1 Keep vigil over your life. Let your lamps not go
1. Eschatological Parenesis (16.1-2) 16 _ _
1 Keep vigil over your life. Let your lamps not go out and let your loins not be weak but be ready, for you do not know the hour at which our Lord is coming.
2 You shall assemble frequently, seeking what pertains to your souls, for the whole time of your belief will be of no profit to you unless you are perfected at the final hour.
Comment yppyopeZre and therefore is associated with it at this point:
■ 1 One must admit that the introductory call to "keep vigil," yppyopelre ktA. (v. la), appears without warn ing. We would at least expect yppyopelTe ovv. . . . This does not mean that vv. 1-2 are quoted from a source. In my opinion the Didachist is formulating for himself here
(as also in v. 2), making use of traditional parenetic material and particularly such material as is associated with the Christian anticipation of the end. rppyopeZp1
(in a transferred sense) is sometimes, as here, a charac teristic expression in eschatologically motivated parene sis, especially in the imperative; cf. Mark 13:35 par.; Matt
25:13; 1 Cor 16:13.2 rppyopelre inrep rrjq fcopq vpwv ol Av\vol upuiv pr) ofieo$r]Two(xv, Kal at docpveq vpwv pp EKAveod^aav (v. lb)
("Let your lamps not be quenched and your loins not be weak") This is an admonitory, rousing aphorism in parallelismus membrorum.5 Cf. Luke 12:35; but the differences between this and the Lukan text are too great to indicate literary dependence6—to say nothing of the fact that at least the metaphor of the ootpveq ("loins," connecting with the biblical tradition in Exod 12:ll;Jer 1:17, and frequently elsewhere) is in broad Christian usage (Eph 6:14; 1 Pet
1:13). The Didachist does not make it obvious that the logion is a saying of the Lord, but he probably under stood it to be one (as did his readers); he quotes the say ing in the form of oral tradition (or as a quotation from a special sayings source?)7 in which it was available to him.8 The Avyvoi are the common oil lamps with two is, however, an unusual combination.3 It seems to mean
"watch over one's life"4 in the sense of disciplining one's body and life against the temptations of the Evil One.
The Didachist does mean this, as he shows by quoting immediately from the Jesus tradition, which serves him, so to speak, as a commentary on the imperative
1 Albrecht Oepke, "e^eyelpw ktA.," TDNT 2 (1964) 338-39; Johannes M. Niitzel, "yppyopew," EDNT 1
(1990)264-65. sible to derive from this (as does Drews, "Untersuchungen," 68) an original connection between chaps. 1-6 and 16. At most this could be a deliber ate allusion by the Didachist.
5 Schaff, Church Manual, 96.
2 Tpipyopelp in an eschatological sense (other than the imperative usage) is found in 1 Thess 5:6; Rev
3:2-3; 16.15. For the whole subject, cf. Methodius Symposium, 5.3.114 (GCS 55): Aid npoorjKep acrjSeotop ev rr} Kapdla rrjq iriorewq e^axj/aPTaq top
6 In comparison to the Lukan text the positions of XvXPOt and oopveq are reversed. (Cf. also the pas sage from Methodius in n. 2 above.) Instead of AuxAvxvov, Kal Tpp dopin' draftooapepovq rr) owppoovvr), eyppyopepat Kal irpooboKdp del pol . . . prj ofieoxdrjTaaap, Luke has the positive
KatopePOL; instead of oopveq . . . eKXveoflwoap, Luke reads rt e ptefao pep ai. Against dependence on Luke are Koester, Synoptische Uberlieferung, top Kvptov ("therefore it is fitting to enkindle in the heart the unquenchable fire of faith, and having girt the loins with prudence, to ever await and expect the Lord").
3 Harnack (Lehre, 60), also emphasizing the unusual character of the expression, still refers to Heb
13:17, where it is said of the pyovpePOL' aypvirvoi)- 175-76; and Aono, Entuiicklung, 178.
7 Cf. Glover, "Quotations," 22.
8 There is a truncated version of the logion (to be understood as gnostic) in Gos. Thom. (Coptic) 21b
(trans. of Helmut Koester and Thomas O.
Lambdin, in James M. Robinson, ed., The Nag Hammadi Library in English [3d ed.; San Francisco:
HarperCollins, 1990] 129): "be on your guard against the world. Arm yourselves with great strength lest the robbers find a way to come to you." olp virep tup xf/vx^P vpcop ("for they are keeping watch over your souls").
4 Cf. BAGD, s.v. The expression could be an allusion to the Two Ways tractate and thus a further associa tion with the beginning of the Didache. It is not pos
16.1-2 apertures, one for the wick and another for filling the lamp with oil. For the metaphor /ur/ ofieoftriTutoav9 it is probably correct to recall that the lamps burned all night long (originally for apotropaic reasons).10 Not let ting the lamps go out means always to be on the alert.
Al ootpxjeg vpain py) GKAveofiwoav is less clear than the analogous biblical expressions in Exod 12:ll;Jer 1:17, and elsewhere in the Jewish Scriptures, and then in Luke
■ 2 Verse 2a is one of what we might call the "special materials pieces" in the final chapter. In this admonition to frequent attendance (or attendance in large num bers?) at community worship we hear the voice of a gen eration in which there is already the danger that first love will grow cold: the Didachist is speaking. Compare this with Heb 10:25 and Barn. 19.10, where similar admonitions are placed in an eschatological context.
Apart from that, such warnings are traditional.16
Understandably enough they are especially frequent in the "postapostolic" period.17 IIuKPccg ovnax^poeode18
("assemble frequently") urges frequent gatherings of the community (should we understand this to mean that they should take place during the week and not only on the Lord's day?), or else that the assemblies should be large.19 Ignatius Eph. 13.1 sounds very similar: onovSafere ovv itvKvoTepov owepxea$at eig euxapiortav deov Kai eig 86%av. oTav yap irvKVwg eiri to ai)to yivecr&e . . . ("Hasten then to come together more frequently for thanksgiving and praise of God. For when you come together frequently . . ."). The gathering is for the good of souls: ra avpKOVTa raig \pvx&lg means
"what your souls need."20 The reference to the useful ness of coming together is traditional: compare Barn.
4.10: aAA' €7rt to ax)to ovvepxopevoi avv^pTeiTe irepi 12:35; Eph 6:14; 1 Pet 1:13. The biblical phrase means
"to belt the garment which is worn ungirdled in the house or in times of relaxation, with a view to greater mobility for work, for travel, for battle, etc."11 By con trast, the didachistic expression means "do not let your loins be flabby"12—but it probably implies the same imagery as that in Luke 12:35.
The two-line metaphor (Av\voi — ooxpveg) was an interpretation of the introductory yppyopelTe. Now in v. lc the interpretation of the metaphor itself follows: aAAa yiveofie eroipor ov yap oldare tt)p copat', ev r)
6 Kupcog ppwu epxerat ("but be ready, for you know not the hour in which our Lord comes"). A similar say ing is handed down both in Q (Matt 24:44/Luke 12:40) and in Mark 13:(33 and) 35; cf. Matt 24:42 and 25:13. In Did. 16.1 the^e is another, independent13 tradition.14
The didachistic version (probably taken again from oral tradition—or from a sayings collection?) is closer to the Q version.15 tov KOLvij ovpxpepovTog ("But when you come together seek for the common good"), and the contrary warning
14 Rev 3:3 and 2 Clem. 12.1 offer only remote parallels.
15 Only in replacing "Son of man" with Kyrios does the Didache version more closely recall Mark and its par allels. This replacement could, however, be the work of the Didachist, for whom Kyrios is the title of exal tation for Jesus.
