According to the unanimous testimony of the ancient Fathers, the author of the epistle was the Apostle Barnabas, a companion of the Apostle Paul. However, modern patrologists largely reject his authorship based on an analysis of the text. The work was written after 70 CE. In ancient times, many Fathers included the text of the epistle in the canon of the New Testament. In the Codex Sinaiticus, it is placed after the Apocalypse.
The epistle resolves the contentious issue of Christianity's relationship to Jewish law: the author seeks to demonstrate that Judaism has been abolished by the Lord's saving work, as foreshadowed by the Old Testament prophets. The epistle contains 21 chapters; with the exception of the introduction and conclusion, it is divided into two unequal parts, the first (2–17) dogmatic, the second (18–20) moral.
The first part reveals the essence and meaning of the Old Testament. The Jews misunderstood the law, which must be interpreted not by the letter, but by the spirit. The evidence of the Old Testament declares the sacrificial cult instituted by Moses and the Jewish ritual services to be of no significance and invalid. The author then explains the purpose of the incarnation of the Son of God and the atoning death of Christ.
The author then examines Old Testament ordinances in detail. Thus, Old Testament circumcision should be understood spiritually—as the circumcision of a person's hearing and heart. Dietary laws have a moral and mystical significance: the prohibition against eating the meat of certain animals implied abstinence from the sins embodied by these animals. The Jews misunderstood what was said about the Sabbath and the temple: the Lord spoke of the Sabbath that would be celebrated at the end of time; as for the temple, the Lord spoke of the temple of our hearts, in which God dwells.
The second part of the epistle contains a teaching on morality, exemplified by two opposing paths of life—the path of light and the path of darkness (eternal death). On one are the angels of God, on the other, the angels of Satan. The path of light consists of loving the Creator and Redeemer and keeping His commandments, confessing one's sins, praying with a pure heart, and so on. The path of darkness is all that destroys the souls of men.
The author concludes the epistle with a request to follow his instructions and a reference to the imminent coming of the Lord. He demonstrates that the Law of Moses has eternal significance in its spiritual meaning, making it binding on Christians as well.
* The title of the essay in Greek – Βαρναβα ἐπιστολή.
Chapter 1
Greetings in peace, sons and daughters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who loved us. Knowing that you abound in the great and beautiful virtues of God, I rejoice exceedingly over your blessed and glorious souls—I rejoice that you have received the grace so deeply rooted within you. Therefore, I myself am greatly consoled as I await my deliverance, for I truly see that the Spirit has been poured out upon you from the beautiful source of the divine. I am convinced of this and know perfectly well that since I have been associated with you, I have acquired many blessings on the path of the Lord's salvation. For this reason, I believe, I love you, brothers, more than my own soul. This is the greatness of faith and the love and hope of that life. And since I have usually striven to share with you what I have received myself, and in this service to you, so spiritually gifted, I find my own reward, I hasten to write a few words to you, so that you may have, along with faith, perfect knowledge. The divine decrees are threefold: the expectation of life, its beginning, and its consummation. For the Lord, through the prophets, foretold to us what has now been fulfilled, and at the same time revealed the beginning of what is to come. Therefore, in accordance with His will, we must approach His altar more zealously and closely. And I, not as a teacher, but as your equal, will explain to you a few things that will greatly increase your joy.
Chapter 2
Since these are hostile days, and the adversary has power over this age, we must carefully examine the Lord's decrees. The helpers of our faith are the fear of God and patience, and our companions are magnanimity and self-control. With these virtues, when they are pure before the Lord, wisdom and knowledge enter into a joyful union. God revealed to us through all the prophets that He has no need of our burnt offerings, nor of our sacrifices and offerings. "To what purpose do I have the multitude of your sacrifices," says the Lord? "I am full of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of lambs; I do not delight in the blood of goats and rams. It is hateful that you come to appear before Me, for who has required this at your hands? Cease trampling My courtyard. If you bring Me fine flour, it is in vain; incense is an abomination to Me." "Your new moon and your high day I hate; your fasts, your days of rest, and your feasts, my soul hates" ( Is. 1:11-14 ). Therefore, the Lord abolished this, so that the new law of our Lord Jesus Christ, without the necessity of a yoke, would represent a purely human offering. The Lord also says to them: "Did I command your fathers, when they came out of the land of Egypt, that they should offer Me burnt offerings and sacrifices? But this is what I commanded them, saying ( Jer. 7:22-23 ): 'No one of you shall have malice against his neighbor, nor love a false oath' ( Zech. 8:17 ). Therefore, since we are not without reason, we must understand the good will of our Father, for He, desiring to seek us who wander like the Jews, tells us how we should draw near to Him. He tells us: "A broken heart is the sacrifice of God; and a contrite heart He does not despise" ( Psalm 51:19 ). Therefore, brothers, we must more faithfully examine what pertains to our salvation, lest the adversary ever gain access to us and turn us away from our life.
