In chapters 6-8 Ignatius warns his readers against heresy. Here we have a clue for why Ignatius is so concerned that his readers submit themselves to their bishop. The reason is that it is through their bishop that they have access to the teachings handed down by the apostles.
One has to remember that this is prior both to the formulation of the creeds and the finalization of the NT canon. If Ignatius had been writing at a later date, I wonder whether the creeds and the NT canon may have taken over some of the authority that he invests in the bishop?
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