Polycarp: Bishop, Martyr, Destroyer of the Gods

[@augustinian2018]

When my wife was pregnant with our first child, a son, his due date was the commemoration of Polycarp, so we named him John Polycarp. 🙂

[@earlychristianhistorywithm8684]

Very nice!

[@mcosu1]

I admire your faith in the kindness of his future classmates

[@Chottreyesss]

Why did i break down in tears with Polycarps last words

[@ryanparris1021]

I can’t listen to this brave saints words without losing it. His heart was in a different homeland, who’s builder and maker is God, when he said his final words. Great work Dr. Bird for bringing this history to light.

[@astroboytintin]

Another great video Dr Bird, excellent content and your production is next-level. It really is encouraging and inspiring to understand how these great saints walked out their faith in Christ - we would do well to learn from them.

[@adelinebaah7214]

Thank you for this history. I just got to know his today, and you have given me more details than I expected. God bless you. Keep it up.

[@jawajab5173]

Awesome. Thank you, Dr Bird!

[@earlychristianhistorywithm8684]

Thanks!

[@Frank.OKeeffe]

I love me some Apostolic Fathers! Polycarp! Ignatius of Antioch! Clement of Rome! Polycarp knew John! Polycarp taught Irenaeus of Lyon!

[@d.miller6062]

This was really good! I saw this link on the email this morning, such a great video to start the day with. Thank you!

[@earlychristianhistorywithm8684]

Thanks, I'm trying make 3-4 of these a year, there's a few older ones in the same series you might like.

[@d.miller6062]

@@earlychristianhistorywithm8684 I will definitely check these out! Thank you for your scholarship!

[@comfycozytoo]

Thank you!

[@greentree14]

As a former Lutheran, now Pentecostal, I am deeply moved by these Apostolic Fathers, and their bold love for the Lord Jesus. I have read and re-read Eusebius''s History of the Church, and the Martyrdom of Polycarp. I think we should look up to these early heroes of the faith. Where I differ from Catholics, is, I don't believe we should pray to saints.

[@earlychristianhistorywithm8684]

Well said, I agree!

[@latinboyyy305]

Do you understand why they pray to Saints? What is your definition of the word "pray"? I'm always curious as to people's understanding of "why" they disagree, and "what" they mean when they present their arguments as to why something is right or wrong.

[@greentree14]

@@latinboyyy305 I understand "pray" as communicating, praising, and making requests. I believe that there is only one mediator between God and man, and that is Jesus. So that is why I think it's wrong to try to communicate with, or make requests, to saints.

[@jennypucci7118]

Pray means to ask, pray prā To ask earnestly; beg; entreat; supplicate, as for a personal grace or favor. In religious usage, to make devout petition to God, or (in some forms of religion) to any object of worship, as a saint or an angel; more generally, to enter into spiritual communion with God, usually through the medium of speech. See prayer. I pray, usually, by ellipsis, pray, a common formula introducing a question, invitation, suggestion, or request. Compare prithee. To ask earnestly; beg; entreat; supplicate; urge. In religious usage, to address a desire or petition to (specifically to God) devoutly and with reverence. To offer up, as a prayer; utter in devotion. To make entreaty or petition for; crave; implore: as, the plaintiff prays judgment of the court. To effect, move, or bring by prayer or entreaty: followed by an adverb or a preposition particularizing the meaning. Synonyms To crave, implore, beseech, petition, importune. See prayer. An obsolete spelling of prey. A dialectal form of pry. From The Century Dictionary. More at Wordnik

[@nassaazireginah]

Why would you let your pastor to pray for you yet there is only one mediator

[@HaroldtheNihongoStudent]

I am an agnostic but these saints who lived for Christ and never feared death makes me tear. I hope that heaven is really what the Bible says it is.

[@jamesrichards8000]

It is friend! Ask God to reveal Jesus to you and what and whom He really is! Read Hebrews chapter.1-2, John ch.1 , revelations 19

[@Yeshua-is-the-Light]

How important is it that we follow the 10 commandments and love thy neighbor according to Revelation 22:14-21 and Leviticus 19:17-18?

[@SibleySteve]

Is there a commendable website that links to early documents like Letter to the Philippians from Polycarp? I would also be interested in his use of Ephesians as an endorsement of Pauline authorship of Ephesians.

