Yesterday I had the privilege of sitting in a class at my alma mater, Phoenix Seminary. The class was “Selections from the Apostolic Father.” What a class! Dr. John Delhousaye, who was a seminary classmate of mine, and now is a professor there is teaching the class. I am happy to call him a friend.

Who we got to study yesterday was Polycarp. Polycarp was born about A.D. 70, the year in which the temple of Jerusalem was destroyed. He knew the apostles and was acutally a disciple of the John. He later became the Bishop of Smyrna (in modern day Turkey). Polycarp was martyred for his faith in Jesus at the age of 86! 

We looked at a letter he wrote about A.D. 110 called “The Letter to the Philippians.” This letter was written about 50 years after St. Paul’s letter to the SAME Philippian church! It is one of the oldest letters outside of the New Testament. It was a letter that the church held in high esteem and was read publicly in the churches in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. Having said that, it was not included in the Bible itself as Scripture, but it was greatly valued.

As we come to the end of the Easter Season, and celebrate the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, I want to quote from Polycarp’s letter. I think you will hear not only reference to Scripture, but also the Creeds of our Faith, which would be written over the next couple of centuries.

Wherefore, girding up your loins,serve the Lord in fear 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, and a throne at His right hand. To Him all things in heaven and on earth are subject. Him every spirit serves. He comes as the Judge of the living and the dead. (Chapter 2)

As I mentioned, Polycarp was also a martyr. He was burned alive for his faith in Jesus. His death was written about in another letter called the “Martyrdom of Polycarp.” I quote from part of it to show the faith of those who have gone before us.

Now, as Polycarp was entering into the stadium, there came to him a voice from heaven, saying, “Be strong, and show thyself a man, O Polycarp !” No one saw who it was that spoke to him; but those of our brethren who were present heard the voice. And as he was brought forward, the tumult became great when they heard that Polycarp was taken. And when he came near, the proconsul asked him whether he was Polycarp. On his confessing that he was, [the proconsul] sought to persuade him to deny [Christ], saying, “Have respect to thy old age,” and other similar things, according to their custom, [such as],” Swear by the fortune of Caesar; repent, and say, Away with the Atheists.” But Polycarp, gazing with a stern countenance on all the multitude of the wicked heathen then in the stadium, and waving his hand towards them, while with groans he looked up to heaven, said, “Away with the Atheists.” Then, the proconsul urging him, and saying, “Swear, and I will set thee at liberty, reproach Christ;” Polycarp declared, “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour?”

And when the proconsul yet again pressed him, and said, “Swear by the fortune of Caesar,” he answered, “Since thou art vainly urgent that, as thou sayest, I should swear by the fortune of Caesar, and pretendest not to know who and what I am, hear me declare with boldness, I am a Christian. And if you wish to learn what the doctrines of Christianity are, appoint me a day, and thou shalt hear them.” The proconsul replied, “Persuade the people.” But Polycarp said, “To thee I have thought it right to offer an account [of my faith]; for we are taught to give all due honour (which entails no injury upon ourselves) to the powers and authorities which are ordained of God. But as for these, I do not deem them worthy of receiving any account from me.”

A little bit later, right before he is to be burned alive (you have to read the letter to find out exactly how he died!), he prays to God.

They did not nail him then, but simply bound him. And he, placing his hands behind him, and being bound like a distinguished ram [taken] out of a great flock for sacrifice, and prepared to be an acceptable burnt-offering unto God, looked up to heaven, and said, “O Lord God Almighty, the Father of thy beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the knowledge of Thee, the God of angels and powers, and of every creature, and of the whole race of the righteous who live before thee, I give Thee thanks that Thou hast counted me, worthy of this day and this hour, that I should have a part in the number of Thy martyrs, in the cup of thy Christ, to the resurrection of eternal life, both of soul and body, through the incorruption [imparted] by the Holy Ghost. Among whom may I be accepted this day before Thee as a fat and acceptable sacrifice, according as Thou, the ever-truthful God, hast fore-ordained, hast revealed beforehand to me, and now hast fulfilled. Wherefore also I praise Thee for all things, I bless Thee, I glorify Thee, along with the everlasting and heavenly Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, with whom, to Thee, and the Holy Ghost, be glory both now and to all coming ages. Amen.”

So give praise to God the Father, and to His Son, and to the Holy Spirit! 

Shane+