The Theology of the Didache
Chapter Nine The Theology of the Didache To some the title of this chapter may appear to be self-defeating. Dissenting voices will be raised against the possibility of finding much theological reflection in the Didache. Sometimes they say that what theology that may be found there is rather "thin."'" I beg to differ, but I must be honest about declaring that the theology of the Didache does not jump out and grab the casual reader. The book is a handbook for those who have found life in the Lord's Servant and about how that life should be manifested in the assembly of fellow believers. It is not a manual of theology. While we must acknowledge its limitations in this regard, we should not be blind to seeing what is really there, if we dig deep enough to perceive it.
My contention is that the theology of the Didache is more implicit than explicit. It is there, undergirding the moral and spiritual paranesis, but only manifesting itself at certain explicit points in the text. I am convinced that the message of the book, which I acknowledge is largely ethical, cannot be understood clearly unless we discern the theological undergirding which causes the advice offered to make sense to the new convert.
With that as an introduction, it is important to offer a few general comments before we attempt to outline the proposed theological grid that I believe underlies the book. Many have observed that the world view of the book is very Jewish Christian in both its general and specific points. It is hard to deny that the author himself was a Jewish Christian, although he writes to help converts from the Gentile world to assimilate into their new fellowship of faith. But he does not invite them to enter a purely Jewish community. He realizes that the hope of Israel has been fulfilled in the Lord's servant, Jesus, and that he has given us life and knowledge through the "good news" of his person and work. This is particularly evident in the eucharistic prayers of chapter 9 and 10, which we will consider in more detail later in his chapter.
The Theology of the Didache The church historian, Philip Schaff offers this able summary of the book's theological message.
Christianity appears in the Didache as a pure and holy life based upon the teaching and example of Christ and on the Decalogue as explained by him in the Sermon on the Mount, and summed up in the royal law of love to God and man. The Didache agrees in the respect with the Epistle of James, the Epistle of Polycarp, and the writings of Justin martyr (who, however, already branched out into philosophical speculation). The younger Pliny describes the Christians in Bithynia as scrupulously moral and conscientious worshippers of Christ. It was by the practical proof of virtue and piety more than by doctrines that the Christian religion conquered the heathen world. And to this day a living Christian is the best apology for Christianity. 154
It is true that the book largely echoes only the Synoptic Gospels. It does not reflect the theological depth of a Paul or a John. It even lags behind the doctrinal content of some of the other post-Apostolic writings, such as the Clements, Ignatius and Diognetus. But we must not infer too much from these omissions, especially when we consider the genre of the book. Silence does not imply opposition, nor even ignorance. While there are many doctrines that may be taken for granted, other doctrines are touched upon, but only as they relate to the immensely practical purpose of the book. The book was not intended to be exhaustive, and was only one of other means of instruction and edification. The book itself mentions that further instruction takes place in the assembly by those who teach the word of God (4:1), and it is assumed that arriving teachers will bring further "instruction about righteousness and the knowledge of the Lord" to the congregation (11:1, 2).
Because of the Jewish Christian orientation of the author, there have been occasional attempts to charge the Didache with Ebionism.'"* In response to this accusation, the simple fact is that the Didache shows no trace of the chief characteristics of the Judaizing heresy of Ebionism: the necessity of circumcision for salvation, the perpetual obligation of the ceremonial as we all the moral Torah, the denial of the Deity of Jesus, and the intense hostility to Paul as an apostate and heretic. One must read these teachings between the lines and even into the lines to charge the Didachist with Ebionism.
The history of early Jewish Christianity is pock-marked by scholarly mine fields containing serious chronological gaps and the sometimes contradictory ancient descriptions by the heresiologists. Furthermore, the uncritical acceptance of the Walter Bauer hypothesis of early Christianity has caused some scholars to write about this matter with far more of a social and theological agenda than should characterize the history of this unique phenomenon in the church's history.'"° One of the greatest sins in this regard is an anachronistic reading back into such documents as the Didache the teachings that characterized Jewish
Christian sects of the third and fourth centuries. Fortunately, most Didache scholars have avoided these tendencies and have studied the document on its own merit without using it to push their own pet theory of how the early years of
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Christianity developed. Yet, that theological tendenz remains, not only for the Didache, but for other documents of the early Church.
With those caveats serving as an introduction, what can we say about the theological substructure of the Didache? 1 structure the following presentation along the lines of the familiar grid of the theological loci communes, more for a convenient paradigm than by assuming that the Didachist would have thought in these categories. Thus, we shall try to summarize what the book expressly or implicitly teaches about God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, Man, the Church and Sacraments, and Last Things.
God God is the Creator—"you will love the God who made you" (1:2). He is the Almighty Ruler who made all things—"You, almighty Master, created all things for the sake of your name "(10:3).
He is our "Father in heaven" (8:2). His Providence extends to all events in our lives—''You will accept the experiences that happen to you as good things, knowing that, apart from God, nothing happens." He is the Giver of all good gifts, temporal and spiritual, the Author of our salvation, the object of prayer and praise (prayers in chs. 9 and 10). To him belongs all glory forever, through Jesus Christ (8:2; 9:4; 10:4).
Christ Jesus is Lord and Savior (10:2, 3), God's Servant and God's Son (9:2). He is the Author of the Gospel (8:2; 15:4). He is spiritually present in the Church and will visibly come again to judgment (16:1, 7, 8). Through Him knowledge and eternal life have been made known to us ((9:3; 10:2). He is identified with the Yahweh of the Old Testament—"The Lerd will come and all the holy ones with him" (16:7, applying Zech. 14:5 to him).
At this point, it is necessary to draw out more the title that the Didachist gives to Jesus in the Eucharistic prayers. Note the following excerpts from the prayers in chapters 9 and 10:
9:2 First, concerning the cup: We give you thanks, our Father, For the holy vine of your servant David Which you revealed to us through your servant Jesus.
To you is the glory forever.
9:3 And concerning the broken bread: We give you thanks, our Father, For the life and knowledge, Which you revealed to us through your servant Jesus.
To you is the glory forever.
10:3 You, almighty Master, Created all things for the sake of your name, Both food and drink you have given to people for enjoyment in order that they might give thanks.
But to us you have graciously bestowed spiritual food and drink and eternal life through your servant.
The Theology of the Didache Three times the prayer refers to Jesus as God's "servant." The Greek word is tatc—the same word that the LXX uses to translate the Isaianic 12) (41:8, 9;
42:1; 44:21; 52:13). In this way, the Didachist embodies the confession of faith of the earliest Jewish believers that Jesus was that promised "servant of the Lord" who would corporately represent Israel and succeed where they failed
(49:3-5). The fact that the LXX also utilizes the Greek word douloj for that same
42y should not divert us from the fact that Jesus also identified Himself with that Isaianic servant. He did this explicitly in Luke 22:37, "For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors.' For what is written about me has its fulfillment."
Oscar Cullman has traced this title of Jesus through its use in Judaism, the New Testament and the early church. He offers this observation on the application of the concept by Jesus in his own Messianic self-consciousness.
Besides this single direct quotation (i.e., Luke 22:37), however, there are a number of allusions to Isa. 52-53 which can hardly be questioned as such. The clearest are in the sayings of Jesus about the Lord's Supper. They indicates clearly, that the thought of Isa. 53 also lies behind most of the passages we have mentioned above in which Jesus speaks more generally about the necessity of his death. We need not compare the four versions of Jesus' institutions of the Lord's Supper handed down to us in Mark 14.24, Matt. 26.28, Luke
22.20, and 1 Cor. 11.24. All four passages agree in the most important point: when Jesus distributed the supper, he announced that he would shed his blood for many. It is all the more remarkable that not only Paul but also all three Synoptics in relating the story of the Last Supper recall that Jesus at this decisive moment ascribed to himself the role of the ebed Yahweh.'"'
Further evidence of Jesus' application of the Isaianic servant to himself is his statement in Mark 10:45, "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many"—a clear allusion to /sa. 53:5.
Cullman cites other evidence but since it is so abundant, we will not tarry here to cite it all. Only a radical redactional criticism attempts to explain away all of this evidence both form the lips of Jesus bit also from John the Baptist (John 1:29) and from the gospel writers themselves.
The Acts of the Apostles offers the strongest evidence that the most ancient Christianity offered an explanation of the person and work of Jesus which could be characterized as an ebed Yahweh Christology. Cullmann coined the term,
"Paidology" to express this connection with the Isaianic παῖς. 5 The account of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch (8:26 ff.) indicates that in the first century Jesus was explicitly identified with the παῖς of Isaiah 53. The actual title appears four times in Acts, and all four in the same section, the description of the earliest Jerusalem witness. In Peter's second sermon, delivered under Solomon's Portico in the Temple, he twice refers to Jesus as the παῖς tov θεοὺ.
The Theology of the Didache
The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him (3:13). God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness (3:26).
It is interesting to note that Peter, who uttered the above words, was involved in the only other two occasions when παῖς is directly used of Jesus in the NT -- in the very next chapter of Acts when the disciples gathered with Peter pray as follows.
For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel (4:27).
. .while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus (4:30).
