Jacob of Sarug's Homily on the Ascension of Our Lord (Texts from Christian Late Antiquity, 24: The Metrical Homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug) [Facsimile ed.] 9781607241416, 2010008604, 1607241412

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JACOB OF SARUG’S HOMILY ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD

TEXTS FROM CHRISTIAN LATE ANTIQUITY 24 General Editor George A. Kiraz

The Metrical Homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug GENERAL EDITOR SEBASTIAN P. BROCK

MANAGING EDITOR GEORGE A. KIRAZ

FASCICLE 21

JACOB OF SARUG’S HOMILY ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD TRANSLATED WITH INTRODUCTION BY THOMAS KOLLAMPARAMPIL

GORGIAS PRESS 2010

First Gorgias Press Edition, 2010 Copyright © 2010 by Gorgias Press LLC All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise without the prior written permission of Gorgias Press LLC. Published in the United States of America by Gorgias Press LLC, New Jersey ISBN 978-1-60724-141-6 ISSN 1935-6846

GORGIAS PRESS 180 Centennial Ave., Suite 3, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA www.gorgiaspress.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Jacob, of Serug, 451-521. [Homily on the Ascension of our Lord. English & Syriac] Jacob of Sarug’s Homily on the Ascension of Our Lord / translated with introduction by Thomas Kollamparampil. -- 1st Gorgias Press ed. p. cm. -- (Texts from Christian late antiquity, ISSN 1935-6846 ; 24) (Metrical homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug ; fasc. 21) Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and indexes. 1. Jesus Christ--Ascension--Sermons. 2. Sermons, Syriac--Translations in to English. 3. Sermons, Syriac. I. Kollamparampil, Thomas. II. Title. BR65.J283H63513 2010 232.9’7--dc22 2010008604 The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standards. Printed in the United States of America

This publication was made possible with a generous grant from THE BARNABAS FUND and THE ATHANASIUS YESHU SAMUEL FUND

TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents....................................................................................................v List of Abbreviations ............................................................................................vii Introduction .............................................................................................................1 Outline..............................................................................................................1 Summary ..........................................................................................................3 Text and Translation...............................................................................................5 The Praise of the Living Harp and the Eloquent Strings ........................6 The Humility of the Unconfined and the Indestructible Word..............6 The Hidden and the Revealed Only-Begotten ........................................10 The Descent of the Son for Redemption.................................................12 The Embodied Saviour................................................................................14 The Road of the Slaughtered-One to His Father....................................18 The Perfection of the Road of Proclamation in Forty Days................20 The Mystery of the Ascension from the Mountain of Olives...............24 The Sons of the Mystery as Witnesses to the Whole Way of the Son .........................................................................................................24 The Abiding and Sustaining Presence of the Trinity..............................26 The Ascent of Christ, the Mediator, Reconciler and Redeemer ...........30 The Course of the Sun and the Course of the Sun of Righteousness .32 The Bride’s Vision of the Bridegroom’s Ascent in Glory ....................36 The Royal Bride Consoled by the Servants of the King ........................40 The Heavenly and the Earthly Joined in Peace .......................................42 The Son Received by the Legions on His Way .......................................44 The Ascension of the Son to Heaven .......................................................46 The Accord of Honour from the Legions to the Son on His Ascent .48 Mount Sinai and the Order of the Ascension of the Son ......................50 The Entrance of the Son into the Hidden Tabernacle...........................52 Bibliography of Works Cited...............................................................................61 (A) Syriac Authors ........................................................................................61 Jacob: ..............................................................................................................61 Ephrem: .........................................................................................................61 v

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD

Narsai:.............................................................................................................62 (B) Modern Literature..................................................................................62 Index of Names and Themes ..............................................................................63 Index of Biblical References ................................................................................65

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS CSCO ET MHMJS PO

Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium English translation Metrical Homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug Patrologia Orientalis

For short titles, see the Bibliography.

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INTRODUCTION INFORMATION ON THIS HOMILY Homily Title: On the Ascension of our Lord Source of Text: Homiliae selectae Mar-Jacobi Sarugensis edited by Paul Bedjan and Sebastian Brock (Paris-Leipzig 1905, 2nd ed. Piscataway: Gorgias Press, 2006), vol. 6, pp. 196–220. Lines: 487

OUTLINE By his introductory words Mar Jacob awakens all human beings, the living harps of eloquent strings, to their duty of praising the Only-Begotten. The Word is hidden as well as revealed. The Word is on the throne and in the womb of Mary, hidden with the Father but revealed to us on account of us. He is the Son of God and Son of Mary, from the Most High and from below. Hence, he is ineffable. None is able to investigate or search into the exalted Word (1–60). With the help of biblical and natural symbols Jacob of Sarug demonstrates the descent and ascent of our Redeemer who showed the way to the Father. The descent and ascent of the Son depict the Adam-Christ complementarity. The epiphany of the Son as the Sun of Righteousness was to expel all shadows of vanity and to show the way towards the Father to the world that went astray in the errors of idols. Although the Son had been smitten and had suffered in the process of bringing about restoration, he shone out with brilliance as he ascended. As the thorns were uprooted the earth rejoiced and heaven too rejoiced as he was returning to it. Both places were proud of the single Mediator and Reconciler. Error was condemned, Sheol fell down, death was bound and Adam was freed as well as the serpent bruised. With his nails he severed the bond of Eve; he received in his side the lance that had driven the household of Adam from Paradise. He restored and reconciled Adam who was in enmity with God. With his Cross

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he opened the door of the Garden, the bridal chamber, and brought in the expelled bridegrooms (61–126). During the forty days after the resurrection he depicted the image of the new world in the model of the birth of a male child. As an embryo becomes perfect in forty days, the Son perfected and confirmed his apostles and disciples, the organs and senses of the Good News, in order to lay hold of the whole world by proclamation. Then he led the sons of his mystery to the Mountain of Olives as if in a mystery to supply the oil for signing and giving them the sign of the Trinity for redemption. It was through the Trinity the world came into being and now the Father guards and the Son makes atonement and the Spirit sanctifies (127–224). The Sun of Righteousness descended in the month of Kanun (December/January) and ascended in the month of Haziran (June), as the descent and ascent of the natural sun. Thus he illumined the darkened well the sins of the world and choked all shadows. Unlike Elijah who ascended by the power of the Lord in a chariot, our Lord ascended by his own power (237–274). The Bride saw the glory of the Bridegroom, how the Slaughtered One clothed himself in power, how he subjugated death in its cave and was returning to his Father. As the truly beloved of the Bridegroom, the Bride, the Church, gathered at the mount and yearned to ascend with him. But she got the assurance that he would come again in his valiant power (275–330). At the Ascension of the Son the different legions of spiritual beings received him in turn, each within their own boundaries, giving him honour. Beyond all of them the Only-Begotten was exalted, where not even the minds have room to be raised up. To the holy of holies, to the awesome interior tabernacle, only the High Priest, the Son, has entered (351–412). Mount Sinai served as a type of the ascension of the Son. All orders remained in the valley of the heights, as he was ascending, like the Hebrews who gathered at Mount Sinai. The people, leaders of the people, the elders and priests were allowed to ascend Mount Sinai only to particular limits. Above them all, where there was the tabernacle of the Exalted One, Moses alone entered. Similarly to the Father our High Priest, the Only-Begotten, alone entered. The High Priest alone entered with his blood to reconcile humanity with his Father. He is the offering, the High Priest and the Libation too. By descending he visited us and by ascending he redeemed us (413–486).

INTRODUCTION

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SUMMARY The Praise of the Living Harp and the Eloquent Strings (1–12) The Humility of the Unconfirmed and the Indestructible Word (13–36) The Hidden and the Revealed Only-Begotten (37–60) The Descent of the Son for Redemption (61–76) The Embodied Saviour (77–110) The Road of the Slaughtered-One to His Father (111–126) The Perfection of the Road of Proclamation in Forty Days (127–160) The Mystery of the Ascension from the Mountain of Olives (161–172) The Sons of the Mystery as Witnesses to the Whole Way of the Son (173– 190) The Abiding and Sustaining Presence of the Trinity (191–224) The Ascent of Christ, the Mediator, Reconciler and Redeemer (225–236) The Course of the Sun and the Course of the Sun of Righteousness (237– 274) The Bride’s Vision of the Bridegroom’s Ascent in Glory (275–314) The Royal Bride Consoled by the Servants of the King (315–330) The Heavenly and the Earthly Joined in Peace (331–350) The Son Received by the Legions on His Way (351–368) The Ascension of the Son to Heaven (369–384) The Accord of Honour from the Legions to the Son on His Ascent (385– 412) Mount Sinai and the Order of the Ascension of the Son (413–434) The Entrance of the Son into the Hidden Tabernacle (435–487)

TEXT AND TRANSLATION

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD

THE PRAISE OF THE LIVING HARP AND THE ELOQUENT STRINGS O my harp,1 be awakened for the praise of the OnlyBegotten until death shall dissolve your eloquent strings. Give praise to the Son of God with an exalted voice for His praise He has appointed you;2 why are you idle from praise? Sing to God as long as you are alive because it is easy for you; you shall be reduced to silence, speak now, because it is fair for you. Be awakened, speak about the majesty of the Lord God, your Lord, before the sleep of death and the silence of Sheol will silence you. In the silent tomb there are neither those who praise nor those who speak. As long as you are here, evoke praise abundantly. My Lord, let me not be silent from your praise not even when I am dead for anyone who lives in you on account of you, shall not die.

John 5:24

THE HUMILITY OF THE UNCONFINED AND THE INDESTRUCTIBLE WORD Wakeful is your Word and the silence of Sheol will not make it sleep: Let it [your Word] be spoken through me so that the coming generations shall speak it. Exalted is your Word even above death, wherever it be,

1 Cf. Hom. 165 (Presentation; MHMJS [fasc. number?]), line 293 (Bedjan V, p. 461); Ephrem, HPar 8:8; HFid 25:2–4. 2 Giving praise is a duty, cf. Turgomo on Palm Sunday, 46 (ET in Kollamparampil, Festal Homilies, p. 277, with note 1); Ephrem, CNis 50:1–2; Ephrem’s view of Paradise as nourishment to faith, cf. S. P. Brock, The Luminous Eye, pp. 78–79.

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ň ŏ ň Ō ň ł IJƢƍƃ Ņ ň ƢƀƕŁŁĥ Ņ Ņ Ō Ō ĬƦŶŴũƣŁ :ťſűƀŷſĪ ƈƕ Ņ Ņ Ņ łò ò ł ň Ņ ł ň ň Ņ ł ĖŦƦíƇíƇƉ ŦŁŴƉ ŧƢƤƌ Ƨűƕ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ƅƀƍƊíƆ Ņ Ņ ł ŏ ųƆň ħĬł Ņ : ťƉĿ ƨƠŨ Ŧųƭ ƢũíƆ ťŷŨŴƣ Ņ ŏ ň ň ł Ō ŏ ƅƊƏ Ņ Ņ ųŷŨŴƤíƆ ň ŏ ƎƉ Ʀƌĥô ƈƀźŨł ķŴƉ ĖŦƦŶŴũƣŁ ł Ņ Ņ ł ƢƉĮł Ō ł Ʀƌĥô ƋƀƟ Ņ ł űƕł ŦųíƆƧ :ƅƆŅ ĭĬô ŏ ơƀƤƘĪ ň ň ň ł ƅƆŅ ƻĥŌ ƨƣŁ Ō ł ťƣĬ Ņ Ņ džƉ ĖƅƆŅ ĭĬô ŏ ƢƀƙƣĪ ň ŏł ł ň ł Ō ň Ņ Ņ ťſƢƉĪ Ņ Ņ ĬŁŴŨĿ :ĴƢƉ Ņ ł Ņ ł ƈƕł ň džƉň ł ƢƀƕŁŁĥ Ņ ň ŏ ł ĖĵŴƀƣĪň ťƟƦƣĭ ŦŁŴƉ Ʀƍƣ ƅƀƇƣŁ Ƨűƕ ňò Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ł Ņ ł Ņ łò ƧĭŅ ťƍŷũƤƉ :ƨíƇƉ Ƨł ťƀíƇƣ ŌŅ Ō ł Ņ ŏ ł Ņ ŧƢũƠŨ Ō ĖƻĥƢſƦƕ ťŷŨŴƣ ƗſĮĥ Ʀƌĥ ťƃĿĬŅ űƕł Ņ Ņ ŏ ň ň ň Ō Ņ Ņ ôň ň Ņ Ƨ ŁƼƉĪ ťƉ Ƨĭ ƨƣĥ IJƢƉ :ĴƦŶŴũƣŁŅ ƎƉ ň ł Ņ ŏ ň ƅŨŅ ƁŶĪ Ņ ŁŤƉŅ Ƣƀūň ƧŅ ł ťƍſĥ ĖĴƦíƇźƉ Ņ ň Ņ Ō ň ł ƧĭŅ ĴƦíƇƉ ŏ ł ųƟƦƣ ñ Ņ ň ųíƆ ñ ň Ņ ƅƉűƉ :ĵŴƀƣĪ IJĬô ŧƢƀƕ ł ł ň Ņ ŏ ł ł ƁŨŌ džƉŁŁ Ņ ŧǓĪň Ņ ųƌŴƇíƇƊƌĪ ñ ĖƎſŁĥĪ ň Ō Ņ ł Ņ ł ň Ņ Ņ ň ñ ťƄſĥ ŦŁŴƉ ƎƉ Ļĥ ĴƦíƇƉ IJĬô ťƉĿŅ Ņ :ųſƻĥĪ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD because it is alive with you and the depths of Sheol do not confine it. Your Word, O Lord, is not confined, subject to destruction, for it resembles you because regions do not confine you. You remained upon the throne but the womb of Mary was filled by you. In heaven is your dwelling but on earth is your birth. A womb contained you, a manger carried you, knees lifted you up; Heaven is your throne; a cave your bridal chamber, the earth your span. Sea is the hollow of your hand, the firmament your sign, O Son of God! Your power is everywhere but your glory is wrapped in swaddling clothes! Heaven is small, a virgin carries and gives you milk. The Seraph is veiled, but Joseph is unveiled and embraces you. You are hidden together with your Father but you are revealed with us on account of us.3 For the watchers there is your fire, but for humanity your humility. The sound of your blessings is in the motion of the eloquent wheels and the sound of your lullabies is from the lips of a solitary woman. Clouds are your sign, and for your mouth are drops of milk; on a bosom you are carried and upon the chariot you are carried about. Above is the Mighty One at whom the armies (of angels) tremble, below is the Humble One mingled with the poor everyday.

Ezek 1:26; Isa 6:1

Isa 40:12

Isa 6:2ff

Ezek l:15ff

3 Cf. Hom. 49 (Transfiguration; MHMJS 8), lines 27–30 (Bedjan II, pp. 348–9); Hom. 18 (Palm Sunday; MHMJS 3), lines 35–38 (Bedjan I, pp. 446–7).

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Ņł ŏ ł ųƀƠƉŴƕ Ō ŶŅ ƧĭŅ IJĬô ťƀŶ Ņ ł ƅƊƕĪ ñ ň ò ŏ ųíƆ ñ Ņ ƎƀƤũ ĖĵŴƀƣĪ Ņ ł Ņ ň ł Ņ ĴƦíƇƉ Ņ Ņ ƼŶŁ Ņ ł ň Ƨ ķƢƉ ň ťƤũŶƦƉ :ljűŨĥ Ņ Ņł ł Ņ Ō Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ ň Ņ ĖŦŁĭǓŁĥ ƅƆ ƎƀƤũŶ ƧĪ ťƀƉĪ Ƣƀū ƅƆ ň ł ň ťƀíƇƉĭ ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ťƀƏĿŴƃ Ņ ŏ ƈƕł ƻƢƣ ł ñ :ƋſƢƉĪ ųƏƢƃ Ņ ŏ Ō ƅƍƉ Ņ ŏ ťƉĭƢŨ Ņ ł ł ł ĴƢƉŴƕ ĖĴŁĭűƀƇſŌ ťƠŅ ƉŴƕŏ ŴŬŨĭ ŅŅ Ņ ł Ņ ò ł ťƃǓŴŨ ň ŏ ƅƍƖŹ Ņ ł ťſĿĭĥ Ņ ŏ ĴŁƢƕ :Ņ ƅƇƠƣ ťƏƢƃ ł Ņ ŏ Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ł Ņ Ņ ł ĖĴŁĿĮ ťƕĿĥ ƅƌŴƍū ŦŁƢƖƉ ƅƀƏĿŴƃ ťƀƊƣ Ņ ŏ ťƊſ Ņ Ō ƅƇƕŴƣ Ņ Ņ ł ƢŨł ĴŵƉĿ Ņł Ņ ň ťƖƀƟĿ :Ŧųƭ ň ŏł ł Ņ ł ŏ ŏ Ō ŧǓĭĿŵƖŨĭ Ņ Ņ Ō ƅſƢƃ ĖĴƢƠſĥ ŏ ƅƇƀŶŅ ĴĭűíǀŨ Ņ Ō Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ ł Ņ ł :ťũíƇŶ ťŨųſĭ ťƍƀƖŹ ŦƦíƆĭƦŨ ťſĿŴƕĮŏ ťƀƊƣ ň ł ł ťƘŅ ƢƏ Ņ ň ł ł ƚƏŴſ ň ł ƨūĭł ƁƙŷƉ ĖƅƆŅ ŪũŷƉĭ ł Ņŏ ň łł ň ł ĴŴŨĥŏ ł Ƌƕł ƼƐƃ ň :ķƦíƇźƉ ƎƊƕ ƼƇūĭ Ņ ŏ Ō ł Ņ Ņò ł ł Ņ ŏ ŧǔƀƖíƆ ň Ō ĖĴŁŴƄƀƄƉ ťƤƍƀƍũƆĭ ĴĿŴƌ Ņ Ņ Ņ łò ň ò Ō Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ŏ :ŦƦíƇíƇƉ ƈƟŅ ƨŬƀūĪ ťƕĭŵŨ ĴǁǓŴŨ Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ł ł Ņò ň ň Ņ ŏ Ņ ñ ĖŦƻŵŬƉĪ ĬŁŴƙƏ ƎƉ ĴŁǓĽŴƌ ƈƟĭ Ņ Ņ ò ŏ ň Ņ ň ňò Ņ Ņ ŏ ťũíƇ Ņ ŶĪ ł ŦƦƙŹŴƌ : ƅƉŴƘ ťƍƍƕ ł łł ň Ņ ł ł ł űſĽĭ ĴŵƉĿ ł Ō Ņ ł ĖƦƌĥô ŸſĪŵƉ ŦƦũƃƢƉ Ʀƌĥô Ō ƈƀƠƣ ťſűŷŨ Ņ Ņ ł ò ł ƈƕĭ Ņ ň ł ň ň Ņ Ō ƈƖíƆ :ŦŁŴíƇƀŶ ųƍƉ ƎſŁĥĿĪ Ŧŵſŵƕ ł Ō Ņ Ō ł ƦŶƦíƆ ň Ō ò ň Ƌƕł ĶŴƀíƿ ŏ ŏ ŻƀƇŶĪł ťƄƀƄƉ ĖťƍƄƐƉ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD In heaven awesome, on the earth beloved and who is equal to you? You are hidden as well as revealed; how can anyone be competent to speak [of you]? THE HIDDEN AND THE REVEALED ONLYBEGOTTEN The eloquent were in an uproar, the Scribes disputed over you; ‘the wise’ were defeated; The fishermen conquered and the untaught became brilliant in your proclamation. You are the Son of God, you are the Son of Man and you are Son of Mary You are the Son of the Most High and among the beings below you are incomprehensible. You came from the height, shone out from the depth, you came from the Father. You acquired for yourself a mother, you became a babe, and who can investigate you? Hidden is your fire, revealed is your appearance, exalted is your revelation. Let mouths tremble and not dare to investigate you. The mouth is abundantly empowered for the praise of you; and it is not easy to search into you, how you are, the Son of the Lord of all. Who shall dare to overthrow the fire of burning coals? Who will lay hold of the drops of rain to reckon them? Who is able to leap across the Sea, to leap over the dry land, To explore the depth or to set about for the measurement of the height? Who is capable to set his path upon the cloud and to walk on it unto the limit of the Only-Begotten? Who has laid hold of fire in his hands, the wind in the palm of his hands, and by his fingers seizes the breezes to set them in order? Who is the one who knows how to bind fast water within a veil

