Introductory Notes

Section XXV

Page 32 of 468

¹¹⁷⁴⁷ And in that day this thought presented itself to his disciples, and they said, which² haply should be the greatest among them.¹⁷⁴⁸¹⁷⁴⁹ And when they came to Capernaum, and entered into the house, Jesus said unto them, What were ye considering in the³ way among yourselves?¹⁷⁵⁰ And they were silent because they had considered that matter.

⁴¹⁷⁵¹ And when Simon went forth without, those that received two dirhams for the tribute came to Cephas, and said unto him, Doth your master not give his two⁵ dirhams? He said unto them, Yea.¹⁷⁵² And when Cephas entered the house, Jesus anticipated him, and said unto him, What thinkest thou, Simon? the kings of the earth, from whom do they receive custom and tribute? from their sons, or from⁶ [Arabic, p. 97] strangers?¹⁷⁵³ Simon said unto him, From strangers. Jesus said unto him, Children then are free. Simon said unto him, Yea. Jesus said unto him,⁷ Give thou also unto them, like the stranger.¹⁷⁵⁴ But, lest it trouble them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook; and the first fish that cometh up, open its mouth, and thou shalt find a stater: take therefore that, and give for me and thee.

⁸¹⁷⁵⁵ And in that hour came the disciples to Jesus, and said unto him, Who, thinkest⁹ thou, is greater in the kingdom of heaven?¹⁷⁵⁶ And Jesus knew the thought of their heart, and called a¹⁷⁵⁷ child, and set him in the midst, and took him in his arms, and¹⁰ said unto them,¹⁷⁵⁸ Verily I say unto you, If ye do not return, and become as children,¹¹ ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.¹⁷⁵⁹ Every one that shall receive in my name such as this child hath received me:¹⁷⁶⁰ and whosoever receiveth me receiveth¹² not me, but him that sent me.¹⁷⁶¹ And he who is little in your company,¹⁷⁶² the same¹³ shall be great.¹⁷⁶³ But whosoever shall injure one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a great millstone¹⁷⁶⁴ should be hanged about his neck, and he should be drowned in the depths of the sea.

¹⁴¹⁷⁶⁵ John answered and said, Our Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name;¹⁵ and we prevented him, because he followed not thee with us.¹⁷⁶⁶ Jesus said unto them, Prevent him not; for no man doeth powers in my name, and can hasten to speak evil [16, 17] of me.¹⁷⁶⁷ Every one who is not in opposition to you is with you.¹⁷⁶⁸ Woe unto the world [Arabic, p. 98] because of trials!¹⁷⁶⁹ but woe unto that man by whose hand the trials come!¹⁸¹⁷⁷⁰ If thy hand or thy foot injure thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee; for it is better for thee to enter into life being halt or maimed, and not that thou shouldest have two hands or two feet, and fall into the hell of fire that burneth¹⁷⁷¹ for ever; [19, 20]¹⁷⁷² where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched.¹⁷⁷³ And if thine eye seduce¹⁷⁷⁴²¹ thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee;¹⁷⁷⁵ for it is better for thee to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than that thou shouldest have two eyes, and fall into the [22, 23] fire of Gehenna;¹⁷⁷⁶ where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched.¹⁷⁷⁷ Every²⁴ one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.¹⁷⁷⁸ How good²⁵ is salt! but if the salt also be tasteless, wherewith shall it be salted?¹⁷⁷⁹ It is fit neither for the land nor for dung, but they cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him²⁶ hear.¹⁷⁸⁰ Have ye salt in yourselves, and be in peace one with another.

