Introduction
This is the title of a collection of writings by authors at the end of the first century and into the second century. This was an important time of transition for the early church following the death of all the original apostles. The church was no longer able to seek authoritative answers to problems from an apostle, but had to adapt to a new era without them.
Each of the authors were personally associated with the apostles or their immediate disciples. The collection includes the earliest surviving Christian writings outside the NT. Several of these writings were considered as scripture by some parts of the early church, and were included in some of the early manuscripts of the NT.
Although they are not considered canonical, are still useful records of the early church, giving us useful information of early church teaching, practice, and false teachers outside the orthodox teaching of the church.
Links to an online version of each of the writings is included at the end of the descriptions below.
List of the writings included in the Apostolic Fathers
1 Clement
2 Clement
Letters of Ignatius
Letter of Polycarp to the Philippians
Martyrdom of Polycarp
The Didache
Epistle of Barnabas
The Shepherd of Hermas
Epistle of Diognetus
Fragments of Papias
1. 1 Clement (AD 95)
This is a letter by Clement, bishop of Rome to the Corinthian church. The author is possibly the Clement, the co-worker mentioned by Paul (Phil 4:3). It was written following a division in the church, when some elders were excluded by younger worldly men. Clement rebukes the Corinthians for their disloyalty, reminding them that such factionalism had crippled the church in the days of Paul. It is full of exhortations to humility and an emphasis on the resurrection. Clement frequently quotes from the LXX, the OT apocrypha, sayings of Jesus (13:2, 24:8), Paul's letters, and the book of Hebrews.
I. Introduction to the situation in the church (1-3)
II. A lengthy discourse on Christian virtues, particularly faith, compassion, humility, self-control, and hospitality. He warns against factionalism, jealousy, envy, double-mindedness and pride (4-36).
III. He brings these virtues and warnings to the situation in the church in Corinth (37-61).
Text of 1 Clement
2. 2 Clement
This is a homily preached to a group of Gentile converts following the reading of Is 54:1ff. It was written by a anonymous Christian, possibly in the Roman church around AD 140. It covers ethical themes such as repentance, self-control and watchfulness before the coming judgment. He quotes from the OT, Christian tradition, non-canonical sayings of Jesus. He also includes a curious theological speculation concerning the existence of the spiritual church before the creation of the universe (14). This pre-existing church was then manifested in Christ's flesh.
Text of 2 Clement
3. Seven Letters of Ignatius
Ignatius was the second bishop of Antioch, after Peter. He wrote these epistles during his journey through Asia Minor to Rome, after he had been condemned to martyrdom at the beginning of the second century. From Smyrna he sent letters to Ephesus, Magnesia, Tralles, and Rome. From Troas he sent letters to Philadelphia, Symrna, and a personal letter to Polycarp, bishop of Symrna.
He exulted in his coming martyrdom at the wild-beast shows in Rome. He strongly advocated the authority and hierarchy of bishops, elders and deacons. He wrote against the Judaizing tendencies in the Asian churches and the Docetic heresy. He was the first to use the term ‘Catholic Church’, meaning the universal or orthodox church. He made great emphasis on the celebration of the eucharist, and saw his own martyrdom as the ultimate expression of the reality of the eucharist. Much of his language is drawn form early creeds from the apostolic era of the church.
Text of the letters of Ignatius
4. The Letter of Polycarp to the Philippians (AD 117)
Polycarp was bishop of Smyrna for at least forty years, until his martyrdom at the age of 86. He is an important link between the apostolic and post-apostolic periods. Irenaeus claims that Polycarp was a disciple of the apostle John. This letter to the Philippians is the only surviving letter written by him, in response to a letter from the church in Philippi. It contains allusions to NT books, such as 1 Peter, and several of Paul's letters, as well as 1 Clement. He requests information about Ignatius, asks for copies of Ignatius's letters, comments on the excommunication of Valens, a Philippian presbyter, who was dismissed for dishonesty, and warns against the heresy of Docetism.
Text of the letter of Polycarp
5. The Martyrdom of Polycarp
This is a letter from the church in Smyrna to the church in Philomelium containing an eyewitness account of the martyrdom of Polycarp. He was the well-loved bishop of Smyrna, who was burned at the stake in AD 155 when he was 86 years old. He died because he confessed Jesus Christ as Lord, and refused to call Caesar Lord. It claims to have been written by eyewitnesses, and includes gruesome details of the pursuit, arrest, trial and execution of Polycarp.
