Egypt and Syria are mentioned most often as possible places of origin of The Didache. The evidence is indirect and circumstantial, and complicated (again) by the document’s composite nature. The reference to “mountains” (9.4) would appear to suggest a Syrian or Syro-Palestinian provenance for at least some of the material. A final editing, however, may well have occurred elsewhere—indeed, almost anywhere.
The Didache and Canonical Early Christian Documents
The question of the relationship of The Didache to the early Christian documents that were later incorporated into the New Testament is a difficult one. Traditionally, scholars have viewed The Didache as dependent on one or two documents now found in the New Testament—Matthew, in particular, and perhaps Luke.[7] This conclusion, however, was for the most part built on the assumption that The Didache was composed some years or decades after the writing of Matthew and Luke. Once this assumption was exposed, the ambiguity of the data became evident. The term “gospel” occurs three times, but we cannot determine whether it refers to a written document or to the gospel story in general. Similarly, the parallels between Matthew and The Didache may be variously explained: direct (or perhaps only indirect) dependence of The Didache on Matthew; dependence of both documents on shared traditions (written or oral); dependence of Matthew on The Didache; or complete independence of The Didache from any known gospel source.[8]
Text
Apart from two minuscule fragments containing 1.3–4 and 2.7–3.2, the Greek text of The Didache has survived in only a single manuscript, Codex Hierosolymitanus (AD 1056), the famous codex discovered by Bryennios in 1873, which also includes Barnabas, 1 Clement, 2 Clement, and the long form of the Ignatian letters. Evidence is also preserved in later translations or documents that incorporate, often with numerous editorial changes or insertions, part or all of either The Didache or the antecedent Two Ways source. These witnesses, therefore, are largely indirect and can be used only with great care.
Bibliography
Commentaries
Kraft, Robert A. Barnabas and the Didache. Vol. 3 of The Apostolic Fathers, edited by R. M. Grant. New York: Nelson, 1965.
Milavec, Aaron. The Didache: Faith, Hope, and Life of the Earliest Christian Communities, 50–70 C.E. New York: Newman Press, 2003.
———. The Didache: Text, Translation, Analysis, and Commentary. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2003.
Niederwimmer, Kurt. The Didache. Hermeneia. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1998.
Studies
Aldridge, Robert E. “The Lost Ending of the Didache.” Vigiliae Christianae 53 (1999): 1–15.
Court, J. M. “The Didache and St. Matthew’s Gospel.” Scottish Journal of Theology 34 (1981): 97–107.
Draper, Jonathan A. “The Apostolic Fathers: The Didache.” Expository Times 117, no. 5 (2006): 177–81.
———. “Barnabas and the Riddle of the Didache Revisited.” Journal for the Study of the New Testament 58 (1995): 89–113.
———. The Didache in Modern Research. Leiden: Brill, 1996.
———. “The Jesus Tradition in the Didache.” In The Jesus Tradition Outside the Gospels, edited by D. Wenham, 269–87. Gospel Perspectives 5. Sheffield: JSOT, 1985.
———. “Resurrection and the Cult of Martyrdom in the Didache Apocalypse.” Journal of Early Christian Studies 5 (1997): 155–79.
Garrow, Alan J. P. The Gospel of Matthew’s Dependence on the Didache. London: T&T Clark, 2004.
Jefford, Clayton N. The Sayings of Jesus in the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles. Leiden: Brill, 1989.
———, ed. The Didache in Context: Essays on Its Text, History, and Transmission. Leiden: Brill, 1995.
Kraft, Robert A. “Didache.” In Anchor Bible Dictionary, edited by David Noel Freedman, 2:197–98. New York: Doubleday, 1992.
Tuckett, Christopher. “The Didache and the Writings That Later Became the New Testament.” In The Reception of the New Testament in the Apostolic Fathers, edited by Andrew Gregory and Christopher Tuckett, 83–127. Vol. 1 of The New Testament and the Apostolic Fathers. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.
