The Didache: The Teachings of the 12 Apostles

Over the next several weeks I want to spend some time talking about the Didache. What is the Didache you ask, well let me give you some background.

The Didache is considered to be the oldest surviving extant piece of non-canonical literature. It is really a handbook for new Christian converts, consisting of instructions derived directly from the teachings of Jesus. The book can be divided into three sections. The first six chapters consist of Christian lessons; the next four give descriptions of the Christian ceremonies, including baptism, fasting and communion; and the last six outline the church organization.

The Didache claims to have been authored by the twelve apostles. While this cannot be positively proven, the work is most likely a direct result of the first Apostolic Council circa 50 AD (Acts 15:28). Similarities to the Apostolic Decree are apparent, and the given structure of the church is quite primitive. Also, the description of the Eucharist (bread and wine) carefully avoids mention of the "body and blood of Christ," which in the early church was regarded as one of the secret mysteries of early Christianity. Most scholars agree that the work, in its earliest form, may have circulated as early as the 60's AD, though additions and modifications may have taken place well into the third century. The work was never officially rejected by the Church, but was excluded from the canon for its lack of literary value.

The complete text of the Didache was discovered in the Codex Hierosolymitanus, though a number of fragments exist, most notably in the Oxyrhynchus Papyri. It was originally composed in Greek, probably within a small community.

What I find fascinating about the Didache is that while it is not divinely inspired scripture, it does give us today a glimpse into how the early church functioned and how the Apostles taught. It is so interesting to see how the church started to develop early on in the first century.

My comments on the sections will follow over the next few weeks. The Didache is a very short manual, and if you'd like to read it for yourself here is a link:

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/didache-roberts.html

A Summer of Change

I cannot believe what a whirlwind summer this has been, no wonder I haven't posted anything since April. In the last several months so much has happened:

- I finally completed my Master's in Theological Studies after 3 1/2 years
- The kids wrapped up successful baseball, softball, and Cub Scout seasons
- I have criss crossed the country from east to west several times with work
- The school levy finally passed after 12 months of volunteering and 4 failed attempts to pass
- And most exciting of all, the Lord has led me to a new opportunity to serve him at Community Bible Church in Rootstown.

Through all the work and sacrifices, the Lord has been so good. My wife and family have been a huge support and blessing, and I cannot wait to continue advancing the Kingdom through the youth ministry at CBC.

I haven't blogged in a while, but I feel the Spirit stirring within me to start it up again. We're moving forward with the Lord's lead. As Jesus said in Luke 9:62, "Jesus answered him, "No one who has put his hand to the plough, and then looks behind him, is fit for the Kingdom of God."

I've got my hand on the plow. Lead on Lord!!

Happy to be back blogging!

My Family History, Part 3

I am so fortunate to have a couple days off, so I am taking full advantage by adding to my "Family History" series. I was going to write about my Great Grandfather Carlo and the origin of my Grandfather's nickname "Dontino", but that is going to have to wait until next time. Today, I want to share the fascinating story of my Great Grandmother Giovanna Gullo. This is my grandfather Vincenzo's mother.

I don't remember much about my great grandmother. I was about 1 year old when she died, so all I know about her comes from pictures and stories from my parents and great grandparents. I know that she was a loving woman dedicated to her family, strong of character (3 of her 12 children died tragically in their youth), and always had a positive nature. I've heard often of her love and dedication to my my great grandfather Carlo. I've heard that she often commented that if my great grandfather hadn't been crippled fairly young (he had a stroke in his 50s), they would have had 12 more children!

That said, here is the fascinating part of my great grandmother's story. Her name, as I stated above was Giovanna Gullo, and she was also known by the nickname "'A Calabrese" because her dad was from Calabria. Her parents were Gennaro Vilella and Nunziata Gullo. So note, her last name was different than her father's last name. Here is where the story gets good.

Gennaro Vilella was a very well to do property owner in Calabria. He had a rather large estate and livestock, etc. He walked into his house one evening after being away for some days and found his wife in bed with a another man. In a moment of passion, he killed both his wife and her lover. Knowing that he would be arrested for his actions, he went into hiding and escaped to Sicily. He left behind all of his wealth and property. Keep in mind, this was late 1800s in Sicily. With no modern equipment it would have made a great place to hide.

While in hiding he met Nunziata Gullo, and they had Giovanna. They were not able to officially marry because of the circumstances. Giovanna went on and married my great Grandfather Carlo (the first Maltempi) and they had 12 children.

