Published for the first time by Paul de Lagarde in the extant Syriac, this volume reproduces the editio princeps of the Didascalia Apostolorum. This important document, which purports to have been written by the apostles is a third-century pseudepigraphon. Readily comparable with the Apostolic Constitutions, the works largely overlap. Presenting a view of the Catholic doctrine as it was believed to have been held by the original apostles, the topics addressed include worship, doctrine, and Christian discipline. While not apostolic, the work retains its value as an early comparative source to the Constitutions. Although originally written in Greek, the Didascalia now is extant only in Syriac and partially in Latin. For the Syriac scholar wishing to engage a foundational document in the early history of the church, this publication represents an excellent starting point.

Paul Anton de Lagarde (born Paul Boetticher, 1827-1891) was a biblical scholar and student of ancient languages. Having studied at Berlin, Halle, London, and Paris, he had a wide exposure to international thought. He eventually taught at Göttingen. Despite his participation in the anti-Semitism of his day, he was a gifted student of Semitic languages. His voluminous linguistic works are still recognized for their insights into oriental languages. He made important contributions to the study of Syriac, Aramaic, Arabic, Hebrew, and Coptic, as well as Greek and Latin.