*Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the church of God which is at Philippi, which has obtained mercy in faith, and patience, and love unfeigned: Mercy and peace from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, “who is the Savior of all men, specially of those who believe.”*
01 Tim. iv. 10.
1
Reason for writing the epistle
Being mindful of your love and of your zeal in Christ, which you have manifested towards us, we thought it fitting to write to you, who display such a godly and spiritual love to the brethren, to put you in remembrance of your Christian course, “that you all speak the same thing, being of one mind, thinking the same thing, and walking by the same rule of faith,” as Paul admonished you. For if there is one God of the universe, the Father of Christ, “of whom are all things;” and one Lord Jesus Christ, our [Lord], “by whom are all things;” and also one Holy Spirit, who wrought in Moses, and in the prophets and apostles; and also one baptism, which is administered that we should have fellowship with the death of the Lord; and also one elect church; there ought likewise to be but one faith in respect to Christ. For “there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is through all, and in all.”
1Literally, “to your brother-loving spiritual love according to God.”
1Literally, “course in Christ.”
11 Cor. i. 10; Phil. ii. 2, iii. 16.
11 Cor. viii. 6.
11 Cor. xii. 11.
1Literally, “which is given to the death of the Lord.”
1Eph. iv. 5.
2
Unity of the three Divine Persons
There is then one God and Father, and not two or three; One who is; and there is no other besides Him, the only true [God]. For “the Lord your God,” says [the Scripture], “is one Lord.” And again, “Has not one God created us? Have we not all one Father?” And there is also one Son, God the Word. For “the only-begotten Son,” says [the Scripture], “who is in the bosom of the Father.” And again, “One Lord Jesus Christ.” And in another place, “What is His name, or what His Son’s name, that we may know?” And there is also one Paraclete. For “there is also,” says [the Scripture], “one Spirit,” since “we have been called in one hope of our calling.” And again, “We have drunk of one Spirit,” with what follows. And it is manifest that all these gifts [possessed by believers] “works one and the self-same Spirit.” There are not then either three Fathers, or three Sons, or three Paracletes, but one Father, and one Son, and one Paraclete. Wherefore also the Lord, when He sent forth the apostles to make disciples of all nations, commanded them to “baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,” not into one [person] having three names, nor into three [persons] who became incarnate, but into three possessed of equal honor.
2Deut. vi. 4; Mark xii. 29.
2Mal. ii. 10.
2John i. 18.
21 Cor. viii. 6.
2Prov. xxx. 4.
2*i.e.* “Advocate” or “Comforter;” comp. John xiv. 16.
2Eph. iv. 4.
21 Cor. xii. 13.
21 Cor. xii. 11,
2Comp. Athanasian Creed.
2Matt. xxviii. 19.
3
Christ was truly born, and died, etc
For there is but One that became incarnate, and that neither the Father nor the Paraclete, but the Son only, [who became so] not in appearance or imagination, but in reality. For “the Word became flesh.” For “Wisdom builded for herself a house.” And God the Word was born as man, with a body, of the Virgin, without any intercourse of man. For [it is written], “A virgin shall conceive in her womb, and bring forth a son.” He was then truly born, truly grew up, truly ate and drank, was truly crucified, and died, and rose again. He who believes these things, as they really were, and as they really took place, is blessed. He who believes them not is no less accursed than those who crucified the Lord. For the prince of this world rejoices when any one denies the cross, since he knows that the confession of the cross is his own destruction. For that is the trophy which has been raised up against his power, which when he sees, he shudders, and when he hears of, is afraid.
3John i. 14.
3Prov. ix. 1.
3Isa. vii. 14.
