Didascalia Apostolorum 2.26.1–2.40

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

Hear these things then, ye laymen also, the elect Church of God. For the former People also was called a

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

her the rather who is in want.] But let the portion of the pastor be separated and set apart for him according to rule at the suppers or the bounties, even though he be not present, in honour of Almighty God. But how much (soever) is given to one of the widows, let the double be given to each of the deacons in honour of Christ, (but) twice twofold to the leader for the glory of the Almighty. But if any one wish to honour the presbyters also, let him give them a double (portion), as to the deacons; for they ought to be honoured as the Apostles, and as the counsellors of the bishop, and as the crown of the ro Church; for they are the moderators and councillors of the Church. But if there be also a lector, let him too receive with the presbyters. To every order, therefore, let every one of the laity pay the honour which is befitting him, with gifts and presents and with the respect due to his worldly con- dition. But let them have very free access to the deacons, and let them not be troubling the head at all times, but making known what they require through the ministers, that is through the deacons. For neither can any man approach the Lord God Almighty except through Christ. All things therefore that they desire to do, let them make known to the bishop through the deacons, and then do them. For neither formerly in the temple of the sanctuary was anything offered or done without the priest. And moreover, even the idol- temples of the impure and abhorred and reprobate heathen to this day imitate the sanctuary. Far indeed in comparison be the house of abomination from the sanctuary: nevertheless, even in their absurd rites they neither offer nor do anything without their unclean priest; but so they imagine, that the unclean priest is the mouthpiece of the stones; and they wait for what he will command them to do. And in all tbat they purpose to do they consult their unclean priest, and without him do nothing, And because they imagine that what they do is acceptable, they honour him and worship him, as it were for the honour of the dumb stones that are fixed in the walls, and for the service of the foul and evil and cruel demons. If then those who are vain, and their customs false, and who have no hope, but are deceived by an empty hope, study and desire to imitate the sanctuary, and bestow all honour upon those who stand before their absurd idols: you who manifestly and openly believe in the truth, and hold fast to the hope that is not belied, and wait for the glorious promise which shall never pass away nor be made void—why should not you rather honour the Lord God through those who preside over you? Do you therefore esteem the bishop as the mouth of God.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

For if Aaron, because he interpreted to Pharaoh the words which were given through Moses, was called a prophet, as the Lord said to Moses: Behold, I have given thee as a god to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be to thee a prophet: why then should not you also reckon them as prophets who are for you the mediators of the word, and worship them as God?

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

But for us now, Aaron is the deacon, and Moses is the bishop. Now if Moses was called a god by the Lord, let the bishop also be honoured by you as God, and the deacon as a prophet.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

Wherefore, for the honour of the bishop, make known to him all things that you do, and let them be performed through him. And if thou know of one who is in much distress, and the bishop know not of him, do thou inform him; and without him do not, to his discredit, anything, lest thou bring a reproach upon him as one who neglects the poor. For he who sets abroad an evil report against the bishop, whether by word or by deed, sins against God Almighty. And again, if any man speaks evil of a deacon, whether by word or deed, he offends against Christ. Wherefore in the Law also it is written: Thou shalt not revile 4 and their customs false] The text (HS) has ‘and are false customs’ : I have translated from a conjectural reading. IO promise] I o 25) thy gods; and thou shalt not speak evil of a prince of thy people. Now let no man think that the Lord speaks (here) of idols of stone; but he calls ‘gods’ those who preside over you.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

Moses also saith in the Book of Numbers, when the people had murmured against him and against Aaron: Not against us do ye murmur, but against the Lord God. And our Saviour likewise said: Every one that rejecteth you, vejecteth me, and him that sent me. For what hope at all is there for him who speaks evil of the bishop, or of the deacon? For if one call a layman fool, or raca, he is liable to the assembly, as one of those who rise up against Christ: because that he calls ‘empty’ his brother in whom Christ dwells, who is not empty but fulfilled; or (calls) him ‘fool’ in whom dwells the Holy Spirit of God, fulfilled with all wisdom: as though he should become a fool by the very Spirit that dwells in him! If then one who should say any of these things to a layman is found to fall under so great condemnation, how much more if he should dare to say aught against the deacon, or against the bishop, through whom the Lord gave you the Holy Spirit, and through whom you have learned the word and have known God, and through whom you have been known of God, and through whom you were sealed, and through whom you became sons of the light, and through whom the Lord in baptism, by the imposition of hand of the bishop, bore witness to each one of you and uttered His holy voice, saying: Thou art my son: I this day have begotten thee.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

