Didache 2

As I mentioned before, I'm spending some time this summer translating through the Didache (pronounced "did-uh-KAY").  There has been renewed interested in the early documents of Christian history, especially the Didache--there are several new books about the work, new translations, and reproductions of the original text in Greek.

Here is a portion of my own translation from chapter 3:

7)Be meek, "for the meek shall inherit the Earth"

8)Be patient, merciful, innocent, quiet, and good; revere the words you have heard

9)Do not exalt yourself, neither let your soul grow arrogant.  Do not join yourself with the proud, but make your home with the righteous and humble

10)Whatever comes to pass in your life, receive it as good, knowing that nothing comes about without God.

I think what strikes me most about this brief document, is how heavily it relies on the Sermon on the Mount.  Early Christians were devoted to the words of Jesus--often quoting directly from his teachings.  Jesus' words had become ingrained in their vocabulary; his sermons flowed from their mouths as easily as their own words.  Right after I became a Christian, I read through the Gospels over and over--I remember committing to read one chapter in the morning and one at night before bed.  Sometimes i would "cheat" and read 2 or 3 chapters--devouring them as "bread from heaven".  And believe it or not,  until I was in college I read from the King James Version (just like Jesus said it). 

Since then, I've studied the Bible in the original languages, read commentaries, studied background materials, and listened to others (both ancient and contemporary) expound on the scriptures, but I've never felt a connection to Scripture like I did in those first few months.  Perhaps I just haven't been as hungry for it....