Jacob of Sarug’s Homily on the Transfiguration of Our Lord: Metrical Homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug 9781463215033

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

TEXTS FROM CHRISTIAN LATE ANTIQUITY 13 General Editor George A. Kiraz

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

MANAGING EDITOR GEORGE A. KIRAZ

FASCICLE 8

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

GORGIAS PRESS 2008

First Gorgias Press Edition, 2008 Copyright © 2008 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 978-1-59333-934-0 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 Transfiguration of our Lord. English & Syriac] Jacob of Sarug’s Homily on the Transfiguration of our Lord / translated with introduction by Thomas Kollamparampil. -- 1st Gorgias Press ed. p. cm. -- (Texts from Christian late antiquity ; 13) (Metrical homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug ; fasc. 8) English and Syriac. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Sermons, Syriac--Translations in to English. 2. Jesus Christ--Transfiguration-Sermons. 3. Sermons, Syriac. 4. Syriac poetry--Translations into English. 5. Jesus Christ--Transfiguration--Poetry. 6. Syriac poetry. I. Kollamparampil, Thomas. II. Title. BR65.J283H6613 2008 252’.014--dc22 2008019963 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 Supplication to Demonstrate the Beauty of the Light..............................6 The Infinite and the Ineffable Lord ............................................................6 Love, the Source and the Medium of the Story of the Son...................10 The Humble Way of the Lord and the Manifestation of His Glory in Signs ..................................................................................................12 The Manifestation of the Lord’s Glory before Suffering and Crucifixion ............................................................................................16 The Concealed Light and the Manifest Dishonor of the Lord............20 The Manifestation of Our Lord’s Hidden Glory and Light .................22 Christ, the Image of the Glory and the Splendor of the Father ...........26 How and Why the Servants of the King Came There............................28 The Betrothals at Sinai and at Mount Tabor ...........................................32 Repealing of the Judgment of Paradise by Christ, the Commander of All......................................................................................................34 The Real Presence of the Prophets and Apostles on the Mountain ....38 The Union of Prophets and Apostles, the Law and the Gospel ..........40 The Story of the Crucifixion Spoken at the Transfiguration.................48 The Discourse of Moses .............................................................................50 The Discourse of Elijah...............................................................................54 The Speech of the Prophets on the Passion and the Crucifixion.........58 Simon’s Joy and Misunderstanding ...........................................................58 The Reproof from the Father on the False Reckoning of Simon ........62 The Gathering on the Mountain................................................................64 The Betrothal of ‘the Bride of Light’ to ‘the Bridegroom of Light’.....66 Bibliography of Works Cited...............................................................................73 (a) Syriac authors ..........................................................................................73 (b) Modern literature....................................................................................74 v

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Index of Names and Themes ..............................................................................75 Index of Biblical References ................................................................................76

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Bedjan CSCO OCA OrSyr PdO PO

P. Bedjan, Homiliae Selectae Mar-Jacobi Sarugensis (see BIBLIOGRAPHY) Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium Orientalia Christiana Analecta L’Orient Syrien Parole de l’Orient Patrologia Orientalis

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INTRODUCTION INFORMATION ON THIS HOMILY Homily Title: Homily on the Transfiguration of our Lord Source of Text: Homiliae selectae Mar-Jacobi Sarugensis edited by Paul Bedjan (Paris-Leipzig 1905, 2nd ed. Piscataway: Gorgias Press, 2006), vol. 2, pp. 347-375. [Homily 49]. Other Translations: E. Khoury, “Mimro de Jacques de Saroug sur la Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur,” PdO 15 (1988–1989), pp. 65–90.

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OUTLINE Jacob of Sarug prays for the grace to deliver the homily as a discourse of praise. His thoughts, mind, lips and tongue are all in need of divine mercy to demonstrate the beauty of the countenance of the Light. The Lord is infinite and ineffable. By his power the Lord can either descend to the human word or exalt anyone who adheres to him because he is God and man and is all in all. With his Father he is like his Father in his glory and on account of humanity he became human. Love alone is able to speak of the story of the Son as it does not pry into him. It is the love of the Father that delivered the Son to become a sacrifice and again it is love that drew the Son to the slaughter and the crucifixion. Again the same love made the Son manifest his glory on the mountain (1–56). The way of the Lord proceeds through sufferings, pain and bloodshed. Along this way he manifested his power through the signs in order to make himself known who he is. On account of his approaching humiliation he wanted to strengthen and confirm his apostles. He performed all signs starting at Cana for his disciples and not for outsiders. As the Cross was full of scandal and weakness our Lord manifested his glory to the participants of his mystery in order that they might not be perturbed. Above all he wanted to show that he willed and desired to be delivered up for suffering. Before the eyes of the disciples he was transfigured. While he was without change 1

