Padres Ante-Nicenos, Vol. I: Los Padres Apostólicos, Justino Mártir, Ireneo

Footnotes

26:275

Otto, resting on ms. authority, omits the negative, but the sense seems to require its insertion.

26:276

Literally, “lessening.”

26:277

Comp. Gal. iv. 10.

26:278

This seems to refer to the practice of Jews in fixing the beginning of the day, and consequently of the Sabbath, from the rising of the stars. They used to say, that when three stars of moderate magnitude appeared, it was night; when two, it was twilight; and when only one, that day had not yet departed. It thus came to pass (according to their night-day (νυχθήμερον) reckoning), that whosoever engaged in work on the evening of Friday, the beginning of the Sabbath, after three stars of moderate size were visible, was held to have sinned, and had to present a trespass-offering; and so on, according to the fanciful rule described.

26:279

Otto supplies the lacuna which here occurs in the mss. so as to read καταδιαιρεῖν.

26:280

The great festivals of the Jews are here referred to on the one hand, and the day of atonement on the other.

Chapter V.—The manners of the Christians.

For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking 281 method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. 282 They p. 27 have a common table, but not a common bed. 283 They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. 284 They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. 285 They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. 286 They are poor, yet make many rich; 287 they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; 288 they are insulted, and repay the insult with honour; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred.

Footnotes

26:281

Literally, “paradoxical.”

26:282

Literally, “cast away fœtuses.”

27:283

Otto omits “bed,” which is an emendation, and gives the second “common” the sense of unclean.

27:284

Comp. 2 Cor. x. 3.

27:285

Comp. Phil. iii. 20.

27:286

Comp. 2 Cor. vi. 9.

27:287

Comp. 2 Cor. vi. 10.

27:288

Comp. 2 Cor. iv. 12.

Chapter VI.—The relation of Christians to the world.

To sum up all in one word— what the soul is in the body, that are Christians in the world. The soul is dispersed through all the members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians dwell in the world, yet are not of the world. 289 The invisible soul is guarded by the visible body, and Christians are known indeed to be in the world, but their godliness remains invisible. The flesh hates the soul, and wars against it, 290 though itself suffering no injury, because it is prevented from enjoying pleasures; the world also hates the Christians, though in nowise injured, because they abjure pleasures. The soul loves the flesh that hates it, and [loves also] the members; Christians likewise love those that hate them. The soul is imprisoned in the body, yet preserves 291 that very body; and Christians are confined in the world as in a prison, and yet they are the preservers 292 of the world. The immortal soul dwells in a mortal tabernacle; and Christians dwell as sojourners in corruptible [bodies], looking for an incorruptible dwelling 293 in the heavens. The soul, when but ill-provided with food and drink, becomes better; in like manner, the Christians, though subjected day by day to punishment, increase the more in number. 294 God has assigned them this illustrious position, which it were unlawful for them to forsake.

Footnotes

27:289

John 17:11, 14, 16.

27:290

Comp. 1 Pet. ii. 11.

27:291

Literally, “keeps together.”

27:292

Literally, “keeps together.”

27:293

Literally, “incorruption.”

27:294

Or, “though punished, increase in number daily.”

Chapter VII.—The manifestation of Christ.

For, as I said, this was no mere earthly invention which was delivered to them, nor is it a mere human system of opinion, which they judge it right to preserve so carefully, nor has a dispensation of mere human mysteries been committed to them, but truly God Himself, who is almighty, the Creator of all things, and invisible, has sent from heaven, and placed among men, [Him who is] the truth, and the holy and incomprehensible Word, and has firmly established Him in their hearts. He did not, as one might have imagined, send to men any servant, or angel, or ruler, or any one of those who bear sway over earthly things, or one of those to whom the government of things in the heavens has been entrusted, but the very Creator and Fashioner of all things—by whom He made the heavens—by whom he enclosed the sea within its proper bounds—whose ordinances 295 all the stars 296 faithfully observe—from whom the sun 297 has received the measure of his daily course to be observed 298 — whom the moon obeys, being commanded to shine in the night, and whom the stars also obey, following the moon in her course; by whom all things have been arranged, and placed within their proper limits, and to whom all are subject—the heavens and the things that are therein, the earth and the things that are therein, the sea and the things that are therein—fire, air, and the abyss—the things which are in the heights, the things which are in the depths, and the things which lie between. This [messenger] He sent to them. Was it then, as one 299 might conceive, for the purpose of exercising tyranny, or of inspiring fear and terror? By no means, but under the influence of clemency and meekness. As a king sends his son, who is also a king, so sent He Him; as God 300 He sent Him; as to men He sent Him; as a Saviour He sent Him, and as seeking to persuade, not to compel us; for violence has no place in the character of God. As calling us He sent Him, not as vengefully pursuing us; as loving us He sent Him, not as judging us. For He will yet send Him to judge us, and who shall endure His appearing? 301 … Do you not see them exposed to wild beasts, p. 28 that they may be persuaded to deny the Lord, and yet not overcome? Do you not see that the more of them are punished, the greater becomes the number of the rest? This does not seem to be the work of man: this is the power of God; these are the evidences of His manifestation.

