Martyrdom of Polycarp

Not inspired as scripture, but what a convicting story to read!

 It begins with a revelation to him that he would be burned alive, then he is betrayed by those closest to him.  Before they take him away, he asks for an hour to pray and has a meal prepared for the soldiers.  His prayers were so convicting no one could stop him from praying for an hour longer.

At his trial he said "You threaten with a fire that burns only briefly and after a little while is extinguished, for you are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and eternal punishment, which is reserved for the ungodly.  But why do you delay?  Come, do as you wish."

As they took him to the center pillar before the fire was lit, they were about to nail him to it.  Polycarp's response? "Leave me as I am; for the one who enables me to endure the fire will also enable me to remain on the pyre without moving, even without the sense of security that you get from the nails."

After Polycarp prays, the fire is lit.  But it could not kill him,  "For the fire, taking the shape of an arch...completely surrounded the body of the martyr; and it was there in the middle, not like flesh burning but like bread baking or like gold and silver being refined in a furnace."

"When the lawless men eventually realized that his body could not be consumed by the fire, they ordered an executioner to go up to him and stab him with a dagger.  And when he did this, there came out a dove and a large quantity of blood, so that it extinguished the fire; and the whole crowd was amazed that there should be so great a difference between the unbelievers and the elect."

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After some reflection, I have a thought on why this exceptionally inspiring story was not included in the cannon of scripture.  Not from an exegetical or systematic theological approach, but rather from a practical standpoint.

First, while incredibly inspiring, it does not have a sense of authoritative divine inspiration.  Secondly, if it were the case, I believe many Christians would be mislead into seeking the signs that followed Polycarp's martyrdom rather than the will of God.  During persecutions that came and will come, they might depend on the signs rather than the voice of God.

Just my own thoughts though.


(All quotations from The Apostolic Fathers in English by Holmes, 2006.)