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.But there is a wiseProvidence in what is withheld, as well as in the inestimable treasures wehave received.Irenaeus will tell us more concerning him, his visit to Rome, his rebuke ofMarcion, and incidental anecdotes, all which are instructive.Theexpression which he applied to Marcion is found in this Epistle.Otherfacts of interest are found in the Martyrdom, which follows in these pages.His death, in extreme old age under the first of the Antonines, has beenvariously dated; but we may accept the date we have given, as renderedprobable by that of the Paschal question, which he so lovingly settled withAnicetus, Bishop of Rome. 67The Epistle to the Philippians is the more interesting as denoting the stateof that beloved church, the firstborn of European churches, and so greatlyendeared to St.Paul.It abounds in practical wisdom, and is rich inScripture and Scriptural allusions.It reflects the spirit of St.John, alike inits lamb-like and its aquiline features: he is as loving as the beloved disciplehimself when he speaks of Christ and his church, but the son of thunder is echoed in his rebukes of threatened corruptions in faith and morals.Nothing can be more clear than his view of the doctrines of grace; but hewrites like the disciple of St.John, though in perfect harmony with St.Paul s hymn-like eulogy of Christian love.The following is the original INTRODUCTORY NOTICE: The authenticity of the following Epistle can on no fair grounds bequestioned.It is abundantly established by external testimony, and is alsosupported by the internal evidence.Irenaeus says (Adv.Haer., in.3): There is extant an Epistle of Polycarp written to the Philippians, mostsatisfactory, from which those that have a mind to do so may learn thecharacter of his faith, etc.This passage is embodied by Eusebius in hisEcclesiastical History (4.14); and in another place the same writer refers tothe Epistle before us as an undoubted production of Polycarp (Hist.Eccl.,3.36).Other ancient testimonies might easily be added, but aresuperfluous, inasmuch as there is a general consent among scholars at thepresent day that we have in this letter an authentic production of therenowned Bishop of Smyrna.Of Polycarp s life little is known, but that little is highly interesting.Irenaeus was his disciple, and tells us that Polycarp was instructed bythe apostles, and was brought into contact with many who had seenChrist (Adv.Haer., 3.3; Euseb.Hist.Eccl., 4.14).There is also a verygraphic account given of Polycarp by Irenaeus in his Epistle to Florinus, towhich the reader is referred.It has been preserved by Eusebius (Hist.Eccl.,5.20).The Epistle before us is not perfect in any of the Greek MSS.whichcontain it.But the chapters wanting in Greek are contained in the ancientLatin version.While there is no ground for supposing, as some have done,that the whole Epistle is spurious, there seems considerable force in the 68arguments by which many others have sought to prove chap.xiii.to be aninterpolation.The date of the Epistle cannot be satisfactorily determined.It depends onthe conclusion we reach as to some points, very difficult and obscure,connected with that account of the martyrdom of Polycarp which hascome down to us.We shall not, however, probably be far wrong if we fix itabout the middle of the second century. 69THE EPISTLE OF POLYCARPTO THEPHILIPPIANSPolycarp, and the presbyters with him, to the Church of God sojourning atPhilippi: Mercy to you, and peace from God Almighty, and from the LordJesus Christ, our Savior, be multiplied.CHAPTER 1PRAISE OF THE PHILIPPIANSI have greatly rejoiced with you in our Lord Jesus Christ, because ye havefollowed the example of true love [as displayed by God], and haveaccompanied, as became you, those who were bound in chains, the fittingornaments of saints, and which are indeed the diadems of the true elect ofGod and our Lord; and because the strong root of your faith, spoken of indays long gone by, endureth even until now, and bringeth forth fruit to ourLord Jesus Christ, who for our sins suffered even unto death, [but] whomGod raised froth the dead, having loosed the bands of the grave. Inwhom, though now ye see Him not, ye believe, and believing, rejoice withjoy unspeakable and full of glory; into which joy many desire to enter,knowing that by grace ye are saved, not of works, but by the will ofGod through Jesus Christ.CHAPTER 2AN EXHORTATION TO VIRTUE Wherefore, girding up your loins, serve