Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

DIDACHE

(Gk. Didachḗ)

A common shorthand reference (Gk. “teaching”) for the early Christian writing entitled The Teaching of (the Lord to the Gentiles by) the Twelve Apostles. Divided by modern scholars into 16 brief chapters, this is a unique collection of early Christian sayings, liturgical traditions, and community directives. Only one complete copy remains in Greek (rediscovered in 1873), though the text’s ancient popularity is evident from scattered versions preserved in the Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Church Order, Life of Shenoute, Syntagma doctrinae, and Rule of Benedict.

An example of “evolved literature,” the Didache combines ancient sayings and traditions with guidance for early Church life over as many as three stages of composition. The final form may be dated between 70 and 150 c.e., though the source materials undoubtedly are older. The author or Didachist (a term variously used to refer either to the original compiler of the sources or to the final editor) appears to have been a Jewish Christian. This is suggested by the author’s focus upon OT literature and wisdom sayings (chs. 1–6), Jewish forms of baptism and thanksgiving prayers (chs. 7, 9–10), and a low Christology.

Early scholarship often assigned provenance of the text to Egypt because of its broad use there. More recent opinion favors Antioch or Syria, based upon the volatile church climate in that region. Palestinian influence certainly is possible. The purpose of the Didache is unclear. Typically referred to as an early Christian “handbook,” it may have been used for the instruction of catechumens or the training of church officials. Later Christians adopted the text for both purposes.

The Didache has at least three major sections: the so-called “Two Ways” material (1.1-6.3); liturgical and ecclesiastical instructions (7:1-15:4); and a brief apocalypse (16:1-8). In a broad sense, these three divisions probably represent the socio-historical process by which the materials were assembled for use within a specific, early Christian community. Scattered throughout are subsections which no doubt reveal later alterations in the writing.

The “Two Ways” section is a call to love God and neighbor, to distinguish between the way of life (1:1-2:7) and way of death (5:1-2), and to honor ancient wisdom as an avenue toward life (3:1-4:14). The author appeals to the Decalogue as a foundation for ethical living (2:1-7) and to contemporary household codes as a basis for order (4:9-11). These teachings bear no specifically Christian imprint, except where a block of Jesus’ sayings are secondarily inserted toward the beginning of the document (1:3b-2:1). Concluding verses (6:1-3), which form a warning to follow the teaching of life and to avoid food sacrificed to idols, serve as a bridge to the second major section. The “Two Ways” materials contain sayings which find a close parallel to materials in Barnabas 18-20. They would have served as appropriate instruction for new Christians and as a general community exhortation to follow an ethical life-style.

The liturgical and ecclesiastical section is a collection of intriguing topics. Preserved here are instructions about baptism (7:1-4), personal and meal prayers (8:1-10:7), wandering prophets (11:1-13:7), and community interaction (14:1-15:4). The materials reflect a church in its formative period, prior to the standardization of catholic Christianity. Three issues here serve as sources for debate: (1) The baptismal instructions reflect the common Jewish concerns of the earliest Church. (2) The eucharistic prayers (9:1-10:7) preserve either a unique approach to communion, a supplement to the scriptural words of institution used at eucharist, or an observance of an agapē feast. (3) Community regulations are addressed only to bishops and deacons, with no mention of presbyters.

The apocalypse serves to conclude the Didache much like the NT book of Revelation. It offers the hope of future reward for the righteous observance of an ethical lifestyle and appropriate church conduct. Gathered here are apocalyptic sayings which resemble materials from the NT Gospels and Pauline Epistles. Some scholars believe that this section may originally have served as a conclusion to the opening “Two Ways” section.

The Didache survives as an enigma of early Christian literature, though it appears to fit broadly into the early Church situation. The author depended heavily upon the Gospel of Matthew or some similar source, which gives the text a familiar feel. Ignatius of Antioch likely already knew of the Didache in some form by the end of the 1st century. Clement of Alexandria (early 3rd century) accepted it as Scripture, though Eusebius of Caesarea (early 4th century) rejected it as spurious. In his Festal Epistle 39 (367), Athanasius likewise rejected the canonical status of the text, but listed it as important reading material for instruction in the Christian faith.

Bibliography. C. N. Jefford, ed., The Didache in Context. NovTSup 77 (Leiden, 1995); R. A. Kraft, Barnabas and the Didache, vol. 3 of The Apostolic Fathers, ed. R. M. Grant (New York, 1965).

Clayton N. Jefford

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

DIDACHE

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)