Footnotes

27:295

Literally, “mysteries.”

27:296

Literally, “elements.”

27:297

The word “sun,” though omitted in the mss., should manifestly be inserted.

27:298

Literally, “has received to observe.”

27:299

Literally, “one of men.”

27:300

“God” here refers to the person sent.

27:301

[Comp. Mal. iii. 2. The Old Testament is frequently in mind, if not expressly quoted by Mathetes.] A considerable gap here occurs in the mss.

Chapter VIII.—The miserable state of men before the coming of the Word.

For, who of men at all understood before His coming what God is? Do you accept of the vain and silly doctrines of those who are deemed trustworthy philosophers? of whom some said that fire was God, calling that God to which they themselves were by and by to come; and some water; and others some other of the elements formed by God. But if any one of these theories be worthy of approbation, every one of the rest of created things might also be declared to be God. But such declarations are simply the startling and erroneous utterances of deceivers; 302 and no man has either seen Him, or made Him known, 303 but He has revealed Himself. And He has manifested Himself through faith, to which alone it is given to behold God. For God, the Lord and Fashioner of all things, who made all things, and assigned them their several positions, proved Himself not merely a friend of mankind, but also long-suffering [in His dealings with them]. Yea, He was always of such a character, and still is, and will ever be, kind and good, and free from wrath, and true, and the only one who is [absolutely] good; 304 and He formed in His mind a great and unspeakable conception, which He communicated to His Son alone. As long, then, as He held and preserved His own wise counsel in concealment, 305 He appeared to neglect us, and to have no care over us. But after He revealed and laid open, through His beloved Son, the things which had been prepared from the beginning, He conferred every blessing 306 all at once upon us, so that we should both share in His benefits, and see and be active 307 [in His service]. Who of us would ever have expected these things? He was aware, then, of all things in His own mind, along with His Son, according to the relation 308 subsisting between them.

Footnotes

28:302

Literally, “these things are the marvels and error.”

28:303

Or, “known Him.”

28:304

Comp. Matt. xix. 17.

28:305

Literally, “in a mystery.”

28:306

Literally, “all things.”

28:307

The sense is here very obscure. We have followed the text of Otto, who fills up the lacuna in the ms. as above. Others have, “to see, and to handle Him.”

28:308

Literally, “economically.”

Chapter IX.—Why the Son was sent so late.

As long then as the former time 309 endured, He permitted us to be borne along by unruly impulses, being drawn away by the desire of pleasure and various lusts. This was not that He at all delighted in our sins, but that He simply endured them; nor that He approved the time of working iniquity which then was, but that He sought to form a mind conscious of righteousness, 310 so that being convinced in that time of our unworthiness of attaining life through our own works, it should now, through the kindness of God, be vouchsafed to us; and having made it manifest that in ourselves we were unable to enter into the kingdom of God, we might through the power of God be made able. But when our wickedness had reached its height, and it had been clearly shown that its reward, 311 punishment and death, was impending over us; and when the time had come which God had before appointed for manifesting His own kindness and power, how 312 the one love of God, through exceeding regard for men, did not regard us with hatred, nor thrust us away, nor remember our iniquity against us, but showed great long-suffering, and bore with us, 313 He Himself took on Him the burden of our iniquities, He gave His own Son as a ransom for us, the holy One for transgressors, the blameless One for the wicked, the righteous One for the unrighteous, the incorruptible One for the corruptible, the immortal One for them that are mortal. For what other thing was capable of covering our sins than His righteousness? By what other one was it possible that we, the wicked and ungodly, could be justified, than by the only Son of God? O sweet exchange! O unsearchable operation! O benefits surpassing all expectation! that the wickedness of many should be hid in a single righteous One, and that the righteousness of One should justify many transgressors! 314 Having therefore convinced us in the former time 315 that our nature was unable to attain to life, and having now revealed the Saviour who is able to save even those things which it was [formerly] impossible to save, by both these facts He desired to lead us to trust in His kindness, to esteem Him our Nourisher, Father, Teacher, Counsellor, Healer, our Wisdom, Light, Honour, Glory, Power, and Life, so that we should not be anxious 316 concerning clothing and food.