16 From early Judaism, cf. to. 'Abot 2.4b (Marti and Beer, 43): "Hillel said: Do not separate yourself from the congregation." See further in Str-B 3.743.
The metaphor of "girding one's loins" (Leipoldt, "Shenute," p. 51) or "arming oneself" (Koester and Lambdin) is also found in Gos. Thom. 103.
9 Matt 25:8: bore i]piv ek tov eXalov vptiv, otl ai Xapirabeq ppwv o^evvvvTaL ("Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out").
10 H. P. Ruger in BHH 2.1047. Cf. also Rul. Ben. 22.4
(CSEL 752, 84): Candela iugiter in eadem cella ardeat usque mane ("let the candle therefore in the cell burn until dawn").
11 Heinrich Seesemann, "dcnpvq," TDNT 5 (1967) 496.
12 Cf. BAC.D, s.v. 6k\voj.
13 See the discussion of the relationship between Did.
16.1 and the Synoptic tradition in Koester, Synoptische Uberlieferung, 176-77, with the conclu sion at p. 189. Koester attributes the material in v. 1 to the whole body of common apocalyptic motifs. I would prefer to think of v. lb as a dominical saying, and I do not consider it impossible even at v. lc (in spite of 6 Kvptoq ppav) that the Didachist is con sciously quoting a word of the Lord from the mem ories contained in his oral tradition (changing it, however, by the addition of 6 KVptoq ppwv).
17 1 Clem. 46.2; 2 Clem. 17.3; Barn. 4.10; 10.11; Hermas Vis. 3.6.2; Sim. 8.9.1; 9.26.3; Ignatius Eph. 13.1; 20.2;
Pol. 4.2. Later: Ps.-Clement Ep. Clem. 9.2 (CCS2 1.12); Horn. 3.69.2 (GCS2 1.81-82).
18 Evvayeodax, is reflexive, as in 14.1. Does this betray the hand of the Didachist? It is used differ ently in the text of the liturgical section at 9.4.
19 Funk, Patres apostolici, 35: either "crebri congregamini" or "crebro convenite" ("come together fre quently"). The latter interpretation is said to be more probable. So also Drews, "Apostellehre," 282.
To the contrary: Knopf, Lehre, 38; Wengst, Didache, 89.
20 BAGD, s.v. dfrjKM. Wengst (Didache, 89 n. 128)
against the consequences of not gathering together in Hermas Sim. 9.26.3: p,ovd^ovreg dvroAAuouox rag eavtuv \j/vxdig ("Those who are in isolation destroy vvv (on which Harnack placed so much emphasis)22 proves nothing about the originality of that version.
'Avtlotupev ("let us resist," instead of re^etwt?r)re) results in Barnabas from the reference to the avopog
Kcapoq ("lawless time"). The reAetw^fjre in the Didache version is not connected by any thought process to Did. their souls"). Such admonitions already express a kind of pastoral concern. Beyond this the present passage intro duces a further motivation, apparently thought to be pri mary: ov 7dp axpeAijuei vpaq 6 irag xpovog rrjg moTeuq vptiv, eav prj ev rw eaxdrw Kaupu reAet1.4 or 6.2. The aphorism known to the Didachist (from oral tradition?) speaks of the usefulness of accepting the Christian faith.23 This benefit, acquired over a lifetime, will be lost if the faithful should fail at the last hour.
Thus cv to) eoxocTcp nai-pcc ("at the final hour") the whole period of believing is once again at risk, and it is especially vital that one should not fail at that moment, in extremis.24 The eox&Toq Kcnpoq is the point in time when the apocalyptic catastrophes will begin,25 the moment at which the end of the universe and the judg ment of the world come near.26 To stand firm in faith at that hour means "being found perfect." It is only in this firmness in face of the coming trial that faith is per fected.
GifirjTe ("for the whole time of your belief will be of no profit to you unless you are perfected at the final hour," v. 2b). This verse has a parallel in Barn. 4.9, but it can scarcely be a quotation from Barnabas.21 The Didache has the shorter and probably older form of the aphorism:
Didache ov yap dtpeArjaeL vpag 6 mg xpovog rfjg irLorewg vpdv, eav prj ev rw eoxarcp naipu> Barnabas ovbev yap u<pe\r)oeL ppag 6 mg xpovog rrjg fafjg Kal rfig 'Ktoreag ripdiv, eav pr) vvv ev rw avopw Kaipw mi rolg peAAovoiv omvbaAocg, ag Ttpeitei vLolg deov, dvriOTupev.
The additions in Barnabas appear secondary, and the With eoxorroq Kcccpoq ("final hour") the Didachist himself has introduced the central concept for the con cluding apocalypse.
TeAeLadrjre.
23 The reference is to eternal life as the outcome of faith.
24 Cf. 2 John 8 (although there with a view to the threat posed by false teachers).
25 Ev raj eoxarco naipw (v. 2) is taken up and inter preted by ev yap raig ecrydraeg ppepatg here after, in v. 3. See Bammel, "Schema," 259.
26 Ev Katpw eoxanc, 1 Pet 1:5; eoyaroi natpoL, Ignatius Eph. 11.1; ev eoxaroeg Kacpolg, T. Iss. 6.1. interprets ipvxV simply as a substitute for the rela tive pronoun (as in Did. 2.7).
21 Quotation from Barnabas is posited by Harnack, Robinson, Connolly, Vokes, Muilenburg, and Richardson. On this, see above, p. 209 nn. 20-25.
Funk (Abhandlungen, 117-24) gives the opposite explanation: Barnabas is dependent on the Didache.
According to Drews ("Apostellehre," 282) this sen tence was already in the Two Ways tractate, on which both Barnabas and the Didache depend. This was previously suggested by Ehrhard, Altchristliche
Litteratur, 51; and after him by Creed, "Didache,"
379; and Kraft, Didache, 15 (as a possibility).
22 Cf. note 21 above and p. 209 n. 20.
16.3-8 a. The Appearance of False Prophets and the Collapse of the Christian Community (16.3-4a) 2.The Apocalypse 3 For in the final days false prophets and cor rupters will be multiplied, and the sheep will turn into wolves, and love will turn into hate.
4a As lawlessness increases, they will hate and persecute and betray one another.
