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Sudsy wrote: Regarding our topic - 'fasting prior to baptism', what do you think this fasting as set down in the Didache and shown in the OP, accomplishes in relation to baptism ? Is the 'depth' of grace experienced by the baptized greater than it would be if they did not fast. Also, my guess is that early church fasting and it's reference in the Didache was always about food.

I don't have my library with me but I seem to remember abstention from marital relations as well. It could be my memory tricking me too. Abstaining from meats and treats is another practice, referencing Daniel 10: 2-3.

The idea in Catholic World behind the fastings and abstentions is that of a Biblical discipline to clear our mind to focus on our devotion to the Lord and to imitate His 40 days in the desert. YMMV.

MaxPC wrote:

Sudsy wrote: Regarding our topic - 'fasting prior to baptism', what do you think this fasting as set down in the Didache and shown in the OP, accomplishes in relation to baptism ? Is the 'depth' of grace experienced by the baptized greater than it would be if they did not fast. Also, my guess is that early church fasting and it's reference in the Didache was always about food.

I don't have my library with me but I seem to remember abstention from marital relations as well. It could be my memory tricking me too. Abstaining from meats and treats is another practice, referencing Daniel 10: 2-3.

The idea in Catholic World behind the fastings and abstentions is that of a Biblical discipline to clear our mind to focus on our devotion to the Lord and to imitate His 40 days in the desert. YMMV.

I don't think you need your library Max, the Church(es) got that from "Written" Scripture:

1 Corinthians 7New King James Version (NKJV)

Principles of Marriage
7 Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me:

It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Thank you, Valerie. I was at the farmers market with my grandchildren when I wrote that and my Didache Bible was back at the motorhome . I call it my "library" because it contains a wealth of study resources.

The grandchildren sold the rest of their pumpkins, all their fresh eggs and about a third of their cabbage heads. They learned what is popular in these venues and what isn't. Without more pumpkins and eggs they're not returning today so grandpa gets a day off.

1 Corinthians 7 does not mention fasting.

Let’s stop adding to scripture in order to suit doctrines of men.

Josh wrote:1 Corinthians 7 does not mention fasting.

Let’s stop adding to scripture in order to suit doctrines of men.

Read it again Josh, you missed it

NET:

“Do not deprive each other, except by mutual agreement for a specified time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then resume your relationship, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭7:5‬ ‭NET‬‬
http://bible.com/107/1co.7.5.net

ESV:

“Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭7:5‬ ‭ESV‬‬
http://bible.com/59/1co.7.5.esv

NASB:

“Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭7:5‬ ‭NASB‬‬
http://bible.com/100/1co.7.5.nasb

Prayer and fasting aren’t the same thing.

Josh wrote:NET:

“Do not deprive each other, except by mutual agreement for a specified time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then resume your relationship, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭7:5‬ ‭NET‬‬
http://bible.com/107/1co.7.5.net

ESV:

“Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭7:5‬ ‭ESV‬‬
http://bible.com/59/1co.7.5.esv

NASB:

“Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭7:5‬ ‭NASB‬‬
http://bible.com/100/1co.7.5.nasb

Prayer and fasting aren’t the same thing.

Interesting those translations omitted "fasting" from that passage, did they also omit "fasting" from Jesus words "prayer and fasting" from Matthew 17:21 & Mark 9:29? If I went by ESV's footnote on 1 Cor 11, that translation doesnt believe in headcovering for today- these translations

1 Corinthians 7:5King James Version (KJV)

5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

King James Version (KJV)

Hats Off wrote:1 Corinthians 7:5King James Version (KJV)

5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

King James Version (KJV)

I could look at this text in this way - do not defraud or deprive each other in marriage relationships unless you both agree to not expect this of each other for a period of time. When two have not agreed on sexual issues (which scripture strongly requires of us), satan loves to tempt us to commit sexual immorality and Jesus says this can be done in our minds. So, agreeing that neither of us will feel deprived of sex frees our minds from that issue and we can focus on fasting and prayer.

I, too, noticed various versions leave out fasting in this text - http://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/7-5.htm

That is how we would teach on this verse (although it does not happen very often.) We are too conservative (prude, cautious, whatever) to talk frankly about this in a church service where young and old, married and single, are all present. Some of the modern versions of the Bible are too different for me - I want something fairly traditional - so I would never compare all the different translations for wording.