It is not often that one thinks about what happens to followers of Christ once the New Testament accounts end. We hear and think about followers of Christ in the book of Acts, and then we really don’t know what happens after that. Who followed the tradition of the apostles? Who was in charge after the 12 apostles died? How did Christianity spread throughout the world and still remain faithful to the teachings of Christ? The answers to these questions can be approached by considering those individuals who followed after the apostles referred to as the Church Fathers, or Apostolic Fathers. Ignatius of Antioch is one of them.
Ignatius was the bishop of Antioch in the late first century. This city is a key city for Christianity. It was there that the followers of Christ were fist called “Christians” (Acts 11:26), and it was there that the gospel was preached both to Jews and Gentiles alike by key church leaders such as Peter, and Paul. Around 98 A.D. when Christianity was spreading rapidly, Ignatius was arrested and taken to Rome to meet his fate. The trip (via Asia Minor) was long and hard; nonetheless, this did not stop Ignatius from writing letters to key churches in the area. These letters, known as Ignatius letters, are valued as one of “the most beautiful treasures bequeathed by the second century church.”
Ignatius wrote to places like Ephesus, Rome, Philadelphia, and Smyrna; all cities mentioned in the New Testament and considered key in the spread and solidification of Christianity. The content of these letters includes a strong appeal to churches to not intervene on his behalf because he considers his arrest and certain martyrdom in Rome a privilege for the sake of Christ.
Ignatius cites the Old Testament, Matthew, and Paul, among others. Above all these however, it is Paul and his letters that seemed to have the most influence on him as demonstrated in one of his writings:
“Paul, who was sanctified, who gained a good report, who was right blessed, in whose footsteps may I be found when I shall attain God (Ign. Eph. 12:2).
The Passion for Correct Belief
Ignatius was passionate about the reality of the deity of Christ. In line with the Apostles and the early church (see John 1), he believed that Jesus came in the flesh and lived and dwelled fully among them. However, at this early stage of Christianity there were already other beliefs that differed from those of the Apostles’ teachings and those of Christ himself. Such is the case of Docetism (more on this on page 4) , a belief that stated that Jesus was not human, he only appeared to be human and his suffering was nothing but an appearance. The theological implications were tremendous because the deity of Christ and sacrifice on the cross were at stake. Not only that, but according to Ignatius, those who held that belief disregarded love, care, and concern for those whom Jesus commanded them to love.
Ignatius loved Christ and was willing to show his devotion to him no matter what it took. He wrote:
I am God’s wheat, ground fine by the lion’s teeth to be made purest bread for Christ. No earthly pleasures, no kingdoms of this world can benefit me in any way. I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth. He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one desire. The time for my birth is close at hand. Forgive me, my brothers. Do not stand in the way of my birth to real life; do not wish me stillborn. My desire is to belong to God. Do not, then, hand me back to the world. do not try to tempt me with material things. Let me attain pure light. Only on my arrival there can I be fully a human being. Give me the privilege of imitating the passion of my God. Ignatius letter Romans 4.
This desire was fulfilled in his life as he was martyred around 98 AD. The life of Ignatius is an inspiration to many, his approach to life and defense of his beloved Lord, remain faithful testimonies of the possibility of living as a disciple of Christ.
