THE DIDACHE:
THE LOST BLUEPRINT OF THE EARLY CHURCH
Most Christians have never heard of the Didache.
But if you care about what the church looked like before denominations, before institutional power, before centuries of theological layering, this document matters.
The Didache was written between 70 and 120 AD. That places it within the lifetime of people who were discipled by the apostles themselves.
It is not legend. It is not medieval tradition. It is first generation Christianity.
The ... moreTHE DIDACHE:
THE LOST BLUEPRINT OF THE EARLY CHURCH
Most Christians have never heard of the Didache.
But if you care about what the church looked like before denominations, before institutional power, before centuries of theological layering, this document matters.
The Didache was written between 70 and 120 AD. That places it within the lifetime of people who were discipled by the apostles themselves.
It is not legend. It is not medieval tradition. It is first generation Christianity.
The name simply means Teaching.
And that is what it is. A practical instruction manual for believers.
It opens with a defining statement.
There are two ways. One of life. One of death.
That was the foundation of discipleship. The early church did not blur moral lines. They did not dilute obedience. They framed Christianity as a decisive path.
The way of life meant loving God and loving your neighbor. It meant rejecting sexual immorality, greed, hypocrisy, violence, and corruption. Following Christ required visible transformation.
Then it moves into practice.
Baptism was to be done in living water if possible. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. If immersion was not possible, pouring was permitted.
That shows Trinitarian doctrine was already normal practice in the first century.
Believers were instructed to pray consistently. To fast. To test teachers carefully. If someone claimed spiritual authority but lived contrary to what they taught, they were to be rejected. If someone used ministry for profit, that was a warning sign.
The early church was structured. It guarded doctrine. It took holiness seriously.
The final chapter addresses the end of the age. It speaks of growing lawlessness, a coming deceiver, and the appearance of the Lord. Expectation of Christ’s return was central, not optional.
Now we need to be clear.
The Didache is not Scripture.
It was respected, but it was not written by an apostle and was not recognized as inspired revelation. That is why it was never included in the canon.
Helpful does not mean inspired.
Scripture stands alone.
But the Didache gives us a window into what Christianity looked like when it was still close to the source. It was disciplined. Morally serious. Watchful. Focused on obedience.
✠ Sir John Scivoletti ✠
✠ Turco Joan of Arc Priory ✠
✠✠Act and God will Act (Actus et Deus Act)✠✠
CAA Greg Nortion
Priory of King David
Cordis ad Deum