Vege-Fruitarian Didache – Part Three
The Didache: The Teaching of the Twelve
The Teaching of the Master, by the Twelve Apostles, to the Gentiles
by Paqid, Yo’el Ben Abraham {braces mine} and Hebrew names substituted for English, adapted from the Arrangement by Dr. Alan Garrow www.alangarrow.com .. He has identified and removed the supplemental parts made to the original Didache. Furthermore, he makes the case that these were the original Apostolic Decrees given at the Jerusalem Council, and should be understood as the fuller version of the Edict of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. I think that it is closer to the Original. And, in turn, this is part of the source material (Q) for Luke and Matthew, along with the Aramaic rooted sayings in the Gospel of Thomas, as ferreted out by Dr. Lewis Keizer. However, it lacks the contextual teaching of The Gospel of the Holy Twelve, and those of Kepha (Peter) contained in the Clementine Homilies concerning abstaining from eating flesh (see the context in 6.2 below concerning food). After the events of Acts 10 & 11, the Council evidently ‘softened’ this requirement for certain initiates to receive Baptism (6:2-3).
1.1 There are two ways, one of life, the other of death, and there is a great difference between the two ways.
1.2a Now the way of life is this:
1.2b First, you shall love the Elohiym (the God) who made you;
1.2c Second, you shall love your neighbour as yourself.
1.2d And everything that you would not have done to you, do not to another.
{This is stated in the refraining sense. The saying is credited to Hillel in rabbinical tradition (the Grandfather of Gamaliel in Acts 5:34). In the Gospel of the Holy Twelve, Yeshúa stated it in the both the refraining and the proactive sense as part of the 12-Commandments given at the transfiguration – GHT 46. And, as recorded in the Gospel of Luke, it is stated in the proactive sense.: “You shall do unto others as you desire others to do to you.”}
1.3a The teaching of these words is this:
1.3b Bless those that curse you and pray for your enemies, fast for those that persecute you.
1.3c For what merit is there if you love those that love you? Do not even Gentiles do the same? But love those who hate you and you will not have any enemy.
1.4a Avoid {Bridle} the fleshly and bodily passions.
1.4b If someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also, and you will be perfect. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. If someone takes your coat, give him your shirt also. If someone takes away from you what is yours, Do not ask for it back since you cannot.
2.1 The second commandment of the teaching means:
2.2 You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not corrupt children. You shall not fornicate. You shall not steal. You shall not practice magic. You shall not use sorcery. You shall not murder a child by abortion or commit infanticide. You shall not covet what belongs to your neighbour.
2.3 You shall not swear falsely. You shall not bear false witness. You shall not speak evil. You shall not harbour a grudge.
2.4 You shall not be double-minded, nor double-tongued, for the double tongue is a snare of death.
2.5 Your word shall not be false or empty but fulfilled by action.
2.6 You shall not be covetous, nor a swindler, nor a hypocrite, nor ill-tempered, nor proud. You shall not plot evil against your neighbour.
2.7 You shall not hate anyone. But some you shall reprove and for some you shall pray. And some you shall love more than your own life.
3.1 My child, flee from all evil and from everything like it.
3.2 Do not be angry, for anger leads to murder; nor jealous nor contentious nor hot-tempered, for all these things breed murder.
3.3 My child, do not be lustful, for lust leads to fornication (sexual immorality); nor should you use obscene speech or lustful gazes, for all these breed acts of adultery.
3.4 My child, do not be a soothsayer, for this leads to idolatry; nor an enchanter, nor an astrologer, nor a magician; do not be willing to even look at such things, for all these breed idolatry.
3.5 My child, do not be a liar, for lying leads to theft; nor avaricious, nor vainglorious, for all these breed theft.
3.6 My child, do not be a grumbler, for this leads to blasphemy; nor self-willed, nor evil-minded, for all these breed blasphemy.
3.7 but be meek, since the meek shall inherit the earth.
3.8 Be patient and merciful, and guileless, and quiet and good, and always revering the words you have heard.
3.9 You shall not exalt yourself or admit arrogance into your soul. You soul shall not associate with the lofty, but you shall walk with those who are righteous and humble.
3.10 Accept the things that happen to you as good, knowing that nothing is done without Elohiym.
4.1 My child, be mindful night and day of the one who speaks the word of Elohim to you. You shall honour him as the Master, for wherever the nature of the Master is spoken of, there the Master is.
4.2 You shall not cause division; instead, you shall reconcile those who quarrel. You shall judge righteously. You shall not show partiality in reproving people for their faults.
4.4 You shall not doubt whether a thing shall be or not.
4.5 Do not be someone holding out your hands to receive but closing them when it comes to giving.
4.6 If you have earned something through the work of your hands, you shall give something as a ransom for your sins.
4.7 You shall not hesitate to give, nor grumble when giving, for you will know the good paymaster of your reward.
4.8 You shall not turn the needy away; but you shall hold everything in common with your brother, and not say that anything is your own, for if you share in what is immortal, how much more in mortal things?
4.9 You shall not withhold your hand from your son or your daughter, but from their youth you shall teach them the fear of Elohiym
4.10 You shall not command in bitterness your servant or your maid who trust in the same Elohiym, lest they stop revering the Elohiym who is over you both. For he comes not to call people according to their status, but he comes to those whom the Spirit has prepared.
4.11 And you servants shall be subject to your masters, as symbols of Elohiym, with reverence and fear.
4.12 You shall hate all hypocrisy and all that is not pleasing to Elohiym.
4.13 You shall not abandon the commandments of Elohiym but shall keep what you have received without adding or subtracting anything.