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he became transfigured only to the sight of the apostles and not in his own sight. Unlike Moses who was made to shine forth from outside, our Lord shone forth from within himself, being the light of the whole world (57– 208). Our Lord wanted to join the Good News with the Pentateuch and to hand over the keys of Moses to John so that the latter too may become a great teacher as well as to transfer the authority of Elijah to Simon in order to loose and bind divinely as a steward. He exchanged the stewards and transferred the keys. He brought the prophets and the apostles together to ratify the new covenant and to manifest the single teaching of the truth. As he is the Lord of the latter and the former covenants, he brought Moses, the teacher of the Law, to subscribe to the Gospel, which is for both the living and the dead. Through Moses the company of the dead and through Elijah that of the living are made present. Thus in front of all ages he revealed his glory to the disciples. Moses who was prohibited to enter into the promised land and was buried at mount Nebo was brought to enter into the land that his forefathers inherited. Thus Christ has the power to repeal the judgment of his Father and to make the expelled enter into their heritage thus showing how Adam shall enter. Like Moses and the robber, all the expelled shall return to their heritage through him (213–276). Our Lord brought the prophets and apostles into a harmony through his body and the two covenants which are his hands of power. Moses, the head of the prophecy, and John, the beauty of the apostleship, came together. Elijah and Simon came together so that the keys the latter one received over the creation might be ratified. The prophets also were servants of the Lord as they too were given the spirit. Moses came there to bear witness to the Gospel and to manifest his agreement to the same. Instead of the Law of Moses and its justice our Lord granted the grace of the Spirit. The teaching of Moses was concluded by our Lord, the Intermediary, so that Peter might begin the proclamation. While the Law entered into rest at the mountain, the Gospel started its proclamation. The law before the Gospel is like Elizabeth before Mary. Like the joy of the Levite, John the Baptist, in the womb of his mother, Elijah leaped for joy from the OT in front of our Lord (313–348). At the mountain the Law and the Gospel saw each other and the keys of the old woman were handed over to the maiden [Gospel]. The Gospel approached and took up the riches from the Law. The prophets carried along the treasures and the Apostles took them over. The wearied ship of prophecy carrying the mysteries came to the Lord, the peaceful haven, and the merchants of the apostolate took up the riches to distribute in the re-

INTRODUCTION

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gions. Both Testaments were bound together like a chain with a single head for the single teaching full of truth that runs through prophecy and apostolate. Hence, our Lord made the prophets and the apostles equal and treated them equal (349–368). The prophets spoke about the crucifixion and praised the Son for his self-humiliation for granting the fulfillment of all mysteries. They saw how Jesus would take up all passions of Adam and through his death how the sin of Adam would be slaughtered. Moses and Elijah recall how insulting and ungrateful was the daughter of Hebrews, like Jezebel who loved idolatry and adultery. Even after seeing all the signs of wonder and blessings she committed adultery through impious idolatry. Hence, it is concordant for our Lord to suffer on the Cross as he wished. Our Lord suffered not by compulsion but by his own will as his Father had sent him. Moses and Elijah encouraged the Son to die and redeem the prisoners to make them enter into their place so that the condemned Adam might be made victorious. Lest he alone speak of his death, our Lord brought his servants to speak of it to the disciples. Simon became delighted by hearing the discourses of Moses and Elijah (373–480). He became aware also of the passion and the Cross that frightened him. He would remain there for which he beseeched our Lord for the construction of three tabernacles. Simon, in his joy and wonder, equated the Son with the servants. The talk of Simon displeased the Father and Simon was reproved (481–528). On the mountain, before the Son, apostles and prophets, the living and the dead, were all gathered. The Old and the New, the Law and the Gospel, were united by the single Mediator of all. All symbols and types of the Old were carried up by the Gospel. The Son bore witness corporeally before both and the Father spoke with his beloved and all became confirmed that the Son is the Only-Begotten. The symbols of the prophets and the discourses of the apostolate have come together. The Father brought the cloud of light as a bridal chamber for his Son. Hence one tabernacle alone was made. There the Father betrothed the Daughter of Light, the Church, to his Only-Begotten, the Bridegroom of Light. The Father gave the command to the Church, the bride, to hear his Son, the Bridegroom (529–582).

SUMMARY Supplication to Demonstrate the Beauty of the Light (1–10) The Infinite and the Ineffable Lord (11–32) Love, the Source and the Medium of the Story of the Son (33–56)

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The Humble Way of the Lord and the Manifestation of His Glory in Signs (57–98) The Manifestation of the Lord’s Glory before Suffering and Crucifixion (99–122) The Concealed Light and the Manifest Dishonor of the Lord (123–146) The Manifestation of Our Lord’s Hidden Glory and Light (147–176) Christ, the Image of the Glory and the Splendor of the Father (177–208) How and Why the Servants of the King Came There (209–238) The Betrothals at Sinai and at Mount Tabor (239–254) Repealing of the Judgment of Paradise by Christ, the Commander of All (255–276) The Real Presence of Prophets and Apostles on the Mountain (277–312) The Union of Prophets and Apostles, the Law and the Gospel (313–372) The Story of the Crucifixion Spoken at the Transfiguration (373–392) The Discourse of Moses (393–440) The Discourse of Elijah (441–468) The Speech of the Prophets on the Passion and the Crucifixion (469–480) Simon’s Joy and Misunderstanding (481–510) The Reproof from the Father on the False Reckoning of Simon (511–528) The Gathering on the Mountain (529–552) The Betrothal of ‘the Bride of Light’ to ‘the Bridegroom of Light’ (553– 582)

TEXT AND TRANSLATION

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SUPPLICATION TO DEMONSTRATE THE BEAUTY OF THE LIGHT Behold, the impulse of your homily hastens me, O Son of God. Speak it through me abundantly in hymns of wonder. Your story stirred within me to move itself towards the hearers. Give (power) to my word to demonstrate the beauty of the countenance of the Light. Behold, my thoughts surge greatly at your glory. Let them vanish into you and from you may they bear fruit as discourses of praise. The mind marveled about you, let the mouth speak about you, though you are incomprehensible. The mind gazed on you so that the discourse might depict how beautiful you are. Pour mercy upon my lips (enabling them) to speak about you, and let my tongue put on the Spirit and let it sing about your majesty. THE INFINITE AND THE INEFFABLE LORD I would speak about you, my Lord, not that I will comprehend you, because you are infinite,1 but let me speak about you, how exalted you are above the preachers. The mouth and the ear shall be bedewed by you but you remain as you are, and while I am speaking of you, remain with me, for you are ineffable. Within the (bounds of) utterance let the homily depict you while I am speaking,

1 Cf. Bedjan I, p. 445; Ep XII; the incomprehensibility of the mystery of the Son. Cf. T. Jansma, “Christologie,” pp. 21–23.

