apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

THE GENUINENESS. 405
{Ephes. 12, Rom. 4). He speaks also generally of those Apostles with
whom the Ephesians were connected {Ephes. 11), thus by implication
addressed in one letter and
referring to S. John. Polycarp is directly
mentioned by name in two others {Ephes. 21, Afagn. 15). While
thus moving about among Apostles and Apostolic men, how could
our supposed forger have resisted the temptation to affiliate the
hero whose mask he wears on one or other of these Apostles,
and to throw some light on his spiritual parentage and relations
Yet so far is this from being the case that these letters contain
no suggestion of any connexion between the writer and the Apostles,
that on the contrary he is
placed in direct contrast with them [Trail. 3,
Rom. 4),
and that in consequence grave doubts have been entertained
by critics whether Ignatius was in any strict sense an ' Apostolic ' father
after all (see above, p. 30).
(v) Personality of the Writer.
Objections have been taken to the Ignatian letters on the ground
that the character of the writer, as he represents himself, is inconsistent
with the position of an ApostoHc father. Objections of this class rest
for the most part on the assumption that an Apostolic father must be a
person of ideal perfections intellectually as well as morally — an assumption
which has only to be named in order to be refuted.
Thus, for instance, offence has been taken at the angelology of the
author of these epistles. He represents himself in one passage as
possessing an exceptional insight into the mysteries of the unseen world,
a knowledge of the orders and dispositions of the angels, which he fears
to communicate to his readers lest it should be too strong meat for them
{2 rail. 5).
In another passage likewise {Smyrti. 6) he speaks in such a
manner as to show that such speculations had a great fascination for
him. But what then He only shared the mystical tendencies of his
age. The air was full of angelology at this time. Jewish and Christian
writers alike abound in fantastic reveries respecting the angelic hosts—
reveries which are stated with as much definiteness and precision as if
they enunciated scientific facts'. We
need not stop to ask whether such
speculations are edifying or the reverse. It is sufficient for our purpose
to point out that, though far from uncommon in other ages, they were
especially characteristic of the first and second centuries. It is recorded
of a later divine, who is the very type of calm and judicious reasoning,
'
See II. p. 164 ; comp. Cofej2««j pp.
ii. 18. See also EdersheimZ/^a«(i'7/w£j
89, loi, 103, no, and the notes on i. i6, ofJesus the Messiah ii. p. 745 sq.