Who Was Polycarp?
Image taken from Christianity Today
Who was Polycarp?
Born in the first century and killed in the second, there is much we can learn from this man of God who lived in the generation after Jesus. Polycarp was a bishop (pastor) of Smyrna, a Greek city on the coast. Many say that he had been discipled by the apostle John, one of the 12 who followed Jesus most closely. Polycarp lived in a a time when Rome was not actively searching out Christians and killing them. But if a Christian was accused of treason or disunity, they could be brought to the courts and punished.
The 1st Century World
Why were they punished and killed? This is a simplification, but Christians, believing that God was the only true God, refused to worship the Roman Emperor as a god out of allegiance to Jesus who had died for them. They did not want to burn incense to a mere man or call him the son of god, a common phrase used for the emperor, as many (and he himself would often say) that his rule and authority came from God himself.
In a political system that wants to keep unity and squash uprisings, we can see how they were viewed. Christians would often refuse to participate in culturally popular events as well (like the theatre, classic literature, sports) because they were so intertwined with pagan worship. They did not worship the Emperor and insisted that their “true king” was Jesus, the one the Roman Empire had crucified. To the Romans, this would often feel threatening.
A pastor arrested
This is the type of world Polycarp was a pastor in. The story goes:
When Germanicus, an elderly Christian, was brought to trial, he was told that he should take into account his old age and recant, rather than submit to torture and death. To this he responded that he had no desire to continue living in a world where the injustices that he had just seen took place. And, to show how deeply he meant his words, he called on the beasts to come to him and kill him. This act of courage further aroused the anger of the mob, which began to shout: “Death to the atheists!” (referring to those who had no visible gods) and “Bring Polycarp!”
When the old bishop learned that he was being sought, he followed the advice of his flock, and hid for several days. But after having moved to another hiding place, and still being discovered, he decided that his arrest was the will of God, refused to flee any further, and calmly awaited those who came after him.
- The Story of Christianity Volume 1: The Early Church to The Dawn of The Reformation - Justo L. Gonzalez
The rest of this story is taken from The Martyrdom of Polycarp, a letter written by one of his followers to the church at Smyrna where Polycarp served as bishop. You can read it translated here.
“And he was met by Herod the captain of police and his father Nicetes, who also removed him to their carriage and tried to prevail upon him, seating themselves by his side and saying, ‘Why what harm is there in saying, Caesar is Lord, and offering incense’, with more to this effect, ‘and saving thyself?’ But he at first gave them no answer. When however they persisted, he said, ‘I am not going to do what ye counsel me.’
“Then they, failing to persuade him, uttered threatening words and made him dismount with speed, so that he bruised his shin, as he got down from the carriage. And without even turning round, he went on his way promptly and with speed, as if nothing had happened to him, being taken to the stadium; there being such a tumult in the stadium that no man’s voice could be so much as heard” (Polycarp 8:2–3).
Can you imagine the scene? The vitriol and the anger in the atmosphere as peoples lust for blood grew and grew.
The proconsul who presided at his trial tried to persuade him to worship the emperor, urging him to consider his advanced age. When Polycarp refused, the judge ordered him to cry: “Out with the atheists!” To this Polycarp responded by pointing at the crowd around him and saying: “Yes, out with the atheists!”
Again the judge insisted, promising that if he would swear by the emperor and curse Christ he would be free to go. But Polycarp replied: “For eight-six years I have served him, and he has done me no evil. How could I curse my king, who saved me?”
- The Story of Christianity Volume 1: The Early Church to The Dawn of The Reformation - Justo L. Gonzalez
What do we learn from the early church?
Not many who read this will face this type of persecution. We will, though, have to navigate living in an increasingly complex and divided world. Learning how to navigate those waters is worthy of another post. But this story asks the question of all of us: Will we be able to say at the end of our lives, “For eight-six years I have served him, and he has done me no evil. How could I curse my king, who saved me?”
May we be found faithful to our King.
Thankful for examples of faith,
Josh.