Ante-Nicene Fathers (Volume 1) - VI - Spurious Epistles of Ignatius to the Antiochians, Hero, Philippians, Maria the Proselyte to Ignatius, Mary at Neapolis, St John (1st & 2nd), Virgin Mary; Martyrdom of Ignatius

Required reading
Ante-Nicene Fathers (Volume 1) (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read the Spurious Epistles of Ignatius to the Antiochians, Hero, the Philippians, Maria the Proselyte to Ignatius, Mary at Neapolis, St John (First and Second), the Virgin Mary; and also read the Martyrdom of Ignatius.

My summary
The spurious epistles continue.

Firstly we read a letter to the Antiochians that encourages sound Christology and various exhortations.

Then we read a letter to a deacon named Hero who is exhorted to promote good Christian living in the church.

Next we read a letter to the Philippians which has a perculiarly strong focus on Satan.

Then letters from a Mary and to a Mary promote piety.

Letters to and from John the Apostle are next, which have a curious interest in Mary the mother of Jesus.  These are followed by a letter to Mary herself.

Finally, today, we read an account of the Martyrdom of Ignatius which includes Ignatius' trial with Trajan, his trip to Rome and subsequent death.

What grabbed me
Some rather disturbing teachings in today's letters which help indicate that they are spurious.  For example: 'After the week of the passion, do not neglect to fast on the fourth and sixth days, distributing at the same time of thine abundance to the poor. If any one fasts on the Lord’s Day or on the Sabbath, except on the paschal Sabbath only, he is a murderer of Christ.'

Fasting on the Sabbath is equivalent to murder of Christ?

Next week's reading
Read the Epistle of Barnabas and the Fragments of Papias.

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