Johannine Comma and Ignatius of Antioch

From Textus Receptus

The longer version of The Epistle of Ignatius to the Philadelphians might have an allusion to the Comma. While the longer version is considered to be an interpolation from after Ignatius' death, scholars date it to the 4th century - which is still early enough for the allusion to be noteworthy. For the sake of this discussion, the author will be called "Ignatius". The text reads:

"ἐπείπερ καὶ εἷς ἀγέννητος, ὁ θεὸς καὶ πατήρ, καὶ εἷς μονογενὴς υἱός, θεὸς λόγος καὶ ἄνθρωπος, καὶ εἷς ὁ παράκλητος, τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας,"

(the above Greek excerpt corresponds to the underlined portion below)

"I have confidence of you in the Lord, that ye will be of no other mind. Wherefore I write boldly to your love, which is worthy of God, and exhort you to have but one faith, and one [kind of] preaching, and one Eucharist. For there is one flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ; and His blood which was shed for us is one; one loaf also is broken to all [the communicants], and one cup is distributed among them all: there is but one altar for the whole Church, and one bishop, with the presbytery and deacons, my fellow-servants. Since, also, there is but one unbegotten Being, God, even the Father; and one only-begotten Son, God, the Word and man; and one Comforter, the Spirit of truth; and also one preaching, and one faith, and one baptism; and one Church which the holy apostles established from one end of the earth to the other by the blood of Christ, and by their own sweat and toil; it behoves you also, therefore, as "a peculiar people, and a holy nation," to perform all things with harmony in Christ." (Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1, "The Apostolic Fathers, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus", Edited by Alexander Roberts, D.D. & James Donaldson, LL.D.)

Ephesians 4:1-7	Ignatius to Philadelphians
¹ I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, ² With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.	I have confidence of you in the Lord, that ye will be of no other mind. Wherefore I write boldly to your love, which is worthy of God, and exhort you to have but one faith, and one [kind of] preaching, and one Eucharist. (This portion mirrors Ephesians 4:1-3 in exhorting believers to maintain unity; and what follows explains the basis of this unity.)
⁴ There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;	For there is one flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ; and His blood which was shed for us is one; one loaf also is broken to all [the communicants], and one cup is distributed among them all: there is but one altar for the whole Church, and one bishop, with the presbytery and deacons, my fellow-servants. (This portion expands the meaning of "body" as understood in its various interpretations and applications)
⁵ One Lord,	Since, also, there is but one unbegotten Being, God, even the Father; and one only-begotten Son, God, the Word and man; and one Comforter, the Spirit of truth; (This portion expounds the "One Lord" of Ephesians 4:5 as referring to the threefold "Father... Word... Spirit".)
⁵ one faith, one baptism,	and also one preaching, and one faith, and one baptism; (This portion seems to reference Romans 10:17 "faith cometh by hearing" and adds "one preaching" as a precursor to "one faith"; which results in "one baptism".)
⁶ One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. ⁷ But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.	and one Church which the holy apostles established from one end of the earth to the other by the blood of Christ, and by their own sweat and toil; it behoves you also, therefore, as "a peculiar people, and a holy nation," to perform all things with harmony in Christ. (This concluding portion refers to God's grace enabling believers to edify the Church by their various giftings.)
(Ephesians 5-6 provide instructions for wives, husbands, children, and servants.)	(The passage continues with Ignatius exhorting wives, children, servants, and husband to follow these instructions in Ephesians 5-6.)

	First title	Second title
1st person of the Trinity	"unbegotten being"	"the Father"
2nd person of the Trinity	"only-begotten Son"	"the Word and man"
3rd person of the Trinity	"Comforter"	"the Spirit of truth"

Johannine Comma and Ignatius of Antioch

From Textus Receptus

See also

External links

Views

Personal tools

Navigation

Search

Toolbox