St. Ignatius of Antioch – Life and Epistles

St Ignatius lived through the second half of the First Century and into the second.

Ignatius was also called Theophorus (ho Theophoros); born in Syria, around the year 50; died at Rome between 98 and 117.

By tradition he was none other than the child mentioned in St Mark chapter 9:

35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

36 And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,

37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

He and St Polycarp heard the preaching of St John the Apostle.

Ignatius was appointed the third bishop of Antioch by St Peter himself. Antioch was at that time the most important Christian city, and indeed the place where the word ‘Christian’ was first used.

If we include St. Peter, Ignatius was the immediate successor of Evodius and the third Bishop of Antioch

(Eusebius, "Hist. Eccl.", II, iii, 22).

Ignatius was appointed to the See of Antioch by St. Peter himself.

[Theodoret ("Dial. Immutab.", I, iv, 33a, Paris, 1642)]

St. John Chrysostom lays special emphasis on the honor conferred upon the martyr in receiving his episcopal consecration at the hands of the Apostles themselves

("Hom. in St. Ig.", IV. 587). Natalis Alexander quotes Theodoret to the same effect (III, xii, art. xvi, p. 53).

We still possess seven of St Ignatius’ epistles. He wrote them all whilst on his way to martyrdom in Rome. They were originally collected by St Polycarp and circulated to many Churches.

They are: [1] to the Ephesians, [2] to the Magnesians, [3] to the Trallians, [4] to the Romans, [5] to the Philadelphians, [6] to the Smyrnaeans, [7] to Polycarp.

One can hardly exaggerate the importance of these epistles in the light they shed on the very earliest days of the Faith. St Ignatius constitutes a most important link between the Apostles and the Fathers of the early Church. He received from the apostles by actual word of mouth and personal acquaintance, not only the facts revealed by Christ, but also their own inspired interpretation of it. We can say that he dwelt at the very fountain-head of Gospel truth, such that his testimony must necessarily carry with it the greatest weight and demand the most serious consideration. Cardinal Newman did not exaggerate the matter when he said "the whole system of Catholic doctrine may be discovered, at least in outline, not to say in parts filled up, in the course of his seven epistles".

Let it be emphasised that these epistles were written by 117 A.D. at the latest; possibly as early as 98 A.D. If Ignatius had been falsifying the teachings of the Church, there would have been a host of people who would clearly remember speaking in their youth to one or more apostles; perhaps a majority of Christians who had received the Faith from one who had heard an apostle preach; and yet there is no trace of any objection to the model of the Church as revealed by Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Polycarp and the others: that of a grouping of communities under one bishop, in communion with each other and yielding a primacy of honour to Rome, the line of the hierarchy being in continuity with the apostles by the laying on of hands, and this at the institution of Christ Himself; the members being called Christians and whole being known as the Catholic Church.

One may mention that our ‘Bible-only’ friends obtain their view of the beginnings of the Church by making extrapolations of the New Testament text itself, which can at least equally well bear the Catholic interpretation, and then resolutely refuse to consider the valid historical evidence. They are forced into this corner because the historical evidence is firmly in favour of the claims of the Catholic Church to be in direct continuity with the Apostolic Church.

Among the many Catholic doctrines to be found in the letters are the following:

*the Church was Divinely established as a visible society, the salvation of souls is its end, and those who separate themselves from it cut themselves off from God (Philad., c. iii);

Keep yourselves from those evil plants which Jesus Christ does not tend, because they are not the planting of the Father. Not that I have found any division among you, but exceeding purity. For as many as are of God and of Jesus Christ are also with the bishop. And as many as shall, in the exercise of repentance, return into the unity of the Church, these, too, shall belong to God, that they may live according to Jesus Christ. Do not err, my brethren. If any man follows him that makes a schism in the Church, he shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If any one walks according to a strange opinion, he agrees not with the passion [of Christ.].

*the hierarchy of the Church was instituted by Christ (lntrod. to Philad.;

Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, which is at Philadelphia, in Asia, which has obtained mercy, and is established in the harmony of God, and rejoiceth unceasingly in the passion of our Lord, and is filled with all mercy through his resurrection; which I salute in the blood of Jesus Christ, who is our eternal and enduring joy, especially if [men] are in unity with the bishop, the presbyters, and the deacons, who have been appointed according to the mind of Jesus Christ, whom He has established in security, after His own will, and by His Holy Spirit.

Ephes., c. vi);

CHAPTER VI.--HAVE RESPECT TO THE BISHOP AS TO CHRIST HIMSELF.

Now the more any one sees the bishop keeping silence, the more ought he to revere him. For we ought to receive every one whom the Master of the house sends to be over His household, as we would do Him that sent him. It is manifest, therefore, that we should look upon the bishop even as we would upon the Lord Himself.

