Abstract:
Didache 1:4b – ἐὰν λάβῃ τίς ἀπὸ σοῦ τὸ σόν, μὴ ἀπαἱτει, οὐδὲ γὰρ δύνασαι [if anyone takes
something from you that is yours, do not ask it back, because you should not or would not be
able to] – is discussed in this article as problematic to the present mindset of the Nigerian
church, especially as frontal attacks and premeditated persecutions from rival religions daily
threaten to exterminate the Christian faith in Nigeria. This article argues that the Christians
in Nigeria unwittingly interpreted this first-century document and wrongly so because this
interpretation has metamorphosed into an ideology. The article suggests a sharp measure
against this ideology.
Contribution: The church in Nigeria is controlled in their attitude towards self-defense by the
text of Didache 1:4b. This article’s contribution is a reexamination of the text in comparison to
its parallel in the synoptic texts to assert that the synoptic texts, instead of Didache 1:4b, suggests
non-violent self-defense.