Vokes, F. E. “Life and Order in an Early Church: the Didache.” ANRW 2.27.1 (1993): 209–33.
———. The Riddle of the Didache: Fact or Fiction, Heresy or Catholicism? London: SPCK, 1938.
THE DIDACHE
The teaching of the Lord to the Gentiles by the twelve apostles.
The Two Ways
1 There are two ways, one of life and one of death, and there is a great difference between these two ways.
The First Commandment of the Way of Life
2 Now this is the way of life: First, you shall love God, who made you. Second, you shall love your neighbor as yourself; but whatever you do not wish to happen to you, do not do to another. 3 The teaching of these words is this: Bless those who curse you, and pray for your enemies, and fast for those who persecute you. For what credit is it if you love those who love you? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? But you must love those who hate you, and you will not have an enemy. 4 Abstain from fleshly and bodily cravings. If someone gives you a blow on your right cheek, turn to him the other as well and you will be perfect. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles; if someone takes your cloak, give him your tunic also; if someone takes from you what belongs to you, do not demand it back, for you cannot do so. 5 Give to everyone who asks you, and do not demand it back, for the Father wants something from his own gifts to be given to everyone. Blessed is the one who gives according to the command, for such a person is innocent. Woe to the one who receives: if, on the one hand, someone who is in need receives, this person is innocent, but the one who does not have need will have to explain why and for what purpose he received, and upon being imprisoned will be interrogated about what he has done, and will not be released from there until he has repaid every last cent. 6 But it has also been said concerning this: “Let your gift sweat in your hands until you know to whom to give it.”
Title See the introduction. 1.2 you shall . . . yourself Cf. Matt. 22:37–39 (Mark 12:30–31); Luke 10:27; Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18. • whatever . . . another Cf. Matt. 7:12; Luke 6:31. 1.3 Bless . . . you Luke 6:28. • pray for . . . hate you Cf. Matt. 5:44–47; Luke 6:27–28, 32–33, 35. 1.4 Abstain . . . cravings Cf. 1 Pet. 2:11. • If someone . . . as well Cf. Matt. 5:39. • you will be perfect Cf. Matt. 5:48. • If someone forces . . . miles Matt. 5:41. • if someone takes your cloak . . . also Luke 6:29 (Matt. 5:40). • if someone takes from you . . . back Luke 6:30. 1.5 Give . . . back Luke 6:30.
The Second Commandment of the Way of Life
2 The second commandment of the teaching is: 2 You shall not murder; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not corrupt children; you shall not be sexually immoral; you shall not steal; you shall not practice magic; you shall not engage in sorcery; you shall not abort a child or commit infanticide. You shall not covet your neighbor’s possessions; 3 you shall not commit perjury; you shall not give false testimony; you shall not speak evil; you shall not hold a grudge. 4 You shall not be double-minded or double-tongued, for the double tongue is a deadly snare. 5 Your word must not be false or meaningless, but confirmed by action. 6 You shall not be greedy or avaricious, or a hypocrite or malicious or arrogant. You shall not hatch evil plots against your neighbor. 7 You shall not hate any one; instead you shall reprove some, and pray for some, and some you shall love more than your own life.
To Do and Not Do
3 My child, flee from evil of every kind and from everything resembling it. 2 Do not become angry, for anger leads to murder. Do not be jealous or quarrelsome or hot-tempered, for all these things breed murders. 3 My child, do not be lustful, for lust leads to sexual immorality. Do not be foulmouthed or let your eyes roam, for all these things breed adultery. 4 My child, do not be an augur, since it leads to idolatry. Do not be an enchanter or an astrologer or a magician, or even desire to see them, for all these things breed idolatry. 5 My child, do not be a liar, since lying leads
to theft. Do not be avaricious or conceited, for all these things breed thefts. 6 My child, do not be a grumbler, since it leads to blasphemy. Do not be arrogant or evil-minded, for all these things breed blasphemies.
