Be on the alert for Him who is above time, the Time- saints and faithful forever—whether Jews or Gentiles—in less, the Unseen, the One who became visible for our sakes, one body of His Church. For it was for our sakes that He suf- who was beyond touch and passion, yet who for our sakes fered all this, to save us. And He genuinely suffered, as even became subject to suffering, and endured everything for us. He genuinely raised Himself. It is not as some unbelievers [Letter to Polycarp, no. 3] say, that His Passion was a sham. f. The Eucharist And he continues in no. 4: St. Ignatius refers to the Eucharist as the “medicine of If what our Lord did is a sham, so is my being in chains. immortality” in the Letter to the Ephesians, no. 20: Why, then, have I given myself up completely to death, At these meetings you should heed the bishop and pres- fire, sword, and wild beasts?...To share in His Passion I go 9 bytery attentively, and break one loaf, which is the medicine through everything, for He who became the perfect man of immortality, and the antidote which wards off death but gives me the strength. yields continuous life in union with Jesus Christ. What does it avail me, if anyone praises me, but blas- In the Letter to the Romans, no. 7, he writes: phemes my Lord, not confessing that He bore flesh? [ibid., no. 5] My Love has been crucified and there burns in me no passion for material things. I take no delight in corruptible The danger of heresy in general is warned against in food or in the dainties of this life. What I want is God’s bread, strong terms. In the Letter to the Trallians, no. 6, he writes: which is the flesh of Christ, who came from David’s line; and I urge you, therefore—not I, but Jesus Christ’s love— for drink I want his blood: an immortal love feast indeed! use only Christian food. Keep off foreign fare, by which I In the Letter to the Philadelphians, no. 4, his reference mean heresy. For those people mingle Jesus Christ with their to the Eucharist emphasizes the obligation of celebrating teachings just to gain your confidence under false pretenses. It is as if they were giving a deadly poison mixed with honey it in union with the bishop. The Eucharist here is presented and wine, with the result that the unsuspecting victim gladly as the source of Christian unity (for the sanctifying grace accepts it and drinks down death with fatal pleasure. imparted through worthy reception of the Eucharist is the source of charity, which maintains the unity of the Body), e. The Divinity of Christ a unity which must be liturgically represented through St. Ignatius also speaks in explicit terms of the divinity communion with the bishop: of Christ, sometimes using perhaps liturgical formulas or Be careful, then, to observe a single Eucharist. For hymns. His way of speaking shows us that he believes there is one flesh of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and one cup of Christ to be one person in two natures, human and divine: His Blood that makes us one, and one altar, just as there is There is only one physician—of flesh, yet spiritual, born one bishop along with the presbytery and the deacons, my yet unbegotten, God incarnate, genuine life in the midst of fellow slaves. death, sprung from Mary as well as God, first subject to The Docetists also denied the Eucharistic dogma, for if suffering then beyond it—Jesus Christ our Lord. [Letter to Christ did not have a true humanity, then the realism of the Ephesians, no. 7] the Eucharistic conversion would make no sense. If Christ Since Christ is one person who is both true God and true was not true man, then the consecrated host could not be man, St. Ignatius refers to the blood which Christ shed for His true human Body either. St. Ignatius speaks against us as the “blood of God.”10 In the same way, he speaks this Eucharistic consequence of Docetism in the Letter to of the Passion of Christ as the “Passion of God” when he the Smyrnaeans, no. 7: pleads with Romans to let him suffer martyrdom: “Let me They hold aloof from the Eucharist and from services 11 imitate the Passion of my God.” of prayer, because they refuse to admit that the Eucharist is He also speaks of Christ as God in many other passages: the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins and which, in His goodness, the Father raised. Our God Jesus Christ, indeed, has revealed himself more g. On the Practice of Charity 9 This expression that is directed against Docetism will later be consecrated to express the Christological dogma: perfect God and It is interesting that St. Ignatius connects the Docetist perfect man. (and Gnostic) heresy with the neglect of the practice of 10 Letter to the Ephesians 1: “Being as you are imitators of God, fraternal charity. Again this is logical for two reasons. First, once you took on new life through the blood of God you completed denial of the true physical humanity of Christ is connected the task so natural to you.” with a tendency to scorn the body in general, and its needs. 11 Letter to the Romans, no. 6. Secondly, Docetism loses the great aid to fraternal charity

5 AHC Lecture Series 5: Themes From the Early Church Fathers –– Lecture 3: Witness of Early Church: St. Ignatius of Antioch that comes with seeing and serving Christ in our neighbor. Ignatius’s key point here is that Christianity is the ful- In the Letter to the Smyrnaeans, no. 6, he writes: fillment of Judaism, and therefore it is natural for the Jew Pay close attention to those who have wrong notions to come to believe in Christ and enter the Church. It is about the grace of Jesus Christ which has come to us,12 and not natural, however, for Christians to revert back to an note how at variance they are with God’s mind. They care observance of the ceremonial law of the Old Covenant, nothing about charity: they have no concern for widows or or to prefer those ceremonial observances (such as the orphans, for the oppressed, for those in prison or released, observance of the Sabbath) to the sacramental life of the for the hungry or the thirsty. New Covenant. For Ignatius, that sacramental life clearly We know from many other sources as well that these centers on the Eucharist solemnly celebrated on the Lord’s works of fraternal charity, from Apostolic times onward, Day, on which the Church commemorates Christ’s Resur- were like a standard of the Catholic Church raised to the rection from the dead and His triumph over death. world. i. Consecrated