We treat quantum chromodynamics (QCD) using a set of Dyson-Schwinger equations derived, in differential form, with the Bender-Milton-Savage technique. In this way, we are able to derive the low energy limit that assumes the form of a non-local Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model with all the parameters properly fixed by the QCD Lagrangian and the determination of the mass gap of the gluon sector.