Skip to main content

Ignatius of Antioch (d. c. 98-117)



Fed to lions during the reign of Trajan (AD 98-117). Wrote 6 letters en route to Rome.

Significance:
• First to use the word Christianismos (Christianity, Ign.Rom 3:3; Magn.10:3)
• Opposed Docetism (Trallians 9;11-2; Smyr.1-3)
• First to stress the concept of “monepiscopacy” (or monarchical episcopacy): a single bishop in a given city presides over the 3-fold ministry of (i) bishop (ii) presbyters (iii) deacons
o The bishop presides in the place of God (Magn.6:1; Tral.3:1)
o Submission to bishop is necessary to achieve henosis (“unity,” Ign.Eph.5:1).
o Even when a bishop is youthful as at Magnesia (Magn.3:1) or is silent as at Ephesus (Ign.Eph.5:1) or at Philadelphia (Philad.1:1), they are not to be despised, for silence is a characteristic of God Himself.

• First to use the word katholikos (“universal”) of the church (Smyr 8:2) “Set on unity” (Philad.8:1). Urges Polycarp (1:2) “care for unity your concern for there is nothing better”.
• First to maintain that either the bishop or his authorized representative has to be present for a Eucharist to be valid (Smyr.8:1). He called the gathering of Christians to celebrate it the pharmakon athanasias, “the medicine of immortality” (Eph.20:2). He also began the association of the Eucharist with the concept of a sacrificial altar, thusiasterion (Magn.17:2; Philad.4:1)
• He begged the Romans not to prevent his martyrdom (Ign.Rom.1:2, 2:1). He proclaimed: “Suffer me to be eaten by the beasts, through whom I can attain to God. I am God’s wheat, and I am ground by the teeth of wild beasts that I may be found pure bread of Christ.” (Ign.Rom.4:1).

We are informed of his martyrdom in Rome in the reign of Trajan (c. A.D. 108) by Polycarp, Ireneaeus, Eusebius, and Jerome. Later legendary accounts from the 4th and 5th centuries (the Martyrium Colbertinum and Antiochenum) relate that his bones were collected and brought bak to Antioch. These relics were later brought back to Rome in the 6th or 7th century.


REFERENCES
John D. Woodbridge (ed), Great Leaders of the Christian Church (Chicago: Moody Press, 1988)
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Story of the Song Stuti Aradhana Upar Jati Hei

In 1995, while waiting alone in a van for his colleagues who had gone shopping, Wilson Burhankar, presently Senior Associate Pastor at the Fellowship Church of Itarsi, fell into ecstasy remembering the awesome goodness of God in his life. It was his first year in the Seminary as a teacher and his first year as a full-time Worship Leader at the Itarsi Church. He remembered the ill-battered lifestyle that he had lived prior to knowing Christ, the drunken boozes, the street fights, the nights spent singing at religious gatherings, and the continual stress and pain inflicted on his family because of his sin-laden lifestyle. But, one day the Lord changed his life all over. He came to the Seminary and underwent three years of theological training. The greatest surprise came when Dr. Thomas asked him to consider to stay back and minister here as a worship leader. Inside he felt totally unworthy, and yet was confident of the grace of the Lord. As he sat in the van considering these things, the...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ibadat Karo by Anil & Reena Kant (Lyrics and Translation)

IBADAT KARO – ANIL & REENA KANT CHORUS: Hei duniya ke logon oonchi aawaj karon O people of the world, lift up your voice Gawon khushi key geet And sing the songs of joy Uska gungaan karo Declare praises of Him Ibadat karo uski Ibadat karo (x2) Worship Him, Worship… (Repeat Chorus) 1. Yaad karo ki vahi ek Khuda hein Remember that He alone is God Hum ko ye jeevan useene diya hein It is He who has given us this life Us charagah se hum sab hein aaye We all have come from that (spring) Humd o sana ke hum geet gaaye Let’s sing the song of His praise Rab ka tum shukar karo Give thanks to the Lord Oonchi aawaj karo Lift up your voice Gawon khushi key geet And sing the songs of joy Uska gungaan karo Declare praises of Him Ibadat karo uski Ibadat karo (x2) Worship Him, Worship… 2. Naamey Khudawand kitna mubaarak How blessed is the Name of the Lord! Mera Khudawand kitna bhala hein My God, How good is He! Rehmat hei uski sadiyon purani His compassion is from ageless past Wafa ka azar se yahi s...
1 comment
Read more

Origin of the Poem "When God Wants To Drill A Man"

The poem as quoted in Oswald J. Sander's (not to be confused with Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)) Spiritual Leadership (1967) credits it to an "Author Unknown". The poem as he quotes it is as follows: When God wants to drill a man    And thrill a man    And skill a man, When God wants to mold a man    To play the noblest part; When He yearns with all His heart    To create so great and bold a man That all the world shall be amazed,    Watch His methods, watch His ways! How He ruthlessly perfects    Whom He royally elects! How He hammers him and hurts him,    And with mighty blows converts him Into trial shapes of clay which    Only God understands; While his tortured heart is crying    And he lifts beseeching hands! How He bends but never breaks    When his good He undertakes; How He uses whom He chooses    And with every purpose fuses him;    By ev...
Post a Comment
Read more