Isa 6:6–8

Prov 30:4

Prov 30:4

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Ņ Ō Ņ ł ň ł ƎƉĭ Ņ ŏ ƨƀŶĪ ł ťƊƀŶĿ Ņ Ō ťƠƉŴƖŨ ťƉĭƢŨ :ƅƆŅ ťƘŴƉ ň ň ň ł ŏ ň ł ł ł ł Ņ ł ĖdžƊƉĪ ĭĬ ơƙƏ ƎƄſĥĭ ƼƇūĭ ĭĬ ƼƐƃ ô ň Ņ łò Ņ ň Ņ ĴŴƣĿĪ ň ò Ō ł ŴũŶŅ ŧǔƙƏ ŏ ł ƨíƇƉ :ťƊƀƄŶ Ņ ŏ ŏ Ņ ň ò ŏ ň ł ŴŨĿ ňò Ņ ł ŴƃĮł ťŹŴſĪĬ ŴŶƞƌ ŧűſĽ ł ł ĖĴŁĭĮĭƢƄŨ ł Ņ Ņ ł ƢŨł Ņ Ņ ô ƢŨł Ʀƌĥô Ŧųƭ :Ʀƌĥô ƋſƢƉł ƢŨł Ņ Ʀƌĥô Ņ ťƤƌĥ ł ł ň Ƨĭ ťſƦŶŁ ň Ʀƌĥô ťƀíƇƕ ň ò ł ƎƉĭ Ņ Ņ ň ƢŨł ĖǁĿĪƦƉ ł Ņ ŏ ň ł Ņ ł ƎƉň ƦƆĪŅ :ťŨĥŅ ƎƉň ƻŁĥô ťƠƉŴƕ ƎƉ ƦŷƌĪł ťƉĭĿ ł ŧĪŴƇſ ł ťƉĥŅ ň ƅƆŅ ƼƍƟ ł ň Ņ ƎƉĭ Ņ ŏ ł ƻĭĬ ĖƅƆŅ ŦƞŨ Ņ Ņ ŏ ťƀƐƃ Ņ Ņ ň ĶĿŅ ĴŁŵŶ Ņ ťƀíƇū Ņ ł ĴĿŴƌ Ņ ł :ƅƍƀíƇū ŏ ŏ ň ò ŏ ķŴƕĭŵƌ ŏ ł ň ƧĭŅ ťƉŴƘ Ņ Ņ ŏ űſĽň ķŴŨƢƟƦƌ ĖƅũƟŴƕ ŌŅ Ō ł Ņ ŏ ň Ōł ł ťƉŴƘ Ņ ŏ ŻƀƇƣ ƈƕ :ƻĥƢſƦƕ ĴƦŶŴũƣŁ ł Ō ł ł ň ň Ō Ņ ň Ņ ƢŨł ƅſƻĥ ƎƄſĥĪ ƅſƞũƌ ơƀƤƘ Ƨĭ Ėƈƃŏ ŧƢƉ Ņ ł ŏ įƢƊƉ Ņ ł ł ł ŴƍƉ ŏ ł ŏ ŏ ł :ŴƄƘųƊƆ ŧĿŴƌ IJǔƉŴū ŏ ł ò ƅũíƆ Ņ ň ƁƘŴŹ ň Ņ ŴƍƉ ŏ Ņ ł ł ŧƢźƉ ŏ ł ĖŴũƤŷƊƆ ł ň ŴƍƉ ł ň ťƊſ Ņ ł ŸƄƤƉ ŏ ł ł ň ťƤũſ Ņ ł ĿŴƤƊíƆ :ƗƐƙƊíƆ ň ŏ ł ł ł ň Ņ ŏ ŏ ň ťƉĭĿĪ Ņ ł ĬƦŶŴƤƊƆ ĖĴŴũƐƌ ĭĥŏ ƥŬƊíƆ ťƠƉŴƕ Ņň ł ň Ņ ŴƍƉ ň ł ơƙƏ ŏ ł ň ťƉƢƌĪ :ƨƘƢƕ ƈƕł ųŶĿĭĥ ň ł ł ň Ņ ťƉűƕ Ņ ł ųŨ Ņ Ņ Ō Ō ųƄƐíƆ ñ Ņ ƅƆųƌĭ ĖťſűƀŷſĪ Ņ ŏ ƅũíƆ ň Ņ ŴƍƉ ŏ ł ł ò ŏ ťŶĭĿ ł ò Ō ŧĿŴƌ Ņ ŏ IJĬĭűſŤŨ :IJĬŴƍƘŴŷŨ ňŏ Ņ ň łň Ņòň ł ň ò ł űŶĥ ň ĬƦƖŨƞŨĭ ĖķŴƌĥ ƑƄźƌ ťũƤƉ Ņò ł ĿĭƞƌĪ Ņ ň ŏ ŴŬŨ ŏ ł ŏ ň ĺűſł Ņ ŴƍƉ ł ťƀƉ :ťƙƣŴƣ

11 35

40

45

50

55

12

ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD and to enclose and to contain the light of the Sun in his arms? Who shows the path of a ship between the waves and over the air the way of the eagle as well as its steps? Who is indeed foolish enough to investigate the way of the Only-Begotten? because not even the lightnings of flame approach Him.

60

THE DESCENT OF THE SON FOR REDEMPTION He manifested His epiphany in the whole world as the day and the whole creation was enlightened by Him so as to sing praises. He came out as the Sun of Righteousness upon the regions; and expelled from them all shadows of vanity. In His going forth He showed the way to the world that had gone astray in the error of idols, and He drew it [the world] to come to His Father.4 He became a great Nisan5 that is full of glory for the earth, and as blossoms, He set forth healings for the afflicted. He descended as rain and the dead quivered like plants and they rose up on the earth with great trembling from their graves. He walked and came upon the road of the serpent, which [the road] was bitter

65

70

Wis 5:10 Wis 5:11

Cf. Ps. 72:6

Cf. Ephrem, HFid 62:3 (Christ, the way to the Father). The month Nisan (corresponds to the month of April) is a symbol of Christ, the Saviour. It is in the month of Nisan after the winter (which is the sign of death, captivity and the lack of fruits) the whole creation rejoices with flowers and fruits, which signify the new life and salvation in the resurrection of Christ; cf. Ephrem, HRes 3, 4, 5; Crucif 1:2; 7: 1–3; Azym 18; HEcc 51:8. Cf. Ephrem’s commentary on Exodus 12:2–3; S. P. Brock, The Luminous Eye, p. 109. 4 5

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Ņ ŏ ŏ Ņ ł ł ŀŴũŷƌ ŏ ň ň ň ťƤƊƣĪ Ņ ň ŧĿĬŴƌĭ ĖŴƄƀƐƊƆ ň łò Ņ ł Ņ ųƙƍƄŨ ň ł ŴƍƉ ŏ ł ñ Ņ Ō ŦŴŷƉ :ƨíƇū ň ƦƍƀŨ ťƙƭĪň ųíƇƀũƣ ò ł ŧƢƤƌĪ Ņ ň ųŶĿĭĥ Ņ Ņ ƙŨĭ ň ŏ Ŀĥĥł Ņ ƈƕł ĭĥł ĖĬƦƖƐ ŏ ł Ņ ŴƍƉ ň ň Ɓƃł ťƍƣ Ņ Ņ Ō Ō ųŶĿĭĥ ň ŏ ŦƞũƌĪ :ťſűƀŷſĪ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ō ň ł ň ł ň ƎƀƖƐƘ Ō Ņ ƧĪŅ ĖŦƼŨųíƇƣĪ ťƟǔŨ ƨƘĥ ųƆ ň ŏ Ņ Ņ Ōł Ņ Ņ Ō ƅſĥł ųƿ ň ň IJŴŶ ťƊíƇƖŨ ųŷƌĪ :ťƊƊſĥ Ņ Ņ ł ň Ō ųíƿ ň ň ŁĿųƌĭ ŏ Ņ ł ł ŦƻƢŨ ñ ŏ ųƍƉ ĖŴŷũƤƊƆ Ņ ł Ņ Ņò ň ł ł ŦŁŴƠſĪĮĪ ŏ Ō ł ťƤƊƣ Ņ ň ƅſĥ ơƙƌ :ŦƼƍƘ Ņ ŏ ƈƕ Ō ł Ǝƀò íƇíǑ Ō Ņ ň ƈƃŏ ƎſųƍƉ ł ł ň ň ĪƢŹĭ ĖŦŁŴƠſƢƏĪ ň ł IJŴŶ Ņ ł ťƊíƇƖíƆ Ōł Ņ ô ťƖŹĪ Ņ Ņ ťŶĿĭĥ Ņ ŏ ųƠƙƊŨ :ųƆň ŦĭĬ ň ł ň ò ł ťƣĭƦŨ ň ŏ Ņ űſĽň ŦŁŤƌĪŌ ĬűŬƌĭ Ņ ň ł ťƊíƆĽĪ ĖĬĪŴƇſ ň ł ň ŏ ƨƉĪł ťŨĿ Ņ ųíƆ Ņ Ņ ł ƎƐƀƌ Ņ Ō ťƕĿƧ ñ Ņ ŦĭĬ :ŧǔƘŴƣ ň Ņ ò Ņ ł ƅſĥĭł ň Ņ ò ŏ ĿűƏ ò ł ł ł ťƍƊíƆŴŶ ł ťũŨĬ ĖťƀŷƊƊƆ ł ň ň Ņ ň ƅſĥ ŦƼƉ ł ł ŧƢźƉ Ņ ň ƅſĥł Ʀŷƌ ò Ō ĭƦƘĿĭ ň :ŧǔƠƕ ł ł ł ň Ņ Ņ ł ň ŏ Ņ ł ťƕĿƧ ŴƠƇƏĭł ĖķĭųſǔũƟ ƎƉ ťŨĿ ťƕĭŵŨ Ņ ň ň ł Ņ Ō ł ťſŴŶĪ Ņ ô ŧƢſƢƉĪ Ņ ň ųŶĿĭŤŨ ň ŏ ŦŁĥĭ :ŁĭĬ ƅƆĬ

13

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD and poured out and filled it with sweet honey by His steps. He entered through the ear,6 came out from the womb and became a babe and with the basilisk He played, as it is written. He stretched out His hand to the hole of the asp, the corrupter, and effected the return of Adam who had been bitten and was worn out there. THE EMBODIED SAVIOUR He became embodied that He might become capable of suffering and He carried away the iniquity of the world by the sufferings of His crucifixion. He brought freedom for the race of slaves that was enslaved and He made them ascend until they became sons of His Father. He went out as a Physician to the wounds (inflicted) by the accuser and He drove away the sickness from humanity by (His) healing. He healed the sick, He cured diseases, He cleansed the lepers. He opened (the eyes of) the blind, made the bent straight, made the deaf hear. He called the sinners, made the publicans righteous and brought in those driven out. He gathered the scattered, purified the defiled and vivified the dead.7 He walked on the earth and sprinkled mercy and filled (it) with hope

Isa 11:8 Isa 11:8

Cf. Matt 11:4– 6.

Gen 3:23

6 Syriac tradition speaks of the Word entering through the ear of Mary. This is in sharp contrast with Eve’s hearing of the serpent, the consequences of which were undone by the wise hearing of Mary; cf. Ephrem, HEcc 49:7. 7 Another manuscript has: “those gone astray have returned because He made the publicans righteous; those far away have come, the darkened ones were illumined and the dead became alive.”

¾Ùãý߃ û⃠ÌùßÍè áîƒ Àûâ½Ćâ

ň Ņ Ņ ò ł Ņ ł Ņ ň Ņ ł ł ł ñ ĖĬƦƖƐƙŨ ťƀíƇŶ ťƤŨĪ ųíƇƉĭ ƅƐƌĭ ł ŏ ł ň Ņ Ņ Ņ ň ƎƉň ƈƕł Ņ:ŧĪŴƇſł ŦĭĬ ťƏƢƃ ƎƉ ơƙƌ ljĪĥ Ō Ō ň ťƍƉƢŷŨĭ ł ł ƎſĪň ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ƁƕƦƣĥ Ņ Ņ ł ł ĖŪſǁĪł ƎƄſĥ Ņ Ō Ņ ł ň ň ŧĿŴŷíƆ Ņ ŏ Ĭűſĥ ň ł ň Ō Żƣĭĥ :ŦƼƍíƇũŷƉ ƑƙƏĥĪ ň ł Ņ ň ł ł ł ĶĪƧŅ Ņ ųƄƘĬĥĭ Ņ ł ƨŨĭ ł ĖƎƉŁ ŦĭĬô ǂƍƉĪ ňò ł ťƍíƇũƠƉĪ ň ň ťƤŶĪ Ņ ô ƋƤūŁĥ Ņ Ņ ł ł ŦĭĬ ł ł ň :ňŦĭųƌ ňò ł ťƊíƇƕĪ ŏ Ō ł ťƤŷŨ ň ł ƈƠƣĭ ł ł Ņ Ņ ųƆŴƕ ĖĬŁŴƙƀƟĮĪ ň ŏ Ō ł Ņ ô űũƖƤƉĪ ł ł ł ŧűũƕĪ Ņ ň ŧǓĭƢŶ ň ò ł ťƐƍŬíƆ :ŦĭĬ ł Ņò ł ň IJƻĥ ň ň ł ŏ ŏ Ņ ŏ ł ơƏĥĭ ĖIJĬŴŨƧ ťƀƍŨň ķĭĭųƌĪ ťƉűƕ ķŴƌĥ Ņ ł ł ťƀƏĥ Ņò ł Ņ ƅſĥ ơƙƌł Ņ ł ň Ņ ĬŁŴŷƉ :ŦĽƢƠíƿĥĪ Ņ ŏ Ņ ň Ņ Ņ ƈƕ ł ťƍƊíƆŴŷŨĭ Ņ Ņ ŏ ł ĖŦŁŴƤƌĥô ƎƉ ljĬĿŴƃŏ ĪƢŹ ňò Ō ň ł ň Ō ň ł ƁƃĪŌ ł ťŨŤƃ Ōł :ťŨǔū ƋƇŶĥ Ŧųſǔƃ ƁƏĥ ł Ņò ł ł įƦƘ ň ò Ō ł ŻƤƘ ł ł ťƙƀƙƄƆ ł ťƀƊƐƆ ň ò ŏ ƗƊƣĥ ĖťūĭĪ Ō ł ň ò Ņ ň ł ňò Ņ ł Ņ ň Ō IJƻĥ :ŧűſǔŹ ťƐƄƉ ľĪĮ ťƀźŷíƆ ŧƢƟ ň ň ò Ō Ō ł ò ł ň ł ł ł Ō ł ŧǓűũƊƆ ĖŦƼƉ ƁŶĥĭ ŦŤƊźíƆ ƁƃĪ ƥƍƃ Ņ ł ŅŅ ł ň ł Ņ:ŧƢũƏł ƨƉĭ Ņ Ņ ł ñ ĸĿĭ ťƕĿŤŨ ƅƆĬ ťƍƍŶ ųŨ

15

75

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85

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD and He made peace between the earthly and the heavenly beings. He silenced and made an end to the strife which the serpent had set up and reconciled Adam who had been at enmity with God. With His Cross He opened the door of the garden, the beautiful bridal chamber; and He brought in and set in it the lovely bridegrooms8 who had been expelled. He received in His side the blade of the lance of that guard; and dismissed it to set it aside so that it would (no longer) drive away those of the household of Adam. With His nails He tore into pieces that bond of Eve, our mother, and repaid her debt as well as raised her head that was bent by it [the bond]. By His death He descended to the abyss of the dead which devoured Adam. Like a courageous Diver He brought up the pearl. He descended, groped around the depths, visited the buried ones, sought out the lost ones. He slept near the dead and laid His couch among the departed. There He made a discourse of judgement with the ruler,9 and He demanded from him the image of Adam which had been corrupted. He had descended to the lowest parts of the earth to seek there the superb image of the creative power that had been wasting away in Sheol.

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Gen 3:15

John 19:34 Cf. Gen 3:24

Cf. Col 2:14

Cf. 1 Pet 3:19

Cf. Matt 16:18

Usually the title ‘Bridegroom’ is reserved for Christ. But here all the redeemed are called ‘bridegrooms.’ Probably it alludes to the perfect likeness of Christ achieved by the redeemed. 9 Here ‘ruler’ refers to death and the evil one. 8

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ňò Ņ ł ł ň Ņ ł ň Ņ ł ł ł ĖťƍƀƊƤƆ ƼŨ ťƍƀƣ űũƕĭ Ņ ŏ ł ťƍƕǓĥ Ō ł ŦŁĭƞƉ Ņ Ņ:ťſŴŶň ƁƉĿĥĪ ñ Ņ ł ųƟƦƣ ñŅ Ņ ł IJųíƆ ųƀíƇƣĭ Ō ł Ņ Ņ ł ƎƉň ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ŵƀūĿĪ Ō ł ĭĬł ĶĪƧŅ ƁƕĿĭ ĖŦųƭ ł ň Ō ł ł Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ŦƦƍūĪ Ņ ł ljŴƍū ñ Ņ ųƙƀƟŵŨ ųƕĿŁ įƦƘ :ťſŤƘ ň Ō ň ł ň ł ò Ō Ņ Ņ ò Ō ł ťƊƀƐŶ ljƦŶł ųŨ ñ ƋƏ ƈƕĥĭ ĖĭĭĬô ƎſűſƢŹĪ Ņ ŏ Ņ ĭĬĪ Ņ ł ň ł ųíƇũƟ ł ųŷƉĭĿĪ Ņ ł ųƍƘűŨ ň ŏ ťŨƢŷíƆ ñ :ŧĿŴźƌ ŏ ň ƧŅ ĶĪĥŅ Ņ ƼŨűƆĪ Ņ ł ň ł Ņ ô ĪĭƢźƌ ň ł IJųſƢƣĭ ĖŦĭĬ łł ňł Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ň ł ơŶƢƌ ò ł ƞŨ ň :ƎƉĥ ŦŴŶĪ ŧƢźƣĥ ĭĬ ŸƆŁ IJĬĭĽ Ņ ł ł ł Ō ł ĬƦŨŴŶ ł ł ųƤſĿ Ņ ô ƎƃƢƉĪ ñ Ņ Ņ ŦĭĬ ñ Ņ Ō ƋſĿĥĭ ñň ĖųíƆ ĺƢƘĭ ň ò Ō Ņ ł ł ň ł Ņ Ņ ň ĬŁŴƊŨ ŦĭĬô Ʀŷƌ :ĶĪƧ ƦƖíƇŨĪ ŦƼƉĪ ŦŁĭųíƆ ł Ņ Ō Ņ ł Ņ Ō ťƀŷƏ Ņ Ņ ł ƅſĥĭł ñ Ņ ťũƀũíƆ ĖŦƼƍūƢƊíƆ ųƠƏĥ ł ň Ō ł ƢƖƏ ň ò ŏ ƥūł Ʀŷƌ Ņ ŧǔƀũƠƆ ł ťƠƉŴƕ ň ò Ō ťƖŨ ň :ŧűƀŨƧ ň ň ň ł ƁƉĿĥĭ Ō ł ŦƼƉ ò Ō űſĽň ƅƉĪ ň ò Ō ł ƼŨň ųƏƢƕ Ėŧűƀƍƕ ł ł Ņ Ō ƎƉŁ Ņ ŦĭĬ Ņ ô űũƕ ł Ņ Ō Ī ŧƢƉŤƉ Ņ ŏ Ƌƕł ťƍſĪ :ljŴƃĿĥ ň ł ųƍƉ ň ň ƗŨŁĭ Ņ ô ƈũŷƉĪ ł ł ł ĶĪĥĪ ł ł Ņ Ņ ųƊíƆĽ ĖŦĭĬ Ņ ŅŅ ò ł ň ň ŦĭĬ Ņ ł ĬƻƦŶƦíƆ Ņ ł ťƖũƌĪ Ņ ô Ʀŷƌ ň ťƕĿĥĪ ñ :ƎƉŁ Ņ ŏ ŏŅ Ņł Ņ ł Ō ł ŦŁŴſĭƢŨĪ ŏ ł ƁƇŨĪ ñ ĖĵŴƀƤŨ ťŨĿ ųƊíƆƞíƆ

17

90

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18

ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD

105

He contended with death in the region of death and demanded His image; then He carried off His own and returned to come (away) from perdition. He conquered the tyrant there in his place and searched out his treasures; and brought out the booty which was stored by him in his castle. He liberated the prisoner and bound the captor with force and He returned to ascend to the place of His Father like a Mighty One.