■ 3 '£V 7dtp ralg eoxdraLg ppepaig takes up the key phrase ev rw eaxctrw Kcapui in the previous verse.1 I believe there is a seam between vv. 2 and 3.2 3 Beginning with v. 3 the Didachist quotes a small but well-organized
Christian apocalypse that, at least in v. 7, he expands with a scriptural reference from his own pen, as we will see. The apocalypse begins with the temporal note "in the final days." The eaxoiTOti ppepoti7, are the "last days of humanity," before the end arrives. They begin (as the readers should know) with a sudden increase in the numbers of false prophets and seducers of the commu nities. For the notion of "being multiplied," irXrjfivv&r)oovtoll, cf. Matt 24:12 (8ux to nXpdvvdfjvaL tt)v avopiav, "and because of the increase of lawlessness").4 where it refers to the false teachers.5 The appearance of false teachers is a feature of the last days;6 cf. especially
Matt 24:11 and 7:15.7 Associated with the appearance of the false teachers is the apostasy of Christian communi ties: OTpct<pr]OOVTa.L rd irpo^ara elg XvKOvg, koll rj
(xydirrj OTpatpriaeraL elg ploog ("the sheep will turn into wolves and love will turn into hate," v. 3b).8 The apocalypticist makes use of the familiar contrasting pair of sheep and wolves9 and gives the metaphor a special meaning in this context: the reference to sheep that are transformed into wolves can, but need not, mean the false teachers.10 More probable is another interpretation:
"former believers will become enemies."11 The continua tion seems to describe the same process in different
"False prophet" was a key phrase in the piece of tradi tion in Did. 11/4-12 (vv. 5, 6, 8, 9, 10)—although there without any apocalyptic reference, ${}opeZg ("cor rupters," sc. TrXaopaTog $eoD) was used quite differ ently in the Two Ways tractate (cf. Did. 5.2) than here,
1 Bammel, "Schema," 259.
2 This was emphasized especially by Bammel, "Schema"; however, he combines this observation with hypotheses I cannot share (cf. above, p. 209 n. 4]).
3 Singular: John 6:39-40, 44, 54; 7:37; 11:24; 12:48; Hermas Vis. 2.2.5. Plural: Acts 2:17; 2 Tim 3:1; Heb v. 3 among the elements from an apocalyptic tradi tion behind both the Didache and Matt 24:10-12; similarly Kloppenborg, "Matthaean Tradition," 66.
8 ETpatp'qaovTai — 0Tpa<pr)O€T(u is paronomasia.
See BDF, §488.1; BDR, §488.1. Wengst {Didache. 88) eliminates OTpa<pr)0€Ta.L (with the Apostolic Consti tutions).
9 Matt 7:15 is the closest parallel. The metaphor is also found in Matt 10:16 (Luke 10:3); John 10:12;
Acts 20:29.
10 On false teachers see Gunther Bornkamm, "AVKOg,"
TDNT 4 (1967) 311.
11 Koester, Synoptische Uberlieferung, 179. Koester (in view of the question of possible dependence of this passage on Matt 7:15) observes correctly that "the same image is used very frequently, and always with a difference. Therefore, common use of the same metaphor, while giving a different meaning to the image, says nothing about literary dependence"
(ibid.). By contrast, there are direct quotations (of differing quality) in 2 Clem. 5.2-4; Justin 1 Apol.
1:2; Jas 5:3; 2 Pet 3:3; Barn. 4.9; 12.9; 16.5; 2 Clem.
14.2; Hermas Sim. 9.12.3. In a different sense:
Hermas Vis. 3.12.2.
4 Matt 24:11: the appearance of false prophets.
5 Cf. Const. 6.13.3, where \pev56xpiOTOL, if/ev8o- ■7ipo<prjTaL, ipevbocnooToXoi, irXavoL Kai pdopeig are listed.
6 Mark 13:5-6 par., 21-22 par.; 1 Tim 4:1-3; 2 Pet 3:3-4; Apoc. Pet. 1-2 (Akhmimic fragment, fol. 10r.;
Adolf von Harnack, Bruchstiicke der Evangelien und der Apokalypse des Petrus [2d ed.; TU 9.2; Leipzig:
Hinrichs, 1893] 16); Sib. Or. 2.165-66; 3.68-74; As.
Mos. 7.3-10; Apoc. Elijah 1.13-14, etc.
7 Did. 16.3 need not for this reason rest on Matt 24:11: Koester (Synoptische Uberlieferung, 189) counts
16.13 (Goodspeed, 37); Dial. 35.3 (130).
words. The love that had been at work in the communi ties12 is suddenly transformed into hatred13—a character istic moment within the perversions of the last days.14
The parallel in Matt 24:12, \fvypoetocl rj dybarp tuv Brothers and sisters become enemies18 and the conse quence, in the situation in which Christians are placed within society (namely, that of constant insecurity that can at any moment turn into persecution), is that one sis ter or brother persecutes and betrays another.
Ilapabwoovoi means that apostate Christians are denouncing their former fellow believers to the authori ties.
7roAAwE ("the love of many will grow cold"), has a some what different meaning.15
■ 4a Verse 4a gives a reason for the events in the commu nities: the increase of lawlessness (av^apovor]g yap tx)c, dpopLag; cf. Matt 24:12).16 It also paints a picture of the consequences, mutual hatred (p.Lar)OOVOLP aAArjAovg
Kal biw^ovoi Kal TrapabuoovoL] cf. Matt 24:10).17
12 This is, of course, considered as the eschatological salvation that is evident in the communities in a special way.
13 Mloog is in the vice list in Hermas Sim. 9.15.3.
14 Remotely comparable is 2 Bar. 48.35.
15 Is there, however, a common source (so Koester, Synoptische Uberlieferung, 189; Kloppenborg,
"Matthaean Tradition," 66-67)? Has the Didache preserved the more original version (suggested by Koester, Synoptische Uberlieferung, 178-79)?
16 Kal Sta to TtAptivpfifjpaL rr)v avoplav. . . .
17 Kal aAArjAorg TtapabwaovoLV Kal piopaovoiv aAArjAovq. Dependence on Matthew is not com pelling; again there may be mutual dependence on a common tradition. See Koester, Synoptische Uberlie ferung, 189; analogously: Kloppenborg, "Matthaean
Tradition," 66-67.
18 Cf. 4 Ezra 6:24; 2 Bar. 70.3.
16.4b-d b.The Appearance of the Antichrist (16.4b—d) 4b-d And at that time the one who leads the world astray will appear as a "son of God" and will work signs and wonders, and the earth will be given into his hands, and he will do god less things which have never been done since the beginning of time.
"that this is the deceiver who must come into the world and do signs and wonders in order to deceive."8 The world deceiver becomes the world ruler: Kai p yrj itapaboftpoeTai eig x^potg avrov (v. 4c).9 That is, the whole inhabited world10 is subjected to his seduction and will be handed over to him as a demonic imperator mundi,n In v. 4d, finally, the demonic world ruler com mits wicked deeds, aftepuTa,12 such as have not occurred since the beginning of the world: a ovdeTtore yeyovev e| aiwvog. Behind the whole expression may be a recollection of Dan 12:1, but we should note that 'dAlpig (as in the Synoptic apocalypse in Mark
Comment ■ 4b-d This new phase in the apocalyptic drama is intro duced by Kai Tore ("at that time"). The text presuppos es the epiphany of the Antichrist,1 who will blind people with signs and wonders (v. 4b; cf. Mark 13:22/Matt
24:24).2 3 The Antichrist here bears the name KoapoirAavpg? that is, the one who "leads the world astray," deceives it, betrays it: the great betrayer of the world.4
His betrayal consists in his appearance in the form of a son of God: <pavr)oeTca . . . rig viog fieov.5 The diaboli cal, deceptive masquerade of God's adversary is one of the typical events of the end time.6 The next motif also stems from that field: the Antichrist deceives and seduces people by the signs and wonders he performs.7
Closest to this Didache passage is Apoc. Pet. 2 (Ethiopic):
/ 1 Wilhelm Bousset, The Antichrist Legend: A Chapter in Christian and Jeiuish Folklore (London: Hutchinson,
5 Tide; deov appears only here in the Didache.
Absolute vioq (= Jesus) occurs in the liturgical sec tion at Did. 7.1, 3.
