WORSHIP IN THE SECOND AND THIRD CENTURIES

(Faith : Worship)
Early Church Worship, 敬拜的歷史, Apostolic Fathers,

WORSHIP IN THE SECOND AND THIRD CENTURIES
Worship during the second and third centuries continued to follow the course set by New Testament liturgical traditions. Consequently, the discussion of worship during this period centered on the significance of baptism and of the Eucharist. understood in its full content of the service of Word and of the Lord's table.
- Evidence in the "Apostolic Fathers" -
The works designated "Apostolic Fathers" also contain allusions to the Significance of baptism and Eucharist in the same period :IS that of the New Testament.
Of these. two are Italian in provenance. "The First Letter of Clement to the Corinthians" (1 Clement) is a formal letter from the Roman church, to be dated after the Domitian persecution at Rome in A.D. 96, supporting the authority of the leadership of the Corinthian church against certain detractors. The letter probably has the baptized in view when It speaks of the dunes of those who bear "the name" of Christ (58: 1-2). But it certainly has the eucharistic community in view when it elaborates the Pauline theme of the various functions of the members of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12: 12-31) with a complicated analogy between the responsibilities of the high priest, Levites, and people in offering the: sacrifices of the Old Covenant and the functions of the apostolically appointed leaders and members of the church (1 Clement 42-44). Moreover, the lyric blessing prayer for the unity of the church, with which the teller draws to a close (59:3-64: I), is a free adaptation of the structure of Jewish blessing prayers with which we may assume Clement " was familiar from eucbaristic use.
Closely related to I Clement, both in time :and place, are the apocalyptic visions of the Shepherd of Hermas, which exhort the leaders of the church oversight of the baptized (Visions IX, 7-10) and take baptism as the mandate for repentance cultivation of purity (Manddates III. 1-7) in seeming qualification of Hebrews 6: 1-8.
Of Asian provenance are the letters of Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, written to the churches he expected to visit on his way to martyrdom at the reign of the Emperor Trajan ( A.D. 117). In warning against "docetic" teaching of Proto Gnostic sort, which denies the incarnation Word, Ignatius asserts the importance of eucharistic gathering of the baptized with the elaborating Johannine themes (I john 5:6-12) to show its importance as exhibiting that "there is only one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ and one cup to unite us in his blood" (Epistle to the Philadelphians 4: Epistle to the Ephesians 13:1; Smyrneans 7:.1, etc.).
Also of Asian provenance is the Martyrdom of Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna ( A D. 156) himself numbered liturgically among the "Quartodecimans" who observed the Passover on the Jewish date 14 Nisan (see the discussion of Justin below). This work, which contains evidence of later elaboration of various sorts, nonetheless preserves a blessing prayer attributed to Polycarp at the I death (ch. 14), which may well reflect . eucharistic blessing prayer but is here giving thanks for his being worthy of asking that he be accepted as a "pleasing sacrifice." Like the blessing prayer of I Clement 59:3-64:1, it is evidence of the free Christian use of' Jewish blessing prayers.
------ The Didache--
Among other writings. "The Teac' Twelve Apostles" (Didache) was long unrecognized in an adapted version incorporated fourth-century Apostolic Constitutions known through the late nineteenth-century of an independent manuscript. This is an unusual second-century Greek compilation and editing of early Aramaic materials from Syria-Palestine (a minority view says Egypt) perhaps as early as the late first century. In us present second century form, Didache brings together moral instruction, the "two ways" document (1-6), directions "about baptism" (7) fasting and prayer (8), and "about the Eucharist" be said over wine and bread before the meal and a connected set of blessings to be said afterwards (9- 10) Directions follow covering the night of visiting prophets to give thanks and the need to appoint bishops and deacons (11-15), together with an exhortation to observe the Sunday Eucharist (14).
As second-century document, Didache follows an outline roughly similar to that found in Justin and Hippolytus. in which 2 pre-baptismal catechesis precedes a description of paschal baptism and Eucharist, and is followed b)' reference to the Sunday Eucharist and other matters. It is, for this reason. sometimes called an early "church order." The particular circumstances that impelled its to conform earlier materials to newly emerging norms of practice. however, are not clear,
As to these early materials, Interest naturally centers on the blessings to be said before and after meals, unquestionably Christian adaptations of the Jewish Sabbath and festival meal blessings. The order of wine and bread, and the lack of reference to the Last Supper "tradition," still cause some skepticism regarding them. But plain words of the text, as well as the paschal context in which they have been set in conjunction with baptism, make it likely that they are eucharistic blessings. and even that the connected series after the meal, Christian adaptations of the Jewish blessings over the final "cup of blessing." supply us with the long- needed clue as to the structure: of prayers into which the blessings over the eucharistic bread and wine were set together when ,: became normal to gather for the Eucharist apart from an actual meal.
-----Justin Martyr -----
From the mid-second century to the end of the period of persecutions, we have an increasing body of liturgical evidence in the form of actual descriptions of liturgical practices. As well as of other writings was liturgical implications. The former, Justin Martyr's First Apology and Hippolyrtus' Apostolic Tradition, require special attention, though at least a selection of the latter must be noticed.
Justin's First Apology; the work of a teacher of the Greek-speaking Roman church (d. A.D. 16,) is easily neglected where it is assumed that liturgical writings will be of the sort with which we are familiar. As a general explanation and defense of Christianity for a pagan readership, a concludes with a description of Christian meetings for baptism and Eucharist (61-67) designed to a1lay suspicion of ghastly secret ceremonies to which their private character gave. Consequently, the description seems incomplete from our perspective. Despite its generality. however, this description follows pre¬cisely the pattern. not of Justin's making, wherein details of paschal baptism and Eucharist ("how we dedicated ourselves to God when we were made new through Christ," 61) are followed by reference to the Sunday Eucharist ("on the day called of the sun, there is a meeting in one place," 67). Indeed. this pattern, roughly that already encountered in the present Didache, doubtless reflects the practice of the Roman church once the Passover had come to be celebrated on a Lord's Day following the Jewish feast, as was the case by the lime of the visit of Polycarp of Smyrna to Pope Anicetus in A.D. 155 (Eusebius, Ecalesiastical History IV, 14).
Moreover, Justin's description is by no means lacking in specific detail. The paschal description assumes pre-baptismal catechesis, fasting. and prayer before a threefold washing "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt.. 28: 19). after which the newly baptized join the Eucharist for common prayers and the kiss of peace (61, 65). The elaborate interpretation of this new birth and remission of sins, with the use of the term Illumination (Heb. 6:4) and exposition of the divine triad (62-64) is likely catechetical in origin.
Justin's appended description of the Eucharist (65), repeated briefly in his treatment o~ its weekly use (6,,). exhibits the sequence of "taking, blessing over, breaking (here omitted), and distribution" 2S it had evolved when detached from an actual meal, with a unified oral-formal blessing prayer and as¬senting Amen. His interpretation of the rite as a "memorial" commanded by Jesus ( 1 Cor. 11:23• 26), participation in the body and blood of Christ. and the pure sacrifice of the New Covenant (66, Dialogue with Trypho 41, 70, 117) likely reflects the themes expected to inform the blessing prayer, But the treatment of the Sunday Eucharist adds refer¬ence to preliminary readings from the Jewish Scrip¬tures and the "memoirs of the apostles," followed by 2 hourly, before the common prayers and kiss of peace, and thus provides our earnest evidence of such a Christian adaptation of the synagogue service in connection with the Sunday Eucharist.