Chapter 3
Concerning the Old Testament ordinances, the Lord also speaks to them: “Why do you fast to Me, that your voice should now be heard with a cry? I have not chosen such a fast, says the Lord, that a man should afflict his soul without a cause. And if you bow your neck like a circle, and clothe yourself in sackcloth, and cover yourself with ashes, you would not have made a fast acceptable to Me” ( Isaiah 58:4–5 ). And to us He says: when you fast, “break every covenant of iniquity, and tear to pieces every unjust record; destroy the constraints of forced bargaining, let the oppressed go free, and cast away every evil precaution. Share your bread with the hungry, and bring the poor and homeless into your house; if you see the naked, clothe them, and do not despise your fellow countrymen. Then shall your early light be revealed, and your garments shall quickly shine forth; and your righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of God shall be your rear guard. Then shall you call, and God shall hear you; and while you yet speak, He shall say, Here am I, if you put away from you the covenant and counsel of evil, and the word of murmuring, and from your heart give bread to the hungry" ( Isaiah 58:6-10 ). In this, brethren, the care and mercy of God are revealed, for He has ordained the people whom He has found for His Beloved to believe in simplicity, and has already admonished us all not to turn, like proselytes, to the Jewish law.
Chapter 4
Therefore, we must carefully examine the present subject and set forth that which can serve for our salvation. Let us flee every unrighteous deed and hate the error of the present time, so that in the future we may be beloved of God. Let us not give our soul a place where it could join with the wicked and sinners, lest we become like them. For the last temptation, as it is written and as Daniel speaks, is at hand: the Lord has shortened the times and the days so that His Beloved might hasten His coming to His inheritance. The prophet thus speaks: "Ten kingdoms will reign on the earth, and afterward a small king will arise, who will at once depose three kings" ( Dan 7:24 ). The same must be understood concerning kingdoms. Daniel also speaks of the same thing: "I saw a fourth beast, evil and strong, and more violent than all the other beasts of the sea; “And ten horns appeared upon it, and among them arose yet a short horn, and it knocked out three horns from among the great horns” ( Dan. 7:8 ). We must understand this. Moreover, as your brother, who loves everyone more than his own soul, I ask you to be careful about yourselves and not to be like those who multiply their sins and say: the covenant of the Jews is also ours. It is only ours, because they have lost forever what Moses received. For the Scripture says: “Moses was on the mountain and fasted forty days and forty nights and received the covenant of the Lord, tablets of stone written by the hand of God” ( Ex. 31:18 ). But they, having turned to idols, lost it. For the Lord says to Moses: “Moses, come down quickly, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have transgressed the law” ( Ex. 32:7 ). And Moses cast the tablets of stone from his hands. Thus their covenant was broken, so that the love of Jesus might be imprinted on your hearts and that you might place your hope in faith in him. Therefore, let us be attentive to the last days. For all the time of our life and faith will be of no avail to us unless we hate unrighteousness and future temptations, as the Son of God says: "Let us resist all unrighteousness and hate it."
Therefore, pay close attention to the deeds of the evil way. You must not separate yourself from others, as if you had been justified; but, coming together in one place, inquire what is proper and profitable for all beloved ones in common. For Scripture says, “Woe to those who are wise in themselves and prudent in their own sight” ( Isaiah 5:21 ). Let us become spiritual; let us be a perfect temple to God. As far as depends on us, let us meditate on the fear of God and strive to keep the commandments of the Lord, [so that we may find joy in His justifications for ourselves]. The Lord judges the world impartially; each one will receive a reward according to his own deeds. If he has been good, his goodness will go before him; if he has been wicked, the reward of wickedness will follow him ( Rom. 2:5-8 ). Beware, lest we, who have already been called, give in to rest and fall asleep in our sins, lest the adversary, rising up against us, subjugate us to his power and deprive us of the Lord's kingdom. Consider also that you saw so many signs and marvelous manifestations among the Jewish people, and yet the Lord abandoned them. Therefore, let us be careful, lest, as it is written, many were called, but few were chosen ( Matthew 22:14 ).
Chapter 5
For this reason the Lord gave up His body to death, that we might receive remission of sins and be sanctified—namely, through the sprinkling of His blood. Concerning Him, one thing was written for the Jewish people, and another for us. Concerning us, Scripture says this: “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; by His blood we are healed. He was brought like a lamb to the slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearers, He opened not His mouth” ( Isaiah 53:5–7 ). Therefore, we must greatly thank God for having foretold what has now come to pass, and thereby made us wise, and not leaving us in uncertainty about the future. And concerning the Jews, He says: “The nets are not spread for birds in vain” ( Proverbs 1:17 ). He says this because the man who has the path of truth—knowledge—but does not deviate from the path of darkness, will perish righteously. And further, the Lord desired to suffer for our soul, although He is the Lord of the entire universe, to whom the Father said before the creation of the world: "Let us make man in our image and likeness" ( Gen. 1:26 ). Listen to how He was subjected to suffering at the hands of men.
The prophets, who had received His gift, had already foretold of Him. And since He had to appear in the flesh to abolish death and demonstrate the resurrection from the dead, He underwent this to fulfill the promise made to the fathers and, while preparing a new people for Himself, to demonstrate during His earthly life that He, having raised the dead, would judge them. Moreover, He Himself preached, teaching the people of Israel and performing such great miracles and signs, and demonstrated His special love for them. But when He chose His own apostles to preach His Gospel—men who were extremely sinful—to show that He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance ( Matthew 9:13 ), then He revealed Himself as the Son of God. And if He had not come in the flesh, how could men have remained alive, looking upon Him, when even those who look upon the sun, which is destined to be destroyed—the work of His hands—cannot look straight upon its rays? Therefore, the Son of God came in the flesh to complete the full measure of the sins of those who persecuted His prophets even to death. For this reason He suffered. For God says that the wound in His flesh is from them ( Isaiah 53:8 ); and [in another prophet]: "When I strike the shepherd, then shall the sheep of the flock be scattered" ( Zechariah 13:7 ). He Himself chose to suffer in a certain way; for He had to suffer on the tree. For, prophesying about Him, He says: "Spare my soul from the sword ( Ps. 22:21 ), nail my flesh ( Ps. 119:120 ), for the hosts of the wicked have risen up against me" ( Ps. 22:17 ). It is also said: "Behold, I have given my back to the scourging, and my cheeks to the smiting, but I have set my face like a hard stone" ( Is. 50:6-7 ).
