By: Michal Gomulka

 Polycarp was born

around 69 A.D. The
dates of his birth
are still unsure and
69 comes as the
closest one because
he had to be alive
while John the
Apostle lived
 The “rumor” is that Polycarp was the student
of John the Apostle who was sent to the
Island of Patmos because “of the Word” and
was killed under Dominitian in 91 A.D. During
his stay at Patmos John wrote the Book of
Revelation which mentions the church at
Smyrna whose second bishop or elder was
Polycarp.
 He is recognized as a Saint by the Roman
Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican
and the Lutheran…why not the Baptist? Hmm?
Depends what we mean by the word Saint
right??? ;)
 He is one of the three chief Apostolic fathers
 He was a friend of Clement of Rome, Papias
and Ignatius of Antioch.
 Ignatius of Antioch mentions Polycarp in his
letter to the Ephesians and Magnesians
 Irenaeus was Polycarp’s most famous pupil
 In his letter to Florinus Irenaeus states when as a
bran new Christian he heard Polycarp preach for
the first time in Lower Asia.
 Irenaeus states often of Polycarp that he became
a Christian first hand by the preaching of the
Apostles themselves, was consecrated as a
bishop and would often converse with those who
had seen Jesus. He also emphasizes the great age
of Polycarp, the dude was old if he talked to
those who saw Jesus.
 It is reported that before his death Polycarp
visited his fellow Bishop in Rome by the name
of Anicetus.
 They had an interesting conversation about
the “Christian Passover” when it was
supposed to be celebrated. Polycarp was for
the 14th day of Nisan according to the Jewish
calendar. But again Colossians 2:16 says
otherwise that we should not quarrel about
things like that.
 We have two surviving accounts of which one
is a letter personally written by Polycarp to
the Philippians. The other is the Martyrdom of
Polycarp written by the Church of Smyrna to
the Churches of Pontus.
 Martyrdom of Polycarp is considered as the
earliest account of Christian Martyrdom to be
recorded.
 The dates about Polycarp’s death are
disputed, 155, 156, 166, 167?
 The author of this presentation finds it
inventible that he must bring forth the
“evidence” that would tell us more about “the
man” thus the next portion of the
presentation will focus particularly on the two
accounts that we have about Polycarp:
Martyrdom of Polycarp and The Letter of
Polycarp to the Philippians.
 This epistle was written by the church of
Smyrna, yet what can we tell about the
condition of the Church of Smyrna from the
Scriptures?
 And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: 'The words of the first and the last,
who died and came to life. 'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are
rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a
synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is
about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you
will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He
who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who
conquers will not be hurt by the second death.'
 Introduction…
 Mercy, peace and love from God the Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ be multiplied to
you.
 “Away with Atheists; let Polycarp be sought
out”
 When Polycarp heard that he was to be
sought out by the Roman authorities; he
continued to do what he did: pray for all men
and churches, he would retreat often to a
house in the country.
 Three days before his execution he had a
prophetic vision: “I must be burnt alive!”
 Two of Polycarp’s servants were seized by the
Romans and inquired about the present
location of Polycarp through torture during
which one confessed where he is staying
 During supper time the servant led the
Roman authorities to the country house
where Polycarp was staying at. They came
with weapons against him as if he were some
kind of a robber.
 They found an old man praying…Polycarp
offered them food and drink. Many marveled
at his age and his godliness, some even
begun to repent that they came against such
an old man…Polycarp said: “God’s will be
done”
 He was brought into the city during the great
Sabbath (Passover). Irenarch Herod accompanied
by his father Nicetes came both riding in a
chariot.
 They took Polycarp into the chariot and said to
him: “What harm is it to say the Caesar is Lord
and offer a sacrifice to him?” To which he
responded: “I will not do as you advise me to.”
 While getting out of the chariot he dislocated his
leg but that did not stop him from walking
toward the stadium.
 Now while he was entering the stadium a
voice from heaven came to him: “Be strong
and courageous, show yourself a man
Polycarp.
 Upon being asked by the proconsul to revile
Christ and spare his old age he said: “Eighty
six years have I served my Lord and he never
did me any injury, how then can I blaspheme
my King and my Savior?”
 Polycarp was again asked by the Proconsul to
swear by the fortune of Caesar but he refused
and said: “I am a Christian and if you wish to
hear an account of what I believe set up a day
for such a conversation.”
