There is only one letter of St. Polycarp surviving (Letter to Philippians) in which he states that he does not know what the Scripture is and certainly gives no Table of Contents of the New Testament: "For I trust that ye are well versed in the Sacred Scriptures, and that nothing is hid from you; but to me this privilege is not yet granted."
St. Polycarp does use the same phrases as are used in Scripture, but since they both proceeded from the same oral Tradition it is to be expected.
Similarly, Iraneaus uses phrases found in 21 of the 27 books of the New Testament. Does that mean that the other six books were invalidly included in canon and everything else he wrote is indicative of some other source? After all, Jesus quoted the Deuterocanonicals more than any other Old Testament books.
Peace be with you
A repost:
To: Natural Law
“There is only one letter of St. Polycarp surviving (Letter to Philippians) in which he states that he does not know what the Scripture is and certainly gives no Table of Contents of the New Testament:For I trust that ye are well versed in the Sacred Scriptures, and that nothing is hid from you; but to me this privilege is not yet granted”
Polycarp 11:2
But he who cannot govern himself in these things, how doth he enjoin
this upon another? If a man refrain not from covetousness, he shall
be defiled by idolatry, and shall be judged as one of the Gentiles
who know not the judgment of the Lord, Nay, know we not, that the
saints shall judge the world, as Paul teacheth?
Polycarp 11:3
But I have not found any such thing in you, neither have heard
thereof, among whom the blessed Paul labored, who were his
letters in the beginning. For he boasteth of you in all those
churches which alone at that time knew God; for we knew Him not as
yet.
Polycarp 11:4
Therefore I am exceedingly grieved for him and for his wife, unto
whom may the Lord grant true repentance. Be ye therefore yourselves
also sober herein, and hold not such as enemies but restore them
as frail and erring members, that ye may save the whole body of you.
For so doing, ye do edify one another.
Polycarp 12:1
For I am persuaded that ye are well trained in the sacred writings,
and nothing is hidden from you. But to myself this is not granted.
Only, as it is said in these scriptures, Be ye angry and sin not,
and Let not the sun set on your wrath. Blessed is he that
remembereth this; and I trust that this is in you.
So let me get this straight. Polycarp talks directly of Paul’s letters, commends them for being well-versed in the scripture, quotes from the scripture right after and calls it “scripture,” which is not an oral tradition.... and your reading of this is that Polycarp asserts that he doesn’t know anything about the scripture?
“but since they both proceeded from the same oral Tradition it is to be expected.”
Are you seriously arguing that the New Testament “proceeded” from oral tradition, and therefore was not actually written by the Apostles directly??
“After all, Jesus quoted the Deuterocanonicals more than any other Old Testament books.”
Which one? The one that recommends witchcraft? Or the one with the false historical information? Or the one that asserts itself that it might have errors?
How about you actually provide evidence for this whopper?