More to come as I get time, next we'll focus on the Maltempi side. But for now, I just can't get over what an unbelievable story this is.

My Family History, Part 2

Hard to believe that I have not posted anything to my blog since December, but Lord willing when school is over (June 21st!!) my time and creative juices will be free to pursue my blogging endeavors! In the meantime, if I get a moment here or there I'll blog where I can. So, I have a moment and thought I would add a little to my family history series.

My paternal Grandmother, Anna Celona, has quite an interesting story to tell. Her father, my great grandfather Francesco came to America in 1922 with his family to find a better life. He came over and settled in Boston, MA., and found a job as a cobbler. He brought with him his wife Maria, and children Giuseppina and Domenico which were born in 1918 and 1920 respectively. He stayed in the United States 2 years, during which time my grandmother Anna and great uncle Sam were born. So, my grandmother was an American citizen from birth! In 1924, after being approached and threatened by the local organized crime boss to pay "protection" money, my grandfather Francesco moved his family back to Italy secretly and lived the rest of his life there. During the trip back, my great uncle Sam fell sick and died upon return. My grand mother says he died "from a change in climate". Not sure what that means, but could be anything from the flu to pneumonia I suppose.

My grandmother remained in Italy and married my grandfather Vincenzo in 1944. My dad, Carlo was born in 1946 and was their only child. Life in Italy post WWII was difficult. My grandfather was a fisherman, and also played minor league soccer, and my grandmother was a seamstress. But making a living was tough. So in January of 1953, they decided to move to the United States. My grand mother, being an American citizen, came over first. She had no issues emigrating to the USA given her citizenship. She came to the United States on the the famous Andrea Dora!! That famous ship, a luxury liner, sank in 1956. After making some arrangements, and getting somewhat settled in with her Uncle Steve, my grandmother made arrangements for my grandfather and dad to come to the United States in July of 1953. My dad was 7 years old.

I just find this a fascinating story. That my Nonna Anna was an American citizen from birth and yet grew up in Italy! And came back on the Andrea Dora no less!!

I'll stop here for now. Keep an eye out for the next installment.

My Family History, Part 1

I have been meaning for some time now to document some of my family's history. We have a relatively young family (My great grandpa Carlo was the first Maltempi!), and I find aspects of it just totally awesome. So with all of us together for the holidays I took a chance to write some of it down and start capturing it. I'll start this first installment with just the most basic family tree for my family. The more interesting stories will follow in later installments.

My parents are Carlo Maltempi and Salavtrice Sidoti.

My Dad's parents are Vincenzo Maltempi and Anna Celona.

The Maltempi's:
My great grandpa Carlo was the first Maltempi in the line. That story will come later. My Grandpa Vince was one of 12 children.
Parents: Carlo Maltempi and Giovanna Gullo
Children (in order):
Stefano
Gennaro
Carlo (died as an infant)
Vincenzo- Born 4/26/21
Rosario
Nunziata
Nino (died at 17)
Giuseppe
Giorgio (died at 7)
Cecilia
Francesca
Giovanni

The Celona's:
This is my Grandma Anna's family Grandma was one of 5 children.
Parents: Francesco Celona and Maria Iraci
Children (in order):
Giuseppina
Domenico
Anna- Born 10/26/23 in the USA
Salvatore (died as infant, born in the USA)
Concetta

My Mom's parents are Francesco Sidoti and Giuseppa Rao.

The Sidoti's:
My Grandpa Francesco was one of 7 children.
Parents: Carmelo Sidoti and Carmela Pino
Children (in order):
Francesco
Salvatrice (died in teens)
Maria
Tindaro
Sebastiano
Angela
Antonino

The Rao's:
This is my Grandma Giuseppina's family Grandma was one of 7 children.
Parents: Giovanni Rao and Nunziata Merlino
Children (in order):
Valentino (died in WWII)
Giuseppe
Maria
Carmelo (died in WWII)
Giuseppa
Gaetana
Tindaro

Also, my Grandma was adopted (another story that will come later) and her parents were Antonino Terranova and Rosina Merlino.

Like I said, more will follow. This is just a little background for now.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

With Christmas fast upon us I was just considering the lyrics to the awesome song "O Come, O Come Emmanuel". I love this song: the lyrics, the music, it is so powerful. And as I thought about it, I realized that I really didn't know much about this song. So after a little digging I came up with the information below. This really gives me a new appreciation for the song and renewed joy in my listening of it. I hope you find this as interesting and as edifying as I have. Enjoy, Merry Christmas, and O Come, O Come Emmanuel.


