What is the Didascalia Apostolorum?

The Didascalia Apostolorum, or “Teaching of the Apostles,” is a significant early Christian text that offers valuable insights into the early church’s life, structure, and teachings. Traditionally dated to the late second or early third century, the Didascalia claims to have been written by the twelve apostles and is therefore pseudepigraphical. The authorship remains uncertain. The work is primarily composed in Greek, with some portions preserved in Latin and Syriac.

The emergence of the Didascalia Apostolorum occurred during a pivotal period in early Christianity. The church was grappling with various issues, including the rise of heretical teachings, increased persecution, and the need for a structured community. The Didascalia was a response to these challenges, guiding church authorities, community life, and moral conduct.

The early Christian community faced the difficult task of maintaining unity in belief and practice. This context is crucial for understanding the Didascalia’s emphasis on the roles of bishops and deacons and its moral exhortations. The teachings of the Didascalia Apostolorum aimed to establish a cohesive community grounded in shared values and practices.

The instructions contained in the Didascalia Apostolorum are divided into sections that address various aspects of church life. Ecclesiastical authority is a significant theme. The text underscores the importance of bishops, elders, and deacons, establishing a hierarchical structure within the church. The Didascalia tells the congregation to honor the bishop: “This is your chief and your leader, and he is your mighty king. He rules in the place of the Almighty: but let him be honoured by you as God, for the bishop sits for you in the place of God Almighty” (trans. by Connolly, R., Clarendon Press, 1929, IX.ii.26).

Regarding moral and ethical teachings, the Didascalia Apostolorum emphasizes virtues such as charity, humility, and forgiveness. It encourages believers to live exemplary lives, eschewing covetousness, lust, and greed. It emphasizes the Golden Rule and several of the Beatitudes of Jesus. It instructs women in public to “walk with downcast looks, being veiled” (op. cit., III.i.8) and forbids them from using public baths where men are present.

The Didascalia Apostolorum also provides practical guidelines for worship. Christians in the church are to pray according to certain rules: “For the presbyters let there be assigned a place in the eastern part of the house; and let the bishop’s throne be set in their midst, and let the presbyters sit with him. . . . For so it should be, that in the eastern part of the house the presbyters sit with the bishops, and next the lay men, and then the women that when you stand up to pray, the rulers may stand first, and after them the lay men, and then the women also. For it is required that you pray toward the east” (op. cit., XII.ii.57). Believers are instructed to fast on certain days and participate in communal worship. The Didascalia Apostolorum emphasizes the significance of the Eucharist, “pure bread that is made with fire and sanctified with invocations,” stating that it should be offered “both in your congregations and in your cemeteries and on the departures of them that sleep” (op. cit., XXVI.vi.22). Observing communion on behalf of dead believers was the germ of the modern Catholic practice of Masses for the dead.

Moreover, the Didascalia Apostolorum contains instructions on how Christians should interact with non-believers and with each other. It stresses the necessity of love and mutual support within the community, echoing the commandment found in John 13:34–35: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”

A critical function of the Didascalia Apostolorum was to address the rise of heretical beliefs and schisms that threatened the unity and purity of the church. The text contains admonitions against various teachings that deviated from the doctrine set forth in the Didascalia: “As for heresies, be unwilling even to hear their names, and defile not your ears [with them]” (op. cit., XXIII.vi.5).

The Didascalia Apostolorum’s influence extends beyond its immediate historical context. Its teachings laid the groundwork for later canon law, helped shape the church’s organizational structure, and laid the groundwork for several Roman Catholic practices.