and children, to deacons and presbyters. [17:2]

There are other indications in this letter that it cannot have
been written at the date ascribed to it by the advocates of the
Ignatian Epistles. It contains an admonition to "pray for _kings_
(or _the_ kings), _authorities_, and _princes_." [18:1] We are not
at liberty to assume that these three names are precisely
synonymous. By kings, or _the_ kings, we may apparently understand
the imperial rulers; by authorities, consuls, proconsuls,
praetors, and other magistrates; and by princes, those petty
sovereigns and others of royal rank to be found here and there
throughout the Roman dominions. [18:2] Dr. Lightfoot, indeed,
argues that the translation adopted by some--"_the_ kings"--is
inadmissible, as, according to his ideas, "we have very good
ground for believing that the definite article had no place in the
original." [18:3] He has, however, assigned no adequate reason why
the article may not be prefixed. His contention, that the
expression "pray for kings" has not "anything more than a general
reference," [18:4] cannot be well maintained. In a case such as
this, we must be, to a great extent, guided in our interpretation
by the context; and if so, we may fairly admit the article, for
immediately afterwards Polycarp exhorts the Philippians to pray
for their persecutors and their enemies,--an admonition which
obviously has something more than "a general reference." Such an
advice would be inappropriate when persecution was asleep, and
when no enemy was giving disturbance. But, at the date when
Ignatius is alleged to have been martyred, Polycarp could not have
exhorted the Philippians to pray for "the kings," as there was
then only _one_ sovereign ruling over the empire.