Discover Polycarp of Smyrna—a disciple of the apostle John, bishop, author of the Letter to the Philippians, and martyr whose steadfast faith inspires today.
Apostolic Fathers
The Christian writers of the late first and early second centuries who knew the apostles or learned from people who did. Their writings are the earliest Christian texts outside the New Testament.
Martyrdom of Polycarp
An eyewitness account of Polycarp’s arrest and death, sent by the church in Smyrna to other churches. It is the oldest detailed Christian martyr account outside the New Testament.
Keywords
Polycarp of Smyrna, Letter to the Philippians, Martyrdom of Polycarp, Apostolic Fathers, early church fathers, apostle John, Christian martyrdom
Who Was Polycarp of Smyrna?
Polycarp of Smyrna was the bishop of Smyrna, a city on the west coast of modern Turkey. Irenaeus, who heard Polycarp preach when he was a boy, says Polycarp was taught by the apostles and had spoken with many who had seen the Lord. Irenaeus names the apostle John as one of them.
Polycarp lived a long life and led the church through decades of pressure. He died as a martyr around AD 155 or 156 at 86 years old. His life links the apostles to the church of the late second century.
Major Work: Letter to the Philippians
Polycarp’s only surviving writing is a short letter to the church at Philippi. The Philippians had asked him to send copies of Ignatius’s letters, and he did.
The letter is packed with Scripture. Polycarp quotes or echoes Matthew, Luke, Acts, many of Paul’s letters, 1 Peter, and 1 John. That makes it an early witness to which Christian writings churches were already reading as authoritative.
Faithfulness to Christ
Polycarp warns against false teachers who deny that Jesus came in the flesh. He writes that anyone who does not confess this is antichrist, echoing 1 John 4:3.
Irenaeus tells a story about Polycarp meeting the heretic Marcion. Marcion asked, “Do you know me?” Polycarp replied, “I do know you, the firstborn of Satan.” Polycarp would not treat false teaching as a small matter.
Christian Ethics
Much of the letter is practical instruction. Polycarp tells husbands, wives, widows, deacons, young men, and elders how to live. He warns against the love of money and tells elders to be compassionate and merciful.
He also mentions a painful case. An elder named Valens had fallen into greed. Polycarp grieves for him and his wife and asks the church to restore them if they repent, not to treat them as enemies.
Martyrdom and Endurance
The Martyrdom of Polycarp records his arrest during a festival in Smyrna. The Roman proconsul urged him to swear by Caesar and curse Christ. Polycarp answered: “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury. How then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour?”
He was sentenced to burn. The account says the fire did not consume him, so an executioner stabbed him. The church gathered his bones and planned to meet each year on the day of his death. That is one of the earliest records of Christians remembering a martyr’s anniversary.
How to Read Polycarp Today
Read the Letter to the Philippians first. It has 14 short chapters and takes about 15 minutes.
Then read the Martyrdom of Polycarp, 22 chapters, in about 25 minutes.
Both appear in Michael Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers, and free in the Ante‑Nicene Fathers, volume 1.
Mark every line that quotes the New Testament. You will find dozens.
About the Author
CK Quarterman is a USAF veteran, independent author, and publisher at CKQbooks. He writes the Malaterrestrials nonfiction series, which examines evil earthbound non‑human intelligences through Scripture and history, along with the Watchers’ Universe and Sons of the Flood fiction series. Find his books at ckqbooks.com.
Truth · History · Scripture
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