*the threefold character of the hierarchy (Magn., c. vi);

I exhort you to study to do all things with a divine harmony, while your bishop presides in the place of God, and your presbyters in the place of the assembly of the apostles, along with your deacons, who are most dear to me, and are entrusted with the ministry of Jesus Christ, who was with the Father before the beginning of time, and in the end was revealed. Do ye all then, imitating the same divine conduct, pay respect to one another, and let no one look upon his neighbour after the flesh, but do ye continually love each other in Jesus Christ. Let nothing exist among you that may divide you ; but be ye united with your bishop, and those that preside over you, as a type and evidence of your immortality.

*the order of the episcopacy superior by Divine authority to that of the priesthood (Magn., c. vi,

CHAPTER VI.--PRESERVE HARMONY.

Since therefore I have, in the persons before mentioned, beheld the whole multitude of you in faith and love, I exhort you to study to do all things with a divine harmony, while your bishop presides in the place of God, and your presbyters in the place of the assembly of the apostles, along with your deacons, who are most dear to me, and are entrusted with the ministry of Jesus Christ, who was with the Father before the beginning of time, and in the end was revealed. Do ye all then, imitating the same divine conduct, pay respect to one another, and let no one look upon his neighbour after the flesh, but do ye continually love each other in Jesus Christ. Let nothing exist among you that may divide you; but be ye united with your bishop, and those that preside over you, as a type and evidence of your immortality.

c. xiii;

CHAPTER XIII.--BE ESTABLISHED IN FAITH AND UNITY.

Study, therefore, to be established in the doctrines of the Lord and the apostles, that so all things, whatsoever ye do, may prosper both in the flesh and spirit; in faith and love; in the Son, and in the Father, and in the Spirit; in the beginning and in the end; with your most admirable bishop, and the well-compacted spiritual crown of your presbytery, and the deacons who are according to God. Be ye subject to the bishop, and to one another, as Jesus Christ to the Father, according to the flesh, and the apostles to Christ, and to the Father, and to the Spirit; that so there may be a union beth fleshly and spiritual.

Smyrn., c. viii;.

CHAPTER VIII.--LET NOTHING BE DONE WITHOUT THE BISHOP.

See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as ye would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is[administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude[of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid.

Trall., .c. iii);

CHAPTER III.--HONOUR THE DEACONS, ETC.

In like manner, let all reverence the deacons as an appointment of Jesus Christ, and the bishop as Jesus Christ, who is the Son of the Father, and the presbyters as the sanhedrin of God, and assembly of the apostles. Apart from these, there is no Church. Concerning all this, I am persuaded that ye are of the same opinion. For I have received the manifestations of your love, and still have it with me, in your bishop, whose very appearance is highly instructive, and his meekness of itself a power; whom I imagine even the ungodly must reverence, seeing they are also pleased that I do not spare myself. But shall I, when permitted to write on this point, reach such a height of self-esteem, that though being a condemned man, I should issue commands to you as if I were an apostle?

*the unity of the Church (Trall., c. vi;

CHAPTER VI.--ABSTAIN FROM THE POISON OF HERETICS.

I therefore, yet not I, but the love of Jesus Christ, entreat you that ye use Christian nourishment only, and abstain from herbage of a different kind; I mean heresy. For those [that are given to this] mix up Jesus Christ with their own poison, speaking things which are unworthy of credit, like those who administer a deadly drug in sweet wine, which he who is ignorant of does greedily take, with a fatal pleasure leading to his own death.

Philad., c. iii;

CHAPTER III.--AVOID SCHISMATICS.

Magn., c. xiii);

CHAPTER XIII.--BE ESTABLISHED IN FAITH AND UNITY.

*the holiness of the Church (Smyrn., Ephes., Magn., Trall., and Rom.);

*the catholicity of the Church (Smyrn., c. viii);

CHAPTER VIII.--LET NOTHING BE DONE WITHOUT THE BISHOP.

*the infallibility of the Church (Philad., c. iii;

CHAPTER III.--AVOID SCHISMATICS.

Ephes., c. xvi,

CHAPTER XVI.--THE FATE OF FALSE TEACHERS.

Do not err, my brethren. Those that corrupt families shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If, then, those who do this as respects the flesh have suffered death, how much more shall this be the case with any one who corrupts by wicked doctrine the faith of God, for which Jesus Christ was crucified! Such an one becoming defiled [in this way], shall go away into everlasting fire, and so shall every one that hearkens unto him.

c. xvii);

CHAPTER XVII.--BEWARE OF FALSE DOCTRINES.