4.14 In the assembly you shall confess your faults, and you shall not approach prayer with an evil conscience.
This is the way of life.
5.1a And the way of death is this: First of all, it is evil and full of accursedness;
5.1b murder, adultery, lust, fornication, theft, idolatry, magic, sorcery, robbery, false witness, hypocrisy, doubleness of heart, treachery, pride, malice, stubbornness, covetousness, obscene speech, jealousy, insolence, arrogance, boastfulness.
5.2a Those who are persecutors of the good, hating truth, loving falsehood, not knowing the reward of the righteous, not adhering to the good nor to righteous judgement, lying awake not for what is good but for what is evil, those who are far from being meek and patient, loving what is futile, seeking repayment, not showing mercy to the poor, not labouring for the oppressed, not recognizing him who made them, murderers of children, corrupters of the creatures of Elohiym, who turn away from the needy, oppressing the afflicted, defenders of the rich, unjust judges of the poor and altogether sinful.
| 6.1 See that no one leads you astray from this teaching, since the one who does so, teaches apart from Elohiym. 6.2 If you are able to bear the whole yoke of the Master, you will be perfect, but if you cannot, do what you can. 6.3 Concerning food, bear what you can, but abstain strictly from food offered to idols, for it is worship of dead gods. {Notice in the next column: Vege-Fruitarian food is the ideal diet as part of “the whole yoke of the Master”. Some permitted themselves Fish; But this was not ideal. Some were slaves and limited in their choices.} | In the Clementine Homilies, as shown in Part One, Kepha (Peter) states that a Law was made by Elohim and was given to the disembodied spirits (demons) of the giants following the flood, which said to them: You will have no access or dominion over mankind “Unless anyone, of his own accord, subjects himself to you, {1} worshiping you, and sacrificing, and pouring libations, and partaking of your table, {2} or accomplishing anything else that they ought not do, {3} or shedding blood, {people or animals} {4} or tasting dead flesh, {5} or filling themselves with that which is torn of beasts, or that which is cut, or that which is strangled, {6} or anything else that is unclean. [Eating unclean animals {which defiles} or touching menstrual blood; men and women should not be having sexual relations during her menstruations—and she should baptize afterward her period, and wash after sexual relations.]” Brackets & Italics mine filling in what the other sections clarify. Colossians 2:16 Therefore, let no one [a gentile philosopher; see 2:4, 8] judge you; only the body of ha’Mashiaḥ [is to judge you], about eating and about drinking, or with respect to a festival or a ḥodesh [a new month] or shabbaths – 17 [the observance of] which are a shadow of impending matters. |
| Note the abbreviated version given in Acts 15:29. See also, Rev 2:20; 3:20; 1 Cor 10:20. | |
7.1a Concerning Baptism, baptize thus:
7.1c Baptize in the name of {The Master Yeshúa} (cf. 9.5)
7.1e in running water
7.4a Before the baptism, let the one baptizing and the one being baptized,
and any others who are able, fast.
9.1 Concerning the Eucharist (Communion), give thanks thus:
9.2 First, concerning the cup:
We give thanks to you, our Father, for the holy vine of David your servant,
which you have revealed to us through Yeshúa your servant. To You be glory for ever.
9.3 And concerning the fragment:
We give thanks to you, our Father, for the life and knowledge, which you have revealed to us through Yeshúa your servant. To You be glory for ever.
9.4 As this fragment lay scattered upon the mountains and has been gathered to become one, so gather your Assembly from the ends of the earth into your kingdom.
For the glory and power are Yours, through Yeshúa ha Mashiakh, forever.
9.5 Let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist but those baptized in the name of Yeshúa.
11.3a Concerning apostles
11.4 Let every apostle who comes to you be received as the Master.
11.5 He shall stay only one day, or, if need be, another day too.
If he stays three days {uninvited?}, he is a false prophet.
11.6a When the apostle leaves, let him receive nothing except enough bread
to see him through until he finds lodging.
11.6b If he asks for money, he is a false {prophet}. {He is not to make prophetic
demands for food or money. It is the congregations’ responsibility to initiate charity.}
16.1 Watch over your life.
{Remember that this was written in AD 48, before AD 70, when the Temple was destroyed, in “the last days” generation.}
Let your lamps not go out and let your loins not be ungirded but be ready,
for you do not know the hour at which our Master is coming.
16.2 You shall assemble frequently, seeking what your souls need for the whole time of your faith will be of no profit to you unless you are perfected at the final hour.
16.3 In the last days shall be multiplied false prophets and
corruption and shall turn the sheep into wolves and love shall turn into hate.
16.4a For with the increase of lawlessness they shall hate
one another and shall persecute and betray.
16.4b And then shall appear the world-deceiver as a son of God,
and he shall do signs and wonders and the earth shall be betrayed into his hands and he shall do godless things that have not been done since the beginning of the age.
16.5 Then human creation shall pass into the fire of testing and many shall be caused to stumble and be lost but those who persevere in their faith shall be saved by the curse itself.
16.5 And then shall appear the signs of truth: first the sign of extension in heaven,
next the sign of the trumpet call, and third, the resurrection of the dead.
16.8 Then the world shall see the Master coming upon the clouds of heaven,
and all his holy ones with him, on his royal throne, to judge
the world-deceiver and to reward each according to his deeds.
16.9 Then shall go away the evil into eternal punishment
but the righteous shall enter life eternal, inheriting those things which
eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and which has not arisen in the heart of man. Those which Elohiym has prepared for those who love him.