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IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH

Bishop of Antioch during the reign of the Emperor Trajan (98-117 c.e.). He was taken by Roman soldiers from Antioch to Rome, where he was martyred ca. 115. During this journey he wrote six letters to churches (Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, Romans, Philadelphians, Smyrnaeans) and one to Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna. A longer recension of Ignatius’ letters includes six spurious letters. The so-called middle recension, which contains only the seven letters named above, agrees with the list given by Eusebius (HE 2.36). Scholars have usually grouped Ignatius’ letters together with other contemporary Christian writings in a collection called the Apostolic Fathers.

Although Ignatius’ letters lack the theological depth of Paul or John, they represent in several respects a development of Christian theology from the apostolic period to the 2nd century. The Christology of Ignatius has been called “a high Christology of Johannine inspiration.” Actually Ignatius moves one step further in heightening Christology than anything in the NT. Although the NT is replete with statements of the lordship and divinity of Jesus Christ, nowhere is Jesus precisely identified as being God. Ignatius makes this identification 11 times, beginning in the very salutation of his first letter, Ephesians, which refers to “Jesus Christ our God.” Yet his Christology is in no way docetic. In Smyrn. 2.2 he refers to Jesus as “truly nailed for us in the flesh.” The virgin birth and the Resurrection are important for Ignatius, but the Crucifixion is paramount. Nevertheless, he scarcely alludes to the teachings of Jesus and the events of his ministry.

The ecclesiology of Ignatius also represents a development beyond the NT. The apostles were the leaders of the earliest Church, with prophets and teachers and other spiritually gifted people forming lower ranks of leadership (1 Cor. 12:28). The deaths of the apostles usher in a new twofold church order of the offices of bishops and deacons. We see this church order in 1 Timothy and in 1 Clement and the Shepherd of Hermas in the Apostolic Fathers. Ignatius evidences movement to a threefold church order which will become the norm, of bishops, elders, and deacons. Ignatius particularly extols the office of bishop and in every letter except Romans exhorts his readers to obey the bishop. In Eph. 6.1 he says that “one must look upon the bishop as the Lord himself” and in Magn. 6.1 he says that the bishop presides in the place of God. Ignatius extols the partaking of the eucharist, though he does not speak of Christian baptism. He also notes that Christians no longer keep the sabbath (Saturday) but now celebrate the Lord’s Day (Sunday).

Ignatius also goes beyond the NT in his development of a theology of martyrdom. His imagery of martyrdom, especially in Rom. 4–5, advances far beyond anything in the NT and points toward the theology of martyrdom that will motivate Christians through the next two centuries of Roman persecution. He himself genuinely longs for martyrdom, which he sees as true discipleship and a means to “attain to God” (Rom. 4.1). Ignatius received his wish in Rome toward the end of the reign of Trajan.

Bibliography. V. Corwin, St. Ignatius and Christianity in Antioch (New Haven, 1960); R. M. Grant, The Apostolic Fathers, 4: Ignatius of Antioch (Camden, 1966); W. R. Schoedel, Ignatius of Antioch. Herm (Philadelphia, 1985); M. P. Brown, The Authentic Writings of Ignatius (Durham, 1963).

J. Christian Wilson

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)