Wherefore, O man, know thy bishops, through whom thou wast made a son of God, and the right hand, thy mother ; and love him who is become, after God, thy father and thy 7 Every one, etc.] On the reading see p. 60, l. 25. I2 empty] Our author knows the derivation of ‘vaca’ from 775. 22 were sealed] mother: for whosoever shall revile his father or his mother, shall die the death. But do you honour the bishops, who have loosed you from sins, who by the water regenerated you, who filled you with the Holy Spirit, who reared you with the word as with milk, who bred you up with doctrine, who confirmed you with admonition, and made you to partake of the holy Eucharist of God, and made you partakers and joint heirs of the promise of God. These reverence, and honour them with all honour; for they have received from God the authority of life and death: not as judging those who sin and condemning them to death in fire everlasting, by cutting off and casting away those who are judged, which God forbid, but that they may receive and save alive. those who return and repent.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

Let them be your rulers therefore, and let them be rz accounted of by you as kings; and do you offer them tribute in service as to kings; for by you they ought to be sustained, and those who are with them: for thus is it written in the first Book of Kingdoms: !? Samuel spake all the words of the Lord unto the people, which had asked of him a king, and ao said to them: This ts the law of the king that shall reign over you. your sons he will take, and will set them upon his chariots ; and he will make of them runners before him, and will make him captains of thousands and captains of hundreds. And they shall reap his harvest, and gather his vintage, and fashion the instruments of his chariots. And your daughters he will take to be weavers, and to be the ministers of his house. 1* And your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best (of them), he will take away and give to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed and of your vine- yards, and give to his servants and to his eunuchs. Y* And your servants and your handmaids, and the best of your cattle, and your asses, he will take and tithe for the service of his work ; “and he will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye also shall be I Bx. eS 7, Mt. XV 4: 19 I Reg. viii 10-17. 6 and made you to partake, etc.] kai rijs dyias kai

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

offering an oblation. For the Lord has lightened the weight from you, and has loosed from you the collar-bands, and lifted from you the yoke of burden ; and He has put away from you the Second Legislation after the abundance of His mercy ; as it is written in Isaiah: Say to them that are in bonds, Go forth ; and again: To bring forth the prisoners from bonds. And in David he said: His prisoners he hath not despised. And likewise in the Gospel He said: Come unto me, all ye that toil and are laden with heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for 1 am gentle and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is pleasant, and my burden is light.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

If then the Lord, by the gift of His grace, has set you loose and given you rest, and brought you out into refreshment, that you should no more be bound with sacrifices and oblations, and with sin offerings, and purifications, and vows, and gifts, and holocausts, and burnt offerings, and (Sabbath) idlings, and shewbread, and the observing of purifications ; nor yet with tithes and firstfruits, and part-offerings, and gifts and oblations,— for it was laid upon them to give all these things as of necessity, but you are not bound by these things,—it behoves you to know the word of the Lord, who said: Except your righteousness abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Now thus shall your righteousness abound more than their tithes and firstfruits and part-offerings, when you shall do as it is written: Sell all thou hast, and give to the poor. So do, therefore, and keep the command through (him who is) bishop and priest and thy mediator with the Lord God. For thou art commanded to give, but he to dispense. And thou shalt require no account of the bishop, nor observe him, how he dispenses And thou shalt require, etc.] Cf. Didache xi 11 xpiOnoera (sc. the prophet) ep’ pera Oeod yap exer Thy Kpiow, and xi 12 mep dAXov etry Sodva, pyndels See again p. 100 l. ‘thou shalt not judge thy bishop nor thy fellow layman’. on w o or IO X5 and discharges his stewardship, or when he gives, or to whom, or where, or whether well or ill, or whether he gives fairly ; for he has One who will require, even the Lord God, who delivered this stewardship into his hands and held him worthy of the priesthood of so great an office. Wherefore, that thou observe not the bishop, nor require an account of him, nor speak ill of him and oppose God, nor offend the Lord,

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

let that be set before thine eyes which is said to thee in Jeremiah (stc) : Shall the clay say to the potter: Thou workest not, and hast not hands? as one who should say to his father or his mother: Why bearest thou me? But do thou work and labour simply in the house of God; and let that saving word of the renewing of the Law be ever written and laid up in thy heart, and remember it, as the Lord said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul, and with all thy strength. Now thy strength is thy worldly substance. And not with the lips only shall you love the Lord, as did that People, to whom upbraiding them He saith: This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is very far from me; but do thou love and honour the Lord with all thy strength, and offer His oblations ever at all times. And hold not aloof from the Church; but when thou hast received the Eucharist of the oblation, that which comes into thy hands cast (in), that thou mayest share it with strangers: for this is collected (and brought) to the bishop for the entertainment of all strangers. Wherefore lay up and set by as much as thou canst, for the Lord has said in the Law: Thou shalt not appear before me empty. Be doing good works therefore, and laying up to thyself treasure everlasting in heaven, where the moth corrupteth not, neither do thieves steal. Andin so doing thou shalt not judge thy bishop nor thy fellow layman; 4-5 and held him worthy . . . office] xai tis lepwotvns Io t2 for to you laymen it is said: Fudge not, that ye be not judged. For if thou judge thy brother and condemn him, thou hast reckoned thy brother guilty: that is, thou hast condemned thyself; for thou shalt be judged with them that are guilty. 5

