Essay Sample on The Didache: A Discussion of the Prayers

The Didache is part of a collection of early Christian writings originating from the late first to early second centuries, which has become known collectively as the writings of the Apostolic Fathers. Hence, the consensus is that the writings accurately reflect Apostolic teaching.  Therefore, the historical placement of the writings of the Apostolic Fathers has a direct bearing on the New Testament studies, the development of early Christianity and Christian theological history. “The prayers in Chapters 9 and 10 of the Didache are based on Jewish table prayers it is not clear whether the thanksgivings are for the Eucharist, an agape, a Eucharist followed by an agape, or an agape followed by the Eucharist” (E. Ferguson)”.  This essay will take the position that the Didache prayers are for a Eucharist involving both a ritual and a real meal. For several reasons including the ritual nature of the prayers themselves; the similarity of the celebration to a temple setting; the presence of sacred elements or the ‘spiritual food and drink. In addition to the liturgical agreement with the Lord’s supper in Pauls’ epistles and the exclusion of the unbaptised from the celebration.

The term Eucharist means thanksgiving, the Christian church views it as a sacrament performed as a recreation of Christ’s last supper before his crucifixion.  Today the celebration usually takes the form of a ritualistic (Eucharistic) meal, where the participants partake of bread and wine. When discussing this question, the first point to consider is the historical context of the Didache. Larsen suggests that the Christology of the prayers is underdeveloped because early Christianity is still a Second Temple Jewish sect continuing to follow contemporaneous Judaic practices.   This is evidenced by the archaic nature of both the Christology and Eschatology of the Eucharistic prayers in Chapters 9-10. The Didache prayers where yet to evolve into the modern communion service. However, despite this evidence for the prayers being Eucharistic occurs not only in the references to the Christian Eucharist within the prayers, themselves but also in Didache 10:6 which introduces the communion. 

Furthermore, the strong points of comparison to the Lord’s Supper in Pauls’ epistles; provide further support for the eucharistic nature of the Didache prayers. Firstly, the structure of the Didache meal resembles 1 Cor 10:14-22. It is also noteworthy, that both actual meal celebrations include both a real meal and a ritual meal. Furthermore, the prayers in both cases are located either at the beginning or during the meal. In addition, Koch, remarks that there are two liturgical actions comprising drinking from the cup and eating the bread which are present in both cases. The thanksgiving prayers offered to God differentiate these actions are from the consumption of ordinary food and drink. The bread and wine are referred to as “spiritual food and drink.”  Further support for the Eucharistic character of the Didache celebration occurs in Didache 9.2 and 9.3 which refers to the ‘cup’ and ‘crumb’ respectively. This occurs in the corresponding expression in 1 Cor 10:3-4 with the apostle “Paul’s use of the term ‘spiritual food’ and ‘spiritual drink’” in connection with the Lord’s Supper.  The presence of these sacred elements is yet another case in point which speaks to the ritualistic nature of the proceedings. 

However, Clausen remarks there is no link between the atoning sacrifice of Christs’ death in the Didache prayers, as found in either the book of Hebrews or Paul’s epistles. Additionally, the words of institution found in 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 and the gospels Mark 14:22-26, and Luke 22:14-23, are absent from the Didache 9-10. Van de Sandt asserts that the Wine does not represent Christ’s blood and the bread is not a representation of his body.   However, Larsen maintains that despite these differences the wine and bread are central to the festivity and have strong eschatological overtones. Moreover, the person of Jesus is pivotal to both celebrations and therefore, both celebrations should be viewed as Eucharistic.  As noted previously the Didache prayers are archaic, the liturgy of modern Eucharistic service came about through a process of evolution which will be discussed further.

According to Koch the absence of the words of institution becomes clear when it is understood that they belong to a catechetical rather than a liturgical tradition. Paul uses the words “this is my body” in 1 Cor 11:24 to refer to Christ’s passion and atoning sacrifice.  Paul uses the words of institution to explain the sacrificial nature of the meal. However, this does not mean that they formed part of the liturgy. The words of institution were not added to the liturgy for another two hundred years; evidenced by the fact that the first liturgical text to include these words is the traditio Apostolica which is generally dated to 250CE or 300CE or even 350CE.  According to Koch, it is apparent that the theological perspective of the Didache community is quite different from the theological perspective of the Last Supper. However, this does not in any way mitigate the liturgical agreement of the texts.  

As noted previously, the verses in Didache 9-10 refer to a meal that is both a ritual meal and a real meal. The first two prayers are “ritual acts within the meal,” placed at the start of the meal, this occurs in Didache 10:1 which explicitly refer to an actual meal ‘‘and after ‘you have been filled” is a clear assertion of this.   This excludes the view of the prayers being for a Eucharist preceding or following an Agape or communal meal. Since the prayers encompass the entirety of the meal both real and ritualistic. The two ritualistic actions of the meal are the drinking from the “cup’ and eating of the ‘crumb.”’ As Koch asserts, the ritual nature of the meal is evident in Did.10 where there is a “thanksgiving” for the “spiritual food and drink”.  “but thou hast graciously given spiritual meat and drink”  This is a clear assertion that the food eaten is sacred and not everyday food.  

Moreover, the ritualistic character of the Didache celebration is evident in the blessings before and after the meal. These are blessings are used to accompany a sacrificial meal. In addition, the scene in Did 9:5 is reminiscent of a temple sacrifice, as illustrated by the holy nature of the Eucharistic food in Did 9-10 and a saying of the Lord in Did 9:5. Significantly, this verse contains the expression εὐχαριστία which refers to Eucharistic food which has had a blessing spoken over it.   This is suggested by the expression “what is holy”in the prayer. An expression found in the Septuagint in several places including LXX Exod 29:33; Lev 2:3; 22:6.7.10- 6:4. Food of this nature, was set apart, it was not given to creatures considered unclean or otherwise mishandled.  Significantly, the Didache 9.5 excludes the unbaptized from taking part in the meal.  ”No one is to eat or drink of your Eucharist but those who have been baptised in the name of the Lord,”  According to Koch this would preclude the meal from being merely an Agape or charity meal.  But rather a sacramental meal akin to a modern Eucharistic celebration.

In conclusion, this essay asserts that the Didache prayers involve a Eucharist which is both an actual meal and a ritual meal. The Didache prayers are not merely an Agape or communal meal, since the thanksgiving prayers in Didache 9.5 are liturgical actions which are used to sanctify the food and drink. The ritual nature of this process is confirmed in Didache 10.1 with a thanksgiving prayer for the ‘Spiritual food and drink.’ Additionally, the Didache prayers exclude the unbaptized from partaking in the meal precluding it from being charitable or Agape meal. Moreover, the thanksgiving meal in the Didache has parallels with the last supper in the Pauline Epistles, (which is the precedent for present day Eucharistic celebrations); with both involving a ritual and an actual meal, and both containing the sacred elements of ‘Spiritual food and Drink.’ The ritualistic nature of the Didache is further confirmed by the centrality of Christ in both celebrations. This is more evident when the process of liturgical evolution of the Didache prayers is understood. For, these reasons, it seems apparent that the Didache prayers describe a purely Eucharistic celebration and not an Agape or a Eucharist either following or preceding a Eucharist. However, the nature of the Didache prayers remains debatable and the emergence of new evidence may change opinions.