110

THE ROAD OF THE SLAUGHTERED-ONE TO HIS FATHER He set His way to return to the heights towards His Father and the gates of Sheol did not withstand Him when He was coming out. He called out in the large place of the dead and its walls fell down10 and He led away the captives and guided them and came out from perdition. He ascended from slaughter and heroism cleaved to Him; He effected redemption and His bow11 returned to come with strength. He sprinkled resurrection upon the departed and consoled them and ascended, became brilliant from the depth with great wonder. Watchers met Him at the door of the tomb when He was going out.

115

Gen 49:24

Cf. Eph 4:8

Fall of Jericho is a type of the fall of Sheol. Here the reference is to OT deliverances: cf. 1 Sam 2:4 Song of Hannah for the child Samuel; 2 Sam 22:35 the so called David’s hymn of victory; Gen 49:24 Jacob’s blessings; ‘the bow of Christ’ destroyed ‘the bow of death,’ cf. line 230 below. 10 11

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Ņ ł ň ł Ņ ł ł Ņ ň ł ƗŨŁĭ ł ł ŦŁŴƉĪ :ųƊíƆĽ ŦŁŴƉ Ƌƕ ķĪ ł ň ň Ō ĬĿŁŤŨ ł ň Ō ƈƠƣĭ ł ł ł Ņ Ņ ĖljűŨĥ ƎƉ ŦŁŤƌĪ ƅƘĬĭ ųƇſĪ ň ł ƎƉŁ ò ł ł ŦƞŨĭ Ņ ł ljĭƢźƆ Ņ ŏ ł IJųƀƃĮŅ Ņ ł ĬĿŁŤŨ :IJĬĭŵū Ņ Ō ł Ņ ň ň ł ł ò ł Ņ ŴŬŨ ł ųƆň ƨƀƊŶĪ ĖIJĬŴƌűƘĥ ŦŁŵŨł ơƘĥĭ ł ň Ņ ŏ ł Ņ Ō IJųſƢŅ ƣ Ņ Ņ ł :ĬƢƄƘ ťƍƣŴƖŨ ťƀũƤíƆĭ ŧƢƀƏƧ ł ň ơƐƌĪ ł ł ŏ ł ĬĿŁƧ Ņ Ō ł ƅſĥł IJĬŴŨĥĪ ł ň ƅƘĬĭ ĖťƍƀƐŶ ň ň ųŶĿĭĥ Ō ł Ņ ł ťƍƙƌĪ ň ŏ Ņ űſĽň ťƉĭƢíƆ ň ŏ ƁƉĿĥ :ĬĪŴƇſ ň Ņ űƃł ĵŴƀƣĪ ň ł IJĬŴƉĪŴƟ ł ŏ ŴƊƟŅ ƧĭŅ Ņ ô ơƙƌ ŏ ł ťƕǓŁ ĖŦĭĬ ň ò Ō Ņ ł Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ł ŦƼƉĪ ñ ň ŏ ŴƇƙƌĭ ƎƉųŨ ŦĭĬô ťƖƟ :ųſǓŴƣ ł ň Ņ ň ŦƦŨĿ Ņ Ō Ņ Ņ ł Ņ ł Ņ ñ ĖljűŨĥ ƎƉ ŦŁĥĭ ĬƢŨĪĭ ŦƼũƣ Ņ ŏ Ņ ł ň Ņ Ō ł Ņ ň ň ťũƣĭ ň : ŦŁĭƢũƍū ųƆ ťƙƀƠƌĭ ƨźƟ ƎƉ ơƇƏ ô ň Ō ň ł ň ťƍƟĿŴƘ ł Ņ ŏ ŦŁĥŁĪ ǂƘĬĭ Ņ Ņ ŏ űũƕ ĖĬƦƤƟň ťƍƣŴƖŨ ňŏ ň ł ň ò Ō ł Ņ Ņ ŏ ĸĿł :ķŴƌĥň ŪũíƆĭ ŧűƀƍƕ ƈƕł ťƊŶŴƌ Ņ ň ł Ņ ŏ Ŵūł ƎƉň ŸſƞƌŌ ł ơƇƏĭ Ņ ł ŧĿĬƦŨ ĖťŨĿ ťƠƉŴƕ ň Ņ űƃł ŧƢũƟĪ ň Ō ųŨň ŴƖŬƘ Ņ ł ųƕĿƦŨ ň ł ŧǔƀƕ Ņ ô ơƙƌ ł :ŦĭĬ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD The servants of His Father who had been sent, eagerly met and worshipped Him. The disciples, sons of the Day (light) who had been scattered gathered, and the light gladdened the female disciples who were sorrowful. The great Sun of Righteousness ascended from the earth having descended and visited all the depths and then He was raised. He showed himself that He went and came (back) valiantly and He had visited His own and He did not bring in the way at His feet.12 THE PERFECTION OF THE ROAD OF PROCLAMATION IN FORTY DAYS Forty days after He had come from the Resurrection He remained on earth and then He was raised towards His Father.13 The Bridegroom who is from the tomb did not seek to be raised to the region of His Father, until He had confirmed them about His resurrection. For (in) forty days He depicted the images of the new world and this is the mystery and type of she who gives birth to a male child:14 In forty days He gathers the fetus in the womb of its mother in order to become perfect with limbs and forms. And when the mansion of the soul in all forms is completed

Acts 1:3

12 ‘Bringing one’s way back at his feet’ means lack of success, cf. also Ephrem, Comm. Diat. 13 For bridal imagery in Jacob, see Kollamparampil, Salvation in Christ, 229–38, 345–7. 14 Cf. Book of Jubilees 4:9, based on Lev 12:2–5. The allusion is to the creation of soul in embryo for a male after forty days and for a female after eighty days.

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ł ô ĭĿĪƦƣĥĪ ŏ ł ŧűũƕ ł ł ł ň IJĬŴŨĥĪ ň ò ł ųƆň ĭűŬƏĭ ň ł ŴŶŴƏ ĖĭĭĬ ł Ō łò ň ò Ō ł ô ĭĿűŨŁĥĪ Ņ Ņ ƁƍŨ ł ł ň ťƊƊſĥ ŧűƀƊíƆŁ ŴŨĽŅ :ĭĭĬ łò Ņ Ō ł Ņ Ņ ò Ō ł Ņ ŏ įƞƘĥĭ ł ł ĖIJĭĬô ķǔƀƊƃĪ ŦŁ űƀƊíƆƦíƆ ŧĿĬŴƌ Ņ ŏ Ōł Ņ ł Ņ ň Ņ ł ň ň :ň ŦŁŴƠſĪĮĪ ťŨĿ ťƤƊƣ ťƕĿĥ ƎƉ ơƇƏ Ō ň ťƠƉŴƕ ň ò ŏ ķĭųíƿ ł ł ł ƦŷƌĪ ŏ ŏ ƢƖƏĭ ň ł ĖƁƇƕŁĥ Ǝƃĭ ŌŅŅ ł Ņ ň ł ň ň ł Ōł ô ŦŁĥĭ ĵĮĥĪ ųƤƙƌ IJŴŶ Ņ ł :ƻĥƢũƍū ň Ō ƢƖƏĭ ň ł ň ťŶĿĭĥĭ ł ł Ņ Ņ ŏ ųƇſĪ ĖŦĭĬô ƈƕĥ Ƨ IJĬŴƇūǔŨ Ņ ł ł Ō Ō ò ł ƎƀƖŨĿĥ Ņ Ņ ŏ ƎƉň ŦŁĥĪň ĿƦŨŅ ƎƀƉŴſ :ťƊŶŴƌ Ō ł ň Ǝƃĭ ň ťƊíƇƖŨ Ņ Ņ IJŴŌ Ɵł ň ŏ Ņ űſĽň ƁƇƕŁĥ ĖĬĪŴƇſ ň ł ŧƢũƟ Ņ ł Ŵūł ƎƉĪ ň ljƦŶ ŏ ł ĬĿŁƧ Ņ ƧŅ Ņ ł ťŨĽ :IJĬŴŨĥĪ ňł ň ł ł ťƉűƕ ň Ņ ŏ ƈƕł ĿƢƣĪ Ņ ł ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ƨƕƦƌ ĖųƊŶŴƌ ň Ņ ò ň Ņ Ō òł Ō ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ĬŁŴƉĪ ĿĽ ƎƀƉŴſ :ŦŁűŶł ťƊíƇƕĪ ŏ ŅƎƀƖŨĿŤŨ Ņ Ņ łŅ ň ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ĖŧƢƃĪ ŧűíƇſĪ Ņ ŧűſĥĪ ťƐƘŴŹĭ ŦĮĿĥŅ ô ŴƌĬĭ Ō ł ň ň ťƏƢƄŨ Ō ò ł ƎƀƖŨĿŤŨ ň Ņ ƎƀƉŴſ Ņ ł ƧŴƕŏ ƥƍƃ :ųƉĥĪ Ņ ňò Ņ ł ł Ņ ŏ ł ťƉĪųŨĭ ŏ Ņ ł ň ŦŁǓĭƞŨĭ ĖŴƀíƇƉƦƤƊíƆ ŅŅ ŏ Ņ ł ł ł ŏ ťƤƙƌĪ Ņ Ņ ł ŦƼŨ ƈƄŨ ƈƿƦƣĥĪň ťƉĭ :ŦŁǓĭĽ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD with the soul and the body it is moved consciously. In forty days in which the embryo becomes perfect, the Son of God perfected His apostles in faith. And as the limbs of the fetus in the womb, He strengthened them. He gathered them, formed them, and perfected them. In forty days He perfected the way of His proclamation and in the place of the soul He breathed the Holy Spirit into His apostles.15 Then on account of this He remained forty (days) after He was raised so that with the nerves of faith He might strengthen the Good News. And He ate and drank; not because He was in need of food, but to confirm (them) about His resurrection that He is not a liar. He ate so that they might not look on Him as an appearance or as a shadow; for a shadow does not eat. On one occasion He said, "Touch me, I am not a spirit,” and after this He pointed to them the place of nails.

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And again they had given Him and He ate fish and honey comb so that by means of all these they should not be doubtful regarding His resurrection. And forty days He instructed them and trained them. He taught them and confirmed them about His resurrection. And as if with bones, also with tendons and limbs, and with arteries He framed the body of the apostolate.

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Luke 24:39,40 John 20:20, 25, 27 Luke 24:41–43

Cf. John 20:22; Homily “On the Priesthood and the Altar,” M. Albert (ed.), “Sur le Sacerdoce et l’Autel,” pp. 51–77 (esp. syr. pp. 69–70; tr. pp. 57–58, lines 49–62). 15

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ŌŅ ŏ Ņ Ō ň ňŅ Ņ ł Ņ ł ĖƻŤƣŴūĿ ƗſĮŁƦƉ ťƤƙƍŨ Ņ ŏ ŏ ŦĭĬł ŧƢŬƘĭ Ņ Ō ƧŴƕ Ō ł ò ň:ŦĭĬŅ ŧƢƀƊū Ō ł ķĭųŨĪ ƎƀƉŴſ ƎƀƖŨĿŤŨ Ņ ŏ Ņ ł ł Ŧųƭ Ņ Ņ ł ƢŨł ł ò Ō ł ƢƊū ĬŴŷƀíƇƤƆ ĖŦŁŴƍƊſųŨ IJ ň ň ł Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ňò Ņ ł ťƏƢƄŨ ňƧŴƕĪ ťƉĪĬň ƅſĥĭł :ķŴƌĥŏ ňƞƀŶ ł ł ŏ ňł Ō ł ķŴƌĥŏ ƢźƟ ŏ ƁƇƊƣ ķŴƌĥ ƥƍƃ ŏ ň ŏ ŏ ĖķŴƌĥ Ņ Ō ł ò Ņ Ō ł ł Ņ ñ :ĬŁĭĮĭƢƃĪ ťŶĿĭƧ ĬƢƊū ƎƀƉŴſ ƎƀƖŨĿŤŨ ł ťƣĪŴƟĪ Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ťŶĭĿ Ņ ł ƚƇŶĭ ł ò Ō ł Ÿƙƌ Ņ ŏ ťƤƙƌ ĖIJĬŴŷƀíƇƤŨ ł ŏ Ō ň Ō ł ŅŅ ł ł ň ƎƉň ƎƀƖŨĿĥ :ƋŷƌŁĥĪ Ņ ł ł ŏ IJŴƟ Ņ ŏ Ņ ljĬł ƈźƉĭ ň ł ĖŦŁƢũƐƆ ĽŴŷƌ ŦŁŴƍƊſĬĪ ťƍſŅ Ņ ƢƤŨĪ Ō Ņ ŏ ň ƈƕł ŦĭĬ Ņ Ō ł ŴƆł IJƦƣĥĭň ƈƃĥł ĭň :ŦƦíƆŴƃŤƉ ł Ņ ô ł ơƀƍƏĪ ł ųƊŶŴƌ ł ł ƧĥŅ ň ň Ņ ŏ ƈƕł ĿƢƤƌ ĖĭĬ ƨūĪ ŴƆĪ ô ŅŅ ŏ ŏ ƧĪŅ Ņ Ō ň ƅſĥł ųŨň ķĭĿŴŷƌ :ƨíǑň ƅſĥĭł ťƊƄƏĥ Ņ Ō Ņň Ņ Ņ ň Ņ łň Ņ ĖŦƼƍíǑ ƨƃĥ Ƣƀū Ƨ ƈƃĥ IJĬ ƈƕł Ņ ŏ Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ŏ ƢƉĥł ô ŦǁĭĪ Ņ ŏ ŴƆł ƁƍƌŴƣŴū :ljĥŅ ô ťŶĭĿ ň ň ł ł Ņ ŧűŷŨ ł Ņ ň ł ŏ ò ň ŏ ĖŦĽ Ľ ǁĭĪ ķŴƌĥ ƅũƭ ƎƃĬ ĿƦŨĭ ŏ Ņ ŌŅ ł Ņ ŏ ł ň ň ł :ŦƻƢƄƃĭ ljŴƌ ƈƃĥĭ ųƆ ĭĭĬŅ ô ŴŨųſ ô ł ħĭŁ ň Ņ ŏ ƈƕł ķŴŬíƇƘƦƌ ň ŏ űƀŨĪ ł ł ŏ ł ň ĖųƊŶŴƌ ňŏ ň ł ŏ ň ň ł Ƨ Ǝſųíƿ Ō ł Ō ò ł ƎƀƖŨĿĥĭ :ķŴƌĥ ơƙƌ ķŴƌĥ ŀĿĪň ƎƀƉŴſ ňł ł ł ķŴƌĥŏ ň ƚƭ ň Ņ ŏ ƈƕł ķŴƌĥŏ ĿƢƣ ĖųƊŶŴƌ ňò Ņ ł ł ňò Ņ ł Ņ ň ł ł ŧűƀŬŨ Ļĥ ťƉǔŬŨĪ ƅſĥĭł :Ņ ťƉĪųŨĭ ň ł ťƍſǔƤŨĭ ňŅ ň ł Ņ ŏ ĬƢźƟ ŏ Ō ł ťƊƣŴŬíƆ ĖŦŁŴŷƀƇƣĪ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD And when He had given perfection to the Good News with all its organs of the senses and had strengthened it with all forms, as a perfect human being, Then He sent it [the Good News] to lay hold of the world by the proclamation, while He set His own countenance towards heaven above, so that He might be raised up. THE MYSTERY OF THE ASCENSION FROM THE MOUNTAIN OF OLIVES And to the Mountain of Olives He gathered the sons of His mystery, because the Mountain of Olives too is a symbol of anointing, for from the Mountain of Olives there shall be oil for Baptism; and from it Christ was to be raised up to the place of His Father. The treasure of oil is on the Mountain of Olives for anointing; Because Christ too ascended from it towards His Father. And on account of this, towards that mountain itself He gathered them to supply them with the oil for the signing of the whole earth. To the Mountain of Olives He gathered the Church for which He had died so that she might see Him there as He was taken up to His exalted place. The great Saviour effected His way and completed His deed, and He set off to go, to send the riches to the bride whom He had brought (there). THE SONS OF THE MYSTERY AS WITNESSES TO THE WHOLE WAY OF THE SON He lifted up the poor, barren, and smitten woman and set for her the contract that He would send forth to her the treasures of His Father.

