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6 years ago
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Epistle to Diognetus, 5.1-15
For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonored, and yet in their dishonor are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honor; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred.
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The epistle seems to indicate that christians have a temporary home and tha we have a more permanent citizenshiip in Heaven.This world is not our home, but we (as christians) are just sojourners (just passing through) on our way to a better place.
ReplyDeleteNoteworthy Note:A Diognetus was a tutor of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, who admired him for his freedom from superstition and sound educational advice More likely is 'the most excellent Diognetus', Claudius Diogenes, who was procurator of Alexandria at the turn of the second/third centuries.
Furthermore,"Mathetes" is not a proper name; it simply means "a disciple." The writer is a Johannine Christian who does not use the name "Jesus" or the expression the "Christ" but prefers the use of "the Word."
Perceptive point! What I like about the epistle is that it gives some specific ways in which the christians were living out the ideal of "this world being our temporary home." For instance, it says that the Christians "beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring" (no abortions or child neglect). They "have a common table, but not a common bed" (share food with all, but do not share spouses). It is these kind of specific descriptions that I think can be helpful to us as we think through "how to be peculiar." Is their a specific description mentioned that sticks out to you? Thanks for the comment!
ReplyDelete"They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives."
ReplyDeleteThis stood out to me because I feel like it is saying that Christians (should) go beyond what is required of them. Sometimes we can get content with, or even proud of, our behavior because we are "law-abiding citizens" but our lives don't look much different that a non-believing, law-abiding citizen.
I too thought that was an interesting phrase. Simply just being "legal" does not necessarily we are being a disciple. The statement seems to say that the Christians saw their true authority not their government but their Lord - which really is a challenging thought.
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