Orthodoxy of course is dedicated to following the teaching of the Church Fathers. In the Didache and in the Epistle of Barnabas, one of the important teachings is the doctrine of "Two Ways". Here is an excerpt about it from the Epistle of Barnabas:
Another theme that comes up is the modern claim that in the New Testament that the Christians referred to their movement as "The Way" and used it for a title for their religious group. But I am not sure if those modern scholars are misreading the Bible verses and misinterpreting the phrase "the way", when in fact the phrase is just meant conversationally as the life path that Christians follow, like the good "Way" in the Two Ways doctrine.
For example, in Acts 24:14 (KJV), Paul tells Felix:
The ESV however translates the passage in Acts 24 to mean the latter:
But in Acts 18:24-25 (ESV), the "way" is used conversationally in the sense of the "way of the Lord": "Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord."
So when "the way" as a phrase shows up elsewhere in Acts, I think that it might be used as a conversational reference to Christians' teachings, and not used as a formal title:
Does this concept still come up as a significant concept in Orthodoxy, like in the writings of Church fathers, theologians, and sermons? Have you heard it used elsewhere before, or is it basically something that one just finds in a few 1st-early second century Christian writings like these? I ask because I don't remember the concept coming up elsewhere in those terms, but when I read the scholarly literature, the scholars present it as if the "Two Ways" idea was an important theme at one time.Chp. 18 THE TWO WAYS.
There are two ways of doctrine and authority, the one of light, and the other of darkness. But there is a great difference between these two ways. For over one are stationed the light-bringing angels of God, but over the other the angels' of Satan. And He indeed (i.e., God) is Lord for ever and ever, but he (i.e., Satan) is prince of the time of iniquity.
Another theme that comes up is the modern claim that in the New Testament that the Christians referred to their movement as "The Way" and used it for a title for their religious group. But I am not sure if those modern scholars are misreading the Bible verses and misinterpreting the phrase "the way", when in fact the phrase is just meant conversationally as the life path that Christians follow, like the good "Way" in the Two Ways doctrine.
For example, in Acts 24:14 (KJV), Paul tells Felix:
In other words, the pharisees called the Christians' ways heretical, not that they called the Christian community called "The Way" heretical.But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
The ESV however translates the passage in Acts 24 to mean the latter:
But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets,
But in Acts 18:24-25 (ESV), the "way" is used conversationally in the sense of the "way of the Lord": "Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord."
So when "the way" as a phrase shows up elsewhere in Acts, I think that it might be used as a conversational reference to Christians' teachings, and not used as a formal title:
Acts 9:2 (KJV): And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
Acts 19:9 (KJV): But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
Acts 19:23(KJV): And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.