Ante-Nicene Fathers (Volume 1) - III - Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians and the Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians

Required reading
Ante-Nicene Fathers (Volume 1) (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read the Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians and the Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians.

My summary
Today we begin reading the letters of Ignatius. 

Both longer and shorter versions of the letters are included - I only read the longer versions.

Firstly we read a letter to the Ephesians.  The content of the letter includes:
(i) praise of the Ephesians;
(ii) encouragement to be unified;
(iii) submission to church authorities;
(iv) warnings against false teachers;
(v) Jesus' life and death.

Secondly we read a letter to the Magnesians.  The content of the letter includes:
(i) encouragement to submit to the bishop and presbyters;
(ii) warnings against false doctrines;
(iii) Christian living.

What grabbed me
I was struck by the many encoruagements to maintain unity in these letters.  For example: 'Thus, being joined together in concord and harmonious love, of which Jesus Christ is the Captain and Guardian, do ye, man by man, become but one choir; so that, agreeing together in concord, and obtaining a perfect unity with God, ye may indeed be one in harmonious feeling with God the Father, and His beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord. For, says He, “Grant unto them, Holy Father, that as I and Thou are one, they also may be one in us.” It is therefore profitable that you, being joined together with God in an unblameable unity, should be the followers of the example of Christ, of whom also ye are members. '

Disunity has obviously been a perennial problem for the church.

Next week's reading
Read the Epistles of Ignatius to the Trallians, Romans and Philadelphians.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.