6 The devil who alters his appearance is found in Adam and Eve 9; 2 Cor 11:14; T. Job 6.4; in apocalyp
1896); ET of Der Antichrist in der Uberlieferung des Judentums, des neuen Testaments und der alten Kirche
(Gottingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1895); Ernst Lohmeyer, "Antichrist," RAC 1 (1950) 450-57;
Rudolf Schnackenburg, The Johannine Letters: A Commentary (trans. Reginald and Ilse Fuller; New
York: Crossroad, 1992) 135-44; Josef Ernst, "dt'TtXPLorog," EDNT 1 (1990) 111.
2 For the relationship to the Synoptic tradition, see below.
3 H reads KoapoirAapriq, which the Apostolic Constitutions improves to KoaponAdpoq: so also
Bryennios, Aibaxp, 54; Harnack, Lehre, 62; Knopf, Lehre, 39; Wengst, Didache, 88. Constitutions also has
(in 7.32.4) /cara/cptt'at top KOopoitAdvov biafioAov. The KoopoitAavpq in the traditional text is a hapax legomenon. Commentary is provid ed, e.g., by 2 John 7: 6 irAavoq Kai 6 dPTixpiaroq.
Cf. 2 Thess 2:3-4, 8-9; Justin Dial. 110 (Goodspeed, 226); Sib. Or. 3.68; and esp. Apoc. Pet. 2 (Ethiopic)
(NTApoc, 2.626). The Antichrist as irAdpoq is found in Hippolytus De Antichr. 6 (CCS 1.2, p. 8).
4 Cf. Rev 12:9 (of the devil): o 7tAaPWP tt)p oiKovpeprjp oArjp ("the one who makes the whole world go astray"). tic contexts in Apoc. Elijah 3.16-18; Hippolytus De
Antichr. 6 (CCS 1.2, p. 8): /card itapra yap e£ogLOLOvafiaL ftovAerai. 6 irAdpoq tu> via tou fieov
("the deceiver desires to be likened in every way to the Son of God," lines 1-2).
7 Cf. 2 Thess 2:9; Rev 13:13; 19:20; Beliar: Sib. Or.
2.167-68; 3.66-67. The Synoptic apocalypse pre dicts the appearance of false christs and false prophets who lead astray by means of signs and wonders: Mark 13:22/Matt 24:24. See below.
8 Translation: Hugo Duensing in NTApoc, 2.626.
9 There is no parallel to this sentence in the Synoptic tradition. For the subject cf. Rev 13:7b: /cat ebobrj aura e^ovoia em ndoap pvApp /cat Aaou /cat yAaooaP Kai e'dvoq ("And power was given to him over every tribe and people and tongue and nation").
10 rrj is used in this sense, as in Luke 21:35 and else where. BAGD, s.v.
11 For irapadibopaL rtra eiq x^tpdq Tipoq (a bibli cal expression), cf. BAGD, s.v. Ttapabibupu.
12 Adeptra (the substantive occurs only here in our
13:19/Matt 24:21) is replaced in the Didache by atfe/ura.13 It is uncertain whether our apocalypticist refers to persecution of Christians when he writes dt^g/uro:,14 but the continuation suggests that this is the case.15 literature) is from adeptroq (properly cede/.uoToq).
BAGD, s.v., refers to Xenophon Mem. 1.1.9
(Marchant, II): rovg ra Totavra irapa mv dewv irvvdavopevovq adeptra Troielv riyelro ("to put such questions to the gods seemed to his mind pro fane ). For the subject as in the Didache, cf. perhaps
Justin Dial. 110.2 (Goodspeed, 226), where it is said Mark. Verse 4b has no special relationship to Matthew; if there was a special connection to the Synoptic tradition it would have to consist in a rela tionship to some postulated pre-Markan apocalypse.
Did. 16.4b is, however, closer to the text of Apoc. Pet.
2 (Ethiopic) than to the Synoptic parallels. Verse 4c is "special material" throughout. Verse 4d reflects generally available apocalyptic material, perhaps with a particular reminiscence of Dan 12:1. There is no special connection to Matt 24:21 or Mark 13:19.
Koester (Synoptische Uberlieferung, 181-82) analyzed the section and came to a negative conclusion. In this context (p. 189) he assigns it to the material that "stems from one and the same Jewish apoca lypse" that would have been available as a model for Didache 16 and Mark 13. of the avdpwiroq rrjq anooTaoLaq6 Kai eiq top v\//lotov e|aAAa ActAaS^, eni Trjq yfjg avopa
ToXprjari eiq r)paq rovq xptoTiavovq ("The man of rebellion: he who speaks outrages against the Most High and on earth dares iniquities against us
Christians").
13 Cf. also As. Mos. 8.1.
14 Differently Knopf, Lehre, 39: "horrors, wicked deeds, the worst of which is probably the divine worship that the Antichrist demands for himself."
15 Literary dependence of this passage (16.4b-d) on Matthew cannot be proved, nor can dependence on
16.5 c. The Great Apostasy and the Preservation of the Faithful (16.5) 5 Then human creation will pass into the testing fire and many will be scandalized and perish, but those who persevere in their belief will be saved by the curse itself. those who remain faithful, who withstand the test (v. 5c; cf. Matt 10:22b; 24:13; Mark 13:13b).7 The promise of an eschatological remnant that will be saved is a feature of apocalyptic tradition.8 Oi vTTop.eiva.VTeq ev Trj irioTei. avmv9 probably does not mean "to endure in faith" but Comment ■ 5 A new section is once again signaled by Tore. In this case the beginning has no parallel in the language of the Synoptic tradition.1 Upon humanity, or more precisely over the human "creation" (rj Kriocq tuv av&penroiv, which is a singular expression),2 will fall3 the time of great testing (the metaphor is rj irvpacuq Tr)q boKipaaiaq).4 The continuation (v. 5b) shows that in fact it is not the whole human creation that is in view, but only the Christians. Thus it is probably the threat of persecu tion that is being presented here. Not all will withstand the test: /cat OKavbaXiodrioovTai iroXXoi /cat a.'KoXovvTa.i. As in the parallel in Matt 24:10,5 the text speaks of "the great eschatological GKavbaXiapoq"6 that is descending on humanity, that is, on the Christians. LuavbaXilfea'dai here means to go astray from Christian faith and fall away. The consequence is
"to withstand the test by means of their faith."10 The vnopeivavreq will receive salvation, but this is not for mulated in an absolute sense; instead it is described more precisely in an additional clause: (out'dpoovTai) inf avrov rod Karadeparoq. This expression is a crux interpretum.u
Excursus: kata©ema Karadepa is a word that is rather rarely attested. In Rev 22:3 it probably describes (as a synonym for avadepa)12 the accursed, the "object that is
(XTToXovvtccl—in the eschatological sense of "destruc tion." Contrasted with the apostates are the host of 1 Drews ("Untersuchungen," 71-72) saw a parallel to Mark 13:19 (Kriotq) and concluded to a common source.