Cf. Acts 1:6–12

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Ņ ł ł ł ŏ ŏ ŦŁƢũƐƆ Ņ Ņ ŏ űƃĭ ñ ň ň ķĭųíǀŨ :ųƀƤūǓ ħųſ ô ł ťƀíƇƉŴƣ ŅŅ ŏ Ņ Ō ŧƢũŬíƆĪ Ņ ł ł ƅſĥĭł ŏ ĬƞƀŶ Ņ ł ŧƢƀƊū ñ ĖŦŁǓĭĽ ƈƄŨ Ņ ŏ ŏŅ Ņ ł ƎſűſĬ Ņ Ņ ĪŴŶĥŁĪ ň Ņ ŏ ň ĬĿűƣ ñ :ŦŁĭĮĭƢƄŨ ťƊíƇƕ ň Ņ ň ĽƢƘ ò ł ł ųƘĭ ł ň ťƉǓ ň IJĬŴƊƤƆ Ņ ô ƨƕƦƌĪ Ņ ŏ ł ƋƏĭ ĖŦĭĬ ň ŏ łò ł ŏ ň ł ň ò ł ň Ņ ô ƁƍũƆ :Ņ ĬĮĿĥ ķŴƌĥ ƥƍƃ ŦƻĮŏ ĿŴźíƆĭł ň òł Ņ ł Ņ ô ŦƻĮĪ ŏ Ō ł ĭĬô ŦĮĿĥ ĖŦŁŴŷƀƤƉĪ ŧĿŴŹ ĭĬŏŏ ĻĥĪŅ ň òł Ņ Ō ŏ ł ň ň ŦƻĮ ň Ņ ň Ŧĭųƌ ĿŴŹ ƎƉĪ :ŦƻĪŴƊƖƊíƆ ł ťŷƤƉ ň ł ň ťŷƀƤƉ ň ň ŏ ł ň ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ƨƕƦƌ Ņ Ō ųƍƉĭ ĖIJĬŴŨĥĪ Ņ ŏ Ō ł ĬĿŁƧ Ņ Ō ň òł Ņ ŏ Ņ ň ŦƦƊƀƏ :ŦŁŴŷƀƤƊƆ ŦƻĮĪ ŧĿŴźŨ ťŷƤƉĪ ň ň ň Ņ Ō ĭĬŏ ĻĥĪŅ Ņ ň ŏ Ņ űſĽň ŦĭĬ ĖĬĪŴƇſ ŏ ł ųƍƉ ťŷƀƤƉ ňŏ ň ł ô ŅơƇƏ ŏ ň Ņ Ņ ƈźƉĭ :ķŴƌĥ ł ƥƍƃ ŧĿŴŹ ĭųíƆ ųƆň ljĬ Ņ ŏ Ņ ŏ Ņ ųíƿĪ ňł Ņ ň ķŴƌĥŏ ň Īĭŵƌ ñ ĖťƕĿĥ ťƊƣĭƢíƆ ťŷƤƉ ňł Ņ Ō ň òł Ņ ŏ Ō ŦŁűƖíƆ Ņ ł ŦƻĮĪ ñ ò ƈƕł ƼƉĪ ñ :ųƀƘĥ ųƤƍƃ ň ŧĿŴźíƆ ł ł ł ň ł ň Ņ Ņ Ņł ň ĖťƉĿ ĬĿŁƧ ơƆƦƐƉ űƃ IJĬŴſŵŶŁ ƎƉŁĪ Ō ł ųŶĿĭĥ ł Ņ Ņ Ĭűũƕ Ņ ô ƢƖƏ Ņ ł ťƟƢƘ ň Ņ ƁƇƊƣĭ ň ŏ ŦĭĬ :ťŨĿ Ō ł Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ĿűƤƌ ł ł ł Ō ơƙƌĭ ł ł ĵĮŤƌĪ ĖIJƻĥĪ ŦƦíǀíƆ ŧĿŁŴƕ Ņ łł ł Ņ ł ł ł Ņ Ō ň ł :ŦƦƘƢźƉĭ ŦƻŵŬƉĭ ŦƦƍƄƐƉ ƈƠƣ ň ňò ł ñ Ņ ł ł ł ł ñ Ņ Ņ ŏ ł Ŧŵū ĖIJĬŴŨĥĪ ųíƆ ĿűƤƉĪ IJŴƌŁ ųíƆ ƋƏĭ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD He had captured the captives and led them and came (away) from the stumbling blocks and gave gifts to the weary woman [the Church] who was needy. She turned away from captivity and became an apostle, and He ascended and sent the Holy Spirit, and She [the Spirit] gave garments to all who were naked. The great captivity came to pass, which He redeemed, yet she had nothing and He ascended to bring down treasures and riches to send to her. He came, died in our place and ascended to make us live in the place of His Father, so that through His death He might make alive the world which was without life. The disciples, apostles and friends and the sons of the mystery were gathered so that He might show himself to them in public when He was ascending. They saw His resurrection and they were confirmed about His resurrection. And He brought them there to see His ascension too, So that they might be witnesses also to His rising and to His resurrection; as well as to His ascension; and that they should fill the earth with His proclamation. They heard with their ears, their eyes saw; they grasped with their hands. They knew Him, touched Him and they became witnesses to the whole of His way. THE ABIDING AND SUSTAINING PRESENCE OF THE TRINITY He extended His hands and by His hallowing He blessed them so that by the laying of His hand the cursed earth should be blessed. He called the Father and commended them so that in His name

Gen 3:17,18 John 17:11

¾Ùãý߃ û⃠ÌùßÍè áîƒ Àûâ½Ćâ

Ņ Ņ òŏ ň Ņ ň Ņ ł Ņ Ō Ņ Ņ ñ ĭŁ ƎƉ ŦŁĥĭ ĬƢŨĪĭ ŦƼũƣ ŦĭĬô ťũƣ :ŦƦíƇƟ Ņ Ņ Ņ ò ł ł ł Ņ Ņ Ō ł ł ĖŁĭĬô ťƠƀƍƏĪ ŦƦíƇƙƤƊƆ ŦƦŨĬŴƉ ħųſĭ ô ł ň Ō Ņ ô ťŷƀƇƣĭ ł ťƀũƣ Ņ Ņ ň ƎƉň ƦƍƘ ł ł ơƇƏĭł ŁĭĬ Ņ :Ŀűƣ ň ŏ ŦƦŷƌ ł Ņ ťƣĪŴƟĪ Ņ ŏ ťŶĭĿ ò ł ƦŨųſ Ō Ō ł ƈƄíƆ Ņ ŏ ĖƎƀŷƀƇƣĪ Ņ Ņ ł ŏ Ņ Ņ ł ľƢƘĪ ł ł ŦƦŨĿ ň ň ųíƆ ñ Ņ ƼƆĭ ŦŁŴƇū ŁŁĥ :ĶűƉ ň ł ň ôł ň ň Ņ ŏ ò ł ł ł ł ñ ĿűƤƌĪ ŧǓŁŴƕĭ Ŧŵū ŦƼƌĪ ơƇƏĭ ĖųíƆ Ņ ň ł Ǝƀŷƌ ł ł ƼƉŌ ŦŁĥ ň ł ķĿŁŤŨ ŏ ł ň ł ơƇƏĭ :IJĬŴŨĥĪ ĬĿŁŤŨ ň ł ł ôł ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ł Ņ ň ł ĖŦĭĬô ťƀŶ ŴƆĪ ťƊíƇƖíƆ ťŷƌ ł ĬŁŴƉ űƀŨĪ łò ł ň Ņ ň ò Ō ň ò Ō ł Ņ:ŦĮĿĥŅ ô ƁƍŨĭ ťƊŶǓĭ ťŷƀíƇƣ ŧűƀƊíƆŁ ŴƤƍƃ ň Ņ ťƉŅ ťƀíƇŬŨ ňł ł ŏ ŦŴŷƌĪ Ņ ô ơƇƏĪ ň ł ķĭųíƆ Ņ ň ųƤƙƌ ĖŦĭĬ ň ł ł ň Ņ ŏ ƈƕł ĭĭĬ ň ĬƦƊƀƠƆ ł ô ĭĿĿƦƣĥĭ ł Ņ ł ĭŵŶ :ųƊŶŴƌ ł Ō ň Ņ ŏ ĻĥŅ ƎƉŁ Ņ ķĭŵŷƌĪ ŏ ň ķŴƌĥŏ ň IJƻĥĭł ĖųƠíƆŴƏ ň Ņ ł Ņ ňò Ņ ŏ ň ň Ņ ŏ ł ĬƦƊƀƠƆ :ųƊŶŴƍíƆĭ ķĭĭųƌĪ ň ŏ ŏ Ņ Ņ ł ŏ Ļĥň ŧĪųƏ Ņ ň ŏ ł ĖĬŁĭĮĭƢƃ ťƕĿƧ ķŴƇƊƌĭ ųƠíƆŴƐíƆĭ łò ŏ ł ò Ō ŴƄũíƆ ŏ ł ò ł IJŵŶ ŏ ò ł ň ŴƖƊƣ ł ł ķĭųƀƍƀƕ ķĭųƀƌĪŤŨ :ķĭųſűſŤŨ ŏ ł ň ò Ņ ł ł IJĬŴƤū ŏ ł IJĬŴƕűſ ň ŏ ųíǀíƆ ñ Ņ ŏ ŧĪųƏ ĖųŶĿĭĥ ňŏ ň ł ň Ņ ĭĭĬĭ Ō ŏ ł IJĬĭűſĥ Ņ ô ŻƤƘ ł ł ò ŦĭĬ ŶĭƢŨĭ :ķŴƌĥ ĴƢŨ ųƙ ň Ō ł Ņ Ō Ņ ł ł ťźƀƆĪ Ņ ô ĴƢŨŁŁ Ņ ł ň ƋƀƐŨĪ ĖŁĭĬ ťƕĿĥ Ĭűſĥ ň ŏ ň ň ł Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ťŨƧ ŦĭĬô ŧƢƟ :ķŴƌĥŏ ĿŴźƌň ķŴƌĥŏ ƈƖūĥĭ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD the Father might guard them from the evils of the evil world. He had given peace so that they themselves might give (it) to the whole earth, and He would fill them with His peace, instead of Himself. He encouraged them and promised them, “I am with you” so that when He would be raised up from among them it would not sadden them. He is with them and behold, the name of the Father is with them and He will send the Spirit so as not to leave them behind as orphans. His peace is with them and the name of the Father was made the guard, and the advocate carried the riches for the discipleship. “Father, keep them in your name” for, your name is great and the name of the Father accompanied the apostles by the word of the Son. For, the Son said, “I am with you,” and He was not lying and He was with them as He had promised in the sight of many. The Spirit came and He brought the riches and He was with them. The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit as it was foretold. The Father who guards, the Son who makes atonement, and the sanctifying Spirit; the Trinity through which the world came into being from nothing. At that moment the world learned about the Trinity. The hidden mysteries were made manifest and they went out to the whole world. He taught them, He confirmed them, He sent them, as the sun sends its radiance to the whole earth.

John 20:21

Matt 28:20

John 14:18

John 17:11

Matt 28:20

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Ņ Ņò Ō ň ň ł Ņł Ņ Ņ ŦƦƤƀŨ Ņ Ō ťƊíƇƕĪ ĖťƤƀŨ ťŨĥ ł ŏ ň ŏ ň Ņ ƎƉŅ ųƊƤŨ Ņ ŏ Ņ Ņ ñ :ųíƿ ťƕĿƧ Ņ ķŴƌĬ ķŴƆƦƌĪ ťƊíƇƣ ŦĭĬô ħųſ ô ł ň ň ň Ņ ŏ ƨƊƌĭ Ņ ł ł ĖųƇſĪŌ ŦǁĭĪŏ ųƇſĪŌ ťƊíƇƣ ķĭųíƆ ň ł ł Ō ŏ ł ň ķŴƌĥŏ ŪũíƆ ň ł ŏ IJĪĭƦƣĥĭ Ō :IJƻĥ ķŴƄƊƕĪ ķĭųíƆ ň ň ƧĪŅ Ō ł ň ťƉŅ ķĭųíƆ ŏ ł ň ƎƉň ƁƇƕŁĥĪ ŏ ŧƢƃŁ ĖķĭųſĪĥĽ ň ł ĭĬô ŏ ķĭųƊƕ ŏ ł ň ŦĬŅ ťŨĥĪ ŏ ł ĭĬŏ Ņ ł ųƊƣĭ :ķĭųſĪĥĽ Ņ ňŏ ł ň ò ł ƅſĥ ƧĪ ĿűƤƉ ŏ ň ťƉƻ ł ł ťŶĭĿĭ Ņ ŏ ĖķŴƌĥ ľŴũƤƌ Ņ ŏ Ņ űƀũƕ ň Ņ ŏ ł ųƊíƇƣ Ō Ņ ł ň ł ķĭųƊƕ :ŧĿŴźƌ Ņ ŏ Ō łťŨĥĪ ųƊƣĭ Ņ Ō łł ň Ō ł ťźƀƇƟƢ ĖŦŁĭűƀƊíƆƦíƆ ŧǓŁŴƕŏ ƎƀƖŹĪ ł ƘĭŅ ł ł Ņ ŏ Ņ Ņ ł ŏ Ō ł :ĭĬô ħĿ ƅƊƣĪ ƅƇſĪ ň ƅƊƤŨ ķŴƌĥô ƢŹ ťŨĥ Ņ ł ĬƦíƇƊŨ ň ťŨĥĪ ň ł Ņ ł ųƊƣĭ ň ò Ō ł ƚƠƌň ŧƢŨĪ ĖťŷƀíƇƤƆ Ņ ň ň Ņ ŏ ł ƢƉĥł ƎſĪň ŧƢŨ Ņ ô ƈūň űƉ ł Ƨĭ ljĥŅ ķŴƄƊƕĪ :ŦĭĬ ňò Ō ł Ō ŏ ł ŦĭĬĭ Ņ ł Ō ł ň ƅſĥł ķĭųƊƕ ĖŦŤƀŬƏ ƎƀƖíƆ IJĪĭƦƣĥĪ Ņň Ō ň ŏ ŏ ł ŦĭĬĭ Ņ ł ŧǓŁŴƕ ł ťŶĭĿ Ņ ŏ ŦŁĥ :ķĭųƊƕ IJƻĥ ĭ ł ł ň ƅſĥł ťƣĪŴƟĪ Ņ ł ťŨĥŅ ł Ņ ŏ ťŶĭĿĭ Ņ ŏ ŧƢŨĭ ĖŁƢƉĥŁĥĪ ł Ņ Ņł Ņ ƢźƌĪ ň ł ł ŧƢŨ ň ł ťŶĭĿĭ Ņ ŏ ťƐŷƉĪ :ŀűƠƉ Ņ ň Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ ŏ Ņ ťŨĥ Ō ň ň ñ ŦŁŴſƼƆŁ ĖĶűƉ ƧŅ ƎƉ ťƊíƇƕ ƋƟ ųŨĪ ň Ō ljűƕ Ņ Ņ ƚƇſ ł Ņ Ņ ň ĭųŨ ŏ Ņ Ō ťƊíƇƕ :ŦŁŴſƼƆŁ ň Ņò ł ŦĮǓĥ ł ł ťƀƐƃ Ņ Ņ ŴƠƙƌĭ ň Ņ ô ŴŷƌĪĭ ł ł Ėųƿŏ ťƊíƇƖíƆ ňŏ ł ł ŏ ň ł ł ŏ ň ň ł :ķŴƌĥ ĿƢƣ ķŴƌĥ ƚƭł ł Ŀűƣł ò ķŴƌĥ Ņ ŏ Ņ Ņ ň ĿűƤƉĪ ł ł ł ƅſĥ ñ Ėųíƿ ťƕĿƧ IJĬŴŷƉĽň ťƤƊƣ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD

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The rays went out from the globe of the great Light, following the night during which the whole creation was dark. He commanded them; proceed forth, go, make disciples and baptize the peoples, in the name of the Father and in the name of the Son and in the name of the Spirit. The great sign of the Trinity which has no limit He gave to the apostles, so that by it the peoples of the earth might be signed.16 From the Mount of Olives He gave the Trinity and the oil; Oil for the signing and the Trinity for redemption. He commended them, blessed them, and encouraged them. He equipped them and commanded them to preach.

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THE ASCENT OF CHRIST, THE MEDIATOR, RECONCILER AND REDEEMER While they were looking at Him He was raised from among them; and the heights received Him while adoring Him with their crowns. He ascended in glory and mounted strength and (manly) power; the heights and the depths were rejoicing in Him who reconciled them. (He was) smitten while redeeming, suffered while restoring; He ascended while being brilliant and exalted is His bow and He is both feared and glorified above (other) redeemers. The earth rejoiced because He uprooted its thorns and then He was exalted. Heaven rejoiced because the Lord of the heights solemnly came to her. Both places were proud of the unique Mediator who reconciled them,

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Cf. HFid 13:5.

Matt 28:19

Acts 1:9

Gen 3:17,18

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Ņ ŏ ĬƢƙƏĥ ň Ō ň ƎƉň ťƠƀíƆĮ ň ò Ō ł ŴƠƙƌł Ņ ł ŧĿĬŴƌĪ :ťŨĿ ł Ņ Ņ Ō Ņ ŏ ň ťƀíLJ ň ťƃŴƤŶĪ Ņ Ō ĿƦŨ ñ Ņ ŏ ŦƻƢŨ Ėųíƿ ųŨ ň ň ł ň òł ň ł ĭűƊíƆŁ ň ł ŴƆĮň ŴƟŴƘŏ ťƊƊƕ ĭűƊƕĥĭ :ķŴƌĥŏ űƠƘ Ņ ł ųƊƤŨĭ ň ł ň ł ťŨĥĪ Ņ ł ųƊƤŨ ň ł ŧƢŨĪ Ņ ŏ ƋƤŨĭ ĖťŶĭĿ Ņ Ņ ň ųíƆ ł ŦŁŴſƼƆŁ Ņ ŏ Ņ ł ťƊƣĭĿ ŏ Ņ Ō ťŨĿ ñ Ņ ƼƆĪ :ŧƢũƕ Ņ ł ťƊƊƕ ň ò ł ųŨň ķŴƊƣĿƦƌĪ ŏ ł ň ťŷƀíƇƤƆ ň ò Ō ł ħųſ ĖťƕĿĥĪ ô ł ŏ Ņ ň Ņ Ņ ô ħųſ ŏ Ō ŦƻĮò ł ĿŴŹ ƎƉň ł Ņ ň ŦŁŴſƼƆŁ :ŦĭĬ Ņ ŏ ô Ņ ťŷƤƉĭ Ō ťƍƟĿŴƙíƆĭ Ņ ŏ ťŷƤƉ Ņ Ņ ŏ ł ťƊƣĭƢíƆ Ņ ň ĖŦŁŴſƼƆŁ ň ň ł ŏň ň ł ŏň ň ł :ķŴƌĥŏ ŪũíƆ ķŴƌĥ ĴƢŨň ķŴƌĥ ƈň Ɩūĥ ŏ ł ķŴƌĥŏ űƠƘ ň ł ķŴƌĥŏ ĪĭĮň ł Ņ ł ĖĭƢũƐƊƆ ň Ō ł ųŨň ƎſƢƀŶ Ō Ņ űƃĭ ł ŏ ł ň ƎƉň ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ƁƇƕŁĥ :ķĭųſĪĥĽ ŏ ł ň ł IJĬŴƇũƟĭ ŏ ł ò Ō ł ųƆň ƎſűŬƏ Ō Ņ űƃł ťƉĭǓ ĖķĭųƀƇƀíǀŨ Ņ ŏŅ ł Ņ ŏ ň ł Ņ ŏ Ņ ň :ŦŁĭƢũƍūĭ ŪƃĿĭ ťŷŨŴƤŨ ŦĭĬô ơƇƏ ňŏ ô ň ł ťƍƣŴƕ ň ò ŏ ťƉĭǓ ň ł ł ô ƎƀŷſƞƘ Ō Ō ťƠƉŴƕĭ ĖķŴƌĥ ƎƀƣĪ ųŨň ĭĭĬ ň ťƍƙƉ ň Ņ űƃł ƗƇŨ ł ň ł űƃł ƥŶł ľƢƘ :įƞƌł Ņ űƃł ơƇƏ ň ň ŅŅ ň ŏ Ņ ƎƉň Ÿƀũƣĭ Ō ł ƈƀŶĪĭ Ō ł ĬƦƤƟ ĖťƟĭǔƘ ň ň ł ťƉĿĭ Ō ò ł ŏ Ņ ł ň Ņ Ņ ł ñ ƢƠƕĪ ťƕĿĥ ŦĮĭĿ :ƁƇƕŁĥ Ǝƃĭ ųƀŨŴƃ ň ň Ņ ųíƆ ň ł ŧƢƉ Ņ ł ťŷſƞƘ Ņ Ō ñ Ņ ŦŁŤƌĪŌ įĮĪŅ ťƀƊƣ ĖťƉĭǓ ňŏ ň ł Ņ Ņ ň ł ňò ł Ō Ō :ķŴƌĥ ƎƀƣĪ ťƀƕƞƉ űŷŨ ťũū ƎſƢſƦŶ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD for He reconciled heaven and earth, which were at enmity. Error was condemned; sin fell down and Sheol was overthrown, death was then bound, Adam was then freed, and the asp was bruised.

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Gen 3:15

THE COURSE OF THE SUN AND THE COURSE OF THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS Light reigned and darkness came to an end from the regions. The Day conquered and choked the night from humanity. The sun ascended and remained in its higher degree, and it shortened the extended shadows and destroyed them. He [Jesus] descended in Kanun17 as also the sun descends in degrees.18 He ascended in Haziran19 and by His light He choked darkness. In the month of light in which sun ascended to the high degree; in it the luminary Son too was exalted to the height. In this month which is at the top of that vault of the firmament, the sun stands and looks forth to see all fountains. In that (month) the great Sun of Righteousness was exalted, and all the depths that were darkened were illumined by Him. The sun gazes into the well in Haziran and it illumines the well too; for, in that (month) it [the sun] is exalted and lays hold of the extremes by means of all its degrees. As far as the sun would go up, it ascends to the heights above.

