They had three forms of catechizing: domestic, conducted by the head of the family for the benefit of his children and servants; scholastic, by teachers in schools; and ecclesiastical by priests and Levites in the Temple and the synagogues. And after this instruction they were to initiate them into the Church, "baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (ibid.). Peter, "standing up with the eleven", declared to the Jews on Pentecost day, and proved to them from the Scriptures that Jesus, whom they had crucified, was "Lord and Christ". in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins." "And with very many other words did he testify and exhort them" (Acts 2).
Proselytes were carefully instructed before being admitted to become members of the Jewish faith. When they had been convinced of this truth, and had compunction in their heart for their crime, they asked, "What shall we do? We have here an abridgment of the first catechetical instruction given by the Apostles. John came from Jerusalem and "prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost"; and doubtless declared to them the doctrine of that Holy Spirit (ibid.).
Still, even this is not much more advanced than what we have seen above as taught by St.
Though it may apply to any subject-matter, it is commonly used for instruction in the elements of religion, especially preparation for initiation into Christianity.
The word and others of the same origin occur in St.
As he himself summed up the matter, he taught "publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and Gentiles penance towards God, and faith in [ (3) The materials for describing the catechetical teaching of the ages immediately succeeding the Apostles are scanty.
The books of the New Testament were available, and all that would be needed would be to supplement these.