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

For it is lawful for the bishops to judge, because to them it is said: Be ye approved money-changers: so that it behoves the bishop, as one who proves money, to separate the bad from the good, and to reject and cast away those that are altogether bad, and to leave in the melting- pot those that are hard, and for whatever reason faulty, like faulty (coins). But to the layman it is not permitted to judge his neighbour, nor to lay upon himself a burden that is not his. For the weight of this burden is not for laymen, but for the bishop. Wherefore, being a layman, thou shalt not lay snares for thyself; but leave judgement in the hand of those who will have to render an account, and do thou study to work peace with all men; and love thy members, thy fellow laymen, for the Lord saith: Love thy neighbour as thyself.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

But if there be false brethren who, through envy or jealousy of the Enemy and Satan, who works in them, bring an accusation against any of the brethren falsely, or even truly, let them know that every one who searches out such things for the purpose of accusing or slandering any man, is a son of wrath: and where wrath is, God is not ; for wrath is of Satan, and through these false brethren he never suffers peace to be in the Church. Wherefore, when you have known those who are thus void of understanding, first of all believe them not ; and secondly, do you the bishops and deacons be wary of them ; and when you hear them saying anything against one of the brethren, take knowledge of him against whom they bring the accusation, and make inquiry prudently, and weigh his conduct ; and if he is found blameworthy, do according to the teaching of our Lord which is written in the Gospel : Reprove him between thyself and him; and save him when he vepenteth and returneth. But if he be not persuaded, reprove him among two or three; that that may be fulfilled which is said: At the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established. Now why, brethren, is it required that a testimony be established at the mouth of two or three witnesses ? Because the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit bear witness to the works of men. For where there is the admonition of doctrine, there also is correction and conversion of them that err. Wherefore, the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established. But if he obey not, reprove him before the whole church. But if he obey not even the church, let him be accounted by thee as the heathen and as the publican. For the Lord has commanded you, O bishops, that you should not henceforth receive such a one into the Church as a Christian, nor communicate with him. For neither dost thou receive the evil heathen or publicans into the Church and communicate with them except they first repent, professing that they believe and henceforth will do no more evil works: for to this end did our Lord and Saviour grant a place for repentance to those who have sinned.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

For I Matthew also, who am one of the twelve Apostles who speak to you in this Didascalia, was formerly a publican; but now, because that I believed, I have obtained mercy, and have repented of my former deeds, and have been counted worthy also to be an 19 apostle and preacher of the word. And the prophet John likewise preached in the Gospel to publicans; and he deprived them not of hope, but taught them how they should order themselves ; and when they asked him for advice, he said to them: Exact no more than that which is commanded and appointed you. And Zacchaeus, too, the Lord received unto repentance when he besought Him. Nor do we withhold life even from the heathen, if they will repent and put away and reject their error. As a heathen,then, and as a publican let him be accounted by you who has been convicted of evil deeds and falsehood ; and afterwards, if he promise to repent—even as when the heathen desire and promise to repent, and say ‘ We believe’, we receive them into the congregation that they may hear the word, but do not communicate with them until they receive the seal and are fully initiated : so neither do we communicate with these until they show the fruits of repentance. But let them by all means come in, if they desire to hear the word, that they may not wholly perish ; but let them not communicate in prayer, but go forth without. For they also, when they have seen that they do not communicate with the Church, will submit themselves, and repent of their former works, and strive to be received into the Church for prayer; and they likewise who see and hear them go forth like the heathen and publicans, will fear and take warning to themselves not to sin, lest it so happen to them also, and being convicted of sin or falsehood they be put forth from the Church.

English translation by R. H. Connolly (1929); the original is not shown

But thou shalt by no means forbid them to enter the Church and hear the word, O bishop; for neither did our Lord and Saviour utterly thrust away and reject publicans and sinners, but did even eat with them. And for this cause the Pharisees murmured against Him, and said : He eatet with publicans and sinners. Then did our Saviour make answer against their thoughts and their murmuring, and say: They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. Do you therefore consort with those who have been convicted of sins and are sick, and attach them to you, and be careful of them, and speak to them and comfort them, and keep hold of them and convert them.