An alternative theory of | Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna and the Eusebian fiction postulate
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Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna |
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POLYCARP: (69 -- 155). Saint, Bishop of Smyrna, Martyr. Only one Epistle, addressed to the Philippians, remains of Polycarp, and of it CE. discusses the "serious qucstion" of its genuineness, which depends upon that of the Ignatian Epistles, and vice versa, above discussed; it says: "If the former were forgeries, the latter, which supports -- it might almost be said presupposes -- them, must be a forgery from the same hand." (CE. xii, 219.) Poor Church of God, cannot you produce something of your Saints that isn't a forgery? But if Saint Polycarp did not write anything genuine, his Church of Smyrna did itself proud in doing honor to his pretended Martyrtioin, in A.D. 154-5, or 165-6 (lb.) -- so exact is Church "tradition." In one of the earliest Encyclicals -- (not issued by a Pope) -- the wondrous tale is told. It it; addressed: "The "The Church of God which sojourns at Smyrna, to the Church of God sojourning in Philomelium, and to all the congregations of the holy and Catholic -- [first use of term] -- Church in every place"; and proceeds in glowing words to recount the virtues, capture, trial and condemnation to death by fire, of the holy St. Polycarp. Just before his capture, polycarp dreamed that his pillow was afire; he exclaimed to those around, "prophetically, 'I am to be burned alive.'" The forged and fabling Epistle proceeds: "Now, as Polycerp was entering into the stadium, there came to him a voice from heaven, saying, 'Be strong, and show thyself a man, O Polycarp.' No one saw who it was that spoke to him; but those of our brethren who were present heard the voice" (Ch. ix). Then the details of his trial before the magistrates, and the verbatim report of his prayer when led to his fate (xiv). Then (Chap. xv): "When he had pronounced this amen, and so finished his prayer, those who were appointed for the purpose kindled the fire. And as the flame blazed forth in great fury, we, to whom it was given to witness it, beheld a great miracle, and have been preserved that we might report to others what then took place. For the fire, shaping itself into the form of an arch., like the sail of a ship when filled with the wind, encompassed as by a circle of fire the body of the martyr. And he appeared within not like flesh which is burnt, but as bread that is baked, or as gold and silver glowing in a furnsce. Moreover, we prececived such a sweet odor (coming from the pile), as if frankincene or some such precious spices had been smoking there. (Ch. xvi.) At length, when those wicked men perceived that his body could not be consumed by the fire, they commanded an executioner to go near and pierce him through with a dagger. And on his doing this, there came forth a dove, and a great quantity of blood, so that the fire was extinguished"! (Letter of the Church at Smyrna, ANF. i. 39-44; CE. xii, 221.) Even this holy Encyclical, at least as to its appended date, is not without suspicion; for, "The possibility remains that the subscription was tampered with by a later hand. But 155 must be approximately correct." (CE. xii, 221.) Oh, for something saintly above suspicion!-- extracted from Joseph Wheless,