The Works of Nathaniel Lardner, D.D. with a Life by Dr. Kippis ...

N. T.

II. Eph. iv. 26. “Be ye* angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath."

POLYCARP.

II. Ch. xii. For I trust that ye are well exercised in the holy scriptures. As in these scriptures it is said: Be ye angry, and sin not. And, Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.'

It is true, the first of these directions is the same with that, Ps. iv. 4, "Stand in awe, and sin not;" which in the Septuagint version is, Οργίζεσθε, και μη αμαρτάνετε, • Be angry, and sin not.' But as the latter advice is no where in the Old Testament, and both these precepts are together in the epistle to the Ephesians, it seems to me, that Polycarp does expressly refer the Philippians to St. Paul's epistle to the Ephesians, and calls it scripture. If this be so, then we see, that the writings of the New Testament had now the name of sacred writings,' or 'holy scriptures,' and that they were much read by christians in general.

III. Chap. iii. For neither I, nor any one like me, can come up to the wisdom of the blessed and renowned Paul, who, when absent," wrote to you letters, [an epistle, A. B. Wake,] into which if you look, you will be able to edify yourselves in the faith which has been delivered to you.'

Ch. xi. But I have neither perceived nor heard any such thing to be in you, among whom the blessed Paul laboured, who are in the beginning of his epistle: for he glories in you in all the churches, which then alone knew God.'

In the former of these two passages the original Greek word, which I have rendered letters,' is in the plural number. But thereby some understand only an epistle, and so it is rendered by the archbishop in his excellent translation. And it is certain that the original word is sometimes used in the plural number for only one epistle. Understand it so here, and we have at least an express testimony for the epistle of Paul to the Philippians. But comparing these two passages together, I am apt to think, that by epistles' Polycarp intends the epistle to the

Οργίζεσθε, και μη ἁμαρτάνετε· ὁ ἥλιος μη επιδυετω επι τῳ παροργισμῳ Ut his scripturis dictum est: Irascimini, et nolite peccare. Et, Sol non occidat super iracundiam vestram.

υμων.

* Ος και απων ύμιν εγραψεν επιςολας, εις &ς εαν εγκύπτητε, κ. λ. In quibus laboravit beatus Paulus; qui estis in principio epistolæ ejus. De vobis etenim gloriatur in omnibus ecclesiis, quæ Deum tunc solæ cogno

verunt.

b Vid. Coteler. in loc.

opinion of Salmeron. Vid. Usser. Notas ad h. 1.

This was the

Philippians, and also both the epistles to the Thessalonians. For in this last passage he seems to quote these words, 2 Thess. i. 4, "So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God." Nor is it at all unlikely that Polycarp might consider the epistles directly sent to the Thessalonians, as written likewise to the Philippians; they being also in the same province of Macedonia, of which Thessa lonica was the capital city.

And though the word in the first passage should be limited to one epistle, that directly to the Philippians, yet this latter passage is so clear for the second to the Thessa lonians, that we are in a manner obliged to understand Polycarp to suppose the Philippians concerned in those epistles.

Words of the New Testament, and allusions, without the name of the book or writer.

N. T.

IV. Matth. v. 3. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. v. 7. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 10. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Matth. vii. 1. “Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2. And with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."

Luke vi. 20. "Blessed be ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 36. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. 38. For with the same measure that ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."

POLYCARP.

IV. Ch. ii.' But remembering what the Lord said teaching: Judge not, that ye be not judged: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: be ye merciful, that ye may obtain mercy: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And, Blessed are the poor, and they that are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of God.'

Μνημονευοντες δε ὧν ειπεν ὁ Κύριος διδασκων, κ. λ.

N. T.

V. Matth. v. 44. "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."

VI. Matth. vi. 12. “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 14. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15. But if ye forgive not," &c.

VII. Matth. vi. 13. “And lead us not into temptation."e

VIII. Matth. xxvi. 41. "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." See also Mark xiv. 38.

I have put down in the margin the original words of these two last passages, and of the corresponding texts in Matthew, to be compared as a specimen of the agreement between the originals. It would be too tedious to do so all along, without some special reason. But in the other places there is also a like agreement in the originals with what appears in the translations.

We have in divers of these passages words of our Lord, with a mark of reference, The Lord hath said,' though no historian or evangelist is expressly named.

N. T.

IX. Acts ii. 24. " Whomi God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death."

X. Rom. xiii. 9. "And if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, name

POLYCARP.

IX. Ch. i. Whom God hath raised, having loosed the pains of hell.'

X. Ch. iii. Led on by love toward God, and Christ, and toward our neighbour: for if any man has these

• Και μη εισενεγκης ήμας εις πειρασμον.

ἡμας εις πειρασμον.

8 Το μεν πνευμα προθυμον, ἡ δε σαρξ ασθενης.

Η Καθως ειπεν ὁ Κυριος" το μεν πνευμα προθυμον, ἡ δὲ σαρξ ασθενης. † Ὁν ὁ Θεος ανεσησε, λυσας τας ωδίνας τε θανατε.

* Ον εγειρεν ὁ Θεος, λυσας τας ωδινας το αδε.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

In 2 Cor. v. 10, is much the same sense, and some of the same words. But he who compares the places together will perceive this is the place which Polycarp had an eye to particularly.

1 Παντες γαρ παραςησομεθα τῳ βηματι το Χριςε Αρα εν έκατος ἡμων περι ἑαυτε λογον δωσει θεμα - Και παντας δει παραςηναι τῳ

βηματι τε Χριστο, και έκαςον ὑπερ ἑαυτε λογον δεναι.
ὅτι ὁ εγειρας τον Κυριον Ιησεν, και ήμας δια Ιησε εγερεί.
• Ο δε εγειρας αυτόν εκ νεκρών, και ημας εγ ρει.
αει το καλο ενωπιον Θες και ανθρωπων.

* Ειδότες

• Προνουντες

N. T. "Providing q for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but in the sight of men. 99

POLYCARP.

providing what is honest in the sight of God and men.'

Part of this advice is given also, Rom. xii. 17, " Provide things honest in the sight of all men." But any one may see he rather refers to the text in the Corinthians.

This also, with many other places, may afford proof of the first christian writers citing, or referring to, texts of scripture by memory, without looking upon them. For which reason Polycarp says, what is honest,' in the singular number, instead of honest things.'

N. T.

XVII. Gal. i. 1. "But by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead."

XVIII. Gal. iv. 26. "For Jerusalem, which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all."

XIX. Gal. vi. 7. "Ber not deceived, God is not mocked."

XX. Ephes. ii. 8,9. “Fort by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works."

XXI. Philip. ii. 10. "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. 11. And that every tongue should confess."

POLYCARP.

XVII. Ch. xii. • Who shall believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, and in his Father, who raised him from the dead.'

XVIII. Ch. iii. -' edified in the faith delivered to you, which is the mother of you all,'

Perhaps, says Dr. Young, it should be us all.'