Cullmann concludes, "This confirms the existence of a very old Christology on the basis of which Jesus is called the ebed Yahweh. The Christology later disappears, but it must extend back to the very early period of the Christian faith."'" Furthermore, while Peter was involved with these four uses of the παῖς
Christology, in his first epistle he cites the passages from Isaiah which relate to the ebed Yahweh.
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (1 Peter 2:21-25).
I believe, on the basis of these texts, that the ebed Yahweh "Paidology" dominated the Christology of the Apostle Peter. Cullmann again expresses his conclusion to all of this quite effectively.
He, who had wanted to divert Jesus from the way of suffering (Matt. 16:22), who had denied him at the decisive moment of the passion story, would be the first after Easter to grasp the necessity of the offence. He could not express his conviction better than with the designation ebed Yahweh, especially since he must have known what great importance Jesus himself had attributed to the ideas related to it. Subsequent periods of the Church were often unjust to Paul by placing him in the shadow of Peter. Are we not perhaps unjust to Peter when we place him in the shadow of Paul???
The Theology of the Didache Now what does the relevance of all this information about the use of παῖς in the NT have to our study of Christology in the Didache? The specific title, "Jesus the Servant of God," soon was forced into the background. It does not appear anywhere in the later sections of the New Testament (although the concept of a suffering Messiah certainly does). It was, however, maintained longest in the documents which preserve the oldest elements of Christianity: the ancient liturgies, part of which we have already quoted in Didache 9 and 10. 1 also find it fascinating that just as Peter referred to David in his pre-messianic role as God's servant (Acts 4:25), so the Didachist also mentions David in that same pre-messianic role as God's servant (9:2). Furthermore, in the oldest liturgy of the Roman church (/ Clement 59:3-61:3), Jesus is referred to as God's "beloved servant" (59:2-4). Peter's presence in Rome is well known. Could we also be witnessing his influence in the Antiochene church as well?
Two implications of this "Paidology" in the Didache must be noted at this point. This theology again points to the antiquity of the Didache, whose Christology went all the way back to the earliest Jewish-Christian days of the church.
This helps to date the Didache, or at least the eucharistic prayers found in it, to the most primitive foundational period of the Jewish Christian church. If nothing else, it definitely makes any second century date highly questionable. In my own opinion, it is more evidence of a pre-70 origin. The second implication is directed to a number of modern scholars who have affirmed that there is no sacrificial language in the Didache's Eucharistic prayers. They think that this is contrary to the Eucharistic prayers found in the Synoptics and in Paul, which contain words of institution that clearly are sacrificial in tone (e.g., 1 Cor. 11).
When we recognize, however, that the language of Jesus as God's παῖς undoubtedly evokes the larger context of Isaiah 52:13-53:12, then the concept of a suffering and redemptive Servant/Messiah becomes implicit in the language of the prayers.
Holy Spirit and Trinity The Spirit is associated with the Father and the Son—"After you have said all these things beforehand, immerse in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in flowing water" (7:1). "And if you should not have either, pour out water onto the head three times in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (7:3). This is the earliest and also strongest text to illustrate the belief in the doctrine that would later be called the Trinity.
But there are other references that teach the salvific activity of the Spirit. In a passage with remarkable theological implications, the Didachist is counseling kind treatment of slaves who belong to a Christian master. He then he gives the following as a reason, "For He does not come to call according to social status, but those whom the Spirit has prepared" (4:10). While the purpose of the statement is profoundly practical, the theological grounding for it is as profound as any later Calvinistic theology could express.
Finally, the Spirit speaks through the prophets, and sins against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven—"And every prophet speaking in the Spirit you
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should not test nor judge, for every sin will be forgiven, but this sin will not be forgiven" (11:7).
Man Man is made in the image of God (5:2), but he is sinful and he needs forgiveness (8:2). He must confess his transgressions to receive pardon (4:14; 14:1,
2). Man's duty is to love God and his neighbor and to show this practically by abstaining from all sins of thought, word and deed, and by observing the commandments (1:6). This also must be done in accord with the Gospel (11:3), neither adding nor taking away anything from those sacred scriptures (4:13). "This is the Way of Life, but the way of sin is the Way of Death. There is no third way, no compromise between good and evil, between life and death."!*!
I offer no separate category for "Soteriology," because the Didachist does not frame the issues of salvation in the categories that are familiar to later generations. One writer, upset at the strong statement on almsgiving in 4:6, thinks that the NT doctrine of grace is foreign to this writing.'*" The verse goes, "If you should have something through the work of your hands, you will give it as a ransom for your sins." Statements can certainly be found in Second Temple
Jewish literature that support a connection between charitable giving and forgiveness (Tobit 4:10 and Testament of Zebulun 8, e.g.). What may be surprising is that this strong Jewish tradition may have its root in canonical Jewish writings. Prov. 16: 6 states, "By steadfast love (70n)and faithfulness (Mx) iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil." Can free grace also be found here? Or consider Daniel's advice to Nebuchadnezzar in Dan. 4:27 (LXX, 4:24), "Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness (7>7%8), and your iniquities by showing mercy (1M!) to the oppressed."
In my opinion, too much has been made of this statement by the Didachist in a modern desire to make him express Christian faith and belief in the terminology of the Protestant Reformation. J think our author would be in agreement with James when he writes, "Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works" (James 2:18).
The Church Attention has already been given to both the sacraments (chapter 7) and the ministers (chapter 8) in the Didache. But in what has often been termed a church manual, we expect and also find more theological discussion about the church.
This especially takes place in those richly theological prayers in chapters nine and ten. The church is God's instrument in bringing in the kingdom which He had prepared for her. He will deliver her from all evil andperfect her in his love
(9:4; 10:5). All true Christians are really one although they are scattered over the world. God will eventually gather them from the four winds into his kingdom
(10:5).
Despite its Jewish background the Didache teaches that the "Lord's day," which can only be Sunday according to the clear usage of the word,''' should be
The Theology of the Didache kept as a day of worship and thanksgiving (14:1). The Lord's prayer should be repeated thrice daily (8:2), and Wednesday and Friday should be given to fasting
(8:1). Finally, reverence and sacrificial gratitude are due to the ministers of Christ:"And everyone coming in the name of the Lord, let him be received; and then, having put him to the test, you will know, for you will have understanding of right and left. If, on the one hand, the one coming is passing through, help him as much as you are able. He will not remain, however, among you except for two or three days, if there should be a need" (13:1, 2; also 4:1; 11:1, 4; 12:1).
Before we consider the last category of theology, it may be good to offer the following observations. If one still objects to the lack of theology in the Didache, 1 observe that it may be difficult to find more theology in the Epistle of James. Neither of them is guilty of Ebionism, because both antedate that stunted and impoverished heresy of later years. Rather, they both represent an early Jewish-Christian type of teaching, before the breadth and depth of Pauline theology burst onto the scene. They teach a plain, common-sense type of Christianity, not dogmatical but ethical, not very profound but eminently practical, and even now that might be suited to the taste of some very devout believers. "We cannot disregard it as long as the Epistle of James keeps its place in the canon of the New
Testament."!™* Last Things Since nearly an entire chapter of the Didache is devoted to eschatology, it is important to note that the first eschatological notes are sounded in the eucaharistic prayers. As just one example, note 10:5, "Remember, Lord, your church, to save her from every evil, and to perfect her in your love, and to gather her together from the four winds, the sanctified into your kingdom which you have prepared for her." Such an emphasis is consistent, for example, with the words of institution in Luke 22:16, "And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." The Pauline form also looks ahead, as he wrote in / Cor. 11:26, "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."
In an insightful article on the eschatology of the Apostolic Fathers, F. F.
Bruce comments on the use of Maranatha in 10:6:
The invocation Maranatha ("Our Lord, come!") goes back to the early Aramaic-speaking phase of the church's life, and (like Hosanna, Amen, and Alleluia) was taken over into the Greek-speaking churches untranslated (cf. 1 Cor.
16:22, where also we may have a primitive versicle and response).'* When we consider that most of the the final chapter is centered on eschatological themes, it is surprising to discover that so little has been written about the role this specific chapter plays overall doctrine of the "Last Things." The two standard collections of scholarly writings on the Didache do contain articles on individual issues related to chapter sixteen.'*° In his larger commentary, Mi-
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lavec does devote over seventy pages to explain various issues in the chapter.
Nothing has been written, however, that approaches the thoroughness of the (unfortunately) unpublished dissertation of George Eldon Ladd in 1949. 7
Before we consider the details of the chapter and also interact with Ladd's conclusions, we will present the chapter in an analytical translation for easy reference.
16:1
[A] Be watchful over your life; [1] do not let your lamps be quenched, [2] and do not let your waists be ungirded.
[B] But be prepared, for you do not know the hour in which our Lord is coming.
16:2
[C] And frequently be gathered together, seeking what is appropriate for your souls; for the whole time of your faith will not benefit you unless you are perfected in the last time.
16:3
[1] For, in the last days [a] the false prophets and corrupters will be multiplied,
[Ὁ] and the sheep will be turned into wolves, [c] and the love will be turned into hatred.
16:4
For, when lawlessness increases, [a] they will hate each other [0] and they will persecute [c] and they will betray each other.
