Letter of St Ignatius to the Philadelphians
From Smyrna, St Ignatius was taken to Troas. There he wrote his letters to the Christians at Philadelphia and Smyrna, as well as the personal letter addressed to St Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna. While in Troas, Ignatius had received word that the persecution had ceased in Antioch. He urged the Christians of Philadelphia and Smyrna, as well as the bishop of the latter city, to send delegates to congratulate the brethren of Antioch.
These letters contain earnest pleas for unity of faith and personal sacrifice. Unity must be built in Christ, around the bishop with the presbyters and deacons. Unity is the result of each one’s union with Christ, who fosters that unity with his grace; he dwells in us as in a temple.
Ignatius, also called Theophorus, to the church of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ located at Philadelphia in the province of Asia. You have felt God’s compassion and been given his peace; you have been firmly established in union with God; you are now filled with serene joy in the Passion of our Lord; by his mercy, you believe in his Resurrection. I greet you in the Blood of Jesus Christ.
You are my abiding and unshakable joy. You will always be so, if you continue united with your bishop and with his presbyters and deacons, all appointed in accordance with the mind of Christ. Chosen by his own Will, Christ has confirmed them in the power that the Spirit gives.
1 I know that your bishop has been given his ministry, which serves the common good, neither by his own efforts, nor from men nor even out of vainglory, but from the love of God the Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I am deeply impressed by your bishop’s wisdom; he can do more by his silence than others by empty talking. He is attuned to the commandments like a harp with its strings. I call him blessed, then, for his determination to please God. I know he is virtuous and perfect, stable and calm; in this he imitates the sweet wisdom of the living God.
No matter what difficulties a Christian may encounter, fraternal charity and unity around the hierarchy are the weapons of defense.
2 You have been born of the light of truth, therefore flee from divisions and bad doctrines. Follow the Shepherd. Where the Shepherd is, there you, as his flock, must follow. There are many wolves who seem trustworthy. But they actually are trying to snatch the athletes running God’s race with the bait of deadly pleasure. If you stand united, they will not succeed.
3 Avoid these poisonous weeds, not planted by the Father, whose gardener is not Jesus Christ.
For all who belong to God and Jesus Christ are with the bishop; all who repent and return to the unity of the Church will also belong to God, so that they may live according to Jesus Christ.
Do not be deceived, my brethren; anyone who follows a schismatic will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Anyone who adheres to strange doctrines severs all connection with the Passion.
The Eucharist, described as a sacrifice, is the center of unity among Christians.
4 Take care, then, to take part only in the one Eucharist; for one is the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one the cup to unite us with his Blood; one is the altar of the Sacrifice, just as there is one bishop assisted by the presbyters and the deacons, my fellow servants. Thus you will do everything according to the Will of God.
5 My brothers, I overflow with love for you, and with a joyous heart, I try to make you strong in your faith–although it is not so much I but Jesus Christ. Although imprisoned for his sake, I still fear because I am full of imperfection. But your prayers will make me perfect in the eyes of God, so that I might yet receive the inheritance promised me by the merciful God. I seek refuge in the person of Christ through the Gospels, and I obtain comfort from the apostles through the true ministry of the Church.
Christians should be united among themselves and their bishop as Christ is united to his Father.
7 God, for whose sake I am in chains, is my witness; I have not learned unity from any human source. No, the Holy Spirit keeps on uttering this: “Do nothing against the directives of the bishop; keep your body as the temple of God; love unity, flee from divisions; imitate Jesus Christ, for he did as the Father wanted him to do.”
Imitating Christ is not something abstract; it is to accept with simplicity the implications of Christ’s Cross in daily life, preserving the deposit of faith. This identification with Christ is accomplished united to the hierarchy by participation in the sacraments, most especially the Holy Eucharist.
St Ignatius affirms the harmony of God’s revelation; the Old Testament agrees with the New Testament, both have God as their main author; both have Christ at their center.
8 I played my part, like a mediator appointed to bring about unity. For wherever there is division or anger, there is no place for God.
God forgives all who repent, if their contrition leads them to union with God and communion with the bishop. I trust in the grace of Jesus Christ; he will break all your bonds.
I exhort you never to act with a sectarian spirit, but to heed what you have learnt from Christ.
I heard some say, “Unless I find it in the ancient Scriptures [Old Testament], I do not believe what is preached. I do not believe in the Gospel.” I answered them, “The Gospel is implicit in the Old Scriptures.” They replied, “That is precisely the point at issue.”
To me, the official document is Jesus Christ; the inviolable record is his Cross, his Death, and his Resurrection, and the deposit of his faith which he brought about. In these I desire to be saved by your prayers.
9 There were priests in the Old Testament, but they were under Christ, the High Priest. The Holy of Holies, and the sacred mysteries of God [the sacraments] were committed to him. He is the door of the Father, through whom Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the prophets, the apostles, and all the Church must enter.