Footnotes

28:309

Otto refers for a like contrast between these two times to Rom. iii. 21-26, Rom. v. 20 and Gal. iv. 4. [Comp. Acts xvii. 30.]

28:310

The reading and sense are doubtful.

28:311

Both the text and rendering are here somewhat doubtful, but the sense will in any case be much the same.

28:312

Many variations here occur in the way in which the lacuna of the mss. is to be supplied. They do not, however, greatly affect the meaning.

28:313

In the ms. “saying” is here inserted, as if the words had been regarded as a quotation from Isa. liii. 11.

28:314

[See Bossuet, who quotes it as from Justin Martyr (Tom. iii. p. 171). Sermon on Circumcision.]

28:315

That is, before Christ appeared.

28:316

Comp. Matt. vi. 25, etc. [Mathetes, in a single sentence, expounds a most practical text with comprehensive views.]

Chapter X.—The blessings that will flow from faith.

p. 29

If you also desire [to possess] this faith, you likewise shall receive first of all the knowledge of the Father. 317 For God has loved mankind, on whose account He made the world, to whom He rendered subject all the things that are in it, 318 to whom He gave reason and understanding, to whom alone He imparted the privilege of looking upwards to Himself, whom He formed after His own image, to whom He sent His only-begotten Son, to whom He has promised a kingdom in heaven, and will give it to those who have loved Him. And when you have attained this knowledge, with what joy do you think you will be filled? Or, how will you love Him who has first so loved you? And if you love Him, you will be an imitator of His kindness. And do not wonder that a man may become an imitator of God. He can, if he is willing. For it is not by ruling over his neighbours, or by seeking to hold the supremacy over those that are weaker, or by being rich, and showing violence towards those that are inferior, that happiness is found; nor can any one by these things become an imitator of God. But these things do not at all constitute His majesty. On the contrary he who takes upon himself the burden of his neighbour; he who, in whatsoever respect he may be superior, is ready to benefit another who is deficient; he who, whatsoever things he has received from God, by distributing these to the needy, becomes a god to those who receive [his benefits]: he is an imitator of God. Then thou shalt see, while still on earth, that God in the heavens rules over [the universe]; then thou shall begin to speak the mysteries of God; then shalt thou both love and admire those that suffer punishment because they will not deny God; then shall thou condemn the deceit and error of the world when thou shall know what it is to live truly in heaven, when thou shalt despise that which is here esteemed to be death, when thou shalt fear what is truly death, which is reserved for those who shall be condemned to the eternal fire, which shall afflict those even to the end that are committed to it. Then shalt thou admire those who for righteousness’ sake endure the fire that is but for a moment, and shalt count them happy when thou shalt know [the nature of] that fire.

Footnotes

29:317

Thus Otto supplies the lacuna; others conjecture somewhat different supplements.

29:318

So Böhl. Sylburgius and Otto read, “in the earth.”

Chapter XI.—These things are worthy to be known and believed.

