Ignatius Handout

Eusebius 3.36.1-15

At that time Polycarp, a disciple of the apostles, was a man of eminence in Asia, having been
entrusted with the episcopate of the church of Smyrna by those who had seen and heard the Lord.
And at the same time Papias, bishop of the parish of Hierapolis, became well known, as did also
Ignatius, who was chosen bishop of Antioch, second in succession to Peter, and whose fame is
still celebrated by a great many. Report says that he was sent from Syria to Rome, and became
food for wild beasts on account of his testimony to Christ. And as he made the journey through
Asia under the strictest military surveillance, he fortified the parishes in the various cities where
he stopped by oral homilies and exhortations, and warned them above all to be especially on
their guard against the heresies that were then beginning to prevail, and exhorted them to hold
fast to the tradition of the apostles. Moreover, he thought it necessary to attest that tradition in
writing, and to give it a fixed form for the sake of greater security. So when he came to Smyrna,
where Polycarp was, he wrote an epistle to the church of Ephesus, in which he mentions
Onesimus, its pastor; and another to the church of Magnesia, situated upon the Maeander, in
which he makes mention again of a bishop Damas; and finally one to the church of Tralles,
whose bishop, he states, was at that time Polybius. In addition to these he wrote also to the
church of Rome, entreating them not to secure his release from martyrdom, and thus rob him of
his earnest hope. In confirmation of what has been said it is proper to quote briefly from this
epistle. He writes as follows: “From Syria even to Rome I fight with wild beasts, by land and by
sea, by night and by day, being bound amidst ten leopards that is, a company of soldiers who
only become worse when they are well treated. In the midst of their wrongdoings, however, I am
more fully learning discipleship, but I am not thereby justified. May I have joy of the beasts that
are prepared for me; and I pray that I may find them ready; I will even coax them to devour me
quickly that they may not treat me as they have some whom they have refused to touch through
fear. And if they are unwilling, I will compel them. Forgive me. I know what is expedient for me.
Now do I begin to be a disciple. May naught of things visible and things invisible envy me; that I
may attain to Jesus Christ. Let fire and cross and attacks of wild beasts, let wrenching of bones,
cutting of limbs, crushing of the whole body, tortures of the devil, — let all these come upon me if
only I may attain to Jesus Christ.” These things he wrote from the above-mentioned city to the
churches referred to. And when he had left Smyrna he wrote again from Troas to the
Philadelphians and to the church of Smyrna; and particularly to Polycarp, who presided over the
latter church. And since he knew him well as an apostolic man, he commended to him, like a true
and good shepherd, the flock at Antioch, and besought him to care diligently for it. And the same
man, writing to the Smyrnaeans, used the following words concerning Christ, taken I know not
whence: “But I know and believe that he was in the flesh after the resurrection. And when he
came to Peter and his companions he said to them, Take, handle me, and see that I am not an
incorporeal spirit. And immediately they touched him and believed.” Irenaeus also knew of his
martyrdom and mentions his epistles in the following words: “As one of our people said, when
he was condemned to the beasts on account of his testimony to God, I am God’s wheat, and by
the teeth of wild beasts am I ground, that I may be found pure bread.” Polycarp also mentions
these letters in the epistle to the Philippians which is ascribed to him. His words are as follows:
“I exhort all of you, therefore, to be obedient and to practice all patience such as ye saw with
your own eyes not only in the blessed Ignatius and Rufus and Zosimus, but also in others from
among yourselves as well as in Paul himself and the rest of the apostles; being persuaded that
all these ran not in vain, but in faith and righteousness, and that they are gone to their rightful
place beside the Lord, with whom also they suffered. For they loved not the present world, but
him that died for our sakes and was raised by God for us.” And afterwards he adds: “You have
written to me, both you and Ignatius, that if any one go to Syria he may carry with him the
letters from you. And this I will do if I have a suitable opportunity, either I myself or one whom I
send to be an ambassador for you also. The epistles of Ignatius which were sent to us by him and
the others which we had with us we sent to you as you gave charge. They are appended to this
epistle, and from them you will be able to derive great advantage. For they comprise faith and
patience, and every kind of edification that pertains to our Lord.” So much concerning Ignatius.
But he was succeeded by Heros in the episcopate of the church of Antioch.

