Overview

The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians is a pastoral letter from Polycarp, the aged bishop of Smyrna and a disciple of the Apostle John, to the Christian community in Philippi. This text is a cornerstone of the collection known as the Apostolic Fathers, providing a vital link between the apostolic age and the second-century church. The letter is primarily an exhortation to righteous living, perseverance in the face of persecution, and adherence to the apostolic faith. It is notable for its extensive quotations and allusions to writings that would later form the New Testament, demonstrating their growing authority. Polycarp addresses practical church matters, warns against heresy, and uses the recent martyrdom of Ignatius of Antioch as a model of Christian endurance. The epistle offers an invaluable glimpse into the theology, ethics, and organizational challenges of a post-apostolic Christian community.

Summary

Polycarp begins his letter by commending the Philippian church for their firm faith and for the kindness they showed to Ignatius of Antioch and other prisoners who passed through their city. He then launches into a series of ethical exhortations, urging them to serve God in fear and truth and to live righteously. The letter provides specific instructions for various groups within the church: wives are to be faithful, widows chaste and prayerful, deacons blameless, young men self-controlled, and presbyters compassionate and just. A significant portion of the letter addresses a crisis involving a presbyter named Valens and his wife, who had fallen into avarice. Polycarp expresses deep sorrow over this and uses it as an opportunity to warn the entire community against the love of money, which he calls 'the beginning of all evils.' He strongly warns against heresy, specifically targeting docetists who deny that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, labeling such a person 'the firstborn of Satan.' The letter is saturated with phrases and concepts from the Gospels, the Pauline epistles, and 1 Peter, which Polycarp weaves together to reinforce his teachings. He concludes by mentioning that he is sending them the letters of Ignatius, which he has collected, and asks for any news they might have regarding Ignatius's fate.

Historical Context

Written in the early second century, the Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians reflects a critical transitional period for the church. The original apostles had passed away, and leaders like Polycarp, who represented the next generation, were tasked with preserving and transmitting the apostolic tradition. This era, often called the sub-apostolic age, saw the church grappling with its identity, solidifying its leadership structures (bishops, presbyters, deacons), and confronting internal and external pressures. Internally, various heresies, particularly Docetism (the belief that Christ only seemed to be human) and Gnosticism, challenged orthodox teaching. Polycarp's sharp condemnation of those who deny Christ's incarnation highlights the seriousness of this theological battle. Externally, the ever-present threat of Roman persecution loomed, making the examples of martyrs like Ignatius powerful models for Christian faithfulness. The letter also demonstrates the process by which Christian scriptures were being collected and circulated. Polycarp's heavy reliance on Paul's letters and other apostolic writings shows their established authority in church life and teaching, predating the formalization of the New Testament canon.

Why It Was Excluded from the Canon

The Epistle of Polycarp was highly esteemed in the early church but was never a serious candidate for inclusion in the New Testament canon. The primary reason is its clear post-apostolic authorship and its own self-awareness as a secondary document. Polycarp does not write as an apostle with foundational authority but as a bishop and teacher passing on the tradition he received. He explicitly defers to the authority of the Apostle Paul, stating, 'For neither I, nor any other like me, can come up to the wisdom of the blessed and glorious Paul.' The church recognized that while the letter was pious, orthodox, and historically valuable, it belonged to a different category than the writings of the apostles themselves. It was viewed as an important work of patristic literature, a guide for Christian living, and a witness to the apostolic faith, but not as inspired scripture on the same level. Its value was in its role as a bridge to the apostolic age, not as a foundational text from that age.

Key Themes

Key Passages

Reading Tips

When reading this epistle, pay close attention to how frequently Polycarp quotes or alludes to the New Testament, especially the letters of Paul and 1 Peter. It is a mosaic of apostolic teaching applied to new situations. Consider reading it alongside the letters of Ignatius, as Polycarp's letter serves as a historical bookend to Ignatius's journey to martyrdom. Understanding the context of the sub-apostolic era, a time of transition and consolidation, is crucial. Ask yourself how Polycarp attempts to secure the church's future by grounding it firmly in its past. The two-letter theory can also be a helpful lens, explaining the shift in topic between the main exhortations and the final chapter concerning Ignatius's letters.

Influence & Legacy

The Epistle of Polycarp holds a significant place in Christian history as a primary source for the sub-apostolic period. Its greatest legacy is as a witness to the life of the early second-century church, its ethical concerns, its fight against heresy, and its reverence for apostolic writings. The letter is a crucial piece of evidence for the early collection and authority of both the Pauline corpus and the letters of Ignatius of Antioch. The church father Irenaeus, in his work 'Against Heresies,' famously used his own connection to Polycarp, his teacher, to establish an unbroken chain of tradition stretching back to the Apostle John, thereby refuting Gnostic claims of a secret teaching. This made Polycarp, and by extension his epistle, a key figure in the formation of an orthodox 'rule of faith.' Today, it remains an indispensable text for scholars studying the development of the New Testament canon, early Christian theology, and church polity.

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