2 But compare ndoa r\ ktLouq (sc. rwv dvdpwTtav) in Mark 16:15; Hernias Man. 7.5; and Col 1:23: it da a KTLOtq r] into rov ovpavov.
3 For the typical ij^et in such texts, cf. T. Lev. 18.6; Matt 23:36; 24:14, 50 par.; (Luke 19:43); 2 Pet 3:10;
(Rev 2:25; 3:3[bis]; 18.8); 1 Clem. 23.5(bis); 2 Clem.
Z OOVTCXL (in place of ffo/dtjaerat); instead, this is more closely defined by the (awkward) addition of vito avrov too Karadeparoq. Koester (Synoptische
Uberlieferung 189) assigns the Didache text to "the same Jewish apocalypse" that, he is convinced, was also used for Mark 13.
8 Cf. the macarism of the eppevcnv in Dan 12:12
(paxapcoq 6 vnopevuv in Theodotion), and the motif of the eschatological remnant in 1 Enoch
90.30; 4 Ezra 7:28; 9:7-8; 12:34; 13:24, 26; 2 Bar.
29.4; Sib. Or. 5.384-85: eipii]vr)v b' e£et Aaog aoipbq, ooirep eXeLpd-q, neLpadeiq KaKorproq, IV vorepov evppavdeLrj ("A wise people, which has been taken, will have peace; having experienced wickedness so that it might later find joy"). [Ed. See also Aaron Milavec, "The Saving Efficacy of the Burning Process in Didache 16.5," in Jefford,
Context, 131-55.] 9 Remotely parallel is oi be inropevovreq ev treiTOL- &qoeL in 1 Clem. 45.8.
10 Cf. BAGD, s.v. inropeva.
11 Bryennios (Atbaxri, 54 n. 8) originally suggested among other things the conjecture en avrov rov
Kara deparoq ("on the region below," i.e., the earth). For his later remarks, see n. 14 below.
12 Zech 14:11 is quoted (although there the word is dvadepa).
12.2. Cf. also Did. 16.7 (Zech 14:5).
4 For this style of expression, cf. 1 Pet 4:12. See Friedrich Lang, "irupuOLq," TDNT 6 (1968) 951.
5 Kai rore OKavbaXLtrdrjoovTaL noXXoi /cat dXXrjXovq napabwaovoLV. . . . There can scarcely be literary dependence on Matthew here. Koester
(Synoptische Uberlieferung 183-84, 189) explains the parallelism by common dependence on a "tradi tional piece of Jewish apocalyptic" (p. 184) that is quoted in Matt 24:10-12 as well as in parts of the Didache apocalypse.
6 Otto Stahlin, "oKavbaXov," TDNT 7 (1971) 346.
7 O be vmpeivaq eiq reXoq out icq acodrjCTerat.
The closeness of this text to the Synoptic parallels is quite clear, but the Didache has the plural oi vnopeivavreq rather than the singular; instead of eiq reXoq, Didache reads ev rrj trior ei avrtiv.
Finally, Didache does not have the simple aan}r)-
(2) If we retain the traditional text we are pushed toward an interpretation of KCiTailcpa as Christ, who was cursed by the enemies of the faith. The meaning would then be that those who remain faithful will be saved by the very one who was cursed by the enemies.
This interpretation has been suggested frequently, with greater or lesser assurance; I refer, as examples, only to Harnack,19 Richardson,20 Aono,21 Rordorf and Tuilier,22 and Wengst.23 We cannot go into the details here.24 The second interpretation is prefer able. cursed."13 Later examples are found in Acts of Philip
28 (Lipsius and Bonnet, 2.2, p. 15); Ps.-Clement Contestatio 4.3 (GCS2 1.4); T. B. Mitford, ed., The Inscriptions of Kourion (Philadelphia: American
Philosophical Society, 1971), line 23 (on a magical tablet from Kourion, late 3d century); Ps.-Justin
Quaestiones et responsiones 121 (Otto, 3.2s, 198).14
Lampe, s.v., refers to two other passages: Acta conciliorum oecumenicorum, collectio sabbatica 5.32 (Schwartz,
3.88.19): dvaftepa Kai Karordepa; and Acta Maximi Confessoris 2.31 (PG 90.168D): eurco a u chi e pa Kai
Karate pa. Cf. Karate pari^eiv in Matt 26:74.15
How should the Didache passage be explained? Of the numerous attempts at interpretation only two deserve serious consideration:16 (1) Audet read
Kardfiepa as meaning "grave, death,"17 and conjec tured dtco instead of the vtto of the manuscript tradi tion.18 Thus believers will be saved "from the grave."
13 Johannes Behm, "avadepaTDNT 1 (1964) 354-56. [Ed. See now Nancy Pardee, "The Curse
That Saves (Didache 16.5)," in Jefford, Context, There is a long list of interpretations (as produced even in the early days of research) in Schaff, Church
Manual, 215-16.
17 Audet, Didache, 472-73.
18 Audet, Didache, 242.
19 Harnack, Lehre, 62-63.
20 Richardson, "Teaching," 179 n. 78.
21 Aono, Entwicklung, 172.
22 Rordorf and Tuilier, Doctrine, 197-98 n. 6.
23 Wengst, Didache, 99 n. 137.
24 In this context reference has righdy been made to Justin Dial. 47.4 (Goodspeed, 145-46) on the one
156-76.] 14 Theodoret of Cyrus? Cf. Altaner and Stuiber, Patrologie, 340. This text attempts to distinguish between Kara&epa and avaftepa: Karadepa be eon to ovvheailaL rolq avaHepaTt^ovaLV.
Bryennios, who had the honor of being the first to refer to this passage, later cited it (in a letter to Harnack; cf. idem, Lehre, 63) as a possible interpre tation of the Didache passage, among others. See the justified reservations about Ps.-Justin's distinc tion in Johannes Behm, "auadepar tfco," TDNT 1
(1964) 355-56 n. 2.
15 There are later examples of KaradepaTL^eiv in Behm, "dvadeparLfa," TDNT 1 (1964) 355-56 n.
16 Cf. Rordorf and Tuilier, Doctrine, 197-98 n. 6. hand, and to Pliny Ep. 10.96.5 (Mynors, 338) and Mart. Pol. 9.3 on the other.