I do not speak of things strange to me, nor do I aim at anything inconsistent with right reason; 319 but having been a disciple of the Apostles, I am become a teacher of the Gentiles. I minister the things delivered to me to those that are disciples worthy of the truth. For who that is rightly taught and begotten by the loving 320 Word, would not seek to learn accurately the things which have been clearly shown by the Word to His disciples, to whom the Word being manifested has revealed them, speaking plainly [to them], not understood indeed by the unbelieving, but conversing with the disciples, who, being esteemed faithful by Him, acquired a knowledge of the mysteries of the Father? For which 321 reason He sent the Word, that He might be manifested to the world; and He, being despised by the people [of the Jews], was, when preached by the Apostles, believed on by the Gentiles. 322 This is He who was from the beginning, who appeared as if new, and was found old, and yet who is ever born afresh in the hearts of the saints. This is He who, being from everlasting, is to-day called 323 the Son; through whom the Church is enriched, and grace, widely spread, increases in the saints, furnishing understanding, revealing mysteries, announcing times, rejoicing over the faithful, giving 324 to those that seek, by whom the limits of faith are not broken through, nor the boundaries set by the fathers passed over. Then the fear of the law is chanted, and the grace of the prophets is known, and the faith of the gospels is established, and the tradition of the Apostles is preserved, and the grace of the Church exults; which grace if you grieve not, you shall know those things which the Word teaches, by whom He wills, and when He pleases. For whatever things we are moved to utter by the will of the Word commanding us, we communicate to you with pains, and from a love of the things that have been revealed to us.

Footnotes

29:319

Some render, “nor do I rashly seek to persuade others.”

29:320

Some propose to read, “and becoming a friend to the Word.”

29:321

It has been proposed to connect this with the preceding sentence, and read, “have known the mysteries of the Father, viz., for what purpose He sent the Word.”

29:322

[Comp. 1 Tim. iii. 16.]

29:323

Or, “esteemed.”

29:324

Or, “given.”

Chapter XII.—The importance of knowledge to true spiritual life.

When you have read and carefully listened to these things, you shall know what God bestows on such as rightly love Him, being made [as ye are] a paradise of delight, presenting 325 in yourselves a tree bearing all kinds of produce and flourishing well, being adorned with various fruits. For in this place 326 the tree of knowledge and the tree of life have been planted; but it is not the tree of knowledge that destroys— it p. 30 is disobedience that proves destructive. Nor truly are those words without significance which are written, how God from the beginning planted the tree of life in the midst of paradise, revealing through knowledge the way to life, 327 and when those who were first formed did not use this [knowledge] properly, they were, through the fraud of the Serpent, stripped naked. 328 For neither can life exist without knowledge, nor is knowledge secure without life. Wherefore both were planted close together. The Apostle, perceiving the force [of this conjunction], and blaming that knowledge which, without true doctrine, is admitted to influence life, 329 declares, “Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth.” For he who thinks he knows anything without true knowledge, and such as is witnessed to by life, knows nothing, but is deceived by the Serpent, as not 330 loving life. But he who combines knowledge with fear, and seeks after life, plants in hope, looking for fruit. Let your heart be your wisdom; and let your life be true knowledge 331 inwardly received. Bearing this tree and displaying its fruit, thou shalt always gather 332 in those things which are desired by God, which the Serpent cannot reach, and to which deception does not approach; nor is Eve then corrupted, 333 but is trusted as a virgin; and salvation is manifested, and the Apostles are filled with understanding, and the Passover 334 of the Lord advances, and the choirs 335 are gathered together, and are arranged in proper order, and the Word rejoices in teaching the saints,—by whom the Father is glorified: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. 336

Footnotes

29:325

Literally, “bringing forth.”

29:326

That is, in Paradise.

30:327

Literally “revealing life.”

30:328

Or, “deprived of it.”

30:329

Literally, “knowledge without the truth of a command exercised to life.” See 1 Cor. viii. 1.

30:330

The ms. is here defective. Some read, “on account of the love of life.”

30:331

Or, “true word,” or “reason.”

30:332

Or, “reap.”

30:333

The meaning seems to be, that if the tree of true knowledge and life be planted within you, you shall continue free from blemishes and sins.

30:334

[This looks like a reference to the Apocalypse, Rev. v. 9., Rev. xix. 7., Rev. xx. 5.]

30:335

Here Bishop Wordsworth would read κλῆροι, cites 1 Pet. v. 3, and refers to Suicer (Lexicon) in voce κλῆρος.]

30:336

[Note the Clement-like doxology.]

