It's not surprising to to see Polycarp using phrases that also appear in what was later received as Holy Scripture. He thought and wrote with the mind of the Church as did Paul and John. And, I think it quite likely that memory was much better in their day than it is today - they relied on it more.
My point is that the post Apostolic Fathers taught with the authority derived from their office; not from their ability to string Bible quotes together.
Thank you for your response. I am a lawyer. By my credentials, I have an authority of office by which I am permitted to appear before the court and make my case. But if I made my case on strictly my lawerly office, how far would that get me? "Your honor, I am a lawyer, therefore when I say my client is innocent, it must be true." Do you see how that doesn't make sense? Indeed, such an action would probably draw a sanction from the judge.
But when I want to win my case, what do I do? I use the authority of my office to cite to the real authority, statutory law and the case law that interprets it. I am recognizing in that act that the true authority does not rest in my office, but in legal truth (such as it is).
By the same token, while it is entertaining to speculate about photographic memories, in truth the jury is free to infer that copious and exacting reference to Scripture very well could be an indication that said Scripture was in the possession of Polycarp, and if not for the pressure of your argument to find otherwise, would naturally lead to that conclusion.
But more importantly, whether by memory or by reference to a physical text, Polycarp is following in a long tradition, exampled by both Christ Himself and His apostles, of citing to the word of God as the dispositive authority in any contest of ideas about God and Christian truth. And in truth, if Christ is our only true Master, and God our only true Father, how else could it be?
Peace,
SR
Here's his contemporary Justin Martyr:
"And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things."
The NT was originally not a bound book published for personal home instruction. It was a collection of documents circulated and read liturgically.