------- Irenaeus -------
Unavoidable among theological " writers of liturgical significance is lrenaeus of Lyons (A.D. 190?), native of Asia Minor, correspondent of members of the Roman church, presbyter and bishop of the Greek-speaking community at Lyons. His "Detec¬tion and Refutation of Falsely So-called Knowledge" (Adversus Haereses, or Against Hresies) is at once a response to Valentinian Marcionite, and Gnostic teachings and a compendious presentation of Chris¬tian belief of far-reaching influence. His brief Dem¬onstration of Apostolic Preaching IS a catechetical digest of us main themes
Irenaeus' liturgical value is at once seen in his main contention that his opponents rely on a false interpretation (hypotbesis) of the Scriptures differ¬ent from the apostolic tradition (paradosis) commu¬nicated by the bishops at baptism (Agairut Heresies 1.8.1,9.1,). This tradition is "what we believe" about the one God and Father, the one Word incarnate in the flesh, and the Spirit which communicates new life in Christ to believers. Not only does Irenaeus refer here to the baptismal catechetical instruction with which he IS familiar and which would eventually take shape in baptismal confessions of faith (creeds), but his whole work is, in genre, an expanded form of such instruction
lrenaeus' treatments of baptism and Eucharist assemble and develop now traditional interpretations, particularly those of baptismal rebirth for the remission of sins and the gift of righteousness and incorruption and of the Eucharist 2S the prophecies' pure sacrifice of the I2st days the oblation commanded by the Lord , in which the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ after "the Invocation of God" . In his own view. the baptismal and eucharistic use of water, bread, and wine as means of participation in Christ show the goodness and usefulness of the physical creation in contrast to the: views of his opponents, who theoretically equate matter and evil, yet inconsistently con¬tinue the use of water, bread, and wine.

