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

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,

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