[2] And then will appear the world-deceiver as a son of God, [a] and he will do signs and wonders, [b] and the earth will be delivered into his hands,
[c] and he will do unlawful things that never have happened from eternity.
16:5
[3] Then the human creation will come into the fiery test, [a] and many will be led into sin and will perish,
[b] but the ones remaining firm in their faith, will be saved by the curse itself.
16:6
[4] And then the signs of the truth will appear:
[a] first, a sign of an opening in heaven, [b] then a sign of a trumpet sound, [c] and the third [sign will be] a resurrection of dead ones-- 16:7 but not of all [the dead], but as it was said:
"The Lord will come and all the holy ones with him."
The Theology of the Didache 16:8
[5] Then the world will see the Lord coming atop the clouds of heaven...
It is quite common for writers to refer to this chapter as an "apocalypse."
Hans Seeliger, however, has clarified, in light of a generally accepted definition of the "apocalyptic" genre during this period, that Didache 16 does not actuallyqualify as an apocalyptic text.'°* He cites John J. Collins as defining an "apocalypse" as follows:
"Apocalypse" is a genre of revelatory literature with a narrative framework, in which a revelation is mediated by an otherworldly being to a human recipient, disclosing a transcendent reality which is both temporal, insofar as it envisages eschatological salvation, and spatial, insofar as it involves another, supernatural world.
In light of this definition, it is important to note that in this chapter there is no narrative framework, no revealer nor receiver of an apocalyptic message, no information about the manner of the revelation, and nothing is revealed in the sense of an "unveiling." What is already known is repeated for the deepening of knowledge.
In other words, the Didachist may have been influenced by apocalyptic sources, but he does not claim to be a channel of an apocalyptic unveiling of revelation. Seeliger's thesis about the chapter is worthy of serious consideration. "The apocalyptic conclusion of the Didache, directed against false prophets, preserves an important part of the preaching of the prophets attested in the Didache."'*° This makes good sense in light of the fact that the previous instruction in the book, particularly the "two ways" section, must have been taught often until it was written down in this form. Perhaps the material in this chapter was taught by prophets and now 15 written for the instruction of the catechumens and all who will learn form it.
The chapter opens with an intense three-fold exhortation: 1) "be watchful"
2) "be prepared" and 3) "be gathered together." With these imperatives, there is only one indicative statement that serves to be the basis for the three admonitions: "for you do not know the hour in which our Lord is coming." Then follows the details of this coming with a series of future indicative statements in 16:3-8, with no further imperatives. We do not know if there originally were additional exhortations following 16:8 since it probably is not the original ending—more on that anon.
The reference to being "perfected in the last time" recalls the other reference to being "perfect" in 6:2. Either a careful redactor or the original author
(my preference) skillfully placed these references at the beginning and the end of this second main section of the book to serve as an inclusio that frames this part of his literary discourse.
These urgent exhortations are in light of what must have been considered an imminent coming of the Lord, and they are consistent with similar exhortations
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in the NT in light of the parousia (Matt. 24:42-44; Luke 12:35; 1 Thess. 15-18; 2 Pet. 3, etc.). Many writers have affirmed, especially in the first period of Didache research, that Matthew's "Olivet Discourse" and especially 24:42 must have influenced the writer in these verses. This is not the place to re-enter that discussion, which has already taken place in chapter five. The current scholarly preference is that here and elsewhere he utilized Jesus tradition that was still primarily oral and that he was not using any proto-canonical writings. My own opinion is that the Didachist is here and throughout the chapter influenced by what he also calls the "Gospel of our Lord," a Greek translation of Matthew's logia. 1 also conclude that, whatever sources he may or may not have used, he adapted them and shaped them into this form for his own purposes
There is an intensely practical purpose that the Didachist has in all this: the preparation of his readers for the difficulties of the end. The "World Deceiver" or ὁ κοσμοπλανὴς (a title coined by the Didachist?) will shortly appear as a false son of God and will deceive the entire earth by claiming divine powers. The one way to withstand these troubles is by faithful attendance at the Christian gatherings. He urges his readers to faithfulness so that they will not be among those who turn away.
Much speculation has centered on the identity of the "curse" in 16:5b: "but the ones remaining firm in their faith will be saved by the curse itself." The word is καταθέμα, one of a number of words that can mean "curse."'*! The word does not occur in the LXX and appears in the NT only as a preferred variant reading in Rev. 22:3. One would desire that the statement by Paul in Gal. 3:13 might use this word: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us-for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree'," but the "curse" there is κατάρα. In light of the lack of any exact parallels, Schaff comments, "This is the most difficult passage (in the Didache) next to 'the cosmic mystery' in XI. 11." Even in 1887 he mentions at least seven interpretations of the word.'" It is probably still best, in light of Deut. 21:23, (despite the different Greek word), that this 16:5 is a paradoxical statement that the "cursed one" (i.e., Jesus) will save the faithful from the eschatological curse, because he already experienced it by being cursed by God. Probably the Didachist had
Deut. 21:23 in mind and simply used another word.
The three "signs of the truth" that he describes in 16:6, 7 have similarities to Matthew's discourse but also differences. He mentions an "opening in heaven," which could be simply a preparation of the sky for the later appearing of the Lord (16:8). Some scholars, however, have translated the word ἐκπετάσεως as a "spreading out," signifying a celestial "sign of the cross" being displayed. "ἢ The "trumpet" echoes (pardon the pun) the same sound in Matt. 24:31; J Cor. 15:52; and / Thess.4:16. To think that the Didachist, however, is referencing any
Pauline statement is simply not valid. Paul and the Didachist were probably both echoing an original statement of "the Lord."
The final sign, "a resurrection of dead ones," should not surprise Bible readers familiar with the apocalyptic Daniel's statement in 12:2: "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and >
The Theology of the Didache some to shame and everlasting contempt." What we do not expect, however, is that the Didachist limits this resurrection. He adds, "but not of all [the dead]" and then quotes Zech. 14:5, applying the "holy ones' in that passage to "saints" not angels. From the earliest commentators down to more current times, this has been taken as indicating the chiliasm, or millennarianism of the author. '4 Since
Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus and Tertullian were pronounced chiliasts, we should not be surprised if the Didachist was one. There are reasons, however, to be careful about dogmatism in this matter. The resurrection could possibly be for believers only and would not demand another later resurrection of unbelievers. The book ends abruptly at 16:8 with no further mention of any sort of future kingdom, earthly or heavenly. Finally, Rev. 20 is the first writing to mention the thousand years as the length of the future earthly kingdom and the Didachist wrote prior to that book.
This brings us to the end of the book, which just about all, including Leon the scribe, believe was not the original ending. It has already been mentioned that the scribe indicates by the blank lines following 16:8 in his manuscript that his vorlage also did not contain anything beyond these words and that this was not the original ending. Since the Apostolic Constitutions and other works that incorporate the Didache do have additional words at this point, scholars have speculated if these works may contain the original ending. Most scholars today view the solution proposed by Robert E. Aldridge as the most probable. He suggests that a combination of Constitution's ending and that of the Georgian version "may be accepted as the proximate true ending."'*? However, I would like to offer my own solution as a variation of Aldridge's. Since part of Constitution's ending is very clearly a borrowing of Paul's statement about the glorious eschaton in / Cor. 2:9, I offer the ending without that insertion which I am sure that the original Didachist would not have used. Thus after 16:8 would be the following words:
... with the angels of His power, in the throne of His kingdom, to condemn the devil, the deceiver of the world, and to render to everyone according to his deeds. Then shall the wicked go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous shall enter eternal life. And they shall rejoice in the kingdom of God, which is in Christ Jesus.
One last word about chapter sixteen and especially about its ending. In his dissertation, Ladd presents an argument that the abbreviated ending of the chapter 16 may not have been accidental, but rather deliberate.
While not being dogmatic, he suggests that the original ending of Didache may have contained a clear reference to an earthly kingdom following the resurrection of the righteous dead and preceding a resurrection of the wicked dead after that kingdom. By the third century, when chiliasm had fallen out of favor with many segments of the "Great Church," the original chiliastic ending was then stricken and its more generic ending left. What appeared in the Apostolic Constitutions and the Georgian version thus was a doctored ending that omitted the chiliastic reference in
The Theology of the Didache
favor of a view more amenable to the church at that time, even adding the Pauline statement from / Cor. 2:9 for good effect.'
While Ladd's suggestion is made without claiming any certainty, it lacks in one important matter that should counsel caution in accepting it. If the original ending was stricken to avoid any chiliastic implications, why didn't this editor add another ending in its place and not leave the ending hanging as it so clearly appears to be?
While the Didache certainly does not qualify as a handbook on theology, enough theology can be seen in it to conclude that its moral imperatives rest on an implicit set of theological indicatives.
ofr wile 3 Sig Sinker gue ae a Ἣν ΤᾺΣ whey
Chapter Ten The Lessons of the Didache This final chapter is an effort on my part to see what value this little book may have for the life of the church today. It is neither a summary of my book nor of my conclusions about the various issues that are raised in its study. It contains my own observations about the lessons that I think it contains for Christians today who want to "do church" and who believe that the earliest Christians may have something to tell us about that task. In that regard, it is more personal than the other chapters, but the conclusions arise from some serious wrestling with this little book over a period of ten years. So, what have I learned from this study of the Didache?