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ŏ ſł IJƢƉŅ ťƤŅſűŌƟĪł ųƇňſĪŌ ħŴ ƠƖ Ŕ ň ŏ Ņ ŏ ł ķƢƉĪ ł Ņ ĬŁŴƉĪ Ņ ŏ ƈƕĪ ł ŧĿŴźŨĪ ƚƇŶŴƣ Ō ł ł ťƀƭĭ ł ł ô ƎƀƇíƇƊƉĪ ň ŏ ƈƕĭ Ņ Ō ň ťƣŴƉ ĭĭĬ

Ņ Ō ťƕĭĮ Ņ ł ň ł ŦĬŅ ĴƢƉŤƉĪ Ņ Ņ ł ƢŨł ƁƆŌ ŦųíƇũƉ :Ŧųƭ ň ŌŅ Ō ł Ņ ò ł Ņ Ō Ņ ň ł ĖƻĥƢſƦƕ ŧĿĬŁ ƁíƇƠŨ ƁŨ IJųƀƇíƇƉ ň Ņ Ō ł Ō ň ò ŏ ƣŅ űſĽň Ĭƻ Ņ ł Ņ ƅŨƢƣ :ťƕŴƊ ƗſŵƌĪ ƁŨ ĵĪ ňò ł Ņ ŏ ťƘĥ ł ň ųíƇŨĬ ň ł ŧĿĬŴƌĪ ñ Ņ ŏ ŦŴŶŁ ñ Ņ ł ĖĬƢƘŴƣ IJƦƇƊíƆ ň Ņ ŏ Ō Ņ ƁũƣŴŶ ł ł ƎƀƉŵū ł Ņ ò ŏ ŦĬŅ :ĴƦŶŴũƣ Ł ƈƕł ƦŨĿ ň Ō ķĭƢƙƌĭ ŏ ł ƅŨŅ ŏ ł ƅƆŅ ķŴƘŴƌ Ņ ň ťŷŨŴƣĪ Ņ ŏ ŧǔƉŤƉ ĖƅƍƉ Ņ ł ljĭĬ Ņ ŏ ƅƇíƇƊƌ ł Ņ ł ƅŨŅ ĿĬŁ ł ň ƧĪŅ ťƉŴƘ :ǁłĿĪƦƉ Ņ ŏ ljĭĬ Ō ł ťƊƃ Ņ Ō ĴĿĭƞƌ ł ƙƣ Ņ ŧƢƉŤƉ Ņ ł ƅŨŅ ƢŶŅ ĖŁƢƀ Ņ Ņ ŏ ň ŏ ł ň ł Ņò ň ł ĴŴƏŏ ķŴƇíƇƊƌ ťƊŶǓ IJŁŴƙƏ ƈƕ :ĴƦíƇźƉ Ņ ŏł ł ł ň Ņ ŏ Ņ ň ł ň ĖĴŁŴŨĿ ƈƕŅ ƢƉŵƌĭ ťŶĭĿ ƁƍƤíƆ ƥũíƇƌĭň ň Ņ ł ł Ņ ƧĪĪł ƅƄƀƏ Ņ ł ĥ ŴƆł IJƢƉŅ ƅƇíƇƉĥ :Ʀƌĥô ťƄƏ ł ň Ņ Ņ ĥŌ Ƨĥň Ņ ł ĴƢƉ ĖŧǓŴƉĥŏ ƎƉň Ʀƌĥô ĶĿŅ ťƊƃĪ ņ ł Ō ł ł ŏ ŏ ň ň Ņ Ņ ł Ņ :ƅſƻĥĪ ƅſĥ ŀŴƘĭ ljĪĥĭ ťƉŴƘ ƅŨ ƋƏĿƦƌ Ņ ł ň Ņ ł ł ň ƧĪŅ ŦŴƟ Ņ ł IJĪĥł Ľň ĴŁƢƉĥĪ ĖŁƢƉĥƦƉ ťƉĭ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ō ĴĪĭƞƌ Ņ Ņ ŏ ŦƦíƇƉň ƎƉň ťƄíƆ :ljĥŅ ô ƢƉĥł űƕł ŧƢƉŤƉ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION but once I have spoken, you are beyond it and within it. My Lord, let the exaltedness of your story descend to me, until I arrive (to it); and when I have cleaved to it, let it rise up to its summit and take its position. Either descend, O my Lord, to my word and let it speak about you, or raise it up that it may reach out towards you and sing to you. Lower yourself to the homily so that it may speak about you on account of your love, and let the word be exalted with you on account of you until it has spoken of you. It is easy for you to become small and it is easy for you to exalt the one who adheres to you; by adherence to your homily, let my word be exalted, O Son of the Lord of all. You, my Lord, have both greatness as well as smallness, because you are both God and man and the whole of you is with everyone.2 With your Father, on account of him, you are like him, and with us, on account of us, again you are like us. On account of your Father you are like your Father in your glory3 and on account of us you became like us to become one of us. Exalted is your revelation and glorious is the discourse concerning you and beautiful is your story, and even if all mouths should speak of your glory they are not sufficient before you.

