The Writings of the Apostolic Fathers

Footnote 666:

Isa. lxi. 1, 2.

Footnote 667:

Cod. Sin. reads “because,” but this is corrected to “moreover.”

Footnote 668:

Ex. xx. 8; Deut. v. 12.

Footnote 669:

Jer. xvii. 24, 25.

Footnote 670:

Gen. ii. 2. The Hebrew text is here followed, the Septuagint reading “sixth” instead of “seventh.”

Footnote 671:

Cod. Sin. reads “signifies.”

Footnote 672:

Cod. Sin. adds, “to me.”

Footnote 673:

Cod. Sin. reads, “The day of the Lord shall be as a thousand years.”

Footnote 674:

Ps. xc. 4; 2 Pet. iii. 8

Footnote 675:

Cod. Sin. seems properly to omit “of the wicked man.”

Footnote 676:

Cod. Sin. places _stars_ before _moon_.

Footnote 677:

Cod. Sin. reads “again,” but is corrected as above.

Footnote 678:

The meaning is, “If the Sabbaths of the Jews were the true Sabbath, we should have been deceived by God, who demands pure hands and a pure heart.”—HEFELE.

Footnote 679:

Cod. Sin. has, “But if not.” Hilgenfeld’s text of this confused passage reads as follows: “Who then can sanctify the day which God has sanctified, except the man who is of a pure heart? We are deceived (or mistaken) in all things. Behold, therefore,” etc.

Footnote 680:

Cod. Sin. reads, “resting aright, we shall sanctify it, having been justified, and received the promise, iniquity no longer existing, but all things having been made new by the Lord.”

Footnote 681:

Cod. Sin. reads, “Shall we not then?”

Footnote 682:

Isa. i. 13.

Footnote 683:

“Barnabas here bears testimony to the observance of the Lord’s day in early times.”—HEFELE.

Footnote 684:

We here follow the punctuation of Dressel: Hefele places only a comma, between the clauses, and inclines to think that the writer implies that the ascension of Christ took place on the first day of the week.

Footnote 685:

That is, “they worshipped the temple instead of Him.”

Footnote 686:

Isa. xl. 12.

Footnote 687:

Isa. lxvi. 1.

Footnote 688:

Comp. Isa. xlix. 17 (Sept.).

Footnote 689:

Cod. Sin. omits this.

Footnote 690:

Comp. Isa. v., Jer. xxv.; but the words do not occur in Scripture.

Footnote 691:

Dan. ix. 24-27; Hagg. ii. 10.

Footnote 692:

Cod. Sin. reads, “the calling.”

Footnote 693:

Cod. Sin. gives the clauses of this sentence separately, each occupying a line.

Footnote 694:

That is, the man who is engaged in preaching the gospel.

Footnote 695:

Such is the punctuation adopted by Hefele, Dressel, and Hilgenfeld.

Footnote 696:

Cod. Sin. reads, “my soul hopes that it has not omitted anything.”

Footnote 697:

Cod. Sin., “about things present or future.” Hilgenfeld’s text of this passage is as follows: “My mind and soul hopes that, according to my desire, I have omitted none of the things that pertain to salvation. For if I should write to you about things present or future,” etc. Hefele gives the text as above, and understands the meaning to be, “points bearing on the _present_ argument.”

Footnote 698:

Comp. 2 Cor. xii. 7.

Footnote 699:

Cod. Sin. reads, “of the present time of iniquity.”

Footnote 700:

Cod. Sin. inserts, “Thou shalt fear Him that formed thee.”

Footnote 701:

Cod. Sin. adds, “in all things.”

Footnote 702:

Literally, “shalt not give insolence to thy soul.”

Footnote 703:

“That is, while proclaiming the gospel, thou shalt not in any way be of corrupt morals.”—HEFELE.

Footnote 704:

Isa. lxvi. 2. All the preceding clauses are given in Cod. Sin. in distinct lines.

Footnote 705:

Comp. James i. 8.

Footnote 706:

Cod. Sin. has “thy name,” but this is corrected as above.

Footnote 707:

Cod. Sin. corrects to, “as thine own soul.”

Footnote 708:

Cod. Sin. has, “of God.”

Footnote 709:

“Difficulties,” or “troubles.”

Footnote 710:

Cod. Sin. adds, “knowing that without God nothing happens.”

