Clayton N Jefford

The Apostolic Fathers Commentary Series aims to complement the study of early Christianity through historical, literary, and theological readings of the Apostolic Fathers. Writers of the AFCS volumes seek to be mindful of critical scholarship while commenting on a final-form text. Shawn J. Wilhite's commentary on the Didache includes a brief introduction to the Didache, the use of Scripture by the Didachist, and the theology of the Didache. The commentary proceeds section by section with a close ear to the text of the Didache, relevant early Christian literature, and current scholarship.

Rediscovered in 1873, the Didache provides a glimpse of early Christian ritual and liturgy. This text, which dates to the late first or early second century, is the very first manual for Christian life. Here Clayton Jefford presents parallel translations of the original-language manuscripts — from Greek, Latin, Coptic, Ethiopic, and Georgian. His detailed introduction places the Didache in its historical context, and cross references and notes on sources enable in-depth study.

The Apostolic Fathers is a critically important collections of texts for studying the first century of Christian history. Here a leading expert on the Apostolic Fathers offers an accessible, up-to-date introduction and companion to these diverse and fascinating writings. This work is easy to use and affordable yet offers a thorough overview for students and others approaching these writings for the first time. It explains the context and significance of each document and points to further reading. This new edition of a well-received text has been updated throughout and includes a new chapter on the fragments of Papias.