The Instructions of Commodianus

Commodianus wrote around A.D. 240 and was likely a North-African bishop. Little else is known about him aside from this work here, The Instructions. In terms of style, this collection of writings, originally expressed in acrostics, falls somewhere between the books of James and Proverbs. Each paragraph addresses a different facet of life, faith, belief, or virtue. Unlike Tertullian, the work is not necessarily a coherent collection of arguments but rather a storehouse of wisdom, written from someone who had, in his words, “wandered for a long time.” 

And now, please enjoy this rendition of The Instructions of Commodianus.

If you would like to read more of the writings of the Early Christian Fathers, please visit ccel.org to view the full collection.