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The period of December-January. Cf. Turgomo on Nativity, 22 (ET in Kollamparampil, Festal Homilies, p. 135). 19 The month of June. 17 18

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Ō ł ťƠƉ ŏ ťƉĭĿ Ņ Ŵƕĭ ł ô ƎſŵƀūĿĪ Ņ ł Ō Ō ł ķŴƌĥŏ ň ƁƕĿĪ ĖĭĭĬ Ņ Ō ł ł ň ĵŴƀƣ ł ň ŦƼźŶ ł Ņ ƁƀƕŴŹ ŏ ƦƇƙƌ ł ŏ :ƦƙŶƦƏĥĭ ƦũŶ Ņ ł ň ł ĶĪĥŅ Ņ ƢƀƄƘĭ Ō ł ťƏƢū Ō ł ŦŁŴƉ Ņ Ņ ŧƢƣĭ ĖƗƀƖƘĭ Ņ Ņò ň ň Ņ ŏ ň Ņ Ņ ŏ ň ł :ŦƼƍƘ ƚƏĭ ŧĿĬŴƌ ƅƇƉĥ Ņ ŏ Ņ ƎƉň ťƃŴƤŶ Ō ň ł ťƊƊſĥ Ņ Ņ Ō ťƃĮŅ Ņ ĖŦŁŴƤƌĥô ƎƉ ťƀíLjíƆ ųƠƍŶĭ ň Ņ ťƤƊƣ Ņ ô ƋƟĭ Ņ ô ơƇƏ Ņ Ņ ň ĭĬł ųūĿűŨ Ņ ň ŦĭĬ ň ł ŦĭĬ :ťƀíƇƕ ň Ņò ň ł ň ňł Ōł ňòŌ ĖķŴƌĥŏ ơǑĭ IJƢƃł ťŷſƦƉ ƨíƇźíƆĭ Ņ ô Ʀŷƌ ŏ Ņ ŦĭĬ Ņ ň ĻĥĪŅ ƅſĥ ķŴƍƄŨ ň ł ťƤƊƣ ň Ņ ťūǓűŨ ň :Ʀŷƌ ň ň Ņ ň Ņ ŏ ťƃŴƤŷíƆĭ Ō ł ơƇƏ ŏ ň ł ķƢſŵŷŨ ĖųƠƍŶł ĬĿĬŴƍŨ Ņ Ņ ň ųŨĪ ň ŧĿĬŴƌĪŏ ťŶƢƀŨ Ņ ň ơƇƏ Ņ ł ťƤƊƣ Ņ ł :ťƉĿŅ ťūĿűíƆ ň Ņ Ō ł ųŨň Ņ Ō ł ŧƢŨ Ņ ƁƇƕŁĥ Ņ ł ŧƢſųƌ ĖĭĬŏ Ļĥ ťƉĭƢíƆ Ņ ł Ō ł Ņ ł ŅŅ Ņ Ō ł IJĬŅ ŦƦƙƃ :ťƖƀƟĿĪ ƥſĿ ƈƕĪ ťŶƢſ ljųŨ ň Ņ Ō ò ŏ ŏ ł ň Ņ ň ĶŤƟ Ō ł ťƤƊƣ ĖƎƀƕŴũƉ Ņ ƈƃ Ŧŵŷƌň ơſűƉĭ Ō ł ň ųŨň ŏ Ō ł ťŨĿ Ņ ł ťƤƊƣ Ņ ň ƁƇƕŁĥ :ŦŁŴƠſĪĮĪ ň ò ŏ ķĭųíƿ Ō ŏ ň ťƠƉŴƕ ŏ ŏ ųƍƉ ň ň ĭĿųƌĭ ł ô ƎƀƃŴƤŶĪ ł ł ĖĭĭĬ Ņ Ō ł ơſűƉ Ņ Ō ťƤƊƣ ł ł ĻĥŅ ķƢſŵŷŨ Ņ ň Ō ŧƢũŨ ñ Ņ ĿųƍƉ :ųíƆ Ō ň Ƣƀūň ųŨň ň Ņ űŶĥĭ ŏ ŏ ųƄƏ ň Ņ ƋſĿŁƦƉ ł ł ķĭųíǀŨ ĖIJĬŴūǓĪ Ō ň ťƊƃĥĭ ň Ņ ƋſĿŁƦƉĪ ň ł ťƉĭƢíƆ Ņ ł ťƤƊƣ Ņ ł Ņ ň ơƇƏ :ƈƖíƆĪ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD Thus its light shines forth, descends to the depths that are below. The sin of the world was like a well20 that was dark and when our Sun was raised to the height, His light shone forth into it. He was exalted and His light descended and choked the shadows; and He shortened them, put an end to them; He made them vanish. The sun depicts the descent and ascent of the Son of God, in the course of its way to the one who sees clearly. In (the month of) Kanun is His birth and in it the sun too was brought low as it proclaims that the luminary Son descended to the earth. Again in (the month of) Haziran the sun ascended on its way and it depicts the figure of the Light, the Messiah who was exalted in it [Haziran]. The manifestation of the Son of God reigned upon the regions and cut off the gloomy shadows which were spread out. He was exalted from the Mountain of Olives as it is written. He was raised up; not that someone raised Him when He was ascending. It was not a chariot, as of Elijah, that descended after Him. For, regarding Elijah, when he was ascending, the Lord made him ascend. And with a chariot and horses of fire He made for him a solemn procession;

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Gen 29:10

Acts 1:12

2 Kgs 2:11

‘the well of sin’; the stone which Jacob removed from the well (cf. Gen. 29:10) was a type of the ‘sin of the world’ removed by Christ, cf. Bedjan III (Hom. 75), p. 213, lines 1–10; Bedjan III (Hom. 80), p. 310, lines 13–16. 20

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ł ň ŏ Ʀŷƌ ň ò ŏ ĬĿĬŴƌ ł Ņ ň Ņ ŸƌĪł Ņ ƎƃĬ ĖƦŶƦíƆĪł ťƠƉŴƖíƆ ł ň Ō Ņ Ō ƅſĥ ŁĭĬ Ņ ŏ ň ŧƢŨ Ņ ô ťƃŴƤŶĪ Ņ ťƊíƇƕĪ Ņ Ņ ĬƼźŶ :ŁĭĬ ň ŏ ųŨň ŸƌĪł ƎƤƊƣ Ō ł ň űƃĭ ł Ņ ł ƁƇƕŁĥ ł ň ťƉĭƢíƆ ĖĬĿĬŴƌ ň Ņò ň ł ň ŏ ň ł Ņ Ō ł ň ŦĭĬô ň ƁƇƕŁĥ :ƨíǑ ơƍŶ ň ň ĬĿĬŴƌ ň Ʀŷƌĭ ł Ōł ł ŏ ŏ ĖķŴƌĥł ơǑ ķŴƌĥ ƢƊūł ķŴƌĥŏ IJƢƃĭ ň ł ň ł ĬƦŷƉ Ņ Ņ ł ƢŨĪ ł ųƠƐƉĭ Ņ ň ĿĥĽŅ Ŧųƭ :ťƤƊƣ ŌŅ Ōł łŅ Ņ ł ň ŏ Ņ ň ĖƻĥƢſųƌ ťŹĬƢŨ Ņ Ņ ň ň ł ĿŤŶĪň ťƍſƧň ųŶĿĭĥĪ ŏ ŏŅ ň ł ķŴƍƄŨ :ĭĬ Ļĥ ťƤƊƣ ŦƦŶŁƦƉł ųŨĭ ĬűíƇſ ň ł ĭĬŏ űƃł Ņ Ō ł ŧƢŨ Ņ ťƕĿƧ Ņ ƦŷƌĪ ň ł ĮƢƄƉ ĖŧƢſųƌ Ō ň ħĭŁŏ ķƢſŵŷŨ ň Ņ ƋſĿŁƦƉ Ņ Ō ł Ņ ň ơƇƏ ň ŏ ťƤƊƣ :ųŶĿĭŤŨ ň łŅ Ņ ŏ ťƊíƆĽ Ō ł ųŨĪ ň ťŷƀƤƉ Ņ ł ĿĥĽĭ Ņ Ō ŧĿĬŴƍíƆ ĖƁƇƕŁĥ Ņ Ņò ň ň ł Ņ Ņ ł ƢŨĪ ł ųŷƌĪ ň ň ƅƇƉĥ :ŦƼƍƘ ƈƕł Ŧųƭ ň Ņò ň ł ň Ō ƨíƇźíƆĭ Ō Ō ł ơƐƘ ň ł ŧǔƀƊƃ ł ô ƎƀƄſĿĥĪ ĖĭĭĬ Ō ň òł ŏ ň Ņ Ōł ň Ņ ł ŦƻĮ ĿŴŹ ƎƉ ŦĭĬô ƁƇƕŁĥ :ŪſǁĪł ťƊƃĥ ň Ō ł ňĥ ĭĬŏ ł ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ô ŴƆł ƁƇƕŁ ň ĖŦĭĬô ơƇƏ űƃ ųƀíƇƕ ƥƌĥ ł Ņ ł ł ł ň Ņ ťƀƭĪ Ņ Ō ň ƅſĥł ŦƦũƃƢƉ :ŁƦŷƌň ĬĿƦŨ ł Ņ Ņ ň Ņ ŴƆ ň Ō ň ň ł Ņ Ņ ĖŦĭĬô ơƇƏ űƃ ųƠƏĥ ťſƢƉ Ƣƀū ťƀíƆƧ Ņ ł ł ł ł ŦƦũƃƢƊŨĭ Ņ ŏ ťƤƃ ł ŧĿŴƌĪ Ņ Ǔĭ Ņ ł ųƆň űũƕ :ťŶĭĮ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD because he was not able to ascend by his own power to where he ascended. For our Lord was exalted as it is written and no conveyance was needed for Him when He was lifted up. The son of the sojourners needed to mount because he was a human being; but the Son of God did not seek a conveyance because He was God. THE BRIDE’S VISION OF THE BRIDEGROOM’S ASCENT IN GLORY The glorified Bridegroom was exalted to the place of His Father, and the band of the children of light became agitated upon His departure. The bride saw the Bridegroom in glory as He was ascending, and her head, which had been bent downwards when He suffered dishonour, was lifted up. She perceived Him who mounted on power and ascended to His Father and the heart of her, who had suffered reproach on account of His death, was relieved. She perceived the Slaughtered One who clothed himself in power and was flying in the air and she forgot all the insults of the crucifixion. She perceived the clouds and the mist that ran before Him and she disregarded the mockers who were at Golgotha. She perceived Him who subjugated death in its cave, and returned to His place; and she went out following Him so that she may go with Him as the daughter of light. She said to Him, “Draw me after you to where you are going. I have become yours, let me ascend with you to your Father.

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ň ł ťƄſƧ ň ł ĭĬŏ ŴƆĪ ł Ņ ł ơƐƌĪ ł ň Ņ ň ųƇƀŷŨ ĖơƇƏĪ Ō ł łŦĭĬł ô ŦƞƉ ň Ō ł ĥ ĭĬŏ ƎſĪň ƎƟĭƢƘ ł ŏ Ņ ŪſǁĪ ƎƄſĥ ƁƇƕŁ : ňł ň ł ň Ņ Ņ ô ƧĭŅ Ņ ŏ ŦĭĬ ł Ņ ťŨŴƃĿ ĖƨƕƦƉ űƃ ųƆ ŦĭĬô ŸƤŶ ł ň ŦĭĬ ň Ņ ò ł ƢŨł Ņ ô ťƤƌƢŨĪ Ņ ô ơƀƍƏ Ō ťŨŁĭŁ Ņ Ņ ł ŪƃƢƌĪ :ŦĭĬ Ņ ƧŅ Ŧųƭ Ņ ô ŦųƭĪ Ņ Ņ ł ťŨŴƃĿ Ņ Ņ ł ƢŨĭ Ņ ŏ ťƖŨ ł ĖŦĭĬ ł ň ŦĭĬ Ō ł ň ťŷƀũƣ ŏ ł ĬĿŁƧ Ņ ô ƁƇƕŁĥ Ņ ł Ņ Ō ljƦŶ :IJĬŴŨĥĪ ł Ņ ŏ ƁƍŨĪ łŅ ò ł ŧĪŴū ň Ņ ŏ ƈƕł ŧĿĬŴƌ Ņ ŏ ƦƕĮĭ ĖųƍƣĿŴƘ ň Ņ ň Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ljƦŷíƆ Ņ ô ơƇƏ Ņ ł ŦƦíƿł ĬŁŵŶ Ņ :ŦĭĬ łł ň űƃł ťŷŨŴƤŨ Ō ň ł ł ųƤſĿ Ņ ô ƎƃƢƉĪ ñ Ņ ŦĭĬ ñ Ņ Ō ƋſĿŁŁĥĭ ĖƢƖŹ ƞƉ űƃ ųíƆ ňŅ ň Ņ ťƍƣŴƕ Ō ł ĬŁŵŶ Ņ ŏ ŪƀƃĿĪ ň ŏ Ņ űſĽň ơƇƏĭ ĬĪŴƇſ : ň ŏ Ņ ô ŧűƐŶƦƉĪ ł ł Ņ ł ň ųũíƆ ñ Ņ Ņ ň įĭĿĭ ĖĬŁŴƉł ł ƈźƉň ŁĭĬ Ō ł Ņ ł Ņ ťƍƣŴƕ Ō ł ƨƀźƠƆ Ņ įƢƘĭ Ņ ŏ ƥƀũíƆĪ ŁŵŶ :ĿĥŤŨ Ņ ŏ Ō ł ň ł ŏ ŏ Ņ ł ł ĖŦŁŴƙƀƟĮĪ ŧǔƕĽ Ņ ķĭųíǀíƆ ŁĭĬô ƼƤƌŁĥĭň ň ňò Ņ ł Ņ ň ł ł ťƍƍƖƆ ł ŏ ƎíŹĬǓĪŅ ƨƘǔƖíƆĭ :IJĬŴƉĪŴƟ ň ŅŁŵŶł Ņ ł ň ò ł ŏ ň ŏ Ņ Ņ ťƍŶŵũƊƆ ķŴƌĥ ƦƖŹĭ ĖŦƦíƆŴŬū ňŅ ł Ņ ł ň űſĽĪ Ņ ł ň ň ň :ĬĿŁƧ ťƍƘĭ ųƖƠƍŨŌ ŦŁŴƊíƆ ųƤũƃĪł ĬŁŵŶ ň Ņ ƦƠƙƌĭ Ņ Ō ł ŁƢŨł ĵĮĥŁ ł ň ň ł ĬĿƦŨ ł ųƊƕĪ ĖŧƢſųƌ ô Ņ ł Ņ Ņ Ɓƍſűū Ņ Ʀƌĥ ĵĮĥĪ ł ĴĿƦŨ Ņ ô ŧƢƉĥ ň Ņ ƢƄíƆ ł ň :ųƆň ŁĭĬ ô ň ŏ Ō Ņ Ō Ņ ł ơƏĥ ł ƅƇſĪŌ ƁƆ ƻĭĬ Ņ Ņ űſĽň ƅƊƕ ĖĴĪŴƇſ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD With love you sought me, with suffering you betrothed me, with the sword you redeemed me and behold you are glorified; following you let me run to the place of your Father. I entered with you into the tribunal, to perceive your dishonour. From the Jews I have received ignominy because of you. I feared I might die when you were mocked on the Cross. I fled and concealed myself when you were beaten by the wicked. I was mocked with you when they crucified you between the robbers. Again it pained me when they placed you with the dead in the tomb. I have been comforted and I forgot my sadness because of you, the Brilliant One. Let me go with you because I am persecuted on account of you. Let your name be for me the oil of myrrh which delights me, for, your mercy is better than wine:21 I shall be consoled in you. Let me go with you, Bridegroom, to your place because I love you. Reckon me in your flock: I have gone astray, may I be gathered in you.22 Daughters of Jerusalem, where have you seen the royal Bridegroom? Much have I sought for Him, He ascended to his place and I did not find Him.

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Song 1:3 Cf. Song 1:2

Cf. Song 5:8

Cf. Turgomo on the Fast, 44 (ET in Kollamparampil, Festal Homilies, p. 245). (At the ascension the bride, the Church, recognizes the mercy of God. But Adam failed to recognize it). 22 A similar confession of the Church is found in Albert, Juifs, VI, 313–44. 21

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Ņ ł Ņ ł Ņ ŏ Ņ ł Ņ ŏ Ņ ł ƁƌƼƖŨ :ƁƌƦƟƢƘ ťŷƉĭƢŨ łƁƌŁƢƄƉ ťƤŷŨ ťŨŴŷŨ ň Ņ Ņ ł ň ŏ ł Ō Ņ ł ł ĖĴŴŨĥĪ ĬĿŁƧň İĬĿĥ ĴĿƦŨ Ʀƌĥô Ÿƀũƣ ŦĬĪĭ ň ň ƅƊƕ Ņ ł ŦŵŶĥ Ņ ł ťƍſĪ ň ƦƇƕ Ņ Ō ƼŨň ŴŬíƆ ł :ĴƢƕĽ Ņ Ņ ŏ ň ň ł Ņ ň ňŅò ŏ ň ĖĴƦíƇźƉ ƦƇũƟ ŧűƐŶ ťſĪĭųſ ƎƉ ň Ō ô ň ň Ņ Ō ł ň ł ł ł ł :ƻĭĬô įŵŨƦƉ ťƙƀƟŵŨ űƃ ŁƼƉ ł ƦƇŶĪ ł ň ň ł ł ň ň ł Ō ò ň Ō ĖƻĭĬô ŸƙƟƦƉ ťƤƀŨ ƎƉ űƃ ƼƤŹĭ ƦƟƢƕ ŏ ł űƃł ƅŨŅ ŁűƐŶŁĥ ň Ņò ł ƼŨň ĭĭĬ ł ô ĴŴƙƟĮ ň ł ň :ťƐƀū ň ò Ō ł ł Ņ Ō Ņ ł ŦƼƉ łŅ ŏ Ņ ŧƢũƠŨ ĖĴŴƊƏ Ƌƕ űƃ ŪŹ ƁƆ ƦƠƕ ň Ņò Ņ Ō ł ƁƆŌ ŁŤƀŨŁĥ ł ň :ŧƢŅſųƌŌ ł ƅŨŅ IJƦƠƕ ƼƖŹĭ Ņ Ņ ŏ ň Ņ Ņ Ō ł łŌ Ņ ł ĖĴƦíƇźƉ ljĥô ťƙſĪĿĪ ĵĮĥ ƅƊƕ Ņ Ō ň ň ň ŏ Ņ ƁƆŌ Ŧĭųƌ ł ł Ņ ň ƅƊƣ :ƁƆ ƋƐũƉĪ ŧĿŴƉĪ ťŷƤƉ Ņ ł ƎƉň ĻĥŅ ƅƀƊŶǓ ł ł ƎƀũŹĪ Ō Ņ ł ł ň ƅŨŅ ŧƢƊŶ ĖťƀŨŁĥ Ņ ł ljƦŶ Ņ Ņ ĵĮĥł Ō ĴĿŁƧ Ņł Ņ ł ƅƊƕ :ƅƆŅ ljĥŅ ô ň ťƊŶĿĪ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ƁƍƀƍƉ Ō ĴĿŵŬŨ Ō ł ł ƅŨŅ ljĥŅ ô ŦƼƖŹ ĖƥƍƃŁĥ Ņò ň ň ŏ ƦƍŨ ň Ŧŵň Ŷ ťƄſĥ Ņ ł ƋƇƣĿĭĥ Ņ ł ljƦŶ Ņ ł ƎƀƄíƆ :ň ťƄíƇƉ ň Ō ň ĬƼƖŨ ł ň ƧĭŅ ĬĿŁň Ƨł ųƆň ơƇƏ Ō ł ĖĬƦŷƄƣĥ ƁŬƏ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD Behold, I am sick with the love of the Bridegroom and I am seeking Him. I love Him because He is much more beautiful than all beauties. Compassion is poured out upon His lips when He speaks. In His appearance He is the most beautiful of men for the one who looks at Him. His garments were fragrant with the vapour of the incense like that of Aaron; And the white and red that flow from Him, water and blood. As the couch of perfumes are His cheeks to the one who perceives Him. He is wholly perfume, for His Father was reconciled to the world through Him. He met me on the way but I did not recognize Him, for I was foolish. He ascended to His heaven; who shall make me ascend to Him that I may see Him?” THE ROYAL BRIDE CONSOLED BY THE SERVANTS OF THE KING The company of the apostles stands upon the mount of Olives. The virgin bride then gazes at the Bridegroom who was raised up. And behold, as she was about to lament because He had been raised up, leaving her as He ascended, angels approached to console her: “Behold He will come.” The servants of the King were consoling her, the royal bride: “You should not be grieved because the same Bridegroom will come and you shall (surely) see Him. He went in order to come (back) and bring to you riches with Him. He will not leave you, He will come to you, look out for Him who shall come. In His body He carried you and behold, you are with Him in His exalted place,

