The Epistle of Ignatius
to the Trallians
Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus,
to the holy Church which is at Tralles, in Asia, beloved of God,
the Father of Jesus Christ, elect, and worthy of God, possessing
peace through the flesh, and blood, and passion of Jesus Christ,
who is our hope, through our rising again to Him, which also I
salute in its fulness, and in the apostalical character, and wish
abundance of happiness.
Chapter I.-Acknowledgment of Their
Excellence.
I know that ye possess an unblameable and sincere mind in patience,
and that not only in present practice, but according to inherent
nature, as Polybius your bishop has shown me, who has come to
Smyrna by the will of God and Jesus Christ, and so sympathized
in the joy which I, who am bound in Christ Jesus, possess, that
I beheld your whole multitude in him. Having therefore received
through him the testimony of your good-will, according to God,
I gloried to find you, as I knew you were, the followers of God.
Chapter II.-Be Subject to the Bishop,
Etc.
For, since ye are subject to the bishop as to Jesus Christ,
ye appear to me to live not after the manner of men, but according
to Jesus Christ, who died for us, in order, by believing in His
death, ye may escape from death. It is therefore necessary that,
as ye indeed do, so without the bishop ye should do nothing, but
should also be subject to the presbytery, as to the apostle of
Jesus Christ, who is our hope, in whom, if we live, we shall [at
last] be found. It is fitting also that the deacons, as being
[the ministers] of the mysteries of Jesus Christ, should in every
respect be pleasing to all. For they are not ministers of meat
and drink, but servants of the Church of God. They are bound,
therefore, to avoid all grounds of accusation [against them],
as they would do fire.
Chapter III.-Honour the Deacons, Etc.
In like manner, let all reverence the deacons as an appointmentof
Jesus Christ, and the bishop as Jesus Christ, who is the Son of
the Father, and the presbyters as the sanhedrim of God, and assembly
of the apostles. Apart from these, there is no Church. Concerning
all this, I am persuaded that ye are of the same opinion. For
I have received the manifestation of your love, and still have
it with me, in your bishop, whose very appearance is highly instructive,
and his meekness of itself a power; whom I imagine even the ungodly
must reverence, seeing they arealso pleased that I do not spare
myself. But shall I, when permitted to write on this point, reach
such a height of self-esteem, that though being a condemned man,
I should issue commands to you as if I were an apostle?
Chapter IV.-I Have Need of Humility.
I have great knowledge in God, but I restrain myself, lest,
I should perish through boasting. For now it is needful for me
to be the more fearful; and not give heed to those that puff me
up. For they that speak to me [in the way of commendation] scourge
me. For I do indeed desire to suffer, but I know not if I be worthy
to do so. For this longing, though it is not manifest to many,
all the more vehemently assails me. I therefore have need of meekness,
by which the prince of this world is brought to nought.
Chapter V.-I Will Not Teach You Profound
Doctrines.
Am I not able to write to you of heavenly things? But I fear
to do so, lest I should inflict injury on you who are but babes
[in Christ]. Pardon me in this respect, lest, as not being able
to receive [such doctrines], ye should be strangled by them. For
even I, though I am bound [for Christ], yet am not on that account
able to understand heavenly things, and the placesof the angels,
and their gatherings under their respective princes, things visible
and invisible. Without reference to such abstruse subjects, I
am still but a learner [in other respects ]; for many things are
wanting to us, that we come not short of God.
Chapter VI.-Abstain from the Poison
of Heretics.
I therefore, yet not I, but the love of Jesus Christ, entreat
you that ye use Christian nourishment only, and abstain from herbage
of a different kind; I mean heresy. For those [that are given
to this] mixup Jesus Christ with their own poison, speaking things
which are unworthy of credit, like those who administer a deadly
drug in sweet wine, which he who is ignorant of does greedily
take, with a fatal pleasure leading to his own death.
Chapter VII.-The Same Continued.
Be on your guard, therefore, against such persons. And this
will be the case with you if you are not puffed up, and continue
in intimate union with Jesus Christ our God, and the
bishop, and the enactments of the apostles. He that is within
the altar is pure, but he that is without is not pure; that is,
he who does anything apart from the bishop, and presbytery, and
deacons, such a man is not pure in his conscience.
Chapter VIII.-Be on Your Guard Against
the Snares of the Devil.
Not that I know there is anything of this kind among you; but
I put you on your guard, inasmuch as I love you greatly, and foresee
the snares of the devil. Wherefore, clothing yourselves with meekness,
be ye renewed in faith, that is the flesh of the Lord,
and in love, that is the blood of Jesus Christ. Let no one of
you cherish any grudge against his neighbour. Give no occasion
to the Gentiles, lest by means of a few foolish men the whole
multitude [of those that believe] in God be evil spoken of. For,
"Woe to him by whose vanity my name is blasphemed among any."
Chapter IX.-Reference to the History
of Christ.
Stop your ears, therefore, when any one speaks to you at variance
with Jesus Christ, who was descended from David, and
was also of Mary; who was truly born, and did eat and drink. He
was truly persecuted under Pontius Pilate; He was truly crucified,
and [truly] died, in the sight of beings in heaven, and on earth,
and under the earth. He was also truly raised from the dead, His
Father quickening Him, even as after the same manner His Father
will so raise up us who believe in Him by Christ Jesus, apart
from whom we do not possess the true life.
Chapter X.-The Reality of Christ's
Passion.
But if, as some that are without God, that is, the unbelieving,
say, that He only seemed to suffer (they themselves only seeming
to exist), then why am I in bonds? Why do I long to be exposed
to the wild beasts? Do I therefore die in vain? Am I not then
guilty of falsehood against [the cross of] the Lord?
Chapter XI.-Avoid the Deadly Errors
of the Docetae.
Flee, therefore, those evil offshoots [of Satan], which produce death-bearing fruit, whereof if any one tastes, he instantly dies. For these men are not the planting of the Father. For if they were, they would appear as branches of the cross, and their fruit would be incorruptible. By it He calls you through His passion, as being His members. The head, therefore, cannot be born by itself, without its members; God, who is [the Saviour] Himself, having promised their union.
Chapter
XII.-Continue in Unity and Love.
I salute you from Smyrna, together with the Churches of God
which are with me, who have refreshed me in all things, both in
the flesh and in the spirit. My bonds, which I carry about with
me for the sake of Jesus Christ (praying that I may attain to
God), exhort you. Continue in harmony among yourselves, and in
prayer with one another; for it becomes every one of you, and
especially the presbyters, to refresh the bishop, to the honour
of the Father, of Jesus Christ, and of the apostles. I entreat
you in love to hear me, that I may not, by having written, be
a testimony against you. And do ye also pray for me, who have
need of your love, along with the mercy of God, that I may be
worthy of the lot for which I am destined, and that I may not
be found reprobate.
Chapter XIII.-Conclusion.
The love of the Smymaeans and Ephesians salutes you. Remember in your prayers the Church which is in Syria, from which also I am not worthy to receive my appellation, being the last of them. Fare ye well in Jesus Christ, while ye continue subject to the bishop, as to the command [of God], and in like manner to the presbytery. And do ye, every man, love one another with an undivided heart. Let my spirit be sanctified by yours, not only now, but also when I shall attain to God. For I am as yet exposed to danger. But the Father is faithful in Jesus Christ to fulfill both mine and your petitions: in whom may ye be found unblameable.
