Didache—Chapter 11

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11 Welcome the Teacher

11:1 Welcome the teacher when he comes to instruct you in all that has been said.

11:2 But if he turns and trains you in another tradition to the destruction of this teaching, do not listen. If he teaches so as to increase righteousness and the knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the Lord.

11:3 Act according to the precepts of the gospel concerning all apostles and prophets:

11:4 Let every apostle who comes to you be received as the Lord.

11:5 But he must not remain more than one day, or two, if there’s a need. If he stays three days, he is a false prophet.

11:6 And when the apostle goes away, let him take nothing but bread to last him until his next night of lodging. If he asks for money, he is a false prophet.

11:7 In addition, if any prophet speaks in the Spirit, you shall not try or judge him; for every sin will be forgiven, but this sin cannot be forgiven.

11:8 But not everyone who speaks in the Spirit is a prophet; only he is a prophet who has the ways of the Lord about him. By their ways will the false prophet and the prophet be known.

11:9 Any prophet who orders a meal in the Spirit does not eat it; if he does, he is indeed a false prophet.

11:10 And any prophet who teaches the truth, but does not do what he teaches, is a false prophet.

11:11 When a prophet, proved true, works for the mystery of the church in the world but does not teach others to do what he himself does, he will not be judged among you, for his judgment is already before God. The ancient prophets acted in this way, also.

11:12 But whoever says in the Spirit, “Give me money,” or something else like this, you must not listen to him. But if he tells you to give for the sake of others who are in need, let no one judge him.

Wow.

Just…

Wow.

There’s some tough stuff in this section. I’m sorry, but all I can hear now are the voices of the “prophets” of today. And they’re all screaming for donations! Not good. Not if this Teaching is to be followed. And I, for one, think it should be!

Like most of the other things in the Didache, these are very practical guides for discernment. This little chapter needs to be printed and handed out whenever one of those “traveling preachers” comes to town. The general information here is that we will “know” people by their actions. People can talk a good game, but can they play it? When they can’t, they’re phonies. It’s just that darn simple.

Seriously, let’s print this out and post it where we can read it and let it soak in.



~~~
In the Love of the Three in One,

Br. Jack+, LC

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