Introductory Note to the Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians

p. 31

[a.d. 65–100–155.] The Epistle of Polycarp is usually made a sort of preface to those of Ignatius, for reasons which will be obvious to the reader. Yet he was born later, and lived to a much later period. They seem to have been friends from the days of their common pupilage under St. John; and there is nothing improbable in the conjecture of Usher, that he was the “angel of the church in Smyrna,” to whom the Master says, “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” His pupil Irenæus gives us one of the very few portraits of an apostolic man which are to be found in antiquity, in a few sentences which are a picture: “I could describe the very place in which the blessed Polycarp sat and taught; his going out and coming in; the whole tenor of his life; his personal appearance; how he would speak of the conversations he had held with John and with others who had seen the Lord. How did he make mention of their words and of whatever he had heard from them respecting the Lord.” Thus he unconsciously tantalizes our reverent curiosity. Alas! that such conversations were not written for our learning. But there is a wise Providence in what is withheld, as well as in the inestimable treasures we have received.

Irenæus will tell us more concerning him, his visit to Rome, his rebuke of Marcion, and incidental anecdotes, all which are instructive. The expression which he applied to Marcion is found in this Epistle. Other facts of interest are found in the Martyrdom, which follows in these pages. His death, in extreme old age under the first of the Antonines, has been variously dated; but we may accept the date we have given, as rendered probable by that of the Paschal question, which he so lovingly settled with Anicetus, Bishop of Rome.

The Epistle to the Philippians is the more interesting as denoting the state of that beloved church, the firstborn of European churches, and so greatly endeared to St. Paul. It abounds in practical wisdom, and is rich in Scripture and Scriptural allusions. It reflects the spirit of St. John, alike in its lamb-like and its aquiline features: he is as loving as the beloved disciple himself when he speaks of Christ and his church, but “the son of thunder” is echoed in his rebukes of threatened corruptions in faith and morals. Nothing can be more clear than his view of the doctrines of grace; but he writes like the disciple of St. John, though in perfect harmony with St. Paul’s hymn-like eulogy of Christian love.

The following is the original Introductory Notice:—

The authenticity of the following Epistle can on no fair grounds be questioned. It is abundantly established by external testimony, and is also supported by the internal evidence. Irenæus says (Adv. Hær., iii. 3): “There is extant an Epistle of Polycarp written to the Philippians, most satisfactory, from which those that have a mind to do so may learn the character of his p. 32 faith,” etc. This passage is embodied by Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History (iv. 14); and in another place the same writer refers to the Epistle before us as an undoubted production of Polycarp (Hist. Eccl., iii. 36). Other ancient testimonies might easily be added, but are superfluous, inasmuch as there is a general consent among scholars at the present day that we have in this letter an authentic production of the renowned Bishop of Smyrna.

Of Polycarp’s life little is known, but that little is highly interesting. Irenæus was his disciple, and tells us that “Polycarp was instructed by the apostles, and was brought into contact with many who had seen Christ” (Adv. Hær., iii. 3; Euseb. Hist. Eccl., iv. 14). There is also a very graphic account given of Polycarp by Irenæus in his Epistle to Florinus, to which the reader is referred. It has been preserved by Eusebius (Hist. Eccl., v. 20).

The Epistle before us is not perfect in any of the Greek mss. which contain it. But the chapters wanting in Greek are contained in an ancient Latin version. While there is no ground for supposing, as some have done, that the whole Epistle is spurious, there seems considerable force in the arguments by which many others have sought to prove chap. xiii. to be an interpolation.

The date of the Epistle cannot be satisfactorily determined. It depends on the conclusion we reach as to some points, very difficult and obscure, connected with that account of the martyrdom of Polycarp which has come down to us. We shall not, however, probably be far wrong if we fix it about the middle of the second century.

The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians 337

p. 33

Polycarp, and the presbyters 338 with him, to the Church of God sojourning at Philippi: Mercy to you, and peace from God Almighty, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, be multiplied.

Footnotes

33:337

The title of this Epistle in most of the mss. is, “The Epistle of St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, and holy martyr, to the Philippians.”

33:338

Or, “Polycarp, and those who with him are presbyters.”

Chapter I.—Praise of the Philippians.