Footnote 711:

Cod. Sin. has “talkative,” and omits the following clause.

Footnote 712:

Cod. Sin. has, “Thou shalt be subject (ὑποταγη—untouched by the corrector) to masters as a type of God.”

Footnote 713:

Inserted in Cod. Sin.

Footnote 714:

Cod. Sin. has, “they should not.”

Footnote 715:

Comp. Eph. vi. 9.

Footnote 716:

Comp. Rom. viii. 29, 30.

Footnote 717:

Cod. Sin. has, “and not call.”

Footnote 718:

Cod. Sin. has, “in that which is incorruptible.”

Footnote 719:

Cod. Sin. has, “in things that are subject to death,” but is corrected as above.

Footnote 720:

Or, “the persons of the saints.” Cod. Sin. omits this clause, but it is added by a corrector.

Footnote 721:

The text is here confused in all the editions; we have followed that of Dressel. Cod. Sin. is defective. Hilgenfeld’s text reads, “Thou shalt seek out every day the faces of the saints, either labouring by word and going to exhort them, and meditating to save a soul by the word, or by thy hands thou shalt labour for the redemption of thy sins”—almost identical with that given above.

Footnote 722:

Cod. Sin. omits this quotation from Matt. v. 42 or Luke vi. 30, but it is added by a corrector.

Footnote 723:

Cod. Sin. has, “hate evil.”

Footnote 724:

Cod. Sin. inserts “and.”

Footnote 725:

Cod. Sin. omits this clause: it is inserted by a corrector.

Footnote 726:

Literally, “of the Black One.”

Footnote 727:

Cod. Sin. joins “eternal” with _way_, instead of _death_.

Footnote 728:

Cod. Sin. reads “transgressions.”

Footnote 729:

Cod. Sin. omits “magic, avarice.”

Footnote 730:

Cod. Sin. omits “therefore.”

Footnote 731:

The things condemned in the previous chapter.

Footnote 732:

Cod. Sin. has “resurrections,” but is corrected as above.

Footnote 733:

Cod. Sin. has, “lawgivers of good things.”

Footnote 734:

Cod. Sin. omits the preposition.

Footnote 735:

Cod. Sin. omits this.

Footnote 736:

Cod. Sin. reads, “that ye may be found in the day of judgment,” which Hilgenfeld adopts.

Footnote 737:

Literally, “While yet the good vessel is with you,” _i.e._ as long as you are in the body.

Footnote 738:

Cod. Sin. reads, “fail not in any one of yourselves,” which is adopted by Hilgenfeld.

Footnote 739:

Corrected in Cod. Sin. to, “it is worthy.”

Footnote 740:

Cod. Sin. omits this clause, but it is inserted by the corrector.

Footnote 741:

Cod. Sin. omits “Amen,” and adds at the close, “Epistle of Barnabas.”

THE EPISTLES OF IGNATIUS. (SHORTER AND LONGER.)

INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.

The epistles ascribed to Ignatius have given rise to more controversy than any other documents connected with the primitive church. As is evident to every reader on the very first glance at these writings, they contain numerous statements which bear on points of ecclesiastical order that have long divided the Christian world; and a strong temptation has thus been felt to allow some amount of prepossession to enter into the discussion of their authenticity or spuriousness. At the same time, this question has furnished a noble field for the display of learning and acuteness, and has, in the various forms under which it has been debated, given rise to not a few works of the very highest ability and scholarship. We shall present such an outline of the controversy as may enable the reader to understand its position at the present day.

There are, in all, fifteen epistles which bear the name of Ignatius. These are the following: One to the Virgin Mary, two to the Apostle John, one to Mary of Cassobelæ, one to the Tarsians, one to the Antiochians, one to Hero, a deacon of Antioch, one to the Philippians; one to the Ephesians, one to the Magnesians, one to the Trallians, one to the Romans, one to the Philadelphians, one to the Smyrnæans, and one to Polycarp. The first three exist only in Latin: all the rest are extant also in Greek.

It is now the universal opinion of critics, that the first eight of these professedly Ignatian letters are spurious. They bear in themselves indubitable proofs of being the production of a later age than that in which Ignatius lived. Neither Eusebius nor Jerome makes the least reference to them; and they are now by common consent set aside as forgeries, which were at various dates, and to serve special purposes, put forth under the name of the celebrated bishop of Antioch.