1. In spite of my enthusiasm for the book, I have learned that the Didache has no more authority for me than any other post-Apostolic writing.
This may calm the fears expressed among some of my evangelical friends.
While it does claim to pass on the teaching of the apostles, it does not come to me with the force of an apostolic letter. Its authority is derived, not directly from God in a revelation, but only in passing on what the Lord and his apostles have already taught. Recently, I heard a Didache scholar argue that the book should be received into the New Testament canon someday. I hold no such hopes. It value is historical and historical only. But its value, in my opinion, exceeds that of any other post-Apostolic document. The Didache provides a window into the life of the early church like no other work does. It shows me what at least one section of the early church was like. I know the difference between canonical literature and literature like this. But even the inspired works of the Bible do not tell me everything I would like to know about what the nascent church felt was important and therefore stressed. There are gaps in the record of the Acts of the Apostles. The epistles fill in some of those. The Didache helps to fill in more of them for me.
The Lessons of the Didache 2. From the first six chapters of the Didache, I have learned that the earliest church put a high value on instruction for young converts before their baptism. In my own ecclesiastical circle, we do not use the word "catechumen." Some of my friends who read my use of the word may wonder what this terminology is all about. We call these sessions "baptismal classes" or "church membership classes" or "fundamentals of the faith." We still don't know exactly how these ancient periods of instruction were carried on—weekly, at nights, on Lord's Day post-meetings? But in the Didache we do discover what was communicated as "the apostles' doctrine" in Acts 4:32. As I read and reread chapters 1-5, I am struck by the level of moral and ethical content in this teaching. The absence of clearly expressed doctrinal tenets impresses itself on me. Yet I know that behavior without a basis lapses into moralism. The basic faith and facts about the Gospel and the role of Jesus must have been assumed to some degree. But even with an understanding that theology is more implied than expressed, I think that the strongly practical tone of the chapters means that the practical Christian life was stressed more than we do in our classes. Go to one of our baptismal or foundations classes and most of what you hear will be the basics of doctrinal truths about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, salvation and the nature of the Bible itself. With our stress on right doctrine, have we assumed that people will know how to apply that doctrine in the everyday decisions of their lives? Have we sold some Christians a bill of goods in making them think that as long as they hold the right beliefs that good behavior will automatically follow?
Why do Christians with good doctrine still face real problems for which they have no practical answers? Has our teaching been faulty in addressing their heads but neglecting their hearts? The moral tone of the teaching in the Didache has much to challenge us about rethinking and retooling our baptismal or catechumen classes. With the right framework of theology in place, we sorely need instruction in the purity, gentleness, humility and charity that should mark the Christian life. The superior morality of early Christianity carried in it the guarantee of its ultimate victory.
As I write this, Amish families in Pennsylvania have just buried their own children who were murdered in a horrible action in their simple schoolhouse.
The forgiving attitude of these families who suffered so much and yet reached out to the killer's family has astounded the onlooking world. People have learned far more about Christianity as they observed these gentle Christians' behavior than from hearing many doctrinal sermons.
3. I have learned from the Didache that the sacraments of baptism and the eucharist, or as we prefer to call it, "the Lords Supper," played a much larger role in the life of their church than they do in mine. Baptism was the culmination of a process of conversion and instruction. It was not so separated from one's profession of faith that we wonder today if it is really important since it is not part of our salvation. We often make such a bifurcation between faith and baptism out of fear that we may lapse into sacramentalism and that dreaded curse we call baptismal regeneration. Why are there so many who have never been baptized? Could it be because we have given the impression that it is so
The Lessons of the Didache
separate from faith that it is really optional? The idea of an unbaptized Christian was simply not entertained in the New Testament and the earliest church. I am not implying that there is no need for some delay so that proper instruction should take place. But the catechumens should know that baptism is part and parcel of becoming a Christian. The Didache is clear that no unbaptized persons should partake of that which is the right and privilege of every Christian — partaking of the eucharist. The stress in chapter seven on the meaning of baptism rather than on its form is a healthy one. We are so concerned that we get them fully submerged — and the Didache teaches that too — that we fuss and fight about the proper mode while missing the most important issue: that we are uniting with the Savior in his death and resurrection. We who are Baptists, whether we bear that specific name or not, need the Didache to remind us that immersion in a warm and comfortable tank is not the pattern of the early church. But we also need its teaching to remind us that circumstances may not always allow the ideal—immersion three times in cold, running water. Fussy Baptists and strict
Presbyterians both need ato learn a lesson from the example of pastoral genius that underlies this book. Finally—and this is challenging for one who has never practiced baptism this way—the pattern of trine immersion was not recommended only by the Didache. It was the practice of the early church in all regions until the third century—and it is still the practice of the eastern churches.
When will we who are so loud in our cries of sola scriptura, realize that the phrase did not mean that only Scripture was to be read. It meant that Scripture is our only final authority. But if two hundred years' worth of Christians read their
Bible as teaching trine immersion, shouldn't we ask if we have been reading our Bible correctly if we insist on single immersion only?
Now concerning (περι de!) the eucharist, as the Didachist would say. It is clear from this book, as it should have been clear from the New Testament and also from other early Christian writings that believers celebrated the eucharist weekly - not monthly or quarterly or yearly! For fear that it may become rote we do it as rarely as we can get away with it. We stress that Paul said "as often as you do it" as if that expression means that there is no pattern ever provided about the frequency of its observance. We shouldn't need early Christian writings to remind us of this as the Acts and / Corinthians are pretty clear in this regard. But if through millennium and a half years, Christians all read their Bibles as teaching a weekly observance, why do we think that we got smart about this practice in the last few years? We suffer from a case of historical amnesia and the worst case of it is in the evangelical church. And that amnesia is never so badly demonstrated as in how we observe the sacraments. If someone fears that I am for turning the church back to a Roman mass, they only have to read the simple liturgy in Didache 9 and 10 to know that Rome desperately needs to read and heed those chapters too.
4. I have learned from the Didache that church leadership on the local level that consists of spiritual overseers and deacons is the best pattern of church governance. Now I recognize that this book was written when apostles and prophets were still itinerating, because the situation described was still dur-
The Lessons of the Didache ing the New Testament period. I know that we cannot put in place the exact model of ecclesiology that is exemplified in the Didache. Even the book itself appears to recognize that this period is coming to a close soon. But the pattern that is exemplified in the New Testament appears also to be the same as the one so described by the Didachist. Frequent gatherings of believers under the leadership of godly and righteous leaders for instruction in the word the Lord and for sharing the eucharist is not far from what we see today. Or is it? The emphasis on market driven philosophies of church growth seems so alien to what was done in the first century. Today we emphasize what people should come to church to get, and how we can supply what they want so we can best service them. The simplicity, integrity and quiet holiness that pervades the Didache is absent from so many of our church efforts today. When have you last heard brothers and sisters confessing their sins in a church meeting? We seem to think that such a practice is too dangerous and open to abuse to even encourage it.
Spiritual leaders of course should oversee such things and channel them into godly paths. But taking the "safe" path is not always the path to God's blessing.
I know enough about the history of revivals to know that many of them have begun when public confession of sins began to take place.
The Didachist reminds the new believers that the congregation can nourish and support them and they will find what is beneficial for their lives in frequent gatherings, and thus move toward maturity and perfection in their lives. Many decry the church for being the last place where reality can be seen. We put up our facades and dare not open ourselves up publicly—for whatever fearful reasons we have. Honesty and integrity are rarely seen in our prayer requests, for example. As I read this little book, I am called back to a time of simplicity and reality that I so miss — or maybe have never even experienced.
5. Lastly and briefly, I have learned from the Didache that living escha_ tologically means far more than knowing my prophetic charts and having my end-time scenario down to the year, month and day! It means living in a constant awareness that because of the work of Jesus I am living in the end times now and 1 still anticipate that the consummation could be very near. I am remnded of the saying that prophecy is given to us not so we can form a calendar but so we can form a character. Prayerfulness, watchfulness, honesty, and holiness should be the effect in my life of knowing about the "last things." The reader may respond, "Well, I am aware of all that from my reading of the New
Testament." That is fine, but it is also good to be reminded that others very near to the apostles approached eschatology in such a practical way.
I believe that Milavec's brief summary of the book's unity is helpful and expresses very well my own judgement.
Upon inspection, therefore, the Didache exhibits a remarkable unity and purpose. It opens by offering the candidate the key orientation toward love of God and love of neighbor that characterize the Way of Life. It closes by evoking the expectation of that glorious day when the Lord God will come atop the clouds of heaven (16:8) and gather into the kingdom those whose lives have exhibited
The Lessons of the Didache
this orientation. Thus the Didache traces how humble beginnings anticipate an exalted end.'"° In all honesty, however, when I compare the content of this plain and simple little tract to the depth and breadth of something like the Pauline writings, I am thankful even more for the full canonical revelation of the New Testament.