4
The malignity and folly of Satan
And indeed, before the cross was erected, he (Satan) was eager that it should be so; and he “wrought” [for this end] “in the children of disobedience.” He wrought in Judas, in the Pharisees, in the Sadducees, in the old, in the young, and in the priests. But when it was just about to be erected, he was troubled, and infused repentance into the traitor, and pointed him to a rope to hang himself with, and taught him [to die by] strangulation. He terrified also the silly woman, disturbing her by dreams. And he, who had tried every means to have the cross prepared, now tried to put a stop to its erection: not that he was influenced by repentance on account of the greatness of his crime (for in that case he would not be utterly depraved), but because he perceived his own destruction [to be at hand]. For the cross of Christ was the beginning of his condemnation, the beginning of his death, the beginning of his destruction. Wherefore, also, he works in some that they should deny the cross, be ashamed of the passion, call the death an appearance, mutilate and explain away the birth of the Virgin, and calumniate the [human] nature itself as being abominable. He fights along with the Jews to a denial of the cross, and with the Gentiles to the calumniating of Mary, who are heretical in holding that Christ possessed a mere phantasmal body. For the Leader of all wickedness assumes manifold forms, beguiler of men as he is, inconsistent, and even contradicting himself, projecting one course and then following another. For he is wise to do evil, but as to what good may be he is totally ignorant. And indeed he is full of ignorance, on account of his voluntary want of reason: for how can he be deemed anything else who does not perceive reason when it lies at his very feet?
4Eph. ii. 2.
4The various Gnostic sects are here referred to, who held that matter was essentially evil, and therefore denied the reality of our Lord’s incarnation.
4The MS. has μαγείας, “of magic;” we have followed the emendation proposed by Faber.
4Literally, “heretical in respect to phantasy.”
4Literally, is “various,” or “manifold.”
5
Apostrophe to Satan
For if the Lord were a mere man, possessed of a soul and body only, why do you mutilate and explain away His being born with the common nature of humanity? Why do you call the passion a mere appearance, as if it were any strange thing happening to a [mere] man? And why do you reckon the death of a mortal to be simply an imaginary death? But if, [on the other hand,] He is both God and man, then why do you call it unlawful to style Him “the Lord of glory,” who is by nature unchangeable? Why do you say that it is unlawful to declare of the Law-giver who possesses a human soul, “The Word was made flesh,” and was a perfect man, and not merely one dwelling in a man? But how came this magician into existence, who of old formed all nature that can be apprehended either by the senses or intellect, according to the will of the Father. And, when He became incarnate, healed every kind of disease and infirmity?
51 Cor. ii. 8.
5John i. 14.
5Matt. iv. 23, ix. 35.
6
Continuation
And how can He be but God, who raises up the dead, sends away the lame sound of limb, cleanses the lepers, restores sight to the blind, and either increases or transmutes existing substances, as the five loaves and the two fishes. And the water which became wine, and who puts to flight your whole host by a mere word? And why do you abuse the nature of the Virgin, and style her members disgraceful, since you did of old display such in public processions, and did order them to be exhibited naked, males in the sight of females, and females to stir up the unbridled lust of males? But now these are reckoned by you disgraceful, and you pretend to be full of modesty, you spirit of fornication, not knowing that then only anything becomes disgraceful when it is polluted by wickedness. But when sin is not present, none of the things that have been created are shameful, none of them evil, but all very good. But inasmuch as you are blind, you revile these things.
6Reference seems here to be made to obscene heathen practices.
7
Continuation: inconsistency of Satan
And how, again, does Christ not at all appear to you to be of the Virgin, but to be God over all, and the Almighty? Say, then, who sent Him? Who was Lord over Him? And whose will did He obey? And what laws did He fulfill, since He was subject neither to the will nor power of any one? And while you deny that Christ was born, you affirm that the unbegotten was begotten, and that He who had no beginning was nailed to the cross, by whose permission I am unable to say. But your changeable tactics do not escape me, nor am I ignorant that you are wont to walk with slanting and uncertain steps. And you are ignorant who really was born, you who pretend to know everything.
7*i.e.* so as to have no separate personality from the Father. Comp. Epistle to the Tarsians, chap. ii.
7Literally, “and taking away Christ from being born.”
7Literally, “double.”
