Ad Fontes Friday: Diognetus 5

Photo by Towfiqu Barbhuiya from Unsplash

Hi everyone, I’m starting a new series, one that I’ll do every second or third Friday called “Ad Fontes Friday” where I’ll introduce and explain an important text from the Bible, ancient Judaism, the Greco-Roman world, church history, or something interesting.

First up is Epistle to Diognetus 5, an interesting text about the place of Christians in the world!

5. For Christians not distinguished from the rest of humanity by country, language, or custom. (2) For nowhere do they live in cities of their own, nor do they speak some unusual dialect, nor do they practice an eccentric life-style. (3) This teaching of theirs has not been discovered by the thought and reflection of ingenious men, nor do they promote any human doctrine, as some do. (4) But while they live in both Greek and barbarian cities, as each one’s lot was cast, and follow the local customs in dress and food and other aspects of life, at the same time they demonstrate the remarkable and admittedly unusual character of their own citizenship. (5) They live in their own countries, but only as aliens; they participate in everything as citizens, and endure everything as foreigners. Every foreign country is their fatherland, and every fatherland is foreign. (6) They marry like everyone else, and have children, but they do not expose their offspring. (7) They share their food but not their wives. (8) They are “in the flesh,” but they do not live “according to the flesh.” (9) They live on earth, but their citizenship is in heaven. (10) They obey the established laws; indeed in their private lives they transcend the laws. (11) They love everyone, and by everyone they are persecuted. (12) They are unknown, yet they are condemned; they are put to death, yet they are brought to life. (13) They are poor, yet they make many rich; they are in need of everything, yet they abound in everything. (14) They are dishonored, yet they are glorified in their dishonor; they are slandered, yet they are vindicated. (15) They are cursed, yet they bless; they are insulted, yet they offer respect. (16) When they do good, they are punished as evildoers; when they are punished, they rejoice as though brought to life. (17) By the Jews they are assaulted as foreigners, and by the Greeks they are persecuted, yet those who hate them are unable to give a reason for their hostility. (Trans. Michael Holmes).

The Epistle to Diognetus is an apologetic text normally dated to the late second century, it was unknown for most of church history, until its discovery in the fifteenth century in Constantinople. If you want to learn more about The Epistle to Diognetus, check out this 15-minute video.

Chapter five is my favorite part of the book, there is some very interesting stuff here, let me give you three things you should note.

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First, the author says that what makes Christians stand out is not food, dress, clothing, or place of residence, but marital faithfulness, not engaging in infanticide, and non-retaliation.

Second, in 5.8-16 a tight series of allusions to Pauline texts where the distinctive character of Christians is accented. We see that in Christian opposition to the ‘flesh’ (Rom 8.12-13); Christian possession of a heavenly citizenship (Phil 3.20); responding to curses with blessings (Rom 12.14; 1 Cor 4.12); and the whole section is framed like Paul’s own catalogue of hardships encountered in his missionary journeys (2 Cor 6.3-10). In fact, according to Rolf Noorman, “the paradoxical experience of Paul that God’s power shows itself precisely in suffering and hardship, and this integration is where the attraction to Christians takes root.”

Third, in terms of identity, Christians are not Jews or Greeks. In fact, their identity is not drawn from tribe, clan, ethnicity, or geography, rather, worship and ethics determine who Christians are. This was interesting because it meant that “cult” (worship) is what determined their “culture” (ethos) rather than anything inherited or part of the tribal and territorial furniture.

In sum, Ep. Diogn. 5 is a great text about how Christians are in the world, but not of the world, how they stand out from people around them, and why they refuse to repay evil for evil.

Any questions about the text, ask them in the comments!