Texts in Conversation
In the Didache, an early church manual, readers choose bishops and deacons who are humble, not greedy, truthful and proven. First Timothy contains a list of the same kind of qualities for overseers and deacons, from a shared pattern of instruction.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
1 Timothy 3:2
New Testament
1 This saying is trustworthy: “If someone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work.” 2 The overseer then must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher, 3 not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not contentious, free from the love of money. 4 He must manage his own household well and keep his children in control without losing his dignity. 5 But if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for the church of God? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become arrogant and fall into the punishment that the devil will exact. 7 And he must be well thought of by those outside the faith, so that he may not fall into disgrace and be caught by the devil’s trap. 8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not two-faced, not given to excessive drinking, not greedy for gain, 9 holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And these also must be tested first and then let them serve as deacons if they are found blameless.
Didache 15:1
Early Christian
1 Choose for yourselves bishops and deacons who are worthy of the Lord. Look for humble men who are not greedy, but truthful and proven, for they also carry out the duties of the prophets and teachers. 2 Do not look down on them, for they are honorable men, alongside the prophets and teachers. 3 Correct one another, not in anger but in peace, as you find in the Gospel. Do not speak with anyone who has wronged his neighbor, and do not let him hear a word from you until he repents. 4 Carry out your prayers, charitable giving, and all your actions as instructed in the Gospel of our Lord.
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Notes and References
“... Moreover, the evidence found in 1 Timothy strongly suggests that the verses in Did 15:1-2 are constructed upon an extant tradition. The requirements listed in Did 15:1 for the offices of bishops and deacons belong to same literary type as those which are – to a greater extent – found in 1 Tim 3:1-13. More importantly, the requisite qualifications in this letter concern the very same functions of bishops and deacons. Furthermore, upon closer observation, the Didache not only exhibits material parallels to 1 Timothy but also a structural correspondence with this letter. With the exclusion of Did 11:1-13:7 – the section which was established to constitute a literary unit – the materials of Did 8-15 represent the same sequence of topics as 1 Tim 2:1-3:13, that is, instructions regarding praying (Did 8:2-10:7 and 1 Tim 2:1-7), ethical conditions of a congregational worship (Did 14 and 1 Tim 2:8-15) and directives with regard to bishops and deacons (Did 15 and 1 Tim 3:1-13). In the subsequent chapters in Did 8-15 and 1 Tim 2:1-3:13 the same pattern is recognizable, that is to say that the subsequent development of themes in Did 8-15 (with the exception of chapters 11-13) might reflect an ancient scheme which was used both by the Didachist and the author of 1 Timothy. ...”
Sandt, Hubertus W., and David Flusser
The Didache: Its Jewish Sources and Its Place in Early Judaism and Christianity
(pp. 338-339) Royal Van Gorcum, 2002
* 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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