The Didache is widely considered an authoritative document on rules of the church. It is dated to the First Century.
In the newer renditions of the Didache they cut off the last verses of Chapter 10. However the Coptic version and other pre 11th Century versions of papyrus manuscripts these verses are still there. The Greek Oxyhrnchus Papyrus, dating from the 4th Century, the Coptic version from the 5th Century, the Greek Apostolic Constitutions as well as the Ethiopic all contain the prayer of the ointment(translated incense) within the Eucharist(Communion) service.
First Century altars used around the world by the church had fires used for all the offerings, especially the daily bread “free-will” offerings that always included the drink/wine offering. Today’s churches add boiling water to the communion wine, as the fervor, probably a remnant of this practice coming down from this tradition from the Apostles themselves. As St Paul referred to these liturgies signing his service with the Aramaic words “Maranatha” (1Cor 10-11) as do the others.
The Didache text reads
Chapter 10. Prayer after Communion. But after you are filled, give thanks this way:
We thank Thee, holy Father, for Thy holy name which You didst cause to tabernacle in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality, which You modest known to us through Jesus Thy Servant; to Thee be the glory for ever. Thou, Master almighty, didst create all things for Thy name’s sake; You gavest food and drink to men for enjoyment, that they might give thanks to Thee; but to us You didst freely give spiritual food and drink and life eternal through Thy Servant. Before all things we thank Thee that You are mighty; to Thee be the glory for ever. Remember, Lord, Thy Church, to deliver it from all evil and to make it perfect in Thy love, and gather it from the four winds, sanctified for Thy kingdom which Thou have prepared for it; for Thine is the power and the glory for ever. Let grace come, and let this world pass away. Hosanna to the God (Son) of David! If any one is holy, let him come; if any one is not so, let him repent. Maranatha. Amen.
But permit the prophets to make(offer) Thanksgiving(Eucharist) as much as they desire.
The Didache is also called the “Teaching of the Twelve Apostles.” It was possibly written around A.D. 65-80 and is supposed to be what the twelve apostles taught to the Gentiles concerning life and death, church order, fasting, baptism, prayer, etc. The work is cited by Eusebius who lived from 260-341 and Athanasius 293-373. It seems to be referenced by Origen who lived from 185-254. In the Didache, 16:2-3 is quoted in the Epistle of Barnabas in 4:9, or vice versa. The Epistle of Barnabas was written in A.D. 130-131. The Didache is a valuable early church document.
VERSE REMOVED FROM THE THE COMMUNION TEXT
These Chapters 9 and 10 from the Didache deal with how to do the communion concerning the bread and wine, and how to “do Thanks/Eucharist” in Christ’s fulfillment for each.
Note that at the time the temple of Jerusalem and at all Synagogue areas outside of Jerusalem “every morning the people brought their Eucharist to YAHWEH which was mostly bread, wine, and frankincense”, the portion of the offerings that would be partially kept and the rest given to the people to freely eat amongst themselves, as with the Lamb and other “free will” offerings of thanksgiving etc.
Within the concluding words of how to do the Eucharist is verse 8, which has been removed from most modern translation.
The verse is especially within the chapter at it’s key moment. So many editors and lukewarm Christians wish wasn’t in there and so they have strange unBiblical opinions about it perhaps belonging to another chapter altogether,
and so they removed it from the original and literal Didache, so as not to create confusion among their flocks.
However that’s where 3 times, in verse 7 and 8 say that this is how you do the Eucharist, “permit the Prophets to make the Eucharist as often as they desire”(verse 7).
Verse 10:8 in the Didache has been removed from many modern translations of it.
However the Coptic version and other pre 11th Century versions of papyrus manuscripts stil have it there(The Greek Oxyhrnchus Papyrus, dating from the 4th Century, the Coptic version from the 5th Century, the Greek Apostolic Constitutions as well as the Ethiopic).
