What is the Didache in Early Christianity?
1. The Place of the Didache in Early Christianity
The Didache, meaning “Teaching,” is one of the earliest non-biblical Christian writings. Its longer title is The Teaching of the Lord to the Gentiles through the Twelve Apostles. Although it was never included in the biblical canon, it held a measure of respect in early Christianity and was preserved as part of the writings known as the Apostolic Fathers.
The Didache functioned as a manual for Christian life. It gave instructions for discipleship, worship, baptism, fasting, and the Lord’s Supper. It also addressed leadership and the handling of traveling prophets. In short, it provided structure for communities learning to live as the body of Christ in a hostile world.
In the earliest centuries, the Didache stood alongside other helpful texts like the Letter of Barnabas and the Shepherd of Hermas. Unlike these, however, the Didache is especially valuable because of its simplicity and closeness to apostolic tradition. It helps modern Christians see what early disciples considered essential for daily faithfulness.
2. Textual Evidence of the Didache
The Didache’s significance in early Christianity is supported by its manuscript history. The complete text is preserved in a Greek manuscript known as Hierosolymitanus 54 (H54), copied in A.D. 1056 and discovered in the nineteenth century. Other fragments and translations confirm its earlier use:
Oxyrhynchus Papyrus (4th century) — fragments of the Two Ways teaching.
Latin translation (3rd century) — evidence of early Western circulation.
Coptic translation (5th century) — containing sections on liturgy.
Georgian translation — though possibly later, it shows wider influence.
Ethiopian church orders — preserving traditions connected to the Didache.
This textual evidence demonstrates that the Didache was valued and copied in various traditions of the early church. While not Scripture, it was considered useful for instructing believers.
3. Genre and Purpose of the Didache
The Didache is best described as a “church manual” or “rule of life.” Scholars have called it a community order, a pastoral guide, or a Christian handbook. It does not offer theology in the same sense as Paul’s letters, but rather provides practical teaching for how to live as disciples of Jesus.
Its sections can be summarized as follows:
Two Ways (Didache 1–6) — moral teaching contrasting the way of life with the way of death, echoing Deuteronomy 30:15–20.
Liturgical Instructions (Didache 7–10) — baptism, fasting, prayer, and the Lord’s Supper.
Traveling Ministers (Didache 11–13) — guidance on apostles, prophets, and teachers.
Local Leadership (Didache 14–15) — encouragement to appoint bishops and deacons.
Eschatology (Didache 16) — a call to watchfulness in the last days.
The purpose of the Didache was not to replace the Gospel but to shape Christian life around it. It reveals how communities were already organizing themselves around worship, holiness, and expectation of Christ’s return.
4. Jewish and Christian Influences
The Didache in early Christianity reflects both Jewish and Christian traditions. The “Two Ways” teaching has parallels in Jewish writings such as the Dead Sea Scrolls. At the same time, the Didache shows direct dependence on the words of Jesus.
The Lord’s Prayer appears nearly identical to Matthew 6:9–13.
The Trinitarian baptismal formula reflects Matthew 28:19.
The emphasis on endurance in the last days echoes Matthew 24.
Some scholars suggest that the Didache and the Gospel of Matthew arose in the same community. This explains the close overlap of content and tone. Whatever its precise origin, the Didache shows how early Christians blended inherited Jewish teaching with the new reality of the kingdom of God revealed in Christ.
5. The Didache and the Practice of Worship
One of the most important contributions of the Didache is its record of early worship practices. It demonstrates that Christians were:
Baptizing new believers in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Praying three times daily, following Jewish rhythms of prayer but centered on Jesus’ teaching.
Fasting on specific days, distinct from Jewish patterns, to mark Christian identity.
Celebrating the Lord’s Supper with prayers of thanksgiving, though with less emphasis on Christ’s sacrificial death than in Paul’s writings.
Gathering on the Lord’s Day to break bread and give thanks.
These practices remind us that early Christianity was not only about confessing truth but about living it out together. The Didache reflects communities being shaped by the Gospel into distinct and holy people.
6. The Didache’s Eschatological Vision
The final section of the Didache focuses on the end of the age. It warns of false prophets, lawlessness, and the rise of a world-deceiver, all before the Lord’s return. This short apocalypse reflects the urgency of early Christian faith.
The Didache calls believers to endurance: “Then the world will see the Lord coming on the clouds of heaven.” This language closely matches Matthew 24 and Paul’s teaching in 1 Thessalonians 4. It shows that early Christians, even outside the biblical canon, lived with constant awareness of Christ’s coming.
The eschatological vision of the Didache connects with the Gospel by urging perseverance. While the Bible gives the full revelation of the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21), the Didache reminds us of the importance of readiness and holiness in light of that future hope.
7. The Value of the Didache for Christians Today
The Didache is not part of Scripture, but it remains valuable for understanding early Christianity. It shows us:
How Christians structured worship around prayer, baptism, and communion.
How communities balanced traveling prophets with local leadership.
How believers pursued holiness by following the way of life rather than the way of death.
How the hope of Christ’s return shaped everyday discipleship.
Above all, the Didache reminds us that the church has always needed guidance for living out the Gospel. But unlike the Bible, the Didache does not proclaim Christ’s death and resurrection as the heart of salvation. Only Scripture gives us the full Gospel: Jesus crucified, risen, and reigning as Lord.
Conclusion
The Didache in early Christianity was a manual for discipleship, worship, and perseverance. Written in the late first or early second century, it gave practical guidance for believers seeking to follow Christ in a world filled with opposition. While not part of the Bible, it offers a window into how early communities lived in light of the Gospel.
Christians today can learn from the Didache’s call to holiness, order, and readiness. Yet they must always return to the Bible as the inspired Word of God, which reveals Jesus as Savior and King and promises the hope of his return.