Chapter 6
When He had fulfilled His charge, what did He say? “Who will contend with Me? Let him withstand Me. Or who will sue Me? Let him come near to the Servant of the Lord. Woe to you! For you will all wax old like a garment, and the moth will consume you” ( Isaiah 50:8–9 ). And again the prophet said: “As a firm stone is laid for breaking down, behold, I will lay for the foundations of Zion a stone, precious, chosen, a cornerstone, honorable!” ( Isaiah 8:14 ). And what does He say next? “Whoever trusts in Him will live forever” ( Isaiah 28:16 ). So, is our hope built on a rock? No, but the prophet speaks of the flesh of the Lord, because the Lord has endowed His flesh with strength. For He says: “And He laid Me as a firm stone” ( Isaiah 50:7 ). The prophet also says: "The stone which the builders neglected has become the head of the corner"; and further: "This is the great and marvelous day which the Lord has made" ( Ps. 118:22, 24 ). I write to you simply that you may understand: I am the dregs of your love. But what else does the prophet say? "A host of wicked men has besieged me; they have surrounded me like bees in a honeycomb; they have cast lots for my clothing" ( Ps. 22:17-19, 118:12 ). Since, then, He was to appear and suffer in the flesh, His suffering was presented. Thus the prophet speaks to Israel: "Woe to their souls! For they have devised an evil counsel against themselves, saying, Let us bind the righteous, for he is grievous to us" ( Is. 3:9 ; Wis. 2:12 ). And Moses said to them, “This is what the Lord God says: ‘Enter into the good land which the Lord sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, and possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey’” ( Exodus 33:1 ; Leviticus 20:24 ). Learn what the knowledge says: “Trust in Jesus, who is to appear to you in the flesh as a man.” For the land that suffers signifies man; for Adam was formed from the substance of the earth ( Genesis 2:7 ). What further means the words: “a good land flowing with milk and honey”? Blessed be our Lord, who has given us wisdom and knowledge of His mysteries! For the prophet says, “Who can understand the parable of the Lord, except he who is wise and skillful and who loves his Lord” ( Isaiah 40:13 ; Sirach 1:10 ). Since the Lord renewed us through the remission of sins, He gave us a new image, so that we have a childlike soul, as if spiritually recreated. For to us apply the words of Scripture which the Father speaks to the Son: "Let us make man in our image and likeness, and let him have dominion over the beasts of the earth, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea" ( Gen. 1:26 ). And seeing man, His beautiful creation, the Lord said: "Increase and multiply and fill the earth" ( Gen. 1:28 ). This is spoken of us in the beginning to the Son.
Next, I will show you how He accomplished the second creation in us at the end of time. The Lord says: "Behold, I will make the last as the first" ( Matthew 19:30, 20:16 ). In this sense the prophet preached: "Enter ye into a land flowing with milk and honey, and subdue it." Thus, we are recreated, as the Lord says again in another prophet: "Behold," He says, "I will take away from them," that is, from those whom the Spirit of the Lord foresaw, "their hearts of stone, and I will put within them hearts of flesh" ( Ezekiel 11:19, 36:26 ), for He was to appear in the flesh and dwell in us, since, my brethren, the dwelling place of our heart is a holy temple for the Lord. Again the Lord says: "In what place shall I appear to the Lord my God and be glorified?" ( Psalm 42:3 ). And further: "I will confess You in the church, in the midst of my brethren, and I will sing praises to You in the midst of the congregation of the saints" ( Psalm 22:22 ). So, we are those whom God brought into the good land. But what are milk and honey? That as the life of an infant is sustained first by honey and then by milk, so we, being quickened by faith in the promise and by the word of God, will live and rule over the earth. In the beginning, it was told to men that they should increase and have dominion over the beasts, birds, and fish. Who now can have dominion over the beasts, or fish, or birds of the air? And we must understand that to rule means to have power, when someone commands and commands. Although this dominion does not exist now, it was nevertheless promised to us: when will it be? When we ourselves are so perfect that we become heirs of the covenant of the Lord.
Chapter 7
So, children of joy, you see that the good Lord has revealed everything to us beforehand, so that we might know whom we should thank and praise for everything. If the Son of God—the Lord who judges the living and the dead—suffered so that His wound might give us life, then let us believe that the Son of God could not suffer except for our sake. When He was crucified, He was given vinegar and gall to drink. Listen to how the priests of the Jewish people foretold this. The law contains the commandment: "Whoever does not fast shall be cut off by death" ( Lev. 23:29 ). This is what the Lord commanded, because He Himself was to offer the vessel of His Spirit for our sins, so that the prefiguration of Isaac, when he was offered on the altar, might be fulfilled. What then does God say in the prophet? "And they shall eat the goat which is offered on the fast day for all sins"—notice carefully—"and let only the priests, all of them, eat the entrails unwashed with vinegar." Why? "For," said the Lord, "when I shall one day offer My flesh for the sins of the new people, ye shall give Me gall and vinegar to drink: therefore shall ye eat it alone, while the people fast and mourn, covered with sackcloth and ashes." And to show that He must suffer for them, listen to the commandment He gave. "Take two good goats, alike, and sacrifice them: the priest shall take one of them for a burnt offering" ( Lev. 16:7–9 ).