8
Continuation: ignorance of Satan
For many things are unknown to you; [such as the following]: the virginity of Mary; the wonderful birth; who it was that became incarnate. The star which guided those who were in the east; the Magi who presented gifts. The salutation of the archangel to the Virgin; the marvelous conception of her who was betrothed. The announcement of the boy-forerunner respecting the son of the Virgin, and his leaping in the womb on account of what was foreseen. The songs of the angels over Him who was born; the glad tidings announced to the shepherds. The fear of Herod lest his kingdom should be taken from him; the command to slay the infants. The removal into Egypt, and the return from that country to the same region; the infant swaddling-bands; the human registration; the nourishing by means of milk. The name of father given to him who did not beget; the manger because there was not room [elsewhere]. No human preparation [for the child]; the gradual growth, human speech, hunger, thirst, journeyings, weariness. The offering of sacrifices, and then also circumcision, baptism. The voice of God over Him who was baptized, as to who He was and from where [He had come]; the testimony of the Spirit and the Father from above. The voice of John the prophet when it signified the passion by the appellation of “the Lamb;” the performance of various miracles, manifold healings. The rebuke of the Lord ruling both the sea and the winds. Evil spirits expelled; you thyself subjected to torture, and, when afflicted by the power of Him who had been manifested, not having it in your power to do anything.
8According to many of the fathers, Satan was in great ignorance as to a multitude of points connected with Christ.
9
Continuation: ignorance of Satan
Seeing these things, you were in utter perplexity. And you were ignorant that it was a virgin that should bring forth. But the angels’ song of praise struck you with astonishment, as well as the adoration of the Magi, and the appearance of the star. You did revert to your state of [willful] ignorance, because all the circumstances seemed to you trifling; for you did deem the swaddling-bands, the circumcision, and the nourishment by means of milk contemptible: these things appeared to you unworthy of God. Again, you did behold a man who remained forty days and nights without tasting human food, along with ministering angels at whose presence you did shudder, when first of all you had seen Him baptized as a common man, and knew not the reason of it. But after His [lengthened] fast you did again assume your wonted audacity, and did tempt Him when hungry, as if He had been an ordinary man, not knowing who He was. For you saidst, “If you be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” Now, this expression, “If you be the Son,” is an indication of ignorance. For if you had possessed real knowledge, you would have understood that the Creator can with equal ease both create what does not exist, and change that which already has a being. And you tempted by means of hunger Him who nourishes all that require food. And you tempted the very “Lord of glory,” forgetting in your malevolence that “man shall not live by bread alone. But by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” For if you had known that He was the Son of God, you would also have understood that He who had kept his body from feeling any want for forty days and as many nights, could have also done the same for ever. Why, then, does He suffer hunger? In order to prove that He had assumed a body subject to the same feelings as those of ordinary men. By the first fact He showed that He was God, and by the second that He was also man.
9Literally, “you were dizzy in the head.”
9Literally, “on account of the paltry things.”
9Literally, “small.”
9Matt. iv. 3.
9Or, “the belly.”
91 Cor. ii. 8.
9Some insert, “corruptible.”
10
Continuation: audacity of Satan
Dare you, then, who fell “as lightning” from the very highest glory, to say to the Lord, “Cast thyself down from hence,” [to Him] to whom the things that are not are reckoned as if they were, and to provoke to a display of vainglory Him who was free from all ostentation? And did you pretend to read in Scripture concerning Him: “For He has given His angels charge concerning you, and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest you should dash your foot against a stone?” At the same time you did pretend to be ignorant of the rest, furtively concealing what [the Scripture] predicted concerning you and your servants: “You shall tread upon the adder and the basilisk. The lion and the dragon shall You trample under foot.”
10Luke x. 18.
10Matt. iv. 6.
10Comp. Rom. iv. 17.
10Matt. iv. 6.
10Ps. xci. 13.
