Didascalia Apostolorum

Historical source scan page 77

DIDASCALTA. 49 Church. And if there be also a Reader, let him also receive along with the Elders. Every office, therefore, let each of the laity as is proper to him, honour by gifts, by dignity, and the respect of the world. Let them have great boldness with the Deacons, and let them not be troubling the Chief at all hours, but whatever they require, let them make it known by means of the servants, that is to say, by means of the Deacons. For not even to God Almighty can one approach save by means of the Christ. All things, therefore, that ye wish to have done, make them known to the Bishop by means of the Deacons, and then let them be done. Not even of old in the Temple of the Sanctuary was anything offered or done apart from the Priest. Again also, with the idols of the heathen, polluted and abominable and reprehensible, even to our day they imitate the Sanctuary, f. 33 b though in comparison the house of impurity is very far from the Holy place; but nevertheless in the work of their oversight (in another manu- script, of their folly), without their polluted priests they do not offer nor do anything ; but thus they suppose that the mouth of the stones (that is to say, the idols he calls stones) is a polluted priest, and they wait for whatever he commands them to do, and in all that they contemplate doing they are counselled by their polluted priest, and they do nothing without him, for they think that this is acceptable whatever they do, honouring him and doing homage to him like their honouring of the dumb stones, those that are fixed as stones (S. in the walls) for the worship of impure and cruel demons. If they, therefore, who are foolish and [have] false customs and no hope, but err by a vain expecta- tion, watch and desire to imitate a sanctuary, and honour with every honour those who stand in the house of their ridiculous idols, why then ye to whom it is known and manifest that ye believe in the truth, and are possessed by a hope that will not be falsified, and look to the promise of eternal glory which passeth not away nor dissolveth, should not ye the more honour the Lord God, by means of those who are appointed over you ? Consider, therefore, the Bishop as the mouth of God. Ap. Con. For if Aaron, because he interpreted to Pharaoh the words that were given through Moses, was called a Prophet, as the Lord said unto Moses, " Behold, I have given thee for a god unto Pharaoh, and Aaron thy EX. vil. i brother shall be thy prophet," why, therefore, do ye also not consider (S. + as prophets, and adore) as God those who are to you mediators of the Word? Now for us ourselves, Aaron is the Deacon, and Moses n.'xxx. the Bishop1. Let him be honoured by you as God, and the Deacon as f- 34 a 1 S. + for if Moses was called a god by the Lord, let the Bishop be also by you. D. G