I have greatly rejoiced with you in our Lord Jesus Christ, because ye have followed the example 339 of true love [as displayed by God], and have accompanied, as became you, those who were bound in chains, the fitting ornaments of saints, and which are indeed the diadems of the true elect of God and our Lord; and because the strong root of your faith, spoken of in days 340 long gone by, endureth even until now, and bringeth forth fruit to our Lord Jesus Christ, who for our sins suffered even unto death, [but] “whom God raised from the dead, having loosed the bands of the grave.” 341 “In whom, though now ye see Him not, ye believe, and believing, rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;” 342 into which joy many desire to enter, knowing that “by grace ye are saved, not of works,” 343 but by the will of God through Jesus Christ.

Footnotes

33:339

Literally, “ye have received the patterns of true love.”

33:340

Phil. i. 5.

33:341

Acts ii. 24. Literally, “having loosed the pains of Hades.”

33:342

1 Pet. i. 8.

33:343

Eph. 2:8, 9.

Chapter II.—An exhortation to virtue.

“Wherefore, girding up your loins,” 344 “serve the Lord in fear” 345 and truth, as those who have forsaken the vain, empty talk and error of the multitude, and “believed in Him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and gave Him glory,” 346 and a throne at His right hand. To Him all things 347 in heaven and on earth are subject. Him every spirit serves. He comes as the Judge of the living and the dead. 348 His blood will God require of those who do not believe in Him. 349 But He who raised Him up from the dead will raise 350 up us also, if we do His will, and walk in His commandments, and love what He loved, keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money, evil speaking, false witness; “not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing,” 351 or blow for blow, or cursing for cursing, but being mindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: “Judge not, that ye be not judged; 352 forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you; 353 be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; 354 with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again;” 355 and once more, “Blessed are the poor, and those that are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God.” 356

Footnotes

33:344

Comp. 1 Pet. i. 13; Eph. vi. 14.

33:345

Ps. ii. 11.

33:346

1 Pet. i. 21.

33:347

Comp. 1 Pet. iii. 22; Phil. ii. 10.

33:348

Comp. Acts xvii. 31.

33:349

Or, “who do not obey him.”

33:350

Comp 1 Cor. vi. 14; 2 Cor. iv. 14; Rom. viii. 11.

33:351

1 Pet. iii. 9.

33:352

Matt. vii. 1.

33:353

Matt. 6:12, 14; Luke vi. 37.

33:354

Luke vi. 36.

33:355

Matt. vii. 2; Luke vi. 38.

33:356

Matt. 5:3, 10; Luke vi. 20.

Chapter III.—Expressions of personal unworthiness.

These things, brethren, I write to you concerning righteousness, not because I take anything upon myself, but because ye have invited me to do so. For neither I, nor any other such one, can come up to the wisdom 357 of the blessed and glorified Paul. He, when among you, accurately and stedfastly taught the word of truth in the presence of those who were then alive. And when absent from you, he wrote you a letter, 358 which, if you carefully study, you will find to be the means of building you up in that faith which has been given you, and which, being followed by hope, and preceded by love towards God, and Christ, and our neighbour, “is the mother of us all.” 359 For if any one be inwardly p. 34 possessed of these graces, he hath fulfilled the command of righteousness, since he that hath love is far from all sin.

Footnotes

33:357

Comp. 2 Pet. iii. 15.

33:358

The form is plural, but one Epistle is probably meant. [So, even in English, “letters” may be classically used for a single letter, as we say “by these presents.” But even we might speak of St. Paul as having written his Epistles to us; so the Epistles to Thessalonica and Corinth might more naturally still be referred to here].

33:359

Comp. Gal. iv. 26.

Chapter IV.—Various exhortations.

“But the love of money is the root of all evils.” 360 Knowing, therefore, that “as we brought nothing into the world, so we can carry nothing out,” 361 let us arm ourselves with the armour of righteousness; 362 and let us teach, first of all, ourselves to walk in the commandments of the Lord. Next, [teach] your wives [to walk] in the faith given to them, and in love and purity tenderly loving their own husbands in all truth, and loving all [others] equally in all chastity; and to train up their children in the knowledge and fear of God. Teach the widows to be discreet as respects the faith of the Lord, praying continually 363 for all, being far from all slandering, evil-speaking, false-witnessing, love of money, and every kind of evil; knowing that they are the altar 364 of God, that He clearly perceives all things, and that nothing is hid from Him, neither reasonings, nor reflections, nor any one of the secret things of the heart.

