What Is The Didache? Is It
Inspired By God?
by JACK WELLMAN ·
What
exactly is the Didache? Is it reliable teaching and is it biblical?
God-Breathed Scripture
The
Bible says of itself that “the word of God is living and active,
sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of
spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of
the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
This
two-edged sword cuts both ways; for the one giving it out but also by the one
who hears it, but it cuts in order to heal and bring eternal life.
The
Apostle Paul states a truth for the ages in writing that “All Scripture is breathed
out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for
training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
So the
man or woman “of God may be complete, equipped for every
good work” (2 Timothy 3:17).
Jesus
Himself once quoted Scripture, saying “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The
stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the
Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’” (Matthew 21:42)
The
Greek word Paul used for the word “Scripture” is “graphē” from which we get our word, “autograph.”
That’s
pretty much what the Scriptures are; the autographs or writings of the men who
wrote them, but these writings themselves are breathed out by God through His
Spirit, not by men’s reasoning.
God
used these men as they recorded what they are told. How that worked, I have no
clue, but think of it this way.
My
computer is like an autograph for me but I am the inspiration in writing this.
My computer can’t be credited with writing this because it can’t create a
document on its own. It needs my help.
So
when people criticize the Bible and say “it’s just the words of man” are only
suppressing the truth that the Word of God comes
straight from the mouth of God. Not one word of God has ever failed from
Scripture, nor will one ever.
Historical Records
Some of the greatest events in church history
have been recorded by some of the greatest historians in history. These are not
just religious historians, but secular historians who had no special interest
in writing down what they saw and heard.
Some of these historians have written down some of the
richest church histories you can find anywhere, so they are certainly worth
exploring.
These include the Jewish historian, Titus Flavius
Josephus who wrote a rich history of the Jews, up to the day when he died in AD
100 at age 63.
In his “Antiquities of the Jews,” he also recorded many
of the events which took place at the turn of the century, dedicating a good
portion of his writings to Jesus Christ and the church in the first century.
This book goes into detail about some of Jesus Christ’s
teachings and activities in the first century, and also about the first century
church.
Then, there is a book called, Josephus on Jesus. This is
a very interesting book because much of Josephus’ writings about Jesus are
condensed into one book.
It is a good primary (eye witnesses) source for reading
about Jesus. It includes many secondary sources (accounts of other witnesses)
of Jesus and His disciples.
It also includes some of the earliest Christians found in
the New Testament like Paul, Peter, and James.
Luke the Physician and Historian
The Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts,
which were both written by Luke, are considered even by contemporary historians
to be a very accurate history.
Luke’s account of Jesus’ life and death, and first
century life in Judea and the Roman Empire, are full of dates, names, and
places that have since been verified. This is why Luke is considered to be one
of the best early historians of the time, as far as his writings are concerned
Amazingly, Luke and Josephus’ writings are remarkably
close to one another, giving finite details and specific dates, times, places,
names, and specific events in the Bible (like the crucifixion, the persecution,
etc.). This included the Person and work of Jesus Christ.
So Luke, Josephus, and many other historians, have
recorded the accounts of the lives and events of the apostles and the first century
church, and go into great detail in writing about the severe persecution that the
early church faced.
Now, what about the Didache? Is it reliable? Is it
truthful? Can we consider it as inspired, or simply, inspiring.
The Didache
The Didache simply means “teaching” but is
better known as “The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles.”
The Didache is considered a gathering of the teaching of
the disciples or apostles that Jesus Christ selected, and is anonymously
authored.
It is directed toward the Gentiles and concerns matters
like life and death, church order, fasting, baptism, prayer, and a host of
other teachings that Jesus passed onto the apostles.
Certainly some of the teachings are good, and even
biblical. Like in chapter 2 where it says, “Thy speech shall not be false or
empty, but concerned with action” (2:5) which is found in principle in James
2:14-17.
And “but be thou meek, for the meek shall inherit the
earth” (3:7), where Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they
shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).
But parts of it are troubling and don’t sound biblical at
all. One such verse (and there are others) is where it says, “And let the
apostle when departing take nothing but bread until he arrive at his
resting-place; but if he ask for money, he is a false prophet” (11:6).
I once had a man use this quote to say that a pastor
should never ask for money and not draw a salary. I thought, he was making a
false conclusion from a man-made document from the writings of men and trying
to make it sound like it was from God’s Word.
The Didache is clearly not inspired by the Holy Spirit,
and even if it’s inspiring, is not inspired. I don’t think anyone would argue
with that, but it’s not a good book to quote when trying to correct another
believer.
It might make a good study, but why not abide in the Word
of God, which you know is God speaking and has real power (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:18).
Parts of the Didache appear to be in conflict with one
another. We are told that if an apostle (or a pastor?) asks for money, he is “a
false prophet,” but then it says, “in like manner when thou openest a jar of
wine or of oil, take the firstfruits and give it to the prophets” (13:6).
What’s the prophet supposed to do; if he turns it down,
he makes the others who give to him be disobedient but if he accepts it, he’s
called a “false prophet.”
What if a missionary is asking for money from his church
to support a missionary trip? Surely, that does not make him a false prophet,
does it?
Conclusion
I hope you can see by now why the Didache is
an interesting book and it does contain some truth, but we know that the Word
of God – the Bible - is without error and is always true.
The Bible never contradicts itself, unlike the Didache.
God is not a God of chaos, but One of order (1 Corinthians
14:33).
What God says in His Word comes straight from the breath
of God.
The Didache? Not so much.
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The Bible
Jack Wellman is a father and grandfather and a
Christian author, freelance writer, and pastor at the Mulvane (KS) Brethren
church in Mulvane, Kansas. Graduate work at Moody Bible Institute. His books
are inexpensive paperbacks that are theological in nature: “Teaching Children
The Gospel/How to Raise Godly Children,“ “Do Babies Go To Heaven?/Why Does God
Allow Suffering?,“ "The Great Omission; Reaching the Lost for Christ,"
and “Blind Chance or Intelligent Design?, Empirical Methodologies & the
Bible."
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