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Cf. 1 Cor 9:22. Ephrem, HNat 4:159–60; R. Murray, “Mary, the Second Eve,” p. 375. 3 Cf. Bedjan I, pp. 446–7. 2

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ň ň ƎſĪň ťƉŅ Ņ ł Ʀƌĥł ųƍƉ ň ň ťƄíƆĭ ň ň ĵųíƆ ł ŁƢƉĥĪ ĖųƍƉ ô ň ň ł IJƢƉŅ ƁƆŌ ƅƉĥň ł Ņ ł ųƉĭĿ :ljĥŅ ô ťźƉŅ űƕł ƅŨƢƣĪ ň ł ĴŴũíƇƌĭ ň ň ťƉĭ ň ł ƈƕł ĶŴƠƌŏ ųŨň ǂũƏĪ Ņ ŏ ň ųƉĭĿ ĖĬĿŁĥ ł ł ň ł ł IJƦƇƉĪ ł ň ųſĪĥĽ ñ ň ň IJƢƉŅ Ʀƌĥô ŁŴŶŏ ĭĥ :ƅƆŅ džƉŁĭ Ņ Ņ ň ň ňł Ņ ł ł ł ł ĴŁŴíƆ ñ ĭĥ ĖƅƆŅ ƢƉĮŁĭ ťźƉŁ ơƏĥ ųíƆ ŏ Ņ ł ŧƢƉŤƊíƆ Ņ Ō ųƆň ƅƄƉŁĥ ł ł ň Ņ ŏ ƈźƉň ƅƇíƇƊƌ :ƅŨŴŶ Ņ ň ł Ņ Ņ ň Ņ ň Ņł łŌ ĖĴƦíLjƉĪ ťƉ ƅƍƉ ň ƅƊƕ ħĿĥŁĭ ł ŦƦíƇƉ ň Ņ ł Ņ ň ł ƅƆŅ ơƀƤƘ Ō Ņ Ō :ƅƆ ƚƠƌűƆ ħĿĭŁ ƅƆ ƻĥĭŌ ƢƕĮŁ ł ĴƢƉŤƉĪ ň ň ň Ņ ƢŨł IJƦƇƉ ł ň ħĿĥŁ Ņ Ō ųƙƠƍŨ Ėƈƃŏ ŧƢƉ Ņ ŏ ŏ ł Ņ ŏł Ņ Ņ Ņ Ō : ŦŁĭĿŴƕĮĭ ŦŁŴŨĿ Ļĥ IJƢƉ ƅƆ ĭĬ ƻ ĥ ô ł ŏ ł ťƤƌƢŨ ł Ņ ł ĻĥĪŅ Ņ Ņ ł ĻĥŅ Ʀƌĥô Ŧųƭ ĖƦƌDŽƃ ƈƃŏ Ƌƕĭ ô ł ň Ņ ł ň Ņŏ ň Ņ ŏŅ ł :Ʀƌĥ ĴĪŴƇſ Ƌƕ ôł ł ĬŁŴƃĥ ŏ ĬƦíƇźƉ ł Ņŏ ň ł Ō łł Ņ ĖķŁŴƃĥ ķƦíƇźƉł ƎƇſĪ ł ƎƊƕĭ Ņ ŏ Ō ħĭŁ ň Ņ ĴŴŨƧ ŏ ĴŴŨDŽźƉ ŏ ŏ ň ł :ĴŁŴŷƀũƤŨň ƼƉĪ ł Ņŏ ň œ Ō ł ň ƎƆł ķƦíƇźƉĭ ň ĖƎƍň ł Ɖň ŦĭĬŁĪ ƼƉĪŁĥ Ņ Ō Ÿƀũƣĭ Ō ł ƅƍƀíƇū Ņ ł ŦŤƘĭł ĴƢƉŤƉ Ņ Ņ ň ĶĿŅ :ƅŨƢƣ ň ł ƧŅ ƅŷŨŴƣ ŏ ł ƎƀƉŴƘ ł ò Ō ŏ ƈƃŏ űƃĭ Ņ ŏ ķŴƇíƇƊƌ ĖƅƆŅ ƎƀƘŴƉ

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LOVE, THE SOURCE AND THE MEDIUM OF THE STORY OF THE SON The story of the Son is beyond explanation and the marvel of His homily is more exalted than the speech and the tongue. Love alone is able to venture to speak of it because it has authority to speak of everything it wants and it will not be blamed. For the discourse of the Scribes or the wise or the disputants has no provision in the homilies of the Son to speak them out. It is easy for love to speak about Him abundantly, and it does not set in motion its homilies in a prying fashion when it praises. It is becoming for love when it speaks on its own accord because it is without controversy for the ear which hears with love as well. By the love of the Father, He delivered His Son to become the sacrifice for sinners so that the whole creation would receive pardon through Him. The love of the Son drew Him towards slaughter and crucifixion, and through it He had accepted to bear the suffering of the whole world. Because of His love He embraced the column as someone condemned and He accepted spittle, and was struck on the cheek by wicked men. His love demanded that He should come to humiliation and insult and should carry pains in the turbulent fight of the crucifixion. Because of His love He wished to manifest His glory on the mountain, so that He might fill His disciples with wonder and then He would suffer.

