The Epistle of Ignatius to
the Smyrnaeans
Ignatius, who is also called Theophoros the
God-bearer, to the Church of God the Father, and of the beloved Jesus Christ,
which has through mercy obtained every kind of gift, which is filled with faith
and love, and is deficient in no gift, most worthy of God, and adorned with
holiness: the Church which is at Smyrna, in Asia, wishes abundance of happiness,
through the immaculate Spirit and word of God.
1 THANKS TO GOD
FOR YOUR FAITH
I glorify God, even Jesus Christ, who has given you
such wisdom. For I have observed that you are perfected in an immoveable faith,
as if you were nailed to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, both in the flesh
and in the spirit, and are established in love through the blood of Christ,
being fully persuaded with respect to our Lord, that He was truly of the seed of
David according to the flesh, and the Son of God according to the will and power
of God; that He was truly born of a virgin, was baptized by John, in order that
all righteousness might be fulfilled by Him; and was truly, under Pontius Pilate
and Herod the tetrarch, nailed to the cross for us in His flesh. Of this fruit
we are by His divinely-blessed passion, that He might set up a standard for all
ages,
through His resurrection, to all His holy and faithful ones, whether among
Jews or Gentiles, in the one body of His Church.
2 CHRIST'S TRUE
PASSION
Now, He suffered all these things for our sakes,
that we might be saved. And He suffered truly, even as also He truly raised up
Himself, not, as certain unbelievers maintain, that He only seemed to suffer, as
they themselves only seem to be Christians. And as they believe, so shall it
happen unto them, when they shall be divested of their bodies, and be mere evil
spirits.
3 CHRIST WAS
POSSESSED OF A BODY AFTER HIS RESURRECTION
For I know that after His resurrection also He was
still possessed of flesh, and I believe that He is so now. When, for instance,
He came to those who were with Peter, He said to them, "Lay hold, handle
Me, and see that I am not an incorporeal spirit." And immediately they
touched Him, and believed, being convinced both by His flesh and spirit. For
this cause also they despised death, and were found its conquerors. And after
his resurrection He did eat and drink with them, as being possessed of flesh,
although spiritually He was united to the Father.
4 BEWARE OF
THESE HERETICS
I give you these instructions, beloved, assured that
you also hold the same opinions as I do. But I guard you beforehand from those
beasts in the shape of men, whom you must not only not receive, but, if it be
possible, not even meet with; only you must pray to God for them, if by any
means they may be brought to repentance, which, however, will be very difficult.
Yet Jesus Christ, who is our true life, has the power to bring it to pass. But
if these things were done by our Lord only in appearance, then am I also only in
appearance bound. And why have I also surrendered myself to death, to fire, to
the sword, to the wild beasts? But in fact, he who is near to the sword is near
to God; he that is among the wild beasts is in company with God; provided only
he be so m the name of Jesus Christ. I undergo all these things that I may
suffer together with Him, He who became a perfect man inwardly strengthening me.
5 THEIR
DANGEROUS ERRORS
Some ignorantly deny Him, or rather have been denied
by Him, being the advocates of death rather than of the truth. These persons
neither have the prophets persuaded, nor the law of Moses, nor the Gospel even
to this day, nor the sufferings we have individually endured. For they think
also the same thing regarding us. For what does any one profit me, if he
commends me, but blasphemes my Lord, not confessing that He was possessed of a
body? But he who does not acknowledge this, has in fact altogether denied Him,
being enveloped in death. I have not, however, thought good to write the names
of such persons, inasmuch as they are unbelievers. Yea, far be it from me to
make any mention of them, until they repent and return to a true belief in
Christ's passion, which is our resurrection.
6 UNBELIEVERS
IN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST SHALL BE CONDEMNED
Let no man deceive himself. Both the things which
are in heaven, and the glorious angels, and rulers, both visible and invisible,
if they believe not in the blood of Christ, shall, in consequence, incur
condemnation. "He that is able to receive it, let him receive it." Let
not high place puff any one up: for that which is worth all is a faith and love,
to which nothing is to be preferred. But consider those who are of a different
opinion with respect to the grace of Christ which has come unto us, how opposed
they are to the will of God. They have no regard for love; no care for the
widow, or the orphan, or the oppressed; of the bond, or of the free; of the
hungry, or of the thirsty.
