Posted on 04/14/2015 8:58:35 AM PDT by Salvation
Didache Ping!
The Didache, an early handbook of an anonymous Christian community, "is the most important book you've never heard of." It spells out a way of life for Jesus-followers, including how to show one another the love of God, how to practice the Eucharist, and how to take in wandering prophets.
Likely written before many of the New Testament books, this little-known text can enlighten the way that Christian are church, today.
Tony Jones's new book, The Teaching of the Twelve, unpacks this ancient document with insight and perspective, and traces the life of a small house church in Missouri that is trying to live according to its precepts.
Here is another, uncopyrighted, translation of the Didache, with a commentary.
http://bswett.com/1998-01Didache.html
Thanks be to God for the Didache!! It was written as early as the New Testament itself, and could ahve been used as a missal for mass. Thanks for posting Salvation! Happy Easter Tide.
sorry - could have been used - at least the portion about the Eucharist, could have been used as a guideline for mass.
The Didache is like the notes a writer uses before a book is written.
JOSEY WALES: You be Ten Bears?
TEN BEARS: I am Ten Bears.
JOSEY: (Spits tobacco) I'm Josey Wales.
TEN BEARS: I have heard. You're the Gray Rider. You would not make peace with the Blue Coats. You may go in peace.
JOSEY: I reckon not. Got nowhere to go.
TEN BEARS: Then you will die.
JOSEY: I came here to die with you. Or live with you. Dying ain't so hard for men like you and me, it's living that's hard; when all you ever cared about has been butchered or raped. Governments don't live together, people live together. With governments you don't always get a fair word or a fair fight. Well I've come here to give you either one, or get either one from you. I came here like this so you'll know my word of death is true. And that my word of life is then true. The bear lives here, the wolf, the antelope, the Comanche. And so will we. Now, we'll only hunt what we need to live on, same as the Comanche does. And every spring when the grass turns green and the Comanche moves north, he can rest here in peace, butcher some of our cattle and jerk beef for the journey. The sign of the Comanche, that will be on our lodge. That's my word of life.
TEN BEARS: And your word of death?
JOSEY: It's here in my pistols, there in your rifles. I'm here for either one.
TEN BEARS: These things you say we will have, we already have.
JOSEY: That's true. I ain't promising you nothing extra. I'm just giving you life and you're giving me life. And I'm saying that men can live together without butchering one another.
TEN BEARS: It's sad that governments are chiefed by the double-tongues. There is iron in your word of death for all Comanche to see. And so there is iron in your words of life. No signed paper can hold the iron, it must come from men. The words of Ten Bears carries the same iron of life and death. It is good that warriors such as we meet in the struggle of life... or death. It shall be life.
The Didache - The Complete Text
Catholic Word of the Day: DIDACHE (Teaching of the twelve Apostles), 03-20-14
Excerpt from: The Didache (The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
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The Didache - The Lord's Teaching Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations
Mr. Swett makes this comment on the origin and dating of the Didache:
The long title of the Didache in the manuscript dated 1056 reads: “The Teaching of the Lord by the Twelve Apostles to the Gentiles” but I believe the original title was “The Teaching of the Apostles to the Gentiles” and the rest was inserted later.
Certainly Barnabas and Paul were “The Apostles to the Gentiles.” If the Didache is a sample of their teaching, as it certainly seems to be, then it must be dated no later than AD 49 because that was when they went their separate ways. The most probable date is either AD 44 or AD 47. In either case, those dates are earlier than anything in the New Testament. Therefore, I believe the Didache is the earliest Christian document we have. Although rightly regarded as a church handbook and not a Gospel or absolutely based on the teachings of Jesus, it provides valuable insights concerning the moral doctrines, theology, rituals, esoteric operations and congregational testing of apostles and prophets, and the basic organization of First Century Christianity.”
Thanks, I like that explanation.
If only it were true...
Why do you say that?
From the link that a non-Catholic, Grey Friar posted.