[@SG-jv5zi]

He fought to keep observing Passover, but sadly the vast majority of Christianity today follow the pagan Catholic church and observe easter instead

[@philliprobinson7724]

Hi Dr Bird. If Polycarp knew that Jesus had said, "render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's" (About more than just taxes, note.), why did he have such a poor relationship with the Romans? After all, Rome tolerated all the different religions because it had captured slaves from all over the empire. After the slave rebellion under Spartacus in 72BC Rome was very sensitive to maintaining the best relationships possible with the workforce. Personally, I believe Christianity was part of this, and only the very worst troublemakers were sent to the colosseum. (Some slavery work was so terrible death was preferable to a short miserable life.) Martyrdom by the "wicked" forces opposing "heroic" Christians doesn't withstand too much historical scrutiny. If Christians were martyred at any time over the next 1800 years, it's a 95% probability they were killed by Christians from a different Christian sect who thought they had the right to convert others to their version of Christianity. At the point of a sword. All Christian sects are guilty of this; Catholics, Protestants, Lutherans, Calvinists, Orthodox, etc. Arian Christians were wiped out, as were Cathars, Huguenots, Copts, and thousands of so called "heretics" were burnt at the stake, and "witches" drowned: by other Christians. Jews were butchered in their millions as we both know. For Christians to then claim they have been history's martyrs is a bit like the school bully going into the headmaster's office to complain "everyone's picking on me". The day is coming when people will be too ashamed to enter a church, and then the world will say, "they have reaped that which they sowed". Cheers, P.R.

[@trevaperes5343]

Was it the Roman church at the time to go against God?

[@woodshed_moments]

Polycarp wasn't catholic... so don't try to co-opt him.

[@SG-jv5zi]

He fought against Pope Victor I regarding the Passover, he and the eastern churches kept Passover after the example of the apostle, John and Jesus (Yeshua) himself. It was the Roman Catholic Church that was emerging this holy day with the pagan holiday of Easter

[@woodshed_moments]

@@SG-jv5zi You had no "pope" be Arius... 325 A.D. is your inception point... that over two hundred years past Polycarp - take a theology class please.

[@michaelmichaelc1748]

Really very interesting story of the trials and courage of the early Christians. They certainly had courage and determination to be faithful to the Lord under all circumstances even offering their lives. What a legacy and example they have left us. God bless them ❤🙏🏻

[@earlychristianhistorywithm8684]

Glad you liked it!

[@CharlesRoyBaguio-qw3nv]

A hero of our faith in our imitation of Christ.

[@anthonymarlowe6986]

​@@earlychristianhistorywithm8684 Need to stop telling lies. Polycarp was never a disciple of John a fictional characters who never existed and never wrote the book of revelation. Polycarp died at the ripe old age at 95 his martyrdom was written centuries later by anonymous authors.

[@anthonymarlowe6986]

​​@@earlychristianhistorywithm8684 when I was a Christian my Anglican priest gave me a book of all the Saint and there's martyrdom. I believe all this was true after l left the church l look up about all these's Saint the majority of then are anonymous fictional characters who never existed never been martyrdom. Like polycarp fake martyrdom written centuries later. No historical evidence for St George everything written is centuries later. St Alban no historical evidence for him. St peter a fictional characters who never existed and never was the first pope and never executed by Nero. Same with St paul a fictional characters who never existed and never was executed by Nero. Why tell all these's lies for.

[@johndavid9496]

great info added to me👍

[@Emmitt_Summers_3]

My confirmation name. Great segment. Amen.

[@Wayne5455]

Please answer a question that bothers me. Catholics tell me that they are the original and ONLY church ordained by Christ in the modern world. They tell me that their lineage goes back to the very first church. Bishops are part of the Catholic church and no other. Is all of that to be believed? Modern non-denominational churches are wrong and going to Hell? Did God himself ordain the Catholic church only? I am resistant to all this and wonder, AM I WRONG to believe that the original church ws founded by Christ on the steps of the temple by Peter who gave the first sermon and thousandes were saved. Was he a Catholic Pope, Bishop or what? Ho can Catholic claims be true?

[@andresil8330]

The Christians of the first centuries were what we call the “primitive church” and had nothing with Catholicism. After Constantine supposedly converted (many claim that his conversion was just a political move) then Catholicism started and unfortunately things didn’t go well after that. They have that claim because of what Jesus said to Peter:”Upon this rock I’ll build my church” but Jesus was referring to himself and Peter confirmed later in other books/verses that Jesus is the rock…so to shorten your question: no, the Catholic Church is not a church ordained by God and you can easily see that with a bit o biblical studying. Wayne, if you are looking to get closer to God, first of all pray and ask him to reveal himself to you and give you direction. I would recommend visiting a traditional Protestant church with a wise pastor and you will learn more and congregate with others that are in the same path of faith and this will be very good for you.

[@hailholyqueen]

Catholics and orthodox were the first long term spilt. You could claim either one as Jesus's original church. The only primitive churchmen around to jealously preserve the apostolic fathers teaching and relics were catholics and orthodox. Period.

[@Brotherdirt1]

John 3:3 NKJV - Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” No Church can save you.