But after the question has been thus simplified, it still remains sufficiently complex. Of the seven epistles which are acknowledged by Eusebius (_Hist. Eccl._ iii. 36), we possess two Greek recensions, a shorter and a longer. It is plain that one or other of these exhibits a corrupt text, and scholars have for the most part agreed to accept the shorter form as representing the genuine letters of Ignatius. This was the opinion generally acquiesced in, from the time when critical editions of these epistles began to be issued, down to our own day. Criticism, indeed, fluctuated a good deal as to which epistles should be accepted and which rejected. Archp. Usher (1644), Isaac Vossius (1646), J. B. Cotelerius (1672), Dr T. Smith (1709), and others, edited the writings ascribed to Ignatius in forms differing very considerably as to the order in which they were arranged, and the degree of authority assigned them, until at length, from about the beginning of the eighteenth century, the seven Greek epistles of which a translation is here given, came to be generally accepted in their _shorter_ form as the genuine writings of Ignatius.

Before this date, however, there had not been wanting some who refused to acknowledge the authenticity of these epistles in either of the recensions in which they were then known to exist. By far the most learned and elaborate work maintaining this position was that of Daillé (or Dallæus), published in 1666. This drew forth in reply the celebrated _Vindiciæ_ of Bishop Pearson, which appeared in 1672. It was generally supposed that this latter work had established on an immoveable foundation the genuineness of the shorter form of the Ignatian epistles; and, as we have stated above, this was the conclusion almost universally accepted down to our own day. The only considerable exception to this concurrence was presented by Whiston, who laboured to maintain in his _Primitive Christianity Revived_ (1711) the superior claims of the longer recension of the epistles, apparently influenced in doing so by the support which he thought they furnished to the kind of Arianism which he had adopted.

But although the shorter form of the Ignatian letters had been generally accepted in preference to the longer, there was still a pretty prevalent opinion among scholars, that even it could not be regarded as absolutely free from interpolations, or as of undoubted authenticity. Thus said Lardner, in his _Credibility of the Gospel History_ (1743): “I have carefully compared the two editions, and am very well satisfied, upon that comparison, that the larger are an interpolation of the smaller, and not the smaller an epitome or abridgment of the larger.... But whether the smaller themselves are the genuine writings of Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, is a question that has been much disputed, and has employed the pens of the ablest critics. And whatever positiveness some may have shown on either side, I must own I have found it a very difficult question.”

This expression of uncertainty was repeated in substance by Jortin (1751), Mosheim (1755), Griesbach (1768), Rosenmüller (1795), Neander (1826), and many others; some going so far as to deny that we have any authentic remains of Ignatius at all, while others, though admitting the seven shorter letters as being probably his, yet strongly suspected that they were not free from interpolation. Upon the whole, however, the shorter recension was, until recently, accepted without much opposition, and chiefly in dependence on the work of Bishop Pearson above mentioned, as exhibiting the genuine form of the epistles of Ignatius.

But a totally different aspect was given to the question by the discovery of a Syriac version of three of these epistles among the MSS. procured from the monastery of St Mary Deipara, in the desert of Nitria, in Egypt. In the years 1838, 1839, and again in 1842, Archdeacon Tattam visited that monastery, and succeeded in obtaining for the English Government a vast number of ancient Syriac manuscripts. On these being deposited in the British Museum, the late Dr Cureton, who then had charge of the Syriac department, discovered among them, first, the Epistle to Polycarp, and then again, the same epistle, with those to the Ephesians and to the Romans, in two other volumes of manuscripts.

As the result of this discovery, Cureton published in 1845 a work, entitled, _The Ancient Syriac Version of the Epistles of St Ignatius to St Polycarp, the Ephesians, and the Romans_, etc., in which he argued that these epistles represented more accurately than any formerly published what Ignatius had actually written. This, of course, opened up the controversy afresh. While some accepted the views of Cureton, others very strenuously opposed them. Among the former was the late Chev. Bunsen; among the latter, an anonymous writer in the _English Review_, and Dr Hefele, in his third edition of the _Apostolic Fathers_. In reply to those who had controverted his arguments, Cureton published his _Vindicæ Ignatianæ_ in 1846, and his _Corpus Ignatianum_ in 1849. He begins his introduction to the last-named work with the following sentences: “Exactly three centuries and a half intervened between the time when three epistles in Latin, attributed to St Ignatius, first issued from the press, and the publication in 1845 of three letters in Syriac bearing the name of the same apostolic writer. Very few years passed before the former were almost universally regarded as false and spurious; and it seems not improbable that scarcely a longer period will elapse before the latter be almost as generally acknowledged and received as the only true and genuine letters of the venerable bishop of Antioch that have either come down to our times, or were ever known in the earliest ages of the Christian church.”