16.6-7 d.The Revelation of theThree Signs ofTruth (16.6-7) 6 And then the signs of truth will appear: first, the sign of extension in heaven; next, the sig nal of the trumpet call; and third, resurrection of the dead — 7 not of all, however, but, as it has been said,
"The Lord will come and all the holy ones with him." probable.9 Stommel10 and Butler11 recall especially the signum extensionis ligni ("sign of the extension of the wood") in the Latin Didascalia (49.8; TU 75.80).12
Analogously one should add %vAov after oppelov ■ 6 Kal Tore (pavpaeTai ("then will appear")1 indicates the beginning of the next eschatological section. There will appear ra oppiela. rf/q dAri^eiaq ("the signs of truth")—in fact, three of them, as appears from what fol lows.2 For the formulation in v. 6a cf. Matt 24:30a.3
Uppelct rrjq dArydGiaq (for oppela aXp'divd)4 appar ently designates the following apocalyptic "signs" in con trast to the demonic signs and wonders of the kosmoplanes in v. 4b.5
€/<7reraCTewg.13 The sign referred to would thus be as fol lows: the cross of the Kyrios appears in the heavens as precursor of his parousia.14 This cross (as we perhaps must suppose) was previously taken up with him into heaven;15 now the cross reappears and announces his
The first sign is an gktcgt<xolc; ev oxipavw. What does the expression mean? The noun eKTreraoLQ signifies expansion, spread, extension.6 (1) Some scholars consid er this to refer to the opening of the heavens7 as precon dition for the following descent of the Kyrios and his holy ones.8 (2) A reference to the cross is, however, more
/ 8 Harnack, Lehre, 64; Drews, "Apostellehre," 283; Audet, Didache, 473; Giet, L'Enigme, 254 n. 41.
Rengstorf ("oppeiop," 261) objects: "But if so ep ovpauw would not fit very well." Likewise Butler,
1 Cf. v. 4b.
2 For signs that are three in number cf. the oppara Tpiood in Sib. Or. 2.188-95.
3 Kai Tore (pappoerai to oppelop rod vLov rod apdpdmv €P ovpapti ("And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven"). The differences should also be noted, however: Matthew knows only one sign, and it is the sign of the "Son of man"—a title that is completely lacking in the Didache. If one supposes dependence on Matthew, Didache must have interpreted the Matthew passage ("sign of the Son of man"). But literary dependence is quite uncertain. Koester, Synoptische Uberlieferung, 189: v.
6 stems from generally available apocalyptic materi al; Kloppenborg ("Matthaean Tradition," 66) regards "a reference to a sign appearing in heaven prior to the Parousia" as part of the apocalyptic tra dition available to the Didache and Matthew.
4 This is an example of a "Hebrew genitive"; see Alfred Stuiber, "Drei oppela," JAC 24 (1981) 43.
5 Karl Rengstorf, "oppeiop ktA.," TDNT7 (1971) 261; Stuiber, "Drei appeia," 43-44. Differently
Harnack, Lehre, 63: "in contrast to the narddepa, "Relations," 276. This is not compelling. But cer tainly eKTreraoLq tov ovpapou would be clearer.
9 Suggested by Schaff, Church Manual, 217; Koester, Synoptische Uberlieferung, 190; cf. Kraft, Didache, 176.
This was also proposed by Aono, Entwicklung, 173.
10 "Eppelop 6K7rerdaewg," 25-26. Rordorf and Tuilier (Doctrine, 198-99 n. 1) express cautious agreement.
11 "Relations," 279-80.
12 Cf. above, Introduction, §2c. In my opinion this is a content parallel, but scarcely an indication of liter ary dependence.
13 Stommel, "Eppelop," 26.
14 Thus this is not a reference to the appearance of the crucified one hanging on the cross (as suggest ed by Knopf, Lehre, 40; Knopf, however, also pro posed the interpretation given above as [1]: cf.
Johnson, "Motive," 119; Richardson, "Teaching,"
179 n. 80 [possibly]), but simply the epiphany of the cross, because the appearance of the Kyrios is first spoken of in 16.8. See Stommel, "Eppelop29-30. v. 5." So also Knopf, Lehre, 39. This is improbable.
6 The dictionaries refer to Plutarch Moralia 564C (de Lacy and Einarson, 7.276), in contrast to ovoroAp. 15
Lampe lists only the present passage.
Gos. Pet. 10.39 (SC 201.58) attests the idea of the ascension of the cross.
7 Cf. Rev 6:14.
of concretely as cloth banners.24 This is a possible inter pretation but it is by no means fully persuasive. In light of the broad basis for the tradition of the crux eschatologica (see above), I prefer interpretation (2).
(the Kyrios's) immediate appearance.16 There are paral lels for this in later apocalyptic literature.17 Cf. Apoc. Pet.
1 (Ethiopic): "so shall I come on the clouds of heaven with a great host in my glory, with my cross going before my face
The second sign is the oppelov <po)vrjq oa.Xiti'pyoq ("signal of the trumpet call," v. 6b), again an element of apocalyptic tradition.25 This is "the eschatological signal which sounds forth at the end of the age."26 will I come in my glory."18 Similarly, in Ep. apost. 16 (27)
(Coptic): "with the wings of the clouds carrying me in splendour and the sign of the cross before me, will I come down to the earth."19 In Apoc. Elijah 32.4-5 (the Messiah comes) "while the sign of the cross goes before him [and] the whole world will see it."20 (3) A third inter pretation has most recently been presented by Stuiber.21
He proceeds on the assumption that the "sign of the Son of man" in Matt 24:30 refers to the standards of the Son of man in the heavens.22 The Ttpuirov orjpelov eniteTaoewq ev ovpavw in Did. 16.6 is to be understood analogously: 'EKneTCtoeaq is "genitive of quality" or a "Hebrew genitive"; the expression stands for orjpelov eKiteTOtafiev ev ovpavto and means "the banners spread out in the heavens";23 these are probably to be thought
The sound of the trumpet is followed by the resurrec tion of the dead; in the Didache apocalypse this is the third of the "signs of truth." At the same time, the Didachist (in my opinion)27 adds a defining commentary to the key phrase avaoTaoiq veKpcov: the avaoraoLq vetcpwv is not (yet) the general resurrection of the dead, but (first of all) the resurrection of the "saints."28
■ 7 The Didachist's specifying oi) ttolvtwv 5e ("not of all") is supported by an Old Testament quotation intro duced by aAA' <bq eppedp. What follows is the second explicit quotation from the Old Testament in the 16 What is meant by the "sign of the Son of man" in Matt 24:30? Stommel, "Erjpeloi'," 27-42; and A. J. B. Higgins, "The Sign of the Son of Man (Matt.
XXIV.30)," NTS 9 (1962/63) 380-82: this means the cross; the Didache is dependent on the passage in Matthew and interprets it. Similarly Butler,
"Relations," 277-80: the Didache is dependent on Matt 24:30-31, more precisely on what Butler calls
"the M(g) stream of synoptic tradition," 277; the Didache interprets the Matthean tradition, although ratwdrj, ovx e£et oe x&uv, aAA' ovpavov olkov eoopeL ("O most blessed wood, on which God was stretched out, earth will not hold you, but you will see a heavenly home," Sib. Or. 6.26-27); to yap orjpelov tov oravpov and avaToAuv euq bvopwv dvareAel bitep tt)v AapnpoTr]Ta tov rjAtou Kai prjvvoei tov KptTov TT)V eA6VOLV ("The sign of the cross will rise from east to west, brighter than the sun, and it will portend the coming of the judge,"
Ps.-Hippolytus De consumatione mundi 36 [GCS 1.2, pp. 303-4]); further references in Wolfgang
Schrage, Die Elia Apokalypse (JSHRZ 5.3; Giitersloh:
Mohn, 1980) 251 n. d; Stommel, "Trjjueiof," 30-31 n. 42. On the art-historical aspects, see Josef
Engemann, "Auf die Parusie Christi hinweisende Darstellungen in der friihchristlichen Kunst," JAC
19 (1976) 142-45.