Cf. Song 2:5

Cf. Song 5:13 Cf. Song 5:10 Cf. Song 5:1, 16 John 19:34 Cf. Song 4:15 Cf. Song 5:13

Acts 1:11

Acts 1:11

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ň ň Ņ Ō ŦĬŅ ljƦŶĪ Ņ ł ĬƦƊŶƢŨ Ņ Ņ ljĥŅ ô ŦųſƢƃ :ųƆň ljĥŅ ô ťƀƖŨĭ ň Ō ł ƎƉň Ƣƀƙƣ Ō ł ƁŬƏĪ Ņ Ņ Ō ł ųƆň ljĥŅ ô ťƊŶĿ Ėŧǔƀƙƣ ň Ņò ň ň ł ł ťƉŅ ĬŁŴƙƏ ł ťƊŶǓ Ō Ō ň ł ƎƀƄƀƐƌ ƈƕ :džƊƉĪ ł Ō ł ň ň Ƣƀƙƣ Ņ ò ł ƎƉň ĬĭŵŷŨ Ņ ł ťƤŅ ƍƀƍŨ ĖųŨň ĿŤŶűƆ ł Ņ ň IJĬŴƣŴũíƆ ň Ō ŧƢźƖŨ Ō ł ň Ņ ŏ ťƉǔƀƘĪ ł ò ŏ ƎƀƊƐũƉ :ťƀƌĭǓĬĥ Ņò ł ųƍƉ ň ň ƎſĪĿĪ Ņ ł ťƀƉ Ņ ŏ ĿŴŶĭ Ņň ň Ņ ơƉŴƏĭ ĖťƉĪĭ Ņ ò ł ł ťƊƐŨĪ ł ł ƅſĥł ň ò ň ŦƦũƄƤƉ ň Ņ ł IJĬŴƄƘ :ųƆň ł ŦŵŶűƆ ň ŏ ł ň Ō ł ň ųŨĪ ň ųƿ Ņ Ņ ƁƕĿŁĥ ĖIJĬŴŨĥŏ ťƊíƇƖíƆ ĭĬ ŧƢźƕ ô Ņ ň łŌ Ņ Ō ł ĬƦƕűſ Ō ô ŧƢſƢŨĪ ł Ņ ŏ ƁŨŌ ƗŬƘ : Ƨĭ ťŶĿĭŤŨ ƻĭĬ ň ň ň ň ł ƎƉł IJĬŴò ƊƤƆ ł ł ųƆň ơƇƏ Ņ ƁƆŌ ơƐƉ ň ĬŁŴíƆ ĖIJĬŴſŵŶĥ ň òł ŏ ł Ņ ŏ Ō ł Ņ ŏ Ņ Ņ :ŦƻĮ ĿŴŹ ƈƕ ŦŁŴŷƀƇƣĪ ŧĪŴū ŏ ťƊƀƟ Ņ Ņ ł Ō ł ň ljƦŷŨ Ņ Ņ ŦƦíƆĭƦŨ Ņ ł ŧƢƀŶĭ ĖųƆň ƁƇƕŁĥĪ ŦƦíƿ ň ł ŦĬŅ űƃĭ ň ł ųƠũƣĭ Ō ł ň ƈƕł džſŁ ł ñ Ņ ł ň ƁƇƕŁĥĪ :ơƇƏĭ ł Ņ ň ň ò ł ŴŨƢƟ ñ Ņ ŏ ł ł ťƃƨƉ ĖųƆň ŦŁĥ ŦĬĪŅ ųƌŴũũƇƌĪ ł ł ñ Ņ ł Ņ ł ƦǀíƆ Ņ ł IJűũƕ Ō ł ťƄíƇƉ łò ł :ťƄíƇƉ ųíƆ ĭĭĬô ƎƀũũƇƉ ň Ņ ň ň ň Ņ Ņ ł ĭĬô ŦŁĥĪ ł Ņ ljƦŶ ĖųƆň ĭĬô ŏ IJƻŵŶ ƁƄƆ ŧƢƃŁ ƧĪ ň ł ł łň ň Ō Ņ ň ŏ ł ň ň Ņ ň :ųƊƕŏ ŧĿŁŴƕł ň ƁƄƆ ŦƼƌĪĭ ň Ņ ň ĵĮĥň ŦŁŤƌĪ Ņ ƧŅ ĖŦŁĥĪ ųƆ IJĿŴŶ ƁƄſĪĥĽ ĭĬ ŦŁĥ ƁƄƆ ơũƣ ô ň ł IJƦƌĥł ųƊƕ ň ł ųƊƣŴŬŨ ł Ņ ƁƄƇƠƣ ň ŏ :ťƉĿŅ Ņ ĬĿŁŤŨ ô ň ŦĬĭ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD and He gave you His spirit and behold, He is with you here in your place. You yourself came into being from Him, but He became from you and He will not leave you (alone). He is one with you, He will come to you, do not be grieved.” Angels approached the disciples and encouraged them; “your Lord will come, do not be grieved because He was exalted. You have seen that He went and you will also see Him when He comes; and in His second coming His manly power will shine forth.”

Acts 1: 11

THE HEAVENLY AND THE EARTHLY JOINED IN PEACE The angels came there to rejoice with the disciples. For He had joined one party with the other in great peace. Because of their joy angels clothed themselves as it were in white robes because He had reconciled with them the race of men who were at enmity. In the Son of God, heaven and earth were joined each other; and in Him were pacified, both the human race and the angels. The order of the heavenly beings desired to see His being, because He had not been seen by them until He came and became embodied among us. They were knowing Him that He is with His Father and hidden with Him; but the heavenly hosts were not capable of seeing Him.23

23 Another manuscript has: ‘Because their angels see eternally the countenance of my Father who is in heaven’ (cf. Matt 18:10).

¾Ùãý߃ û⃠ÌùßÍè áîƒ Àûâ½Ćâ

ň ł ťƃĿĬ Ņ Ņ ĭĬŏ ƁƄƊƕ ň ł ŦĬĭ Ņ ųŶĭĿ ł ň ŏ ƁƄƆň ħųſĭ ĖƁƃĿŁŤŨ ô ô Ņ ň ł Ƨĭ ƁƄƍƉ ň ň ŦĭĬĭ ň ň ƁƄƆň IJƻĭĬ Ņ ł ųƍƉ ł :ƁƄƆň ťƘƢƉ ňŅ ň ň ƧŅ ƁƄſĪĥĽ ň ł ĭĬô ŏ űŶł ł ň ĭĬô ŦŁĥ ĖƁƄƆň ŧƢƃŁ ƁƄƊƕ ł ňŏ ň ň ò ł ł ŴŨƢƟ ň ł ŧűƀƊíƆŁ ň ťƃƨƉ ňò Ō űſĽ :ķŴƌĥ ŴũũíƆĭ ň ň Ņ ň Ƨ ķŴƃƢƉ ň Ō ł ŁĥĪň ķŴƄíƆ ŏ ŧƢƃŁ ŏ Ņ ĭĬ ŦŁĥĪŅ ĖųƆ ôŏ ň Ņ ƁƇƕ Ņ ň ŏ Ņ ň ł ł ň Ņ :ŦŁĥĪ ťƉ Ļĥ ň ųƆ ķĭƦƌĥô ƎſŵŶĭň ł ĵĮĥĪ ķĭƻŵŶ Ō ň ŏ Ņ ł ťŷƌĪ ň ł Ņ Ņ ƎſŁĿŁĪ ĬƻŁŤƊŨĭ ĖĬŁĭƢũƍū ô ł ł ł ł ň ò ł ĭŁĥ Ņ ķĭűŷƌĪ ňò Ō ŏ ň ťƃƨƉ :ŧűƀƊíƆŁ Ƌƕł ƎƉŁ ô ł ň ł Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ł ł ĖťŨĿ ťƍƀƤŨ ťũŬŨ ňťũū ųƆ ŦĭĬô ŻƇŶĪł ł ł ň Ņň ò ł ŴƤũíƆ ň ŧǓŴŶ ŏ ł ł ƎƉň ťƃƨƉ :ķĭĬŁĭűŶ ƅſĥ ł ł Ō ŏ ł Ņ Ņ Ō Ņ Ō ťƤƌĥĪô ťƐƍūň ķĭųíƆ ƁƕĿŁĥĪň ĖĭĭĬô ƎſŵƀūĿĪ ňò Ņ ł ŴźƇŶ ł ťƕĿĥĭ Ņ ł ťƀƊƣ Ņ Ņ ł ƢũŨ ł Ņ ł Ŧųƭ :ŧĪűŷŨ ňò ł ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ò ł ł ł ł ň ň ĖťƃƨƉ Ļĥ ťƤƍƀƍŨĭ ŴƍſƦƣĥ ųŨĭ ň Ņ ŏ ň ňò Ņ ł ł Ņ ň Ņ Ō Ĭƻ :ťƍƀƊƣĪ ťƊūŁ ŦĭĬ ŭƀūĿ ķĭŵŷƌĪŅ ô Ņ ň Ņł ň ŏ Ņ ł ň ƧĪ ł ł ĖƎŨ ƋƤūŁĥĭ ŦŁĥĪ ťƉűƕ ķĭųíƆ ŦĭĬô ŦŵŶ ł ň Ō Ņ ň ł ťƐƃĭ ň ł IJĬŴŨŤŨ ŏ ł ł ô Ǝƀƕűſ ĪŌ ųƆŅ ĭĭĬ :ųƊƕ Ņ Ņ ł ò ł IJĬĭƻĥ Ō Ņ Ƨ IJųƀƌĭŵŷƌĪĭ ł ô ƎƀƠƙƏ Ņ ŏ ň ł ĖŦŁŴíƇƀŶ ĭĭĬ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD And when He descended to the earth in His love to come in the flesh, the legions thronged to behold Him as He had been made manifest. The powers and captains24 with their divisions had marvelled, because the Hidden One willed and became revealed that they might behold Him. And on the way to heaven the ranks have gathered to see Him, because the tidings that He had come moved them and they were stirred to give honour to Him. They had earnestly desired to see the revelation of the Son. A new wonder, a mystery, that He himself willed to reveal. He was revealed in the flesh and in glory He ascended and He was seen by men and angels when He was ascending.

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THE SON RECEIVED BY THE LEGIONS ON HIS WAY It is written that a cloud received Him when He was exalted. Not that it [the cloud] carried Him but it did receive and honour Him. He was exalted and then the cloud received Him in its region, as all the (heavenly) divisions too received Him when He was passing. In the place of babes, a babe25 received Him because He came to its place; and He came to the river and baptism received Him. The children met Him, and they all received Him with their hosannas;

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Acts 1:9 (Peshitta)

It can be rendered also as ‘Dominions,’ ‘Archangels,’ etc. The reference is to John the baptist in the womb of Elizabeth; cf. FH I 477–

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ň Ō ň ŏ Ņ ł Ō ł ň ł ł ł ŦŁŤƌĪ :ƢƐũŨ ťƕĿƧ IJƦŶŁŁĥ űƃĭ ň ł ł ųŨŴŷŨ łò Ņ ň Ņ ň ò ŏ ň IJƞũŶ ŏ ĖŦĭĬô ƨūĪ ň ƈƕ ųŨň ķǓŴŷƌĪł ljŴƀŬƆ ňò ł ł ŏò ł ł ł ł ƨƀŶ ò ł ƁŨǓĭ :ķĭųƀƊūŁ Ƌƕł ƨƀŶ ĭĭĬô ĭĿĬŁ ŏ ŏ ł ťƀíƇū Ņ ĭł ťƀƐƃ Ņ ł Ņ ł ťŨĽĪ Ņ ł ŦĭĬ ĖųŨň ķĭĿŴŷƌĪ ł ł ô ĭƢźƟ Ņ ł ťŶĿĭŤŨ Ņ ŏ ň ł ň ò ŏ ĭĭĬ Ņ ŏ IJųƀƌĭŵŷƌĪĭ ťƉĭĿĪ :ŧĪŴū Ō ň Ņ ň ň ň Ō ł ň Ņ ŴŶĮĭŅ ŦŁĥĪ ĖĬƢƠſƧ ųũŹ ķŴƌĥŏ ƗſĮĥĪ Ņ ł ųƍƀíƇŬíƆĪ ł ł ň ň Ņ ň ł ĭĭĬ ł ô ŴūƢūĿŁĥ ŏ ň ŧƢŨĪ :ķĭŵŷƌ ň ň Ņ ł ŅŅ Ņ ł Ņ ň ň ł ƨŬƌĪ ĖųƤƙƌ ŦĮĿĥô ŦŁűŶ ŧĿĬŁň ł ň Ņ ŏ ň ťŨĽĪ Ō ł Ņ ł ł ł ƁƇūŁĥ :ŦĭĬô ơƆƦƏĥ ŦƦŶŴũƣƦŨĭ ƢƐũŨ ňò ł ł ł Ņ ò Ņ Ō ň ň Ņ űƃł ťƃƨƊíƆĭ Ņ ô ơƇƏ ĖŦĭĬ ň ł Ņ ň ň ł Ņ Ņ ł ťƤƌƧô Ō IJŵŶŁĥĭ Ō ł :ƁƇƕŁĥ űƃň ŁĭĬô ĬƦíƇũƟ Ņ ň Ūſǁ Ņ ł ł ťƍƍƕĪ ň ł ł ł ł ł ĖĬŁƢƠſ Ļĥ ƦƇũƟĪ Ƨĥ ĬƦƍƖŹĪ ň ň ł ň Ō ł ň ŴƆŏ Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ñ ťƍƍƕ ĬƦíƇũƟ Ǝƃĭ ƁƇƕŁĥ ĭĬł :ĬĿŁŤŨ ňò ň ŏ ŏ ŏ ł ĻĥĪŅ ƅſĥ Ņ ł Ņ ł ĖŦĭĬô Ƣũƕ űƃ ťƊūŁł Ņ ķĭųíƿ IJĬŴƇũƟ ňòŏ Ņ ł Ņ ň ŦŁĥĪň ųƇũƟ ň ł ƧŴƕŏ ƧŴƕĪ :ĬĿŁƧ Ņ ň ň ł Ņ ł ŧĿŁŤŨ Ņ Ō ŏ ł Ņ ĖŦƻĪŴƊƖƉ ŁĭĬô ĬƦíƇũƟĭ ŧĿųƍíƆ ŦŁĥĭň ňò Ņ ŏ ł ųŨň ŴƖŬƘ ŏ ò ł ł ŏ ķĭųíƿ ŏ ŏ IJĬŴƇũƟĭ ł ťƀíǑ :ķĭųƀƍƖƣĭŤŨ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD and when He was passing by the trees they gave their branches. He entered in the tribunal and they honoured Him with scarlet robes. He ascended the Cross and they wrote on it, “King” although they were not willing. He decided to enter Sheol filled with the dead and the dead of Sheol came out, and received Him as He was entering. Into the tomb He had entered and the dwellers of the tombs came forth to honour Him and wheresoever He went the legions of the place received Him. And when He was exalted and arrived at the place of the clouds, the clouds earnestly desired Him and went out for meeting Him, to receive Him. The cloud did not come down to the earth, while He was ascending; when He had approached towards it in its place, it [the cloud] received Him. THE ASCENSION OF THE SON TO HEAVEN From the earth unto heaven He was exalted, as the book of Luke makes known to those who discern. And behold, when He was arriving at that exalted place of the clouds the cloud proceeded, and received Him as He was passing. Not that it would carry (Him), but it went out to receive Him solemnly, for the meeting of its Lord who had come to pass by its neighbourhood. For the cloud did not ascend with Him to where He ascended; but in its place it received Him and it stayed behind Him. As He had left the earth at His ascent when He was exalted,

Matt 27:28 et par Matt 27:37 et par

Matt 27:52,53

Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9–11 Acts 1:9

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ňò Ņ Ō ň Ņ ł Ņ ł ŏ ł ò ł ŴŨųſ ł ťƍíƇſĥ ĖķĭųƀƃŴƏ űſĽ ŦĭĬô Ƣũƕ űƃĭ ô Ņ Ō ŏ ł ň òł ŏ ň ƈƕł Ņ Ō ƼũíƆ ł :ŦƻĿŴŶĮĪ ŦƦŷƌ IJĬĭƢƠſĭ ťƍſĪ ň Ņ ł IJĬŴŨǁĭ ň Ņ ƧŅ űƃł ťƄíƇƉ ŏ ł ťũƀƆƞƆ Ņ Ō ł ơƇƏ ĖƎƀŨĽ ň ò Ō ł ł ň ŏ ł ƋƏŅ ŏ ň ųƘĭĽƢƘ ŏ ł ĵŴƖƌĪ :ŦƼƉ ƼíƇƉ ĵŴƀƤƆ ň ň ò Ō ł ł ŏ ł ĵŴƀƣĪ Ņ ô ĵŤƕŅ űƃł IJĬŴƇũƟ ŏ ł ŦƼƉ ĖŦĭĬ ŴƠƙƌĭ Ō ň ł IJǔƊƕĭ ł Ņ ŦĭĬ ň Ņ ŴƠƙƌł ŧǔũƟ Ņ ł Ņ ô ƈƕł ŧƢũƠíƆ :ĬƢƠſƧ Ņ ł ųƊūŁ ŏ ň ň ĵĮĥĪ ň ł ŧĿŁĥĪ Ņ ô ƈũƠƉ ł ň Ƣƃł ƈƃĭ ĖųƆň ŦĭĬ ł ň Ņ ňò Ņ ł ł Ņ Ō ł űƃĭ ł :ťƍƍƕĪ ĭĬŏ ŧĿŁƧ ťźƉĭł ƁƇƕŁĥ ňò Ņ ò ł ł ųƆň ƁŶŴƏ ň ò Ņ Ņ ł ł ųƕĿĭƧ ò ł ťƍƍƕ ĖIJųƀƍíƇũƠƌĪ ƁƠƙƌĭ ł ň ŅŅ Ņ ł ň ł ň Ņ űƃł ŁƦŷƌ Ņ ô ơƇƏ :ŦĭĬ ň ň ł Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ťƍƍƕ Ņ ťƕĿĥŅ űſĽł ŴƆň Ņ ñ ñ ĖŁĭĬô ĬƦíƇũƟ ň ĬĿŁŤŨ ĬŁŴíƆ ŦĭĬô ťźƉĪ ł ň ƎƉň Ō ł ł ł Ņ ŏ ł Ņ :ƁƇƕŁĥ ĭĬ ťƀƊƤƆ űƕ ťƕĿĥ Ņ űſĽ ƎƉł Ņ ŏ ųŨǁ ň Īł ƅſĥ Ō ŏ Ņ ł ĺĪŴƉ ł ł ťƟŴƆĪ ĖƎƀƣĭƢƘűƆ ňò Ņ ł ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ň ň Ņ ł :ťƍƍƕĪ ĭĬ ťƉĿ ň ŧĿŁƧ ťźƊƌ ŦĬ űƃĭ ł ň ťƍƍƕ ň ł ƦƠƙƌ Ņ Ņ ô ĬƦíƇũƟ ł Ņ űƃł ŁĭĬ ŅŅ ĖŦĭĬô Ƣũƕ ň Ņ ň ł ŴƆł ł ň ƦŶĮł Ņ ƈũƟŁ ň ł Ņ ô ƎƖŹŁ :ƦƠƙƌ Ņ ŏ Ņ ł ł ň ƧĥŅ ŁĭĬ Ņ ŏ ñ ł ñ Ņ Ņ ťƕĿĭƧ ĖĬŁŴũũƤŨ ƢũƖƌĪ ŦŁĥĪň ĬƢƉĪ ň ł ťƄŅ ſƧ ƦƠíƇƏ ł ň ųƊƕ ň ł ťƍƍƕ Ņ Ņ Ƣƀūň ŴƆł :ơƇƏĪ ň ň ł Ņ ł Ņň ň ň ƦƤƘĭ Ņ ô ĬƦíƇũƟ ł Ņ ŁĭĬ ñ ĖųƍƉ Ƨĥł ň ł ň ł Ņ ł Ņ ĬĿŁŤŨ Ō ł ł ł :ƁƇƕŁĥ űƃ ųƠƐƊŨ ťƕĿƧ ŦĭĬô ơũƣĪ ƅſĥ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD thus He left the cloud too when He was ascending. And all the legions in their places and in their boundaries were receiving Him when He was raised to His exalted place. They were receiving Him, they did not carry Him to be exalted because He is the One who was carrying the regions and their legions. He left the cloud in that troubled place of the clouds and higher than that into the serene place He was exalted. THE ACCORD OF HONOUR FROM THE LEGIONS TO THE SON ON HIS ASCENT In all places and at all heights as He was passing, that same division that was there in the place received Him. Lightnings accompanied Him and they stayed behind Him at their boundaries, (as well as) clouds, winds and breezes of the air as He ascended. The captains and their (heavenly) hosts in their realms received Him and stayed behind Him, being afraid. Those that are above the intermediary ones received and escorted Him. And the beings below stayed behind and step by step every legion in its place. The companies of fiery beings received Him with great trembling; and they remained back from Him in their regions while trembling. All the heavenly principalities went out to honour Him but He left them and was raised to the height that is above. He reached the chariot, however, He did not remain on the chariot, for above that (chariot) to the extended heights He was being raised.