While the Didache is neither the last nor the best word on these subjects, it is a word that should be heard again—after too long a silence!
A message that I heard just as I was finishing the rough draft of this book reminded me of one of the lasting lessons that I have taken from the study of the Didache. The pastor said that God attends our church when, in the terms of Isaiah 66:2, we "tremble" at His word. It is then that He dwells with the humble and contrite in heart—and thus attends our church! As I listened, I realized that such an attitude was what the Didachist desired to be inculcated in his readers.
My child, the one speaking to you the word of God, [1] you will remember night and day, [2] and you will honor him as the Lord, for where the dominion of the Lord is spoken of, there is the Lord.
[3] And you will seek every day the presence of the saints in order that you may find support in their words (4:1, 2)
Become long-suffering and merciful and harmless and gentle and good and one who trembles always at the words that you have heard (3:8).
Perhaps amidst all the pressures for churches to adopt the latest fad of worship or of church growth methods, that simple yet powerful message needs to be heard and heeded in our churches today. We are called to honor and respect the one who speaks the word of God in such a way that we tremble in humility and meekness at the word that comes to us through that preacher.
No bells and whistles and fancy programs emerge from this—just an attitude of humble obedience that the ancient pagan world found hard to resist. Perhaps that can happen again in the twenty first century!
Appendix One The Language of the Didache The Didache is written in a Hellenistic Greek that is very similar to that of the New Testament. It breathes the spirit of the LXX but with an infusion of Christian meaning in some of the words. It is characterized, like the LXX, by the presence of a number of Hebraisms, but also by the lack of technical, ecclesiastical and dogmatic terms that characterize later patristic writings. The style is simple, natural, terse and sententious.
In these days of computerized texts, it is much easier to do statistical analyses of the vocabulary of a book. I would like to acknowledge, however, the initial statistical work of A.C. McGiffert, who, at the request of Philip Schaff, supplied the following brief statistical breakdown of the vocabulary in the Didache.
His work was based on the "Jerusalem" manuscript, but the later critical texts have not altered his results in any significant way.
The Didache contains 2,190 words. Its vocabulary comprises 552 words. Of the whole number 504 are New Testament words, 497 are classical, and 479 occur in the LXX. 16 occur for the first time in the Didache, but are found in later writers. 1 occurs only in the Didache (προεξομολογέομαι, 14.1). 14 occur in the New Testament with a different meaning.
McGiffert and Schaff provide additional tables that illustrate the above statistics which the interested reader can consult. I have chosen not to include them so as not to overburden an already technical appendix. The Didache lies open for scholars to perform more advanced types of statistical analyses than McGiffert was able to do. One such labor that has been done by the OpenText.org is an analysis of the entire Greek text book based on their clause analysis methodology. Presently, this work is only available online at opentext.org.
The Language of the Didache As has been mentioned, of the approximately 552 different words that are in the vocabulary of the Didache, 504 are found in the New Testament. The 48 words that are not in the New Testament are as follows.
Words Not in the New Testament ἀθάνατος, 4.8, immortal αἱἰσχρολόγος, 3.3, foul speech ἀμφιβολία, 14.2, conflict ἀνταποδότης, 4.7, paymaster αὐθάδεια, 5.1, stubbornness yoyyvooc, 3.6, grumbler διαφορά, 1.1, difference διγλωσσία, 2.4, double-tongued δίγλωσσος, 2.4, double-tongued διγνώμων, 2.4, double-minded διπλοκαρδία, 5.1, duplicity διψυχέω, 4.4, double-minded εκπέτασις, 16.6, an opening ἐνδέω, 4.8; 5.2, the one in need ἐπαοιδός, 3.4, enchanter ἐριστικός, 3.2, contentious ζηλοτυπία, 5.1, jealousy θερμός, 7.2, warm θράσος, 3.9, boldness θρασύτης, 5.1, audacity θυμικός, 3.2, hot-headed ἰδρόω, 1.6, sweat κακοήθης, 2.6, spiteful KoopotAavnc, 16.4, world-deceiver κυριακὴ Κυρίου, 14.1, Lord's day of the Lord μαθηματικός, 3.4, astrologer μακρόθυμος, 3.8, long-suffering μῖσος, 16.3, hatred μνησικακέω, 2.3, to hold a grudge οἰωνοσκόπος, 3.4, the practice of divination παιδοφθορέω, 2.2, to corrupt children πανθαμάρτητος, 5.2, totally sinful παρόδιος, 12.2, passing through περικαθαίρω, 3.4, magician ποθέω, 4.3, to cause πονέω, 5.2, to work πονηρόφρων, 3.6, evil-minded
The Language of the Didache 111] ποτός, 10.3[2x], drink προνηστεύω, 7.4, to fast πορσεξομολογέομαι, 14.1, to confess (one's sins) beforehand πυκνῶς, 16.2, frequently σιτία, 13.5, bread συσπάω, 4.5, to draw back τετρὰς, 8.1, fourth day ὑψηλόφθαλμος, 3.3, one who lifts up the eyes φαρμακεύω, 2.2, to make potions φθορεύς, 5.2, destroyers; 16.3, corrupters χριστέμπορος, 12.5, Christ-peddler In his seminal work on the Didache, Bryennios included an abbreviated concordance of its most common words and important phrases.'** After much deliberation, I have included in this appendix an exhaustive concordance of the words in the Didache. Even the most common words are included, but for a few of them I have just mentioned the number of times the word appears without providing the references where they can be found. It is my hope that this concordance will be of value to both students and scholars who desire to dig deeper into the linguistic aspects of the book. My deep gratitude is expressed to my student, Cliff Kvidahl, for his labors in assembling this concordance
Exhaustive Concordance to the Didache A ἀγαθός 3.
8.3.10; 5.2[53χ] ἀγαπάω
