I would like to present a rare letter, an apologetic almost lost to history: the “Epistle to Diognetus” (Greek, name meaning God-born), from Chapter 5-6, of twelve chapters believed written by Mathetes, which only means student, pupil, or disciple. Neither the author Mathetes nor the receiver Diognetus are known to history. I was intrigued by this letter.
Why was a Christian explaining Christianity at that time? What does it say about the new (at the time) Christian movement? What does it say about being a Christian today?
This letter is dated about AD 130, based on language and other textual evidence, which would make it one of the earliest examples of apologetic literature for the Christian faith. Please keep in mind this epistle is more than 1800 years ago. Gender attitudes were very different than today. I also found one sentence at the end of the third paragraph also difficult. “They are attacked by the Jews as aliens, they are persecuted by the Greeks, yet no one can explain the reason for this hatred.” We must remember this was the world as
Mathetes saw it in his time, where Christians encountered much persecution.
I believe there is much to learn from this epistle. It reflects on how Christianity grew just after the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus during its first century. As Christians are again becoming a minority in our society, it may shed some light on what the Christian message means for today.
‘“The Epistle to Diognetus: What is a Christian.”
Christians are indistinguishable from other men either by nationality, language, or customs. They do not inhabit separate cities of their own, or speak a strange dialect, or follow some outlandish way of life. Their teaching is not based upon reveries inspired by the curiosity of men.
Unlike some other people, they champion no purely human doctrine. Regarding dress, food, and manner of life in general, they follow the customs of whatever city they happen to be living in, whether it is Greek or foreign.
And yet there is something extraordinary about their lives. They live in their own countries as though they were only passing through. They play their full role as citizens, but labor under all the disabilities of aliens. Any country can be their homeland, but for them their homeland, wherever it may be, is a foreign country. Like others, they marry and have children, but they do not expose them. They share their meals, but not their wives.
They live in the flesh, but they are not governed by the desires of the flesh. They pass their days upon earth, but they are citizens of heaven. Obedient to the laws, they yet live on a level that transcends the law.
Christians love all men, but all men persecute them. Condemned because they are not understood, they are put to death but raised to life again. They live in poverty, but enrich many; they are totally destitute, but possess an abundance of everything. They suffer dishonor, but that is their glory. They are defamed, but vindicated. A blessing is their answer to abuse, deference their response to insult. For the good they do they receive the punishment of malefactors, but even then they, rejoice, as though receiving the gift of life. They are attacked by the Jews as aliens, they are persecuted by the Greeks, yet no one can explain the reason for this hatred.
To speak in general terms, we may say that the Christian is to the world what the soul is to the body. As the soul is present in every part of the body, while remaining distinct from it, so Christians are found in all the cities of the world but cannot be identified with the world. As the visible body contains the invisible soul, so Christians are seen living in the world, but their religious life remains unseen. The body hates the soul and wars against it, not because of any injury the soul has done it, but because of the restriction the soul places on its pleasures.
Similarly, the world hates the Christians, not because they have done it any wrong, but because they are opposed to its enjoyments.
Christians love those who hate them just as the soul loves the body and all its members despite the body’s hatred. It is by the soul, enclosed within the body, that the body is held together, and similarly, it is by the Christians, detained in the world as in a prison, that the world is held together. The soul, though immortal, has a mortal dwelling place; and Christians also live for a time amidst perishable things, while awaiting the freedom from change and decay that will be theirs in heaven. As the soul benefits from the deprivation of food and drink, so Christians flourish under persecution. Such is the Christian’s lofty and divinely appointed function, from which he is not permitted to excuse himself.’
Translated from a letter to Diognetus (Nn. 5-6; Funk, 397-401)
Prepared by the Spiritual Theology Department of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.
My thoughts on the Epistle to Diognetus:
Today Christians generally are not distinguishable from others in the general society other than by nationality, heritage, language, or historical customs. Christians live in the general population of each city, town or farm mixing with different religions, cultures, languages, and customs. Christians live by the same laws and customs of whatever location they happen to be living in, whether in their homeland or a foreign country.
Christians do understand that something greater awaits them through their faith and belief in God, Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Christians love all but are still encounter persecution today: 365 million Christians are exposed to high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith primarily in areas of Mexico, Cuba, Nicaragua, Malaysia, Indonesia, Asia, the Middle East, Africa. Of these 4998 were murdered in 2023 (taken from Open Doors, World Watch List, 2024).
Christians still turn the other cheek to insults and rejoice in their beliefs.
What does it mean to you, when you are asked what does it mean to be a Christian?
Please contact me if you wish to discus about this epistle. email: [email protected].
(Note: All information on this article was found online.) – Dan Prysunka
