Another title is Διδαχὴ κυρίου διὰ τῶν δώδεκα Ἀποστόλων,
“Teaching of the Lord through the Twelve Apostles.” Athanasius
also calls it διδαχή. But Eusebius (Hist iii. 25) uses the plural,
διδαχαί. And Clement of Alexandria cites it as γραφή.
Κεφ. αʹ. — CHAP. I.
P. 2, 1.8.—“do not to another”] The Golden Rule occurs both
here and in the Apostolic Constitutions (vii. 2), in a negative
form, as in the teachings of Confucius.
P. 2, 1.11.—“fast for them that persecute you”] The emphasis
put upon fasting, here and elsewhere in this document, is not
sign of Montanism, since fasting was much emphasized in the
early Church, and Montanism itself was, in this respect, only an
exaggeration of common usage.
P. 4, 1.15—“ye shall have no enemy”] Suggested, apparently,
by 1 Pet. iii.13, “And who is he that will harm you, if ye be
zealous of that which is good?”
P. 4, 1.22—“for indeed thou canst not”] Because Christians
were forbidden to go to law before the unrighteous,”
1 Cor. vi. 1.
P. 4, 1.32—“Let thine alms sweat in thy hands, until thou
knowest to whom thou shouldst give”] A very graphic
injunction of carefulness in giving.
Κεφ. βʹ. — CHAP. II.
P. 4, 1.36.—“thou shalt not corrupt boys”] The παιδεραστία
of Classic writers, referred to by Paul in Rom. i.27.
P. 6, 1.38.—“by abortion”] Another heathen abomination.
P. 6, 1.42, 43.—“διγλωσσία”] This noun does not occur in
Classic Greek, nor in the New Testament, but is found,
together with the entire sentence in which it here stands, in
the Epistle of Barnabas, Chap. xix. There are many other
correspondences between that epistle and the present
document.
P. 6, 1.44.—“filled with doing”] i.e., works, deeds, as in
Matt. xvi. 27.
Κεφ. γʹ. — CHAP. III.
P. 6, 1.60.—“nor a purifier”] Referring to some kind of
superstitious lustration, perhaps by fire, as in Lev. xviii.21;
Deut. xviii.10.
Κεφ. δʹ. — CHAP. IV.
P. 10, 1.87.—“for taking stretches out the hands, but for giving
draws them in”] Graphic description of taking and giving.
P. 10, 1.88.—“by thy hands thou shalt give a ransom for they
sins”] Beneficence is better than sacrifice. See Prov. xvii.6,
“By mercy and truth iniquity is purged.”
P. 10, 1.98—“thy slave”] As in the New Testament, so here,
the relation of master and slave is not denounced, but regulated.
Κεφ. εʹ. — CHAP. V.
This catalogue of evil things pertaining to the “way of death,”
reflects only too faithfully the dreadful corruption of the
ancient civilization.
Κεφ. ϛ΄. — CHAP. VI.
P. 14, 1.136—“And concerning food, what thou art able,
bear”] Nothing is unclean of itself, as Paul says in Rom xiv.14.
And again in 1 Tim. iv.4, “For every creature of God is good,
and nothing is to be rejected, if it be received with
thanksgiving.”
Κεφ. ζ΄. — CHAP. VII.
P. 14, 1.139—“Now, concerning baptism . . . in running
water”] ἐν ὕδατι ζῶντι, literally “in living water,” water
in motion, either as in a fountain, or as a stream. A picture
in the Catacomb of St. Callixtus, dating from about the year
200 a.d., represents a youth standing ankle-deep in water,
and receiving baptism by the pouring of water upon his head.
[See Northcote and Brownlow’s “Roma Sotteranea,” Part II.,
Plate XV.] The passage before us apparently recommends just
this mode of performing the rite. If this should be impracticable,
then fresh cold water might be similarly used [in a font]. If cold
water could not be had, warm water would answer. If neither
cold nor warm water is sufficient quantity (ankle-deep) could
be had, then pouring only (the feet resting on the floor or
ground) would suffice. This last is now the Syrian mode of
baptism, and probably always has been. This fact, ascertained
by the Crusaders (in the third Crusade, 1189-92), and made
known through them in Europe, would help to account for
Aquinas’s definition of baptism, so different from that of
Peter Lombard about a century before. Lombard’s definition
requires immersion; Aquinas’s definition permits either
immersion, pouring, or sprinkling. The Seventh Book of the
Apostolic Constitutions, at this point (Section xxii.), says
nothing about the mode, but prescribes anointing with oil,
both before and after baptism. Fasting is enjoined in
both documents.
Κεφ. η΄. — CHAP. VIII.
P. 14, 1.154—“παρασκευήν”] Cf. John xix. 14.
Wednesday and Friday are named as days of fasting, instead
of Monday and Thursday, as observed by “the hypocrites.”
The Lord’s Prayer ends with Doxology, as in Matthew,
instead of its being omitted as in Luke.
Κεφ. θ΄. – CHAP. IX., — Κεφ. ι΄. – CHAP. X.
