The Didache

What was it like to be part of the church nearly 2,000 years ago? Today, Dr. Stephen Nichols opens up the Didache, an ancient text that gives us a glimpse into how the early church viewed certain elements of worship and church order.

Welcome back to another episode of 5 Minutes in Church History. On this episode, we are going way, way back to the second century and the early church to study the Didache. It is one of the most important texts in the early church. It provides insight into the views on the worship service and church order. But before we dig in, let’s just pause for a moment to mention that a modern discovery comes into play when it comes to the Didache. Philotheos Bryennios, the metropolitan or the Archbishop of Nicomedia, discovered a Greek manuscript in 1873. This was a fascinating set of early church texts, and among them is the document in question. The first line reads, “The teaching of the Lord to the Gentiles by the 12 Apostles.” Now, the word in Greek for teaching is, “didache,” hence the title Didache. So, we know what we’re talking about, but who wrote this document?

Well, we don’t know. We believe that the editor or authors are Alexandrian in origin. We believe it was written sometime in the second century, that is the 100’s, but we’re not sure exactly when, exactly where, exactly what church this represents, exactly how many churches this represents. But we get to a very fascinating question beyond the who and the when and the where, and that is the what. What is going on in this text? Well, the Didache is actually two manuals in one. The first is a manual of conduct. And so after that title line, “The Lord’s teaching to the nations by the 12 apostles,” we are told in chapter one of this text, “There are two ways, one of life and one of death; and between the two ways, there is a great difference.” Well, this sounds like Psalm 1, doesn’t it? It sounds like the wisdom literature, the way of the wise and the righteous and the way of the fool and the unrighteous.

Well, the Didache continues, “Now, this is the way of life: ‘First, you must love God who made you, and second, your neighbor as yourself.’ And whatever you want people to refrain from doing to you, you must not do to them.” So there we have it, the first great commandment, the second great commandment, and the golden rule.

Little bit later in chapter four of this way of life, we are commanded, “You must not start a schism, but reconcile those at strife.” Well, there we have it, the early church striving for unity. In addition to describing the way of life, it briefly describes the way of death, and it lists off a whole litany of sins and evil behaviors and sinful behaviors. And at the end, the authors, or author, say to us, “My children, may you be saved from all this!”

Well, those are the first five chapters of the Didache. It is a bit of a manual of conduct. As we get into the next chapters, chapter 6 to 15, and these aren’t very long at all, they’re only a paragraph or two or three at the most, we get into all sorts of issues related to the church. There’s a chapter on baptism. And you might be curious as to how this document and whoever it represents in the church viewed baptism. Well, they suggest that you do it in running water, and they suggest that you do it in cold running water. And if you have neither cold, nor running, nor warm water, then you pour water on the head three times in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It also has a lot to say about fasting. It tells us that the hypocrites, we’re not sure what group this is referring to, but the hypocrites, “fast on Mondays and Thursdays; but you should fast on Wednesdays and Fridays.”

It talks about the Eucharist. It talks about itinerant ministers and teachers and discerning between true teachers and false teachers as you take them into your house or you take them into your house of worship. Chapter 14 is fascinating. It tells us on the Lord’s Day, come together, break bread, give thanks, “first confessing your sins, that your sacrifice may be pure.” And it reminds us that God is a great king and so we worship him in reverence and in awe.

Well, that's the fascinating document from the early church, the Didache. And I'm Steve Nichols, and thanks for joining us for 5 Minutes in Church History.