Had the somewhat sanguine hope thus expressed been realized, it would have been unnecessary for us to present to the English reader more than a translation of these three Syriac epistles. But the Ignatian controversy is not yet settled. There are still those who hold that the balance of argument is in favour of the shorter Greek, as against these Syriac epistles. They regard the latter as an epitome of the former, and think the harshness which, according to them, exists in the sequence of thoughts and sentences, clearly shows that this is the case. We have therefore given all the forms of the Ignatian letters which have the least claim on our attention.[742] The reader may judge, by comparison for himself, which of these is to be accepted as genuine, supposing him disposed to admit the claims of any one of them. We content ourselves with laying the materials for judgment before him, and with referring to the above-named works, in which he will find the whole subject discussed.

As to the personal history of Ignatius, almost nothing is known. The principal source of information regarding him is found in the account of his martyrdom, to which the reader is referred. Polycarp alludes to him in his Epistle to the Philippians (chap. ix.), and also to his letters (chap. xiii.). Irenæus quotes a passage from his Epistle to the Romans (_Adv. Hær._ v. 28; _Epist. ad Rom._ chap. iv.), without, however, naming him. Origen twice refers to him, first in the preface to his Comm. on the Song of Solomon, where he quotes a passage from the Epistle of Ignatius to the Romans, and again in his sixth homily on St Luke, where he quotes from the Epistle to the Ephesians, both times naming the author. It is unnecessary to give later references.

Supposing the letters of Ignatius and the account of his martyrdom to be authentic, we learn from them that he voluntarily presented himself before Trajan at Antioch, the seat of his bishopric, when that prince was on his _first_ expedition against the Parthians and Armenians (A.D. 107); and on professing himself a Christian, was condemned to the wild beasts. After a long and dangerous voyage he came to Smyrna, of which Polycarp was bishop, and thence wrote his four epistles to the Ephesians, the Magnesians, the Trallians, and the Romans. From Smyrna he came to Troas, and tarrying there a few days, he wrote to the Philadelphians, the Smyrnæans, and Polycarp. He then came on to Neapolis, and passed through the whole of Macedonia. Finding a ship at Dyrrachium in Epirus about to sail into Italy, he embarked, and crossing the Adriatic, was brought to Rome, where he perished on the 20th of December 107, or, as some think, who deny a twofold expedition of Trajan against the Parthians, on the same day of the year A.D. 116.

Footnote 742:

The other epistles, bearing the name of Ignatius, will be found in the Appendix; so that the English reader possesses in this volume a complete collection of the Ignatian letters.

Transcriber’s Note:

The following letters were originally printed side-by-side, the Shorter form to the left and the Longer to the right. They are transcribed in this e-book one after another so as to be readable on modern reading devices, which often cannot handle multiple columns.

THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE EPHESIANS.

SHORTER.

_Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the church which is at Ephesus, in Asia, deservedly most happy, being blessed in the greatness and fulness of God the Father, and predestinated before the beginning[743] of time, that it should be always for an enduring and unchangeable glory, being united[744] and elected through the true passion by the will of the Father, and Jesus Christ, our God: Abundant happiness through Jesus Christ, and His undefiled grace._

LONGER.

_Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the church which is at Ephesus, in Asia, deservedly most happy, being blessed in the greatness and fulness of God the Father, and predestinated before the beginning[745] of time, that it should be always for an enduring and unchangeable glory, being united[746] and elected through the true passion by the will of God the Father, and of our Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour: Abundant happiness through Jesus Christ, and His undefiled joy.[747]_

CHAP. I.—_Praise of the Ephesians._

SHORTER.

