In Judaism, indeed, there seems to have existed something like a standing list, to judge from the many points of contact be- tween this list and those in the NT (¢.g. Mk 7211, Ro 129, 1 Co 510. 2 Co 1220, Gal 519-21, Col 35, 1 Ti 19f, 2 Ti 32M), on the one hand, and the traditional Confession of Sins in the Synagogue (Vidui), taken along with Wis 1422!, the Slavonic Enoch 104f, and Test, XII Patriarchs (Reuben 3, Levi17), on the other: cf. Clem. Hom. i. 18, xi. 27, Recogn. iv. 86. Note the Jewish alpha- betic number 22 in § 1: see Rendel Harris, Teaching, 82 ff.
Instruction in the ‘Two Ways’ ends (ch. vi.) in our MS with warning against deviation from ‘this way of (the) Teaching’ as deviation from God’s truth. To which are added two postscripts: ‘If, then, thou art able to bear the whole yoke of the Lord, thou shalt be perfect: but if thou art not able, what thou canst, that do. But touching food (8pdors), bear what thou art able; yet of that (food) which hath been offered to idols beware exceedingly ; for it is a service of dead gods.’ * The significance of these will be dealt with in the sequel. j
Such was the Teaching + which should ring in the ears of the Gentile convert as he took upon himself the vows of Christian baptism. Of this, in a simple + form, the manual now goes on to speak (ch. vii.). And as it refers to fasting as an accompaniment of baptism, it passes naturally to the stated Christian Fasts and Prayers (ch. viii.), —in each case as contrasted with those of ‘the hypocrites’ (z.e. unbelieving Jews). Next comes a description of the special Eucharistic prayers preceding and following the actual eating of the Church’s sacred meal (lit. ‘being filled’). A striking feature of both groups of prayers is their reference to the fulfilment of the feast, and of its imagery, in the consummated state of the Church in the kingdom of God. It is added, however, that the liturgical forms here given (chs. ix. x.) are not to bind ‘ prophets’ in Eucharistic prayer.
At this point the manual pauses once more, to call attention to all that has gone before (ratra mdvra To Mpoetpnuéva) as the norm of true teaching on the matters in question, and the test of such as are to be eS as teachers. ‘If the teacher himself turn and teach another teaching to the undoing (of this), hear him not; but if to the increase of righteousness and knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the Lord’ (xi. 2). And so we are led naturally to a description of the ministry of the Word, which is of the ‘ prophetic’ or heaven- sent type. ‘Apostles,’ or divinely prompted mis- sionaries,§ are described quite briefly, as being rather exceptional visitants. They are first named in conjunction with the prophets,|| as persons pro- vided for by ‘the rule of the gospel’ (kara 7d ddyya Tod evaryyeNiov) ; and then follow one or two rough and ready rules for their treatment, as they pass through existing churches on the way to their mission-fields (ef. 3Jn°-8), ‘Prophets’ occupy more space, probably as being a subject of more prac- tical interest for those addressed. The need of tests, as between genuine and spurious claimants to the high authority and functions conceded to him who had the spirit of prophecy (a prime mark of the Messianic age, Ac 2'"*), was becoming acutely felt. But, the simplicity of the tests here supplied—those of character merely, where the
* Wis 1310 ‘But wretched they, and in dead (things) their hopes : for that they called ‘‘ gods” the works of men’s hands,’
+ Compare the ‘foundation of repentance from dead works ane a rae towards God’ in He 61, with its own further dde774 ATTAC .
} Simpler originally than what now stands in Did. vii. 2-4 3 See below, iii. (d) ad jin,
§ By this time called ‘evangelists’ in most regions outside Palestine; cf. Eph 4, 2Ti 45, Ac 218 (written for non- Palestinian readers), Euseb. IE iii. 37; yet see Rev 22.
| An unworthy ‘apostle’ is called a ‘pseudo-prophet’ (xi. 5)
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recognized phenomena of ‘speaking in Spirit’ were present—shows that the age of ‘enthusiasm’ is still far from over (cf. Jude 19, 2 P Qif-38)) As these two types of itinerant ministry are to be received according to certain rules, so the ordinary Christian stranger needs handling with prudence, including cases in which he wishes to settle among his new friends (ch. xii.). This in turn suggests the case in which even a prophet desires to settle in one community. His support is provided for by the principle that ‘the labourer is worthy of his meat’; and this applies also to ‘teachers,’ a less spontaneous and more local type of the inspired ministry.* But it is the prophets, above all, who answer to the highest ministry under the OT; ‘they are your chief priests’ (esp. as offering the sacrifice of prayer at the Eucharist, x. 7, xiv. 1-3) ; and accordingly, to them, in the first instance, fall the first-fruits of various kinds (those specified are mainly country produce). Failing a prophet, first- fruits go to the poor (ch. xiii.).
After this excursus on matters of Discipline in relation to brethren coming to the community from outside,—suggested, it seems, by the mention of prophets in connexion with the Eucharistic Meal,— the compiler turns again to the chief features of internal church order, and so to the Eucharist, the stated Breaking of Bread on the Lord’s day,} to lay down the conditions of its ‘ pure’ observance (ch. xiv.). This depends on prior confession of trespasses (cf. iv. 14) between those uniting in the sacred ‘sacrifice’ of praise in prayer. None may partake while out of harmony with his fellow ;t so shall their sacrifice of prayer§ be that pointed to by Mal 12-4, The thought of the Church’s gather- ing on the Lord’s day leads to mention of the local ministry, ‘bishops’ and ‘deacons,’ as those who, in a sense, share the sacred ministry (Necroupyla) primarily belonging to the ministers of the Word, prophets and teachers. Hence they are not to be looked down upon because their own special functions are of a humbler order, but are to rank as associates of their more gifted colleagues in the honour of the ministry (xv. 1, 2). With this apology for the administrative ministry, elected by the local community itself (and now assuming greater importance than in the past), the compiler returns to the thought of fraternal discipline, already alluded to in connexion with the Eucharist. He uses terms which imply that it was a matter of the Church itself, and not only of its bishops and deacons, and enjoins that it be dealt with ‘as ye have it in the Gospel’ (cf. Mt 18"). This same Gospel standard || is to regulate their suppli- cations (evvds) and alms and all their actions (xv.