11
Continuation: audacity of Satan
If, therefore, you are trodden down under the feet of the Lord, how do you tempt Him who cannot be tempted, forgetting that precept of the lawgiver, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God?” Yes, you even dare, most accursed one, to appropriate the works of God to thyself, and to declare that the dominion over these was delivered to you. And you do set forth your own fall as an example to the Lord, and do promise to give Him what is really His own, if He would fall down and worship you. And how did you not shudder, O you spirit more wicked through your malevolence than all other wicked spirits, to utter such words against the Lord? Through your appetite were you overcome, and through your vainglory were you brought to dishonor: through avarice and ambition do you [now] draw on [others] to ungodliness. You, O Belial, dragon, apostate, crooked serpent, rebel against God, outcast from Christ, alien from the Holy Spirit, exile from the ranks of the angels, reviler of the laws of God, enemy of all that is lawful, who did rise up against the first-formed of men, and did drive forth [from obedience to] the commandment [of God] those who had in no respect injured you. You who did raise up against Abel the murderous Cain. You who took arms against Job: do you say to the Lord, “If you will fall down and worship me?” Oh what audacity! Oh what madness! You runaway slave, you incorrigible slave, do you rebel against the good Lord? Do you say to so great a Lord, the God of all that either the mind or the senses can perceive, “If you will fall down and worship me?”
11Deut. vi. 16.
11Luke iv. 6.
11Matt. iv. 9.
11Or, “belly.”
11Or, “that always needs whipping.”
12
The meek reply of Christ
But the Lord is long-suffering, and does not reduce to nothing him who in his ignorance dares [to utter] such words, but meekly replies, “Get you hence, Satan.” He does not say, “Get you behind *me* ,” for it is not possible that he should be converted; but, “Begone, Satan,” to the course which you have chosen. “Begone” to those things to which, through your malevolence, you have been called. For I know who I am, and by whom I have been sent, and whom it is fitting for me to worship. For “you shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.” I know the one [God]; I am acquainted with the only [Lord] from whom you have become an apostate. I am not an enemy of God; I acknowledge His pre-eminence; I know the Father, who is the author of my generation.
12Matt. iv. 10.
12Matt. iv. 10; Deut. vi. 13.
13
Various exhortations and directions
These things, brethren, out of the affection which I entertain for you, I have felt compelled to write, urging you with a view to the glory of God, not as if I were a person of any consequence, but simply as a brother. Be you subject to the bishop, to the presbyters, and to the deacons. Love one another in the Lord, as being the images of God. Take heed, you husbands, that you love your wives as your own members. You wives also, love your husbands, as being one with them in virtue of your union. If any one lives in chastity or continence, let him not be lifted up, lest he lose his reward. Do not lightly esteem the festivals. Despise not the period of forty days, for it comprises an imitation of the conduct of the Lord. After the week of the passion, do not neglect to fast on the fourth and sixth days, distributing at the same time of your abundance to the poor. If any one fasts on the Lord’s day or on the Sabbath, except on the paschal Sabbath only, he is a murderer of Christ.
14
Farewells and cautions
Let your prayers be extended to the church of Antioch, from where also I as a prisoner am being led to Rome. I salute the holy bishop Polycarp; I salute the holy bishop Vitalius, and the sacred presbytery, and my fellow-servants the deacons; in whose stead may my soul be found. Once more I bid farewell to the bishop, and to the presbyters in the Lord. If any one celebrates the passover along with the Jews, or receives the emblems of their feast, he is a partaker with those who killed the Lord and His apostles.
15
Salutations. Conclusion
Philo and Agathopus the deacons salute you. I salute the company of virgins, and the order of widows; of whom may I have joy! I salute the people of the Lord, from the least to the greatest. I have sent you this letter through Euphanius the reader, a man honored of God, and very faithful, happening to meet with him at Rhegium, just as he was going on board ship. Remember my bonds, that I may be made perfect in Christ. Fare you well in the flesh, the soul, and the spirit, while you think of things perfect, and turn yourselves away from the workers of iniquity, who corrupt the word of truth, and are strengthened inwardly by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15Comp. Col. iv. 18.