The Fathers of the Church spread the
gospel of Jesus Christ, defended the Church in apologetic writing
and fought the many heresies of the first six centuries of
Christianity. These men, also called Apostolic Fathers, gave
special witness to the faith, some dying the death of a martyr.
Like Jesus who referred to Abraham as a spiritual father(Luke 16:
24) and St. Paul, who referred to himself in the same terms (1
Cor 4: 15), the Fathers were zealous for the word of God. Their
writings are a testimony to the faith of the early Church, yet
many Christians are unfamiliar with the work of Clement of Rome,
Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna, Justin the Martyr,
Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian of Cathage, Athanasius,
Ephraim, Cyril of Jerusalem, Hilary of Poitiers or Gregory the
Great to name of few of the early Fathers. Each month we will
provide biographical information and examples of the writing of
these great men of faith. This page will focus on Polycarp of
Symyrna.
St. Justin the Martyr (105-165 A.D.) was born a pagan at Flavia Neapolis
in Samaria near Jacob's well somewhere between 100-110 A.D. He
was well educated and traveled and is known to us mostly by his
writings in defense of the faith. He has been described as
"star in the West, leading its Wise Men to the cradle of
Bethlehem." After his conversion, he put his training in
philosophy to good use as an evangelist, spending some time in
Ephesus and much time in Rome, where he suffered martyrdom for
his bold preaching during the reign of Marcus Aurelius. His
Apologies are considered the most important of the 2d century
Christian writings of the Fathers of the Early Church. It is
difficult not to identify his testimony with an early version of
the Catholic Mass, the president or presider being a priest
[presbyteros in Greek].
Account of Justin's Death Sentence from the Second Century:
Justin was beheaded by the prefect Rusticus along with six other
Christians in Rome. In an account of the interrogation of Justin
by Rusticus, the latter said, "Let us come to the pressing
matter at hand. Agree together and sacrifice with one accord to
the gods." Justin replied, "No one who is rightly
minded turns from true belief to false." Rusticus
threatened, "If you do not obey, ye shall be punished
without mercy." Justin said, "If we are punished for
the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ we hope to be saved, for this
shall be our salvation and confidence before the terrible
judgment-seat of our Lord and Saviour which shall judge the whole
world." The other Christians agreed and Rusticus ordered
that they be scourged and beheaded. [See "A Treasury of
Early Christianity" edited by Anne Fremantle, 1953, pp.
193-196].
From the First
Apology of Justin, chapter 128:
"After we have thus washed the one who has believed and has
assented, we lead him to where those who are called brethren are
gathered, offering prayers in common and heartily for ourselves
and for the one who has been illuminated, and for all others
everywhere, so that we may be accounted worthy, now even that we
have learned the truth, to be found keepers of the commandments,
so that we may be saved with an eternal salvation. Having
concluded the prayers, we greet one another with a kiss. Then
there is brought to the president of the brethren bread and a cup
of water and of watered wine [the text followed by two other two
genitive case terms indicating that both the water and watered
wine are in the same cup], and taking them, he gives praise and
glory to the Father of all, through the name of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit; and he himself gives thanks at some length in
order that these things may be deemed worthy.
When the prayers and thanksgiving are completed, all the people
present call out their consent, saying 'Amen!' 'Amen' in the
Hebrew language signifies 'so be it.' After the president has
given thanks, and all the people have shouted their assent, those
whom we call deacons give to each one present to partake of the
Eucharistic bread and wine and water; and to those who are absent
they carry away a portion.
We call this food Eucharist; and no one else is permitted to
partake of it, except one who has been wahed in the washing
[baptism] which is for the remission of sins and for regeneration
[2 Pet 3:21], and is thereby living as Christ has enjoined. For
not as common bread or common drink do we receive these; but
since Jesus Christ our savior was made incarnate by the word of
God and had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so too, as we
have been taught, the food which has been made into the Eucharist
by the Eucharistic prayer set down by Him [see 1 Cor 11: 23-26;
Lk 22; 19] and by the change of which our blood and flesh is
nourished is both the flesh and blood of the incarnated Jesus
[see John 6: 53-56].
The apostles, in the Memoirs which they produced, which we called
Gospels, have thus passed on that which was enjoined upon them:
that Jesus took bread and, having given thanks, said, 'Do this in
remembrance of Me; this is My Body' [Lk 22:19; Mt 26:26; Mk 14:
22: 1 Cor 11: 23-24]. And in like manner, taking the cup, and
having given thanks, He said, 'This is my Blood' [Lk 22:20; Mt
26: 27-28; Mk 14:24; 1 Cor 11: 25]. And He imparted this to them
only. The evil demons, however,have passed on its imitation in
the mysteries of Mithra [pagan cult]. For as you know or are able
to learn, bread and a cup of water together with certain
incantations are used in imitation to the mystic rites."
Click here for links to Polycarp of
Symrna and other
early Church Fathers.
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