The Didache ... very early Christian Religious guide.

[Terrywoodenpic]

Its name comes from the title, The Teaching (Didache) of the Lord, by the Twelve Apostles, to the Gentiles.


For those unfamiliar with it some details can be found here.
Didache - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Though in the wiki the ascribed date seems to be rather suspect. in the light of this information BBC - Religions - Christianity: Didache

It contains some resemblance to passages from Barnabas Matthew John and Luke But none from Mark. This in itself subscribes a very early date as Matthews Gospel itself is derived from many of Marks writings. ( but none of them reappear in the Didache.)
It clearly comes from the cusp between Christianity being a Jewish sect and becoming a mainly Gentile one.

Points to note are the Early church Organisation... including Prophets.
the Pre Trinitarian use of the Father Son and the Holy Ghost.
The baptism
And the reverse order of the Eucharist. ( and no mention of the body and Blood)

I would be interested to hear your thoughts.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

No takers? or simply unknown?
It has importance as it was signed up to and used by the Apostles during the apostolic period.
It is the earliest known Christian Document.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Terry do you think that when the Apostles mentioned the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in the Didache they necessarily meant the Orthodox idea of the Trinity? There were many differing ideas in early Christianity, and all had differing views of what modern Christians call the Trinity. Gnostics for example...

 

[Pegg]

No takers? or simply unknown?
It has importance as it was signed up to and used by the Apostles during the apostolic period.
It is the earliest known Christian Document.

im not sure it can be said that it was definitely used by the apostles because if it was there would have been no doubt as to its authenticity...it seems that it was not considered authentic though for the fact that it was not included into the cannon.

I dont doubt that it was written by christians though and for that reason i think its valuable for the historical picture it gives of the early christians. For instance, there is no trinity doctrine in the diache. The writer clearly places Jesus in a subordinate position to the Father. It also speaks about abortion, "You shall not kill the child in the womb' showing that the unborn were considered alive and human with a right to life. Also is mentioned the view that traveling missionaries were not to take money otherwise they should be considered false ministers of God.

 

[Pegg]

Terry do you think that when the Apostles mentioned the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in the Didache they necessarily meant the Orthodox idea of the Trinity? There were many differing ideas in early Christianity, and all had differing views of what modern Christians call the Trinity. Gnostics for example...

no...there is no trinity.

it says nothing about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as being equal in any way. From the 10th chapter there is a confession of faith in the form of a prayer as follows:

“We thank you, Holy Father, for your holy Name which you have made to dwell in our hearts; and for the knowledge and faith and immortality which you have made known to us through Jesus your Servant. Glory to you forever! You, Almighty Master, created everything for your Name’s sake . . . And to us you have graciously given spiritual food and drink, and life eternal through Jesus your Servant.”

notice it mentions Jesus as a servant. There is no way the trinity presents Jesus as a servant in a subordinate position to God... according to the trinity he is equal with God.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

im not sure it can be said that it was definitely used by the apostles because if it was there would have been no doubt as to its authenticity...it seems that it was not considered authentic though for the fact that it was not included into the cannon.

I do not know of any Church that doubts its authenticity. And it is known to have been used as late as the 3rd or even 4th century.
The first section is a Christian rewrite of a Jewish text.

It is not in the canon because it is not scripture as such, It is instructional on the day to day working of the church.

I dont doubt that it was written by christians though and for that reason i think its valuable for the historical picture it gives of the early christians. For instance, there is no trinity doctrine in the diache. The writer clearly places Jesus in a subordinate position to the Father. It also speaks about abortion, "You shall not kill the child in the womb' showing that the unborn were considered alive and human with a right to life. Also is mentioned the view that traveling missionaries were not to take money otherwise they should be considered false ministers of God.

There was no trinity Doctrine because this had not been established at that time.
After all the doctrine is only an attempt to square the circle of Three persons but one God. Nicea was still in the future.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Terry do you think that when the Apostles mentioned the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in the Didache they necessarily meant the Orthodox idea of the Trinity? There were many differing ideas in early Christianity, and all had differing views of what modern Christians call the Trinity. Gnostics for example...

You need to put it into context.. Jesus was still a recent memory. the Gospels at most were still being written. Church doctrine was not standardised at all. It appeared at the time James still insisted Christians had to become Jews first.

Having God the father the Son and the holy Ghost as three individuals was not yet seen as a problem. This was not addressed until Nicea.

It was a working document used by and approved by the 12 apostles. as an early structure for the new church, that would include both Jews and Gentiles.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

no...there is no trinity.

it says nothing about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as being equal in any way. From the 10th chapter there is a confession of faith in the form of a prayer as follows:

“We thank you, Holy Father, for your holy Name which you have made to dwell in our hearts; and for the knowledge and faith and immortality which you have made known to us through Jesus your Servant. Glory to you forever! You, Almighty Master, created everything for your Name’s sake . . . And to us you have graciously given spiritual food and drink, and life eternal through Jesus your Servant.”

notice it mentions Jesus as a servant. There is no way the trinity presents Jesus as a servant in a subordinate position to God... according to the trinity he is equal with God.

The prayer you quote is a fragment of an early form of the Lords Prayer
Jesus spoke of himself as a servant. That would certainly have been remembered by the Apostles. ( this is a document based on living memory)

See my other replies about the Trinity.