1.5 will not be released . . . cent Cf. Matt. 5:26; Luke 12:59. 1.6 Let your gift . . . give it Source unknown; cf. Sir. 12:1–7. 2.2–3 You shall not murder . . . testimony Cf. Exod. 20:13–17; Matt. 5:33; 19:18. 3.4 augur One who attempts to foretell the future by examining the behavior or entrails of birds or animals. • see Some ancient authorities read see or hear.
7 Instead, be humble, for the humble shall inherit the earth. 8 Be patient and merciful and innocent and quiet and good, and revere always the words that you have heard. 9 Do not exalt yourself or permit your soul to become arrogant. Your soul shall not associate with the lofty, but live with the righteous and the humble. 10 Accept as good the things that happen to you, knowing that nothing transpires apart from God.
4 My child, remember night and day the one who preaches God’s word to you, and honor him as though he were the Lord. For wherever the Lord’s nature is preached, there the Lord is. 2 Moreover, you shall seek out daily the presence of the saints, so that you may find support in their words. 3 You shall not cause division, but shall make peace between those who quarrel. You shall judge righteously; you shall not show partiality when reproving transgressions. 4 You shall not waver with regard to your decisions.
5 Do not be one who stretches out the hands to receive but withdraws them when it comes to giving. 6 If you earn something by working with your hands, you shall give a ransom for your sins. 7 You shall not hesitate to give, nor shall you grumble when giving, for you will know who is the good paymaster of the reward. 8 You shall not turn away from someone in need, but shall share everything with your brother or sister, and do not claim that anything is your own. For if you are sharers in what is imperishable, how much more so in perishable things!
9 You shall not withhold your hand from your son or your daughter, but from their youth you shall teach them the fear of God. 10 You shall not give orders to your male slave or female servant (who hope in the same God as you) when you are angry, lest they cease to fear the God who is over you both. For he comes to call not with regard to reputation but those whom the Spirit has prepared. 11 And you slaves shall be submissive to your masters in respect and fear, as to a symbol of God.
12 You shall hate all hypocrisy and everything that is not pleasing to the Lord. 13 You must not forsake the Lord’s commandments but must guard what you have received, neither adding nor subtracting anything. 14 In church you shall confess your transgressions, and you shall not approach your prayer with an evil conscience. This is the way of life.
3.7 the humble . . . earth Matt. 5:5; Ps. 37:11. 4.1 remember . . . to you Cf. Heb. 13:7. 4.4 waver . . . decisions Lit. be of two minds whether it shall be or not. Cf. Barn. 19.5. • brother or sister Gk adelphō. 4.8 not claim . . . your own Cf. Acts 4:32. 4.9 withhold your hand from I.e., neglect your responsibility to. Cf. Barn. 19.5. 4.13 must guard . . . anything Cf. Deut. 4:2; 12:32 (LXX 13:1).
The Way of Death
5 But the way of death is this: first of all, it is evil and completely cursed; murders, adulteries, lusts, sexual immoralities, thefts, idolatries, magic arts, sorceries, robberies, false testimonies, hypocrisies, duplicity, deceit, pride, malice, stubbornness, greed, abusive language, jealousy, audacity, arrogance, boastfulness. 2 It is the way of persecutors of good people, of those who hate truth, love a lie, do not know the reward of righteousness, do not adhere to what is good or to righteous judgment, who are vigilant not for what is good but for what is evil, from whom gentleness and patience are far removed, who love worthless things, pursue a reward, have no mercy for the poor, do not work on behalf of the oppressed, do not know the one who made them, are murderers of children, corrupters of God’s creation, who turn away from someone in need, who oppress the afflicted, are advocates of the wealthy, lawless judges of the poor, utterly sinful. May you be delivered, children, from all these things!
The Right Choice
6 See that no one leads you astray from this way of the teaching, for such a person teaches you without regard for God. 2 For if you are able to bear the whole yoke of the Lord, you will be perfect. But if you are not able, then do what you can.
Concerning Food
3 Now concerning food, bear what you are able, but in any case keep strictly away from meat sacrificed to idols, for it involves the worship of dead gods.