____ The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolyrtus _

It is hard to overestimate the importance of the identification (by E. Schwartz [l910):and R. H. Connolly [1916]) of a Coptic document, discovered 1848 and called "an Egyptian Church Order," Apostolic Tradition listed among the writ! Hippolyrtus of Rome (A.D.. 236).Now pieced together, on this basis. from a hitherto unidentified Latin manuscript, from Greek excerpts included the later fourth-century Apostolic Constitution. and from other sources, this work is now generally regarded as that of Hippolytus, an Irenaean theologian, presbyter of the Roman Church, opponent the bishops Zephyrinus ( 217) and Callistus (233), and schismatic bishop. As such. it purports to describe the proper conduct of the rites of man church in Hrppolytus' time. While still not a liturgical book, it is an invaluable discussion man liturgical practice.
The Apostolic Tradition follows the out ready familiar from Justin. Here, however, an extensive section on ordinations (2-1;) precedes paschal baptism and Eucharist and include tailed description of the Eucharist of the newly ordained bishop. In consequence, the paschal (16-23) treats baptism in detail, but adds or. notes on the Eucharist that follows it, while the Sunday Eucharist is omitted to the interest of a scattering of directions on other matters. including the continuation of communal meals whose non-eucharistic character is insisted on (25-26)
The Roman provenance of the Apostolic Tradition is evident from us broad structural sin to Justin, and us use in the paschal baptism rogations accompanying the three washings you believe .. ? I believe ... ") that employ of the language of the Roman baptismal confession later attested by the letter of Marcellus of Ancyra to Pope Julius I in A.D. 340 (Epiphanies. Panarion 72) and by Rufinus of Aquilera's early fifth-century Commentary on the Apostles' Creed.
An uncertain number of features of the Apostolic Tradition., however, may be Hlppolytus' own adaptations or proposals. His rigorist position restoration of apostates in persecution IS in the care with which he insists catechumens be selected (16), in his acceptance of the "baptism of blood" as an alternative to baptism in the water(19), and possibly in the dramatic positioning of the baptism interrogations. The careful description of the functions of bishop, presbyters, and in the ordination prayers (3. 8, 9) may : something to his own views, as may the unified language of his Episcopal Eucharistic prayer or anaphora (4), the theological stress on the indepen¬dent existence of the Word in Its opening thanks for the work of God, and in the appearance of an oblation of the "memorial" and invocation of the , Spirit following the "institution narrative," In this latter respect, its similarities with later Eastern Eucharistic prayers rather than the later Roman canon have often been noticed. But there is no reason why a Roman prayer should not have had parallels with contemporary Asian types (Martartyrdom oj Poly¬carp. 14), and we are not clear as to the limits of improvisation acceptable at the time.