n

Blessed be that man in CHRIST JESUS, who shall be found worthy of such a ministry; and ye yourselves also shall be glorified, If, now, ye be willing, it is not impossible for you, (to do this) for the sake of GOD, as also the other neighboring churches have sent them, some Bishops, and other Priests and Deacons. 11. As concerning Philo the Deacon of Cilicia, a man of honest report, who now also ministers unto me in the word of God, with Rheus Agathopus, a chosen man, who is also following me from Syria, not regarding his life, these also bear witness of you. And I myself give thanks to God for you, that ye have received them, even as the LORD hath received us. And for those who dishonored them, may they be forgiven through the grace of JESUS CHRIST. The love of the brethren that are at Troas salutes you; whence also I now write by Burrhus, who was sent together with me by those of Ephesus and Smyrna, for respect sake. May our Lord JESUS CHRIST honor them; in whom they hope, both in body, and soul, and spirit, in faith, and love, and unity. Fare ye well in CHRIST JESUS, our common hope.

" Acts vi. 3.

P 1 Thes. v. 23.

See Epist. to the Smyrneans, § 10.

THE

EPISTLE O F IGNATIUS

TO THE

SMYRNEANS.

IGNATIUS, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church of God the Father, and of the beloved JESUS CHRIST, which is at Smyrna, in Asia, (a Church, which is mercifully blessed with every good gift, being filled with faith and charity, so that it is wanting in no good gift, most godly, and fruitful in saints,) all joy through the immaculate spirit and the word of God.

1. I glorify GoD, even JESUS CHRIST, who hath given you such wisdom. For I have observed that you are settled in an immoveable faith, nailed, as it were to the cross of the Lord JESUS CHRIST, both in the flesh, and in the spirit, and are confirmed in love through the blood of CHRIST, being fully persuaded of those things which relate unto our LORD, who was truly of the race of David according to the flesh, (but) the SON of GOD, according to the will and power of GOD, truly born of a virgin, and baptized by John, that so all righteousness might be fulfilled in him, truly crucified for us in the flesh under Pontius Pilate and Herod the Tetrarch. By the fruits of which, by his most blessed passion, we are: that he might set up a token for all ages through his resurrection, to all his holy and faithful servants, whether they be Jews or Gentiles, in one body of his Church.

2. Now all these things he suffered for us, that we might be saved. And he suffered truly, as he also

a 1 Cor. vii. 25.

These observations are directed against the Docetæ, who denied CHRIST had a real body. Compare Sect. 4. and Epist. to Trallians, § 10.

Matt. iii. 15.

d Isa. v. 26. xlix. 22. lxii. 10.

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truly raised himself. And not, as some unbelievers say that he only seemed to suffer, they themselves seeming only to be (Christians). And as they believe so shall it happen unto them, when they are divested of the body, and shall become mere spirits.

3. For I know that even after the resurrection he was in the flesh, and believe that he is still so. And when he came to those who were with Peter, he said unto them, Take, handle me, and see that I am not an incorporeal demon. And straightway they touched him and believed, being convinced both by his flesh and by his spirit. For this cause they despised death, and were found above it. But after the resurrection, he did

Compare Epist. to Trallians, § 10. Thus TERTULLIAN, Adv. Valentinianos, c. 27. "Ita omnia in imagines urgent, planè et ipsi imaginarii Christiani."

f

ε λάβετε, ψηλαφήσατε με, καὶ ἴδέτε, ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ δαιμόνιον ἀσώματον, These words are in all probability, a loose quotation from the Gospel of St. Luke xxxiv. 39. ψηλαφήσατε με, καὶ ἴδετε· ὅτι πνεῦμα σάρκα καὶ ὀστέα οὐκ ἔχει καθὼς ἐμὲ θεωρεῖτε ἔχοντα. "Handle me, and see ; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have." IGNATIUS evidently here uses the word demon to mean no more than "spirit." It is so much the custom for the early Christian writers to quote the substance, and not the very words of Scripture; and IGNATIUS, when he wrote this Epistle, was so likely to quote from memory; that probably the allusion, in this case, would scarcely have been questioned, had not EUSEBIUS (Eccles. Hist. iii. 36.) expressed his ignorance of the place whence the quotation was taken: and JEROME on two occasions (De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis, and in his Commentary on Isaiah, lib. 18.) stated that IGNATIUS quotes the passage from the Gospel according to the Hebrews. In another place (Adversus Pelagianos, lib. 3.) JEROME describes this Gospel as being "written in the Chaldean or Syrian language, but in Hebrew characters;" and says that in his time, the early part of the fifth century, it was in use among the Nazarenes, and called the Gospel according to the Apostles, or more generally "the Gospel according to Matthew."

