Category: Didache
-
Didache- Final Words
Didache 16 The Apostles or Apostolic Fathers close their Didache with a final exhortation and admonition. Christ will return. People will be judged. There will be deceivers who lead people astray by performing great signs. The people of God should not waste their lives. They should gather together frequently to receive what is necessary for…
-
Didache- The Sunday Gathering
Didache 14 The Apostles or Apostolic Fathers deal with the worship gathering’s place in Christian life so that new Christians and young churches can know. Part of the local church’s organization means meeting once a week, particularly on Sunday, for the purpose of observing the eucharist (the Lord’s Supper or Communion), confession of our sins…
-
Didache- Tithes and Offerings in the First Century
Didache 13 The Apostles or Apostolic Fathers, summarizing Biblical practice for young local churches and new believers, even deal with the giving of tithes and offerings in the local church. Every true prophet, one who works hard at professing God’s word correctly and applying it rightly, is worthy of his food. The Apostles’ teaching reflects…
-
Didache- Healthy Church Membership
Didache 12 In chapter 12, the Apostles or Apostolic Fathers deal with hospitality in the local church gathering particularly concerning the provision of needs. There is a temptation in some local churches to feel a pressing need to provide everyone’s immediate needs at all times. In other local churches, there is a resistance to provide…
-
Didache- Knowing Which Preachers to Accept and Reject
Chapter 11 The author(s) begins this section about basic church structure by addressing the congregation’s treatment of teachers, missionaries, and pastors. Notice, this section is instruction for the congregation—new Christians and young local churches. This chapter helps us to see how the Apostles instructed believers concerning how to identify those who should not be listened…
-
Didache- The Lord’s Supper In The Early Church
Chapters 9-10 The Apostles and the Apostolic Fathers considered the eucharist (transliteration from Greek, meaning communion or The Lord’s Supper). The authors give instructions about how young churches and new believers should begin understanding the eucharist as basic church practice. I want to notice a couple things. First, it is done in thanksgiving—celebration of what…
-
Didache- Real Prayer is Christ-Centered, Not Self-Centered Like the Hypocrites
Didache 8 v. 1 Fasting was a regular practice for Christians in the First Century. Here, fasting is listed with the other ecclesiological instructions. Notice that the instruction is not positive but negative. It presumes churches are already fasting as regular practice. The Apostles or Apostolic Fathers do not command the churches to fast but,…
-
Didache- Baptism in the Early Church
Didache 7 Chapter seven begins a new section in the Didache. Now, we realize that the Didache is not broken into sections for us. We can see distinct focusses as we move through the text. The previous section, chapters 1-6, was the section of first steps—basic, practical Christian living. This section gives basic, practical ecclesiology…
-
Didache- We Cannot Overcome Sin Or Be Convinced Sin is Wrong
Didache 5 In these two chapters, we see what is described as the way of death and the conclusion of the Didache’s first part. Of first importance is the wording used to define the way of death. Like the way of life, the way of (represented by the Greek, δε) death is not the way…
-
Didache- Reformed Doctrine 1,400 Years Before Luther or Calvin
Didache 3-4 In chapter 2, the author(s), either the apostles or the apostolic fathers, gives a practical list of first things. These first things were actions or restrictions that summarize the Law. We saw that they were a proper representation of the Law as we compared them to the Biblical account. They are meant to…