 Proconsul said: “I have wild beasts at hand” to
which Polycarp responded: “Bring them out!
For I do not have a custom to repent of that
which is good in order to adopt that which is
evil”
 Then the proconsul said: “I have fire prepared
for you” to which Polycarp responded: “This
fire burns only for an hour but there is a fire
that will burn you for eternity which is
prepared for the ungodly, bring this fire of
yours!”
 While he stood there he was filled with joy
and grace, many Jews were screaming at him:
“This is the father of Asia, the teacher of the
Atheists, these Christians, who teaches many
not to worship or sacrifice to the gods.”
 Jews eagerly helped the rest to gather the
wood for the burning of Polycarp and set it in
the middle of the stadium
 Polycarp was asked to take everything off
including his sandals and be burned naked as
a mark of shame
 When they were about to nail his hands so
that he would not move he refused and said
that the One whom he serves will give him
strength to endure the pain
 While at the stake he begun to pray…
 When the fire begun to burn it surrounded
Polycarp like an arch that protected him like a
shield where he was free to walk about in it!
 When being pierced in the side out of it came
a dove and a great quantity of blood so the
fire was extinguished.
 Christians were refused to take the body of
Polycarp and it was ordered by the Proconsul
to burn the dead man to ashes!
 The epistle was ordered to be read to all the
brethren and transmitted
 When you read this particular epistle one
thing right away that you can notice is that
“Polycarp when cut bleeds Holy Scripture”
 In this section I want to place specific verses
from the epistle that I found to be of heavy
importance…
 “…as became you, those who were bound in chains,
the fitting ornaments of saints, and which are indeed
the diadems of the true elect of God and our Lord…”
 For neither I, nor any other such one, can
come up to the wisdom of the blessed and glorified
Paul. He, when among you, accurately and
steadfastly taught the word of truth in the presence of
those who were then alive. And when absent
from you, he wrote you a letter, which, if you carefully
study, you will find to be the means of
building you up in that faith which has been given you,
and which, being followed by hope, and
preceded by love towards God, and Christ, and our
neighbor, “is the mother of us all…”
 “In like manner, let the young men also be
blameless in all things, being especially
careful to preserve purity, and keeping
themselves in, as with a bridle, from every
kind of evil. For it is well that they should be
cut off from the lusts that are in the world,
since “every lust warreth against the spirit;
and “neither fornicators, nor effeminate, nor
abusers of themselves with mankind, shall
inherit the kingdom of God, nor those who do
things inconsistent and unbecoming.”
 “Let us then serve Him in fear, and with all
reverence, even as He Himself has
commanded us, and as the apostles who
preached the Gospel unto us, and the
prophets who proclaimed beforehand the
coming of the Lord [have alike taught us].”
 “Wherefore, forsaking the vanity of many, and
their false doctrines, let us return to the word
which has been handed down to us from the
beginning”
 “I exhort you all, therefore, to yield obedience to
the word of righteousness, and to exercise all
patience, such as ye have seen [set] before your
eyes, not only in the case of the blessed Ignatius,
and Zosimus, and Rufus, but also in others among
yourselves, and in Paul himself, and the rest of
the apostles. [This do] in the assurance that all
these have not run in vain, but in faith and
righteousness, and that they are [now] in their due
place in the presence of the Lord, with whom
also they suffered. For they loved not this present
world, but Him who died for us, and for our
sakes was raised again by God from the dead.”
 Do we not know that the saints shall judge the
world?”as Paul teaches.
 “But I have neither seen nor heard of any such thing
among you, in the midst of whom the blessed Paul
laboured, and who are commended401 in the
beginning of his Epistle. For he boasts of you in all
those Churches which alone then knew the Lord; but
we [of Smyrna] had not yet known Him. I am deeply
grieved, therefore, brethren, for him (Valens) and his
wife; to whom may the Lord grant true repentance!
And be ye then moderate in regard to this matter,
and “do not count such as enemies,”402 but call
them back as suffering and straying members, that
ye may save your whole body. For by so acting ye
shall edify yourselves”
 “For I trust that ye are well versed in the
Sacred Scriptures, and that nothing is hid
from you; but to me this privilege is not yet
granted. It is declared then in these
Scriptures, “Be ye angry, and sin not,” and,
“Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.”
Happy is he who remembers this, which I
believe to be the case with you”