The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, Commonly Called the Didache

The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, Commonly Called the Didache

The Didache is an important early Christian document that describes the faith in a way that seems quite Jewish! But this should not be surprising, since all Christians were Jews for the first 10 years or so until Acts 10. The Didache is usually dated to around 90AD although some suggest even earlier. The full text is here: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/richardson/fathers.viii.i.iii.html

Thought Questions:

1. The Two Ways: (vss 1-5) What "Jewish" elements are in this first section? What does this say about how early Christians understood the gospel? In what way is the first few verses like some sections of the Deuteronomy passage around the Ten Commandments? What does this teach about social issues like the poor and abortion?

2. Vss 6-15. What does this tell us about the problem of false teachers and how to deal with them? What does it say about pragmatism (or grace) in Baptism, "being perfect" etc? How does this answer the ongoing Protestant debates about the correct form of baptism? What does it teach about fasting? About bishops and deacons? And liturgical format? Overall, what is the "vibe" of this teaching?