²⁷¹⁷⁸¹ And he arose from thence, and came to the borders of Judæa beyond Jordan: and there went unto him thither great multitudes, and he healed them; and he taught²⁸ them also, according to his custom.¹⁷⁸² And the Pharisees came unto him, tempting²⁹ him, and asking him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife?¹⁷⁸³ He said, What³⁰ did Moses command you?¹⁷⁸⁴ They said, Moses made it allowable for us, saying, Whosoever³¹ will, let him write a writing of divorcement, and put away his wife.¹⁷⁸⁵ Jesus answered and said unto them,¹⁷⁸⁶ Have ye not read, He that made them from the beginning³² made them male and female, and said,¹⁷⁸⁷ For this reason shall the man leave his father [Arabic, p. 99] and his mother, and cleave to his wife; and they both shall be one body?³³¹⁷⁸⁸ So then they are not twain, but one body; the thing, then, which God hath³⁴ joined together, let no man put asunder.¹⁷⁸⁹ And those Pharisees said unto him, Why did Moses consent¹⁷⁹⁰ that a man should give a writing of divorcement and put her away?³⁵¹⁷⁹¹ Jesus said unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts gave you leave³⁶ to divorce your wives; but in the beginning it was not so.¹⁷⁹² I say unto you, Whosoever putteth away¹⁷⁹³ his wife without fornication, and marrieth another, hath exposed³⁷ her to adultery.¹⁷⁹⁴ And his disciples, when he entered the house, asked him again³⁸ about that.¹⁷⁹⁵ And he said unto them, Every one who putteth away his wife, and³⁹ marrieth another, hath exposed her to adultery.¹⁷⁹⁶ And any woman that leaveth her husband, and becometh another's, hath committed adultery.¹⁷⁹⁷ And whosoever marrieth⁴⁰ her that is divorced hath committed adultery.¹⁷⁹⁸ And his disciples said unto him, If there be between the man and the woman such a case¹⁷⁹⁹ as this, it is not good for⁴¹ a man to marry.¹⁸⁰⁰ He said unto them, Not every man can endure this saying, except⁴² him to whom it is given.¹⁸⁰¹ There are eunuchs which from their mother's womb¹⁸⁰² were born so; and there are eunuchs which through men became eunuchs; and there are eunuchs which made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He that is able to be content, let him be content.

⁴³¹⁸⁰³ Then they brought to him children, that he should lay his hand upon them, and⁴⁴ pray: and his disciples were rebuking those that were bringing them.¹⁸⁰⁴ And Jesus saw, and it was distressing to him; and he said unto them, Suffer the children to [Arabic, p. 100] come unto me, and prevent them not; for those that are like these have⁴⁵ the kingdom of God.¹⁸⁰⁵ Verily I say unto you, Whosoever receiveth not the⁴⁶ kingdom of God as this child, shall not enter it.¹⁸⁰⁶ And he took them in his arms, and laid his hand upon them, and blessed them.

