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The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles
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Introductory Notice To The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles.
[2466] The Codex reads τῷ ὺεῷ, which Bryennios alters to τῷ ὺιῷ. The former is the more difficult reading, and is defended by Harnack.
[2467] This exhortation indicates a mixed assembly; comp. Apostolic Constitutions. [If so, it belongs to the Agape.]
[2468] Cor. xvi. 22, Revised Version, margin: “That is, our Lord cometh.” Comp. Rev. xxii. 20.
[2469] A limitation as compared with 1 Cor. Xiv. 29, 31, and yet indicating a combination of extemporaneous devotion with the liturgical form. The verse prepares the way for the next chapter.
Chapter XI.—Concerning Teachers, Apostles, and Prophets.
[2470] The Apostolic Constitutions (vii. 27) present scarcely any parallel to this chapter, which points to an earlier period, when ecclesiastical polity was less developed, and the travelling “Apostles” and “Prophets” here spoken of were numerous. [Elucidation II.]
[2471] This refers to all teachers, more fully described afterwards.
[2472] Lit. “being turned:” i.e. turned from the truth, perverted.
[2473] Matt. x. 40. The mention of apostles here has caused much discussion, but there are many indications that travelling evangelists were thus termed for some time after the apostolic age. Bishop Lightfoot has shown, that, even in the New Testament, a looser use of the term applied it to others than the Twelve. Comp. Rom. xvi. 7; 1 Cor. xv. 5, 7 (?); Gal. i. 19; 1 Thess. ii. 6: also, as applied to Barnabas, Acts xiv. 4, 14.
[2474] Reach a place where he can lodge.
[2475] Under the influence of the charismatic gift spoken of in 1 Cor. xii. 3, xiv. 2. Another indication of an early date.
[2476] Probably a reference to the sin against the Holy Spirit. Matt. xii. 31, 32; Mark iii. 29, 30.
[2477] Probably a love-feast, commanded by the prophet in his peculiar utterance.
[2478] ἀληθινός, “genuine.”
[2479] ποιῶν εἰς μυστήριον κοσμικὸν ἐκκλησίας, “working unto a worldly mystery of (the) Church,” or “making assemblies for a worldly mystery.” Either rendering is grammatical: neither is very intelligible. The paraphrase in the above version presents one leading view of this difficult passage: the mystery is the Church, and a worldly one, because the Church is in the world. The other leading view joins ἐκκλησίας (as accusative) with ποιῶν, “making assemblies for a worldly mystery.” So Bryennios, who regards the worldly mystery as a symbolical act of the prophet. Others suggest, as the mystery for which the assemblies are called, revelation of future events, celibacy, the Eucharist, the ceremonial law. It seems, at all events, to point to incipient fanaticism on the part of the prophets of those days. [Elucidation III.] This was likely to take the form either of asceticism or of extravagant predictions and mystical fancies about the Church in the world. Did we know the place and the time more accurately, we might decide which was meant. This caution was evidently needed: Let God judge such extravagances.
Chapter XII.—Reception of Christians.
[2480] Verse 1 is almost identical with the beginning of Apostolic Constitutions, vii. 28; the remaining verses have no parallel.
[2481] All professed Christians are meant.
[2482] Comp. 2 Thess. iii. 10.
[2483] The term occurs only here in the Teaching.
[2484] “Christ-trafficker.” The abuse of Christian fellowship and hospitality naturally followed the remarkable extension of Christianity. This expressive term was coined to designate the class of idlers who would make gain out of their professed Christianity. It occurs in the longer form of the Ignatian Epistles (Trallians, vi.) and in literature of the fourth century.
Chapter XIII.—Support of Prophets.
[2485] A large part of this chapter is found in Apostolic Constitutions, vii. 28, 29, but with modifications and additions indicating a later date.
[2486] “Who will settle among you” (Hitchcock and Brown). The itinerant prophets might become stationary, we infer. Chaps. xi.-xv. point to a movement from an itinerant and extraordinary ministry to a more settled one.
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