HeyJaredTreasures for the Lutheran Church
Translated devotional texts from the ancient Church. A companion Substack to Treasures from the Lutheran Church.
- Indexed issues, last 90 days
- 10
- Latest publication
- Sep 24, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 24, 2026
Latest issues
The Martyrdom of Polycarp (Chapter 11) (opens the original)
Read excerpt
You are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and eternal punishment.The proconsul’s interrogation continues. There’s a nice wordplay on the Greek word for “repent,” which literally means “to change one’s mind.” The proconsul uses the word to ask Polycarp to reconsider, but with yet another impressive rhetorical retort, Polycarp uses the word in a deeper sense. Polycarp makes a similar move when the proconsul threatens fire. Chapter 11And the proconsul said, “I have wild beasts. I will thr
The Martyrdom of Polycarp (Chapter 10) (opens the original)
Read excerpt
Hear plainly: I am a Christian.In this chapter, Polycarp again refuses to swear by Caesar, and gives a simple, yet powerful response. Polycarp is ready to defend his faith, but the proconsul abdicates his own judicial responsibility to hear him, and defers Polycarp to the crowd, again reminding us of the Christological pattern of Polycarp’s martyrdom. There is also great theology here on the honor due to legitimate authorities and the honor withheld from this crowd. Chapter 10But again he persis
The Martyrdom of Polycarp (Chapter 9) (opens the original)
Read excerpt
“For eighty-six years I have been serving Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” This whole chapter is a masterpiece: the eyewitness testimony of hearing the voice, which reminds me of the voice at Christ’s baptism and transfiguration, the turning of the proconsul’s questions on their head, especially in Polycarp’s confession of Christ as King, not Caesar, and his reversal of the phrase “Away with the atheists!”Chapter 9Then, as Polycarp entered the stadium,
The Martyrdom of Polycarp (Chapter 8) (opens the original)
Read excerpt
“And not turning around, as though he had suffered nothing, he went on willingly with haste.”Polycarp is now processing to his martyrdom, while the parallels with Christ’s passion continue to abound. Polycarp remains determined, even though as an old man he is pushed along and injured. It’s a fitting ending to the scene as the shouts of the stadium swallow up any speech distracting Polycarp from his goal. Chapter 8Now when he ended his prayer, having remembered everyone even all those who ever m
The Martyrdom of Polycarp (Chapter 7) (opens the original)
Read excerpt
“May God’s will be done.”We are now at Polycarp’s arrest scene, and his imitation of the Lord’s passion continues to develop. His captors arrive armed in the evening, just like when they arrive to arrest Jesus as though He were a criminal. We see Polycarp show incredible hospitality to his persecutors and admirable resolve as his martyrdom approaches.Chapter 7Then, having the young slave with them, on the day of preparation around the hour of dinner, detectives and horse riders went out with the
Publishing over time
Last 90 days. Choose a month to open its work.
Recurring subjects
Named in the text we hold. One piece can cover several.
Audience
No verified audience measurement yet.
About this data
Counts cover the work we have indexed. Tone needs enough text and a confident classification. Excerpts and episode notes are not full articles or transcripts.
Identity or attribution wrong? Suggest a correction.