Διέπρεπέν γε μὴν κατὰ τούτους ἐπὶ τῆς Ἀσίας τῶν ἀποστόλων ὁμιλητὴς Πολύκαρπος, τῆς κατὰ
Σμύρναν ἐκκλησίας πρὸς τῶν αὐτοπτῶν καὶ ὑπηρετῶν τοῦ κυρίου τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν
ἐγκεχειρισμένος: [2] καθ̓ ὃν ἐγνωρίζετο Παπίας, τῆς ἐν Ἱεραπόλει παροικίας καὶ αὐτὸς
ἐπίσκοπος, ὅ τε παρὰ πλείστοις εἰς ἔτι νῦν διαβόητος Ἰγνάτιος, τῆς κατὰ Ἀντιόχειαν Πέτρου
διαδοχῆς δεύτερος τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν κεκληρωμένος. [3] λόγος δ̓ ἔχει τοῦτον ἀπὸ Συρίας. ἐπὶ τὴν
Ῥωμαίων πόλιν ἀναπεμφθέντα, θηρίων γενέσθαι βορὰν τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν μαρτυρίας ἕνεκεν: [4]
καὶ δὴ τὴν δἰ Ἀσίας ἀνακομιδὴν μετ̓ ἐπιμελεστάτης φρουρῶν φυλακῆς ποιούμενος, τὰς κατὰ
πόλιν αἷς ἐπεδήμει, παροικίας ταῖς διὰ λόγων ὁμιλίαις τε καὶ προτροπαῖς ἐπιρρωννύς, ἐν πρώτοις
μάλιστα προφυλάττεσθαι τὰς αἱρέσεις ἄρτι τότε πρῶτον ἐπιπολαζούσας παρῄνει προύτρεπέν τε
ἀπρὶξ ἔχεσθαι τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων παραδόσεως, ἣν ὑπὲρ ἀσφαλείας καὶ ἐγγράφως ἤδη
μαρτυρόμενος [5] διατυποῦσθαι ἀναγκαῖον ἡγεῖτο. 1 οὕτω δῆτα ἐν Σμύρνῃ γενόμενος, ἔνθα ὁ
Πολύκαρπος ἦν, μίαν μὲν τῇ κατὰ τὴν Ἔφεσον ἐπιστολὴν 2 ἐκκλησίᾳ γράφει, ποιμένος αὐτῆς
μνημονεύων 3 Ὀνησίμου, ἑτέραν δὲ τῇ ἐν Μαγνησίᾳ τῇ πρὸς 4 Μαιάνδρῳ, ἔνθα πάλιν
ἐπισκόπου Δαμᾶ μνήμην πεποίηται, καὶ τῇ ἐν Τράλλεσι [6] δὲ ἄλλην, ἧς ἄρχοντα τότε ὄντα
Πολύβιον ἱστορεῖ. πρὸς ταύταις καὶ τῇ Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίᾳ γράφει, ᾗ καὶ παράκλησιν προτείνει
ὡς μὴ παραιτησάμενοι τοῦ μαρτυρίου τῆς ποθουμένης αὐτὸν ἀποστερήσαιεν [p. 282] ἐλπίδος: ἐξ
ὧν καὶ βραχύτατα εἰς ἐπίδειξιν τῶν εἰρημένων παραθέσθαι ἄξιον. γράφει δὴ οὖν κατὰ λέξιν:
‘ἀπὸ [7] Συρίας μέχρι Ῥώμης θηριομαχῶ διὰ γῆς καὶ θαλάσσης, νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας, ἐνδεδεμένος
δέκα λεοπάρδοις, ὅ ἐστιν στρατιωτικὸν τάγμα, οἳ καὶ εὐεργετούμενοι χείρονες γίνονται, ἐν δὲ
τοῖς ἀδικήμασιν αὐτῶν μᾶλλον μαθητεύομαι: 5 ἀλλ̓ οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο δεδικαίωμαι. [8] ὀναίμην τῶν
θηρίων τῶν ἐμοὶ ἑτοίμων, ἃ καὶ εὔχομαι σύντομά μοι εὑρεθῆναι: ἃ καὶ κολακεύσω συντόμως με
καταφαγεῖν, οὐχ ὥσπερ τινῶν δειλαινόμενα οὐχ ἥψαντο, κἂν αὐτὰ δὲ ἄκοντα μὴ θέλῃ, ἐγὼ
προσβιάσομαι. [9] συγγνώμην μοι ἔχετε: τί μοι συμφέρει, ἐγὼ γινώσκω, νῦν ἄρχομαι μαθητὴς
εἶναι. μηδέν με ζηλώσαι τῶν ὁρατῶν καὶ ἀοράτων, ἵνα Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπιτύχω: πῦρ καὶ σταυρὸς
θηρίων τε συστάσεις, σκορπισμοὶ ὀστέων, συγκοπαὶ μελῶν, ἀλεσμοὶ ὅλου τοῦ σώματος,
κολάσεις τοῦ διαβόλου εἰς ἐμὲ ἐρχέσθωσαν, μόνον ἵνα Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπιτύχω.’ [10] Καὶ ταῦτα
μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς δηλωθείσης πόλεως ταῖς καταλεχθείσαις ἐκκλησίαις διετυπώσατο: ἤδη δ̓ ἐπέκεινα
