I know there are a lot of well-read, theologically-minded people in this community, so perhaps some of you have heard of this ancient Christian document called the Didache, but I just recently learned about it.
While it’s not part of the biblical canon, I found its instructions to the early church on baptism, communion, and gathering together to worship really fascinating!
Thinking about how that breaks down between a weekly observance and a daily rhythm is a beautiful way to look at it. The Didache actually shows us that while believers gathered for communal worship and the Lord’s Supper, they also wove their faith deeply into their daily routines.
For instance, it encouraged them to pray the Lord’s Prayer three times a day. This suggests that their faith wasn’t just something they practiced once a week, but a continuous way of living and orienting their hearts toward God constantly. Here are some more ways we can see the difference.
Daily Living (Chapters 1–6, 8): Personal ethics, self-control, and neighborly love (“The Two Ways”). Walking in the “Way of Life” (avoiding the “Way of Death”). Giving to those in need without expectation of return. Fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays. Praying the Lord’s Prayer three times a day. Constant vigilance, hospitality, and resisting hypocrisy in everyday interactions.Individual and household conduct within the secular world.
Weekly Gathering (Chapter 14): Corporate worship, ritual purity, and communal reconciliation. Assembling on the Lord’s Day (Sunday). Breaking bread (Eucharist) and giving thanks. Publicly confessing transgressions before participation. Absolute reconciliation with brethren before offering the sacrifice (so the offering isn’t defiled). The gathered body (ecclesia) in sacred space and time.
Being a “Christian” was never meant to be a weekly thing. It was called “The Way.” It was the Way to live, share, love, and merely exist. It was who we are. Sadly, today, this is not the case. Seems most accept the Weekly in favor of, or at the cost of, the daily.
Peter
Didache
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In this video
00:05
The Didache
03:21
Baptism
03:52
Fasting
04:05
Prayer
04:43
The Dedicate Identifies Teachers Apostles Prophets
J.
New Testament (or Christian) apocrypha and pseudepigrapha are fascinating studies.
I found it insightful how, with baptism, it gives somewhat specific instructions (running water, cold water, etc.), but then provides room for baptism to still take place if there is a lack of these things.
I find this consistent with Jesus constantly calling out the religious hypocrites and spiritual elite for allowing all their rule-following to get in the way of people entering the Kingdom of God.
I think I understand what you are saying @DaughterOfEve24
Especially about Yeshua confronting religious hypocrisy, but I think we need to be careful not to equate obedience to God’s commands with the kind of man-made rule-keeping Jesus condemned.
The New Testament itself is absolutely filled with imperatives and commandments for Christians. For example:
“Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).
“Love one another” (John 13:34).
“Abide in me” (John 15:4).
“Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1).
“Do not let sin therefore reign in your mortal body” (Romans 6:12).
“Present your bodies as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1).
“Do not be conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2).
“Love one another with brotherly affection” (Romans 12:10).
“Bless those who persecute you” (Romans 12:14).
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15).
“Repay no one evil for evil” (Romans 12:17).
“Put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13:14).
“Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18).
“Do all things to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).
“Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
“Watch, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).
“Walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16).
“Bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2).
“Do not grow weary of doing good” (Galatians 6:9).
“Walk in a manner worthy of the calling” (Ephesians 4:1).
“Put away falsehood” (Ephesians 4:25).
“Be kind to one another” (Ephesians 4:32).
“Walk in love” (Ephesians 5:2).
“Do not get drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
“Children, obey your parents” (Ephesians 6:1).
“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you” (Colossians 3:5).
“Put on then… compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12).
“Forgive each other” (Colossians 3:13).
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16).
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23).
“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
“Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
“Test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
“Avoid every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22).
“Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11).
“Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness” (2 Timothy 2:22).
“Preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2).
“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24).
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope” (Hebrews 10:23).
“Do not neglect meeting together” (Hebrews 10:25).
“Lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely” (Hebrews 12:1).
“Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness” (Hebrews 12:14).
“Do not neglect to show hospitality” (Hebrews 13:2).
“Remember those who are in prison” (Hebrews 13:3).
“Let brotherly love continue” (Hebrews 13:1).
“Be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22).
“Resist the devil” (James 4:7).
“Draw near to God” (James 4:8).
“Humble yourselves before the Lord” (James 4:10).
“Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another” (James 5:16).
“Be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15).
“Love one another earnestly from a pure heart” (1 Peter 1:22).
“Put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander” (1 Peter 2:1).
“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution” (1 Peter 2:13).
“Be sober-minded; be watchful” (1 Peter 5:8).
“Resist him, firm in your faith” (1 Peter 5:9).
“Love not the world” (1 John 2:15).
“Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).
And Jesus Himself says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
So Christianity absolutely contains commandments, imperatives, prohibitions, obligations and prescribed practices. Grace does not mean the absence of obedience.
The distinction Jesus makes is between obedience to God and the elevation of human tradition into divine law. That is why Mark 7:8–13 is so important.
So I wouldn’t use the flexibility of the Didache regarding baptism as evidence that Christianity was fundamentally opposed to “rule-following.” The New Testament itself gives us an enormous number of commands. The real issue is whether the command comes from Christ and the apostles, and whether we are obeying God from faith, rather than trusting in our rule-keeping to justify ourselves.
You agree?
J.
Definitely worth reading. Fairly short, but rich in content.
So, too, is The Epistle to Diagnetes. That dude had a wicked sense of humor, and gift for sarcasm. After describing the way the pagans worshiped their gods by smearing fat on their idols, he asked, “Would you feel honored if you were treated that way?”
Of all the New Testament Antilegomena that was ultimately not received into the Canon, I think the Didache is perhaps one of the best. Some of the other Antilegomena can be fascinating. I also think St. Clement’s Epistle (aka 1 Clement) is a highly valuable work. But the Didache is extremely short, and provides a clear insight into the ancient Church.
It’s not altogether clear when the Didache was written, but it may be one of the oldest Christian texts outside of the Canonical New Testament, written as early as 60 AD. Though a later date (c. 120 AD at the latest probably) is possible. It clearly shows important ideas and practices of the apostolic (or immediate sub-apostolic) age. So it is historically invaluable. And the Didache also is the forerunner of “Church Order” texts, like the later Didaskalia and Apostolic Constitutions.
For example, the New Testament never provides instruction for the mode of baptism, there is no “Here is how one should conduct Baptism”; but the Didache provides us with information on how the early Church was actually “doing” baptisms. And pretty much in keeping with later Christian testimony on the subject. That is, an expectation that those about to be baptized should fast if they are able, that the normative mode was three-fold immersion in the Name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit; an exception being made where insufficient water was available in which case pouring water upon the head three times was to be done. This is information that would have been regarded as mundane and ubiquitous in Christian communities, and so there’s no reason why Paul or anyone else would have to explain it. So the Didache, in this way, gives us a unique insight into the earliest strata of Christian ecclesiastical practice and norms.