Polycarp and Paul: An Analysis of Their Literary & Theological Relationship in Light of Polycarp's use of Biblical & Extra-Biblical Literature

241 Pages·2002·225.94 MB·English

by  Kenneth Berding

POLYCARPAND PAUL
SUPPLEMENTS TO
VIGILIAE CHRISTIANAE
Formeriy Philosophia Patrum
TEXTS AND STUDIES OF EARLYCHRISTIAN LIFE
AND LANGUAGE
EDITORS
j. DEN BOEFT - R.VAN DEN BROEK- WL. PETERSEN
D.T RUNIA- j.C.M.VANWINDEN
VOLUME LXII
POLYCARP AND PAUL
AN ANALYSISOF THEIR LITERARY &
THEOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIP IN LIGHT OF
POLYCARP'S USE OF BIBLICAL&
EXTRA-BIBLICALLITERATURE
BY
KENNETH BERDING
BRILL
LEIDEN· BOSTON· KOLN
2002
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Berding, Kenneth:
Polycarpand Paul :an analysis oftheirliterary& theological relationship
in light ofPolycarp'suseofbiblical&extra biblicalliterature / by
Kenneth Berding.- Leiden ;Boston ;K61n:Brill, 2002
(SupplementstoVigiliaeChristianae;Vol.62)
ISBN90-04-12670-8
ISSN 0920-623X
ISBN 9004 126708
©Copyright2002byKoninklijkeBrillNY, Leiden, TheNetherlands
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgments IX
Abbreviations X
I. INTRODUCTION 1
Modern Scholars' Recognition of Polycarp'sImportanceand
theTendencyto Regard Him asUnintelligent 3
Polycarp theMan 8
Authenticityand Manuscripts 12
Dateand Unity......................................................................... 13
TwoLettersor One? 15
TheDateof Polycarp's'Second Letter' 17
Genreand Purpose 24
Methodology 27
II. AN ANALYSISOFPOLYCARP'S CITATIONS,
ALLUSIONS,AND REMINISCENCES 33
Salutation 33
Pol.Phil. 1.1 35
Pol.Phil. 1.2 37
Pol.Phil. 1.3 41
Pol.Phil.2.1 44
Pol.Phil.2.2 48
Excursus:Written Gospelsand OralTradition 51
Pol.Phil.2.3 53
Pol.Phil.3.1 59
Pol.Phil. 3.2 60
Excursus:The Plural £1ttcr'toA.a~ 62
Pol.Phil. 3.3 63
Pol.Phil. 4.1 67
Pol.Phil. 4.2 69
Pol.Phil. 4.3 70
Pol.Phil.5.1 73
Pol.Phil. 5.2 74
Pol.Phil. 5.3 77
Pol.Phil. 6.1 80
VI CONTENTS
Pol.Phil.6.2 84
Pol.Phil. 6.3 86
Pol.Phil. 7.1 88
Pol.Phil. 7.2 91
Pol.Phil. 8.1 94
Pol.Phil.8.2 95
Pol.Phil. 9.1 97
Pol.Phil. 9.2 98
Pol.Phil. 10.1 101
Pol.Phil. 10.2-3 103
Pol.Phil. 11.1 107
Pol.Phil. 11.2 108
Pol.Phil. 11.3 111
Pol.Phil. 11.4 113
Pol.Phil. 12.1 115
Pol.Phil. 12.2 120
Pol.Phil. 12.3 121
Pol.Phil. 13-14 124
Tendencies 124
III. POLYCARp, AN IMITATOR OF PAUL? 126
Graeco-Roman Imitation 127
Evidenceof Literary Imitation of Paul by Polycarp 131
Evidence of Ethical Imitation of Paul byPolycarp 136
Conclusion 140
1\1. PAULINE CLUSTERS IN POL. PHIL. AND THEIR
IMPLICATION FOR POLYCARP'S VIEW OFTHE
AUTHORSHIP OFTHE PASTORALEPISTLES 142
Referencesto the Pastoral Epistles in the Early Church
and their Connectionsto Paul 143
Polycarp and Paul................................................................... 145
Paul Referred to byName 149
Clusters in Polycarp 150
Polycarp, Paul and the Pastoral Epistles 152
Conclusion 155
\1. PAUL'S INFLUENCE ONTHETHEOLOGY OF
POLYCARP 156
Excursus:Three Streamsof Authorityfor Polycarp 158
CONTENTS VII
Resurrection and]udgmcnt 162
Christ 167
Righteousness,Grace, and Faith 170
The Church 177
Fulfillingthe "Commandmentof Righteousness" through
Love 178
Money 181
Sufferingand Martyrdom 181
TheWorld 183
WhatisMissing? 184
Conclusion 186
VI. CONCLUSIONS 187
APPENDIX:SUMMARIES OF POLYCARP'S CITATIONS,
ALLUSIONS, AND REMINISCENCES 191
SummaryAccording to the Order of Pol.Phil. 191
SummaryAccording toDegreeof Probability 194
SummaryAccordingto Source 198
CumulativeResults 203
BIBLIOGRAPHY 207
INDEX OFNAMES 219
INDEX OFSOURCES 220

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special thanks are due to those who have guided me through this
study. Stephen S. Taylor and Dan G. McCartney carefully read
earlier drafts ofthis work, prodding me to think more deeply and
communicate moreclearly.Thanksalsoaredue to Donald A. Hagner
and Alain Le Boulluec for reading this manuscript later in the pro
cess and for their perceptive recommendations.
I alsowant to extend my thanksto the library staffatWestminster
Theological Seminary,and, in particular, to Grace Mullen and Gail
Barker for their untiring patience asI requested numerous difficult
to-locate books and articles.
My father, Drew Berding,deserves special thanks for helping me
with the statistical analysis that appears in the appendix.
Finally, my deepest appreciation belongs to my wife, Trudi, for
her inexhaustible encouragement and the strength she continues to
extend to me asI study and write. I also cannot leave out Lydia and
Grace, my two daughters,who (literally)cheered for me each time I
completed another stage in the process.