τῆς Σμύρνης γενόμενος, ἀπὸ Τρωάδος 6 τοῖς τε ἐν Φιλαδελφίᾳ αὖθις διὰ γραφῆς ὁμιλεῖ 7 καὶ τῇ
Σμυρναίων ἐκκλησίᾳ ἰδίως τε τῷ ταύτης 8 προηγουμένῳ Πολυκάρπῳ: ὃν οἷα δὴ ἀποστολικὸν 9
ἄνδρα εὖ μάλα γνωρίζων, τὴν κατ̓ Ἀντιόχειαν αὐτῷ ποίμνην οἷα γνήσιος καὶ ἀγαθὸς ποιμὴν
παρατίθεται, τὴν περὶ αὐτῆς φροντίδα διὰ σπουδῆς [11] ἔχειν αὐτὸν ἀξιῶν. ὁ δ̓ αὐτὸς Σμυρναίοις
γράφων, οὐκ οἶδ̓ ὁπόθεν ῥητοῖς συγκέχρηται, 10 τοιαῦτά τινα περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ διεξιών: ‘ἐγὼ δὲ
[p. 284] καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἐν σαρκὶ αὐτὸν οἶδα καὶ πιστεύω ὄντα. καὶ ὅτε πρὸς τοὺς περὶ
Πέτρον ἐλήλυθεν, ἔφη αὐτοῖς: ῾λάβετε, ψηλαψήσατέ με καὶ ἴδετε ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ δαιμόνιον
ἀσώματον:᾿ καὶ εὐθὺς αὐτοῦ ἥψαντο καὶ ἐπίστευσαν.’ [12] Οἶδεν δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ μαρτύριον καὶ ὁ
Εἰρηναῖος, καὶ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν αὐτοῦ μνημονεύει, λέγων 11 οὕτως: ‘ὡς εἶπέν τις τῶν ἡμετέρων,
διὰ τὴν πρὸς θεὸν μαρτυρίαν κατακριθεὶς πρὸς θηρία, 12 ὅτι ῾σῖτός εἰμι θεοῦ καὶ δἰ ὀδόντων
θηρίων ἀλήθομαι, ἵνα καθαρὸς ἄρτος εὑρεθῶ.᾿’ [13] Καὶ ὁ Πολύκαρπος δὲ τούτων αὐτῶν
μέμνηται ἐν τῇ φερομένῃ αὐτοῦ πρὸς Φιλιππησίους ἐπιστολῇ 13 φάσκων αὐτοῖς ῥήμασιν:
‘παρακαλῶ οὖν πάντας ὑμᾶς πειθαρχεῖν καὶ ἀσκεῖν πᾶσαν ὑπομονήν, ἣν εἴδετε κατ̓ ὀφθαλμοὺς
οὐ μόνον ἐν τοῖς μακαρίοις Ἰγνατίῳ καὶ Ῥούφῳ καὶ Ζωσίμῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις τοῖς ἐξ ὑμῶν
καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ Παύλῳ καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἀποστόλοις, πεπεισμένους ὅτι οὗτοι 14 πάντες οὐκ εἰς κενὸν
ἔδραμον, ἀλλ̓ ἐν πίστει καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ, καὶ ὅτι εἰς τὸν ὀφειλόμενον αὐτοῖς 15 τόπον εἰσὶν παρὰ
κυρίῳ, ᾧ καὶ συνέπαθον. οὐ 16 γὰρ τὸν νῦν ἠγάπησαν αἰῶνα, ἀλλὰ τὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀποθανόντα
καὶ δἰ ἡμᾶς ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ 17 ἀναστάντα.’ καὶ ἑξῆς ἐπιφέρει: ‘ἐγράψατέ [14] μοι καὶ ὑμεῖς καὶ
Ἰγνάτιος, ἵν̓ ἐάν τις ἀπέρχηται εἰς Συρίαν, καὶ τὰ παῤ ὑμῶν ἀποκομίσῃ γράμματα: ὅπερ ποιήσω,
ἐὰν λάβω καιρὸν εὔθετον, εἴτε ἐγὼ εἴτε ὃν πέμπω πρεσβεύσοντα καὶ περὶ ὑμῶν. [15] τὰς
ἐπιστολὰς Ἰγνατίου τὰς πεμφθείσας ἡμῖν ὑπ̓ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἄλλας ὅσας εἴχομεν παῤ ἡμῖν, ἐπέμψαμεν
ὑμῖν, καθὼς ἐνετείλασθε: αἵτινες ὑποτεταγμέναι [p. 286] εἰσὶν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ ταύτῃ: ἐξ ὧν μεγάλα
ὠφεληθῆναι δυνήσεσθε. περιέχουσι γὰρ πίστιν καὶ ὑπομονὴν καὶ πᾶσαν οἰκοδομὴν τὴν εἰς τὸν
κύριον ἡμῶν ἀνήκουσαν.’ καὶ τὰ μὲν περὶ τὸν Ἰγνάτιον τοιαῦτα: διαδέχεται δὲ μετ̓ αὐτὸν τὴν
Ἀντιοχείας ἐπισκοπὴν Ἥρως.

