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Didache

About this book

Closing Advice on the Two Ways

Chapter 6

1 Be careful that no one leads you astray from this Way of teaching, for those who do so are teaching you without God. 2 If you can bear the whole yoke of the Lord, you will be perfect;⁠ but if you cannot, do what you can.⁠ 3 Regarding food, eat what you can tolerate, but always avoid food that has been offered to idols, as it represents the worship of lifeless gods.

Texts in conversation

Compare Matthew 5:48 and Didache 6:2

New Testament · Early Christian

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Summary

In Matthew, Jesus closes his teaching about enemies with a call for his followers to be perfect like their Father in heaven. In the Didache, an early church manual, perfection is also the goal, promised to those who can carry the full burden required.

Passages

Matthew 5:48

New Testament
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they? 47 And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they? 48 So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
70–90 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Matthew

Didache 6:2

Early Christian
1 Be careful that no one leads you astray from this Way of teaching, for those who do so are teaching you without God. 2 If you can bear the whole yoke of the Lord, you will be perfect; but if you cannot, do what you can. 3 Regarding food, eat what you can tolerate, but always avoid food that has been offered to idols, as it represents the worship of lifeless gods.
90–120 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in the Didache

References

“... A potentially more significant parallel might be provided by Did. 6. 2 and Matt. 5. 48. There is widespread agreement that in Matt. 5. 48 // Luke 6. 36, Luke’s reference to being ‘merciful’ is more original, and that Matthew’s ‘perfect’ is due to MattR. Further, this verse in Matthew clearly ties in very closely with a prominent theme in Matthew’s gospel as a whole: namely, the importance of obeying the ethical demands laid upon one with absolute seriousness. The Didachist’s similar interest in the notion of being ‘perfect’ might then relate to what appears to be a significant element of MattR. One may also note the presence of the same word  ºØ in Did. 1. 4. The evidence could then be interpreted as due to two redactors independently developing the idea of ethical ‘perfection’; or it could indicate the Didachist’s dependence on a significant element of MattR, thus showing the dependence of the Didache on Matthew (whether direct or indirect). We may also note the language here of the ‘yoke’ (of the Lord). This is not dissimilar to the reference of the Matthean Jesus to ‘his’ ‘yoke’ in Matt. 11. 28, a verse which many have thought again to resonate with significant Matthean themes, and hence could be due to MattR. In sum, the evidence of this small verse would seem to indicate a close link between the Didache and Matthew’s gospel in particular. ...”
Andrew Gregory and Christopher Tuckett, eds., The Reception of the New Testament in the Apostolic Fathers (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005), 101–102.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Matthew 5:48 and Didache 6:2

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