Polycarp

Heroes of History

Polycarp (AD70-156)
A disciple of John who served as Bishop of the church in Smyrna for the first half of the 2nd century

What are our main sources for information on his life?
1. Letter from Ignatius to Polycarp
2. Letter of Polycarp to Philippians
3. His church recorded his matrydom

Ignatius writes to the young Bishop
1. Do justice to your office with constant care for both physical and spiritual concerns.
2. If you love good disciples, it is no credit to you; rather with gentleness bring the more troublesome ones into submission. Not every wound is healed by the same treatment.
3. It is the mark of a great athlete to be bruised, yet still conquer.
4. Understand the times. Wait expectantly for him who is above time.: The Eternal, the Invisible, who for our sake became visible; the Intangible, the Un-suffering, who for our sake suffered and endured in every way.
5. Let nothing be done without your consent, nor do anything yourself without God’s consent.
6. Let meetings be held more frequently; seek out everybody by name
7. Train together with one another: struggle together, run together, suffer together, rest together, get up together, as God’s managers, assistants, and servants.
8. Let your baptism serve as a shield, faith as a helmet, love as a spear, endurance as armor. Let your deed be your deposits, in order that you may eventually receive the savings that are due you.
9. A Christian has no authority over himself; rather he devotes his time to God.
10. You must write, as one possessing the mind of God, to the churches on this side.

Polycarp writes to the Philippian Church
1. Your firmly rooted faith, renowned from the earliest times, still perseveres and bears fruit to our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Therefore prepare for action and serve God in fear and truth, leaving behind the empty and meaningless talk and the error of the crowd, and believing in him who raised our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead and gave him glory.
3. He who raised him will raise us also, if we do his will and follow his commandments and love the things he loved, while avoiding every kind of unrighteousness.
4. For neither I nor anyone like me can keep pace with the wisdom of the blessed and glorious Paul, who, when he was among you in the presence of the men of that time, accurately and reliably taught the word concerning the truth. And when he was absent he wrote you a letters; if you study them carefully, you will be able to build yourselves up in the faith that has been given to you which is the mother of us all.
5. Pray for all the saints. Pray also for kings and powers and rulers, and for those who persecute and hate you, and for the enemies of the cross, in order that your fruit may be evident among all people, that you may be perfect in him.


The Church in Smyrna gives account of Polycarp’s Martyrdom

Romans Narrator Polycarp

Why what harm is there in saying, Caesar is Lord, and offering incense and saving thyself?

But he at first gave them no answer. When however they persisted, he said,

I am not going to do what ye counsel me.

As Polycarp entered into the stadium, a voice came to him from heaven; 'Be strong, Polycarp'. And no one saw the speaker, but those of our people who were present heard the voice.The proconsul enquired whether he were the man. And on his confessing that he was, he tried to persuade him to a denial saying,

Have respect to thine age, swear by the genius of Caesar; repent and say, Away with the atheists (christians were accused of being atheists).

Then Polycarp with solemn countenance looked upon the whole multitude of lawless heathen that were in the stadium, and waved his hand to them; and groaning and looking up to heaven he said,

Away with the atheists.

But when the magistrate pressed him hard and said,

Swear the oath, and I will release thee; revile the Christ, Polycarp said,

Fourscore and six years have I been His servant, and He hath done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?

Then he said to him again,

I will cause thee to be consumed by fire, unless thou repent.

But Polycarp said;

Thou threatenest that fire which burneth for a season and after a little while is quenched: for thou art ignorant of the fire of the future judgment and eternal punishment, which is reserved for the ungodly. But why delayest thou? Come, do what thou wilt.

Polycarp hath confessed himself to be a Christian.

Then they thought fit to shout out with one accord that Polycarp should be burned alive. When he had offered up the Amen and finished his prayer, the firemen lighted the fire. Seeing that his body could not be consumed by the fire, the lawless men ordered an executioner to go up to him and stab him with a dagger. And when he had done this, there came forth a quantity of blood, so that it extinguished the fire. So it befell the blessed Polycarp, remembered more than the others by all men, so that he is talked of even by the heathen in every place.