Footnotes

34:360

1 Tim. vi. 10.

34:361

1 Tim. vi. 7.

34:362

Comp. Eph. vi. 11.

34:363

Comp. 1 Thess. v. 17.

34:364

Some here read, “altars.”

Chapter V.—The duties of deacons, youths, and virgins.

Knowing, then, that “God is not mocked,” 365 we ought to walk worthy of His commandment and glory. In like manner should the deacons be blameless before the face of His righteousness, as being the servants of God and Christ, 366 and not of men. They must not be slanderers, double-tongued, 367 or lovers of money, but temperate in all things, compassionate, industrious, walking according to the truth of the Lord, who was the servant 368 of all. If we please Him in this present world, we shall receive also the future world, according as He has promised to us that He will raise us again from the dead, and that if we live 369 worthily of Him, “we shall also reign together with Him,” 370 provided only we believe. In like manner, let the young men also be blameless in all things, being especially careful to preserve purity, and keeping themselves in, as with a bridle, from every kind of evil. For it is well that they should be cut off from 371 the lusts that are in the world, since “every lust warreth against the spirit;” 372 and “neither fornicators, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, shall inherit the kingdom of God,” 373 nor those who do things inconsistent and unbecoming. Wherefore, it is needful to abstain from all these things, being subject to the presbyters and deacons, as unto God and Christ. The virgins also must walk in a blameless and pure conscience.

Footnotes

34:365

Gal. vi. 7.

34:366

Some read, “God in Christ.”

34:367

Comp. 1 Tim. iii. 8.

34:368

Comp. Matt. xx. 28.

34:369

Πολιτευσώμεθα, referring to the whole conduct; comp. Phil. i. 27.

34:370

2 Tim. ii. 12.

34:371

Some read, ἀνακύπτεσθαι, “to emerge from.” [So Chevallier, but not Wake nor Jacobson. See the note of latter, ad loc.]

34:372

1 Pet. ii. 11.

34:373

1 Cor. 6:9, 10.

Chapter VI.—The duties of presbyters and others.

And let the presbyters be compassionate and merciful to all, bringing back those that wander, visiting all the sick, and not neglecting the widow, the orphan, or the poor, but always “providing for that which is becoming in the sight of God and man;” 374 abstaining from all wrath, respect of persons, and unjust judgment; keeping far off from all covetousness, not quickly crediting [an evil report] against any one, not severe in judgment, as knowing that we are all under a debt of sin. If then we entreat the Lord to forgive us, we ought also ourselves to forgive; 375 for we are before the eyes of our Lord and God, and “we must all appear at the judgment-seat of Christ, and must every one give an account of himself.” 376 Let us then serve Him in fear, and with all reverence, even as He Himself has commanded us, and as the apostles who preached the Gospel unto us, and the prophets who proclaimed beforehand the coming of the Lord [have alike taught us]. Let us be zealous in the pursuit of that which is good, keeping ourselves from causes of offence, from false brethren, and from those who in hypocrisy bear the name of the Lord, and draw away vain men into error.

Footnotes

34:374

Rom. xii. 17; 2 Cor. viii. 31.

34:375

Matt. vi. 12-14.

34:376

Rom. xiv. 10-12; 2 Cor. v. 10.

Chapter VII.—Avoid the Docetæ, and persevere in fasting and prayer.

“For whosoever does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is antichrist;” 377 and whosoever does not confess the testimony of the cross, 378 is of the devil; and whosoever perverts the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts, and says that there is neither a resurrection nor a judgment, he is the first-born of Satan. 379 Wherefore, forsaking the vanity of many, and their false doctrines, let us return to the word which has been handed down to us from 380 the beginning; “watching unto prayer,” 381 and persevering in fasting; beseeching in our supplications the all-seeing God “not to lead us into temptation,” 382 p. 35 as the Lord has said: “The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 383

Footnotes

34:377

1 John iv. 3.

34:378

Literally, “the martyrdom of the cross,” which some render, “His suffering on the cross.”