the Lord in fear and truth, asthose who have forsaken the vain, empty talk and error of the multitude, 70and 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 inheaven and on earth are subject.Him every spirit serves.He comes as theJudge of the living and the dead.His blood will God require of those whodo not believe in Him.But He who raised Him up from the dead will raiseup us also, if we do His will, and walk in His commandments, and lovewhat He loved, keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness, covetousness,love of money, evil speaking, falsewitness; not rendering evil for evil, orrailing for railing, or blow for blow, or cursing for cursing, but beingmindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: Judge not, that ye be notjudged; forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you; be merciful, that ye mayobtain mercy; with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to youagain; and once more, Blessed are the poor, and those that are persecutedfor righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God. CHAPTER 3EXPRESSIONS OF PERSONAL UNWORTHINESSThese things, brethren, I write to you concerning righteousness, notbecause I take anything upon myself, but because ye have invited me to doso.For neither I, nor any other such one, can come up to the wisdom ofthe blessed and glorified Paul.He, when among you, accurately andsteadfastly taught the word of truth in the presence of those who werethen alive.And when absent from you, he wrote you a letter, which, if youcarefully study, you will find to be the means of building you up in thatfaith which has been given you, and which, being followed by hope, andpreceded by love towards God, and Christ, and our neighbor, is themother of us all. For if any one be inwardly possessed of these graces, hehath fulfilled the command of righteousness, since he that hath love is farfrom all sin. 71CHAPTER 4VARIOUS EXHORTATIONS But the love of money is the root of all evils. Knowing, therefore, that as we brought nothing into the world, so we can carry nothing out, let usarm ourselves with the armor of righteousness; and let us teach, first of all,ourselves to walk in the commandments of the Lord [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.But there is a wiseProvidence in what is withheld, as well as in the inestimable treasures wehave received.Irenaeus will tell us more concerning him, his visit to Rome, his rebuke ofMarcion, and incidental anecdotes, all which are instructive.Theexpression which he applied to Marcion is found in this Epistle.Otherfacts of interest are found in the Martyrdom, which follows in these pages.His death, in extreme old age under the first of the Antonines, has beenvariously dated; but we may accept the date we have given, as renderedprobable by that of the Paschal question, which he so lovingly settled withAnicetus, Bishop of Rome. 67The Epistle to the Philippians is the more interesting as denoting the stateof that beloved church, the firstborn of European churches, and so greatlyendeared to St.Paul.It abounds in practical wisdom, and is rich inScripture and Scriptural allusions.It reflects the spirit of St.John, alike inits lamb-like and its aquiline features: he is as loving as the beloved disciplehimself when he speaks of Christ and his church, but the son of thunder is echoed in his rebukes of threatened corruptions in faith and morals.Nothing can be more clear than his view of the doctrines of grace; but hewrites like the disciple of St.John, though in perfect harmony with St.Paul s hymn-like eulogy of Christian love.The following is the original INTRODUCTORY NOTICE: The authenticity of the following Epistle can on no fair grounds bequestioned.It is abundantly established by external testimony, and is alsosupported by the internal evidence.Irenaeus says (Adv.Haer., in.3): There is extant an Epistle of Polycarp written to the Philippians, mostsatisfactory, from which those that have a mind to do so may learn thecharacter of his faith, etc.This passage is embodied by Eusebius in hisEcclesiastical History (4.14); and in another place the same writer refers tothe Epistle before us as an undoubted production of Polycarp (Hist.Eccl.,3.36).Other ancient testimonies might easily be added, but aresuperfluous, inasmuch as there is a general consent among scholars at thepresent day that we have in this letter an authentic production of therenowned Bishop of Smyrna.Of Polycarp s life little is known, but