The Didache

What is the Diccache? Well, the Didache is the teaching of the apostles or the

teaching of the Lord through the apostles. In the essay written by George Salmon, “Teaching Of The Twelve Apostles,” he states that the title represents what is inside the manuscript. Basically, Salmon is trying to states that the speaker of the manuscript is not the Lord himself, but it is the Lord’s apostles speaking on his behalf. This manuscript dated back to 1056 C.E. and the manuscript contains a total of sixteen chapters. In the manuscript, it includes; a handbook of Christian ethical, liturgical- community instructions, and a short eschatological admonition. The Didache was rediscovered by P. Bryennios in 1873 and caught the attention of western scholarship

soon after. Furthermore, pieces of the Didache tradition have also been found in Latin, Coptic, and Georgian (Anchor, 197).
Throughout the process of finding the exact date and location of the text, it was difficult to pinpoint the exact date and locations and the materials that was used. However, some commenters argue for the exact date of Didache around 1970 or soon after. Commenters were able to came up with the date is because Christian witnesses from the fourth century provides evidence that proves the existence of the Didache. Furthermore, commenters chose Syria and Syro- Palistine as the location, but other commenters also chose Egypt and Asia Minor (Anchor, 197).
Even though the exact date and location of the manuscript was debatable and challenging, it did not stop scholars that show a heap amount of interest in the manuscript.

Not only did the scholars were interested in the Didache, they are also interested in the traditions it represents, the origins that it came from, the aspect of early Christians and their traditions. The Didache begins with Two Ways and conclude with the Apocalypse. Throughout the manuscript, it describes the practices that Christians follows, such as; baptism, fasting, praying, give thanks, and the use of ointment and incense. Moreover, the Didache also talks about Christians leadership that focused on travelling from ministry to ministry of apostles or prophets and provide shelters for bishops and deacons that are in danger. Most importantly, the internal contents and concerns of the Didache matched with the traditions that was practiced by early Christians, as was mentioned in the Bryennios manuscript. However, the Didache still frustrates those who are trying to make a complete portrait of early Christians history and thought (Anchor,

197-198).
there are sixteen chapters in the Didache, and each chapter teaches different things. For examples, chapter one teach about Two Ways, the second chapter teach about morals of a person, chapter three teach about staying away from evil, and so on. As was mentioned before, the Didache start with the Two Ways and end with the Apocalypse, and in between there are many different themes, such as; Christians, Deacons, Eucharist, Fasting, Praying, Prophets, and many more. Each and every one of those theme are important and are significant in it own way. However, the theme that stands out the most is the Two Ways.
The manuscript is divided into two parts, the first parts is the Two Ways and the second part start with baptism.

Two ways formed the first six chapters of the Bryennius editions (Salmon, 1). Furthermore, the first six chapter teaches Christians morals on how to treat others. The Didache starts with the Two Ways, life and death and they are very different. In chapter one of the manuscript, it teaches early Christians about life and death and the differences between the two. In the translation of Charles Thomas Cruttwell, “The Teaching Of The Lord To The Gentiles Through The Twelve Apostles,” Cruttwell states that the first thing that all Christians should do is to love God and everyone (Cruttwell, chpt 1, line 2). To love God and love everyone is the way of life. Other than to love God and love everyone, the Didache also teach Christians to avoid harming others, as they do not want to

harm.
The first and the second chapter of the Two Ways is based on the Sermon on the Mount. According to the article published on Wednesday, March 19, 1884 by the Supplement to The Guardian, “Christian Life, Ritual, And Discipline At The Close Of The First Century,” the second chapter the extension of the Ten Commandments. In this chapter, the apostles try to stop unreality and hypocrisy among Christians. For examples, thou shall not be greedy or a hypocrite or a narcissist (Cruttwell, chpt 2, line 6). Furthermore, chapter two also talk about the morals of a Christian. For instance, one cannot commit murder, one cannot commit adultery, or one cannot corrupt another boy (Salmon, 2).
Chapter one and two teach Christians morals of a person and to love God above all and to love everyone as thyself. However, in chapter three of the Two Ways, the apostles is taught to run away from all evils (Salmon, 2). Furthermore, it also teaches Christians to to avert from anger because when angry, people are not in their right mind and therefore, they will do something that they will later regret. For instance, anger can lead to murders, adultery, and other inhumane acts. Also, in the essay by Salmon, he also states that Christians should also avoid lying to others because it will lead to theft (2). Each irrationals things that people do can lead to bigger things that can lead to sinning.
Chapter four is the last chapter that talk about life in Two Ways. In chapter 4, it consists some of the precepts from the pre-Christian, such as; one receive something with their whole hand, but stingy when giving (Salmon, 2). Moreover, the chapter also contains some of Christian aspect, such as; share with thy brother everything (Salmon,2). Furthermore, it also mentions that there are no other master other than God, and that all Christians must follow his words. Also, all Christians must follow the laws of God and confess their sins at church and they must not bring any evil conscience to their prayer.
Two ways are split into two parts, life and death. Chapter one through four talks about the “life” of a Christian and chapter five and six talks about death. From chapter one through chapter four, the rules or instructions on how to live the life of a Christian. Furthermore, the four chapters teaches Christians morals of a person and how to treat the people around them. Furthermore, the first few chapters provide two most important rules of all which is Love God with all thy heart and to love everyone the way thy wants to be love. Last but not least, the first four chapters of the Didache also teaches Christians to follow the Ten Commandments and avoid sinning.
As was mentioned before, chapter five and six is the second part of the Two Ways, death. In chapter five, the apostles talks about death, which is full of evil and curse. In addition, the apostles also give a lists of sins that people can commit. For example, Murders, adulteries, lusts, fornications, thefts, idolatries, magic, incantations, plunderings, false-witness, hypocrisies, double-heartedness, craftiness, pride, villainy, conceit, covetousness, base conversation, jealousy, rashness, loftiness, insolence (Salmon, chpt 5, line 1). Each and every one of those traits are sins that will lead to another sin. For instance, if one murder a person, but lie that one did not kill, then one committed two crimes. Therefore, sins are like death that have curses on people that are falling into the bait. As for chapter six, the last chapter of the Two Ways, teaches Christians to always be royal to God and do not stray from the right path. However, if one cannot do everything that God teaches, one can do his best to do what one can.
As seen above, the Two Ways of life is divided into two parts, life and death. However, there are more to the life of a Christian then death. Living a perfect life of a Christian means commit no sins, love God, and love everyone. The Didache is a unique manuscript that was discovered. The manuscript lets the readers to know about the rules or practices of early Christians and learn about their practice and rituals. Whatever the case, the Didache is a special and a unique manuscript that hold the history and traditions of ancient time.