IGNATIUS
Ignatius was an early church father (AD 30-107) linked with the Apostle John, Eusebius, and Polycarp. It is “scarcely possible to exaggerate the importance of the testimony which the Ignatian letters offer to the dogmatic character of Apostolic Christianity.”[1] His works include seven credible letters but early church history reveals eight additional writings that are likely later, spurious forgeries.[2] Out of these writings, two credible letters and three spurious letters contain spiritual warfare language.
The Epistle of Ignatius to the Trallians refers to Satan as the “wicked one” who envies in an invisible way. Ignatius refers to Satan as literally warring against him. Ignatius fights back through “meekness, by which the devil, the prince of this world, is brought to nought.”[3] He encourages the Trallians to put “put on your guard” and to “forsee the snares of the devil.”[4] Although Ignatius does not reveal a specific power or truth encounter approach, he clearly reveals his understanding that there are real attacks of Satan at both an individual (believer) and corporate (church) level. Ignatius also writes in his letter to the Philadelphians a warning concerning heretics “from whom ‘a defiling influence has gone forth into all the earth.’”[5] He reinforces light, truth, and especially unity as they avoid “many wolves in sheep's clothing.”[6] As Ignatius demonstrates, the Church Fathers often emphasized spiritual warfare when considering heresy.
Another important Ignatian writing is The Martyrdom of Ignatius. Although several aspects of the martyrdom account are verified historically, parts of it are of unknown veracity, as the writing was not referenced in the first six centuries of the church.[7] In this work, an eyewitness narrative of Ignatius’ approach towards death is given. The crime Trajan assigned to Ignatius was of not worshipping idols. The author describes idol worship as the “worship [of] daemons.”[8] This intimate connection of demons and idol worship was a spiritual warfare concept the early church continued to communicate.
Ignatius replies to the accusations that he is wicked, asserting that “all evil spirits have departed from the servants of God” and that he is “an enemy to these [spirits]” in destroying “all the devices of these [evil spirits].”[9] The clarity and certainty with which Ignatius describes demonic spirits shows that he believes the battle is real. He holds that believers should actively oppose Satan and his demons. Ignatius’ reference to evil spirits departing from believers also suggests the practice of exorcism at the point of belief, implying from his own example that evil spirits are present in the lives of unbelievers.
The spurious writings communicate many more references to spiritual warfare, particularly to the power encounter approach. In The Epistle of Ignatius to the Antiochians, the writer references the office of exorcists.[10] Another fraudulent writing, from Mary of Cassobelæ to Ignatius, describes some “who were possessed of a wicked spirit as being false in their speech, and deceivers of the people” as well as referencing the “deceit of the demons.”[11] Interestingly the activity of both the demons and the possessed focuses on deception.
Another likely fraudulent writing, The Epistle to the Philippians, contains perhaps the most references to Satan in many of the ancient church writings with half of the chapter titles directly referencing Satan.[12] In this epistle, the author makes multiple references to the temptation encounter of Christ with Satan in the desert as well as scriptural references to the devil. Along with these references are a seeming inclusion and incorporation of terms and theology (bishop, presbyter, Lord’s Day, overemphasis on Mary, the Trinity) of the later church (3rd and 4th century and beyond).[13] Despite the biblical nature of many of the spiritual warfare references in the fraudulent writings, their inconsistencies lend little weight to an early date. These spurious writings, with additional emphasis on exorcism, possession, and spiritual warfare, cause concern that there was an attempt to over-emphasize and influence theology and practice where the early church did not.
[1]John Bonaventure O’Connor, “St. Ignatius of Antioch,” in The Catholic Encyclopedia 7 (New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910), accessed December 30, 2013, http://www.newadvent.org/ cathen/07644a.htm.
[2]A. Cleveland Coxe, “Introductory Note to the Epistle of Ignatius” (ANF 1:45), accessed December 30, 2013, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.v.i.html.
[3]Ignatius, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Trallians (ANF 1:66), accessed December 30, 2013, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.v.iv.html.
[4]Ibid.
[5]Ignatius, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Philadelphians (ANF 1:79), accessed December 30, 2013, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.v.vi.html.
[6]Ibid.
[7]A. Cleveland Coxe, “Introductory Note to the Martyrdom of Ignatius” (ANF 1:127), accessed December 30, 2013, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.v.xxiv.html.
[8]“Ignatius replied, ‘No one ought to call Theophorus wicked; for, you call me wicked in respect to them, I quite agree with you; for inasmuch as I have Christ the King of heaven [within me], I.’ Ignatius replied, ‘No one ought to call Theophorus wicked; for all evil spirits have departed from the servants of God. But if, because I am an enemy to these [spirits], you call me wicked in respect to them, I quite agree with you; for inasmuch as I have Christ the King of heaven [within me], I destroy all the devices of these [evil spirits].’ Ignatius answered, ‘Thou art in error when thou callest the daemons of the nations gods. For there is but one God, who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that are in them; and one Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, whose kingdom may I enjoy.’ Trajan said, ‘Do you mean Him who was crucified under Pontius Pilate?’ Ignatius replied, ‘I mean Him who crucified my sin, with him who was the inventor of it, and who has condemned [and cast down] all the deceit and malice of the devil under the feet of those who carry Him in their heart.” Ignatius, The Martyrdom of Ignatius (ANF 1:129), accessed December 30, 2013, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.v.xxv.html.
[9]Ibid.
[10]“I salute the sub-deacons, the readers, the singers, the doorkeepers, the labourers, the exorcists, the confessors.” Ignatius, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Antiochians (ANF 1:110), accessed December 30, 2013, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.v.xv.html.
[11]Ignatius, The Epistle of Maria the Proselyte to Ignatius (ANF 1:121), accessed December 30, 2013, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.v.xviii.v.html.
[12]Ignatius, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Philippians (ANF 1:117), accessed December 30, 2013, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.v.xvii.iv.html.
[13]Ibid.