heroes of the faith, part 3
I apologize for taking so long to complete installment number three (See: Heroes of the Faith, Introduction). I have been chided by many for taking so long. I am sure that many of you expected this blog to be about Sir Paul Hewson, known better by the name, Bono. However, this is not true. One can assume that he is the “unspoken hero of the faith” in my life. I want to write now about another rock star.
His name was Polycarp. I know it may not set well with some to speak about an early church father as a rock star, however when one hears of his life few labels speak as well about him. Polycarp lived in the first century, and many believe, as I do, that he was a disciple of the St. John the disciple of Jesus. Polycarp would never have described himself as an Early Church Father, even though he possessed the formal title “Bishop of Smyrna.” More than likely he would have simply said that he was a pastor. Several ancient records show that he wrote letters to the fledgling churches throughout the Roman Empire, including the church at Philippi.
My favorite thing about Polycarp however, was his understanding of the Empire. Those who lived under the rule of the Caesars in the first century were bombarded with messages, advertisements, and symbols that were proclaiming the Kingdom of Rome and the deity of Caesar. On the money used in the marketplace there were coins with an image of Caesar. The inscription around his head said, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” Throughout the Empire there were temples for the Imperial Cult (dedicated to the worship of Caesar). There you would hear loyal subjects proclaim their allegiance to Caesar as they proclaimed, “Caesar is Lord.”
The empire controlled everything, everywhere and fed the citizens of Rome a lie called Pax Romana. This lie told people that under Rome there would be peace forever and ever. Peace, that is for those who fell in line and worshipped Caesar. Peace for those who believed in the Empire of Rome and all the lies it fed its people.
Most in the first century went along with this lie. They believed in riches that were made through the oppression of the poor and the slaves. They believed in the pursuit of perfection that led to them abandoning children with deformities or handicaps on the trash heap. They ate and drank in excess while others in their city starved. The Empire that these people lived within, bought into, and championed was oppressive and evil. It was under this Empire that Polycarp lived … lived a different way.
Polycarp, as a follower of Jesus, proclaimed another King. Polycarp lived simply with a community with whom he shared everything in common. This community did not oppress but lifted up the weak and the poor. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. This community of people went to the trash heaps early in the morning and listened quietly for the cries of babies. These children became the adopted sons and daughters of families who were a part of the community. The Empire that Polycarp lived for was the Kingdom of Heaven that told Caesar and Rome that they were not the way or the truth.
Living for the Kingdom of Heaven as Polycarp did was a threat to the Empire of Rome. It threatened the very foundations of “civilization” (if one could call the Empire of Rome civilized). Eventually Polycarp was called to testify by the Empire for his being a part of a dangerous, heretical, politically subversive group called Christians. The Christians were considered Atheists for they did not believe Caesar was divine. Polycarp was questioned by the Proconsul of Smyrna. The ancient record, The Martyrdom of Polycarp, tells us what happened:
"The Proconsul sought to persuade him to deny Christ, saying, 'Swear by the fortune of Caesar; repent, and say, Away with the Atheists.' But Polycarp, gazing with a stern countenance on all the multitude … declared, 'Eighty and six years have I served my Him [Jesus], and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior? … I am a Christian. And if you wish to learn what the doctrines of Christianity are, appoint me a day, and you shall hear them.'"
Polycarp was then sentenced to death by burning. The amazing thing is that history says that the flames had no effect on him. It was if his denial of the Empire was so sincere that even the fire of the Empire could not touch him. The executioner then stabbed him with a dagger killing him in front of the people who were there.
So here I am 1,900 years later, and I wonder whose Kingdom have I bought into? We live in a time in which we see people pursue the American Dream, we immerse ourselves in materialism, wealth, appearance and sex, we hear the promise of men to bring “peace” and security through governments and militaries, and we gorge ourselves without shame as children throughout the world die of starvation.
I ask myself, “Am I buying into this?”
