Apostolic Fathers: Didache 1
Chapter 1
1 There are two ways: one of life and one of death. And there is a great difference between the two ways.
The Teaching is most well known for its teaching of the Two Ways doctrine. There are two ways to live and move and have your being in this world (Acts 17:28). There is the way of life, following Jesus Christ. There is the way of death, ignoring Jesus Christ. Simply stated, Jesus is the “great difference.”
The first four chapters of the Teaching detail the way of life—the life of the saved. There are numerous quotations from the Gospels, especially St. Matthew's. These quotations firmly ground the Teaching as an ancient catechism. It does not follow the pattern of questions and answers, but it proclaims the Church's true doctrines. Scriptural quotations form a detailed description of the ways of life and death.
The Teaching begins with a reference to Deuteronomy 30:15: “See, I set before you today life and death, good and evil.” The choice stands before each person. Which way will you live your life? To live toward life or to live toward death. Jesus commands in the Sermon on the Mount: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). Moses and Jesus agree that more will choose the way of death over the way of life.
2 Therefore the way of life is this: first, love God your Creator; second, your neighbor as yourself. Do not do anything to another you do not wish to happen to you.
The way of life is crowned by love of God (Deuteronomy 6:5) and neighbor (Leviticus 19:18). “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40). The Teaching combines these two great commandments with the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12). Redeemed sinners show God's love for sinners to other sinners.
3 And these are the words of this teaching: Speak well of those who curse you. Pray for your enemies. Abstain from your persecutors as a religious exercise. For what sort of grace is it, if you love those who love you? Don't the Gentiles also do this? But love those who hate you. Do not have enmity. 4 Abstain from the desires of the flesh and bodily lusts. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him also the left, and there might be an end. If someone makes you a courier for one mile, go with him two. If someone asks for your garment, give him also your tunic. If someone takes from you what is yours, do not demand it back, for you are no longer able. 5 Give to everyone who asks you and do not ask back. The Father desires to give His own gifts to everyone. Blessed is the one who gives according to the commandment, for he is innocent. Woe to him who receives, for if a hand has received this, he is innocent. But to the hand who doesn't have a need He gives punishment, in order that He might take also from one. Being in anguish, he will be examined concerning what he has done. He will not go out from there until he has paid the last penny. 6 But also concerning this and to give peace, let your merciful acts sweat in your hand, until you know to whom you should give.
The teaching of life abounds in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Jesus encourages us through word and example to “speak well of those who curse you and pray for your enemies” (v3). On the cross, Jesus' first word is a word of forgiveness: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). He prays for those who drove the nails into His hands. He speaks well of them because “they know not what they do.” He intercedes for His persecutors so that they might one day come to faith.
This selfless love for the neighbor strengthens and emboldens itself against the lusts of the flesh that war against our own soul (1 Peter 2:11). In this warfare, it is not just your soul that becomes a casualty but also your neighbor. Understanding this spiritual internal warfare, the Teaching continues with the admonition to “turn the other cheek,” to “go the extra mile” and to give your tunic to the one who asks for your garment (Matthew 5:39-42; Luke 6:29-30).
The Christian's selfless love for the neighbor is a giving, sacrificial love. This love gives to those who ask of them because they know that God has lovingly given them everything. “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). Those who imitate the Father's selfless sacrifice of His Son are blessed. Those who seek only to receive will receive punishment. Sirach tells us, “Do good to a godly man, and you will be repaid—if not by him, then certainly by the Most High” (12:2). This punishment is meted out until the last penny is paid off (Matthew 5:26; cf. Matthew 18:21-35).
The final charge of this chapter grants that a Christian's sacrificial, selfless love can also hold onto their service for a time. If a Christian finds that something he or she has to offer is not needed at some point in time, he is to hold onto his service until the need arises again. This is seen in the Apostolic Church when property was sold when a Christian fell into great need (Acts 2:45). This practice finds itself in Israel's civil law in the practice of redeeming property for the next of kin (Leviticus 25:23-34). Withholding the exercise of a gift when there is no need is not a sin.