Text of the martyrdom of Polycarp
6. The Didache, or ‘The teaching of the 12 apostles’ (between 80 and 120).
It is subtitled, ‘The Lord's Teaching to the Gentiles by the Twelve Apostles’. It consists of a statement by an unknown author of what he understood the teachings of the twelve apostles to be. It contains many quotations from NT books and is similar to the letter of James. It is a book of instruction for Christian life and worship. Some church fathers thought it should be included in the NT canon, but it was rejected by Oregen, Eusebius and others.
It has three sections:
I. Teaching concerning the ‘Two Ways’ (1-6). This was a common method of Jewish teaching based on the two chief commandments of loving God and loving ones neighbour (Mt 22:37-39, Mk 12:30-31).
II. A manual of church order and practice, including directions for baptism (7-8), the Eucharist (9-10, 14-15), and the assessment of travelling teachers (11-13).
III. Signs of the return of the Lord (16), a more apocalyptic section.
Text of the Didache
7. The Epistle of Barnabas, (between AD 90 and 120)
This is possibly by Barnabas, who worked with Paul. It is a general epistle, probably written in Alexandria, and addressed to all Christians. It is strongly anti-Jewish. It has two main sections.
I. This is the larger section and addresses the Christian use of the Old Testament. The author suggests Christians should allegorise the OT, looking for hidden spiritual meanings in the text, so passages are interpreted to refer to Jesus, including the sacrifices, fasting, the covenant, circumcision, food laws, the Sabbath and the temple. Using the allegorical interpretation it demonstrates that the Christians are the true and intended heirs of God’s covenant.
II. Moral instruction concerning the two ways: ‘The way of light and the way of darkness’.
Text of the epistle of Barbabas
8. The Shepherd of Hermas, (AD 100 or 140)
This is possibly written by the Hermas greeted by Paul in Rom 16:14. According to the Muratorian Canon, Hermas was the brother of Pius, the bishop of Rome around AD 140-154. Hermas introduces himself as a former slave in Rome (1).
It is the earliest example of Christian allegory, rather like the Pilgrim's Progress. It is a very religious book, emphasising repentance, visions and the imminent return of the Lord. It addresses the theme of a ‘second chance’ for baptised Christians in order for them to find repentance for sins, even the sin of apostasy. However, a limiting day had been fixed, and any Christians who had not repented by that time would not be forgiven. It uses the symbolism of the church as a tower being built. Hermas believed that after they died, the apostles preached and baptised those who had died before them. It has three sections:
I. Five Visions
II. Twelve Mandates
III. Ten Parables
It was a very popular document in the early centuries, and was accepted as Scripture by Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria and at one time by Oregen, and perhaps by Tertullian. It is included following the Book of Revelation, along with the Epistle of Barnabas in the Codex Sinaiticus.
Text of the Shepherd of Hermas
9. The Epistle to Diognetus
The Epistle to Diognetus is not always included as one of the writings of the apostolic fathers because it is a more apologetic writing addressed to unbelievers. The epistle is written with great skill and style, seeking to answer questions about the Christian faith. The document is anonymous, with the author referring to himself as ‘Mathetes’ meaning disciple. The identity of Diognetus is not known, and the date is unknown. There is more detail on the page about apologetics in the early church.
Text of the epistle to Diognetus
10. Fragments of Papias (AD 130-140)
Very little is known about Papias even though he was probably one of the most important leaders during the apostolic period. He was appears to have been a disciple of the apostle John, and a companion of Polycarp, and later became bishop of Hierapolis, near Colossae. He wrote a five-volume work titled ‘Explanation of the Lord's Discourses’ around AD 130. This is now lost, and all that survives are fragments quoted in the writings of Irenaeus and Eusebius. These fragments give useful information about the composition of the gospels. He tells stories and miracles from the apostolic period which were given to him by the daughters of Philip the evangelist (Acts 21:8-9). His memoirs of the apostolic period were derived from personal interviews with those who had known Andrew, Peter, Philip, Thomas, James, John and Matthew. His fragments give some useful evidence on the church’s understanding of the millennium, and the authorship of some books, including the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and John and the Book of Revelation. Some of his statements are confusing, and are the cause of much discussion and debate.
Text of fragments of Papias