Polycarp Parallels

In the introduction to the Martyrdom of Polycarp, the author tells us that “By almost every step that led up to Polycarp’s martyrdom, the Lord intended to show us anew the type of martyrdom narrated in the Gospel” (Mart. Pol 2.1).

We’re currently working our way through this martyrdom account in the JP2 Group so I thought I’d put together a post highlighting all the parallels I’ve found between Jesus’ death and Polycarp’s witness (martyrdom) to his Lord.

The full text and audio of the Martyrdom is available here.

Some of these parallels are much stronger than others (I put a star rating next to each one of them). In many ways, the fact that there are many inexact parallels actually adds to the credibility of the martyrdom account. Were it fabricated, one would expect the parallels to be “tidied up” a bit more and closer to that of our account of Jesus’ Passion.

Both foretold their deaths (Rating: *****)
In the Martyrdom of Polycarp, after seeing a vision of his pillow aflame, Polycarp turns to his companions and states “I must be burnt alive” (Mart. Pol 5.2). Jesus, likewise, foretold his own death saying “We are going up to Jerusalem, and [I]  will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will…hand [me] over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified” (Matt 20:18-19).

Both were betrayed (Rating: **)
Jesus was betrayed, of course, by Judas (Matt. 26:15). The author of the Martyrdom points out that “those who betrayed [Polycarp] were of his own household” and directly compares the betrayer to Judas (Mart. Pol 6.2). Both betrayers accompany the arresting party. However, I can’t help but think that this comparison is a little unfair. Polycarp’s betrayal was neither malicious nor for profit. The slave didn’t reveal Polycarp’s location until he had suffered abuse at the hands of the policemen. In fact, you might call this a “tortured” parallel… 😉

Both begin in an upper room (Rating: *)
When the police arrive for Polycarp he’s in the “upper room of a certain little house” (Mart. Pol. 7.1). Jesus’ Passion was preceded by the Last Supper held also in an Upper Room (Luke 22:12).

Both waited to be captured (Rating: ****)
Upon hearing that the crowd in the arena was calling for his death, we are told that Polycarp’s “impulse was to remain in the city” (Mart. Pol. 5.1), only moving just outside of the city when pressed to do so by his friends. As the police approached, even though “escape was still possible”, he decided against running and simply declared “God’s will be done!” (Mart. Pol. 7.1).  Jesus too, waited to be captured, in his case, in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:45-47).

Both Arrested at night by like a dangerous criminal (Rating: *****)
The description of those who arrest Jesus (Luke 22:52) and Polycarp (Mart. Pol. 7.1) are extremely similar: “armed as though they were in hot pursuit of a robber”.

Both treat those who arrest with kindness (Rating: ****)
Polycarp orders food for those who come to arrest Him (Mart. Pol. 7.2) and Jesus heals the severed ear of Malchus (Luke 22:49-51).

Both prayed prior to being taken away (Rating: ***)
Both Jesus (Matthew 26:36-46) and Polycarp (Mart. Pol. 8.1) pray prior to being taken away and both pray for the Church. The difference here is that Jesus prays prior to his arrest, whereas Polycarp has his two-hour prayer session between his arrest and his return to the city. Also, Polycarp appears to be spared the agony that Jesus experienced in the garden.

Both entered the city on a donkey (Rating: ***)
After Polycarp is arrested, he is taken into the city on a donkey to meet the Chief of Police (Mart. Pol. 8.1). The timeline here is a little different from that of Jesus, who enters into Jerusalem on a donkey prior to his arrest (Matt 21:1-11). Polycarp was almost certainly carried on a donkey because of his old age, whereas Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem pointed to his Davidic kingship.

Both deaths happen on important feasts (Rating: ***)
Jesus suffers death at the Passover (John 13:1). We are told that Polycarp enters the city when it is “a Great Sabbath” (Mart. Pol. 8.1).

Both were brought before Herod (Rating: ****)
Both Jesus and Polycarp were brought before a man named “Herod” (quite a popular name at the time). However, there is quite a difference in status between Polycarp’s Herod who was Chief of Police and Jesus’ Herod who was Roman Tetrarch of Galilee (Luke 23:6-7).

Jesus’ Herod did not seem particularly interested in putting him to death, but rather wanted to see a miracle. Polycarp’s Herod appears to not want Polycarp’s death either, trying to convince him to save his life by abandoning Christ (Mart. Pol. 8.2). Jesus was silent before Herod (Luke 23:9) and Polycarp says nothing either apart from his simple statement “I shall not do as you advise me” (Mart. Pol. 8.2).

Both were maltreated (Rating: *)
Jesus’ maltreatment following his arrest is well documented in the Gospels (John 18:22, 19:1-5, 16-17). Whereas Jesus was brutally beaten, spat upon and received a crown of thorns, Polycarp only received a bruised shin as a result of his rough departure from Herod’s carriage (Mart. Pol. 8.3).

Both deaths involved the cooperation of the Jews (Rating: ****)
The author of the Martyrdom speaks quite bitterly against the Jews in Smyrna and points to their specific cooperation in Polycarp’s death: “The Jews…as it was their custom, eagerly assisted [in the collecting of wood to burn Polycarp]” (Mart. Pol 13:1). In the Gospels it is the Jewish leaders who take the lead in the call for Jesus’ death (John 19:6), whereas in Polycarp’s Martyrdom they appear to take on a more ancillary role being lead by the pagans.

Both are stabbed (Rating: ***)
Both Polycarp (Mart. Pol 16.1) and Jesus (John 19:34) were pierced with a blade and blood poured forth. The difference is that Polycarp’s stabbing brought about his death whereas Jesus was already dead by the time He is pieced with a spear.

Both involved miracles at death (Rating: ***)
When Polycarp was stabbed a significant amount of blood came forth, so much so, that it put out the fire surrounding him (Mart. Pol. 16.1). At Jesus’ death there was a darkening of the sky, an earthquake and the dead were raised (Matthew 27:45,51-54).

Both deaths were voluntary (Rating: *****)
Both the Gospels and the Martyrdom go to great lengths to emphasize that the deaths they describe are not random chance. Rather, they both underscore that these deaths are voluntary and ordained by God. We’re told this explicitly at the beginning of the Martyrdom (Mart. Pol. 2.1) and later that Polycarp had a chance to escape but chose to remain (Mart Pol 7.1). Jesus likewise, knew of his coming Passion and embraced it (John 10:18).

There is a sense in which, like Jesus, Polycarp’s death was not only voluntary, but sacrificial. The Martyrdom compares Polycarp to a “distinguished ram taken out of a great flock for sacrifice…prepared to be an acceptable burnt-offering to God” (Mart. Pol. 14.1).  Indeed, Polycarp’s prayer on the pyre is extremely Eucharistic:

“I give You thanks that You have counted me worthy of this day and this hour, to share with Your martyrs the cup of Christ and to rise to eternal life both in soul and body, through the immortality imparted by the Holy Spirit. May I be accepted in Your sight today as a rich and pleasing sacrifice, as You foreordained, revealed beforehand to me, and have now fulfilled.” – Mart. Pol 14.2

Whereas the death of Jesus brought to an end to the curse of Death (2 Tim 1:10), we’re told that Polycarp’s death brought to an end the persecution of the Church in Smyrna (Mart Pol 1.1) and therefore also the death of his brethren.

But what does this all mean? Why are there these similarities between the deaths of Jesus and Polycarp? Well, that, I’d like to look at tomorrow…