Eph 5:2; Heb 9:26

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Ņ ł IJĬŴŨǔƣ Ņ Ņ ŏ ƎƉň ķŴƌĥŏ ň ƎƀƉĿ Ō Ņ ŧƢŨĪ ł ł :ťƠƣŴƘ Ņ ň ň ł ň Ō Ņ ň ň ŦƦíƇƉ Ņ Ņ ň ƎƉĭ ĖťƍƤíƆ ħĿ ĬƢƉŤƉĪ ŧĿĬŁĭ ňŏ ł Ō ł ł ƎƉ ł ň ĪŴŷíƇŨ ł ŏ ŏ ł ĭĬô ťŨŴŶ :ķŴƌĥ ƢƉŤƌ įƢƊƌ ŸƄƤƉ Ōł ň Ņ ťƉŅ ƈƃŏ ƢƉŤƌ ň ł ň ƧĭŅ ťƖŨĪ ł Ō ŻƀƇƣĪ ĖťƍūƦƌ ňò Ō ł ł ň Ņ Ņ ň ň ŏ Ņ ł ťƊƀƄŶĪĭ : ťƣĭǓĪĪĭ ŧǔƙƏĪ ŦƦíƇƊíƆŅ ňŏ ň ł Ņ ł Ņ ł ƻĥŌ Ƨ ł Ō ŧĿŁĥ ĖķŴƌĥ džƉŁ ŧƢŨĪ IJĬĭǔƉŤƊŨ ŌŅ Ō ł ň ł ųƆň ơƀƤƘ ł džƊƌ Ņ ŏ Ō ťŨŴŷíƆ :ƻĥƢſƦƕ IJĬŴƇƕ ł Ō ƗſŵƉ ł ł ł ťƉŅ IJĬĭǔƉŤƉ Ō ŦƞŨ ň Ņ űƃł ƧĭŅ ĖŸũƤƉĪ ň ł ł ťƉŅ ťŨŴŷíƆ Ņ ŏ ŦŤſň Ņ ň ł ƎƉň ĭĬŏ džƊƉĪ :ųƤƙƌ Ņ Ņ ŏ Ņ Ņ Ņ ň ŅŅ ň Ņ ĖIJĬŌ Ļĥ ťŨŴŷŨ ťƖƊƣĪ ljĪƧ ťƍſƢŶ ƧĪ ň ň ł ťŨĥĪ ł ň ň ŏ ň Ņ ł ųŨŴŷŨ ň Ņ :ťŷŨĪ ŦĭųƌĪ ĬƢũƆ ƋƇƣĥ Ņ Ō ňò Ņ ł Ņ ň ťƐŶŁŁĭ Ņ ł ň ťƀźŶ ñ Ņ ŏ ŦƻƢŨ Ėųíƿ ųŨ ƚƇŶ Ņ ŏ Ō ł Ņ ň Ņ ň ŏ ł ł ň :ŦŁŴƙƀƟŵƆĭ ƨźƠíƆ ĬűŬƌ ŧƢŨĪ ųŨŴŶ ň ł ň ŦĭĬ ň ł ųŨĭ ň Ņ Ņ ťƤŶ Ņ ô ƈũƟ Ņ ł ƎƖźƌĪ Ėųƿŏ ťƊíƇƕĪ ŏ ň ł ųŨň ŴŶŏ ƈźƉ Ņ Ņ ł ƅſĥł ljŴź Ņ ŏ ƒĥň ơƙƕ :ťũƀŶ ň Ō ł ƎƉň ťƄƘ ł ł ťƟĭĿ Ņ ł ƗƇŨĭ Ņ ŏ ƈũƟĭ ň ł ĖťƖƀƣǓ ň Ō Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ŏ ł ň ł ň ŏ : ŦŁŤƌ ťƄƃŴƊíƆĪ ųƖŨŁ ųŨŴŶ Ņ ŏ Ō ł ŧƢƕĽĭ ňò Ō ł ň Ņ Ō ťŨŤƃ Ņ Ō ĖŦŁŴƙƀƟĮĪ ťƤƀŬƣ ťƏĿŤƠŨ ƎƖźƌĭ ŏ ňł ł Ņ ň ŏ ŏ ň Ņ ŏ ň :ųŷŨŴƣň ŧĿŴźŨ ŦŴŷƌĪ ťŨĽ ųŨŴŶ ƈźƉ ň ň Ņ ň ƨƊƌ łò Ō ł ł ň ŧĿĬŁ Ņ ô ŀŤŶŅ Ǝƃĭ ĖŦĭĬ IJĬĭűƊíƆƦíƆĪ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION since our Lord manifested His glory on the mountain, the homily stirred within me to describe with great love, Concerning the appearance of Moses with Him, and of Elijah too and concerning that talk which the prophets had with Him there.

Mark 9:2–8 and parallels

THE HUMBLE WAY OF THE LORD AND THE MANIFESTATION OF HIS GLORY IN SIGNS The way4 of our Lord stretched itself out in the midst of sufferings, and it proceeded through wounds and pains, even unto blood(shed). And in humiliation and simplicity and feebleness our Lord lived on the earth when He walked on it. But sometimes He manifested His power through signs so that He might make known to His disciples who He is and whose Son He is. He chose the apostles so that He might preach faith in Him5 through them, and they travelled with Him so that through His teaching He might confirm them. Because His way was humble, He was not willing to make manifest to them the majesty of His glory as it was. When the occasion demanded that our Lord should perform a sign

4 The Syriac imagery of the ‘way’ is directly concerned with salvation history and does not merely deal with the moral and ethical views in the background of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 9:2; 18:25; 19:9; 22:4); cf. E. Beck, “Das Bild vom Weg,” pp. 1–39 (esp. pp. 2–6, 38–39); R. Murray, Symbols of Church and Kingdom, pp. 299– 301. 5 haymanutheh can mean either ‘his faith’ or ‘faith in him.’ Here it means a believer’s faith in Christ.