This is word for word:
“but concerning the saying for the smoke/fragrance, do the Eucharist this way: we do Eucharist(give thanks) to you Father concerning the fragrance which you showed us, through Jesus your Son. Yours is the glory for ever!”
Note: This is in compliance with our Sarum Missal Liturgy concerning the incense.
In several modern versions of the Didache the incense at communion is missing. However modern translators of the Apostles’ Didascalia added subtitles to these two sections also, as follows:
A Mystical Thanksgiving(Eucharist). XXXV.
Be always thankful, as faithful and honest servants; and concerning the eucharistical thanksgiving say thus: We thank You, our Father, for that life which You have made known to us by Jesus Your Son, by whom You made all things, and takest care of the whole world; whom You have sent to become man for our salvation; whom You have permitted to suffer and to die; whom You have raised up, and been pleased to glorify, and hast set Him down on Your right hand; by whom You have promised us the resurrection of the dead. O Lord Almighty, everlasting God, gather together Your Church from the ends of the earth into Your kingdom, as this grain was once scattered, 110 and is now become one loaf. We also, our Father, thank You for the precious blood of Jesus Christ, which was shed for us and for His precious body, whereof we celebrate this representation, as Himself appointed us, to show forth His death. 1 Corinthians 11:26 For through Him glory is to be given to You for ever. Amen. Let no one eat of these things that is not initiated; but those only who have been baptized into the death of the Lord. But if any one that is not initiated conceal himself, and partake of the same, he eats eternal damnation; because, being not of the faith of Christ, he has partaken of such things as it is not lawful for him to partake of, to his own punishment. But if any one is a partaker through ignorance, instruct him quickly, and initiate him, that he may not go out and despise you.
A Thanksgiving at the Divine Participation. XXVI.
After the participation, give thanks(Eucharist) in this manner: We thank you, O God and Father of Jesus our Saviour, for Your holy name, which You have made to inhabit among us; and that knowledge, faith, love, and immortality which You have given us through Your Son Jesus. You, O Almighty Lord, the God of the universe, hast created the world, and the things that are therein, by Him; and hast planted a law in our souls, and beforehand prepared things for the convenience of men. O God of our holy and blameless fathers, Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, Your faithful servants; You, O God, who art powerful, faithful, and true, and without deceit in Your promises; who sent upon earth Jesus Your Christ to live with men, as a man, when He was God the Word, and man, to take away error by the roots: even now, through Him, be mindful of this Your holy Church, which You have purchased with the precious blood of Your Christ, and deliver it from all evil, and perfect it in Your love and Your truth, and gather us all together into Your kingdom which You have prepared. Let this Your kingdom come. Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed be He that comes in the name of the Lord — God the Lord, who was manifested to us in the flesh. If any one be holy, let him draw near; but if any one be not such, let him become such by repentance. Permit also to your presbyters to give thanks (most translations say permit them to give the Eucharist as often as they desire).
A Thanksgiving About the Mystical Ointment. XXVII.
Concerning the ointment give thanks(Eucharist) in this manner: We give You thanks, O God, the Creator of the whole world, both for the flagrancy(Archaic word for blazing, burning, or glowing.) of the ointment, and for the immortality which You have made known to us by Your Son Jesus. For Yours is the glory and the power for ever. Amen. Whosoever comes to you, and gives thanks in this manner, receive him as a disciple of Christ. But if he preach another doctrine, different from that which Christ by us has delivered to you, such a one you must not permit to give thanks; for such a one rather affronts God than glorifies Him.
(Note: the Greek word here for ointment is ευωδια which as in the Coptic version stinoufi does not mean “ointment” but means “good smell” or smoke of incense/wood/offering. Still it is understood by the English translation when they placed the words “flagrancy of the ointment”, flagrancy means blazing, burning or glowing.)
From the YAHSHUA COVENANT DAWN CHOIR, Culdees’ Orthodox Institutions of Offering Incense