O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.



O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free
thine own from Satan's tyranny;
from depths of hell thy people save,
and give them victory over the grave. Refrain



O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death's dark shadows put to flight. Refrain

O come, thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery. Refrain

O come, O come, Adonai,
Who in thy glorious majesty
From Sinai’s mountain, clothes in awe,
Gavest thy folk the elder law. Refrain

The Story behind “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"



“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" is probably the oldest Christmas carol still sung today. This popular hymn dates back to the ninth century and represents an important and ancient series of services celebrated by the Catholic church. It also presents the different biblical roles that the church believed Jesus fulfilled. The universal nature of faith presented in this song can now be best seen by the fact that it has crossed over from a hymn sung in Latin and used in only formal Catholic masses to a carol translated into, scores of languages and embraced by every Christian denom­ination in the world.

The writer of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is unknown. He was no doubt a monk or priest who penned the words before 800 A.D. He was also a scholar with a rich knowledge of both the Old and New Testaments. Once completed, the hymn was evidently picked up by many European churches and monasteries and became an intensely important part of the church. Yet for fifty-one weeks of each year it was ignored, saved for a single week of Advent vespers leading up to the celebration of Christ's birth.

In its original form, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” was known as a song of the "Great Antiphons" or “Great O's." The Latin text, framed in the original seven different verses, represented the different biblical views of the Messiah. One verse per day was sung or chanted during the last seven days before Christmas.

Much more than the very simple, almost monotone melody employed at the time, the words painted a rich illustration of the many biblical prophesies fulfilled by Christ's birth. So the story of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is really a condensed study of the Bible's view of the Messiah-who he was, what lie represented and why lie had to come to Earth. Even to this day, if one is a proficient Bible student, the song's lyrics reveal the unfolding story of the Messiah.

For the people of the Dark Ages-few of whom read or had access to the Bible-the song was one of the few examples of the full story of how the New and Old Testament views of the Mes­siah came together in the birth and life of Jesus. Because it brought the story of Christ the Savior to life during hundreds of years of ignorance and darkness, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” ranks as one of the most important songs in the history of the Christian faith.

The song owes its worldwide acceptance to a man named John Mason Neale. Born on January 24, 1818, this Anglican priest was educated at Trinity College in Cambridge. Brilliant, a man who could write and speak more than twenty languages, he should have been destined for greatness, yet many feared his intelligence and insight. At the time, church leaders thought he was too evangelical, too progressive, and too much a free­thinker to be allowed to influence the masses. So rather than get a pastorate in London, Neale was sent by the church to the Madiera Islands off the northwest coast of Africa. Pushed out of the spotlight and given the position of warden in an all but forgotten locale, it was expected that he and his ideas would never again find root in England. Yet Neale refused to give up on God or his own calling. On a salary of just twenty-seven pounds a year he established the Sisterhood of St. Margaret. From this order he began an orphanage, a school for girls and a house of refuge for prostitutes. And these noble ministries were just the beginning.

When he wasn't ministering to those who could truly be called “the least of these,” the often frail and sickly Neale reviewed every facet of Scripture and Scripture-based writing he could find. It was during these studies that he came across the Latin chant “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” in a book called Psalteroium Cantionum Catholicarum. Seizing on the importance of the song's inspired text, Neale translated the words into Eng­lish. Interestingly, in his initial work, the lyrics began, “Draw nigh, draw nigh, Emmanuel”

The tune that went with Neale's translation had been used for some years in Latin text versions of the song. “Veni Emmanuel” was a fifteenth century processional that originated in a community of French Franciscan nuns living in Lisbon, Portugal. Neale's translation of the lyrics coupled with “Veni Emmanuel” was first published in the 185Os in England. Within twenty-five years, Neale's work, later cut to five verses and called “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” grew in popularity throughout Europe and America.

Although sung countless times each Christmas, much of the song's rich meaning seems to have been set aside or lost. While both men-the ancient monk and the exiled priest-would probably be amazed that any still remember their work, the fact that few realize the full impact of the words would no doubt disappoint them greatly. After all, to sing a song and not feel the power and majesty of its meaning trivializes both the music and the lyrics.

The first verse of the song is taken from Isaiah 7: 14 and Matthew 1:23. It introduces Emmanuel-“God with us”-and Israel as a symbol for the Christian world, held captive on a dark and sinful Earth.