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Ņ ŏ ųŷŨŴƣ ł Ņ ŧĿŴźŨ Ō ł ŧĪĬ ň Ņ ƈƕł ųƀƇƕ ň ŏ IJŴŶĪ ñ ň :ķƢƉ ŏ Ņ ł ł ťŨĿ Ņ Ō ƁŨŌ ĺĮŅ Ņ ł ťŨŴŷŨ Ņ ŏ ŧƢƉŤƉ ĖŴƇíƇƊƊƆ ň Ņ ň Ņ ň ƈƕł ň ŏ ųƍƀíƇū Ņ Ō ň ĻĥŅ ĬŁŴíƆ :ťƀƭĪ ťƣŴƉĪ ňò Ō ň ł Ņ ł ł ł ň ł ŴLjƉĪ Ņ ł ťƀũƌ ĖƎƉŁ ųƊƕ ƨíƇƊƉ ĭĬ ƈƕĭ ł ňò ł ƦƍƀŨ ł Ņ ųŶĿĭĥ Ņ ł ķƢƉĪ ň ŏ ñ Ņ ł ťƤŶ :ƦźƤƘň ųƤƙƌ ňò Ō ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ò ł ł Ņ ł ťƉűƕ Ņ ł ťŨŤƄŨ ĖťƉűƆ ŦŁŴŷƊŨĭ Ņ ŏ ŏ ł Ņ ŏ Ō ĭ ŁĪĿ Ņ Ņ ŏ ł ł :ŦŁĭĿŴƕŵŨĭ ŦŁŴźƀƤƙŨĭ ťƄƃŴƊŨĭ ł ł ň ň ł űƃł ťƕĿŤŨ ł Ņ ŦĭĬ Ņ ł ķƢƉ Ņ ô ƅƘĬƦƉ ñ Ņ ƅƆĬ ĖųŨ ň ł IJŴŶ Ō ł ŦŁŅ ĭǓŅłŁŤŨłĪ IJƦƉĥł ň ƎſĪň ƻĥŌ :ųƇƀŶ ł Ō łò Ō ł ł ł ŴƍƉ ŏ ł ĺĪŴƌ ł ł IJĬĭűƀƊíƆƦíƆĪ ĖIJĬĭƻĥň ƎƉł ƢŨĭ ň ł ųƆň ťũū ňò Ō ŏ ĮƢƄƌĪ Ņ ťŷƀƇƣ ŏ Ņ ł ķĭųŨ :ĬŁŴƍƊſĬ ň łł ňŅ ŏ ł ňł ł ł ĖķŴƌĥŏ ĿƢƤƌ ųƊƕŏ ĭĪĿĭ Ņ Ņ ųƍƙíƆŴƀŨĪ ŏ ň Ō Ņ ň Ņ ł Ņ ň DŽźƉ :ŦĭĬô ťŨĽ Ƨ ŁĭĬô ťƄƀƄƉĪ ųŶĿĭ ł Ō ł ň ŏ ňł ł ŏ ŦŴŷƌĪ Ņ ô IJĬĭƻĥĪ ŏ ł ķĭųíƆ ĖŦĭĬ ƅſĥ ųŷŨŴƣ ŁŴŨĿ ŅŅ ň ň Ņ ň Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ ł Ņ ŦŁĥ űũƖƌĪ ŦƦíƇƕ ŁĭĬô ťſƢƟĪ ťƉ :ķƢƉ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION He took hold of them and confirmed them on account of His humility. Through the sign that came to pass, He was teaching and strengthening them so that they might understand Him, and announce Him to be God. He performed a sign in Cana6 and made known His glory there, and because of that His disciples as well believed in Him. And thus therefore all the signs which were performed, He did for them to make them marvel. When He decided7 to revive the dead Lazarus thus He said: “It is on account of you I am glad. So that you may believe when you have seen the dead living. I am reviving him so that your faith may increase because of the sign.” To the (eye of the) outsiders He did not desire to manifest himself, so that He might not give His holy thing to the dogs which are not worthy of it.8 He threw His pearls9 to His traders, so that they might bring them forth to enrich the whole world by them. He manifested to the apostles His marvelous (deeds) so that He might replenish them with the proclamation by a great wonder.

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John 2:1–11

John 11:15

Matt 7:6

Cf. Bedjan V, 470–494, Homily on Cana (See S. Grill, Jacob von Sarug als Dichter und Exeget, pp. 17–28 for a German translation). 7 Lit: ‘he set his face.’ 8 Cf. Matt 7:6. 9 ‘pearls’ here refers to the marvelous deeds of Christ and the ‘traders’ here refers to all those who announce the saving deeds of Christ, starting with his disciples. Jacob uses the image of ‘pearl’ to describe various realities; for a general survey, cf. F. Graffin, “Le thème de la Perle dans une Lettre de Jacques de Saroug,” pp. 355–370. 6

