Pre-Nicene Eastern Christian Initiation: West and East Syria

East and West Syria

Didache 7, 9 (50 – 150 CE)

• Who: baptizer / baptizee / community• Did (or refrained from doing) what:

– “Explain all these points” (ch. 1 – 6)– Fast (baptizer / baptizee / some of community)– Immerse/pour // running/still water // cold/hot water– Spoke “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of

the Holy Spirit” ?

• When: no set date/season• Where: no set place• What it meant: Entry into eucharistic fellowship

(cf. Didache 9:5) and thus community of salvation

Odes of Solomon (c. 100 CE)

• Ode 11• My heart was pruned and its flower appeared, /

then grace sprang up in it, / and it produced fruits for the Lord.

• For the Most High circumcised me by his Holy Spirit, / then he uncovered my inward being toward him, / and filled me with his love.

• And his circumcising became my salvation, / and I ran in the Way in his peace, / in the Way of truth.

• From the beginning until the end / I received his knowledge.

• And I was established upon the rock of truth, / where he had set me.

• And speaking waters touched my lips / from the spring of the Lord generously.

• And so I drank and became intoxicated, / from the living water that does not die.

• And my intoxication was not with ignorance, / but I abandoned vanity;

• And turned toward the Most High, my God, / and was enriched by his favors.

• And I abandoned the folly cast upon the earth, / and stripped it off and cast it from me.

• And the Lord renewed me with his garment, / and possessed me by his light.

• And from above he gave me immortal rest; / and I became like the land which blossoms and rejoices in its fruits.

• And the Lord [is] like the sun / upon the face of the land.

• My eyes were enlightened, / and my face received the dew;

• And my breath was refreshed / by the pleasant fragrance of the Lord.

• And he took me to his Paradise, / wherein is the wealth of the Lord’s pleasure.

• (I contemplated blooming and fruit-bearing trees, / and self-grown was their crown.

• Their branches were flourishing / and their fruits were shining; / their roots [were] from an immortal land.

• And a river of gladness was irrigating them, / and the region around them in the land of eternal life.)

• Then I adored the Lord because of his magnificence.

• And I said: “Blessed, O Lord, are they / who are planted in your land, / and who have a place in your Paradise;

• And who grow in the growth of your trees, / and have passed from darkness into light.

• Behold, all your laborers are fair, / they who work good works, / and turn from wickedness to your kindness.

• For they turned away from themselves the bitterness of the trees, / when they were planted in your land.

• And everyone was like your remnant / (Blessed are the workers of your water!) / and the eternal memorial of your faithful servants.

• Indeed, there is much room in your Paradise. / And there is nothing in it which is barren, / but everything is filled with fruit.

• Praise be to you, O God, the delight of Paradise for ever.!

• Hallelujah!”

• Who: I; your laborers/the workers of your water; Holy Spirit; Most High

• Did (or refrained from doing) what:– Circumcision by the Holy Spirit– Received knowledge– Speaking waters touched lips– Stripped off folly / clothed in Lord’ garment– Possessed by Lord’s light = eyes– Face received dew– Breath refreshed by Lord’s fragrance– Planted in Paradise

• When: no set date / season [spring?]

• Where: world / Lord’s Paradise

• What it meant:– Circumcising = salvation– Running in the Way of peace / truth– Planted in Paradise = passed from darkness into

light.

Melito of Sardis (fl. c. 160 – 170 CE)

• Fragment B [from lost On Baptism?]:• “If you wish to observe the heavenly bodies being

baptized, make haste now to the Ocean, and there I will show you a strange sight: outspread sea, and boundless main, and infinite deep, and immeasurable Ocean, and pure water; the sun’s swimming pool, and the stars brightening place, and the moon’s bath. And how they symbolically bathe, learn faithfully from me.

• When the sun has with fiery chariotry fulfilled the day’s course, having in the whirling of his course become like fire and flared up like a torch, and where he has blazed through his course’s meridian, (then) as though reluctant, if he should appear close by, to burn up the land with ten radiant lightning-shafts, he sinks into the Ocean. Just as a ball of bronze, full of fire within, flashing with much light, is bathed in cold water, making a loud noise, and in the polishing process stops glowing; yet the fire within is not quenched, but flares up again when roused:

• Just so also the sun, inflamed like lightning, wholly undying bathes in cold water, but keeps his fire unsleeping; and when he has bathed in symbolic baptism, he exults greatly, taking the water as food. Though one and the same, he rises for men as a new sun, tempered from the deep, purified from the bath; he has driven off the nocturnal darkness, and has begotten bright day. Along his course, both the movement of the stars and the appearance of the moon operate. For they bathe in the sun’s swimming pool like good disciples; for the stars with the moon pursue the sun’s track, soaking up pure brilliance.

• Now if the sun, with stars and moon, bathes in Ocean, why may not Christ bathe in Jordan? King of heavens and creation’s Captain, Sun of uprising who appeared both to the dead in Hades and to mortals in the world, he also alone arose a Sun out of heaven.”

• Who: ?