1.2: 1.3[3Χ]:2.7;5.2[2Χ]
ἀγάπη 10.5; 16.3 ἀγγαρεύω 1.4 ἁγιάζω 8.2; 10.5 ἅγιος 4.2;7.1:7.3;9.2; 9.5; 10.2[2χ]; 10:6; 16.7 ἀγρυπνέω 5:2 ἀδελφός 4.8 ἀθά 10.6 ἀθανασία 10.2 ἀθάνατος 4.8 ἀθέμιτος 16.4 ἀθῷος 1.5[2Χ] αἴρω 1.4; 4.9 αἰσχρολογία 5:1 αἰσχρολόγος 3.3 αἰσχύνη 4.11 αἰτέω 1.5;11.6
The Language of the Didache 8.2; 9.2; 9.3; 9.4; 10.2; 10.4; 10.5; 16.4 αἰών αἰώνιος ἄκακος ἀκούω ἀλαζονεία ἀλήθεια ἀληθής ἀληθινός ἀλλὰ 10.3
3.8
3:8}11.2: 815179:}5.9
| 5.2; 11:10; 16.6
15.1
1111:15:15:|15.2
1.6: 2.5: 2.7; 3.9; 4.9; 4.10 5:2: 8.9 [2Χ]: 95; 11.3:.55
Po aa LAS ER: aero 13:3
4.6; 11.7[2x] 10.6
9.2
LOS rts tacks 15:7
16.6
> ,΄ ἀναστρέφω ἄνεμος ἀνήκω ἀνήρ ἄνθρωπος ἀνοίγω ἀνομία ἄνομος ἀνταπόδομα ἀνταποδότης 3.9
10.5
16.2
2.4L O32 165
13.6
16.4
5:2
Dae 4.7
155.1:-13:9: 1[5.1
13:3(2x): 1355 136; 13.7
3.2; 3,35-37439.05 3 6; 5.2
1.4
1.4; 3.1[2x]; 4.9[3x]; 5.2; 6.1; 6.3; 8.2; 9.4; 9.5; 10.5[2x]; 11.8;11.9: 12.5
1.5
16.5
Os a i a cee ws
The Language of the Didache
ἀποστρέφω ἀργός ἀργύριον ἀρεστός ἀριστερός ἁρπαγή ἅρπαξ ἄρτος ἀρχαῖος ἀρχιερεύς ἀστοχέω ἄτερ αὐθάδεια αὐθάδης αὐλίζομαι αὐξάνω αὐτός 4.8; 5.2
12.4
11.6; 11.12;.13.7
4.12
12.1
5.1
2.6
8.2; 11.6; 14.1
11.11
13.1
15.3
3.10
5.1
3.6
11.6
16.4
1.3; 1.4[3x]; 3.1; 3.4; 4.1; 4.2; 4.10; 5.2; 8.2; 10.5[4x]; ECE TE ox) 11.9: 1.1: Tix 12.1:12.2..35:;
13.2[2x]; 13.3; 14.2; 15.1; 15.2[2x]; 16.4; 16.5[2x]; 16.7
B βαπτίζω βάπτισμα βασιλεία βασιλεύς βαστάζω βλασφημία βλέπω βοηθέω βουλή βοῦς βρῶσις
7.1[2Χ]:7.2:7.4[3Χ]:9.5
7.1; 7.4
8.2; 9.4; 10.5
14.3
6.2; 6.3
3,6[2x] 3.4
12.2
2.6
13.3
6.3 r 1.3; 1.4; 1.5[3x]; 2.4;:3.2[2x]; 3.3[2]; 3.4; 3.5; 3.6; 4.1; γάρ 4.7; 4.8; 4.10; 6.2; 6.3; 8.1; 9.5; 11.7; 11.11[2x); 12.1;
13.3; 14.3; 15.1; 15.2;'16.1; 16.2; 16.3; 16.4
The Language of the Didache γεννάω γέννημα 2.22 9.2: 5.35354; 90; 510 13.3
3.7; 8.2; 9.4; 16.4 yn γίνομαι 1.2; 1.5332: 33:34; 3,5; 3.6538; 3:10; 4.5, 8.2794;
16.1; 16.4
16: 4:2:.5.2[2Χ}: 118: 121
3.6
16.1 ie δαυείδ 9.2; 10.6
(Occurs in 55 verses 70 times) de δεξιός δεσπότης δεύτερος δέχομαι διά διάκονος διακρίνω διαλλάσσομαι διασκορπίζω διαφορά διγλωσσία δίγλωσσος διγνώμων διδάσκαλος διδάσκω διδαχή δίδωμι 1.4; 12.1
10.3
1.2:2.1:8:] 111:|1:2:11..:1}} 1:1:--:-53.8:4.6:9.2:9.3:9.4: 10:2:.10.9
15.1
11.7
14.2
9.4
1.1
2.4
2.4
2.4
13;2:15:1:159
4.9;6.1;.11.1; 11.2f2x]; 11 ΠΟΥ 11.11
1:-..-1.1-3:721: 6:1:
1.4[2Χ]; 1.5[4x]; 1.6; 3.9; 4.5; 4.6; 4.7[2x]; 8.2; 9.5; 10.3; EY, 12(2x); 13.33 13.4: 43.5; 13362934 3.97 5.2 eer 11 δίκαιος δικαιοσύνη δικαίως δίκη διπλοκαρδία διστάζω διψυχέω διώκτης 4.3
1.5
5.1
4.7
4.4
5.2
The Language of the Didache
11.3
13.7
ELA; 42:4; 153
16.5
5:1} 8.2; 9.2; 9.3; 9.4; 10.2; 10.4; 10.5
4.10; 4.11 δοῦλος δύναμαι δύναμις δυνατός δύο δώδεκα 1.4: 6.2[3χ]; 6.3: 7.2; 7.4; 12.2
8.2; 9.4; 10.5
10.4
1.1[2x]; 1.4; 7.4; 12.2
1.1
EV 1.2; 1.3; 1.4[4x]; 4.6; 7.2; 7.3; 11.2; 11.5[2x]; 11.6; 11.8; 11:12; 12.2;,13.4: 13.5; 16.2
15.1
4.13 ἑαυτοῦ x , ἐγκαταλείπω ἐγώ 3.1; 3.3; 3.4; 3.5; 3.6; 4.1; 8.2[9x]; 9.2[2x]; 9.3[2x];
10.2[2x]; 10.3; 11.12; 14.3[2x]; 15.4; 16.1 (The lexeme ἐγώ does not appear in the text.) ἔθνος 1.1; 1.3; 14.3 εἰ 1.5; 4.8; 6.2[2x]; 7.2; 7.4; 10.6[2x]; 11.5; 11.6; 11.9;
11.10; 12.2[2χ]; 12.3; 12.4: 12:5 εἰδωλόθυτος εἰδωλολατρία εἰμί εἰρηνεύω εἰρήνη 6.3
3.4[2x]; 5.1
(Occurs in 37 verses, 45 times, in 13 forms) 4.3
15.3
1.4; 1.5; 1.6; 3.4; 3.5; 3.6; 5.2[2χ]; 7.1; 7.2: 7.3 [2x]; ᾽ εἰς 8.2[2x]; 9.2; 9.3; 9.4[2x]; 9.5; 10.2; 10.3; 10.4; 10.5[2x];
11.2[2x]; 11.11; 16.3[2x]; 16.4; 16.5
1.1[2x]; 1.4; 7.4; 9.4; 11.5 (The lexeme εἷς does not appear in the text.) 8.2
16.6
1.5; 3.2; 3.3; 3.4; 3.5; 3.6; 16.4
4.1
1.5
4.2
The Language of the Didache 4.14; 9.4; 10.5; 11.11
4.5
ES 13.6
" ἐλαιον 2.7..4.3:}15.3
1.6; 15.4
4.10
10.1
, ἐμπίπλημι ἐν 1.5; 2.2; 4.8[2x]; 4.10; 4.11; 4.14[2x]; 7.1; 7.2[2x];
8:2[5Χ]; 1012. 10.5: 1 7:1 5
oth }0» 1ΡῚ:
14.3[2Χ]; 15.3[3x]; 15.4; 16.1; 16.2; 16.3; 16.5; 16.6 ἐνδέω ἕνεκα ἐνέργημα ἐντολή ἐξέρχομαι ἐξετάζω ἐξομολογέω ἐπαναπαύομαι ἐπάνω 4.8; 5.2
10.3
3.10
1.5:.9..15:1..5:157
15: 11:6
4.14
4.2
9.4; 16.8
3.4
12.1
> , ἐπί 4.3; 4.10[3x]; 4.14; 5.2; 8.2; 11.11
2.2
1.4; 3.3; 5.1
2S 8.2
15:1
4.10
15:2)
4.10; 8.2; 10.6[2x}; 1 M45 423129; 16.1.8
O'S: TRO F238
£3! 16.22163
The Language of the Didache
16.1 δὲ): }}.:.5..:15.4
9.1; 9.2; 9.3; 10.1; 10.2; 10.3; 10.4; 10.7; 14.1
9.1; 9.5
15.4
1.3; 1.5[2Χ]; 4:6: 7.2; 7.3: 11.8;11.11;12.1; 42.4: 13:4;
14.215.3; 15.4
5.1
3.2
1.1; 1.2; 4.14; 9.3; 10.3; 16.1
H 4.4; 4.9; 4.10; 7.4; 11.12; 12.2; 13.6
16.5; 16.7
4.1; 4.2;8-3; 11.53 12.2; 16.3
8.2
1:0: 1.5:5.4:10.7;12.-3: 12:5;5.13.1
1.2; 3.10; 4.1; 4.9; 4.10[2x]; 4.11; 5.2; 6.1; 6.3; 10.6; 11.11; 16.4 θερμός θλίβω θνητός wee 3.2
4.9
5:2
14.1:14.2;14.3
9.2; 9.3; 9.4; 10.2
1.4
13.7
4.2.10.3; 14:2
« Ἁ ἱνατί 1.5 lA 14.1; 14.3
12.5:15:
(Occurs 97 times) καθαρός κάθημαι καί καιρός κακία κακοήθης κακολογέω καλέω καλός καρδία κατά κατάθεμα καταλύω καταπονέω κατάρα καταράομαι κατασκηνόω κελεύω κενόδοξος κενός κεράμιον κεφαλή κλάσμα κλάω 16.2 at 2.6
2.3
4.10
4.7
10.2
15; 2.6; 4.2:.4.10:11.3:12.4:; 13.:5:13:7:14.1:-:15.3
16.5
11.2
5.2[2x] 5.1
1.3
10.2
7.4; 8.2
3:5
2.95
13.6
7.3
9.3; 9.4
14.1
The Language of the Didache
κλέπτω κληρονομέω κλοπή κοδράντης κοινόω κοινωνός κολλάω κοσμικός κοσμοπλανής κόσμος κρίνω κρίσις κριτής κτῆμα κτίζω κτίσις κυριακός κύριος 2:2
3.7
3.5[2x}; 5.1
1.5
14.2
4.8
Ἅ:0:.9}} 11.11
16.4
10.6; 16.8
4.3; 11.11; 11.12 a2 Phe 5.2
13.7
10.3
16.5
14.1
1.1; 4.1[2x]; 4.11; 4.12; 4.13; 6.2; 8.2; 9.5[2x]; 10.5; 11.2[2x]; 11.4; 11.8; 12.1; 14.1, 3[2x]; 15.1; 15.4; 16.1;
9.5
A λαλέω λαμβάνω λατρεία λέγω λειτουργέω λειτουργία ληνός λίαν λόγος λύκος λύτρωσις λύχνος 4.1[2x]; 11.7; 11.8; 15.3
1.4: 1.5[3Χ]; 2.6; 4.3; 4.5; 11.6; 13.3; 13.5; 13.6,7
6.3
1.6; 4.8; 9.5; 11.12{2x]; 14.3[2x]; 16.7
15.1
15.1
6.3
1.3; 2.5; 3.8; 4.1; 4.2
16.3
4.6
16.1 iz 5.1
The Language of the Didache μαθηματικός μακάριος μακρόθυμος μακρός μᾶλλον μαράν μάταιος μάχομαι μέγας μέν μένω μεστός μεστόω μετά μετανοέω μεταξύ 3.4
1.5
3.8
51:2
4.8
10.6
BZ 4.3
14.3
179..5:92.:Σ Ge ΟΞ 11.