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ł ł ł ŦĭĬ ň Ņ ŏ ƈƕł ŦĭĬ ň Ņ ķĭųíƆ ŏ Ņ ô ĿƢƤƉĭ Ņ ô ƅũíƆ ĖųƄƃŴƉ Ņ Ņ ň ł ķĭųíƆ ł ł ł ŦĭĬ ŏ ťſĭĬĪ Ņ ô ĿƢƤƉĭ Ņ ô ƚƇƉ Ņ Ņ ŦŁŤŨ :ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ŦųƭĪ Ņ Ņ ł IJųƀƌĭƢũƐƌĭ Ņ ŏ ł ł IJųƀƌŴƿƦƐƌĪ Ņ ŏ ł ň ĖŦĭĬ ŅŅ ł ł ň Ņ ŦŁĥ Ņ ł ųŷŨŴƣ ł ł ťƍźƠŨ ň ŏ ĺĪĭĥĭ ƋƆ űũƕ :ƎƉŁ ł Ņ ň ł ŏ ň ł ň Ō ł Ņ ň ò ĖIJĬĭűƀƊíƆŁ Ļĥ ųŨ ĭĭĬô ŴƍƊſĬ ŧĪĬ ƈźƉĭ Ņ Ņò Ņ ŏ ň Ņ ł Ņ Ņò ł ň ŦŁĭŁ ł ô ķűũƕƦƉĪ ò:IJĭĬ DŽƃ ƎſűƉ ƎƃĬĭ ň ł ł ň ň Ņ ķĭĬƦƇźƉ ŏ Ņŏ ň Ņ ŏ ĖķŴƌĥ ĿĬƦƌ ƎſųíƆ ŦĭĬô űũƕ Ņ Ō ŅŅ Ņ ł ò ł ł Ņ ł ň ł ŦƼƉ :ťŷƌ ĿŵƖíƇíƆĪ IJĬŴƘĥ ƋƏ űƃ ŏ ň łň ł Ņ Ņ ŏ Ņ ň Ņ Ėljĥô ŧűŶ ĭĬô ķŴƃƦƇźƉĪ ƢƉĥ ƎƃĬ Ņ Ō ŏ ł ł Ņ ŏ ł ł ł ň:ťƀŶĪ Ņ ŦƼƉ ťƉ ķŴƍƊſĬŁĪ ƈƕ Ō Ņ ķĭƻŵŶĪ ł ŏ Ņ ł ųƆň ljĥŅ ô ťŷƉ Ņ ŏ ň ł ĖħĿĥŁ ŦŁŤŨ ķŴƃŁŴƍƊſĬĪ ň Ņ ƧŅ ťſǔŨ Ō ň ł ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ťƖŨ ň ł ŦŴŷƌ ň Ņ ł ƎƀƖíƆ :ųƤƙƌ ň ň Ņ ňò ł ň Ņ ƧĪŅ ťũíǀíƆ Ņ ô ĵƦƌ ň ŏ ŦĭĬ ĖųƆň ƎſŴƣ ųƣĪŴƟ ƧĪ ł ň Ņ Ņ ł ł ł ň Ņ Ņ ň Ņ :IJĬĭǔūŁ ƈƕ ƎſųíƆ ŦĭĬô ŧűƣ ĬƼƍūǔƉ ň ŏ Ņ Ņ ň ł ň ňň ŏ ł Ėų ƿ ťƊíƇƕ ƎſųŨ ĿƦƖƌ Ǝƀƌĥ ķŴƠƙƌĪ ň Ņò Ō ł ňò Ō ł ķĭųíƆ ň ł ťŷƀƇƤƆ ŏ ŦĭĬ ŏ Ņ ô ŦŴŷƉ :ĬŁųƀƉƦƆ ķĭųíƆ Ņ ŏ ŏ Ņ ŏň ň ň Ņ ň Ũ ŦŁĭĮĭƢƃ Ņ ł ŧĿĬƦ ĖťŨĿ ķŴƌĥ ƨƊƌĪ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION He set His signs for His disciples to counter His dishonor, so that they might not be doubtful about the humiliation and dishonor of His way. Through glory and dishonor as well as praise and reproach, the road of our Lord proceeded among earthly beings. He transformed watera and multiplied breadb and cleansed the lepers.c He opened (the eyes of) the blind and made the deaf hear and gave life to the dead. They called Him insane and a blasphemer who had an evil spirit. They reckoned Him as Beelzebub,a breaker of Sabbathb and deceiver of people. In response to the miracles which He performed, these dishonors did the Jews set forth so that they might make His good works void. And for the disciples He retained the signs so that they may not be scandalized. Through the glorious things which they saw they despised those (that seemed) feeble. They were captured by the signs that were performed, and they forgot the dishonors and mocking and reproaches which were to be heard. THE MANIFESTATION OF THE LORD’S GLORY BEFORE SUFFERING AND CRUCIFIXION And when the time of sufferings and of crucifixion came He wanted to show them His great glory on a high mountain. In proportion to the magnitude of the insult and disgrace of the Cross,

John 2:6–11 John 6:5–13 cMatt 8:l-4 Matt 11:5 a

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ň Ņò Ņ ł ň ł ƈũƟŴƆ łò Ō ł űſĽň ĬƢƕĽ ł ŏ ĬŁĭŁĥ :IJĬĭűƀƊíƆŁ ĿűƏŅ ł Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ŏ ŏ ł ň ŏ ĖųŶĿĭĥĪ ŧƢƕĽĭ ťƄƃŴƉ ƈƕ ķŴŬíƇƘƦƌň ƧĪ Ņ ł ťŷŨŴƤŨ Ņ Ņ ŏ ł ŧƢƕĽĭ Ņ Ņ ŏ ł ťƐíƆŴƠŨĭ Ņ ŏ :ťƀƌŴŬŨĭ ł Ņ ųŶĿĭĥ ň Ņ ł ƼŨň ķƢƉĪ Ņ ô ťſĪĿ Ņ Ņ ň ŏ Ƣƀūň ŁĭĬ ĖťƍƕǓĥ Ņò ł ƚƇŷƣ ň ł Ō ł ťƊŷƆ ň ł ƁƃĪĭ Ņ ł ƁŬƏĥĭ Ō ł ťƀƉ :ťŨǔū ň ò Ō Ō ł ň ò ŏ ł ł Ņò ł ł ł ƁŶĥĭ ťūĭĪ ƗƊƣĥĭ ťƀƊƐƆ įƦƘ ĖŦƼƉ ŏł Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ł ťƀƍƣ Ņ Ņ IJĬĭĥƢƟ ł :ŦŴſĪ ųƆň ƻĥĪŌ ťƍƘűŬƉĭ Ņ ł ňŅ ň ł ŦƦũƣ Ņ ł ťƖźƉĭ ŏ ł ħŴŨŵƇƖŨ ŏ ň ĖťƊƕ ŧƢƣĭ ň IJĬŴũƤŶ ň ł ƎƀƆĬ ň Ņ űũƕĪ ň Ņ ƈũƟŴƆ ł ł ƨƀŶ ł ŏ ò ł ƎƀƆĬ :ŧǔƕĽ ň Ņ Ō ł ł ŏ ł ł ťſĪĭ ň Ņ ò ųſ ŏ ĭĿűƏ ł ĖĬŁǔƀƙƣ ĭĭĬ ķŴƇźũƌĪ ô ô Ņ Ņ ò Ņ ł ňò Ō ł ł ŏ ł ň ƧĪŅ ŦŁĭŁĥ :ķŴƇƤƃƦƌ ƅũíƆ ŧűƀƊíƆƦíƆĭ Ņ Ņò Ō ł Ņ ŅòŌ ł ł ł ł ŦƦŷƀũƤŨ Ņ ĭŵŶĪ ĖŦƦíƇƀŷƊƆ ĭĭĬ Ŵźƣ ô Ņ Ņò Ņ ň ł Ņò ł ň ŦŁĭŁĥ Ō ł ň ò ł ô ķűũƕƦƉĪ :IJĭĬ ƎƉ ĭĭĬô ƎƀƄũƆƦƉ ň ł ƎƀƖŹĭ ňò ň ťŶŵŨĭ ň Ņ ňò ň ŧǔƕĽ Ō ł ň ŧűƐŶĭ ł ô ƎƀƖƉƦƤƉĪ ĖĭĭĬ Ņ ŏ Ō ł ňò ł Ņ ł ň Ō ł ł :ŦŁŴũƀƆĽĪĭ ťƤŶĪ ťƍŨĮ ųƆ ƁźƉ űƃĭ ŏ Ņ Ņ ł ň ł ťŨĽ ŏ ŦŴŷƌ Ņ Ņ Ņ ň ŏ ķĭųíƆ ĖťƉĿ ŧĿŴźŨ ťŨĿ ųŷŨŴƣ ň ŏł ŏ Ņ Ō ł ĭĬł ťŶŵŨĭ Ņ ĽĪł ĬŁŴŨĿ Ņ ň ŧƢƕ :ťƙƀƟĮĪ ŁŴƙíƆ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION He magnified the sign of His glory on the mountain and made it manifest to them. They saw His glory in order that they may not hesitate on account of His humiliation, so that from His magnificence they might retain love for His feebleness. He perceived the Cross that was full of stumblingblocks and weakness and all those close to Him who encountered it were scandalized by it. And because of this He manifested His glory to the sons of His mystery so that when they would see His humiliation on the Cross, they might not be scandalized. And if, even after He had shown Simon His glory, Simon denied Him, if he had not seen it, what would he have done at the time of His suffering? He knows that the crucifixion is full of scandals and its road is interwoven with stumbling blocks and doubts, Then it is filled with mocking, dishonor and sufferings for the one who travels by it and all sorts of contempt and weakness will be seen in it. Therefore He manifested His glory to the household of Simon; so that when it [the crucifixion] would come to pass and they would see His dishonor, they might not be perturbed. The marvel of His light was stored up, and filling their minds, so that on the day of the suffering they should remember it and be supported by it. So that they should not be hesitating as a result of sadness and doubt, He showed His glory first to confirm their minds. On account of this He was transfigured and they saw His light

