The Didache: A Commentary

Description

One hundred twenty-five years ago, Philotheos Bryennios discovered the text of the Didache in an eleventh-century manuscript version. In 1883 he edited the manuscript for publication, and its special fascination for scholars remains undiminished. One of the oldest extracanonical Christian documents, the Didache's origins can be traced to the first century. It is apparently a catechism, intended to provide basic instruction in the Christian lifestyle and worship for persons preparing for baptism.The Didache exhibits fascinating echoes of Jesus' teaching in its Matthean form, along with rare glimpses into the life of an early Christian community--its values, its observance of the Eucharist, its leaders, and the character of its hope.Niederwimmer's wonderful commentary is a model of clarity and learning and a splendid addition to this premier commentary series. Review: Exactly what I have been searching for!!! - I love reading and studying ancient Christian writtings but unfortunately i find it hard to find good commentaries on specific works and documents. I by chance stumbled upon this fantastic resource and figured i would give it a try. When I received it (promptly by the way) I immediately cracked it open and began to read and in doing so I have learned alot from the introduction alone already! It digs in pretty deep and the scholarship is great, I could not have asked for anything better. This was my first Hermeneia commentary and it definitely wont be my last! If you are looking for an entertaining read I would not recommend this commentary but if your interest is in higher learning, as is mine, then this will definitely fill the appetite!!! Review: This is the top scholar's analysis of The Didache - shalom@haydid.org When I started researching this topic, I went to the Anchor Bible Dictionary first. At the end of the "Didache" article was a bibliography of the top scholars and the title of other articles. I ordered the book from desertcart.com and started digging into a very scholarly analysis of the topic. This is an excellent way to learn to learn how to study this early church document. The book was an excellent resource that was an invaluable tool for understanding the Jewish background of this document. The Lord's Prayer is better explained by Dr. Brad Young in The Jewish Background of the Lord's Prayer and Jesus the Jewish Theologian than Mr. Niederwimmer's explanation. The book is worth well worth reading.