Texts in Conversation
In Psalm 37, the psalmist promises that the oppressed will possess the land. The Didache, an early church manual, echoes the psalm in its call to be humble, set beside patience, mercy and calm as part of its way of life.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Psalm 37:11
Hebrew Bible
9 Wicked men will be wiped out, but those who rely on the Lord are the ones who will possess the land. 10 Evil men will soon disappear; you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone. 11 But the oppressed will possess the land and enjoy great prosperity.
Didache 3:7
Early Christian
6 My child, don't complain, as this can lead to disrespecting what is sacred. Don't be stubborn or think evil thoughts, as these can lead to blasphemy. 7 But be humble, for the humble will inherit the earth. 8 Be patient, merciful, honest, calm, and good, always mindful of the teachings you have heard. 9 Don't be arrogant or let yourself become presumptuous. Don't associate with arrogant people, but walk with those who are righteous and humble. 10 Accept whatever happens to you as good, knowing that nothing happens without God's involvement.
Notes and References
“... It is very uncertain whether one should see any significance in the apparent agreement (at one level) between Did. 3. 7 and Matt. 5. 5 in extolling the virtues of being ‘meek’. The beatitude in Matthew is widely regarded as being heavily dependent on the wording of Ps. 37 (LXX 36). 11, and hence any agreement with the Didache here may be due to common dependence on the psalm verse. The beatitude in Matthew (along with the other ‘extra’ beatitudes, i.e., those not in Luke) may well be due to MattR. But the immediate context in the Didache shows no other influence from Christian sources such as Matthew, and moreover does not reflect the beatitude form. Hence it is highly unlikely that the Didachist derived this part of his exhortation here from Matthew’s gospel. ...”
Gregory, Andrew F.
The Reception of the New Testament in the Apostolic Fathers
(p. 101) Oxford University Press, 2005
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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