The Didache

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paul11b

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Has anyone ever heard of The Didache? I guess it’s a collection of writings from the twelve apostles and it is dated before the New Testament. Is it worth reading? Is it useful, and does it actually teach something to the reader? I’ve never heard of it but apparently it’s very good.
 
I read it years ago; scanned it, really. I didn’t study it in depth.

While it’s authentic, there’s a reason it’s not in the Bible: it doesn’t really add anything.

You can read it yourself here. There is all sorts of weird stuff on that website, so don’t get too carried away looking at it.
 
Yes, its worth reading, and it is an easy read as well.

The Didache does not reflect the **writings **of the 12 Apostles, but the **Teachings **of the 12 Apostles. The Didache received serious consideration to be included in the New Testament Canon, but that doesn’t mean the Church doesn’t place great value on the Didache.

If I remember correctly, the Didache was known of by the Church only indirectly… by references and quotes by the early Church Fathers. And then in the 18th or 19th century, archaeologists unearthed several copies of it. “Surprisingly” (by most non-Catholic theologians), the Didache touched on many Catholic teachings. I say “surprisingly” because many Christians thought the Church invented many of Her teachings in much later years.
 
Essentially, the Didache is the first Christian document [apart from the New Testament].

Read it; some of the things in it might surprise you … such as the prohibition on abortion.
 
Yes, it is in essence the first catechism used to teach those coming into the Faith.
 
1ke said:
Yes, it is in essence the first catechism used to teach those coming into the Faith.
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The WSJ had, years ago, published a letter from a doctor that said the Catholic Church didn’t oppose abortion until 1850. I couldn’t believe it. So I did some research and eventually found the Didache. Way too late to respond to that letter, though.

But we need to let all Catholics know that the Church has been remarkably consistent over the centuries.
 
Monte_RCMS said:
Essentially, the Didache is the first Christian document [apart from the New Testament].

Read it; some of the things in it might surprise you … such as the prohibition on abortion.
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…and fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays!
 
and confessing your sins in the church or before eucharist sacrifice
and person has to be baptised to partake in the eucharist
and trinity baptise a person in the name of the father,son, and holy spirit
 
It is interesting that the protestants get their end of the Our Father from the Didache (CH 10). Imagine them using a book not in the bible as part of their faith.

mdcpensive1
 
Monte_RCMS said:
Essentially, the Didache is the first Christian document [apart from the New Testament].

Read it; some of the things in it might surprise you … such as the prohibition on abortion.
Click to expand...
It would seem that the Didache precedes much of the New Testament.
 
NotWorthy said:
It would seem that the Didache precedes much of the New Testament.
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Welllll, I will grant that the New Testament as assembled by Saints Jerome and Augustine and Ambrose … actually draws from drafts and letters and miscellaneous notes collected over the years. And while the “official New Testament” was issued in AD 300 or so, the essentials were readily available much much earlier. Before AD 100 most likely.

But the Didache probably was not probably published until around 125 or so, AD.
 
Monte_RCMS said:
Welllll, I will grant that the New Testament as assembled by Saints Jerome and Augustine and Ambrose … actually draws from drafts and letters and miscellaneous notes collected over the years. And while the “official New Testament” was issued in AD 300 or so, the essentials were readily available much much earlier. Before AD 100 most likely.

But the Didache probably was not probably published until around 125 or so, AD.
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I’ve heard dating as early as 60 - 70 AD.
 
NotWorthy said:
I’ve heard dating as early as 60 - 70 AD.
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The Didache reflects on some of the issues addressed in the Council of Jerusalem, chapter 15 of Acts. This has some scholars believing it may have come out of that council.

Sub
 
its also interesting to note that alot of the quotes concerning the two ways comes from gospel of matthew… wonder which came first
 
Borrowed from another poster:

From the Didache, circa 90-110 AD:
“Chapter 2. The Second Commandment: Grave Sin Forbidden. And the second commandment of the Teaching; You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you shall not steal, you shall not practice magic, you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is born.”

earlychristianwritings.com/text/didache-roberts.html

And concerning Catholic response to Government, from His Holiness Pope Leo XIII:
“15. The one only reason which men have for not obeying is when anything is demanded of them which is openly repugnant to the natural or the divine law, for it is equally unlawful to command to do anything in which the law of nature or the will of God is violated. If, therefore, it should happen to any one to be compelled to prefer one or the other, viz., to disregard either the commands of God or those of rulers, he must obey Jesus Christ, who commands us to “give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s,”[18] and must reply courageously after the example of the Apostles: “We ought to obey God rather than men.”[19] And yet there is no reason why those who so behave themselves should be accused of refusing obedience; for, if the will of rulers is opposed to the will and the laws of God, they themselves exceed the bounds of their own power and pervert justice; nor can their authority then be valid, which, when there is no justice, is null.”
link>papalencyclicals.net/Leo13/l13civ.htm
 
Monte_RCMS said:
But the Didache probably was not probably published until around 125 or so, AD.
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Too late …

Because it speaks of offering room to the traveling Apostles [only those who actually saw the Lord] … it has to be composed before the death of John in mid-late 90 AD. And, since most died by 80 AD … it is believed to of been written between 65-80 AD. Many of the ECF’s desired it included in the Bible.
 
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