Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Didache and determinism
In a previous post I wrote that making sense of this
verse of the Didache (4:6) was difficult:
On the other hand, a possibly simpler explanation is that the author here is just suggesting to stand firm in one's decisions (perhaps with reference to the previous verse, about judgment).
Categories: Church_History
Thou shalt not doubt whether a thing shall be or not beReading the second chapter of Chadwick's book on early church history today made me think about the possibility that the author is referring here to some sort of determinism. Perhaps he was thinking of Valentinians and following Irenaeus and Hippolytus in depicting Valentinians as supporters of no-free-will/determinism (although Elaine Pagels denies that Valentinus and followers actually had this view). This reference would be consistent with other material in the Didache against gnostic behavior and the text here would teach not to be concerned about knowing the fate of things.
On the other hand, a possibly simpler explanation is that the author here is just suggesting to stand firm in one's decisions (perhaps with reference to the previous verse, about judgment).
Categories: Church_History
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I think the verse you mean is 4:4. This verse is called a famous "crux interpretatum" by Kurt Niederwimmer in his genuinely excellent commentary. He also cites Barn 19.5a. "What he means concretely can no longer be determined with precision". There seems some indication that the reference is to doubt in prayer hence suggesting that when you pray, doubt should not fill your heart. I think it unlikely, humbly, however that your suggestion of determinism is correct.
The verse is 4:6 in the Lightfoot translation, but it is 4:4 in the Greek text. It reads ου διψυχεσεισ, ποτερον εσται η ου, and my very little Greek tells me that dipsuchos is "double-minded" (about the real existence of things? again a gnostic suggestion). I don't see an easy reference to prayer in the context of this verse. On the other hand, especially looking at the Gk, I am also not very convinced of my own suggestion about determinism :) (although maybe it still is a possibility)
But certainly this thread proved to be for me a good incentive to better learn the original languages and to refer to them whenever possible. Thanks!
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But certainly this thread proved to be for me a good incentive to better learn the original languages and to refer to them whenever possible. Thanks!
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