34:379

[The original, perhaps, of Eusebius (Hist. iv. cap. 14). It became a common-place expression in the Church.]

34:380

Comp. Jude 3.

34:381

1 Pet. iv. 7.

34:382

Matt. vi. 13; Matt. xxvi. 41.

35:383

Matt. xxvi. 41; Mark xiv. 38.

Chapter VIII.—Persevere in hope and patience.

Let us then continually persevere in our hope, and the earnest of our righteousness, which is Jesus Christ, “who bore our sins in His own body on the tree,” 384 “who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth,” 385 but endured all things for us, that we might live in Him. 386 Let us then be imitators of His patience; and if we suffer 387 for His name’s sake, let us glorify Him. 388 For He has set us this example 389 in Himself, and we have believed that such is the case.

Footnotes

35:384

1 Pet. ii. 24.

35:385

1 Pet. ii. 22.

35:386

Comp. 1 John iv. 9.

35:387

Comp. Acts v. 41; 1 Pet. iv. 16.

35:388

Some read, “we glorify Him.”

35:389

Comp. 1 Pet. ii. 21.

Chapter IX.—Patience inculcated.

I exhort you all, therefore, to yield obedience to the word of righteousness, and to exercise all patience, such as ye have seen [set] before your eyes, not only in the case of the blessed Ignatius, and Zosimus, and Rufus, but also in others among yourselves, and in Paul himself, and the rest of the apostles. [This do] in the assurance that all these have not run 390 in vain, but in faith and righteousness, and that they are [now] in their due place in the presence of the Lord, with whom also they suffered. For they loved not this present world, but Him who died for us, and for our sakes was raised again by God from the dead.

Footnotes

35:390

Comp. Phil. ii. 16; Gal. ii. 2.

Chapter X.—Exhortation to the practice of virtue. 391

Stand fast, therefore, in these things, and follow the example of the Lord, being firm and unchangeable in the faith, loving the brotherhood, 392 and being attached to one another, joined together in the truth, exhibiting the meekness of the Lord in your intercourse with one another, and despising no one. When you can do good, defer it not, because “alms delivers from death.” 393 Be all of you subject one to another 394 “having your conduct blameless among the Gentiles,” 395 that ye may both receive praise for your good works, and the Lord may not be blasphemed through you. But woe to him by whom the name of the Lord is blasphemed! 396 Teach, therefore, sobriety to all, and manifest it also in your own conduct.

Footnotes

35:391

This and the two following chapters are preserved only in a Latin version. [See Jacobson, ad loc.]

35:392

Comp. 1 Pet. ii. 17.

35:393

Tobit iv. 10, Tobit xii. 9.

35:394

Comp. 1 Pet. v. 5.

35:395

1 Pet. ii. 12.

35:396

Isa. lii. 5.

Chapter XI.—Expression of grief on account of Valens.

I am greatly grieved for Valens, who was once a presbyter among you, because he so little understands the place that was given him [in the Church]. I exhort you, therefore, that ye abstain from covetousness, 397 and that ye be chaste and truthful. “Abstain from every form of evil.” 398 For if a man cannot govern himself in such matters, how shall he enjoin them on others? If a man does not keep himself from covetousness, 399 he shall be defiled by idolatry, and shall be judged as one of the heathen. But who of us are ignorant of the judgment of the Lord? “Do we not know that the saints shall judge the world?” 400 as Paul teaches. But I have neither seen nor heard of any such thing among you, in the midst of whom the blessed Paul laboured, and who are commended 401 in the beginning of his Epistle. For he boasts of you in all those Churches which alone then knew the Lord; but we [of Smyrna] had not yet known Him. I am deeply grieved, therefore, brethren, for him (Valens) and his wife; to whom may the Lord grant true repentance! And be ye then moderate in regard to this matter, and “do not count such as enemies,” 402 but call them back as suffering and straying members, that ye may save your whole body. For by so acting ye shall edify yourselves. 403

Footnotes

35:397

Some think that incontinence on the part of the Valens and his wife is referred to. [For many reasons I am glad the translators have preferred the reading πλεονεξίας. The next word, chaste, sufficiently rebukes the example of Valens. For once I venture not to coincide with Jacobson’s comment.]

35:398

1 Thess. v. 22.

35:399