Polycarp Phili. 9:1-2

I exhort you all therefore to be obedient unto the word of righteousness and to practice all
endurance, which also ye saw with your own eyes in the blessed Ignatius and Zosimus and
Rufus, yea and in others also who came from among yourselves, as well as in Paul himself and
the rest of the Apostles; being persuaded that all these ran not in vain but in faith and
righteousness, and that they are in their due place in the presence of the Lord, with whom also
they suffered. For they loved not the present world, but Him that died for our sakes and was
raised by God for us.

Παρακαλῶ οὖν πάντας ὑμᾶς, πειθαρχεῖν τῷ λόγῳ τῆς δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἀσκεῖν πᾶσαν ὑπομονήν,
ἣν καὶ εἴδατε κατ’ ὀφθαλμοὺς οὐ μόνον ἐν τοῖς μακαρίοις Ἰγνατίῳ καὶ Ζωσίμῳ καὶ Ρ ̔ ούφῳ, ἀλλὰ
καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις τοῖς ἐξ ὑμῶν καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ Παύλῳ καὶ τοῖς λοιποις ἀποστόλοις· πεπεισμένους ό τι
οῦ τοι πάντες οὐ κ εἰς κενὸ ν έ δραμον, ἀ λλ’ ἐ ν πίστει καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ, καὶ ό τι εἰς τὸ ν
ὀ φειλόμενον αὐ τοῖς τόπον εἰσὶ παρὰ τῷ͂ κυρίῷ, ῷ͂ καὶ συνέπαθον. οὐ γὰ ρ τὸ ν νῦ ν
ἠ γάπησαν αἰῶ͂να, ἀ λλὰ τὸ ν ὑ πέρ ἡ μῶ͂ν ἀ ποθανόντα καὶ δι’ ἡ μᾶ ς ὑ πὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ἀ ναστάντα.

Polycarp Phil. 13.1

Both you and Ignatius have written to me that if anyone is going to Syria he should take along
your letter. I will do so if I have the opportunity—either I or someone I send as a representative
on your behalf and mine. 2. We have forwarded to you the letters of Ignatius that he sent to us,
along with all the others we had with us, just as you directed us to do. These accompany this
letter; you will be able to profit greatly from them, for they deal with faith and endurance and all
edification that is suitable in our Lord. And let us know what you have learned more definitely
about Ignatius himself and those who are with him.

