The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

VI. The Testimony of the Epistle of Polycarp

The one short epistle of Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, is interwoven with more references to the New Testament writings than any other work of this early age. He impresses the dangers of the times, and warns of Antichrist. ³³ Polycarp suffered martyrdom by fire about A.D. 155. It was formerly thought that his death occurred a little later, under Marcus Aurelius. Irenaeus was his noted pupil, whom we will later discuss. Polycarp’s ³⁴ allusion to this Biblical term “antichrist” must suffice for this witness: PFF1 214.5

“For every one who shall not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, as antichrist: and whosoever shall not confess the testimony of the Cross, is of the devil; and whosoever shall pervert the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts, and say that there is neither resurrection nor judgment, that man is the first-born of Satan.” ³⁵ PFF1 215.1