21 "Drei oiqpela," 42-44.
22 Following T. F. Glasson, "The Ensign of the Son of Man (Matt. XXIV.30),"/TS, n.s. 15 (1964) 299-300; cf. also Eduard Schweizer, Das Evangelium nach
Matthaus (3d ed.; NTD 2; Gottingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1981) 298 (ET: The Good News
According to Matthew [Atlanta: John Knox, 1975) 456): "the standard of the Messiah."
23 "Drei or^pela," 43.
24 "Drei appela," 43-44.
25 OT background: Isa 27:13; Joel 2:1; Zeph 1:16. In apocalyptic literature: 4 Ezra 6:23; Sib. Or. 8.239. In the NT: Matt 24:31; 1 Thess 4:16; 1 Cor 15:52. It occurs frequently in Revelation 8-11.
26 Gerhard Friedrich, "adArtLy^," TDNT 7 (1967) 87.
Butler does not say expressly whether its interpreta tion is correct. For the church fathers' interpreta tion of the Matthean sign in terms of the cross, cf.
Stommel, "Lr]pelov," 30 n. 42. But in my opinion it remains highly questionable whether the "sign of the Son of man" really means the cross. Cf.
Rengstorf, "oripelov," 236: the formulation is not absolutely clear. "From the context one may gather only that it [sc. the sign] is something which is clear ly terrifying" (235). For Glasson and Schweizer see below.
17 Entirely different is the extension of the hands (sym bolizing the horizontal beam of the cross) in the gnostic Od. Sol. 27.1-3; cf. 42.1-2.
18 Translation by C. Detlef G. Muller in NTApoc, 2.625-26 (partly italics in original).
19 Similarly Ethiopic (but lacking, e.g., the key word "sign"); translation by C. Detlef G. Muller in NTApoc, 1.258.
20 From the translation by Wolfgang Schrage, Die Elia Apokalypse (JSHRZ 5.3; Giitersloh: Mohn, 1980) 251.
Cf. also T2 £t)Aov w paKapcoTov, eip' ov deoq e£e-
16.6-7 from Matthew; it is taken directly from Zechariah.31
Ilavreq ol ayioi ("all the holy ones") in the text of Zechariah are probably the ayyeXoi (as Matt 25:31a correctly interprets it). The Didache interprets the aycoi instead as the dead Christians who are now reawakened
Didache,29 this time from Zech 14:5: Kdi rji~€L Kvpcoq 6 tfeog pov kccl iravreg oL aycoi per avrov ("Then the Lord my God will come and all the holy ones with him"). The quoted version follows the LXX, with a slight change at the beginning (f/£ei 6 Kvptoq instead of f/£et
Kvpioq 6 $€og pov)f° The same quotation is also found in Matt 15:31a, but the Didache passage does not come to life.32
31 In fact the Matthean text is farther from the text of Zechariah than is the Didache. See Koester,
Synoptische Uberlieferung, 187. Kloppenborg ("Matthaean Tradition," 59) also notes that Did.
It is unnecessary to posit dependence on the Pauline passages; likewise, the relationships to Matt
24:31 are not literary. Basic to all these passages is the same widespread motif from Jewish-Christian apocalyptic. Cf. Koester, Synoptische Uberlieferung,
16.7 is not dependent on Matt 25:31, but is closer to the LXX text than is Matthew. Kloppenborg
("Matthaean Tradition," 66), however, assigns the quotation from Zechariah in both cases to a com mon apocalyptic tradition in which Matthew and the Didache participate. This last is scarcely an accu rate observation.
32 Harnack, Lehre, 64. "A'yiot = the Christians as early as Did. 4.2 (in the Didachist's interpretation). The case is different at 10.6.
189; Kloppenborg, "Matthaean Tradition," 66.
27 Verse 7 is a gloss by the Didachist. Verse 8 follows well after v. 6. Cf. also the similar citation formulae in 1.6 and 14.3.
28 Knopf (Lehre, 40) suggests that this could mean the resurrection for the thousand-year reign of God.
29 See above at Did. 14.3 (Mai 1:11, 14).
30 Wengst, Didache, 31: Kyrios (as the context shows) refers to Jesus.
e. The Arrival of the Kyrios (16.8)
8 Then the world will see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven . .. thus signaled his conviction that the conclusion of the Didache was missing,5 which also means that the conclusion of the Didache apocalypse has been lost. I have already said that the structure of the whole doc ument speaks in favor of this conclusion. The reader expects a depiction of the judgment of the world, and such a description must originally have concluded the text of the Didache.
■ 8 So follows (rore) the epiphany of the Kyrios (=Jesus) before the entire world: oif/erca. 6 Koapog tov KVpLOV epxopevov eiravu tup vetpeAuv tov ovpavov ("The world will see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heav en"). The description recalls the Synoptic apocalypse in Mark 13:26/Matt 24:30b/Luke 21:2V.1 The foundational passage is Dan 7:13 LXX: kcli idov tup vetpeXuv tov ovpavov ug viog avdpuTtov rjpxeTo. Cf.
Theodotion: Kai idov juera tup vetpeXuv tov ovpapov ug viog dvdpunrov epxopepog. The text of the Didache, in the sequence of its elements,2 is closer to Mark 13:26 par. than to the text in Daniel. Again striking is the replacement of the title "Son of man" by Kyrios. The text is especially close to Matt 24:30b: epxopevov eiri or eiravu tup vecpeXuv (in contrast to ev vetpeXacg in Mark 13:26 and ev ve<peXr\ in Luke 21:27), and tov ovpapov (Matthew and Didache against the omission in Mark and Luke).3 This would speak more for a depen dence on Matthew rather than Mark or a source that sometimes approximates Mark 13—if there is any depen dence at all. Literary dependence on Matthew, however, cannot be demonstrated with assurance even in this pas sage. The Didache quotes common apocalyptic material
(from Daniel), and agrees with Matthew (against Mark) precisely at those points where both agree with Daniel.4
The Apostolic Constitutions and the Georgian ver sion (each in its own way) provide confirmation for this supposition. Const. 7.32 concludes: (4) (eirdva rap pe<peAdv) pef ayyeAav bvvapeaq avrov eiri
Ppopov ^aotAeiaq, KaraKplvai top Koap.oTtAd.POP btapoAop Kai aTtobovvat eKactTa Kara rqp itpa^tv ai>Tov. (5) Tore atteAevooPTai oL pep itopppoi eiq aidpiop KoAaoLP, oL be biKacoi itopevooPTat eiq far/p alaPLOP, KArjpopopovPTeg eKeipa, a oy>daApoq ovk elbep Kai ovq ovk pKOvaep Kai eiti Kapbiap apdpditov ovk dpefir), a pToipaoep 6 deoq Toiq ayaTtaoLP ai)top, Kai xaprjaovrat ep rrj /SacriAeta tov fieov rrj ep XptOTw Irjoov ("above the clouds with his powerful angels on the royal throne, to judge the devil who leads the world astray and to requite to each according to their actions. Then the wicked will proceed to eternal punishment, but the just will pro ceed to eternal life, inheriting those things that eye has not seen nor has ear heard nor have they entered into the human heart, things that God has prepared for those who love him, and they will rejoice in the kingdom of God which is in Christ Jesus"). This text
Excursus:The Lost Conclusion_ The words eitapu tup pe<peAdp tov ovpapov com plete the text in H. The scribe placed a period after tov ovpapov, leaving the rest of the line blank, and the rest of the page as well. Apparently the copyist
1 The same motif is also in 4 Ezra 13:3; Rev 1:7. The quotation from Justin 1 Apol. 51.9 (Goodspeed, 62) may, as usual, be a free recollection of the Gospels.