ORIGEN, (TEpì àpxwv, lib. 1.) says that in the book which is called "the Doctrine of Peter," the Saviour appears to say to his disciples, that he is not an incorporeal demon.

The testimony of JEROME leaves no doubt that these words were found in the Gospel according to the Hebrews: but it certainly does not appear that IGNATIUS quoted from that Gospel. LE CLERC, in his third Dissertation, at the end of his Harmonia Evangelica, and LARDNER, (Credibility of the Gospel History, Part 11. c. 5. 55.) are of opinion that IGNATIUS here merely alludes to St. Luke. Bp. PEARSON, (Vindicia Ignatianæ, Part 11. c. 9. p. 103.) agrees with ISAAC CASADBON in supposing that IGNATIUS refers to some verbal tradition, which might afterward be inserted in the Gospel according to the Hebrews, ascribed to St. Matthew.

Nevertheless, L

he will free you from every bond. exhort you that ye do nothing out of strife, but according to the instruction of CHRIST. Because I have heard some say, Unless I find it in the ancient writings, I will not believe in the Gospel. And when I said to them, It is written (in the Gospel), they answered me, It is found written before (in the Law). But to me the most ancient records are JESUS CHRIST; the most uncorrupted records, his cross, and death, and rising again, and faith in him, by which I desire, through your prayers, to be justified.

1

9. The priests themselves are goods But much better is the High Priest, to whom only hath been committed the Holy of Holies, to whom alone have been' intrusted the secret things of God. He is the door of the Father, by which enter in Abraham and/ Isaac, and Jacob, and the Prophets; and the Apostles, and the Church. All these things are for the unity of GOD. Howbeit the Gospel hath somewhats in it far above, the appearance of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, his passion, and resurrection. For the beloved prophets referred to him; but the Gospel is the perfection of incorruption. All, therefore, together are good, if ye believe with charity...

10. Forasmuch as I am told, that, through your prayers and the bowels which ye have in CHRIST JESUS, the Church, which is in Antioch in Syria, is at peace,m mit will become you, as the Church of God, to appoint a Deacon to go to them thither as the ambassador of GoD, that he may rejoice with them when they meet together, and glorify the name of God."

1

This seems to be a caution against the early heretics, such as the Cerinthians and Ebionites, who would not admit any doctrine of the Gospel, except such as could be proved by the writings of the Old Testament. LARDNER, (Credibility, Part II. c. 17, p. 323) agrees with LE CLERC, in supposing that a reference is here made to those who appealed, on all controverted points, to the original autographs of the Gospels. The whole tenor of the passage, however, from Sect. 6. to Sect. 9. appears to relate to the Jewish law, compared with the Gospel.

Compare IGNATIUS' Epist. to the Smyrneans, § 11. and to Polycarp, $7. Archbishop USHER is of opinion that this peace to the Church of Antioch arose from the Edict of Trajan, that the Christians should no longer be sought out for punishment.

Blessed be that man in CHRIST JESUS, who shall be found worthy of such a ministry; and ye yourselves also shall be glorified, If, now, ye be willing, it is not impossible for you, (to do this) for the sake of GOD, as also the other neighboring churches have sent them, some Bishops, and other Priests and Deacons.

11. As concerning Philo the Deacon of Cilicia, a man of honest report, who now also ministers unto me in the word of God, with Rheus Agathopus, a chosen man, who is also following me from Syria, not regarding his life, these also bear witness of you. And I myself give thanks to God for you, that ye have received them, even as the LORD hath received us. And for those who dishonored them, may they be forgiven through the grace of JESUS CHRIST. The love of the brethren that are at Troas salutes you; whence also I now write by Burrhus, who was sent together with me by those of Ephesus and Smyrna, for respect sake. May our Lord JESUS CHRIST honor them; in whom they hope, both in body, and soul, and spirit, in faith, and love, and unity. Fare ye well in CHRIST JESUS, our common hope.

A Acts vi. 3.

P 1 Thes. v. 23.

• See Epist. to the Smyrneans, § 10.