The Ignatian Epistles Entirely Spurious | Page 7

noticed by any
writer for considerably more than a century after they are said to have
appeared.
The date commonly assigned for the martyrdom of Ignatius, and
consequently for the writing of the letters ascribed to him, is the ninth
year of Trajan, corresponding to A.D. 107. This date, Dr. Lightfoot
tells us, is "the one fixed element in the common tradition." [16:2] It is
to be found in the Chronicon Paschale, and in the Antiochene and the
Roman "Acts," as well as elsewhere. [16:3] This same date is assigned
by the advocates of the Ignatian Epistles for the writing of Polycarp's
letter. "Only a few months at the outside," says Dr. Lightfoot,
"probably only a few weeks, after these Ignatian Epistles purport to
have been written, the Bishop of Smyrna himself addresses a letter to
the Philippians." [17:1] In due course it will be shown that Polycarp
was at this time only about four-and-twenty years of age; and any
intelligent reader who pursues his Epistle can judge for himself whether
it can be reasonably accepted as the production of so very youthful an
author. It appears that it was dictated in answer to a communication
from the Church at Philippi, in which he was requested to interpose his
influence with a view to the settlement of some grave scandals which
disturbed that ancient Christian community. Is it likely that a minister
of so little experience would have been invited to undertake such a
service? The communication is rather such an outpouring of friendly
counsel as befitted an aged patriarch. In a fatherly style he here
addresses himself to wives and widows, to young men and maidens, to
parents and children, to deacons and presbyters. [17:2]
There are other indications in this letter that it cannot have been written
at the date ascribed to it by the advocates of the Ignatian Epistles. It
contains an admonition to "pray for kings (or the kings), authorities,

and princes." [18:1] We are not at liberty to assume that these three
names are precisely synonymous. By kings, or the kings, we may
apparently understand the imperial rulers; by authorities, consuls,
proconsuls, praetors, and other magistrates; and by princes, those petty
sovereigns and others of royal rank to be found here and there
throughout the Roman dominions. [18:2] Dr. Lightfoot, indeed, argues
that the translation adopted by some--"the kings"--is inadmissible, as,
according to his ideas, "we have very good ground for believing that
the definite article had no place in the original." [18:3] He has, however,
assigned no adequate reason why the article may not be prefixed. His
contention, that the expression "pray for kings" has not "anything more
than a general reference," [18:4] cannot be well maintained. In a case
such as this, we must be, to a great extent, guided in our interpretation
by the context; and if so, we may fairly admit the article, for
immediately afterwards Polycarp exhorts the Philippians to pray for
their persecutors and their enemies,--an admonition which obviously
has something more than "a general reference." Such an advice would
be inappropriate when persecution was asleep, and when no enemy was
giving disturbance. But, at the date when Ignatius is alleged to have
been martyred, Polycarp could not have exhorted the Philippians to
pray for "the kings," as there was then only one sovereign ruling over
the empire.
That this letter of Polycarp to the Philippians was written at a time
when persecution was rife, is apparent from its tenor throughout. If we
except the case of Ignatius of Antioch--many of the tales relating to
which Dr. Lightfoot himself rejects as fabulous [19:1]--we have no
evidence that in A.D. 107 the Christians were treated with severity. The
Roman world was then under the mild government of Trajan, and the
troubles which afflicted the disciples in Bithynia, under Pliny, had not
yet commenced. The emperor, so far as we have trustworthy
information, had hitherto in no way interfered with the infant Church.
But in A.D. 161 two sovereigns were in power, and a reign of terror
was inaugurated. We can therefore well understand why Polycarp, after
exhorting his correspondents to pray for "the kings," immediately
follows up this advice by urging them to pray for their persecutors and
their enemies. If by "kings" we here understand emperors, as

distinguished from "princes" or inferior potentates, it must be obvious
that Polycarp here refers to the two reigning sovereigns. It so happened
that, when two kings began to reign, persecution at once commenced;
and the language of the Epistle exactly befits such a crisis.
The whole strain of this letter points, not to the reign of Trajan, but to
that of Marcus Aurelius. Polycarp exhorts the Philippians "to practise
all endurance" (§ 9) in the service of Christ. "If," says he, "we should
suffer