And what are they to do with the other? "The other," it says, "is cursed." Notice how the image of Jesus is revealed here. "Spit on him, all of you, and strike him, and put the scarlet wool around his head, and so let him be driven into the wilderness." After this act is completed, the bearer carries the goat into the wilderness, removes the scarlet wool from it, and places it on a bush called the rose bush, the shoots of which we are accustomed to eat when we find them in the field, and which alone among the bushes bears sweet fruit. And why, note this, is it that one goat is placed on the altar and the other is made cursed, and why is the cursed one crowned? Because the Jews will see Him on that day with a long scarlet robe around His body and will say, "Is not this he whom we once despised, pierced, mocked, and crucified? Truly, this is he who then called himself the Son of God." Likewise, why should the goats be identical, good, and equal? So that the Jews, seeing Him coming then, would be struck by the goat's resemblance. This is a prefiguration of Jesus, who was to suffer. Why else is wool placed among thorns? This is a prefiguration of Jesus, given to the Church: whoever wants to remove the scarlet wool must suffer greatly from the terrible thorns and painfully master it. Likewise, Jesus says: "Those who want to see Me and receive My kingdom must acquire Me with tribulations and sufferings" ( Luke 16:16 ; Acts 14:22 ).
Chapter 8
And what type, do you think, is this, that Israel was commanded, “that men who have committed grievous sins should sacrifice a heifer (a heifer), and slaughter her and burn her; and that afterward the young men should gather up the ashes and put them in vessels, and bind scarlet wool and hyssop to a wooden staff, and thus sprinkle the people, every man separately, that they might be cleansed from their sins?” ( Num. 19:2–9 ). See how simply the Lord speaks to us. The calf is Jesus; the sinful men who offer it are those who caused His death; [they are no longer sinners afterward and are not considered sinners]. The young men who performed the sprinkling are the evangelists, proclaiming to us the remission of sins and the purification of the heart, to whom the Lord gave authority to preach the gospel: there are twelve of them, signifying the tribes of Israel, of which there are also twelve. Why do the three youths perform the sprinkling? To point to the three patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—for they are great before God. And why was the wool placed on a wooden staff? Because Jesus' kingdom is upon wood, and therefore those who trust in Him will live forever. Why wool and hyssop? Because during His reign there will be evil and unclean days, in which, however, we will receive salvation—just as even the physically ill are healed by the cleansing juice of hyssop. All this is clear to us, but obscure to the Jews, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord.
Chapter 9
Furthermore, Scripture also speaks of our hearing, how the Lord circumcised it and our hearts. He says in the prophet: “They obeyed Me with the hearing of the ear” ( Ps. 18:45 ). And again He says: “By hearing they will hear further; they will know what I have done” ( Is. 33:13 ). Also: “Circumcise your hearts,” says the Lord ( Jer. 4:4 ). And again He says: “Hear, O Israel, for the Lord your God says this” ( Jer. 7:2 ). And again the Spirit of the Lord says prophetically: “Who desires to live forever? Let him hear the voice of My Son with his hearing” ( Ps. 2:12, 33:13). He also says: “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord has spoken” (Is. 33:13 ). And again: “Hear the word of the Lord, O leaders of this people” ( Is. 1:2, 10 ). Again: “Hear, O children, the voice of one crying in the wilderness” ( Isaiah 40:3 ). So the Lord has circumcised our ears, that we might hear His word and believe. But the circumcision in which the Jews trusted is taken away. For He did not command bodily circumcision, but they transgressed His commandment; because an evil angel deceived them. The prophet says to them: “This is what the Lord your God says” – and here I find a [new] commandment – “Do not sow among thorns, be circumcised to the Lord your God” ( Jeremiah 4:3-4 ). And what does this mean: “Circumcise the roughness of your hearts, and do not harden your necks” ( Jeremiah 7:26 ). And again: “Behold, the Lord says: All nations are uncircumcised in the flesh of their foreskin; but this people is uncircumcised in heart” ( Jeremiah 9:26 ). You will say: the Jewish people are circumcised to seal the covenant. But every Syrian, Arab, and every idol priest is circumcised: do they also belong to the covenant of God? The Egyptians are circumcised too!
So, children, learn about everything in detail. Abraham, who was the first to introduce circumcision, looking in spirit to Jesus, circumcised his house, keeping in his mind the mysterious meaning of the three letters. Scripture says: "And Abraham circumcised from his house ( Gen. 17:27 ) ten, and eight, and three hundred men" ( Gen. 14:14 ). What knowledge was given to him in this? Learn first what ten and eight are, and then what three hundred are. Ten and eight are expressed: ten by the letter iota (I), eight by the letter ita (H), and this is the beginning of the name Jesus. And since the cross in the form of the letter tav (T) was supposed to indicate the grace of redemption, it is said: "and three hundred." Thus, the name Jesus is revealed in two letters, and the cross in one third. He who placed in us the constant gift of His teaching knows this! No one has heard a more perfect word from me; but I know you deserve it.