7 LET US STAND
ALOOF FROM SUCH HERETICS
They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer,
because they confess not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus
Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of His goodness,
raised up again. Those, therefore, who speak against this gift of God, incur
death in the midst of their disputes. But it were better for them to treat it
with respect, that they also might rise again. It is fitting, therefore, that
you should keep aloof from such persons, and not to speak of them either in
private or in public, but to give heed to the prophets, and above all, to the
Gospel, in which the passion of Christ has been revealed to us, and the
resurrection has been fully proved. But avoid all divisions, as the beginning of
evils.
8 LET NOTHING
BE DONE WITHOUT THE BISHOP
See that you all follow the bishop, even as Jesus
Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you 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.
9 HONOUR THE
BISHOP
Moreover, it is in accordance with reason that we
should return to soberness of conduct, and, while yet we have opportunity,
exercise repentance towards God. It is well to reverence both God and the
bishop. He who honours the bishop has been honoured by God; he who does anything
without the knowledge of the bishop, does in reality serve the devil. Let all
things, then, abound to you through grace, for you are worthy. You have
refreshed me in all things, and Jesus Christ shall refresh you. You have loved
me when absent as well as when present. May God recompense you, for whose sake,
while you endure all things, you shall attain unto Him.
10
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THEIR KINDNESS
You have done well in receiving Philo and Rheus
Agathopus as servants of Christ our God, who have followed me for the sake of
God, and who give thanks to the Lord in your behalf, because you have in every
way refreshed them. None of these things shall be lost to you. May my spirit be
for you, and my bonds, which you have not despised or been ashamed of; nor shall
Jesus Christ, our perfect hope, be ashamed of you.
11 REQUEST TO
THEM TO SEND A MESSENGER TO ANTIOCH
Your prayer has reached to the Church which is at
Antioch in Syria. Coming from that place bound with chains, most acceptable to
God, I salute all; I who am not worthy to be styled from thence, inasmuch as I
am the least of them. Nevertheless, according to the will of God, I have been
thought worthy of this honour, not that I have any sense of having deserved it,
but by the grace of God, which I wish may be perfectly given to me, that through
your prayers I may attain to God. In order, therefore, that your work may be
complete both on earth and in heaven, it is fitting that, for the honour of God,
your Church should elect some worthy delegate; so that he, journeying into
Syria, may congratulate them that they are now at peace, and are restored to
their proper greatness, and that their proper constitution has been
re-established among them. It seems then to me a becoming thing, that you should
send some one of your number with an epistle, so that, in company with them, he
may rejoice over the tranquility which, according to the will of God, they have
obtained, and because that, through your prayers, they have now reached the
harbour. As persons who are perfect, you should also aim at those things which
are perfect. For when you are desirous to do well, God is also ready to assist
you.
12 SALUTATIONS
The love of your brethren at Troas salutes you;
whence also I write to you by Burrhus, whom you sent with me, together with the
Ephesians, your brethren, and who has in all things refreshed me. And I would
that all may imitate him, as being a pattern of a minister of God. Grace will
reward him in all things. I salute your most worthy bishop, and your very
venerable presbytery, and your deacons, my fellow-servants, and all of you
individually, as well as generally, in the name of Jesus Christ, and in His
flesh and blood, in His passion and resurrection, both corporeal and spiritual,
in union with God and you. Grace, mercy, peace, and patience, be with you for
evermore!
CONCLUSION
I salute the families of my brethren, with their
wives and children, and the virgins who are called widows. Be you strong, I
pray, in the power of the Holy Ghost. Philo, who is with me, greets you. I
salute the house of Tavias, and pray that it may be confirmed in faith and love,
both corporeal and spiritual. I salute Alce; my well-beloved, and the
incomparable Daphnus, and Eutecnus, and all by name. Fare you well in the grace
of God.
Back