All these holy things [the sacraments] are means to attain union with God.
These means are effective so long as your faith is alive with charity.
11 The brethren of the church at Troas–a community of love–greet you. Farewell in Christ, our common hope.
These letters contain earnest pleas for unity of faith and personal sacrifice. Unity must be built in Christ, around the bishop with the presbyters and deacons. Unity is the result of each one’s union with Christ, who fosters that unity with his grace; he dwells in us as in a temple.
Ignatius, also called Theophorus, to the church of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ located at Philadelphia in the province of Asia. You have felt God’s compassion and been given his peace; you have been firmly established in union with God; you are now filled with serene joy in the Passion of our Lord; by his mercy, you believe in his Resurrection. I greet you in the Blood of Jesus Christ.
You are my abiding and unshakable joy. You will always be so, if you continue united with your bishop and with his presbyters and deacons, all appointed in accordance with the mind of Christ. Chosen by his own Will, Christ has confirmed them in the power that the Spirit gives.
1 I know that your bishop has been given his ministry, which serves the common good, neither by his own efforts, nor from men nor even out of vainglory, but from the love of God the Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I am deeply impressed by your bishop’s wisdom; he can do more by his silence than others by empty talking. He is attuned to the commandments like a harp with its strings. I call him blessed, then, for his determination to please God. I know he is virtuous and perfect, stable and calm; in this he imitates the sweet wisdom of the living God.
No matter what difficulties a Christian may encounter, fraternal charity and unity around the hierarchy are the weapons of defense.
2 You have been born of the light of truth, therefore flee from divisions and bad doctrines. Follow the Shepherd. Where the Shepherd is, there you, as his flock, must follow. There are many wolves who seem trustworthy. But they actually are trying to snatch the athletes running God’s race with the bait of deadly pleasure. If you stand united, they will not succeed.
3 Avoid these poisonous weeds, not planted by the Father, whose gardener is not Jesus Christ.
For all who belong to God and Jesus Christ are with the bishop; all who repent and return to the unity of the Church will also belong to God, so that they may live according to Jesus Christ.
Do not be deceived, my brethren; anyone who follows a schismatic will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Anyone who adheres to strange doctrines severs all connection with the Passion.
The Eucharist, described as a sacrifice, is the center of unity among Christians.
4 Take care, then, to take part only in the one Eucharist; for one is the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one the cup to unite us with his Blood; one is the altar of the Sacrifice, just as there is one bishop assisted by the presbyters and the deacons, my fellow servants. Thus you will do everything according to the Will of God.
5 My brothers, I overflow with love for you, and with a joyous heart, I try to make you strong in your faith–although it is not so much I but Jesus Christ. Although imprisoned for his sake, I still fear because I am full of imperfection. But your prayers will make me perfect in the eyes of God, so that I might yet receive the inheritance promised me by the merciful God. I seek refuge in the person of Christ through the Gospels, and I obtain comfort from the apostles through the true ministry of the Church.
Christians should be united among themselves and their bishop as Christ is united to his Father.
7 God, for whose sake I am in chains, is my witness; I have not learned unity from any human source. No, the Holy Spirit keeps on uttering this: “Do nothing against the directives of the bishop; keep your body as the temple of God; love unity, flee from divisions; imitate Jesus Christ, for he did as the Father wanted him to do.”
Imitating Christ is not something abstract; it is to accept with simplicity the implications of Christ’s Cross in daily life, preserving the deposit of faith. This identification with Christ is accomplished united to the hierarchy by participation in the sacraments, most especially the Holy Eucharist.
St Ignatius affirms the harmony of God’s revelation; the Old Testament agrees with the New Testament, both have God as their main author; both have Christ at their center.
8 I played my part, like a mediator appointed to bring about unity. For wherever there is division or anger, there is no place for God.
God forgives all who repent, if their contrition leads them to union with God and communion with the bishop. I trust in the grace of Jesus Christ; he will break all your bonds.
I exhort you never to act with a sectarian spirit, but to heed what you have learnt from Christ.
I heard some say, “Unless I find it in the ancient Scriptures [Old Testament], I do not believe what is preached. I do not believe in the Gospel.” I answered them, “The Gospel is implicit in the Old Scriptures.” They replied, “That is precisely the point at issue.”
To me, the official document is Jesus Christ; the inviolable record is his Cross, his Death, and his Resurrection, and the deposit of his faith which he brought about. In these I desire to be saved by your prayers.
9 There were priests in the Old Testament, but they were under Christ, the High Priest. The Holy of Holies, and the sacred mysteries of God [the sacraments] were committed to him. He is the door of the Father, through whom Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the prophets, the apostles, and all the Church must enter.
All these holy things [the sacraments] are means to attain union with God.
These means are effective so long as your faith is alive with charity.
11 The brethren of the church at Troas–a community of love–greet you. Farewell in Christ, our common hope.