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ň Ņ űƃł ťƍƍƖƆ ł Ņ Ņ ô ơƇƏ Ņ Ņ ł ĻĥŅ ųƠũƣ ñ Ņ ł ƎƃĬ ĖŦĭĬ ň ňò ŏ ò ł ŏ ł ķĭĬŁĭǓŁŤŨ ŏ Ņ ł ł ťƊūŁ ŏ ŏ :ķĭųƀƉŴŶƦŨĭ ķĭųíƿĭ ňł ň ł ň ł ň ł ƨƕƦƉ Ō ł Ņ Ņ ĬĿŁƧ ĖťƉĿ űƃ ųƆ ĭĭĬ ƎƀƇũƠƉ ô ňł ň ň Ō Ņ ł ň ł Ō ł Ņ ô ƨƕƦƌĪ :ŦĭĬ ųƆ ň ƎƀƍƖŹ ŴƆ ųƆ ĭĭĬô ƎƀƇũƠƉ ł Ņ Ō ŴſĭĬĪ ŏò ł ł ŦŁĭǓŁƧ Ņ ł ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ƎƀƖŹ ŏ ŏ ĖķĭųƀƊūƦíƆĭ ňò Ņ ł ł Ņ Ō Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ł ł :ťƍƍƕĪ ŧĿŁŤŨ ťƍƍƖƆ ơũƣ ň ł ĭĬň ťƤƀŬƣ Ņ ň ł Ņ Ņ ł ñ Ņ ň ƈƖíƆĭ ĖŦĭĬô ƨƕƦƉ ťƀƙƣ ŧĿŁŤŨł ųƍƉ ł ŏ ŏ ł ķĭǓŁĥ Ō ł ƈƄŨĭ Ņ ô Ƣũƕ Ņ ł ƈƄŨ ł Ņ űƃł ƎƀƉĭǓ :ŦĭĬ ň Ņ ł ŦĭĬ ň ł ŧĿŁŤŨ Ņ ô ƈũƠƉ Ņ ô ƻĥĪŌ ťƊūŁ Ņ ĖųƆň ŦĭĬ ĭĬł ĭĬŏ Ņ ťƟǔŨ ň ł IJĬŴſŴíƆ ŏ ł ò ŏ ł ųƍƉ ň ň ĭĭĬ Ō ł ł ô ŴƤƘĭ :ķĭųƀƉŴŶƦŨ ł ňò Ņ ň Ņ űƃł ĿĥĥĪŅ ťũƤƉĭ ň ò ł ťŶĭǓĭ Ņ ô ơƇƏ ň ŏ ťƍƍƕ ĖŦĭĬ Ņ Ņ ł ò ł ňò ł ł ł ŏ ò ł Ņ ŏ ŦŁŴíƇƀŶĭ :ķĭųƀƌűŶĭŤŨ ƨƀŶ ƁŨǓ Ņ ň Ō Ō ł ł ň ň ł ł ł Ō ĖƎƀƇƀŶĪ űƃ ųƍƉ ĭĭĬô ŴƤƘĭ ųƆ ĭĭĬô ƎƀƇũƠƉ ň Ņ IJĬŴŷſĮ ň ł ƎƀƆĬ ň ł ň Ņ ò ň ƎƉň ƈƖíƆĪ ŏ ł ŴƇũƟ :ťƀƕƞƉ ň ł ň ł ťƊūŁ Ņ Ņ ň Ņ ò ŴƤƘĭ Ņ Ō ŧűſŤŨĭ Ņ Ō ťſƦŶŁ ĖĬĿŁŤŨ ŧűſŤŨ łò Ņ ò ł Ņ ŏ ŧĪŴū Ņ ł ŧĿŴƌĪ Ņ ł ťƕĭŵŨ ň ò ŏ ųƆň IJĭĬ :ťŨĿ ƎƇũƠƉ Ņ Ō ł ł ň Ņ ł ł ň ň ô łò ò Ņ ĖķƻŁǓ űƃ ƎſĬŁĭǓŁŤŨ IJĭĬô Ō ƁƤƘĭ ł ň ųƍƉ Ņ Ņò Ņ ň ň Ņ ƁƠƙƌ ò ł ŏ ł :ŦƼíƇƕ ĸŤƃǓĥ Ǝſųíƿ ĬƢƠſƧ Ō ł ň Ǝƀƌĥň ň ơũƣĭ ň ł ťƉĭƢíƆ Ņ ł ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ƁƇƕŁĥĭ ł ł ĖƈƖíƆĪ Ņ Ņ ł ł Ņ Ņ ł ł ťźƉ Ō ł ƎſĪň Ƨ ŦƦũƃƢƊíƆ :ŦƦũƃƢƉň ƈƕł IJŴƟ ň ł ł ň ťŷſƦƉ ň ł ųƍƉ Ņ ô ƨƕƦƉ ň ò Ō ťƉĭǔƆ ñ Ņ ň ƈƖíƆĪ ĖŦĭĬ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD It [the chariot] also had received Him in its place as He was ascending; and as much as the boundary that was set to it to ascend with Him, it ascended. And it stayed behind Him and He ascended towards His Father where there is no place for the angels to move forward. He left behind the Seraphs who were singing ‘Holy, holy, holy,’ with their hallowings. The fearful Cherubs who were making joyful noise for Him with great trembling, Persons and faces as well as wings and wheels endowed with speech, the cloud of fire all of which distils flame. Above these the Only-Begotten bore himself magnificently, to the region where there is no room for the minds to be raised up; To the holy of holies, the High Priest bore himself magnificently, because no one has power to enter into it except the Only One; Towards that awesome interior tabernacle where the Father is, for the Son alone can enter towards His Father. MOUNT SINAI AND THE ORDER OF THE ASCENSION OF THE SON Outside the door the angels stayed behind like the Levites, and Christ, the High Priest, alone entered. The heavenly hosts, tribes by tribes, legions by legions, bands by bands (remained) in their (different) ranks: In the valley of the heights they stayed behind Him as He was ascending, like the Hebrews gathered together around Sinai. To the top of the mountain no one ascended, but Moses,

Isa 6:3

Cf. Heb 9:11, 24

Exod 19:16–25

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Ņ Ņ ň ň ł ň Ņ űƃł ĬĿŁŤŨ Ņ ô ơƇƏ ñ ň Ņ ł IJĬŌ Ļĥ ŁĭĬ :ŦĭĬ ô ĬƦíƇũƟ ł ň ųƊƕ ň ł ơƏŁĪ Ņ ŏ ųíƆ Ņ ł ł ťƉŴŶŁ Ņ ťƊƃĭ ñ Ņ ƋƏĪ ĖƦƠíƇƏ ň ł ųƍƉ ň ň ƦƤƘĭ Ņ ô ơƇƏĭ ň ŏ Ņ űſĽň ĭĬŏ ŦĭĬ ł Ņ :ĬĪŴƇſ Ņ ł ƻĥŌ ƧĪŅ ťƄſƧ ň Ō ŧĿŁĥ ŏ Ņ ł ł ŧǔƀƖíƆ Ņ ł ĖŴƄíƆųƊƆ ň Ņ ƁƘĿĥ Ō ł ŏ ł Ņ ŏ ųƆň ƎƀƣűƠƉĪ Ō ł ł ťƘǔƏ :ķĭųƀƙŶĭǔŨ ňò Ō ň ŏ Ņ ł ųƆň ƎƀũũƀƉĪ Ō ł ł ƨƀŶĪ Ņ ł ťƕĭŵŨ ĖťŨĿ Ņ Ņ Ņ łò ň ò Ō ňò ň ňò ł ťŨĭǔƃ ň òŏ :ŦƦíƇíƇƉ ƨŬƀūĭ ťƙūĭ ťƘĥĭ ťƉŴƍƟ Ņ Ō ň ł Ņ ŏ Ņ Ņ Ņ ŏ ŅŅ ñ ĖŦƼŨųíƇ ťƊƏĿĪ ŧĿŴƌĪ ťƍƍƕ ň ł ň ƣ Ņ ųíƿ ň Ņ ƎƉň ƈƖíƆ ň Ņ Ō Ņ Ō :ŦĭĬô ŦŤūƦƉ ťſűƀŷſ ƎƀƆĬ Ņ ł ƻĥŌ ƧĪŅ ťƄſƧ Ņ ł ň ò ł ŧĿŁĥ ŏ Ņ ł ň ljĭųíƆ ĖŴƀíƇƕƦƊíƆ ň ł ň ň ŏ Ņł ň ò ŏ Ņ ô ŦŤūƦƉ ŏ ł :ŦĭĬ ŧǔƉŴƃĪ ťŨĿ ťƣĪŴƟ ŀĭűƠƆ Ņ ň ň ł ŅŅ ŏ ƼƆĪ ĖűŶł ķĥ ł Ƨĥ ųƆň ĵŴƖƌŏ ň ƥƌƧŅ ô ťƍźíƆŴƣ Ņ Ō Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ł ĭĬł ƨƀŶĪ :ťŨĥŅ ųŨň ň ƻĥĪŌ ťſŴū ťƍƄƤƊíƆ ŏ ł Ņ ł ň ł ň ň Ņ ň ĭĬô ŧƢŨ ŏ ĖĬĪŴƇſ űſĽ ĵŤƕ ŸƄƤƉ ĪŴŷíƇŨ Ƣƀū ł ł ňò ł ňò Ņ ň ƅſĥł ťƃƨƉ Ņ ƎƉň ƢũíƆ ł :ťſŴíƆ ŴƤƘŅ ťƕĿŁ Ņ ô ƈƕł ťŷƀƤƉ Ņł ň ò Ņ ťŨĿĭ ł ŏ ł ĭĬŏ ŦĭĬ Ņ Ō ljųƃĪ ĖIJĬĭĪŴŷíƇŨ Ō ò ł Ō ò ł ňò Ņ ł ł Ņ Ņ ł ò ł :Ǝƀźũƣ Ǝƀźũƣ ťƍƀƊƣĪň ŦŁŴíƇƀŶň Ōò Ōò ò Ō ň ŏ ł ò Ō Ō ò ŏ ƎƀƊūŁ ŏ ĖķĭųƀƊƄƏŤŨ ƎſĪŴū ƎſĪŴū ƎƀƊūŁ ň Ņ űƃł ųƍƉ Ņ ŏ ň ǓĪł ťƠƉŴƖŨ ň ň ĭĭĬ Ņ ô ơƇƏ ł ô ŴƤƘŅ ťƉĭ :ŦĭĬ ł Ņ ťſǔũƕ ł ô ƎƀƤƀƍƃĪ ł Ō IJĿűŶ ň Ņ ň ƅſĥł Ō Ō ł ƁƍƀƏ ĖĭĭĬ Ņ ŏ ųƤſƢíƆ ň Ņ ƧŅ ťƣŴƉ Ņ ô ơƇƏ ň Ō Ņ ŏ ƧĥŅ ň ŧĿŴŹĪ :ŦĭĬ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD but to its intermediary level the elders and the priests were raised. Around it the people and on its slopes the leaders of the people (remained), and where there was the tabernacle of the Exalted One Moses alone (entered). Heaven was full of heavenly armies and above them were set up the archangels. And again other heavenly beings who are higher than their comrades, and as the High Priest, the Son of God, within all these. To the place where the great Moses ascended neither priests nor Levites nor the leaders of the people ascended. To the place where the Son was exalted, with His Father, neither Cherubs nor Seraphs with their hallowings were raised. There are priests but the High Priest is only one; and into the holy of holies, only One enters, not many. The Only-Begotten alone entered to His Father and there is no means for another one to enter to the Father. THE ENTRANCE OF THE SON INTO THE HIDDEN TABERNACLE King David, the divine harpist, stirred up his voice to the gates of the height to open them. As if to say, O gates from eternity, be lifted up, for they are never opened to anyone to enter but for Him. From that place of the heights, and from that place of the gates the angels stayed behind, and the gates were lifted up so that the King alone might enter, to the region, hidden, concealed, and fearful that cannot be spoken of,

Cf. Heb 9:7

Ps 24:9

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ňò Ņ ň ň ł ł ň ł ň ljųƃĭ ł ô ƎƀƇƕƦƉ ň ò Ņ ťũƏ ĖĭĭĬ ƎſĪ ĬƦƕƞƊƆ Ō łŅ ł Ņ ò Ņ ł ł Ņ ł IJĬĭĿűŶ ł ł ťƊƕ :ťƊƕ ƁƤſǓ IJĬŴƍƠƐƊŨĭ ň Ō Ņ Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ĬƦƍƀƄƣ ň ŏ ťƉĿĪ ŏ ł ťƣŴƉ ĖĪŴŷíƇŨ ŦĭĬô ƻĥĪŌ Ņ ťƄſĥĭ ň ò Ņ ł ł ŦŁŴíƇƀŶ Ņ łòł Ņ ł ťƀƊƣ Ņ ł ťƍƀƊƣĪ Ņ Ņ ł ò ł :ťƀíƇƉ ň ł Ō Ō ķĭųƍƉ ŏ ň ƈƖíƆĭ ł ł ƎƀƊƀƏ ĖŦŁŴíƇƀŶ ƁŨǓ ŏ ňò Ņ ň ŏ ł ł ƎƉň ƎƀƉĿĪ Ō Ņ ljǔŶĥ ň Ņ ô ťƀíƇƕ :ķĭųſǔũŶ ħĭŁĭ ň ŏ ħĿł ƅſĥĭł ň Ņ ƎƉň ŴŬíƆ Ņ Ņ ł ƢŨł ŧǔƉŴƃ ł Ŧųƭ ĖƎƀƆĬ Ņ ň ł ťƄſƧ Ō ƏŅ Ƨ ťŨĿ Ņ ł ł ô ƎƀƠíƇ Ņ ł ťƣŴƉ ň ŏ ơƇƏĪ :ĭĭĬ Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ƁƤſǓĭ ň ò Ņ ƨƘĥ ň Ņò ň ƧĭŅ ljųƃ ł Ō ťſŴíƆ ĖťƊƕ Ō ł ň ƧŅ IJĬŴŨĥŏ ł űſĽň ŧƢŨ Ō ł ň ƢƄíƆ Ņ ƁƇƕŁĥĪ ł :ŴƀƇƕŁĥ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ ň Ņ ƨƘĥ ťŨĭǔƃ ň ŏ ƨƘĥ ŏ ł Ņ ŏ ťƘǔƏ ĖķĭųƀƙŶĭǔŨ ň ò Ņ ħĿł ljųƃ ň ò Ņ ĭĬô ŏ ƻĥŌ ŏ ł ĭĬô ŏ űŶł ƎſĪň ljųƃ :ĪŴŷíƇŨ ň ňò Ō ł ł Ō ò ŏ ŀĭűƠƆĭ ŏ ł ĖŦŤƀŬƏ ŴƆ ĵŤƕŅ ĭĬô ŏ űŶł ƎƀƣĪŴƟ ň ŏŅ ň ł ŏ ł ƈƕł ťſűƀŷſ ŅŅ Ō Ō Ņ Ņ űſĽŏ IJĬĭŏ ĪŴŷíƇŨ Ō :ĬĪŴƇſ Ņ ł Ņ Ō ô ťŨĥŅ ł ŁŴíƆĭ Ėƻĥ Ƨ ťƏĿŴƘ ĵŴƖƌĪň ljƢŶĥ Ņ ł űſĭĪŌ ł Ņ ŏ Ņ Ō ťƄíƇƉ Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ŧĪĭĿƼƟ ťſųƭ : ňŏ ł ň Ņ ł ł ł ň Ņ ƗſĮĥŌ ł ĖķŴƌĥ įƦƙƌĪ ťƉĭĿ ƁƕǓƦíƆ ųƇƟ Ō ň ł Ņ ƎƉň ŦĬĪŅ ťƕǓŁ ň ł ŴƊſĿŁŁĥ ł Ō ł ƅſĥł ƋƇƕ :ƢƉŤƊíƆĪ ň Ņň ŏ ň ŏ ƌĪň ƎƀŷſƦƘ Ō Ō ƧŅ ƥƌƧŅ ô ĖųƆň ň ķĥł Ƨĥ ĶĭƦƊƉ ĵŴƖ ò ł ŴƤƘŅ ťƕǓŁ ň ł ƎƉň ťƄíƆ Ņ ťƉĭǓ Ņ ň ł ƎƉň ťƄíƆ :ťƃƨƉ ł Ō ň ň ŴƊſĿŁŁĥĭ ŏ ň ťƕǓŁ Ņ ł ĵŴƖƌĪ ł ŏ ł ĭĬŏ ťƄíƇƉ ĖIJĬĭĪŴŷíƇŨ Ņ Ō Ņ Ō Ņ ł ł ł ň ƧĪŅ ƨƀŶĪ Ņ ł ŧĿŁƧ Ŧŵƀƍū ťƀƐƃ :džƉƦƉ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD higher than all heights and lengths and regions. Legions after legions remained behind Him as He was ascending. Each of them remained in its region but He was exalted, to the hidden place which is not at all part of creation, nor is its story mingled with created things and the things formed, The tabernacle which is not made, nor has it any like it among created things, the region far from angels and from human intellects. Neither minds nor thoughts ascend to it. Nor do they contemplate it, not even the angels can speak where it is. The beings below stayed behind, the intermediaries remained behind and the supernal beings stayed back; and those above them remained within the boundary of their realms. As He was concealed from that company which was on the Mount of Olives, He was concealed from the intermediaries and from the beings above. And He alone entered into that inner holy of holies and no one entered with Him, neither intellect nor thought. The mind itself stayed behind Him and it was not able to venture to be raised again to look at the Son (to see) how much He was exalted. Like an angel the mind ascends and it cannot do any more. And where the watchers remain, thoughts as well remain. The Son was veiled from men26 and from the angels as He was veiled from Thomas and from John too. As far as he could gaze, Simon looked on when He ascended.