Notes

1
Parechein mikropsuchian, perhaps "causes you ill-feeling." The translation of Serapion's letter with this note is taken from Mr. Armitage Robinson's edition of the gospel.
1747
.
2
This translation is based on that which I published in The Gospel and Apocalypse of Peter: Two Lectures, etc. (Camb., 1892). It is now carefully revised in accordance with the photographic facsimile. A corrected Greek text will be found in Dr. Swete's edition (1893).
1748
Borg. ms. omits among them.
1749
.
3
Par[alem]phthenai is perhaps supported by paralabontes, .
1750
a.
4
I know no other instance of stauriskein.
1751
b.
5
cf. , where Syr. Pesch. reads: "They say, These bodies shall not remain on the cross, because the sabbath dawneth."
1752
.
6
The text here is corrupt: for epesanto I have provisionally read epesan te.
1753
.
7
For autos horas we must read autes horas (cf. Clem., Hom., xx., 16); aute is the equivalent in later Greek literature of ekeine, as in the modern tongue (cf. Lc. x. 7, 21, and xii. 12; || ekeine, Mt., Mc.)
1754
.
8
I have ventured to substitute meta, "together with" (cf. ), for kata, "down upon." Dr. Swete, however, keeps kata, and interprets it as "against," i.e., to guard the sepulchre against.
1755
.
9
The form of the question in the Greek suggests a negative answer.
1756
a; .
1757
Lit. one (Syriac idiom).
10
[cf. John passim.]
1758
.
11
[cf. .]
1759
.
1760
b.
12
[cf. ; .]
1761
c.
1762
In the present work this word frequently means synagogue.
13
[cf. .]
1763
.
1764
Lit. millstone of an ass.
14
[cf. ; .]
1765
.
15
[cf. .]
1766
.
1767
b.
1768
a, c.
1769
i.e., experiences that test one; or, seductions. The word is variously used.
18
See notes to § 7, 47, and § 52, 36, of the present translation.
1770
.
1771
Or, is kindled.
1772
.
1773
a.
1774
See note to § 25, 17.
21
Bibl. Or., i., 619.
1775
b.
1776
.
1777
.
24
See below, § 7, 47, note, and § 52, 36, note.
1778
a.
25
See below, § 28, 43, note.
1779
b; .
26
See below, foot-notes, passim.
1780
c.
27
The first leaf bears a more pretentious Latin inscription, quoted by Ciasca, p. vi.
1781
.
28
Can this be a misprint for 95?
1782
.
29
See below, 13.
1783
.
30
He does not state, in so many words, that the list is absolutely exhaustive.
1784
.
31
See, e.g., below, § 13, 42, note, and § 14, 43, note.
1785
a.
1786
.
32
See the valuable article of Guidi, "Le traduzioni degli Evangelii in arabo e in etiopico" (Atti della R. Accademia dei Lincei; Classe di Scienze Morali, Storiche e filologiche. Serie Quarta, 1888, Parte Prima—Memorie, pp. 5-38). Some of his results are briefly stated in Scrivener, A Plain Introd. to the Crit. of the N.T., 4th ed., ii., 162.
1787
.
33
cf.the foot-notes passim, e.g., § 13, 14, § 14, 24.
1788
.
34
See below, note to Subscription.
1789
.
1790
So the Arabic; but the Syriac versions follow the Greek, and consent is doubtless a (very easy, and, in view of the succeeding context, natural) clerical error for an original Arabic charge.
35
See a glaring case in § 52, 11.
1791
.
36
The references to the readings of the Diatessaron in Ibn-at-Tayyib's own commentary on the gospels (see next note) are remarkably impersonal for one who had made or was to make a translation of it.
1792
a.
1793
Or, leaveth.
37
A specially important part of the general question is this, What are the mutual relations of the following: (1) a supposed version of at least Matthew and John made from the Syriac by Ibn-at-Tayyib, mentioned by Ibn-al-Assal in the Preface to his scholarly recension of the gospels (ms. numbered Or. 3382 in Brit. Mus., folio 384b) and used by him in determining his text; (2) the gospel text interwoven with the commentary of Ibn-at-Tayyib on the gospels, a commentary which De Slane says the author wrote in Syriac and then translated into Arabic; (3) our present work. Of mss. testifying to No. 1 we have some dating from the time of Ibn-al-Assal himself; of No. 2 we have, in addition to others, an eleventh-century ms. in Paris, described by De Slane (catalogue No. 85) as being "un volume dépareillé du ms. original de l'ouvrage"; of No. 3 we have of course the Vatican and Borgian mss. What is the mutual relation of these texts; were any two of them identical? The Brit. Mus. ms. of the second has many points of contact with the third, but is dated 1805 a.d. Does the older Paris ms. stand more or less closely related? Did Ibn-at-Tayyib himself really translate any or all of these texts, or did he simply select or edit them? Space does not permit us to point out, far less to discuss, the various possibilities.
1794
.
38
The text is given below in full at its proper place.
1795
.
39
Prof. Gottheil, indeed, announced in 1892 in the Journal of Biblical Literature (vol. xi., pt. i., p. 71) that he had been privately informed of the existence of a complete copy of the Syriac Diatessaron. Unfortunately, however, as he has kindly informed me, he has reluctantly come to the conclusion that the ms. in question, which is not yet accessible, is "nothing more than the commentary of Ishodad" mentioned in the text. A similar rumor lately circulated probably originated simply in the pamphlet of Goussen mentioned in the next note. S. Bäumer, on the other hand, in his article, "Tatians Diatessaron, seine bisher. Lit. u. die Reconstruction des Textes nach einer neuentdeckten Handschrift" (Literarischer Handweiser, 1890, 153-169) which the present writer has not been able to see, perhaps refers simply to the Borgian ms.
1796
.
1797
b.
40
Attention was called to these by Profs. Isaac H. Hall and R. J. H. Gottheil (Journ. of Bibl. Lit., x., 153 ff.; xi., 68 ff.); then by Prof. J. R. Harris (Contemp. Rev., Aug., 1895, p. 271 ff., and, more fully, Fragments of the Com. of Ephr. Syr. on the Diatess., London, 1895) and by Goussen (Studia Theologica, fasc. i., Lips., 1895).
1798
.
1799
Lit. blame, a mistranslation (found also in the Brit. Mus. text of Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary) of the Syriac word, which is ambiguous (cf. even the Greek). For a somewhat similar case see § 50, 11, note.
41
Prof. Harris promises an edition of this commentary.
1800
.
42
Harris, Fragments, p. 14, where the Syriac text is quoted.
1801
.
1802
Lit. wombs.
43
Bib. Or., ii., 159 f. Most of them are repeated again by Bar Hebræus (d. 1286), although some confusion is produced by his interweaving some phrases from Eusebius of Cæsarea. (Bib. Or., i., 57 f., and a longer quotation in English in Contemp. Rev., Aug., 1895, p. 274 f.)
1803
a.
44
Lagarde's statement (Nachrichten von der Königl. Gesellsch. der Wiss., etc., zu Göttingen, 1891, No. 4, p. 153) that a ms. had been discovered, appears to have been unfounded. Prof. Rahlfs of Göttingen kindly tells me that he believes this is so.
1804
b; .
45
Migne, Patrol. græc., tom. lxxxiii., col. 369, 372.
1805
.
46
Published at Venice in 1836.
1806
.

Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 9, ed. Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson and A. Cleveland Coxe (1885–96). Public domain. Text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library.