These two chapters contain a brief eucharistic liturgy.
Κεφ. ια΄. — CHAP. XI.
Apostles and Prophets are described as mere evangelists, or
itinerant preachers, who were not expected to remain in one
place more than a single day.
P. 20, 1:218—εἰ μή has been inserted in the translation before
ἡμέραν. So Harnack, Theol. Lit. Zeit., Feb. 9, 1884.
Ct. p. 22, I.246.
Κεφ. ιβ΄. — CHAP. XII.
P. 22, 1.244—“Ye shall have understanding right and left”]
That is, a complete understanding. See 2 Cor. vi.7.
Κεφ. ιγ΄. — CHAP. XIII.
Prophets and teachers are here spoken of as resident
ministers, entitled to maintenance. They were to have
the first-fruits of everything. Σιτία, in Classic Greek,
is the plural of σιτίον, meaning “food” in general.
Here, as in the Byzantine Greek, it is a singular noun,
and means “batch,” or “baking of bread.”
Κεφ. ιδ΄. — CHAP. XIV.
The Lord’s Day is the day for worship and for the Eucharist.
No mention is made of the seventh day of the week.
Κεφ. ιε΄. — CHAP. XV.
P. 26, 1.277—“Now appoint for yourselves,” χειροτονήσατε
οὖν ἑαυτοῖς] Χειροτονέω occurs only twice in the New
Testament (Acts xiv.23; 2 Cor. viii.19), and, in both places,
means simply to “appoint.” Josephus uses the word in the
same sense in Ant. xiii.2, 2, where Alexander Balas, the
pretended son of Antiochus Epiphanes, “appoints” Jonathan
High Priest. The same meaning appears in Ant. vii 9, 3;
vii. 11, 1. In ant. vi. 5, 4, however, the noun χειπροτονία is
used of the coronation of Saul. In Josephus, accordingly, the
prevailing sense of χειροτονέω is to “appoint.” This is the
meaning of the word also in the Epistles of Ignatius (about
115 a.d.). See Philadelphians, Chap. 10; Smyrnæns, Chap. 11;
Polycarp, Chap. 7.
But in the “Apostolic Canons,” I. and II., and in the
“Apostolic Constitutions,” viii. 4, 5, χειροτονέω means
to “ordain.” This represents the usage of the third century,
as the New Testament, Josephus, and Ignatius represent
the usage of the first and second centuries.
Now, it is noteworthy, that in the “Apostolic Constitutions,”
vii. 31 (the section corresponding to the passage before us),
the word employed is not χειροτονέω, which then meant
“ordain,” but προχειρίζομαι, a new usage having obtained.
In this fifteenth chapter of the “Teaching,” χειροτονέω is
employed, evidently, in its original sense of “appoint.” This
indicates the high antiquity of the document, antedating by
decades, if not by a whole century, the “Apostolic Canons”
and the “Apostolic Constitutions.”
As for the officers to be “appointed,” only Bishops and
Deacons are mentioned. By Bishops must, of course, be
meant Presbyters, or Elders. There is no sign of a Bishop
as distinguished from a Presbyter; nor of a Ruling Elder as
distinguished from a Teaching Elder; and, apparently, there
was in each congregation a plurality both of Bishops (or
Elders) and Deacons.
Κεφ. ιϛ΄. — CHAP. XVI.
The document concludes with a vision of the Lord coming
upon the clouds of heaven, and all the saints with him. The
resurrection is of the dead, νεκρῶν, though “not of all the
dead.” Not a word is said of any second resurrection. If there
is to be a second resurrections, it is only implied. Of course,
no interval is indicated. Premillennarianism, accordingly, is
not directly, perhaps not even indirectly, taught. Following
the lead of the New Testament, as in Matt. xxiv. 31,
and in 1 Thess. iv. 13-18, our document may, after all,
only be emphasizing the resurrection of the righteous.
[================================================]
Errors In The Codex Corrected By Bryennios.
Line Codex. Bryennios.
32. δέ δἠ
32. ἰδρωτάτω ἱδρωσάτω
51. ὀργῖλος ὀργίλος
59. εἰδωλολατρίαν εἰδωλολατρείαν
62. εἰδωλολατρία εἰδωλολατρεία
91. ἡ ὁ
103. δοῦλοι δοῦλοι
[Sic! See Bryenn., p. 22. N. 19]
104. ἡμῶν ὑμῶν
114, 115. ἰδωλολατρίαι εἰδωλολατρεῖαι
115. φαρμακίαι1 φαρμακεῖαι
158, 159. γεννηθήτω γενηθήτω
188. ὑμῶν ἡμῶν
197. σὺ ἡ δόξα σοὶ ἡ δόξα
205. ὡς ἀννὰ τῷ θεῷ ὡσαννὰ τῷ υἱῷ
229. ὁ ῥίζων ὁρίζων
244. ἕξεται ἕξετε
258. δὼσεις τὴν ἀπαρχήν δώσεις