Early Christian Teachers: The 'Didaskaloi' from Their Origins to the Middle of the Second Century

Description

The teachers of early Christianity were one of its most intriguing groups and appear to have been the equivalent of the Jewish rabbis or pagan philosophers. By examining all the earliest sources mentioning the 'didaskaloi', Alessandro Falcetta sheds light on the first hundred years of their history, tackling questions such as why their fate was so different from that of the rabbis, and whether they were tradents of the Jesus material and therefore guarantors of the Gospels' historic reliability. By relating teachers to apostles, prophets and bishops, the author enriches our knowledge of the structure of early Christian communities and how they developed into hierarchical churches. Cover Titel Preface Table of Content Abbreviations and Note Introduction Chapter 1: Scholarship on Early Christian Teachers 1. Introduction 2. Beginnings: 1883–1920s 2.1 Adolf von Harnack 2.2 Rudolph Sohm and the Debate with Adolf von Harnack 2.3 Max Weber on Charismatic Leadership 3. Charisma and Office 3.1 The Protestant-Catholic Divide 3.2 Catholic Scholarship after Vatican II 3.3 The Use of Social Analysis 3.4 The Last Decades 3.5 Conclusions 4. Teachers Move Centre Stage 4.1 Karl H. Rengstorf 4.2 Heinrich Greeven 4.3 Helmut Merklein 4.4 Heinz Schürmann 5. Teachers as Tradents 5.1 Form Criticism and Transmission 5.2 Birger Gerhardsson 5.3 Alfred F. Zimmermann 5.4 Jesus the Teacher in Rainer Riesner and Samuel Byrskog 6. The Last Decades 6.1 John K. Coyle 6.2 Ulrich Neymeyr 6.3 Stanley F. Jones 7. Social Strata in Early Christianity 8. Considerations for New Research Chapter 2: Teachers in non-Christian Sources 1. Education in the Greco-Roman World 1.1 The Word διδάσκαλος 1.2 Teachers of Philosophy or Religion 1.3 Teachers and Schools 2. Education in Jewish Sources 2.1 Jewish διδάσκαλοι 2.2 Rabbis 2.3 Scribes 2.4 Archaeological Evidence Chapter 3: Sources on Syria 1. Acts 13:1–3 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Analysis 1.3 The Origins of Christian Teachers 1.4 Conclusions 2. 1 Corinthians 12:28–29 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Redaction Criticism 2.3 Characteristics of the Triad 2.3.1 Apostles 2.3.2 Prophets 2.3.3 Teachers 2.4 Conclusions 3. Matthew 3.1 Place and Time 3.2 Matthew 10:24–25 3.2.1 Analysis of the Text 3.2.2 John 13:16.20 and 15:20 3.2.3 Interpretation 3.3 Matthew 10:8b-10 3.4 Matthew 10:40–42 3.5 Matthew 23:8–12 3.5.1 Structure and Motives 3.5.2 Analysis of Matthew 23 3.5.3 Matthew 23:8–10 3.5.3.1 Matthew 23:8 3.5.3.2 Matthew 23:9 3.5.3.3 Matthew 23:10 3.5.4 Matthew 23:11–12 3.5.5 History of the Redaction of Matthew 23:8–12 3.6 Teaching in Matthew 5:19–20 3.7 Teachers and Titles 3.8 The “School of Matthew” 3.9 Leadership According to Matthew 23:34 3.10 Persecution 3.10.1 The Suffering of the Righteous and the Violent Death of the Prophet 3.10.2 The Persecution of the Righteous and of the Prophet in Matthew 3.11 Conclusions 4. James 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Authorship, Time and Place 4.3 James 3:1–2 4.4 James 3:3–12 4.5 James 3:13–18 4.6 Teachers as a Model for the Community 4.7 Characteristics of Teachers 4.8 What Teachers Taught 4.9 Conclusions 5. Didache 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Genre 5.3 Time and Place 5.4 Did a Teacher Write the Didache? 