A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

§ 6. The Extension of Christianity 27in loud voice: “This is the teacher of Asia, the father of theChristians and the overthrower of our gods, who teaches manyneither to sacrifice nor to worship.” Saying these things, theycried out and demanded of Philip, the Asiarch, to let a lion looseupon Polycarp. But he said he could not do this, since the sportswith beasts had ended. Then it pleased them to cry out with oneconsent that he should burn Polycarp alive.… [018]Ch. 13. These things were carried into effect more rapidlythan they were spoken, and the multitude immediately gatheredtogether wood and fagots out of the shops and baths, and theJews especially, as was their custom, assisted them eagerly in it.§ 6. The Extension of ChristianityIt is impossible to determine with accuracy even the principalplaces to which Christianity had spread in the first half of thesecond century. Ancient writers were not infrequently led astrayby their own rhetoric in dealing with this topic.Justin Martyr, Dialogus cum Tryphone, 117. (MSG, 6:676.)The following passage is of significance as bearing not onlyupon the extent to which Christianity had spread, after makingdue allowance for rhetoric, but also upon the conception ofthe eucharist and its relation to the ancient sacrifices held, bysome Christians at least, in the first half of the second century.Cf. ch. 41 of the same work, v. infra, §§ 12 f.Therefore, as to all sacrifices offered in His name, which JesusChrist commanded to be offered, i.e., in the eucharist of thebread and cup, and which are offered by Christians in all placesthroughout the world, God, anticipating them, testified that theyare well-pleasing to Him; but He rejects those presented by you