I have become acquainted with your name, much-beloved in God, which ye have acquired by the habit of righteousness, according to the faith and love in Jesus Christ our Saviour. Being the followers[748] of God, and stirring up[749] yourselves by the blood of God, ye have perfectly accomplished the work which was beseeming to you. For, on hearing that I came bound from Syria for the common name and hope, trusting through your prayers to be permitted to fight with beasts at Rome, that so by martyrdom I may indeed become the disciple of Him “who gave Himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God,”[750] [ye hastened to see me[751]]. I received, therefore,[752] your whole multitude in the name of God, through Onesimus, a man of inexpressible love,[753] and your bishop in the flesh, whom I pray you by Jesus Christ to love, and that you would all seek to be like him. And blessed be He who has granted unto you, being worthy, to obtain such an excellent bishop.

LONGER.

I have become acquainted with your greatly-desired name in God, which ye have acquired by the habit of righteousness, according to the faith and love in Christ Jesus our Saviour. Being the followers[754] of the love of God towards man, and stirring up[755] yourselves by the blood of Christ, you have perfectly accomplished the work which was beseeming to you. For, on hearing that I came bound from Syria for the sake of Christ, our common hope, trusting through your prayers to be permitted to fight with beasts at Rome, that so by martyrdom I may indeed become the disciple of Him “who gave Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God,”[756] [ye hastened to see me[757]]. I have therefore received your whole multitude in the name of God, through Onesimus, a man of inexpressible love,[758] and who is your bishop, whom I pray you by Jesus Christ to love, and that you would all seek to be like him. Blessed be God, who has granted unto you, who are yourselves so excellent, to obtain such an excellent bishop.

CHAP. II.—_Congratulations and entreaties._

SHORTER.

As to my fellow-servant Burrhus, your deacon in regard to God and blessed in all things,[759] I beg that he may continue longer, both for your honour and that of your bishop. And Crocus also, worthy both of God and you, whom I have received as the manifestation[760] of your love, hath in all things refreshed[761] me, as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ shall also refresh him; together with Onesimus, and Burrhus, and Euplus, and Fronto, by means of whom, I have, as to love, beheld all of you. May I always have joy of you, if indeed I be worthy of it. It is therefore befitting that should in every way glorify Jesus Christ, who hath glorified you, that by a unanimous obedience “ye may be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment, and may all speak the same thing concerning the same thing,”[762] and that, being subject to the bishop and the presbytery, ye may in all respects be sanctified.

LONGER.

As to our fellow-servant Burrhus, your deacon in regard to God and blessed in all things, I pray that he may continue blameless for the honour of the church, and of your most blessed bishop. Crocus also, worthy both of God and you, whom we have received as the manifestation[763] of your love to us, hath in all things refreshed[764] me, and “hath not been ashamed of my chain,”[765] as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will also refresh him; together with Onesimus, and Burrhus, and Euplus, and Fronto, by means of whom I have, as to love, beheld all of you. May I always have joy of you, if indeed I be worthy of it. It is therefore befitting that you should in every way glorify Jesus Christ, who hath glorified you, that by a unanimous obedience “ye may be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment, and may all speak the same thing concerning the same thing,”[766] and that, being subject to the bishop and the presbytery, ye may in all respects be sanctified.

CHAP. III.—_Exhortations to unity._

SHORTER.

I do not issue orders to you, as if I were some great person. For though I am bound for the name [of Christ], I am not yet perfect in Jesus Christ. For now I begin to be a disciple, and I speak to you as fellow-disciples with me. For it was needful for me to have been stirred up by you in faith, exhortation, patience, and long-suffering. But inasmuch as love suffers me not to be silent in regard to you, I have therefore taken[767] upon me first to exhort you that ye would all run together in accordance with the will of God. For even Jesus Christ, our inseparable life, is the [manifested] will of the Father; as also bishops, settled everywhere to the utmost bounds [of the earth], are so by the will of Jesus Christ.

LONGER.

I do not issue orders to you, as if I were some great person. For though I am bound for His name, I am not yet perfect in Jesus Christ. For now I begin to be a disciple, and I speak to you as my fellow-servants. For it was needful for me to have been admonished by you in faith, exhortation, patience, and long-suffering. But inasmuch as love suffers me not to be silent in regard to you, I have therefore taken[768] upon me first to exhort you that ye would run together in accordance with the will of God. For even Jesus Christ does all things according to the will of the Father, as He Himself declares in a certain place, “I do always those things that please Him.”[769] Wherefore it behoves us also to live according to the will of God in Christ, and to imitate Him as Paul did. For, says he, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”[770]

CHAP. IV.—_The same continued._

SHORTER.