5.4.1 The “Two Ways” Tract 5.4.2 Teachers as Mentors 5.5 Didache 11–13 5.5.1 Apostles 5.5.2 Prophets 5.5.3 Bishops and Deacons 5.5.4 Teachers 5.5.4.1 Didache 4.1–2 5.5.4.2 Didache 11.1–2 5.5.4.3 Didache 13.2 5.5.4.4 Didache 15.1–2 5.5.4.5 How to Become a Teacher 5.5.4.6 Why Does the Didache Say Little about Teachers? 5.5.4.7 Gender of Teachers 5.5.4.8 The Historical Development 5.6 Conclusions Chapter 4: Sources on Asia Minor 1. Ephesians 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Authorship, Time and Place 1.3 Ephesians 4:11–12 1.3.1 Apostles and Prophets 1.3.2 Evangelists 1.3.3 Shepherds and Teachers 1.4 Conclusions 2. Pastoral Letters 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Authorship and Time 2.3 Place and Readership 2.4 1 Timothy 2.4.1 Paul’s Adversaries 2.4.1.1 Identity 2.4.1.2 Women Teaching 2.4.1.3 Desire for Wealth 2.4.1.4 The Title “Teacher” 2.4.1.5 Contents of Teaching 2.4.2 Paul the Teacher 2.4.3 Paul’s Successors 2.4.3.1 Appointment 2.4.3.2 Timothy’s Tasks 2.4.3.3 Bishops and Presbyters 2.5 2 Timothy 2.5.1 False Teachers 2.5.2 Content of the False Teaching 2.5.3 Paul the Teacher and Timothy the Disciple 2.5.4 The Content of the Sound Teaching 2.5.5 Didaskali,a in the Pastoral Epistles 2.5.6 Teachers and Rabbis 2.6 Conclusions 3. Letters of Ignatius 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Date 3.3 The Opponents 3.3.1 Magnesians 3.3.2 Philadelphians 3.3.3 Ephesians 3.3.4 Trallians 3.3.5 Smyrnaeans 3.4 The Three Offices 3.5 The Consequences of Theological and Disciplinary Divisions 3.6 Teachers among the Opponents 3.7 Teaching, Discipleship and Martyrdom 3.8 Jesus the Only Teacher 3.9 Conclusions 4. Polycarp 4.1 Ancient Sources on Polycarp as a Teacher 4.2 Philippians 4.3 Martyrdom of Polycarp 4.3.1 Date and Authenticity 4.3.2 Martyrdom and Gospel 4.3.3 Martyrdom of Polycarp 12 4.3.4 Martyrdom of Polycarp 16 4.3.5 Martyrdom of Polycarp 17 4.3.6 Martyrdom of Polycarp 19 4.3.7 The Technical Use of “Martyr” 4.3.8 Discipleship, Persecution and Martyrdom 4.4 Conclusions Chapter 5: A Source on Rome: The Shepherd of Hermas 1. Introduction 2. Authorship, Date and Place 3. Vision 3.5.1 4. Mandate 4.3.1 5. Similitude 8.6.5 6. Similitude 9.15.4 7. Similitude 9.16.5–7 8. Similitude 9.19.2 9. Similitude 9.22.1–4 10. Similitude 9.25.1–2 11. The Emergence of Teachers in Rome 12. The Dispute between Marcion and Roman Teachers 13. Conclusions Chapter 6: Sources of Uncertain Location 1. Hebrews 1.1 Authorship, Date and Place 1.2 Hebrews 5:11–14 1.3 Teaching Righteousness (Heb 5:13) 1.4 The Rudiments of Christianity (Heb 6:1–3) 1.5 No Repentance (Heb 6:4–12) 1.6 Teachers and Leaders (Heb 13:7.17) 2. 2 Peter 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Authorship, Date and Place 2.3 “False Teachers” 3. Epistle of Barnabas 3.1 Date and Place 3.2 Authorship: A Teacher? 3.3 Barnabas 1.8 3.4 Barnabas 9.9 and 21.6 3.5 Teacher’s Language 3.6 Transmission 3.6.1 “School” Tracts 3.6.2 The “Two Ways” Tract 3.7 The Transmission of Knowledge 3.8 Conclusions Conclusions Bibliography Index of References Index of Modern Authors Index of Subjects