Isaiah 11 serves as the theme for the verse that begins “O come, thou rod of Jesse, free" (in some translations this is called the "Branch of Jesse"). In it the rod of Jesse represents Christ, who is the only one who can defeat Satan and bring eternal life to all those who follow him.

“O come, O Dayspring, come and cheer” presents the image of the morning star, a concept that can be traced back to Malachi 4:2. In this verse, the song states that the coming Savior will bring justice, honesty, and truth. He will enlighten and cast out darkness as "The sun of righteousness will rise with healing in His wings.”

The lyrics then turn to "O come, thou key of David," a reference to Isaiah

22:22. The words in this verse explain that the newborn King holds the key to the heavenly kingdom and there is no way to get into the kingdom but through Him.

The verse that begins “O come, O come, Adonai” (in some texts this reads “O come, thou wisdom from on high”) centers on the source of true wisdom. This comes only from God through his Son. Through the Savior, this wisdom can reach around the world and bring peace and understanding to all men. Thus, Christ's teachings and examples fulfilled all Old Testament prophesies.

Even today, when sung in a public hall by a small group of carolers or during a television special, the original chants of long forgotten monks can almost be heard. Although translated into scores of languages and sung in wild variety of styles and arrangements, the simplistic yet spiritual nature of the song remains intact. It is reverent, a tribute to not only the birth of God's child but also to the fulfillment of God's promise to deliver his children from the world. In this simple hut brilliant song, the echoed voices of clerics from the past gently urge today’s world to accept and worship the King who fulfills God's greatest promise to his children.



Excerpted from Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas by Ace Collins, a 2001 publication distributed by Zondervan.

Who you are in Christ

My class in Spiritual Care and Development this semester has been incredibly powerful and impactful in my own person spiritual development. For too long I have gone without considering what exactly I am in Christ Jesus, and I think many people can say the same thing. Here are some thoughts I have captured through class and discussion with the professor and other students:

Since you are a saint in Christ by God's calling, you share in Christ's inheritance. That which is true of Christ is now true of you, because you are in Christ. It's part of your identity. This applies to all that have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior.

The list below itemizes in first-person language who you really are in Christ. These are some of the scriptural texts which reflect who you became at spiritual birth. You can't earn them or buy them anymore than a person born in America can earn or buy the rights and freedoms he or she enjoys as an American citizen. They are guaranteed to individuals by the Constitution simply because a person is born in the United States. Similarly, these traits are guaranteed to you by the Word of God simply because you were born into God's holy nation by faith in Christ.

Read this list aloud to yourself repeatedly until it becomes a part of you. Pray through the list occasionally asking God to cement these truths in your heart:

