Letter from Polycarp to the Philippians

The letter of Polykarp to the Philipper ( Greek. Τοῦ ἁγιοῦ Πολυκαρποῦ ἐπισκοποῦ Σμυρνῆς καί ἱερομαρτυρος πρός φιλιππῆσους ἐπιστολή transcribed Tou hagiou Polykarpou episkopou Smyrnēs kai hieromartyros pros philippēsous epistolē ) is a reminder and teaching writing of Polycarp that the suspect in the first third 2nd century originated. Ever since Percy N. Harrison's research, it has generally been assumed that this letter contains two different letter texts.

The letter of Polycarp is in the tradition of the letter to the Hebrews and the first letter of Clement .

According to Lechler, the Polycarp letter was created independently of the letters of Ignatius and does not refer to them in Chapter XIII with " ἐπιστολαί ". As reasons for this, he cites “a lack of opposition to Judaism”, a sober attitude, but above all the “ancient, simple church order which does not recognize the Ignatian difference between bishop and elders”.

At the center is the teaching of Jesus Christ as the perfect and ultimate high priest. In addition, there are so-called house boards (Chapters 4.1–6.1), class-specific admonitions that carry out the duties of men, deacons and other people.

The letter to Polycarp is written entirely in the language of the New Testament , although it is seldom quoted from scripture. He mentions the Epistles of Ignatius (chap. 13,2) and describes Paul as the ideal example for all Christians (chap. 3). Before docetism is warned.

source

Joseph A. Fischer: The two Polykarp letters (Greek-Latin text edition) . In: Ders .: The Apostolic Fathers (Writings of Early Christianity; Vol. 2). Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, Darmstadt 2004, ISBN 3-534-18262-6 , pp. 227-266 (reprint of the Darmstadt edition, 1976).

Web links

Wikisource: Polycarp's letter to the Philippians - Sources and full texts (English)

Complete text in German translation
Delafosse: Introduction to Ignatius of Antioch (pp. 24–50 refer to the letter of Polycarp to the Philippians ; PDF file; 425 kB)

Individual evidence

^ Percy N. Harrison: Polycarp's two epistles to the Philippians . University Press, Cambridge 1936.
^ Lechler, Gotthard Victor: The apostolic and post-apostolic age. Karlsruhe and Leipzig, 3rd edition 1885. p. 607, note 1
↑ Contents: The Letter from Klemens, pp. 1-108; The seven letters to Ignatius, pp. 109-226; The two Polykarp letters, pp. 227-266; The Quadratus Fragment, pp. 267-274.

[1] Percy N. Harrison: Polycarp's two epistles to the Philippians . University Press, Cambridge 1936.

[2] Lechler, Gotthard Victor: The apostolic and post-apostolic age. Karlsruhe and Leipzig, 3rd edition 1885. p. 607, note 1

[3] Contents: The Letter from Klemens, pp. 1-108; The seven letters to Ignatius, pp. 109-226; The two Polykarp letters, pp. 227-266; The Quadratus Fragment, pp. 267-274.