The Didache holds the secret of how and why Jesus of Nazareth, a seemingly insignificant Galilean Jew executed as a Roman criminal, went on to attract and convert the world. Sure enough, the members of the Jesus movement regarded him as both "Son of God" and "Son of David" who had been sent by the Fathers to prepare the world for his coming kingdom. In fairness, however, such exalted claims were a commonplace within the religious flux of the Roman Empire (see, e.g., Crossan 1994:1-28) and, at first glance, barely caused a ripple in the day-to-day business of deciding which of the many religious systems was worthy of personal adherence. In truth, potential members assessed the movement not so much on the basis of claims made on behalf of Jesus who was absent, but on the basis of their experience of the way of life of members who were very much present to them. It is no surprise, therefore, that the entire system of the Didache displays little taste for negotiating, defining, and defending the exalted titles and functions of the Way of Life revealed to its authors by the Father through his servant Jesus. Converts came forward ready to assimilate that Way of Life as it was formulated and lived out by the tried and tested members of the movement.
- from pages 39-40, The Didache