Wherefore it is fitting that ye should run together in accordance with the will of your bishop, which thing also ye do. For your justly-renowned presbytery, worthy of God, is fitted as exactly to the bishop as the strings are to the harp. Therefore in your concord and harmonious love, Jesus Christ is sung. And do ye, man by man, become a choir, that being harmonious in love, and taking up the song of God in unison, ye may with one voice sing to the Father through Jesus Christ, so that He may both hear you, and perceive by your works that ye are indeed the members of His Son. It is profitable, therefore, that you should live in an unblameable unity, that thus ye may always enjoy communion with God.

LONGER.

Wherefore it is fitting that ye also should run together in accordance with the will of the bishop who by God’s appointment[771] rules over you. Which thing ye indeed of yourselves do, being instructed by the Spirit. For your justly-renowned presbytery, being worthy of God, is fitted as exactly to the bishop as the strings are to the harp. Thus, being joined together in concord and harmonious love, of which Jesus Christ is the Captain and Guardian, do ye, man by man, become but one choir; so that, agreeing together in concord, and obtaining[772] a perfect unity with God, ye may indeed be one in harmonious feeling with God the Father, and His beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord. For, says He, “Grant unto them, Holy Father, that as I and Thou are one, they also may be one in us.”[773] It is therefore profitable that you, being joined together with God in an unblameable unity, should be the followers of the example of Christ, of whom also ye are members.

CHAP. V.—_The praise of unity._

SHORTER.

For if I, in this brief space of time, have enjoyed such fellowship with your bishop—I mean not of a mere human, but of a spiritual nature—how much more do I reckon you happy who are so joined to him as the church is to Jesus Christ, and as Jesus Christ is to the Father, that so all things may agree in unity! Let no man deceive himself: if any one be not within the altar, he is deprived of the bread of God. For if the prayer of one or two possesses[774] such power, how much more that of the bishop and the whole church! He, therefore, that does not assemble with the church, has even[775] by this manifested his pride, and condemned himself. For it is written, “God resisteth the proud.”[776] Let us be careful, then, not to set ourselves in opposition to the bishop, in order that we may be subject to God.

LONGER.

For if I, in this brief space of time, have enjoyed such fellowship with your bishop—I mean not of a mere human, but of a spiritual nature—how much more do I reckon you happy, who so depend[777] on him as the church does on the Lord Jesus, and the Lord does on God and His Father, that so all things may agree in unity! Let no man deceive himself: if any one be not within the altar, he is deprived of the bread of God. For if the prayer of one or two possesses[778] such power that Christ stands in the midst of them, how much more will the prayer of the bishop and of the whole church, ascending up in harmony to God, prevail for the granting of all their petitions in Christ! He, therefore, that separates himself from such, and does not meet in the society where sacrifices[779] are offered, and with “the church of the first-born whose names are written in heaven,” is a wolf in sheep’s clothing,[780] while he presents a mild outward appearance. Do ye, beloved, be careful to be subject to the bishop, and the presbyters and the deacons. For he that is subject to these is obedient to Christ, who has appointed them; but he that is disobedient to these is disobedient to Christ Jesus. And “he that obeyeth not[781] the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.” For he that yields not obedience to his superiors is self-confident, quarrelsome, and proud. But “God,” says [the Scripture], “resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble;”[782] and, “The proud have greatly transgressed.” The Lord also says to the priests, “He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that heareth me, heareth the Father that sent me. He that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth Him that sent me.”

CHAP. VI.—_Have respect to the bishop as to Christ Himself._

SHORTER.

Now the more any one sees the bishop keeping silence,[783] 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,[784] 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. And indeed Onesimus himself greatly commends your good order in God, that ye all live according to the truth, and that no sect[785] has any dwelling-place among you. Nor, indeed, do ye hearken to any one rather than to Jesus Christ speaking in truth.

LONGER.

