apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

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LETTER OF THE SMYRN^ANS.
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passover tide'. At all events it was during some Jewish festival; and
the days of the week which are especially named in the Gospels in connexion
with the crucifixion, the Friday (Trapao-Kevrj, Matt, xxvii. 62,
Mark xv. 42, Luke xxiii. 54, John xix. 14, 31, 42) and the Saturday
{a-afS/Sarov, Luke xxiii. 54, 56), are likewise mentioned in connexion
with Polycarp's martyrdom (Trapaa-Kevrj § 7, ad(3^aTov §§ 8, 21). As
Polycarp enters the stadium a voice from heaven is heard (^wvt) i^
ovpavov iyiv€To) addressing and encouraging him, but no man saw the
speaker (§ 9). The parallel to John xii. 28, where likewise a voice
comes from heaven to Christ at the supreme crisis (yXOei' (fiwvrj €k tov
ovpavov), is manifest. Again, Polycarp did not die by wild beasts, as
might have been anticipated, but by fire (§ 12). This was ordered in
God's providence in fulfilment of a vision which he had had three days
before his apprehension, when he dreamt that his pillow was on fire
and foretold the manner of his death (§ 5). Just in the same way
Christ was handed over from the Jews to the Romans that He might be
put to death not by stoning but by crucifixion, thus fulfilling
His own
prediction signifying by what manner of death He should die (John xviii.
32). At the time of Polycarp's death, a 'confector' pierces his body
with a dagger, as Christ's side was pierced by the soldier with a spear
(John xix. 34); and in the one case, as in the other, we are especially
told of the blood that gushed out (§ 16). Then again; the eyewitnesses
who narrate the unusual occurrences at the martyrdom lay stress on
their providential preservation that they might relate the incidents to
others (§ 15), just as the evangelist emphasizes in similar language the
fact of his presence as a witness of the miraculous incidents which
attended the crucifixion (John xix. 35). Once more; the interference
of Jews in the disposal of the body (§17) with a view to averting consequences
might seem to furnish a parallel to the Gospel narrative (Matt.
xxvii. 62 sq), though the character of the interference is different.
of all
Lastly; as stress is laid in the Gospel on the accomplishment
predictions in the death of Jesus (John xix. 28, 30), so likewise we are
told here of Polycarp that 'every word which he uttered out of his
mouth hath been and shall be accomplished' (§ 16).
Thus this
essentially a martyrdom after the pattern of the Gospel (Kara to crayycAtov
§§ r, 19); Polycarp was truly an 'imitator of the Lord' (/ai/at^t^
TOV Kvptov §§ I, 17), a 'companion of Christ' (koivwvos Xpia-Tov, § 6)^
was
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The discussion of this question is -
So when the GalHcan martyr Blandeferred
till the chapter on the Date of dina (Euseb. H. £. v. 1)
is attached to a
the Martyrdom. cross, this is said to be done in order to
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