When Was the Didache Written?
1. The Historical Setting of the Didache
The Didache, meaning “Teaching,” is also known as The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles. It is an early Christian document that provides insight into the faith and practice of the first generations of believers. Unlike the Bible, which Christians regard as the inspired Word of God, the Didache is a church manual that reflects the lived experience of early disciples.
Most scholars date the Didache to the late first century or early second century A.D. This period was marked by the spread of the Gospel from its Jewish roots into Gentile communities across the Roman world. Churches were forming, but questions of order, worship, and daily life were still being worked out. The Didache reflects this moment of transition. It bridges the apostolic age and the period immediately following, showing how Christians sought to apply biblical truth in their communities.
The Didache does not replace Scripture. Instead, it illustrates how believers attempted to live faithfully in light of Jesus’ teachings. In this sense, its timing is important: it was written when the church was young, facing persecution, and learning how to proclaim the kingdom of God in the midst of hostile cultures.
2. Textual Evidence for the Date
The dating of the Didache is based largely on textual evidence. The earliest complete copy we have is from a Greek manuscript known as Hierosolymitanus 54 (H54), copied in A.D. 1056 and discovered in 1873. Although this manuscript is late, scholars have identified earlier fragments and translations that confirm its antiquity:
Oxyrhynchus Papyrus 1782 (4th century A.D.), preserving small portions of the Didache.
A Latin translation (3rd century A.D.), showing its early circulation beyond Greek-speaking churches.
A Coptic translation (5th century A.D.), containing sections on liturgy and ethics.
A Georgian translation, though debated in authenticity.
An Ethiopian church order, which reflects parts of the Didache tradition.
These witnesses demonstrate that the Didache was known well before the fourth century. But internal evidence suggests it was composed even earlier. Its language, reliance on oral tradition, and reflection of early church concerns point to a time close to the New Testament itself.
3. Clues from Content and Genre
The content of the Didache helps narrow down when it was written. Scholars describe it as a “church order” or “community manual,” a genre that developed early in Christian history to regulate worship and ethics. The Didache covers five main areas:
The Two Ways (Didache 1–6) — a contrast between the way of life and the way of death, echoing Deuteronomy 30:15–20.
Liturgical practices (Didache 7–10) — baptism, fasting, daily prayer, and the Lord’s Supper.
Itinerant ministers (Didache 11–13) — regulations for apostles, prophets, and teachers.
Local leadership (Didache 14–15) — guidance on the Lord’s Day and the appointment of bishops and deacons.
Eschatology (Didache 16) — a mini-apocalypse warning of trials, false prophets, and the coming of the Lord.
The simplicity of its instructions suggests a time when church structures were not yet formalized. For example, the description of itinerant ministers reflects an early missionary context, before local churches had fully developed leadership. Similarly, the prayers for the Lord’s Supper omit references to Christ’s sacrificial death, which suggests an early stage of liturgical development, though clearly shaped by Gospel tradition.
Taken together, these clues support a composition date around the end of the first century.
4. Relationship with the New Testament
A key question is how the Didache relates to the New Testament writings. Some scholars argue that the Didache draws directly from Matthew’s Gospel, especially in its instructions on baptism and prayer. Others believe Matthew and the Didache developed in parallel, drawing from shared oral traditions in the early church.
The Didache’s use of the Trinitarian baptismal formula (“in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”) shows awareness of Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:19. Its reference to the Lord’s Prayer also aligns with Matthew 6:9–13. At the same time, its treatment of church order resembles Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus, though less fully developed.
The closeness of these connections suggests that the Didache was written while the memory of the apostles was still fresh, perhaps by the end of the first century or shortly after. It illustrates how the early church continued to apply the apostolic witness to new contexts, guided by the Spirit but distinct from the inspired Scriptures.
5. Eschatology and the Last Days
One of the most striking features of the Didache is its final chapter, which describes the last days. It warns of deception, persecution, and the rise of a “world-deceiver,” echoing themes from Matthew 24, 2 Thessalonians 2, and Revelation. Believers are urged to remain watchful, to endure trials, and to hold fast until the Lord’s return.
This focus on the last days helps date the Didache. Early Christians lived with a sense of urgency, expecting Christ to return soon. The Didache’s eschatology reflects this same anticipation, consistent with first-century Christian expectation.
Unlike later writings that speculate about timelines, the Didache calls believers to faithfulness and endurance. Its message mirrors the Bible’s teaching: “The one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13). This watchfulness anchors Christian hope not in human order but in Christ’s reign.
6. The Didache and the Gospel
The Didache was written as a guide for discipleship, but the Bible reveals the fullness of God’s plan in the Gospel. The Gospel is not merely rules for life but the announcement that Jesus is Lord, that sins are forgiven through his cross, and that the kingdom of God has broken into history.
The Didache reflects this Gospel indirectly. It assumes faith in Christ, but it does not center its teaching on the death and resurrection of Jesus as the New Testament does (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). This is why the Didache is helpful but not authoritative. Its value lies in showing how early Christians tried to live out the Gospel, while the Bible itself proclaims the Gospel in power and authority.
Conclusion
The Didache was likely written between the late first century and early second century A.D. It reflects the concerns of the earliest Christian communities—discipleship, worship, leadership, and preparation for the last days. While not Scripture, it provides a valuable window into the world of the first believers and how they sought to live faithfully in light of Christ’s reign.
The Bible alone, however, reveals the full truth of the Gospel. The Didache reminds us of the urgency of obedience, but Scripture grounds that obedience in the work of Jesus Christ, who is the head of the church and the hope of the nations.