Kloppenborg ("Matthaean Tradition," 63) differs.
Justin Dial. 14.8 (Goodspeed, 107) probably rests on LXX: eiti Tap petpeAdp tov ovpapov; Dan 7:13
Theodotion: peTa tup pe<peAdp tov ovpapov against Mark 13:26: ep petpeAatq (Luke 21:27: ep
Pe(peArj). According to Koester (Synoptische Uber lieferung, 188-89) v. 8 stems from the apocalyptic source that was also used for Mark 13. According to Kloppenborg ("Matthaean Tradition," 66), "an adaptation of Dan 7:13 (using either eiti or eitapa
Tap petpeAap)" was part of the common tradition of the Didache apocalypse and Matthew.
Cf. Audet, Didache, 73-74; and above, Introduction, §3a; Niederwimmer, "Textprobleme," 127-29.
Dan 7:13.
2 Subject — epxopcpoq — petpeAat. Contrast Daniel: peipeAat - subject - VPX^T0 (i e., epxopepoq). See
Koester, Synoptische Uberlieferung, 187.
3 But cf. Mark 14:62b: per a tup petpeAcop tov ovpa pov.
4 Did. 16.8: eitapu twp peipeAwp tov ovpapov; Matt 24:30b: eiti Tap pepeAdp tov ovpapov; Dan 7:13
16.8 fashion. In any case it appears that there was a Greek source for the Georgian and that it was still complete. is (if at all) a very loose reproduction of the Didache.
The epilogue of the Apostolic Constitutions is extreme ly wordy in contrast to the brisk presentation in the apocalypse of the Didache. The Georgian concludes:
"(coming with the clouds) with power and great glory, in order to repay every human being according to his
[or her] works in his holy righteousness, before the whole human race and before the angels. Amen."6
The Didache might have concluded in some similar I shall not be bold enough to attempt to reconstitute the lost conclusion of the Didache by conjecture.7
6 Peradse, "Lehre," 116.
7 Wengst (Didache 90) reconstructed: . . . dnodovvai eKaaTw Kara rr]v Ttpa^LV avrov.
Afterword himself is a respected and influential bishop. His own personality is placed in the background. His book tells us little or nothing of his "theology," if he,had one at all.
It is written without any theoretical claims and is entirely focused on the praxis and order of community life.
Individual theological motifs are evident, but only in passing and without systematic reflection. A reconstruc tion of the "theology of the Didache" would therefore be a foolish enterprise. All we can say is that attention should be paid to the author's fundamentally conserva tive stance. It is no accident that over long stretches he presents not his own material but texts from his tradi tion (whether from written or oral sources). What he says rests on tradition. What he adds from his own pen
(only hesitantly at the beginning—it is not until chap. 12 and afterward that he emerges as an independent author) reveals him as the protector, preserver, and interpreter of his traditions. This circumstance shapes the literary form of his work.
It is not easy to locate the Didache within the whole sweep of the history of early Christianity. Still, one can form a more or less complete picture of this document, and from that alone it is possible to give a rather accu rate estimate of the place occupied by the Didache.
The author of our document is an unknown but apparently influential Christian author who writes a kind of "rule book" for the communities within his area of influence some time around the turn of the century, or perhaps we could more accurately say at the begin ning of the second century. The author's desire is that the communities he addresses should govern their life, worship, and church order according to this book. It seems probable that we should think of communities in Syria or in the border regions between Syria and Palestine. (Antioch seems to be eliminated by the canon ical situation presumed in the Didache.) The didachistic communities are still strongly influenced by Jewish
Christianity, but they are already clearly distinct from the synagogue. The relationship between "church" and "Israel" is not a theme of the book, but the manner in which Scripture is occasionally interpreted in the redactional parts of the document shows the direction in which that relationship is tending. The canonical situa tion of our author's communities is somewhat retro grade in comparison to other Christian communities of the same period. (The monepiscopate has not yet been established.) The institution of itinerant charismatics is still familiar to the communities of the Didache, but the apostolate is already a thing of the past, and the itiner ant prophets are in the process of settling down in the communities. The author (apparently an authority) intervenes in the canonical situation to establish order, but in a very conservative and irenic spirit. He seeks an accommodation between the itinerant charismatics and the "local clergy." The author takes a similarly conserva tive stance in other questions of order such as those con cerning baptism and the Eucharist. His characteristic manner of procedure is the same throughout: he quotes existing, sometimes archaic rules and seeks both to pre serve what has been inherited and at the same time to accommodate that heritage to his own time.
This situation in turn explains another phenomenon, namely, the constant recourse to the Old Testament ypoapr), or to the "gospel" of the Kyrios. These refer ences, as we have seen, are restricted to the didachistic level—that is, to the work of the author. Unfortunately we cannot determine with absolute certainty what, precisely, is to be understood by "the gospel," whether this is oral tradition or already something written. Still, it is clear that "the gospel" to which the author refers is entirely within the so-called Synoptic tradition, more precisely the sayings tradition. Equally obvious is the value and function assigned to "the gospel" within the Didache. For the Didachist the gospel is the decisive norm, the rule, the measuring rod of behavior, the sum total of the teachings the church has received from its Kyrios. The gospel, we might say, is for him the "eschatological law"
(in Pauline terms the "law of faith," or the "law of the Spirit"). It is characteristic that he inserts quotations from the Jesus tradition in an attempt to elevate the teachings of the introductory Two Ways tractate (stem ming from an originally Jewish source) to the level of Jesus' eschatological preaching. The eschatological char acter of the gospel is clearly evident to the Didachist. He
The author, as I have said, is an authority for his com munities. It is, however, striking that he himself never claims apostolic, episcopal, or charismatic authority.
Still, we will scarcely go wrong in imagining that he is thus equally aware of the conflicts that may be associ ated with Jesus' eschatological demands.
This book has had an interesting history. On the one hand its heritage was adopted by the later church orders
Afterword for which the Didache furnished the model, so to speak.
On the other hand certain tendencies in this rule book led to later monastic writings; this was another occur rence that, in retrospect, bestowed on this work a special place of honor in the whole line of development. A cor rect understanding of the Didache demands that we not view it entirely in the light of later, similar documents. It must be read with a view to distinguishing the ancestral pieces of tradition, some of them very ancient, from the interventions and additions of the Didachist. Here such a differentiation (where possible, still more than has otherwise been done) is of fundamental importance for understanding the work as a whole.