It is people like Polycarp that force me to stop and consider in whom I place my allegiance. He lived proclaiming in the face of Caesar, “You are no King, but if you’d like I will tell you who is.” It can be no flippant thing to ask ourselves these questions. For if we trivialize these questions today we shrug off the life of a man like Polycarp, a man who served Jesus for eighty-six years and was killed because of it.
His name was Polycarp. I know it may not set well with some to speak about an early church father as a rock star, however when one hears of his life few labels speak as well about him. Polycarp lived in the first century, and many believe, as I do, that he was a disciple of the St. John the disciple of Jesus. Polycarp would never have described himself as an Early Church Father, even though he possessed the formal title “Bishop of Smyrna.” More than likely he would have simply said that he was a pastor. Several ancient records show that he wrote letters to the fledgling churches throughout the Roman Empire, including the church at Philippi.
My favorite thing about Polycarp however, was his understanding of the Empire. Those who lived under the rule of the Caesars in the first century were bombarded with messages, advertisements, and symbols that were proclaiming the Kingdom of Rome and the deity of Caesar. On the money used in the marketplace there were coins with an image of Caesar. The inscription around his head said, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” Throughout the Empire there were temples for the Imperial Cult (dedicated to the worship of Caesar). There you would hear loyal subjects proclaim their allegiance to Caesar as they proclaimed, “Caesar is Lord.”
The empire controlled everything, everywhere and fed the citizens of Rome a lie called Pax Romana. This lie told people that under Rome there would be peace forever and ever. Peace, that is for those who fell in line and worshipped Caesar. Peace for those who believed in the Empire of Rome and all the lies it fed its people.
Most in the first century went along with this lie. They believed in riches that were made through the oppression of the poor and the slaves. They believed in the pursuit of perfection that led to them abandoning children with deformities or handicaps on the trash heap. They ate and drank in excess while others in their city starved. The Empire that these people lived within, bought into, and championed was oppressive and evil. It was under this Empire that Polycarp lived … lived a different way.
Polycarp, as a follower of Jesus, proclaimed another King. Polycarp lived simply with a community with whom he shared everything in common. This community did not oppress but lifted up the weak and the poor. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. This community of people went to the trash heaps early in the morning and listened quietly for the cries of babies. These children became the adopted sons and daughters of families who were a part of the community. The Empire that Polycarp lived for was the Kingdom of Heaven that told Caesar and Rome that they were not the way or the truth.
Living for the Kingdom of Heaven as Polycarp did was a threat to the Empire of Rome. It threatened the very foundations of “civilization” (if one could call the Empire of Rome civilized). Eventually Polycarp was called to testify by the Empire for his being a part of a dangerous, heretical, politically subversive group called Christians. The Christians were considered Atheists for they did not believe Caesar was divine. Polycarp was questioned by the Proconsul of Smyrna. The ancient record, The Martyrdom of Polycarp, tells us what happened:
"The Proconsul sought to persuade him to deny Christ, saying, 'Swear by the fortune of Caesar; repent, and say, Away with the Atheists.' But Polycarp, gazing with a stern countenance on all the multitude … declared, 'Eighty and six years have I served my Him [Jesus], and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior? … I am a Christian. And if you wish to learn what the doctrines of Christianity are, appoint me a day, and you shall hear them.'"
Polycarp was then sentenced to death by burning. The amazing thing is that history says that the flames had no effect on him. It was if his denial of the Empire was so sincere that even the fire of the Empire could not touch him. The executioner then stabbed him with a dagger killing him in front of the people who were there.
So here I am 1,900 years later, and I wonder whose Kingdom have I bought into? We live in a time in which we see people pursue the American Dream, we immerse ourselves in materialism, wealth, appearance and sex, we hear the promise of men to bring “peace” and security through governments and militaries, and we gorge ourselves without shame as children throughout the world die of starvation.
I ask myself, “Am I buying into this?”
It is people like Polycarp that force me to stop and consider in whom I place my allegiance. He lived proclaiming in the face of Caesar, “You are no King, but if you’d like I will tell you who is.” It can be no flippant thing to ask ourselves these questions. For if we trivialize these questions today we shrug off the life of a man like Polycarp, a man who served Jesus for eighty-six years and was killed because of it.