Chapter 10
Why did Moses say, "You shall not eat the pig, nor the eagle, nor the hawk, nor the raven, nor any fish that does not have scales" ( Deut. 14:7-19 )? He had three profound thoughts in mind. The Lord Himself spoke to the Jews in Deuteronomy: "I will establish My commandments for this people" ( Deut. 4:2 ). So is it not God's commandment not to eat certain animals? Certainly; but Moses spoke in a spiritual sense. Thus, speaking of the pig, he seemed to say: Do not cling to those people who are like pigs. For they, living in pleasures, forget their Lord, but suffering from privation, they come to know Him. So also a pig, when it eats, does not know its owner, but when it suffers hunger, it cries; but when it receives food, it is silent again. "Thou shalt not eat," it is said, "the eagle, nor the hawk, nor the kite, nor the raven"; that is, do not attach yourself to those people who do not know how to obtain food for themselves through labor and sweat, but unlawfully steal what belongs to others, and, walking, apparently, with simplicity, lay snares for others; so those birds, sitting inactive, seek an opportunity to devour the flesh of others, and by their cunning cause destruction. "Thou shalt not eat," it is said, "the loach, nor the polyp, nor the cuttlefish." This means: do not become like and do not attach yourself to such people who are forever devoted to impiety, and condemned to death; for those fish, the only cursed of all, walk only in the depths, and do not rise to the surface like others, but live in the ground under the abyss. "And the hare," it is said, "thou shalt not eat." In what sense? Do not be a shameful person, and do not become like them. For the hare undergoes a yearly change in its body, contrary to the nature of all other animals. And it is said: Do not eat the hyena. This means: Do not be an adulterer, nor a corrupter, and do not become like them. Why? Because this animal changes its nature every year, and is sometimes male, sometimes female. Moses rightly rejected the ferret. Do not, he says, become like those unclean men, and do not join yourself to those unclean women who are reported to commit iniquity with their lips. For this animal deviates from the general laws in conceiving a child.
Moses, then, speaking of food, uttered three commandments with a spiritual meaning. The Jews, driven by the lusts of the flesh, accepted them as if they were speaking of ordinary food. But David understood the mystical meaning of the three commandments, and similarly says: "Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the wicked," as those fish walk in the darkness of the abyss; "and has not stood in the way of sinners," as those who seem to fear the Lord but sin like swine; "and has not sat in the seat of the slayers," as birds sit, lying in wait for their prey ( Psalm 1:1 ). Now you have a full understanding of those commandments. But Moses also said: "Eat everything that parts the hoof and chews the cud" ( Lev. 11:3 ). Who is meant by the cattle that chew the cud? "He who receives food knows his provider, and when satisfied, rejoices in him." Moses spoke beautifully, referring to the commandment. "Which one?" "To cleave to those who fear the Lord, who ponder in their hearts the commandment they have received, who converse about the Lord's commandments and keep them, who know that meditation is a joyful thing and, so to speak, chew on the word of the Lord." And what do divided hooves indicate? That the righteous walk in this world and look forward to another, holy age. Consider what beautiful laws Moses gave. But how can the Jews understand or comprehend this? But we, correctly understanding the commandments, speak as pleases the Lord. He circumcised our ears and hearts so that we would understand this."
Chapter 11
Let us now examine whether the Lord was pleased to reveal in advance the blessed water and the cross. Concerning water, it was written to the people of Israel, how they would not accept the baptism that brings remission of sins, but would institute others for themselves ( Mark 7:4 ). Thus the prophet says: "Be amazed, O heaven, and let the earth tremble, because this people has committed two great crimes: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of life, and have hewn for themselves broken cisterns" ( Jeremiah 2:12-13 ). "Is My holy mountain Sinai a stone without water? For you will be like young birds that fly away when the nest is destroyed" ( Isaiah 16:1-2 ). And the prophet also says: "I will go before you and make the mountains level, and break in pieces the doors of brass, and smash the bars of iron, and I will give you the secret treasures, the hidden treasures, the unseen, that they may know that I am the Lord God" ( Isaiah 45:2-3 ). Also: "He will dwell in a high cave of a strong rock" – and what is further said about the Son – "His water is sure; you will see Him as a glorious king, and your soul will learn the fear of the Lord" ( Isaiah 33:16-18 ).
Another prophet says, “Whoever does this will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and all that he does will prosper. The wicked are not so, nor so; but they will be like the chaff which the wind driveth away from the face of the ground. Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the counsel of the upright. For the Lord knows the way of the upright, but the way of the wicked will perish” ( Psalm 1:3-6 ). Notice how he depicted both water and the cross in these words. This is their meaning: “Blessed are those who, trusting in the cross (tree), have gone down into the water; for they will receive their reward in due time, ‘then,’ says God , ‘I will repay them.’” It is said, “The leaves will not wither.” This means that every word that comes out of your mouth with faith and love will serve for the conversion and hope of many. Another prophet also says, "The land of Jacob was extolled above all the earth" ( Zeph. 3:19 ). These words signify a vessel of the Spirit of the Lord, which glorifies. Then what does another prophet say? "A river flowed on the right side, and goodly trees came up from it; whoever eats of them will live forever" ( Ezek. 47:12 ). This means that we descend into the water full of sins and impurity, and come up from it with gain—with fear in our hearts, and with hope in Jesus in our spirit. "Whoever eats of their fruit will live forever." That is, whoever listens to those who preach and believes will live forever.