Concerning Baptism
7 Now concerning baptism, baptize as follows: after you have reviewed all these things, baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in running water. 2 But if you have no running water, then baptize in some other water; and if you are not able to baptize in cold water, then do so in warm. 3 But if you have neither, then pour water on the head three times in the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit. 4 And before the baptism let the one baptizing and the one who is to be baptized fast, as well as any others who are able. Also, you must instruct the one who is to be baptized to fast for one or two days beforehand.
5.1 abusive language Or obscenity. 7.1 reviewed I.e., with those who are about to be baptized • in the name . . . Spirit Matt. 28:19. • running Lit. living (also in following sentence). 7.2 Cf. Tertullian, On Baptism 4: “It makes no difference whether a man be washed in a sea or a pool, a stream or a fountain, a lake or a trough.” 7.3 This appears to be the earliest reference to the Christian use of a mode of baptism other than immersion.
Concerning Fasts
8 But do not let your fasts coincide with those of the hypocrites. They fast on Monday and Thursday, so you must fast on Wednesday and Friday.
Concerning Prayer
2 Nor should you pray like the hypocrites. Instead, pray like this, just as the Lord commanded in his Gospel:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread,
and forgive us our debt, as we also forgive our debtors;
and do not lead us into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one;
for yours is the power and the glory forever.”
3 Pray like this three times a day.
8.1 But do not let . . . hypocrites Cf. Matt. 6:16. 8.2 Nor should you . . . hypocrites Cf. Matt. 6:5. • Our Father . . . forever Cf. Matt. 6:9–13. • the evil one Or evil. 9.1 the Eucharist Or the thanksgiving. The Gk word eucharistia, which in the NT is used in the general sense of “thankfulness” or “thanksgiving” (e.g., Acts 24:3; Phil. 4:6; 1 Thess. 3:9), soon became a technical term for the primary act of “giving thanks,” namely the Lord’s Supper (cf. Ign. Smyrn. 6.2; Justin Martyr, 1 Apology 65). 9.5 Do not . . . dogs Matt. 7:6. 10.3 servant Some ancient authorities read servant Jesus.
Concerning the Eucharist
9 Now concerning the Eucharist, give thanks as follows. 2 First, concerning the cup:
We give you thanks, our Father,
for the holy vine of David your servant,
which you have made known to us
through Jesus, your servant;
to you be the glory forever.
3 And concerning the broken bread:
We give you thanks, our Father,
for the life and knowledge
that you have made known to us
through Jesus, your servant;
to you be the glory forever.
4 Just as this broken bread was scattered upon the mountains and then was gathered together and became one,
so may your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom;
for yours is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ forever.
5 But let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist except those who have been baptized into the name of the Lord, for the Lord has also spoken concerning this: “Do not give what is ho
ly to dogs.”
10 And after you have had enough, give thanks as follows:
2 We give you thanks, Holy Father,
for your holy name, which you have caused to dwell in our hearts,
and for the knowledge and faith and immortality that you have made known to us through Jesus your servant;
to you be the glory forever.
3 You, almighty Master, created all things for your name’s sake,
and gave food and drink to humans to enjoy, so that they might give you thanks;
but to us you have graciously given spiritual food and drink,
and eternal life through your servant.
4 Above all we give thanks to you because you are mighty;
to you be the glory forever.
5 Remember your church, Lord,
to deliver it from all evil and to make it perfect in your love;
and from the four winds gather the church that has been sanctified into your kingdom,
which you have prepared for it;
for yours is the power and the glory forever.
6 May grace come, and may this world pass away.
Hosanna to the God of David.
If anyone is holy, let him come;
if anyone is not, let him repent.
Maranatha! Amen.
7 But permit the prophets to give thanks however they wish.
Concerning Teachers
11 So, if anyone should come and teach you all these things that have just been mentioned above, welcome him. 2 But if the teacher himself goes astray and teaches a different teaching that undermines all this, do not listen to him. However, if his teaching contributes to righteousness and knowledge of the Lord, welcome him as you would the Lord.
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