that little is highly interesting.Irenaeus was his disciple, and tells us that Polycarp was instructed bythe apostles, and was brought into contact with many who had seenChrist (Adv.Haer., 3.3; Euseb.Hist.Eccl., 4.14).There is also a verygraphic account given of Polycarp by Irenaeus in his Epistle to Florinus, towhich the reader is referred.It has been preserved by Eusebius (Hist.Eccl.,5.20).The Epistle before us is not perfect in any of the Greek MSS.whichcontain it.But the chapters wanting in Greek are contained in the ancientLatin version.While there is no ground for supposing, as some have done,that the whole Epistle is spurious, there seems considerable force in the 68arguments by which many others have sought to prove chap.xiii.to be aninterpolation.The date of the Epistle cannot be satisfactorily determined.It depends onthe conclusion we reach as to some points, very difficult and obscure,connected with that account of the martyrdom of Polycarp which hascome down to us.We shall not, however, probably be far wrong if we fix itabout the middle of the second century. 69THE EPISTLE OF POLYCARPTO THEPHILIPPIANSPolycarp, and the presbyters with him, to the Church of God sojourning atPhilippi: Mercy to you, and peace from God Almighty, and from the LordJesus Christ, our Savior, be multiplied.CHAPTER 1PRAISE OF THE PHILIPPIANSI have greatly rejoiced with you in our Lord Jesus Christ, because ye havefollowed the example of true love [as displayed by God], and haveaccompanied, as became you, those who were bound in chains, the fittingornaments of saints, and which are indeed the diadems of the true elect ofGod and our Lord; and because the strong root of your faith, spoken of indays long gone by, endureth even until now, and bringeth forth fruit to ourLord Jesus Christ, who for our sins suffered even unto death, [but] whomGod raised froth the dead, having loosed the bands of the grave. Inwhom, though now ye see Him not, ye believe, and believing, rejoice withjoy unspeakable and full of glory; into which joy many desire to enter,knowing that by grace ye are saved, not of works, but by the will ofGod through Jesus Christ.CHAPTER 2AN EXHORTATION TO VIRTUE Wherefore, girding up your loins, serve the Lord in fear and truth, asthose who have forsaken the vain, empty talk and error of the multitude, 70and 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 inheaven and on earth are subject.Him every spirit serves.He comes as theJudge of the living and the dead.His blood will God require of those whodo not believe in Him.But He who raised Him up from the dead will raiseup us also, if we do His will, and walk in His commandments, and lovewhat He loved, keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness, covetousness,love of money, evil speaking, falsewitness; not rendering evil for evil, orrailing for railing, or blow for blow, or cursing for cursing, but beingmindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: Judge not, that ye be notjudged; forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you; be merciful, that ye mayobtain mercy; with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to youagain; and once more, Blessed are the poor, and those that are persecutedfor righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God. CHAPTER 3EXPRESSIONS OF PERSONAL UNWORTHINESSThese things, brethren, I write to you concerning righteousness, notbecause I take anything upon myself, but because ye have invited me to doso.For neither I, nor any other such one, can come up to the wisdom ofthe blessed and glorified Paul.He, when among you, accurately andsteadfastly taught the word of truth in the presence of those who werethen alive.And when absent from you, he wrote you a letter, which, if youcarefully study, you will find to be the means of building you up in thatfaith which has been given you, and which, being followed by hope, andpreceded by love towards God, and Christ, and our neighbor, is themother of us all. For if any one be inwardly possessed of these graces, hehath fulfilled the command of righteousness, since he that hath love is farfrom all sin. 71CHAPTER 4VARIOUS EXHORTATIONS But the love of money is the root of all evils. Knowing, therefore, that as we brought nothing into the world, so we can carry nothing out, let usarm ourselves with the armor of righteousness; and let us teach, first of all,ourselves to walk in the commandments of the Lord [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]