Fourteen years after Paul’s first visit to Jerusalem probably equates to AD 47. The Didache may be what Paul laid before the leaders in Jerusalem — a summary document prepared in advance for just that purpose — or more likely from the way it sounds, a set of lecture notes taken while Barnabas and Paul and Titus were speaking. In either case it is worth noting that in the Didache and in Acts 15:12 Barnabas speaks first. He was the leader at Antioch. Paul was his assistant.
when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Peter and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. (Galatians 2:9)
Oh it’s ‘true’... in 1056...
Please read Grey Friar’s link. It has correct dates.
The Didache was a FORERUNNER to the Bible, remember?
5:1 The way of death...is evil and accursed—murders, adulteries, lust, illicit sex, thefts, idolatries, magical arts, sorceries, robberies, false testimonies, hypocrisy,double-heartedness,deceit, haughtiness, depravity, self-will, greediness, filthy talking, jealousy, over-confidence, loftiness, boastfulness—those who do not fear God.
5:2 The way of death is the way of those who persecute the good, hate the truth, love lies, and do not understand the reward for righteousness. They do not cleave to good or righteous judgment; they do not watch for what is good, but for what is evil. They are strangers to meekness and patience, loving vanities, pursuing revenge, without pity for the needy and oppressed. They do not know their Creator; they are murderers of children, destroyers of God's image. They turn away from those who are in need, making matters worse for those who are distressed. They are advocates for the rich, unjust judges of the poor. In a word, the way of death is full of those who are steeped in sin. Be delivered, children, from all of this!
Many believe it to be an interpreted copy of what "we wrote" following the confrontation between Paul and Peter with regard to the place of Mosaic Law in the former's mission to the Gentiles.
Considering the language, the original informal Koine Greek that Paul wrote, and the very few oldest fragments of what is certain to have already been an Book choice and order corresponding to what we have received already in existence by the middle of the 3rd century, the earliest fragments of The Didache may be 150 years older, dating from the early persecutions.
While I personally don't believe it was essential to include it in the eventual Canon, it might have been well placed immediately after Acts, or at least in the original form (since I maintain this is an interpretation, though contemporary, if it is, indeed, a product of Peter and Paul's "conference).
Wikipedia has an entry, of sorts, if one doesn't mind taking the secular discussion there with the usual grain of salt.
Having dealt with early Christian history and literature to a certain extent, I want to add a few thoughts:
Although some date the Didache to the mid first century A.D., the reality is probably somewhat more complicated. The actual date is unknown, with suggested dates ranging from the late 40’s A.D. to ca. 190 A.D. Most date it in the early second century. But none of this perhaps gives the complete picture.
The Didache is the earliest example of what might be called “church order literature”. A modern example would be something like the Methodist Discipline. The Methodist Discipline has been periodically updated, so referring to the “Methodist Discipline” is not sufficient to ascertain the time period. It could be from as early as 1784 or as late as 2012. Likewise, the Didache probably also underwent revisions. The fourth century A.D. Apostolic Constitutions appears to be based upon the Didache and be a revision and expansion of it.
Even a second century date does not rule out the possibility of later interpolations, which were not uncommon, especially with regard to elements that do not fit the time period. The best example is probably the reference to pouring, which is a unique reference in this time period. The Apostolic Constitutions, which otherwise seems to rely on the Didache, does not include this section.
Although the Didache in its present form is likely not a first century document, the nature of church order literature along with certain elements within the text makes it highly likely that significant portions do date back to the first century. The references to “prophets” echoes the first century presence of people with supernatual gifts of the Holy Spirit given by the laying on of the apostles’ hands. The reference to “bishops and deacons” also echoes the first century form of church government, which would gradually change into a threefold hierarchy: bishop, elders, and deacons.
The Didache, the Epistle of Barnabas, and the Shepherd of Hermas are sometimes dated in the first century A.D. Of these three, the Didache is the only one that has even a halfway decent chance. At this point the only first century Christian document outside of the New Testament that can be definitely dated is the First Letter of Clement of Rome, dated A.D. 96.
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