Who Am I?
• I am the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13).
• I am the light of the world (Matt. 5:14).
• I am a child of God (John 1: 12).
• I am part of the true vine, a channel of Christ's life (John 15:1,5).
• I am Christ's friend (John I5:I5).
• I am chosen and appointed by Christ to bear his fruit (John 15:16).
• I am a slave of righteousness (Rom. 6:18).
• I am enslaved to God (Rom. 6:22).
• I am a son of God; God is spiritually my Father (Rom. 8:14, I5; Gal. 3:26; 4:6).
• I am a joint heir with Christ, sharing His inheritance with Him (Rom. 8:17).
• I am a temple-a dwelling place-of God. His Spirit and His life dwells in me
(I Cor. 3:16; 6:19).
• I am united to the Lord and am one spirit with Him (1 Cor. 6:17).
• I am a member of Christ's Body (1 Cor. 12:27; Eph. 5:30).
• I am a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).
• I am reconciled to God and am an ambassador of reconciliation
(2 Cor. 5:18, 19).
• I am a son of God and one in Christ (Gal. 3:26, 28).
• I am an heir of God since I am a son of God (Gal. 4:6, 7).
• I am a saint (Eph. 1: 1; 1 Cor. 1: 2; Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:2).
• I am God's workmanship - His handiwork born anew in Christ to do his
work (Eph. 2: 10).
• I am a fellow citizen with the rest of God's family (Eph. 2:19).
• I am a prisoner of Christ (Eph. 3: 1; 4: 1).
• I am righteous and holy (Eph. 4:24).
• I am a citizen of heaven, seated in heaven right now (Phil. 3:20; Eph. 2:6).
• I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).
• I am an expression of the life of Christ because He is my life (Col. 3:4).
• I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved (Col. 3:12; I Thess. 1: 4).
• I am a son of light and not of darkness (I Thess. 5:5).
• I am a holy partaker of a heavenly calling (Heb. 3:1).
• I am a partaker of Christ; I share in His life (Heb. 3:14).
• I am one of God's fiving stones, being built up Christ as a spiritual house
(1 Pet. 2:5).
• I am a member of a chosen race, a royal priest¬hood, a holy nation, a people for
God's own posses¬sion (1 Pet. 2:9, 10).
• I am an alien and stranger to this world in which I temporarily live (1 Pet. 2: 11).
• I am an enemy of the devil (1 Pet. 5:8).
• I am a child of God and I will resemble Christ when He returns (1 John 3: 1- 2).
• I am born of God, and the evil one-the devil cannot touch me (1 John 5:18).
• I am not the great "I am" (Exod. 3:14; John 8:24,28,58), but by the grace of God,
I am what I am (1 Cor. 15:10).
• Since I am in Christ, by the grace of God … I have been justified-completely
forgiven and made righteous (Rom. 5:1).
• I died with Christ and died to the power of sin's rule over my life (Rom. 6:1-6).
• I am free forever from condemnation (Rom. 8: 1).
• I have been placed into Christ by God's doing (1 Cor. 1:30).
• I have received the Spirit of God into my life that I might know the things freely
given to me by God (1Cor. 2:12).
• I have been given the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16).
• I have been bought with a price; I am not my own; I belong to God
(1 Cor. 6:19,20).
• I have been established, anointed and sealed by God in Christ, and I have been given the Holy Spirit as a pledge guaranteeing my inheritance to come
(2 Cor. 1:21; Eph. 1:13,14).
• Since I have died, I no longer Uve for myself, but for Christ (2 Cor. 5:14,15).
• I have been made righteous (2 Cor. 5:21).
• I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who five, but Christ lives in me. The life I am now living is Christ's life (Gal. 2:20).
• I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1: 3).
• I was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and am without blame before Him (Eph. 1:4).
• I was predestined-determined by God-to be adopted as God's son (Eph. 1: 5).
• I have been redeemed and forgiven, and I am a recipient of Ifis lavish grace.
• I have been made alive together with Christ (Eph. 2:5).
• I have been raised up and seated with Christ in heaven (Eph. 2:6).
• I have direct access to God through the Spirit (Eph. 2:18).
• I may approach God with boldness, freedom and confidence (Eph. 3:12).
• I have been rescued from the domain of Satan and transferred to the
kingdom of Christ (Col. I:I3).
• I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins…the bond against me has been
canceled (Col. 2:14).
• Christ Himself is in me (Col. 1:27).
• I am firmly rooted in Christ and am now being built in Him (Col. 2:7).

• I have been spiritually circumcised. My old unregenerate nature has been
removed (Col. 2:11).
• I have been made complete in Christ (Col. 2:10)
• I have been buried, raised and made alive Christ (Col. 2:12, 13).
• I died with Christ and I have been raised up Christ. My life is now hidden with
Christ in God (Col. 3:1).
• Christ is now my life (Col. 3:1-4).
• I have been given a spirit of power, love and self discipline (2 Tim. 1:7).
• I have been saved and set apart according God's doing (2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5).
• Because I am sanctified and am one with Sanctifier, He is not ashamed to call
me brother (Heb. 2:11).
• I have the right to come boldly before the of God to find mercy and grace in time of need (Heb 4:16).
• I have been given exceedingly great and precious promises and am a partaker of God.

Your perception of your identity makes such a big difference in your success at dealing with the challenges and conflicts of your life. It is imperative to your growth and maturity that you believe God's truth about who you are.

Because you are in Christ, every one of those characteristics is completely true of you and there's nothing you can do to make them more true. But you can make these more meaningful and productive in your life by simply choosing to believe what God has said about you. One of the greatest ways to help yourself grow into maturity in Christ is to continually remind yourself who you are in Him. In my conferences I do this by reading the "Who Am I?" first aloud and then together. We suggest that you go back and read it aloud to yourself right now. Read the list once or twice a day for a week or two. Read it when think that Satan is trying to deceive you into believing you are a worthless failure. The more you reaffirm who you are in Christ, the more your behavior will begin to reflect your true identity.

We were obstinate and ornery, helpless and hopeless, with nothing in ourselves to commend us to God. But God's love overruled our unloveliness.

Satan will try to convince you that you are an unworthy, unacceptable, sin-sick person who will never amount to anything in God's eyes.

But we have the assurance of Christ Jesus that justifies and removes sin as far as the east is from the west!