The more, therefore, you see the bishop silent, the more do you reverence him. For we ought to receive every one whom the Master of the house sends to be over His household,[786] as we would do Him that sent him. It is manifest, therefore, that we should look upon the bishop even as we would look upon the Lord Himself, standing, as he does, before the Lord. For “it behoves the man who looks carefully about him, and is active in his business, to stand before kings, and not to stand before slothful men.”[787] And indeed Onesimus himself greatly commends your good order in God, that ye all live according to the truth, and that no sect[788] has any dwelling-place among you. Nor indeed do ye hearken to any one rather than to Jesus Christ, the true Shepherd and Teacher. And ye are, as Paul wrote to you, “one body and one spirit, because ye have also been called in one hope of the faith.”[789] Since also “there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.”[790] Such, then, are ye, having been taught by such instructors, Paul the Christ-bearer, and Timothy the most faithful.

CHAP. VII.—_Beware of false teachers._

SHORTER.

For some are in the habit of carrying about the name [of Jesus Christ] in wicked guile, while yet they practise things unworthy of God, whom ye must flee as ye would wild beasts. For they are ravening dogs, who bite secretly, against whom ye must be on your guard, inasmuch as they are men who can scarcely be cured. There is one Physician who is possessed both of flesh and spirit; both made and not made; God existing in flesh; true life in death; both of Mary and of God; first passible and then impassible,—[791]even Jesus Christ our Lord.

LONGER.

But some most worthless persons are in the habit of carrying about the name [of Jesus Christ] in wicked guile, while yet they practise things unworthy of God, and hold opinions contrary to the doctrine of Christ, to their own destruction, and that of those who give credit to them, whom you must avoid as ye would wild beasts. For “the righteous man who avoids them is saved for ever; but the destruction of the ungodly is sudden, and a subject of rejoicing.”[792] For “they are dumb dogs, that cannot bark,”[793] raving mad, and biting secretly, against whom ye must be on your guard, since they labour under an incurable disease. But our Physician is the only true God, the unbegotten and unapproachable, the Lord of all, the Father and Begetter of the only-begotten Son. We have also as a Physician the Lord our God, Jesus the Christ, the only-begotten Son and Word, before time began,[794] but who afterwards became also man, of Mary the virgin. For “the Word was made flesh.”[795] Being incorporeal, He was in the body; being impassible, He was in a passible body; being immortal, He was in a mortal body; being life, He became subject to corruption, that He might free our souls from death and corruption, and heal them, and might restore them to health, when they were diseased with ungodliness and wicked lusts.

CHAP. VIII.—_Renewed praise of the Ephesians._

SHORTER.

Let not then any one deceive you, as indeed ye are not deceived, inasmuch as ye are wholly devoted to God. For since there is no strife raging among you which might distress you, ye are certainly living in accordance with God’s will. I am far inferior to you, and require to be sanctified by your church of Ephesus, so renowned throughout the world. They that are carnal cannot do those things which are spiritual, nor they that are spiritual the things which are carnal; even as faith cannot do the works of unbelief, nor unbelief the works of faith. But even those things which ye do according to the flesh are spiritual; for ye do all things in Jesus Christ.

LONGER.

Let not then any one deceive you, as indeed ye are not deceived; for ye are wholly devoted to God. For when there is no evil desire within you, which might defile and torment you, then do ye live in accordance with the will of God, and are [the servants] of Christ. Cast ye out that which defiles[796] you, who are of the[797] most holy church of the Ephesians, which is so famous and celebrated throughout the world. They that are carnal cannot do those things which are spiritual, nor they that are spiritual the things which are carnal; even as faith cannot do the works of unbelief, nor unbelief the works of faith. But ye, being full of the Holy Spirit, do nothing according to the flesh, but all things according to the Spirit. Ye are complete in Christ Jesus, “who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe.”[798]

CHAP. IX.—_Ye have given no heed to false teachers._

SHORTER.

Nevertheless, I have heard of some who have passed on from this to you, having false doctrine, whom ye did not suffer to sow among you, but stopped your ears, that ye might not receive those things which were sown by them, as being stones[799] of the temple of the Father, prepared for the building of God the Father, and drawn up on high by the instrument of Jesus Christ, which is the cross,[800] making use of the Holy Spirit as a rope, while your faith was the means by which you ascended, and your love the way which led up to God. Ye, therefore, as well as all your fellow-travellers, are God-bearers, temple-bearers, Christ-bearers, bearers of holiness, adorned in all respects with the commandments of Jesus Christ, in whom also I exult that I have been thought worthy, by means of this epistle, to converse and rejoice with you, because with respect to your Christian life[801] ye love nothing but God only.