Chapter 12
Likewise, the Lord points to the cross in particular through another prophet, who says, "When will this be done? Then, says the Lord, when the tree bends down and stands, and when blood flows from the tree" ( 3 Esdras 5:5 ). Here is another indication of the cross and of the One who was to be crucified on it. God speaks of the same thing through Moses, when Israel was smitten by the foreigners. To remind those being smitten that they were given over to death for their sins, He speaks to the heart of Moses, to make an image of the cross and of the One who was to suffer on it, for if they did not trust in Him, they would be vanquished forever. So Moses laid his weapons one upon another in the midst of the platform, and standing above all, he stretched out his hands—and then Israel was victorious, but when he lowered his hands, the Israelites were defeated. Why is this? So that they would know that they could not be saved unless they trusted in the cross ( Exodus 17:8–13 ). In another prophet, God says: “All day long I have spread out My hands to a disobedient people and to those who resist My righteous way” ( Isaiah 65:2 ; Rom. 10:21 ). And again: Moses makes an image of Jesus—that it is He who will suffer and Himself give life to the One whom they thought to destroy on the banner (sign) of the cross—at the time when Israel was perishing from serpents ( Num. 21:6–9 ; John 3:14 ). Since Eve’s transgression occurred through a serpent ( Gen. 3:1 ), God allowed every serpent to bite the Israelites, and they died in order to teach them that for their transgression they were given over to mortal sorrow. Then Moses, who had given the commandment, "You shall have no graven image or imitation as your god" ( Deut. 27:15 ), did this to demonstrate the image of Jesus. He made a bronze serpent, placed it on a tree, and called the people together through a herald. Having gathered, the Israelites asked Moses to offer a sacrifice for them and pray for their healing. Moses said to them, "When any of you is bitten, let him go to the serpent hanging on the tree and, believing in faith, hope that, though it is dead, it can give life, and he will immediately be healed." This is what they did. You see here, too, the glory of Jesus, for all things are in Him and for Him ( Colossians 1:16 ).
Furthermore, what does Moses say to Joshua son of Nun, whom he gave such a name as a prophet ( Num. 13:17 ), so that all the people would understand that the Father was revealing everything about His Son Jesus to Joshua son of Nun? Having given him this name when sending him as a spy into the land of Canaan, he said to him, "Take a scroll in your hand and write what the Lord says, that the Son of God in the last days will destroy the entire house of Amalek" ( Ex. 17:14 ). Here again is Jesus, not the Son of Man, but the Son of God, who appeared in type and in the flesh. But since they might say that Christ is the Son of David, David himself, fearing this and knowing the error of sinners, says: "The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand , until I make your enemies your footstool'" ( Ps. 110:1 ; Matt. 22:43-45 ). And Isaiah likewise says: "The Lord said to Christ" (the anointed one) "my Lord" (Kuriw instead of Kurw in the LXX), "Whom I have held by his right hand, that the nations may obey him, and I will destroy the stronghold of kings" ( Is. 45:1 ). You see how David [Latin: prophets] calls Jesus Lord and Son of God.
Chapter 13
But let us see whether this nation or the first is the heir, and whether God's covenant applies to us or to them. Listen to what Scripture says about the nation. "And Isaac prayed to his wife Rebekah for her, because she was barren; and afterward she conceived. Then Rebekah went forth to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, There are two tongues in thy womb, and two nations in thy belly: and one nation shall prevail over the other, and the elder shall serve the younger" ( Genesis 25:21-23 ). You must understand who Isaac is, who Rebekah is, and concerning which nations God declared that one would be greater than the other. In another prophecy, Jacob speaks even more clearly to his son Joseph: "Behold, the Lord hath not withheld thy face from me; bring me thy sons, that I may bless them." Joseph brought Ephraim and Manasseh, desiring that Manasseh might be blessed, for he was the eldest. And Joseph brought him to the right hand of his father Jacob. But Jacob foresaw in the spirit the image of the people who were to come. And what does Scripture say? Jacob changed his hands and laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, Joseph's second and youngest son, and blessed him. Then Joseph said to Jacob, "Place your right hand on the head of Manasseh, for he is my firstborn." And Jacob answered Joseph, "I know, my son, I know. But the elder will serve the younger, and he also will receive the blessing" ( Genesis 48:9-19 ). See to whom God has appointed the first people and the heir of the covenant. If, moreover, this people was also spoken of in the promise to Abraham, then our knowledge is perfect. What then says God to Abraham when faith was counted to him for righteousness? “Behold, I have made you a father of nations of those who believe in the Lord” ( Gen. 15:6, 17:5 ; cf. Rom. 4:9–10, 13 ) – without circumcision.
Chapter 14
Indeed, so it is. But let us inquire whether God gave the Jewish people the covenant which He had sworn to give to their fathers. He did, but they, because of their sins, were unworthy to receive it. The prophet says, "Moses fasted on Mount Sinai forty days and forty nights to receive the covenant of the Lord with the people" ( Exodus 24:18 ). And indeed, he spiritually received from the Lord the two tablets written with the finger of the Lord's hand; and having received them, he carried them down the mountain to give them to the people. But the Lord said to Moses, "Moses, Moses, come down quickly, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have committed wickedness" ( Exodus 32:7 ). Moses learned that they had again cast into ashes the idol, and he threw the tablets out of his hands; and the tablets of the covenant of the Lord were broken. So Moses received the covenant, but they were not worthy of it. Find out then how we received the covenant.
