Apostolic Fathers: Didache
Chapter 11 1 Therefore, receive whoever comes teaching you all these things that have been taught before. 2 If the teacher himself adheres to another teaching for the teaching's destruction, do not listen to him. If he applies the Lord's righteousness and knowledge, receive him as the Lord. Those who come preaching the Gospel and the doctrines of the Apostles should be received as the Lord Himself (Matthew 10:40-41). Those who come preaching “another Gospel” (Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Corinthians 11:4) should be rejected as being an antichrist. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already” (1 John 4:1-3). 3 But concerning the Apostles and prophets, do so according to the doctrine of the Gospel. 4 And all the Apostles are coming to you. 5 He will not remain one day, except there be a need. If he remains three days, he is a false prophet. 6 And when he departs, let the Apostle take nothing except bread, until he finds shelter, and if he asks for silver, he is a false prophet. Even in the early Church, there were people who presented themselves as Apostles and prophets. Whether they called themselves by the names of the Twelve or even the Seventy (Luke 10:1-17) or just promoted themselves as Apostles appointed by the Twelve, we cannot tell from history. However, the Teaching speaks of false prophets and Apostles that were going around Asia Minor. Two tests are given to test the apostolicity of the travelling Apostle or prophet. The first regards the length of his stay. A true Apostle or prophet will only stay as long as is necessary. If he comes to a congregation and finds it doing well and faithfully hearing God's Word and receiving the Sacraments properly, he will leave quickly. If he extends his stay in a healthy congregation, it is likely so that he might change the healthy practices into unhealthy practices. The second test involves provisions he requests when he leaves. A true Apostle or prophet leaves requesting only the necessities for the body. He will be following Christ's admonition when He sent out the Seventy, “Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road” (Luke 10:4). The Seventy were sent out strictly to be provided for by those who would listen to them. So also the true Apostle or prophet. Any Apostle or prophet seeking to gain wealth through preaching the Gospel is a charlatan (Matthew 10:8; Luke 10:7). 7 Do not attempt to discern every prophet speaking in the Spirit, for every sin will be forgiven, but their sin will not be forgiven. 8 Not everyone who speaks in the Spirit is a prophet, but only if he walks in the Lord's direction. Therefore from his direction you will know the false prophet from the true prophet. 9 And do not eat with any prophet who divides the table in the Spirit, for he is a false prophet. 10 And every prophet who teaches the truth, but if he does not do what he teaches, is a false prophet. 11 And every prophet having been tested, is truthful, doing in the mysteries of the Church outwardly, and teaching you not to do, he will not be judged by you, for his judgment is with God, for in like manner the previous prophets did also. 12 And whoever says in the Spirit, “Give me silver or something else,” do not listen to him, and if on behalf of others he says to give, let no one judge him. “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). Jesus says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). If the spirit speaking has been discerned to be the Holy Spirit, the prophet should be regarded as Christ Himself. Those who attempt to discern the Holy Spirit according to their own understanding are committing a violent sin against the Holy Spirit. This is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit Jesus speaks about (Matthew 12:31; Mark 3:29). This blasphemy will not be forgiven because it entails the creation of heresies. The early Church spent much of its energy in the first six centuries battling heresies. They took their faith seriously. They fought to make sure that the only spirit speaking in the Church was the Holy Spirit. They tested the spirits (1 John 4:1) to know whether they taught the truth or not. Unfortunately twenty-first-century Christians, especially in the West, have become lazy in their Bible reading and study. They no longer have a basis for testing the spirits. They follow after any spirit that sounds reasonable. When a pastor comes to them with God's Word to show them their sin or their error, they shut him out for being intolerant of their life. They enter into judgment over him who is a true prophet, which the Teaching reminds us is unwise to do. The true prophet always comes up short in their summation and judgment (Matthew 5:12). The Holy Spirit is all about preaching the Gospel, the administration of the Sacraments and the provision for the neighbor. If a prophet or pastor comes into a congregation and preaches something that is against the Gospel, who belittles the Sacraments or takes advantage of the neighbor, he is not a true prophet. The Holy Spirit does not dwell in him. He should not be allowed to preach in the Church without reproof and correction.