For this end did the Lord suffer the ointment to be poured upon His head, that He might breathe immortality into His Church. Be not ye anointed with the bad odour of the doctrine of the prince of this world; let him not lead you away captive from the life which is set before you. And why are we not all prudent, since we have received the knowledge of God, which is Jesus Christ? Why do we foolishly perish, not recognising the gift which the Lord has of a truth sent to us?

*the doctrine of the Eucharist (Smyrn., c. viii), which word we find for the first time applied to the Blessed Sacrament,

CHAPTER VIII.--LET NOTHING BE DONE WITHOUT THE BISHOP.

* the phrase "Catholic Church", used to designate all Christians (Smyrn., viii),

CHAPTER VIII.--LET NOTHING BE DONE WITHOUT THE BISHOP.

*the Incarnation (Ephes., c. xviii);

CHAPTER XVIII.--THE GLORY OF THE CROSS.

Let my spirit be counted as nothing for the sake of the cross, which is a stumbling-block to those that do not believe, but to us salvation and life eternal. "Where is the wise man? where the disputer?" Where is the boasting of those who are styled prudent? For our God, Jesus Christ, was, according to the appointment of God, conceived in the womb by Mary, of the seed of David, but by the Holy Ghost. He was born and baptized, that by His passion He might purify the water.

*the supernatural virtue of virginity, already much esteemed and made the subject of a vow (Polyc., c. v);

CHAPTER V.--THE DUTIES OF HUSBANDS AND WIVES.

Flee evil arts; but all the more discourse in public regarding them. Speak to my sisters, that they love the Lord, and be satisfied with their husbands both in the flesh and spirit. In like manner also, exhort my brethren, in the name of Jesus Christ, that they love their wives, even as the Lord the Church. If any one can continue in a state of purity, to the honour of Him who is Lord of the flesh, let him so remain without boasting. If he begins to boast, he is undone; and if he reckon himself greater than the bishop, he is ruined. But it becomes both men and women who marry, to form their union with the approval of the bishop, that their marriage may be according to God, and not after their own lust. Let all things be done to the honour of God.

*the religious character of matrimony (Polyc., c. v);

CHAPTER V.--THE DUTIES OF HUSBANDS AND WIVES.

Flee evil arts; but all the more discourse in public regarding them. Speak to my sisters, that they love the Lord, and be satisfied with their husbands both in the flesh and spirit. In like manner also, exhort my brethren, in the name of Jesus Christ, that they love their wives, even as the Lord the Church. If any one can continue in a state of purity, to the honour of Him who is Lord of the flesh, let him so remain without boasting. If he begins to boast, he is undone; and if he reckon himself greater than the bishop, he is ruined. But it becomes both men and women who marry, to form their union with the approval of the bishop, that their marriage may be according to God, and not after their own lust. Let all things be done to the honour of God.

*the value of united prayer (Ephes., c. xiii);

CHAPTER XIII.--EXHORTATION TO MEET TOGETHER FREQUENTLY FOR THE WORSHIP OF GOD.

Take heed, then, often to come together to give thanks to God, and show forth His praise. For when ye assemble frequently in the same place, the powers of Satan are destroyed, and the destruction at which he aims is prevented by the unity of your faith. Nothing is more precious than peace, by which all war, both in heaven and earth, is brought to an end.

*the primacy of the See of Rome (Rom., introd.).

THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE ROMANS

Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church which has obtained mercy, through the majesty of the Mast High Father, and Jesus Christ, His only-begotten Son; the Church which is beloved and enlightened by the will of Him that willeth all things which are according to the love of Jesus Christ our God, which also presides in the place of the report of the Romans, worthy of God, worthy of honour, worthy of the highest happiness, worthy of praise, worthy of obtaining her every desire, worthy of being deemed holy, and which presides over love, is named from Christ, and from the Father, which I also salute in the name of Jesus Christ, the San of the Father: to those who are united, both according ta the flesh and spirit, to every one of His commandments; who are filled inseparably with the grace of God, and are purified from every strange taint, [I wish] abundance of happiness unblameably, in Jesus Christ our God.

*He, moreover, denounces in principle the Protestant doctrine of private judgment in matters' of religion (Philad. c. iii)

CHAPTER III.--AVOID SCHISMATICS.

Saint Polycarp lived through the end of the First Century and much of the Second, when he was martyred at the great age of eighty-six years. Hence it was possible through most of the Second Century to learn by word of mouth the teachings of the Apostles, direct from those who had heard them in person. Saint Irenaeus speaks of his own personal acquaintance with Polycarp and says, "[Polycarp] was not only taught by the Apostles, and lived in familiarity with many that had seen Christ, but also received his appointment in Asia from the Apostles as Bishop in the Church of Smyrna".