Epistles of Ignatius

The Epistles of St. Ignatius of Antioch are seven letters to the Christians of Ephesus, Magnesia, Tralles, Rome, Smyrna, Philadelphia, and to Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna. They were written on the way to Rome by St. Ignatius of Antioch (?-107 AD), called Theophorus (God-bearer), the third bishop of Antioch (after St. Peter and Evodius). He was brought to Rome in 107 A.D. under Emperor Trajan (98-117) and exposed to the wild beasts.

The shorter versions of the seven epistles of St. Ignatius of Antioch are considered by scholars to be the authentic texts.

To the Ephesians

To the Magnesians

To the Trallians

To the Romans

To the Philadelphians

To the Smyrnaeans

To Polycarp

The authenticity of the seven letters is guaranteed by Polycarp and Eusebius, who give the content and order of the letters.^[1] The so-called longer versions are thought to be 4th century forgeries.

Ignatius is a particularly important witness to the nature and structure of the Church. Christians all across the world are united in one universal assemÂbly which he calls "the Catholic Church" (Ad Smyrnaeans. 8:2, the earliest instance of this phrase in surviving Christian literature). His letter to the Romans, an imporÂtant witness to Peterâs presÂence and leadership in Rome (Ad Romans 4:3), acknowledges that the Roman Church ranks "first in love" (Ad Romans, inscription). The conÂtrast between the salutation and tone of this letter and those of the letters written to the Asian Churches is significant. His special esteem and deference shown to the Church of Rome demonstrates that a basic consciousness of the primacy of the Church of Peter and Paul existed very early in the second century. It is taken for granted that each local Christian community is led by a single bishop assisted by a council of presÂbyters (priests) and several deacons. According to Ignatius, "you cannot have a church without theseâ" (Ad Tralles 3:1).

Many English Puritans rejected the letters of Ignatius as forgeries from a later era precisely because they believed it impossible for this degree of hierarchÂiÂcal structure to have existed at such an early period. Many Protestant Reformers denied the apostolic founÂdation of different ranks of Christian ministers and accused the Church of later times of inventing such a hierarchy.^[2]

References

â From: Patrick J. Hamell, Handbook of Patrology (NY: Alba House, 1968)
â See Presbyterian W. D. Killen (1886) The Ignatian Epistles Entirely Spurious. See also John Calvin, Institutes, 1-3. He repudiates entirely the letters which so completely discredit his own views on ecclesiastical government. In general, Catholic and Anglican scholars are ranged on the side of the letters written to the Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, Romans, Philadelphians, Smyrniots, and to Polycarp; while Presbyterians, as a rule, repudiate everything claiming Ignatian authorship.