12/17/21
Scholarly Reflections
Garrow, Alan J.P. "Chapter Four: Elements Within Didache 1-5." The Gospel of Matthew's Dependence on the Didache. New York: T&T Clark International, 2004, 67-92.
Didache 1-5 is presented as pre-baptismal catechesis, which provides ethical guidance for the Christian life. Garrow notes that the material incorporates other early traditions. The Didache material can be compared with the other similar texts, especially Barnabas 18-20, to evaluate integrity of the teaching (Garrow 2004, 67). The material in Didache 1.3-6, or alternatively 1.3b-2.1, appears to have a specifically Christian influence. It is also, significantly, not present in the Latin Doctrina Apostolorum. Otherwise, the Doctrina Apostolorum hasa very close relatinship to the Didache's Two Ways material (Garrow 2004, 68).
Garrow notes that the passage which is considered an interpolation does not show the relatively artful work of a redactor which he would expect, unless the interpolation begins at 1.3a (Garrow 2004, 69-70). The Doctrina differs from the Didache at other points as wll, as does the Dead Sea material. In particular, Doctrina is not as forceful in its descriptions of the outcome for those who fall short in the Way of Life, when compared with the other texts (Garrow 2004, 74).
Garrow entertains the idea that there may be two layers of redaction which led to the current text of Didache 1.3-6 (Garrow 2004, 75). He concludes that 1.3-5a and 1.5b-6 are different elements which entered the teaching as independent sayings at different times (Garrow 2004, 77). Taken as a whole, Garrow's inclination is to take the individual sayings in this part of the Didache to be independent in their origin, but to have been gathered and organized prior to being drawn into the Didache (Garrow 2004, 83). He generalizes this tendency to the entirety of 1.3-5a. This passage has a relatively rhythmic structure, while the rest of the Two Ways does not show such care in word choice or arrangement (Garrow 2004, 84).
Garrow recognizes that it would be beyond the scope of his book to review every place in the Didache where there may be a textual insertion. However, 1.2 and 5.2 are locations he considers important in his overall picture. 1.2, with a "golden rule" statement, has no parallel in Barnabas (Garrow 2004, 85). The golden rule statement, not present in all Two Ways versions, may well have been part of the collection of sayings used els3where. Garrow further takes 5.2a, 5.2b, and 6.1 to be statements added at three different times (Garrow 2004, 88). Garrow makes his argument here based on thier absence in Barnabas. Garrow does concede the parallel of 6.1 in Doctrina Apostolorum, a fact which has led some to consider it part of the source material used in the Didache (Garrow 2004, 89). However, Doctrina uses it in a very smooth manner compared to its use in the Didache. The verse does, however, provide a transition into the discussion of baptism (Garrow 2004, 90).
Garrow closes the chapter by detailing segments of Didache 1-5 which he believers were inserted after the original composition (Garrow 2004, 90-92). He considers this chapter and his chapters 2 and 3 to lay the groundwork for the upcoming analysis of compositional history.
Scholarly Reflections
Garrow, Alan J.P. "Chapter Four: Elements Within Didache 1-5." The Gospel of Matthew's Dependence on the Didache. New York: T&T Clark International, 2004, 67-92.
Didache 1-5 is presented as pre-baptismal catechesis, which provides ethical guidance for the Christian life. Garrow notes that the material incorporates other early traditions. The Didache material can be compared with the other similar texts, especially Barnabas 18-20, to evaluate integrity of the teaching (Garrow 2004, 67). The material in Didache 1.3-6, or alternatively 1.3b-2.1, appears to have a specifically Christian influence. It is also, significantly, not present in the Latin Doctrina Apostolorum. Otherwise, the Doctrina Apostolorum hasa very close relatinship to the Didache's Two Ways material (Garrow 2004, 68).
Garrow notes that the passage which is considered an interpolation does not show the relatively artful work of a redactor which he would expect, unless the interpolation begins at 1.3a (Garrow 2004, 69-70). The Doctrina differs from the Didache at other points as wll, as does the Dead Sea material. In particular, Doctrina is not as forceful in its descriptions of the outcome for those who fall short in the Way of Life, when compared with the other texts (Garrow 2004, 74).
Garrow entertains the idea that there may be two layers of redaction which led to the current text of Didache 1.3-6 (Garrow 2004, 75). He concludes that 1.3-5a and 1.5b-6 are different elements which entered the teaching as independent sayings at different times (Garrow 2004, 77). Taken as a whole, Garrow's inclination is to take the individual sayings in this part of the Didache to be independent in their origin, but to have been gathered and organized prior to being drawn into the Didache (Garrow 2004, 83). He generalizes this tendency to the entirety of 1.3-5a. This passage has a relatively rhythmic structure, while the rest of the Two Ways does not show such care in word choice or arrangement (Garrow 2004, 84).
Garrow recognizes that it would be beyond the scope of his book to review every place in the Didache where there may be a textual insertion. However, 1.2 and 5.2 are locations he considers important in his overall picture. 1.2, with a "golden rule" statement, has no parallel in Barnabas (Garrow 2004, 85). The golden rule statement, not present in all Two Ways versions, may well have been part of the collection of sayings used els3where. Garrow further takes 5.2a, 5.2b, and 6.1 to be statements added at three different times (Garrow 2004, 88). Garrow makes his argument here based on thier absence in Barnabas. Garrow does concede the parallel of 6.1 in Doctrina Apostolorum, a fact which has led some to consider it part of the source material used in the Didache (Garrow 2004, 89). However, Doctrina uses it in a very smooth manner compared to its use in the Didache. The verse does, however, provide a transition into the discussion of baptism (Garrow 2004, 90).
Garrow closes the chapter by detailing segments of Didache 1-5 which he believers were inserted after the original composition (Garrow 2004, 90-92). He considers this chapter and his chapters 2 and 3 to lay the groundwork for the upcoming analysis of compositional history.
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