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POLYCARP, EPISTLE OF

The so-called Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians is the only surviving text from the hand of the Christian martyr Polycarp, 2nd-century bishop of Smyrna. His prominence among the ancient churches of Asia Minor is renowned, as evidenced elsewhere by the portrayal of his death (ca. 156) in the Martyrdom of Polycarp and the fictional 5th-century account of his career, A Life of Polycarp. According to Irenaeus and Eusebius, Polycarp stood as a direct link between the testimony of the Apostle John and the faith witness of the later Church. A close friend of Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp was a reputed enemy of the gnostic Marcion.

Certain circumstances behind the Epistle are clear. The opening address establishes the city of Smyrna as the place of composition and the church at Philippi as the intended recipient. The focal concern for the epistle (now divided into 14 chapters) is the theme of righteousness, a motif which the Philippians had previously requested Polycarp to address (Pol. Phil. 3:1).

Other aspects of the epistle are debated. Polycarp’s references to the situation of Ignatius, housed temporarily in Philippi on his way to martyrdom in Rome (cf. 1:1; 9:1; 13:2), have led to speculation concerning questions of integrity and date behind the epistle. Traditionally, these references have been accepted as an indication that the text was written soon after the death of Ignatius, sometime ca. 110-120. The witness of Ignatius’ faith and the circumstances of his tragic demise would have been of immediate concern to those Christians who had known him. Some more recent scholars, however, have asked whether the epistle is not actually a combination of two short letters (both from Polycarp), the earlier preserved in chs. 13–14 and the latter in chs. 1–12. One observes, e.g., that the theme of righteousness is abandoned in ch. 13 in favor of a discussion of the letters of Ignatius. The Philippians had requested copies of those letters, and Polycarp apparently intended for chs. 13–14 to serve as a brief cover letter for that collection. At the same time, Polycarp himself requested specific information from the Philippians about the fate of Ignatius, which suggests that he wrote soon after Ignatius’ martyrdom. Elsewhere in the epistle, Polycarp’s references to Ignatius (1:1; 9:1) reveal no particular urgency about the situation, perhaps because some years had now passed. If his phrase “first-born of Satan” (7:1) can be taken as a reference to Marcion, whom Polycarp met shortly before 140, then chs. 1–12 may preserve a second, later letter sent to Philippi during the years 120-135. Our current epistle thus may actually preserve two separate letters, the more recent work now placed in advance of the older text.

Polycarp’s epistle reveals his role as an acknowledged authority among early Christian communities. He reveals a breadth of acquaintance with the writings of ancient Israel, as well as with later Christian authors, especially the letters of Paul. Much like Ignatius himself, Polycarp stands as a beacon of warning against the divisive threat of docetism (ch. 7) and as an advocate of church unity. He addresses specific issues of leadership at Philippi, specifically in the case of the “fallen presbyter” Valens and his wife (ch. 11). Most notably, Polycarp forwards the vision of a youthful, growing Church whose members are “citizens” who are worthy of God’s community (5:2), whose offices and functions are firmly organized according to the standards of ecclesiastical faith and order (chs. 4-6), and whose “eternal high priest” in Jesus Christ himself (12:2).

Bibliography. L. W. Barnard, “The Problem of St. Polycarp’s Epistle to the Philippians,” in Studies in the Apostolic Fathers and Their Background (New York, 1966), 31-39; P. N. Harrison, Polycarp’s Two Epistles to the Philippians (Cambridge, 1936); W. R. Schoedel, Polycarp, Martyrdom of Polycarp, Fragments of Papias. The Apostolic Fathers 5, ed. R. M. Grant (New York, 1967).

Clayton N. Jefford

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

POLYCARP, EPISTLE OF

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)