Generally speaking, Ignatius I reject for what I consider to be good reason, with one good reason being his seeming Amillennial "replacement theology" stance:
“He also died,
and rose again, and ascended into the heavens to Him that sent Him, and is sat down at His right hand, and shall come at the end of the world, with His Father’s glory, to judge the living and the dead, and to render to every one according to his works.”
That has the distinct ring of the Amillennialism nonsense we hear from popular personalities like Hank Hanagraaff (sp) and others of that mindset.
In addition, Ignatius knew nothing of any special covenant with Christ-rejecting Jews. In the same Epistle, Ignatius writes:
“It is absurd to speak of Jesus Christ with the tongue, and to cherish in the mind a Judaism which has now come to an end. For where there is Christianity there cannot be Judaism.” (
Epistle to the Magnesians, Chapter X).
Suffice it to say that we have more than enough from scripture to have no real use for this or any other early writer's thoughts on the matter. Paul explained it well enough for all the see and understand where the nation of Israel is concerned, and the important role to play in the end times given that the Lord is concerned enough about their being grafted back in to try and provoke them to jealousy:
Romans 11:1-2, 7-8, 11-24
1 I say then,
Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For
I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, [of] the tribe of Benjamin.
2
God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, ...
7 What then?
Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
8 (According as it is written,
God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear
unto this day. ...
11 I say then,
Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but [rather] through their fall salvation [is come] unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
12 Now if the fall of them [be] the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles;
how much more their fulness?
13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
14
If by any means I may provoke to emulation [them which are] my flesh, and might save some of them.
15 For if the casting away of them [be] the reconciling of the world,
what [shall] the receiving [of them be], but life from the dead?
16
For if the firstfruit [be] holy, the lump [is] also [holy]: and if the root [be] holy, so [are] the branches.
17 And
if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
18
Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
20 Well;
because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith.
Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For
if God spared not the natural branches, [take heed] lest he also spare not thee.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God:
on them which fell,
severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in [his] goodness:
otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23 And
they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
24
For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural [branches], be graffed into their own olive tree?
So, scripture speaks for itself, no matter what others have written who may lay claim to be first or second generation disciples of John, I don't give a tinkers patoot! The Lord inspired what we have in scripture, and the Lord gave us direct access to His Spirit for us to know the Truth in all His glory.
My brethren who are Christ-rejecting Jews WILL come to faith in Yahshuah, and we have that on good authority from scripture.
MM