Virginity h. Against the Continuance of Jewish Ceremonies St. Ignatius makes a brief mention of the practice of con- Several times St. Ignatius warns against the continuance secrated virginity, although he warns those who practice of the observance of Jewish cult. The strength of his lan- it “for the honor of the Lord’s flesh” against pride on that guage shows that this was a significant pastoral problem account: “If anyone can live in chastity for the honor of affecting converts from Judaism.13 the Lord’s flesh, let him do so without ever boasting. If he Nevertheless, he is careful to praise the prophets and boasts of it, he is lost” [Letter to Polycarp, no. 5]. saints of the Old Covenant, and their fundamental unity Aphorisms of St. Ignatius taken from his Letter to St. with the Church through faith and hope in the Messiah. In Polycarp: the Letter to the Philadelphians 5-6 he writes: 1. Devote yourself to continual prayer. [Letter to Poly- And we also love the prophets, because they anticipated carp, no. 1] the gospel in their preaching and set their hope on him and 2. Every wound is not healed with the same remedy. waited for him; because they also believed in him, they [ibid., no. 2] were saved, since they belong to the unity centered in Jesus 3. The times need you, as pilots need winds and as a Christ, saints worthy of love and admiration, approved by storm-tossed sailor needs a harbor) in order to reach God. Jesus Christ and included in the gospel of our common hope. [ibid., no. 2] But if anyone expounds Judaism to you, do not listen 4. The crown is immortality and eternal life. [ibid.] to him. For it is better to hear about Christianity from a man who is circumcised than about Judaism from one who is not. 5. Stand firm like an anvil being struck with a hammer. It But if either of them fail to speak about Jesus Christ, I look is the mark of a great athlete to be bruised, yet still conquer. on them as tombstones and graves of the dead, upon which But especially we mujst, for God’s sake, patiently put up with only the names of men are inscribed. all things, that he may also put up with us. [ibid.] In the Letter to the Magnesians, 8-10, Ignatius is still 6. Understand the times. Wait for Him who is above time. more forceful: 7. Let your stewardship define your work. For if we still go on observing Judaism, we admit we 8. A Christian is not his own master, but waits upon God. never received grace…. Those, then, who lived by ancient practices arrived at a new hope. They ceased to keep the The Martyrdom of St. Polycarp Sabbath and lived by the Lord’s Day, on which our life also St. Polycarp in his early youth was a disciple of St. 14 arose through him and his death (which some deny). … How John the Apostle, and was bishop of Smyrna for over half can we possibly live without him, whom even the prophets, a century. He was said to be ordained by the Apostles who were his disciples in the Spirit, were expecting as their themselves. We have an account of his martyrdom in a teacher? Because of this he for whom they rightly waited letter from the church of Smyrna, recounting the manner raised them from the dead when he came. . . . It is utterly 16 absurd to profess Jesus Christ and to practice Judaism. For of his death in 156 AD. Christianity did not believe in Judaism, but Judaism in 9.3 But when the magistrate pressed him hard and said, Christianity, in which every tongue believed and was brought “Swear the oath, and I will release you; revile the Christ,” together to God.15 Polycarp said, “Eighty-six years have I been His servant, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” 12 This is probably an allusion to the Incarnation. 13 It is probable that certain Jewish-Christian sects separated them- 14. So they did not nail him, but tied him. Then he, selves from the Gentile Christians and observed their Eucharist apart, 16 Available online at http://ministries.tliquest.net/theol- perhaps on the Sabbath. ogy/apocryphas/nt/martyr.htm 14 Reference to the Docetists. . Quoted in Eusebius, History of the 15 See Is 66:18. Church, 4.15.23; Early Christian Fathers, 148-59.

6 AHC Lecture Series 5: Themes From the Early Church Fathers –– Lecture 3: Witness of Early Church: St. Ignatius of Antioch placing his hands behind him and being bound to the stake, like a noble ram out of a great flock for an offering, a burnt sacrifice made ready and acceptable to God, looking up to heaven said: “O Lord God Almighty, the Father of Your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the knowledge of You, the God of angels and powers and of all creation and of the whole race of the righteous, who live in Your presence. I bless You because You have granted me this day and hour, that I might receive a portion amongst the number of martyrs in the cup of Your Christ unto resurrection of eternal life, both of soul and of body, in the incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit. May I be received among these in Your presence this day, as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, as You did prepare and reveal it beforehand, and have accomplished it, You that art the faithful and true God. For this cause, yea and for all things, I praise You, I bless You, I glorify You, through the eternal and heavenly High-priest, Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, through Whom, with Him and the Holy Spirit, be glory both now and ever and for the ages to come. Amen.” 15. When he had offered up the Amen and finished his prayer, the firemen lighted the fire. And, a mighty flame flashing forth, we to whom it was given to see, saw a marvel, yea and we were preserved that we might relate to the rest what happened. The fire, making the appearance of a vault, like the sail of a vessel filled by the wind, made a wall round about the body of the martyr; and it was there in the midst, not like flesh burning, but like a loaf in the oven or like gold and silver refined in a furnace. For we perceived such a fragrant smell, as if it were the wafted odor of frankincense or some other precious spice. 16. So at length the lawless men, seeing that his body could not be consumed by the fire, ordered an executioner to go up to him and stab him with a dagger. And when he had done this, there came forth [a dove and] a quantity of blood, so that it extinguished the fire; and all the multitude marveled that there should be so great a difference between the unbelievers and the elect.