apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

6l2 EPISTLE OF S. POLYCARP.
The cup, which he drank, was in a very literal sense 'the cup of Christ'
(§ 14; where see the references in the note).
An overhasty criticism has found in this feature of the narrative an
argument against its genuineness and veracity'. It is difficult to see
the force of this argument. Throughout all ages of the Church, even
from the earliest days, there has been a tendency to find in the lives of
saints and martyrs a literal conformity to the sufferings of Christ. Biographers
have emphasized every detail in the career of their heroes,
which bore, or seemed to bear, a resemblance to the Lord's passion.
This parallelism appears even in the martyrdom of James the Just, as
recorded by Hegesippus (Euseb. H. E. ii.
23). His enemies are the
Scribes and Pharisees. He is
put to death at the passover. He prays
for his murderers in the very language of the Gospel, 'O I,ord God,
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' In his death is
fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah (iii. 10, lxx), which foretels the death
of 'the righteous one.' Vengeance falls immediately on Jerusalem in
retribution for this unholy murder. Similarly also we are told of another
martyr Symeon the son of Clopas (Euseb. H. E. iii.
32), apparently in
the words or at least according to the sentiment of the same historian
Hegesippus, that 'the end which he achieved closely resembled the
passion of the Lord ' (tc3 tov Y^vplov TrdOeL rrapaTrX-ija-Lov to tcAo a-rrr]-
veyKaro). In like manner, when in the persecution at Vienne and
Lyons Blandina is
suspended to a tree or stake, as a temporary punishment,
we are told that thereby the Christian bystanders saw with their
outward eyes in the person of their sister Him who was crucified for
them (see above, p. 611, note 2). Pontius, the friend and biographer
of Cyprian, treats his hero in the same way. The sentence of condemnation
pronounces Cyprian to be ' the standard-bearer (signifer) of the
sect and the enemy of the it
gods'; even contains the declaration
'
This language, though uttered by a
sanguine tuo sancietur disciplina.'
heathen and intended in a different sense, is taken as unconsciously inspired.
So it resembles the prophecy which Caiaphas uttered respecting
Christ. Again, when Cyprian is martyred, the people climb up into the
trees that they may see 'the sublime spectacle.' This immediately
recalls the action of Zacchceus in the Gospels. And S. Augustine carries
show believers 8tl ttSs 6 vtrep rrjs XpLarov shadowy objection that the spirit which
o6^T]S ira.dwv ttjv Koivwviav ael ^xet /j-era dictates the parallelism points to the third
ToO ftDvTos GeoO. rather than the second century (p. 113).
^
It is due to Keini however to say The examples given in the text are sufthat
he sees no difficulty in the incidents ficient to refute this latter argument, if
themselves, but has recourse to the very indeed it needs any refutation.