9 Pad ak gd
2.5
1.-:4:::90[2Χ]:8.1:10:1:11.11.10.1:14..15.2: 167
10.6; 15.3
1.1
15:10
(Occurs in 34 verses 30 times) μέχρι μή μήγε μηδέ μηδείς μήποτε μήτε μίλιον μιμνήσκομαι μισέω μισθός 11.9
3.2[3x]; 3.3[2x]; 3.4[4x]; 3.5[2x]; 3.6[2x]; 8.2; 9.5; 15.3
Os 115 6:.11:15:15.3
4.10
4.13[2Χ] 1.4
4.1; 10.5
1.3; 2.7; 4.12; 5.2; 16.4
AMS:
2:2) 11.11
4.9
16.8
8.1
1.3; 7.4; 8.1[2x] 4.1
The Language of the Didache
(Occurs in 90 verses, 270 times, in 24 forms) 2,2; 21d OA: 3.5; 3.0
1.1[2x]; 1.2; 4.14; 5.1; 6.1
4,1 3,10; 16.1
° 2:
7.1; 7.3; 8.2; 9.5; 10.2; 10.3; 12.1; 14.3
14.1
6.1; 16.8
3..2)..5.2
11,9
1.5[2x]; 2.7[3x]; 3.8; 4.10; 4.12; 4.13; 5.2; 6.2; 6.3; 9.2; 9,3; 10.2[2x]; 10.5; 11.1; 11.6; 11.10; 11.12; 14.2; 15.3;
16.1; 16.4
122107; CUA F272
16.1
3.10; 8.2; 9.4; 10.4; 10.5; 14.3
_ (Occurs in 34 verses 59 times) 1.5
1.4; 2.2; 2.4; 2.6[4x]; 3.9; 4.7; 5.2; 11.7
3.10 οὐδείς 16.4 fo. 5888255
12 1302s}; 1.6; 3.2; 3:3; 34; 3:5;346;.4.14; $.1;5.2;.6.1; 6.2; 7.1; 9.4; 9.5; 10.6; 11.1; 11.7; 14.3
7A; 8.2; 8.3; 9.1; 9.4; 10.1; 11.3; 12.5; 15.4
The Language of the Didache παιδοφθορέω 7:2
0:2[2Χ];9.3: 10,2; 10.3
παῖς πανθαμάρτητος παντοκράτωρ παρά παραδίδωμι παράκλητος παραλαμβάνω παράπτωμα παρασκευή παρεκτός παρέρχομαι παρόδιος 5.2
10.3
16.4[2x] 5.2
4.13
4.3: 4.14: 14.1
8.1
6.1
10.6
2.2)
1.2:.1.5[2Χ];:2.7:3012Χ]; 3.8; 4.5; Δ. 1212Χ} 5 1: 1}
πᾶς 10.3; 10.4; 10.5; 11.1; 11.4; 11.7[2x]; 11.8; 11.9; 11.10; 11.11:.12:1:15:1:-135:3:157:}18.2 143 1S ee
16.7([2x] πατήρ πατρήρ πειράζω πειρασμός πέμπτος πένης πέρας περί περὶ δὲ περικαθαίρω πικρία πίνω πίστις πλανάω πλάσμα πλεονέκτης πλεονεξία πληθύνω πλησίον πλούσιος πνεῦμα πνευματικός ποθέω ποιέω 1.5; 8:2; 9.229.3:10.2
6 ba 11:7
8:2
8.1
5.2
9.4
1 5. 16:2
7695600 Ok 9.2. 9.9: 0.5: 113: 1.119
9:7: δ: ΠΟΘ 952 11.3
3.4
4.10
9.5
10.2; 16.2; 16.5
6.1
2.6
5.1
16.3
1:2.5.2
2 26 De 4:10; Pot; 733407; 182 90-9: 7112
10.3
4.3
Τ212Σ|1.3:5:2: 6.2; {13:1 10. 1 ΠΧ]: 12.5: [5.5
15.4
The Language of the Didache
TOVEW 5.2 πονηρός 2.6: 3.1; 4.14: 5.1;.5.2: 8.2; 10.5 πονηρόφρων 3.6 πορνεία 3.3; 5.1} πορνεύω
Tpaiic 3.7[2x]; 15.1 πραὕτης 5.2 πρό 7.4[2x]; 10.4 πρόβατον 13.3; 16.3 προεξομολογέομαι 14,1 προλέγω TA tA προνηστεύω 7.4 προνοέω 12.4 πρός
3.2;.3.3; 4.5[2Χ]; 11.4; 12.2; 12.3;: 13.1
4.3; 2.7; 8.2[2Χ]; 8:3
προσέχω 6.3; 12.5 προστίθημι 4.13; 11.2 προσφέρω 14.3 πρόσωπον 4.2; 4.3; 4.10 προφήτης 10.7; 11.3; 11.7; 11.8[2x]; 11.9; 11.10; 11.11[2x]; 13.1;
13.3;13.4;13.6; 15.1;15.2 πρῶτος 1.2; 5.1;9.2: 16.6 πτωχός 5.2;13.4 πυκνῶς 16.2 πύρωσις 16.5 πῶς 12.4
The Language of the Didache Σ 8.1
16.1
16.4; 16.6[3x] 8.2
1.4
13:5
16.5 σεαυτοῦ σημεῖον σήμερον σιαγών σιτία σκανδαλίζω σός στρέφω σύ συγκοινωνέω συμβαίνω συνάγω συνείδησις συνέρχομαι σύνεσις συνοχή συσπάω σχίσμα σῴζω σωματικός 1.4; 9.4; 10.5
1.4; 11.2; 16.3[2x] (Occurs in 45 verses, 91 times, in 9 forms) 4.8
3.10
9.4[2x]; 10.5; 14.1; 16.2
4.14
14.2
12.2; 12.4
1:5
4.5
4.3
16.5
1.4
IJ 3.9
10.3; 13.3 ταπεινός τε τέκνον τέλειος τελειόω τέρας τέσσαρες τετράς τέχνη τεχνίτης τιμάω τὶς
2.25: S43 3:33 3,493.55 6: 8.1: 9.2[2Χ]
1.4; 6.2
10.5; 16.2
16.4
10.5
8.1
12.4
12.3
4.1:15.2
1.4[4Χ]; 1.5[2x]; 1.6; 4.7; 6.1; 7.4; 10.6[2x]; 11.12
The Language of the Didache
14.3
16.4; 16.5; 16.6; 16.8
3.8
16.6
11.8[2Χ] , . τροφη τύπος 10.3[2χ]; 13.1;.13.2
4.11
7.1; 7.2[2x]; 7.3
4.9; 7.1; 7.3; 16.4
1.4
1.3[2x]; 2.7; 9.2; 9.3; 10.2[2x]; 16.1
5.1
2.6
15.2
14.3; 16.5
4.12; 5.1
2.6; 8.1; 8.2
16.5
5.2
4.11
11.12
3.9
5.1
3.9 ὕδωρ υἱός ὑπάγω ὑπέρ ὑπερηφανία ὑπερήφανος ὑπεροράω ὑπό ὑπόκρισις ὑποκριτής ὑπομένω ὑπομονή ὑποτάσσω ὑστερέω ὑψηλός ὑψηλόφθαλμος ὕψος ὑψόω ΙΘ.
16.4; 16.6
5.1
2.2
5.2; 16.3
3.5
4.10
The Language of the Didache 5.2
2.2[2x] 3.2[2x]; 5.1
4.13
1.3; 10.6
1.5
1.6; 4.5; 4.6; 4.9; 16.4
15.1
1.4
1.5[2Χ]; 11.5
12.5
12.4
9.4
14.3; 16.2 χαρίζομαι χάρις χάρισμα χείρ χειροτονέω χιτών χρεία χριστέμπορος χριστιανός χριστός χρόνος + ψευδής ψευδομαρτυρέω ψευδομαρτυρία ψευδοπροφήτης ψεῦδος ψεῦσμα ψεύστης ψυχή ψυχρός 2.5
5:1} 115: 11
ΟΣ: 9. Dito; 163 Be:
3:9
2.7: 5:9[2Χ} 162
Ἴ:2
1.2:.3.10; 4.1; 4.11; 8.2[4Χ];11.2;11.4; 13.7; 15.3; 15.4;
16.4: 16.7
10.6
Appendix Two Topical Index to the Didache In the previous index, we provided a concordance of all the Greek words in the Didache. That may not be helpful, however, for the person who simply would like to study the Didache apart from any knowledge of Greek. Therefore, this appendix consists of an index to all the topics found in the book. I would like to thank my former student, Abner Chou, for compiling this index.
