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Epistle to Diognetus

About this book
Chapter 11

1 Mine are no strange discourses nor perverse questionings, but having been a disciple of Apostles I come forward as a teacher of the Gentiles, ministering worthily to them, as they present themselves disciples of the truth, the lessons which have been handed down. 2 For who that has been rightly taught and has entered into friendship with the Word does not seek to learn distinctly the lessons revealed openly by the Word to the disciples; to whom the Word appeared and declared them, speaking plainly,⁠ not perceived by the unbelieving, but relating them to disciples who being reckoned faithful by Him were taught the mysteries of the Father? 3 For this cause He sent forth the Word, that He might appear to the world, Who being dishonored by the people, and preached by the Apostles, was believed in by the Gentiles. 4 This Word, Who was from the beginning,⁠ Who appeared as new and yet was proved to be old, and is born always young in the hearts of saints, 5 He, I say, Who is eternal, Who today was accounted a Son, through Whom the Church is enriched and grace is unfolded and multiplied among the saints, grace which confers understanding, which reveals mysteries, which announces seasons, which rejoices over the faithful, which is bestowed upon those who seek her, even those by whom the pledges of faith are not broken, nor the boundaries of the fathers overstepped. 6 Then the fear of the law is sung, and the grace of the prophets is recognized, and the faith of the gospels is established, and the tradition of the apostles is preserved, and the joy of the Church exults. 7 If you do not grieve this grace, you shall understand the discourses which the Word holds by the mouth of those whom He desires when He wishes. 8 For in all things, that by the will of the commanding Word we were moved to utter with much effort, we become sharers with you, through love of the things revealed to us.

Texts in conversation

Compare John 16:25 and Epistle to Diognetus 11:2

New Testament · Early Christian

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Summary

In Diognetus, the Word is described as speaking plainly to his disciples about the mysteries of the Father, echoing the language of John 16, where Jesus promises to stop using figures of speech and to tell his disciples about the Father.

Passages

John 16:25

New Testament
25 “I have told you these things in obscure figures of speech; a time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in obscure figures, but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 At that time you will ask in my name, and I do not say that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 For the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered into the world, but in turn, I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” 29 His disciples said, “Look, now you are speaking plainly and not in obscure figures of speech!
90–110 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in John

Epistle to Diognetus 11:2

Early Christian
1 Mine are no strange discourses nor perverse questionings, but having been a disciple of Apostles I come forward as a teacher of the Gentiles, ministering worthily to them, as they present themselves disciples of the truth, the lessons which have been handed down. 2 For who that has been rightly taught and has entered into friendship with the Word does not seek to learn distinctly the lessons revealed openly by the Word to the disciples; to whom the Word appeared and declared them, speaking plainly, not perceived by the unbelieving, but relating them to disciples who being reckoned faithful by Him were taught the mysteries of the Father?
150–250 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in the Epistle to Diognetus

References

“... That the Word is said to have spoken boldly or openly (παρρησίᾳ λαλῶν) seems to be an allusion to John 16: 25, 29, where Jesus announces that no longer in figures λαλήσω ὑμῖν, ἀλλὰ παρρησίᾳ, and then his μαθηταί respond, ‘Ah, now ἐν παρρησίᾳ λαλεῖς, not in any figure’. When the author says that the Word ‘explained’ (διηγούμενος) hidden things to his disciples, he uses a word, διηγέομαι, which is not used in the New Testament. But a close cognate, ἐξηγέομι, is used for the Word’s unique activity of explaining the unseen God once in the New Testament, in John 1: 18 (ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο). ...”
Charles E. Hill, The Johannine Corpus in the Early Church (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), 365–366.

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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John 16:25 and Epistle to Diognetus 11:2

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