Moses received him as a servant, and the Lord Himself gave us the right to be a people of inheritance, having suffered for us ( Heb. 3:5–6 ). He appeared so that the measure of their sins might be fulfilled, and we, having become heirs through Him, would receive the covenant of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was determined to free our hearts from the darkness of death, consumed by the unrighteousness of error, by His influence, and to establish a covenant with us by His word. For it is written that the Father, in order to free us from darkness, commands Him to prepare a holy people for Himself. Thus the prophet speaks: "I, the Lord Your God, have called You in righteousness; I will hold Your hand and strengthen You." “I have appointed you for a covenant with the people, and for a light of the Gentiles, to open the eyes of the blind, and to bring them out of the bonds, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison house” ( Isaiah 42:6–7 ). Know then from what we have been redeemed. The prophet also says, “Behold, I have appointed you for a light of the Gentiles, to be a salvation to the ends of the earth: thus says the Lord God your Savior” ( Isaiah 49:6 ). And again the prophet says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim joy to the humble; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of recompense, and to comfort all who mourn” ( Isaiah 61:1 ).
Chapter 15
Furthermore, the Sabbath is also written about in the ten words which the Lord spoke to Moses face to face on Mount Sinai: “And ye shall sanctify the Sabbath of the Lord with clean hands and a pure heart” ( Exod. 20:8 ; Deut. 5:12 ; Ps. 24:3–4 ). And in another place He says: “If my sons shall keep the Sabbaths, then will I pour out my mercy upon them” ( Jer. 17:24–25 ). Scripture also mentions the Sabbath at the beginning of creation: “And God made in six days the work of his hands, and ended on the seventh day, and rested in that day, and sanctified it” ( Gen. 2:2 ). Note, children, what it means: “finished in six days.” This means that the Lord will finish everything in six thousand years; for with Him a day is equal to a thousand years. He Himself testifies to this, saying, "Behold, this present day will be as a thousand years" ( Psalm 90:5 ; 2 Peter 3:8 ). So, children, in six days, that is, six thousand years, everything will end. "And He rested on the seventh day." This means that when His Son comes and destroys the time of lawlessness, executes judgment on the wicked, changes the sun, moon, and stars, then He will rest beautifully on the seventh day. Moreover, it is said, "Sanctify it with clean hands and a pure heart."
We would be mistaken, then, if we thought that anyone without a pure heart in all things could now sanctify the day that God has sanctified . Therefore, only then will anyone truly rest and sanctify it when we are able to do righteousness, having received the promise that lawlessness will no longer exist, and all things will become new through the Lord. Then we will be able to sanctify that day, having sanctified ourselves beforehand. Finally, God says to the Jews: "I cannot endure your new moons and your Sabbaths" ( Isaiah 1:13 ). Consider how He says: "I have no pleasure in these Sabbaths, but in those which I have ordained, which will come when, having put an end to all things, I make a beginning to the eighth day, or the beginning of another world." Therefore, we spend the eighth day in joy, on which Jesus rose from the dead and, after appearing to believers, ascended into heaven.
Chapter 16
Finally, I will tell you about the temple, how the poor people, in their deception, trusted not in God, their Creator, but in the building, as if it were truly the house of God. For they, almost like pagans, worshiped Him in the temple. But listen to how the Lord speaks and abolishes the temple: “Who has measured out heaven with a span, or the earth with the hollow of his hand? Has not I” ( Is 40:12 )? The Lord says: “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or what place is My resting place?” ( Is 66:1 ) Know that their hope in the temple is vain. God also says: “Behold, those who destroyed this temple will also rebuild it” ( Is 49:17 ). This is now happening. For because they are constantly fighting, their temple was destroyed by their enemies, and now the subjects of their enemies will rebuild it. And that the city with the temple and the people of Israel would be handed over to the Gentiles was foretold in advance. Scripture says, "This is what will happen in the last days: The Lord will give over the flock of his flock, their grazing shed and their stake, to destruction." And it came to pass, as the Lord said.
Let us now inquire whether the temple of God already exists. It does, where the Lord Himself desires to create and build it. For it is written: "And after the fulfillment of the week ( Dan 9:27 ) shall the glorious temple of God be built in the name of the Lord" ( Hag 2:6-9 ). So, I find that the temple exists. And how it will be built in the name of the Lord, learn. Before we believed in God, the dwelling place of our hearts was weak and subject to destruction, like a temple built by human hands. For we were a house full of idolatry, a dwelling place of demons, because we did what was contrary to God. The temple will be built in the name of the Lord—note—so that the glorious temple of the Lord may be built. And how this is—attend. Having received the remission of sins and hope in the name of the Lord, we have become new, completely re-created; therefore, in the dwelling place of our hearts, God truly dwells within us. How is this? His word of faith, His call of promise, the wisdom of His commands, the commandments of His teaching—He Himself prophesies in us and lives in us. He opened the doors of the temple to us, slaves of death, that is, the mouth; He granted us repentance and led us into the incorruptible temple. He who desires salvation, therefore, looks not to man, but to the One who lives and speaks within him—and marvels that he has never heard such words from the lips of one speaking, and even that he himself never desired to hear them. Behold the spiritual temple being built for the Lord!
Chapter 17
My soul hopes that I have explained as much as I could and as simply as I could, and, in accordance with my desire, have omitted nothing that serves your salvation or that pertains only to present matters. But if I were to write to you about the future, you would not understand, because it lies hidden. Enough of this.
