Briefly Considered:  The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians

Polycarp was a disciple of the apostle John and was said to have met with numerous people who knew Jesus.  He was held in very high regard among the churches as is indicated by his being titled “holy” Polycarp in the letter concerning his martyrdom from the church at Smyrna.  We do not know the date of this letter to the Philippians but his martyrdom has been dated somewhere during the years 155-156 or 166-167 AD.  

The letter is a humble exhortation to the church in Philippi to pursue righteousness and be willing to suffer for Christ’s sake.  The letter is full of Scriptural references and one would be forgiven for thinking that they were reading a letter from Paul himself. 

Of note is Polycarp’s grieving for someone named “Valens” who had once been a minister among them.  It seems that Valens was removed from his position because he guilty of covetousness.  What it was in particular that he was coveting is not said.  Polycarp does indicate that the reason that Valens fell prey to this sin, and did not turn from it in repentance, was because “he so little understands the place that was given him” in the church.  It seems he not only took his pastoral position lightly, or for granted, but he did not understand that he could not preach against sins that he, himself, partook of.  Also, to be covetousness is to fall prey to idolatry.  To fall prey to idolatry is, then, to be counted among the heathen.  Polycarp then declares that he is “deeply grieved…for him and his wife; to whom may the Lord grant true repentance!”  Polycarp then charges the church in Philippi to show moderation in their response to Valens and his wife, to not count them as enemies, but, instead, to call them back to the church just as they would do to any other “suffering and straying” member, “that you may save your whole body.  For by so acting you shall edify yourselves.”

In Corinth, they were driving their minsters off without cause and Clement called them to repent.  In Philippi, the minister was sent away, and rightfully so, and Polycarp calls them to show him patience, to pray for his repentance and to be willing to have him back. 

Clement responds by calling the church in Corinth to consider that God Himself has fixed an order of things which are acceptable to Him.  Sacrifices were to be offered at the proper time and in the proper place.  Service to God were assigned to certain people- the high priests.  On the other hand, the laymen were “bound by the laws that pertain to laymen.”  Clement writes “Give thanks to God in his own order, living in all good conscience, with becoming gravity, and not going beyond the rule of the ministry prescribed to him.”  In his turn, Polycarp points out that it was not only the laymen who did not understand the gravity of the ministerial call, but some ministers did not either. 

Today, nothing has changed.  I remember well discussions among lay people from a large church who were arguing that “the priesthood of all believers” meant that there was no “rule of ministry” which distinguished laymen from ministers.  I have rubbed elbows with young pastors who saw the ministerial calling as simply one of several occupational options that they could have pursued and the pastoral position as a means of self-aggrandizement.   Clement and Polycarp serve as heralds calling God’s people back to the Scriptures – laymen and minsters alike.  They call us to see that there is, indeed, something special in the ministerial call.  Lest one might take this as cause for pride (or envy as in Corinth), we must remember that it is not the person that deserves to be honored, but the office.  Valens was a sinful man, but he had a righteous calling.  Could that calling be forfeited?  Most certainly.  But God’s people are called to not be hasty.  So weighty is Valens’ call, and of such great importance is peace and harmony within the church, Polycarp’s hope is that “good order” would be re-established among them.  It would serve today’s church well to read Clement and Polycarp and turn back to the Scriptures which guided their thinking in these matters.