Nielsen’s Nook

Translation

2 Gaius compiled [1] these things from the writings of Irenaeus, a student of Polycarp, who also lived together with Irenaeus.

[1] μετεγράψατο copy, transcribe (BAGD, 510). In book-keeping to transfer to another account (LSJ). to write differently, to alter or correct what one has written (H.G. Liddell, A Lexicon : Abridged from Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon, 501).

Translation

[ 1 We pray that you would be strong, [a] brothers, following the word of Jesus Christ according to the Gospel. [b] Glory to God is with Jesus [c] on account of the salvation of the holy elect; [d] just as the blessed Polycarp was martyred, in whose footsteps may we be found in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.] [e]

[a] Ἐρρῶσθαι perfect passive, to be strong (BAGD, 738).

[b] Stephen’s 1550 Textus Receptus version of Philippians 3:16 reads, πλην εις ο εφθασαμεν τω αυτω στοιχειν κανονι το αυτο φρονειν. Only that we follow what we have attained (author’s translation).

[c] μεθ ̓ οὗ Jesus, the antecedent for the pronoun οὗ for readability.

[d] ἁγίων ἐκλεκτῶν is a pair of substantives consisting of a tautological emphasis of each other. To say “for the salvation of the elect” is the same as to say “for the salvation of the saints/holy ones.”

[e] §22.1 is omitted from the Latin and Codex Mosquensis 159 but is included in a Greek Manuscript from the tenth to thirteenth centuries (Holmes, Apostolic Fathers, 244).

Translation

1 The blessed Polycarp was martyred on the second of the month of Xanthicus, [a] seven days before the calends [b] of March, on a great sabbath, during the eighth hour. He was apprehended by Herod during the time while Philipp of Tralles was high priest, while Statius Quadratus was proconsul, [c] and while Jesus Christ reigns for ever. To him be the glory, honor, majesty, the eternal throne from generation to generation. Amen.

[a] μηνὸς Ξανθικοῦ δευτέρᾳ ἱσταμένου, πρὸ ἑπτὰ καλανδῶν Μαρτίων i.e., February 22. See entry for μήν, μηνός, ὁ in BAGD, 518. Michael Holmes indicates that Eusebius’ mention of the year of St. Polycarp’s martyrdom as 167 AD is suspect. “Evidence that has come to light regarding the proconsulship of Statius Quadratus has led many to adopt a date around 156; this comports well with the fact that not long before his arrest Polycarp visited Bishop Anicetus of Rome, who became bishop there no earlier than 154.” (Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers : Greek Texts and English Translations (Updated ed.; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 1999), 223).

[b] καλάνδαι “the first day of the month in the Roman calendar” (BAGD, 398).

[c] ἀνθυπατεύοντος to be proconsul (BAGD, 69). Acts 18:12 in the Byzantine Text form we read Γαλλίωνος δὲ ἀνθυπατεύοντος  τῆς Ἀχαΐας… When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia (author’s translation).

Translation

2 And to the Οne who is able to lead us all by his grace and gift into his heavenly kingdom, through his Son, [a] the only begotten Jesus Christ, be glory, honor, power and majesty forever. Greet [b] all the saints. Those with us greet you and the household [c] of Euarestos who wrote down this letter.

[a] παιδὸς see note on §14.1.

[b] προσαγορεύω greet (BAGD, 711).

[c] πανοικεί adverb (παν + οἶκος) describing the girth of the greeting in terms of persons associated with an activity like greeting. Newman glosses this as “with one’s entire household” (Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament, 131). In Acts 16:34 the family of the Philippian jailer, all of whom have come into the Church together rejoiced (πανοικεὶ) as a household that the jailer had believed in God.

Translation

1 Accordingly, you [a] requested that the things that happened be clarified for you more fully. [b] However, we have presently [c] reported through our brother Marcion,[d] as it were, with summary headings. [e] Therefore, after you have appropriated [f] these things, send the letter on to brothers beyond you so that they also might glorify the Lord, who makes chosen instruments [g] from among his own servants.

[a] ὑμει̂ς is a second person plural, i.e., the church of Philomelium. See §Preface.

[b] διὰ πλειόνων is a comparative phrase in which τὸ may have elided or been omitted. 2 Maccabees 12:24 (LXX Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft) reads, … διὰ τὸ πλειόνων μὲν γονεῖς …. because he held the parents of most of them (NRSV).

[c] κατὰ τὸ παρὸν lit. according to the present.

[d] Lake notes, “Not of course to be identified with the famous heretic. If Marcianus be the right text, it is noteworthy that Irenaeus sent his treatise on the ‘The Apostolic Preaching’ to a certain Marcianus. But this was probably forty years later than Polycarp’s death.” (Apostolic Fathers, vol 2, p 339).

[e] ὡς ἐν κεφαλαίῳ lit. as in brief, in summary. The root κεφαλή (head) has metaphorical uses in the Greek speaking world similar to our own, such that “summary headings” seems, in our estimation, to better connect the translation at this point to the original in both word and concept.

[f] μαθόντες (μανθάνω) to learn (BAGD, 490).

[g] ἐκλογὰς appears to emphasize the outcome of what the Lord makes (i.e., things chosen), rather than describe adverbially what he makes (i.e., that he chooses). Conceptually, the Lord has made St. Polycarp a chosen instrument; hence, the word is supplied in italics. Acts 9:15 (NA27) reads, εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος· πορεύου, ὅτι σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς ἐστίν μοι … But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is my chosen instrument…” (author’s translation).

Translation

2 Through patience he overcame the unrighteous ruler and in this manner received the crown of immortality. While being overjoyed with the apostles and all the righteous he glorifies the God and Father Almighty and blesses the Lord Jesus Christ, the savior of our souls and captain [1] of our bodies and shepherd of the catholic church [2] throughout [3] the world.

[1] κυβερνήτης here is the idea of captain of a ship or vessel. It is an unique metaphor for the Lord’s governance of us because it implies participation and vested interest in the welfare of the ship. The Lord is aboard the lives of his people or to use St. John the Evangelist’s words, the Lord abides in his people and his people are to abide in him (John 15:1-5). As in 4 Maccabees 7:1, κυβερνήτης seems to have been a term with some unique use in “martyr narratives” as the trope referencing Jesus as the one who leads the martyr through the tempests on the sea of suffering to the shores of eternal glory.

[2] As mentioned in previous footnotes the Martyrdom of Polycarp is one of the earliest documents that uses καθολικά ἐκκλησία (catholic church) to refer to the body of human beings united to Christ as their savior and captain. See also §Preface, §8.1, and §23.2.

[3] κατὰ here is rendered as throughout (BAGD, 405).