• Did (or refrained from doing) what: Bathing

• When: daily for cosmic lights / once in Jordan for Jesus / [once for disciples?]

• Where: horizon for cosmic lights / Jordan River for Jesus / [? For disciples]

• What it meant: Sun = Jesus, moon and stars = disciples

Justin Martyr: First Apology 61, 65 (148 CE)

• Who: baptizer / baptizee / community• Did (or refrained from doing) what:

– Instruction– Pledge– Prayer and fasting (along with community)– Regenerated in water (called “illumination”)– Invocation / Profession of Father, Son, Holy Spirit– Move to assembly space– Common prayers– Kiss

– Presentation of bread and cup, with wine and water mixed

– Eucharistic Prayer (with community “Amen”)– Communion administered by deacons– Deacons bring communion to absentees

• When: no particular date / season• Where: “where there is water” / assembly space• What it meant:

– Consecrated to God– Regenerated through Christ– Change from “children of necessity and ignorance”– Obtain forgiveness of past sins– Become illuminated– Attain eternal salvation

Didascalia Apostolorum 9, 17(c. 200 CE)

• Who: bishop, male deacon, female deacon, baptizee, community

• Did (or refrained from doing) what:– Bishop:

• Mediator of Holy Spirit

• Teacher of the Word

• Patron connecting baptizee and God

• Sealer of the baptizee

• Maker of baptizees into “children of the light”

• Imposed hands on baptizees citing Psalm 2:7

– Male Deacon• Full body anointing of male candidates as they come for water

rites

– Female Deacon• Full body anointing of female candidates as they come for

water rites

• Reception of female neophytes as they come up out of the water

• Teach female neophytes how the seal of baptism is to be kept unbroken in purity and holiness

• [Visit Christian women in pagan households, visit the Christian sick, bathe those recovering from illness]

• When: no particular date / season• Where: in a baptismal space separate from the

assembly hall• What it meant: cf. bishop’s activities

Gospel of Philip (c. 200 CE)

• 60: “The Lord [did] all things by means of a mystery: baptism, chrism, eucharist, ransom, and bridal chamber.”

• 67: “We are reborn by the Holy Spirit. And we are born by the Anointed [Christ] through two things. We are anointed by the Spirit. When we were born we were joined. No one can see himself in the water or in a mirror without light. Nor, again, can you see by the light without water or a mirror. For this reason it is necessary to baptize with two things – light and water. And light means chrism.”

• 79: “People who say they will first die and then arise are mistaken. If they do not first receive resurrection while they are alive, once they have died they will receive nothing. Just so it is said of baptism: “Great is baptism!” For if one receives it, one will live.”

• 80: “Philip the apostle said: ‘Joseph the carpenter planted a paradise, for he needed wood for his trade. It is he who made the cross from the trees that he had planted, and its seed hung from what he had planted: the seed was Jesus, and the plant was the cross. But the tree of life is in the midst of paradise, and from the olive tree comes chrism; and from the latter comes resurrection.’”

• 83: “Chrism has more authority than baptism. For because of chrism we are called Christians, not because of baptism. And the Anointed [Christ] was named for chrism, for the Father anointed the Son; and the Son anointed the apostles, and the apostles anointed us. Whoever has been anointed has everything: resurrection, light, cross, holy spirit; the Father has given it to that person in the bridal chamber, and the person has received [it]. The Father existed in the Son, and the Son existed in the Father. This [is the] kingdom of heavens.”

• 86: “The cup of prayer contains wine and contains water, being established as a representation of the blood over which thanksgiving is offered. And it is full of the holy Spirit, and belongs entirely to the perfect human being. Whenever we drink it we take unto ourselves the perfect human being.

• The living water is a body. It befits us to put on the living human being; accordingly, when one is about to descend into the water, one strips naked in order to put that one on.”

• 92: “Just as Jesus perfected the water of baptism, so too he drew off death. For this reason we go down into the water but not into death, so that we are not poured out into the wind of the world. Whenever the latter blows, winter comes: whenever the Holy Spirit blows, summer comes.”

• 94: “Spiritual love is wine and perfume. Those who anoint themselves with it all have the use of it, as do also those who are outside their company so long as the anointed ones stand there. When those anointed with ointment leave them and depart, the ones who are not anointed but are only outside their company still remain within their fragrance….”

• 107: “The mysteries of that marriage are performed in day and light; and that day, or rather its light, does not set. If someone becomes a bridegroom’s attendant, that person will receive the light. If one does not receive it while here, one cannot receive it elsewhere.

• Whoever receives that light will be invisible and cannot be restrained. And nothing can harass such a person even while living in the world. And, furthermore, when that person leaves this world, he or she has already received the truth in the form of images, and the world has already become the eternal realm….”

• Who: ?• Did (or refrained from doing) what:

– Baptism

– Chrism

– Eucharist

– Ransom

– Bridal chamber

• When: no particular date / season• Where: spaces for each mystery?• What did they think it meant:

– Joining a gnostic community

– Immortality

Acts of Judas Thomas (c. 200 CE)

• Chapters 25-27 [Greek version]

• “And they sought after him that they also might henceforth receive the seal of the word, saying to him: ‘Seeing that our souls are at leisure and eager toward God, give us the seal; for we have heard you say that the God whom you preach knows his own sheep by his seal.’