Ἐγράψατέ μοι καὶ ὑ μεῖς καὶ Ἰγνάτιος, ίν’, ἐ άν τις ἀ πέρχηται εἰς Σρίαν, καὶ τὰ παρ’ ὑ μῶ͂ν
ἀ ποκομίσῃ γράμματα· ό περ ποιήσῶ, ἐ ὰν λάβῶ καιρὸ ν εύ θετον, είτε ἐ γώ, είτε ὸ ν πέμπῶ
πρεσβεύσοντα καὶ περὶ ὑ μῶ͂ν. τὰ ς ἐ πιστολὰ ς Ἰγνατίου τὰ ς περμφθείσας ἡ μῖν ὑ π’ αὐ τοῦ καὶ
ά λλας, ό σας είχομεν παρ’ ἡ μῖν, ἐ πέμψαμεν ὑ μῖν, καθῶ̀ς ἐ νετείλασθε· αίτινες ὑ ποτεταγμέναι
εἰσὶν τῇ ἐ πιστολῇ ταύτῃ, ἐ ξ ῶ͂ν μεγάλα ῶ̓φεληθῆ ναι δυνήσεσθε. περιέχουσιν γὰ ρ πίστιν καὶ
ὑ πομονὴ ν καὶ πᾶ σαν οἰκοδομὴ ν τὴ ν εἰς τὸ ν κύριον ἡ μῶ͂ν ἀ νήκουσαν. Et de ipso Ignatio et de
his, qui cum eo sunt, quod certius agnoveritis significate.

Debate on Dating of Ignatius’ Death/Writing

Conventional Date (authentic): 108-115 (reign of Trajan)

Proponents: Lightfoot, Trevet, Trebilco.

These arguments generally read Eusebius (and Pliny the Younger) at face value.
Moreover, Ignatius’ ideas about bishops may have been incredibly innovative rather than
reflecting convention (i.e. Ignatius desired monarchical episcopacy and the local primacy
of bishops, though this wasn’t necessarily the case while he was writing).

Middle Date (authentic): 135-140

Proponents: Barnes, Pervo, Foster.

Barnes argues that Ignatius knew the writings of Gnostic Ptolemaeus (a follower of
Valentinius that wrote cira 130).

Pervo argues that the traditional date is based solely on Eusebius. However, two of
Eusebius’s major interests were in locating early Christian leaders as early as possible
and in demonstrating the succession of bishops in various Sees from the time of the
apostles.

Late Date (not authentic): 165-180.

Proponents: Hübner, Lechner.

Hübner compares Ignatius’ Greek to those in the second sophistic and notes similarities
specifically to Noetus of Smyrna (e.x. habitual use of the alpha privative, etc.).

Lechner sees the Star hymn as a parody of Valentinian theology. He also devotes over
100 pages to comparing Ignatius to Peregrinus Proteus (Lucian’s satirical anti-hero who
is also a Christian that morbidly longs for death, gains popularity in prison, and sends out
epistles while in bondage).

Pseudo-Ignatian Letters
 • Epistle to the Tarsians;
• Epistle to the Antiochians;
• Epistle to Hero, a Deacon of Antioch;
• Epistle to the Philippians;
• The Epistle of Maria the Proselyte to Ignatius;
• Epistle to Mary at Neapolis, Zarbus;
• First Epistle to St. John;
• Second Epistle to St. John;
• The Epistle of Ignatius to the Virgin Mary.

Parallels with Peregrinus Proteus

• Both Ignatius and Peregrinus show a morbid eagerness to die.

• Both characters are, or have been, Christians.
• Both are imprisoned by Roman authorities.
• Upon the arrest of both prisoners, Christians from all over Asia Minor come to visit
them and bring them gifts (cf. Per. 12–13).
• Both prisoners sent letters to several Greek cities shortly before their deaths as
"testaments, counsels, and laws", appointing "couriers" and "ambassadors" for the
purpose.
It is generally believed that these parallels are the result of Lucian intentionally copying traits
from Ignatius and applying them to his satire of Peregrinus. If the dependence of Lucian on the
Ignatian epistles is accepted, then this places an upper limit on the date of the epistles: around the
160s AD, just before The Passing of Peregrinus was written.