Boasting - 3:5
Body of Christ - 9:4
Bread of Communion - 9:3; 14:1
Calling - 4:10
Chief Priest - 13:3
Child Abuse - 2:2
Christ-Mocker - 12:5
Church - 9:4; 10:3; 14:1; 16:2
Clean - 14:1
Clothes - 1:5; 13:7
Clouds - 16:8
Comfort - 4:1-2 Commandments - 13:5-7 Communion - 9:1-5; 10:1; 14:1
Complaining - 3:6
Confession - 4:14; 14:1
Conscience - 4:14
Corruptors - 16:3
Coveting - 2:2; 5:1-2 Create/Creation - 10:3
Crucifixion - 9:4
Cursed One - 16:5
Abortion - 2:2
Abstaining from evil - 1:4; 2:2, 3:1, 4; 4:12
Accountability - 1:5
Adultery - 2:2; 3:2; 5:2
Almsgiving - 15:4
Anger - 3:2; 15:3
Animals - 13:3
Antichrist - 16:4
Appearance of Evil - 3:1
Appointing - 15:1
Approval - 15:1
Apostle - 11:3-4, 6 Arguing - 11:7
Bad speech - 2:3, 4; 3:3
Baptism - 7:1-7; 9:4
Beatitudes - 3:7
Betrayal - 16:4
Bitterness - 4:10
Blasphemy - 3:6
Bless - 1:3
Blessing from the Word - 4:2
Topical Index to the Didache Genuine - 8:1-2; 15:1
Giving - 1:4-5, 6; 4:5-8; 9:5; 13:3, Cup of Communion - 9:2
Deacons - 15:1-4 Death - 1:1; 2:4; 5:1
Deception - 6:1; 16:3
Decisive - 4:4; 13:7
Defile - 14:2
Deliverance - 5:2; 8:2; 9:4; 10:3, 5 Despise - 15:2
Destruction - 15:5
Didache - 1:3; 2:1; 6:1
Discernment - 11:1-12; 12:1; 13:7
Discipline - 4:9; 15:3
Dispute - 14:2; 15:2
Divisiveness - 3:2; 4:3; 14:2; 15:2
Dogs - 9:5
Doxology - 8:2; 9:2-4; 10:3-5 Drink - 9:5; 10:3; 13:3, 6 Duplicity - 5:2
Eating - 6:2; 9:4-5; 12:3
Edification - 2:5; 4:2; 16:2
Elders - 15:1-4 Election - 4:10
Enemies - 1:3
Eschatology - 10:5-6; 16:2
Evaluation - 11:1-12; 12:1; 15:1
Evil intent - 2:6; 3:6; 5:2
Fading away - 10:6
4,5, 6,7 God - 1:2, 5; 3:10; 4:9, 10-11; 5:2; 621: 40:2; $4581 Golden Rule - 1:2
Goodness - 3:8
Gospel - 15:3, 4 Guiltless - 1:5
Grace - 10:6
Greed - 1:5; 2:6; 3:5; 4:5, 8; 5:1-2 Grudges - 2:3
Harshness - 7:2
Hate - 2:7; 4:12; 5:1-2; 16:3, 4 Heart - 10:2
Heaven - 16:6, 8 Hearing - 15:3
Helping those in need - 4:8; 11:6; 12:2
Heresy - 11:2
Holy - 10:2
Holy Spirit - 4:10; 7:1, 3; 11:7, 8, NS 94 Honor - 4:1
Honorable - 15:2
Hope - 4:9
Hospitality - 11:1-12; 12:1-2 Humility - 1:4; 2:9, 10; 3:9
Hypocrisy - 2:4-5, 6; 4:12; 5:2; 8:1, Faith - 16:2, 5 False Prophet - 11:1-12; 16:3
Family - 4:9
Fasting - 1:3; 7:4; 8:1
Fear of the Lord - 4:9, 10, 11 Fear Your Master - 4:11
Fear of the Word - 2:8; 4:1, 13 Fellowship - 4:2-3, 14; 14:1; 16:2
2.1 1Ξ10 Idolatry/Idols - 1:4; 3:4; 6:2-3 Immortality - 4:8; 10:2
Impartiality - 4:3, 10 Impatience - 5:2
Indwelling - 10:2
Infanticide - 2:2
Influence - 5:2
Inheriting the world - 3:6
Jealousy - 3:2
Jesus - 9:4; 10:2
Judging - 4:3-4; 11:11-12 Kindness - 4:10
King - 14:3
Kingdom - 8:2; 9:4; 10:5
Knowledge - 9:3; 10:2; 11:2
Firstfruits - 13:3, 5-7 Food - 8:2; 10:3; 11:6; 13:1-2, 3, 5 Forgiveness - 8:2
Fornication - 2:2; 3:3; 5:2
Four corners - 10:5
Gathering - 9:4; 10:5; 14:1; 16:2
Generosity - 1:5, 6; 4:5-8; 11:1-12; 123-5; 13:3
Gentiles - 1:1, 3; 14:3
Gentle - 2:7; 5:2
Topical Index to the Didache
Lamp - 16:1
Last Days - 16:2, 3 Law - 6:2
Laziness - 12:4
Length of stay - 11:5
Life - 1:1, 2; 4:8, 14; 16:1
Listening - 15:3
Loins - 16:1
Longsuffering - 1:4-5; 3:16
Lord's Day - 14:1
Lord's Prayer - 8:2
Lord's Return - 16:1, 7, 8 Lordship of Christ - 4:1
Love - 1:2; 6; 2:7; 4:9; 15:1; 16:3
Loving enemies - 1:3, 4 Loving God - 1:2; 4:9
'Loving money - 3:5; 15:1
Pedophilia - 2:2
Perfection - 1:4; 6:2; 10:5
Persecution/Persecutors - 16:4
Perseverance - 16:5
Poor - 11:12; 12:2; 13:4
Possessions - 13:7
Prayer - 1:3, 2:7; 4:14; 8:2, 3; 15:4
Preaching - 4:1
Preparedness - 16:1
1:3, 4; Pride - 2:6; 3:3, 5, 9 Prophets - 10:7; 11:3, 7; 13:1, 3, 4, SAG.
1928, 2 Quenched - 16:1
Quiet - 2:8
Ransom - 3:6
Ready - 16:1
Rebuke - 2:7; 4:3; 15:3
Receiving - 1:5
Reconciliation - 14:2
Regeneration - 4:10
Repentance - 15:3
Response to suffering - 2:10; 3:16
Reward - 4:7
Rift in heaven - 16:6
Righteous living - 1:3, 4, 6; 2:2; Loving neighbor - 1:2, 6 Loving those in the wrong - 2:7
Lust - 1:4; 3:3
Lying - 2:3, 5, 6; 3:5; 5:1-2 Magic - 2:2; 3:4; 5:2
Mankind - 16:5
Maranatha - 10:6
Meekness - 15:1
Merciful - 2:8
Messiah - 8:2; 9:2, 4; 10:2-3; 14:3; 3:1, 4; 6:1; 11:2; 15:4
Righteousness - 11:2
Sacrifice - 6:3; 14:1, 2, 3; 15:4
Saints - 16:7
Sanctify8:2
Scripture - 11:1-2 Servant - 9:2-3; 10:3
Serving a table - 11:9
Sexual immorality - 2:2; 3:3
Sheep - 16:3
Signs - 16:4, 16:6
Sin - 1:4; 1:3; 2:2-4, 6-7; 3:2-3, 5; 16:5-8 Ministers - 15:1
Miserly - 4:7-8 Miracles - 16:4
Money - 11:6, 12; 12:4; 13:7; 15:1
Motives - 1:6
Murder - 2:2, 3:2; 5:2
Setti Name of the Lord - 10:2; 12:1; 14:3
Nations - 14:3
Needs - 1:5
Neighbor - 1:2; 15:3
Obedience - 4:13
Offering - 14:1, 2, 3; 15:4
Oil - 13:6
Parenting - 4:9
Pastor - 15:1
Patience - 2:8, 10; 3:8; 5:2
Peace - 4:3; 15:3
4:3, 8, 10, 12; 5:1-2; 8:1; 11:7, 10; 15:1; 16:3, 4 Idolatry/Idols - 1:4; 6:2, 6 Sky - 16:6, 8 Slander 2:3
Snare - 2:3
Son of God - 16:4
Topical Index to the Didache Trinity - 7:1, 3 Trying Your Best - 6:2
True/Genuine - 15:1; 16:6
Two ways - 1:1
Water - 7:2, 3 Watchful - 16:1
Will of God - 8:2
Wine - 9:2; 13:6
Woe - 1:5
Wolves - 16:3
Wonders - 16:4
Word of God - 2:8; 4:1, 13; 13:5-7 World - 10:6; 16:4, 5 World-deceiver - 16:4
Work - 12:3; 13:2; 15:4
Worship - 14:1-2, 3 Trumpet - 16:6
Unforgivable Sin - 11:7
Unity - 4:3
Yoke - 6:2
Sound - 16:6
Speech'= 2:95: 1127;- 2:3, 5, 6? 3:5; S$2t-2;: 25774325158
Stealing - 2:2, 6; 3:5; 5:1-2 Stubbornness - 2:6
Stumbling - 16:5
Submissiveness - 4:11; 11:7; 15:2
Superstition Swearing - 2:3
Speech - 2:3; 5:2; 15:3
Tabernacle - 10:2
Time - 16:2
Teacher/Teaching - 1:3; 2:1; 4:1-2,
SP 61} 71: 11:1Ξ192: 5:32
15:1:
Testing - 3:7; 11:9-11; 12:1
Thanksgiving - 9:2-3; 10:1-4; 14:1
Turn the Other Cheek - 1:4
Transgression - 14:1
Treatment of Slaves - 4:9-11