LONGER.

Nevertheless, I have heard of some who have passed in among you, holding the wicked doctrine of the strange and evil spirit; to whom ye did not allow entrance to sow their tares, but stopped your ears that ye might not receive that error which was proclaimed by them, as being persuaded that that spirit which deceives the people does not speak the things of Christ, but his own, for he is a lying spirit. But the Holy Spirit does not speak His own things, but those of Christ, and that not from himself, but from the Lord; even as the Lord also announced to us the things that He received from the Father. For, says He, “the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s, who sent me.”[802] And says He of the Holy Spirit, “He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever things He shall hear from me.”[803] And He says of Himself to the Father, “I have,” says He, “glorified Thee upon the earth; I have finished the work which Thou gavest me; I have manifested Thy name to men.”[804] And of the Holy Ghost, “He shall glorify me, for He receives of mine.”[805] But the spirit of deceit preaches himself, and speaks his own things, for he seeks to please himself. He glorifies himself, for he is full of arrogance. He is lying, fraudulent, soothing, flattering, treacherous, rhapsodical, trifling, inharmonious, verbose, sordid, and timorous. From his power Jesus Christ will deliver you, who has founded you upon the rock, as being chosen stones, well fitted for the divine edifice of the Father, and who are raised up on high by Christ, who was crucified for you, making use of the Holy Spirit as a rope, and being borne up by faith, while exalted by love from earth to heaven, walking in company with those that are undefiled. For, says [the Scripture], “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.”[806] Now the way is unerring, namely, Jesus Christ. For, says He, “I am the way and the life”[807] And this way leads to the Father. For “no man,” says He, “cometh to the Father but by me.”[808] Blessed, then, are ye who are God-bearers, spirit-bearers, temple-bearers, bearers of holiness, adorned in all respects with the commandments of Jesus Christ, being “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people,”[809] on whose account I rejoice exceedingly, and have had the privilege, by this epistle, of conversing with “the saints which are at Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus.”[810] I rejoice, therefore, over you, that ye do not give heed to vanity, and love nothing according to the flesh, but according to God.

CHAP. X.—_Exhortations to prayer, humility, etc._

SHORTER.

And pray ye without ceasing in behalf of other men. For there is in them hope of repentance that they may attain to God. See,[811] then, that they be instructed by your works, if in no other way. Be ye meek in response to their wrath, humble in opposition to their boasting: to their blasphemies return[812] your prayers; in contrast to their error, be ye stedfast[813] in the faith; and for their cruelty, manifest your gentleness. While we take care not to imitate their conduct, let us be found their brethren in all true kindness; and let us seek to be followers of the Lord (who ever more unjustly treated, more destitute, more contemned?), that so no plant of the devil may be found in you, but ye may remain in all holiness and sobriety in Jesus Christ, both with respect to the flesh and spirit.

LONGER.

And pray ye without ceasing in behalf of other men; for there is hope of the repentance, that they may attain to God. For “cannot he that falls arise again, and he that goes astray return?”[814] Permit them, then, to be instructed by you. Be ye therefore the ministers of God, and the mouth of Christ. For thus saith the Lord, “If ye take forth the precious from the vile, ye shall be as my mouth.”[815] Be ye humble in response to their wrath; oppose to their blasphemies your earnest prayers; while they go astray, stand ye stedfast in the faith. Conquer ye their harsh temper by gentleness, their passion by meekness. For “blessed are the meek;”[816] and Moses was meek above all men;[817] and David was exceeding meek.[818] Wherefore Paul exhorts as follows: “The servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle towards all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves.”[819] Do not seek to avenge yourselves on those that injure you, for says [the Scripture], “If I have returned evil to those who returned evil to me.”[820] Let us make them brethren by our kindness. For say ye to those that hate you, Ye are our brethren, that the name of the Lord may be glorified. And let us imitate the Lord, “who, when He was reviled, reviled not again;”[821] when He was crucified, He answered not; “when He suffered, He threatened not;”[822] but prayed for His enemies, “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do.”[823] If any one, the more he is injured, displays the more patience, blessed is he. If any one is defrauded, if any one is despised, for the name of the Lord, he truly is the servant of Christ. Take heed that no plant of the devil be found among you, for such a plant is bitter and salt. “Watch ye, and be ye sober,”[824] in Christ Jesus.