• And the Apostle said unto them: ‘I also rejoice and entreat you to receive this seal, and to partake with me in this Eucharist and blessing of the Lord, and to be made perfect therein. For this is the Lord and God of all, even Jesus Christ, whom I preach, and he is the father of truth, in whom I have taught you to believe.’ And he commanded them to bring oil, that they might receive the seal by the oil. They brought the oil therefore, and lighted many lamps; for it was night.

• And the Apostle got up and sealed them. And the Lord was revealed unto them by a voice, saying: ‘Peace be to you, brothers.’ And they heard his voice only, but his likeness they did not see, for they had not yet received the added sealing of the seal. And the Apostle took the oil and poured it upon their heads and anointed them and chrismated them, and began to say:

• ‘ Come, holy Name of the Christ that is above every name.• Come, power of the Most High, and the compassion that is

perfect.• Come, gift of the Most High.• Come, compassionate mother.• Come, communion of the male.• Come, she who reveals the hidden mysteries.• Come, mother of the seven houses, that your rest may be in

the eighth house.• Come, elder of the five members: mind, thought, reflection,

consideration, reason; communicate with these young men.• Come, Holy Spirit, and cleanse their reins and their heart,

and give them the added seal, in the Name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit.’

• And when they were sealed, a youth appeared to them holding a lighted torch, so that their lamps became dim at the approach of that light. And he went forth and was no more seen by them. And the Apostle said unto the Lord: ‘Your light, O Lord, is not to be contained by us, and we are not able to bear it, for it is too great for our sight.’

• And when dawn came and it was morning, he broke bread and made them partakers of the Eucharist of the Christ.”

• Chapters 132-133 [Greek version]

• “And Siphor said: ‘I and my wife and daughter will dwell henceforth in holiness, and in chastity, and in one affection. I beseech you that we may receive from you the seal, and become worshippers of the true God and numbered among his sheep and lambs.’

• And he [Judas] began to say concerning baptism:

• ‘This baptism is remission of sins.

• This brings forth again light that is shed about us.

• This brings to birth the new man.

• This mingles the spirit with the body, / raises up in threefoldwise a new man, / and makes him partaker of the remission of sins.

• Glory be to you, hidden one, who are communicated in baptism.

• Glory be to you, the unseen power that is in baptism.

• Glory be to you, renewal, whereby are renewed those who are baptized and with affection take hold upon you.’

• And having thus said, he poured oil over their heads, and said:

• ‘Glory be to you, the Love of Compassion.

• Glory to you, Name of Christ.

• Glory to you, Power established in Christ.’

• And he commanded a vessel to be brought, and baptized them in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

• And when they were baptized and clad, he set bread on the table, and blessed it.”

• Who: Apostle = baptizer / Gundaphorus + companions, [a possessed woman, Mygdonia] Sifur + family, [Vizan + female companions] = baptizees / [assistants = Narkia, Mygdonia]

• Did (or refrained from doing) what:– Instruction– Request for “the seal”– Stripping– Epicletic prayer over oil + anointing of heads– Baptism “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy

Spirit”– Clothing– Eucharist

• When: no particular date / season

• Where: public bath house / river / private home

• What it meant: cf. the declarative and epicletic texts of the Apostle

Acts of Xanthippe and Polyxena (c. 250 CE)

• 13… “But she [Xanthippe] rising up from the ground said to him: ‘Master, why do you leave me desolate? Even now, hasten to seal me, that, though death overtake me, I may go to him that is merciful and kind.’

• 14. Straightway then Paul took her by the hand, led her into the house of Philotheus, and baptized her in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Then he took bread and gave thanks and gave it to her, saying: ‘Let this be to you for the remission of sins and the renewal of your soul.’…

• 21. “Probus rose early and went to Paul. He found him baptizing many people in the name of the life-originating Triad and said: ‘If I am worthy to receive baptism, my Lord Paul, lo, the hour is come.’ Paul replied: ‘See, my son, the water is ready for the cleansing of those who come to Christ.’ Straightway, then, eagerly stripping off his clothes, Paul holding his hand, he leaped into the water, crying: ‘Jesus Christ, Son of God and God eternal, may all my sin be done away in this water.’ And Paul said: ‘We baptize you in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.’ And them he made him partake of the Eucharist of Christ.”

• Who: Apostle = baptizer / Xanthippe, Probus = baptizee / “house of Philotheus”, “many” = community?

• Did (or refrained from doing) what:– Request for “seal” / “baptism”– [Stripping]– [Declaration in the water]– Water baptism “in the name of the Father and of the

Son and of the Holy Spirit”– Eucharist

• When: no particular date / season (but “early” in the day in Probus’ case)

• Where: “house of Philotheus” / baptismal pool• What it meant:

– Entrance into heaven at death

– Remission of sins and renewal of soul [Eucharist?]

– Cleansing of those who come to Christ

– Destruction of all sin