Chapter 18
Now let us move on to another kind of knowledge and teaching. There are two paths of teaching and authority: one of light, the other of darkness. But the difference between these two paths is great (Didache 1:1). On one are stationed the light-bearing angels of God, on the other the angels of Satan. God is Lord from the ages and to the ages; Satan is the ruler of the age of lawlessness.
Chapter 19
The path of light is as follows. Whoever wishes to reach a certain place by this path must strive for it through their deeds. Therefore, the guidance given to us for walking the path of light is this: love your Creator, glorify Him who redeemed you from death. Be simple in heart and rich in spirit. Do not associate with those who walk the path of death. Hate all that is displeasing to God, hate all hypocrisy. Do not abandon the commandments of the Lord. Do not exalt yourself, but be humble. Do not claim glory for yourself. Do not harbor evil intentions against your neighbor. Do not allow your soul to become insolent. Do not be a fornicator, nor an adulterer, nor a child molester. Do not speak the words of God with impurity. Do not look at others' faces when you must rebuke someone for their sin. Be meek, be calm. Tremble at the words you have heard ( Isaiah 66:2 ). Do not remember evil against your brother. Do not doubt whether what God has spoken will come to pass or not. Do not take the name of the Lord in vain. Love your neighbor more than your own soul. Do not kill an unborn child, nor kill him after he is born ( Didache 2:1-7 ). Do not withhold your hand from your son or your daughter, but teach them from their youth the fear of the Lord ( Psalm 34:12 ; Didache 4:9 ). Do not covet your neighbor’s goods, and do not be covetous. Do not set your soul on the proud, but associate with the righteous and humble. Receive difficult circumstances that befall you as a blessing. Do not be double-tongued in thought or word, for double-tonguedness is a snare of death. Submit yourself to the Lord and to all masters, as to the image of God, with honor and fear. Do not rule harshly over your female and male slaves, who trust in the same Lord, lest it seem that you do not fear God, who is over you both. For He came to call, not judging by appearance, but by whom the Spirit has prepared (Didache 4:10). Have fellowship with your neighbor in everything, and call nothing your own ( Acts 4:32 ), for if you are partakers of incorruptible goods, are you not more so in corruptible things ( Luke 16:11-12 )? Do not be hasty with your tongue, for the mouth is the snares of death. Keep your soul as pure as you can. Do not stretch out your hands to receive and bend them when you should give (Didache 4:5-8). Love everyone who speaks the Word of the Lord to you as the apple of your eye: remember him day and night. Strive to see the saints every day for conversation; go to them to console them, and be careful to save their souls with your word (Didache 4:1-2). Use your hands in almsgiving, that you may receive forgiveness for your sins. Do not hesitate to give, and when you give, do not complain. “Give to everyone who asks you” ( Matt. 5:42 ); but know who is the good Rewarder ( Prov. 19:17 ; Didache 4:7). Guard what you have received, neither adding nor subtracting. Hate the evil one to the end. Judge justly. Do not cause divisions, but reconcile and unite those who are arguing (Didache 4:3). Confess your sins. Do not approach prayer with an evil conscience (Matthew 5:23–24 ; Heb 10:22 ). This is the way of light!
Chapter 20
But the path of darkness is crooked and filled with curses. For it is the path of eternal death and punishment; on it are all that destroys the soul of men. Here are idolatry, insolence, arrogance with one's own power, hypocrisy, double-mindedness, adultery, murder, theft, pride, treachery, deceit, malice, arrogance, poison, sorcery, covetousness, and lack of fear of God (Didache 5:1). Here are the persecutors of the good, the haters of the truth, the lovers of lies, those who do not recognize the reward of righteousness, those who do not cling to good, those who do not provide for the widow and the orphan by means of just judgment, those who are not vigilant in the fear of God, but in evil, from whom meekness and patience are far removed, those who love vanity, those who pursue rewards, those who have no mercy on the poor, those who do not labor for the weary, those who are cunning in slander, those who do not know their Maker, murderers of children, those who destroy the creation of God in the womb, those who turn away from the poor, oppressors of the oppressed, defenders of the rich, lawless judges of the poor, in all things sinners (Didache 5:2).
Chapter 21
But having learned the Lord's commandments, as set forth above, we must act in accordance with them. For he who fulfills them will be glorified in the kingdom of God; but he who chooses otherwise will perish along with his deeds. For this is the resurrection, for this is the reward. I urge you, nobles, if you wish to accept the advice of my good disposition, to keep with you those to whom you have done good, and do not abandon them. For the day is near in which all will perish with the wicked. The Lord and His reward are near. Again and again I urge you: be good lawmakers for yourselves; be faithful counselors for yourselves—remove all hypocrisy. And may God, the Ruler of all the world, give you wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and the understanding of His statutes, with patience. Be disciples of God, proving what the Lord requires of you, and do this, that you may be saved on the day of judgment. And if you have any memory of good, remember me and reflect on these instructions of mine, so that my desire and my labor may bring some good. I ask and demand this of you in lieu of gratitude: as long as this beautiful vessel is with you, do not forsake any of these instructions, but constantly delve into them and fulfill every commandment, for they are worthy of it. I have especially striven to write to you, to the best of my ability, to bring you joy. Be saved, children of love and peace! May the Lord of glory and all mercy be with your spirit! Amen.
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