7
"What he says, he says about himself as one who is going into death because he is a
Christian."
35
It would appear that Ignatius is aware that certain individuals in the Roman Christian
community, who came from higher social circles in Rome, had "connections" and
political influence that they could exercise so as to get Ignatius released.
36
If Ignatius says
nothing to these believers about their not using their influence, he believes that they may
well try to get him freed and may even succeed in this endeavour. Since he does not want
this (for reasons detailed below), he decides to speak. "What fills me with fear," he tells
these politically influential believers at Rome, "is your own kindly feeling for me." It
might be easy for them to intervene to get Ignatius released, but this will only make it
more difficult for Ignatius "to get to God." He thus urges the Roman Christians, "keep
your lips sealed." If they do, then they will enable Ignatius to become "a word of God."
37
In other words, the silence of the Roman believers will mean that Ignatius, by his
martyrdom, can proclaim to the world the sincerity of his faith. Ignatius claim to be a
Christian will then be seen to be more than mere words. It will be authenticated by
deeds--in this case, the act of martyrdom.
38
The authenticity of Ignatius faith will be
revealed by his dying well.
In spelling out how he wants the Roman believers to act, Ignatius reveals the conviction
that he does not view his martyrdom as an individual event, but one that involves the
entire Roman Church.
39
The Roman believers are not mere bystanders who are simply
expected to allow something to happen. Both Ignatius and the believers at Rome must
choose either to act out the implications of Christs passion or to desire the world. Thus,
he tells them:
35
Weinrich, Spirit and Martyrdom, 115-116.
36
Corwin, St. Ignatius and Christianity in Antioch, 23-24; Peter Lampe, From Paul to Valentinus:
Christians at Rome in the First Two Centuries, trans. Michael Steinhauser and ed. Marshall D. Johnson
(Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003), 88-89.
37
Romans 1.2-2.1 (trans. Staniforth, Early Christian Writings, 85).
38
Romans 2. See also Schoedel, Ignatius of Antioch, 171.
39
Weinrich, Spirit and Martyrdom, 134-135.