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Lit., ‘minds.’

Acts 1:9

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Ņ Ņ ł ł ňò ň ň ł ŏ ŏ ň ň ĖŦŁĭǓŁĥĭ ťŶƦƉĭ ťƉĭǓ ķĭųíƿ ƎƉ ƈƖíƆ ň Ōò Ōò ň ň Ņ űƃł ųƍƉ ň ň ĭĭĬ Ņ ô ơƇƏ ł ô ŴƤƘŅ ƎƀƊūŁ ƎƀƊūŁ :ŦĭĬ ň ł ķĭųƍƉ Ō ł ň ĭĬĭ ŏ IJŴƟ Ō ł ĬĿŁŤŨ ŏ ň űŶł űŶł ĖƁƇƕŁĥ Ņ Ņ ň ň ł Ō Ņ Ņ Ņ ł Ņ ł :ŦƻǔŨŏ ƎƉ IJĬĭƻĥ ƨƘĥĪ ťƀƐƃ ŧĿŁƧ Ņ Ņ Ņò ł ł ŻƀƇŶ Ō ųŨƢƣ ň ł ƨƘĥ ň Ņ ò ł ťſĭųŨ ĖťƍƟĭƦŨĭ ň Ņ Ņ Ņ Ō Ņ Ņ ł ň ò Ō ł ƻĥŌ ĬƦƍƃ ƨƘĥ űƀũƕ ƧĪ ťƍƄƤƉ :ŧűƀũƖŨ ň ň ňò ł ł ň ł ł Ņ ł ň Ņ ĖťƍƀƕǓŅ ƎƉĭ ťƃƨƉ ƎƉ űƖũƉĪ ŧĿŁĥŅ Ņ Ņ ò ò Ō Ņ Ƨĭ ň ł ň Ņ ŏ Ƨĭ ljĭĬ ƨƘĥ ųƆň ƎƀƠíƇƏ :ťũƣŴŶ Ņ ň Ō ƨƘĥŅ ƎƀƌĿƦƉ ŏ Ō ŧǔƀƕ ł ł ķĭƢƉŤƌĪ ň ł ň ƧĭŅ ĖŴƄſĥĪ ňò Ņ ň Ņ ťƀƕƞƉ Ņ ťſƦŶŁ ň Ņ ò ň ŴƤƘĭ ň Ņ ò ł ŴƤƘŅ :ťƀíƇƕ ŴƤƘĭ ň ł ŏ ò ł Ņ ŏ ťƉŴŶƦŨ ŏ ň ƈƖíƆĪĭ Ņ ŏ ł ŴƤƘŅ ķĭųƍƉ ĖķĭųƀƌűŶĭĥĪ ŏ ň Ō ł ň ƅſĥł Ņ ŏ IJĬŅ ƎƉň ƁƐƃŁĥĪ :Ŧƻò Įł ĿŴźŨĪł ŧĪŴū ňò Ņ ň ň ň Ņ ò ň ň Ņ Ō ł ň ĖťƀíƇƕ ƎƉĭ ťƀƕƞƉ ƎƉ ŦĭĬô ƁƐƃŁĥ ł Ō ò ŏ ŀĭűƠƆ ł ŏ ł ƈƕĭ Ņ Ņ ł ĭĬł ƎƀƣĪŴƟ ŏ ł IJĬĭĪŴŷíƇŨ :ťſŴū Ņ Ņ ň ł ƈƕł ƧĭŅ Ņ Ņ ň Ƨĭ ljĭĬ Ņ ł ƨƘĥŅ ųƊƕ ĖťƍƀƕĿ ł ł ŦƞƉ ň ň ųƆň ƥƘŅ Ņ ł ĭĬŏ ĻĥŅ ųƍƉ ň ƧĭŅ ljĭĬ :įƢƊƌĪ ňł ň Ō ł ň ťƊƃ Ņ ł ųŨň ĿŴŷƌŏ ħĭŁŏ ƨƕƦƌ Ņ ŧƢũŨ ĖƁƇƕŁĥ ŏ Ņ ł ň Ņ Ņ łł ł ň ł ƧŅ ħĭŁĭ :ƚƏŴƉ ơƇƏ ťƃƨƉ ƅſĥ Ņ Ō ljĭĬ ň Ņ Ō ƎƀƤƀƘĪ ò Ņ ł ň Ō Ņ ťƄſĥĭ Ņ ŏ ĖťũƣŴŶ Ļĥ ƎƀƤƀƘ ŧǔƀƕ ňò ł ł ň ň ò ł ň Ņ Ō ł ň :ťƃƨƉ ƎƉĭ ljĭĬŏ ƎƉ ŧƢŨŅ ųƆň ƁƐƃŁĥ ň ťƉĭĥŁ ł ƎƉň Ļĥ ƁƐƃŁĥĪ Ō ł ň ƅſĥł Ņ ł ŏ ƎƉĭ ĖƎƍŶŴſ ň Ņ űƃł ƢŶŅ ķŴƖƊƣ ŏ ň ųŨň ĿŴŷƌŏ ŦĭĬ ł ň ťƊƃ Ņ ô ŸƄƤƉĪ Ņ :ơƇƏ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD As far as he could Gabriel gazed on, and Michael too. And as far as it is able to venture even the mind too gazed. The thoughts too extended their impulses to see His place. He was exalted, went far in; He was hidden from the disciples and from the angels, from the intellects too, And from the minds and from the thoughts and from their impulses; and they were not able to set about to look on Him (to see) how far He was exalted. Stay behind, O Simon, your Lord has ascended to His exalted place and as far as you would gaze, you will not see how far He has been exalted. Stay behind, O Gabriel, because He has been exalted above your legion and you are not empowered to be exalted after Him to His place. Rest, O Chariot, and move your wheels to speak, because you are not allowed by the Hidden One in His place to see His place. Rest, Michael, O great leader of the heavenly hosts because you will not reach the high stairs of your Lord. Rest yourself, O Intellect, because the one who ventures, advancing and leaping, will fall; so you should not again venture upon the steps which are incomprehensible. The High Priest27 has entered into the holy of holies, with His own blood He will reconcile His Father with humanity.

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Cf. Narsai, Hom. on the Ascension (PO 40, pp. 167, 175).

Cf. Col 1:20, Heb 9:14

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ň Ņ Ō Ņ ňŌ ł Ņ ł ň Ņ ł ĖƈſŤƄƀƉ ƢŶ ŸƄƣĥĪ ťƊƃĭ Ņ ň ĻŅ DŽŅ ſĥƢũū ł ł ň ťƊƃĭ ŏ ł Ņ ł :ĭĬ Ļĥł ųŨ ƢŶ ljĭĬ įƢƊƌł ł ŸƄƤƉĪ ň ķĭŵŷƌ ň Ņ ò ŏ ĻĥŅ ŏ ł ò ł ŴŶƦƉ ťũƣŴŶ ŏ ň ķĭųƀƕĭĮ ĖĬĿŁĥ Ōł ň Ō ł ň ųƆň ƁƇƕŁĥ Ō ł ň ųƆň IJŴūŁĥ :ųƆň ƁƐƃŁĥ ňò ł ł ň ň ò Ō ł ň ň ò ł ƎƉň ĻĥŅ ťƃƨƉ ĖljĭĬ ƎƉĭ ŧűƀƊíƆŁ ƎƉ ò ò ł ň ň ťƍƀƕǓ ň ň ŏ ň Ņ ň ƎƉĭ ł Ņ ŏ :ķĭųƀƕĭ Į ƎƉĭ ťũƣŴŶ ƎƉĭ ň ŏ Ō ł ťƊƃ Ō Ņ ƎíſƞƉ Ņ ųŨň ķĭĿŴŷƌĪ ň ƧĭŅ ŏ ł ƎƀƄũƏ ĖƁƇƕŁĥ ň ł ĴƢƉ ň ķŴƖƊƣ Ņ Ņ ųƆň ơƇƏ ŏ ň ƅƆŅ ŀŴƘŏ :ťƉĿŅ Ņ ĬĿŁƧ Ō ł ň ťƊƃ Ņ ųƆň ƻŵŶ Ņ ł ň Ņ ƧŅ ĿŴŶŁĪ ŏ ł ťƊƃĭ ĖƁƇƕŁĥ ň Ō ł ŀŴƘŏ Ō ł ň ƈſĥƢũū Ņ ŏ ň ƎƉň ųƆň ƁƇƕŁĥĪ :ƅƌŴƀŬƆ ňł ň ł Ņ ł ň ĬĿƦŨ ň Ņ ƨƕŁŁĪĭ Ō ł Ƨ ĬĿŁƧ ĖƅƆŅ ŻƀƇƣ Ņ ł ł ŏ ŏ Ņ ł ł ƁƄƀíƇŬƀū ò ł Ō ł ŦƦũƃƢƉ Ō ƁƖſĮĥĭ :ŴƇíƇƊƊƆ ƁƣŴƘ ň ł ƎſŵŶŁĪ ň ł ťƀƐƄíƆ ł ł ƧĪŅ ĬĿŁŤŨ ň ň ƁƄƆň ƑƙƉ Ņ ł ĖĬĿŁĥ ň Ņ Ō Ņ Ņ łòł Ņł Ņ Ō ŏ ťŨĿ ťƤſĿ ƈſŤƄƀƉ ŀŴƘ :ł ŦŁŴíƇƀŶĪ Ņ ň Ņ Ņ ťƉǓ òł Ņ ł ł ň Ņ IJĬŴƍƠƐƊíƆĪ ĖƦƌĥô ťźƉŅ Ƨ ĴƢƉĪ ň Ņ ĿŴƣ ł ł ljĭĬ ł Ņ ƗƐƘ ł Ņ įƢƊƉĪ Ņ ł ƅƆŅ ŀŴƘŏ :ƈƙƌ ł ł ħĭŁŏ ƧĪŅ Ō ł ň ƧĪŅ ťƍƠ ò ł ƈƕł įƢƉŁ ň Ņ ƐƉ ĖƎƀƃĿĪƦƉ ň ŏ ťŨĿ Ō ł ň ĭĬŏ ƎƀƣĪŴƟ Ņł Ō ò ŏ ŀĭűƠƆ ŏ ł ŧǔƉŴƃĪ :IJŴūŁĥ Ņ ŏŅ ł ň ł ųƤƙƌĪ ŏ ł ťƕƢƌ Ņ ł ň ł ťƉűŨ ĖŦŁŴƤƌĥ ô Ƌƕ IJĬŴŨƧ

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ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD He is the offering, the High Priest, and the libation too28 and He himself entered so that the whole creation might be pardoned through Him. That One who descended, ascended, and that One who brought himself low has subdued the heights. He descended, visited us and ascended redeeming us; To Him be glory. The end of the Homily on Ascension.

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Cf. Bedjan III, p. 259, lines 10–11 (Hom. 78, on the Red Heifer; ET by D. Lane, The Harp 15 [2002], 25–42); Bedjan V, p. 158, lines 5–20 (Hom. 155) (Melchizedek is the type of Christ’s self-offering); Ephrem HAzym 2:2–3,5; Crucif 3:10; Narsai, PO 40, pp. 166/167 (lines 81–84). 28

¾Ùãý߃ û⃠ÌùßÍè áîƒ Àûâ½Ćâ

Ņ ł ťŷŨĪ ň ò Ņ ťŨĿĭ Ņ Ņ ŏ ĻĥŅ ljųƃĪ ŏ ŏ Ņ ň ŴſĭĬ :ťƀƟŴƌ ň Ņ Ō Ņ ŏ ň ł ň ł ųƆň ĭĬĭ ň ƈƖƉ ŏ ñ ĖŦƻƢŨ ųíƿ ťƐŶŁŁ ųŨĪ Ō ł ň ł ň ł ł ł ň ł ł ň ĭĬ ťƉĭǓ ƥũƃĭ ƦŷƌĪ ĭĬ ơƇƏ :IJƦŶŁŁĥĪ Ņ ŏ ň ň ł ł ň ł ł Ʀŷƌ ŏ ķƢƖƏ ň ĭĬŏ ĖŦƦŶŴũƣŁ ųƆ ƎƟƢƘ ơƇƏ ĭĬĭ ň ł ƋƇƣ Ņ Ņ ŏ ƈƕĪ .ťƠíƆŴƏ

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BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WORKS CITED (A) SYRIAC AUTHORS Jacob: Albert, Juifs = M. Albert, Homélies contre les juifs par Jacques de Sarough (PO 38:1, 1976). Bedjan I-VI = Hom. Selectae Mar-Jacobi Sarugensis I-V (Paris/Leipzig, 1905– 1910; reprinted with extra vol. VI, Piscataway NJ, 2006). Kollamparampil, Festal Homilies = T. Kollamparampil, Jacob of Serugh. Select Festal Homilies (Rome/Bangalore, 1997). Kollamparampil, T., Jacob of Sarug’s Homily on Palm Sunday (MHMJS 3; Piscataway NJ, 2008). _____, Jacob of Sarug’s Homily on the Transfiguration of our Lord (MHMJS 8; Piscataway NJ , 2008). _____, Jacob of Sarug’s Homily on the Presentation in the Temple (MHMJS ?; Piscataway NJ, 200?). D. Lane, ‘Jacob of Sarug, on the Red Heifer’, The Harp 15 (2002), 25–42. Turgome = F. Rilliet, Jacques de Saroug. Homélies festales en prose (PO 43:4; 1986). Ephrem: Ephrem, Comm. Diatessaron = L. Leloir, Saint Éphrem, Commentaire de l’Évangile concordant (Dublin, 1963); Folios Additionels: Leuven, 1990). _____, HAzym = Hymni de Azymis, in Des heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Paschahymnen (ed. E. Beck, CSCO 248–9 = Scr. Syri 108–9; 1964). _____, HCruc = Hymni de Crucifixione, in Des heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Paschahymnen (ed. E. Beck, CSCO 248–9 = Scr. Syri 109–9; 1964). _____, HEccl = Des heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Hymnen de Ecclesia (ed. E. Beck, CSCO 198–9 = Scr. Syri 84–5; 1960). _____, HFid = Des heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Hymnen de Fide (ed. E. Beck, CSCO 154–5 = Scr/ Syri 73–4; 1955). _____, CNis = Des heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Carmina Nisibena I-II (ed. E. Beck, CSCO 218–9, 240–1 = Scr. Syri 92–3, 102–3; 1961, 1963). 61

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_____, HPar = Des heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Hymnen de Paradiso und contra Julianum (ed. E. Beck, CSCO 174–5 = Scr. Syri 78–9; 1957). _____, HRes = Des heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Paschahymnen (ed. E. Beck, CSCO 248–9 = Scr. Syri 108–9; 1964). Narsai: F. G. McLeod, Narsai’s Metrical Homilies on the Nativity, Epiphany, Passion, Resurrection and Ascension (PO 40:1; 1979).

(B) MODERN LITERATURE S. P. Brock, The Luminous Eye. The Spiritual World View of St Ephrem (Kalamazoo, 1992). T. Kollamparampil, Salvation in Christ according to Jacob of Serugh (Bangalore, 2001).

INDEX OF NAMES AND THEMES Aaron, 309 Adam, 76, 94, 97, 102, 236 angels, 318, 331, 333, 402, 413, 439, 448, 459, 468 anointing, 162 apostles, 138, 142, 177, 183, 204, 220, 315 baptism, 163, 356 blood (of Christ), 310, 342 bow, 116, 230 bridal chamber, 22, 91 bride, 172, 277, 316, 319 bridegrooms, 92 captives, 114, 175 chariot, 32, 267, 269, 397, 475 Cherub, 404, 430 Christ, titles of Bridegroom, 129, 275, 277, 301, 303, 305, 316, 320 Brilliant One, 297 Hidden One, 344, 476 High Priest, 409, 414, 426, 431, 481, 483 Humble One, 34 King, 319, 360 Light (great), 215 Mediator, 233 Mighty One, 33, 110 Nisan (great), 67 Only-Begotten, 1, 52, 59, 407, 433 Physician, 81 Slaughtered One, 281 Sun of Righteousness, 63, 123, 247

Sun, 56, 254 Church, 169 cloud(s), 31, 51, 283, 351, 353, 365– 7, 371–2, 375, 378, 383, 388, 406 cross, 91, 293, 360 crucifixion, 78, 282 darkness, 237, 242 daughter of light, 286 David, 435 death, 8, 15, 105, 182, 236, 280 Descent, 97–109 diver, 98 ear (of Mary), 73 error, 66, 235 Elijah, 267–8 epiphany, 61 Eve, 95 fire, 28, 43, 47, 53 fishermen, 38 flock, 302 Gabriel, 464, 473 Golgotha, 284 harp, 1 Haziran, 242, 249, 261 healing, 82–3 Hebrews, 418 Holy of Holies, 409, 432, 455, 481 Holy Spirit, 142, 178, 208–9, 218 idols, 66 image, 102, 104–5 incense, 309 lance, 93 Levites, 413 Luke, 370 Jerusalem, 303

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Jews, 292 John, 462 Joseph, 26 Kanun, 241, 259 Levites, 413, 428 light, 122, 215, 237, 243, 252, 254–5, 262, 286 Mary, 19, 39 Messiah, 262 Michael, 464, 477 Moses, 419, 422, 427 mystery, 132, 161, 212, 348 new world, 131 oil, 163–4, 168, 299 Olives, Mount of, 161–3, 165, 169, 221, 265, 453 peace, 88, 196 pearl, 98 rain, 48, 69 Resurrection, 117, 130, 146, 152, 185–6 sea, 23, 49 Second Coming, 330 Seraph, 26, 403, 430

serpent, 71, 89 shadow, 147, 240, 264 Sheol, 8, 13, 16, 104, 112, 235, 361–2 Simon, 463, 471 Sinai, 418 soul, 135–6, 142 sun, 214, 239, 241, 243, 246, 249, 251, 257, 259 tabernacle, 411, 422, 447 Thomas, 462 throne, 19, 22 tomb, 9, 119, 129, 296, 363 Trinity, 210–11, 219, 221 virgin (Mary), 25 Watchers, 28, 119, 460 water, 55, 310 well, 249 womb, 19, 21, 73, 133

INDEX OF BIBLICAL REFERENCES Gen 3:15 3:17 3:18 3:23 3:24 49:24 Exod 19:16 2 Kgs 2:11 Ps 24:9 72:6 Prov 30:4 Song 1:2 1:3 2:5 4:15 5:1 5:8 5:10 5:13 5:16 Isa 6:1 6:2 6:3 6:6–8 11:8 40:12 Ezek 1:15

1:26 Matt 11:4 16:18 27:28 27:37 27:52 27:53 28:19 28:20 Luke 24:39 24:40 24:41–43 24:51 John 5:24 14:18 17:11 19:34 20:20 20:21 20:25 20:27 Acts 1:3 1:6–12 1:9 1:9–11 1:12 1:11 Eph 4:8 Col 1:20

89, 236 192, 231 192, 231 85 94 110 417 267 437 69 53, 55 300 299 305 310 309 303 308 307, 311 309 19 25 403 47 73, 74 23 29

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19 83 102 359 360 364 364 218 197, 205 149 149 151 370 12 200 193, 203 93, 310 150 195 150 150 127 161 225, 351, 371, 453 370 265 317, 320, 329 114 482

66 2:14 1 Pet 3:19 Heb 9:7 9:11 9:14

ON THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD 95 99 431 409 482

9:24 Wis 5:10 5:11

409 57 58