Since we have an outbreak of interest in Polycarp of Smyrna and I happen to be writing about him again
http://stephanhuller.blogspot.com/20...apter-two.html I thought I would ask a question that has been on my mind for some time. Given that the Martyrdom of Polycarp bears striking resemblance to the gospels in terms of the circumstances of Polycarp's death and Irenaeus is credited with writing the original account of Polycarp's death, are the parallels to be explained by Irenaeus writing Polycarp's martyrdom after the gospels or vice versa - i.e. that the gospel's account of Jesus wanting to die influenced by Irenaeus's devotion to Polycarp?