The Didache
The Last Days
"Be careful with your own lives - Do not let your lamps be extinguished and Do not be unprepared, because you do not know when the Lord is coming. Gather together frequently, seeking the things that are good for your souls -because it does not matter how long you have believed if you are not perfect in the final season of time. Because there will be plenty of false prophets and corrupters in the final days and sheep will be turned into wolves and love will be turned into hate, because they will hate and betray one another as criminal behavior increases.
And then the one who deceives the world will appear as Son of God and will perform signs and wonders. And the earth will be delivered into his hands, and he will commit atrocities never seen before in the history of the world. Then the entire human creation will come into the fiery test, and many will be tripped up and be destroyed. Those who patiently endure in their faith will be saved from the curse itself. Then the signs of truth shall appear: The sign of the sky opening; The sign of the sound of a trumpet; and the sign of the resurrection of the dead. (Not everyone will be raised, but as it has been said: "The Lord will come and his saints with him.'' Then the world will see the Lord coming upon the clouds in the sky.''
The final chapter of the Didache is apocalyptic and encourages believers to remain vigilant and faithful before the return of the Messiah.
Key Themes:
1. Watchfulness:
"Be watchful over your life. Do not let your lamps be extinguished or your loins be ungirded.''
2. Time of Trial and Tribulation:
"For in the last days, false prophets and corrupters will multiply''
3. The Deceiver (False Messiah, Antichrist):
"Then shall appear the deceiver of the world as Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands.''
4. Faithful Endurance:
"Then all humankind shall come into the fire of trial, and many shall be caused to stumble.''
5. Return of the True Messiah:
"Then shall appear the sign of truth, and all the world shall see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven.''
Who Is the Deceiver of the World? This figure is the false Messiah. He poses as the Son of God. Performs false miracles and leads many astray. He is linked to end-time tribulation. And he will be ultimately defeated by the return of the true Messiah.
Compare with:
1. 2Thessalonians 2:3-4, "The man of lawlessness, who sets himself up in God's temple.''
2. Matthew 24:24, ''False messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs.''
3. Revelation 13, the beast who deceives with signs.
The Didache reflects early Messianic Jewish worldview, with strong parallels to Daniel 7 (Son of Man imagery). Ezekiel and Zechariah (tribulation before deliverance). And the Maccabean era apocalypticism (the rise of deceivers before redemption). It is consistent with the idea that the true Messiah ben David would come after a time of trial, false claimants, and spiritual testing, a view shared in both Jewish and early Christian apocalyptic thought.
Summary:
Didache 16 warns of a deceptive end-times figure, very much like the Antichrist. This deceiver pretends to be divine, works signs, misleads many. It echoes both the Net Testament and Jewish apocalyptic traditions. The faithful are called to vigilance, prayer, and Torah-faithfulness, awaiting the return of the true Messiah.
The false Messiah will be Anti-Torah or lawlessness. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 "the man of lawlessness (anti-Torah) is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god.''
The Greek word here for ''lawlessness'' is anomia, literally, ''without God's law.'' In a Jewish context, ''law'' = Torah. So ''lawlessness'' = against Torah.
Matthew 7:21-23, ''Depart from Me, you who work lawlessness (anomia)"
Yeshua (Jesus) warns that even those doing signs and wonders may be rejected, if they reject God's Torah. Many early followers of Yeshua understood the Antichrist/False Messiah as someone who would perform miracles yet reject God's commandments.
In Jewish expectation, the true Messiah son of David, upholds the Torah (see Isaiah 2:3). He will bring people back to God's commandments. He will judge with righteousness according to Torah. So, a false Messiah would, lead people away from Torah, change appointed times and laws (Daniel 7:25). Encourage lawlessness while appearing religious or even anointed. This sounds like the Jesus of modern-day Christianity.
Daniel 7:25, foreshadowing of the Anti-Torah Figure.
"He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people (Jews) and try to change the set times and the laws.''
Many interpret this as a prophecy about a blasphemous ruler (antichrist). The ''Set Times'' refers to God's calendar (Sabbath, festivals). ''Laws'' refers to Torah. This is why many Jewish believers saw the Antichrist not just as a political figure, but as someone who would abolish God's Torah, claim divine authority, and lead many astray. The Jesus of modern-day Christianity as abolish God's Torah.
The Didache warns of the deceiver who poses as the Son of God and misleads the world, but true believers cling to righteousness (Torah living).
1 John 3:4 states: "Everyone who sins breaks the law (Torah), sin is lawlessness.''
The early believers expected that the False Messiah would undermine Torah, distort the identity of Yeshua (Jesus), and appear powerful, but would lack the fruit of righteousness.
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