Luke 22:55–62 and parallels

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ŅŅ ň ł ň Ōł Ņ ŏ ň ŏ ŦŁĥ ĖķŴƌĥŏ IJŴŶĭ ŧĿŴźŨ ųŷŨŴƣĪ Ņ ň ŏ ň ħĿĭł ĥ ł ň ł Ņ ŏ ň ŏ :ųƄƃŴƉ ƈƕ ƧĪ ĬƦŶŴũƣŁ ň ŏ ķŴŬíƇƘƦƌ ň ŏ ł ĭŵŶ ŏ ł ŏ ň ň Ņ ŏ ĖĬŁĭĿŴƕŵƆ ťŨŴŶ ķĭƢźƌ ĬŁŴŨĿ ƎƉĪ Ņ ŏ Ō ł Ņ ň ň ł Ņ Ō ł Ņ :ŦŁĭųſƢƃĭ ƨƤƃ ƨƉĪ ťƙƀƟŵƆ ł IJųſŵŶ Ō ł ƈƃŏ ųŨň ƎƀƖŬƘĪ Ō Ō Ņ ťƉŅ ųŨň ƎƀƇƟŁƦƉĭ ň ĖIJĬŴũłſǔƟ ŏ ň łò ł ň ŏ Ō ł Ņ Ņ ň Ņ ô ƁƍũƆ ųŷŨŴƣ IJŴŶ ljĬ ƈźƉĭ :ĬĮĿĥ Ņ Ō ł ťƉĪŅ ŏ ł ň ƧŅ ųƄƃŴƉ ň Ņ ŏ ĭŵŶ ł ťƙƀƟŵŨĪ ĖķŴƇƤƃƦƌ ł ķŴƖƊƤíƆ ŏ ň ųŨň Ƣƙƃ ŏ ň ųŷŨŴƣ Ō ł űƃł ķĥĭň ň ŏ IJŴŶ :ķŴƖƊƣ ŏň ň Ņ ƎƉŅ ųƤŶ Ņ ô űũƕ Ņ ƧŅ Ŵƭ ň ł ķűƖŨ Ņ ň ŦŵŶ ĖŦĭĬ ňò ň Ņ ŏ Ō ł Ņ Ņ ł ƨƤƃĪ ñ ĭĬô ĺűſł Ņ :ťƀíƇƉ ŦŁŴƙƀƟŵƆ ųíƆ ŏ Ņ Ō Ņ Ņ ò ŏ ł ňò Ņ ŏ ł ŦƦíƇƟĭƦŨĭ ñ Ņ ťŬſƢƏ ĖųŶĿĭĥ ťŬíƆŴƙŨĭ ňò ł ŧƢƕĽĭ Ņ ł ťŶŵŨĭ ň Ņ ł ťƀíƇƉ Ņ ł ťƤŶĭ Ņ ň ñ Ņ ŧĪĿűƆ :ųŨ Ņ ŏ Ō ł Ņ ŏ Ō ŏ Ņ ł ň ŦŁŴƇƀŷƉĭ ñ Ņ ťſŵŶƦƉ ĖųŨ ŦŁŴźƀƣ ƈƃĭ ŏ ň ŏ ň ƼŨűƆ ň ł ljĬ Ō ł ķŴƖƊƣ Ņ Ņ ƈźƉĭ ň ŏ IJŴŶ :ųŷŨŴƣ ň ł ĭŵŶĭ ŏ ł ň ƧŅ ĬƢƕĽ ł ł ųíƆ ł ň ťƉĪŅ ñ Ņ ŁĽƢƕĪ ĖķŴŨĬĿƦƌ Ņ ł Ņ ł ň ŏ Ņ ň ŏ ł Ņ ň ƨƉĭ :ķĭųƀƍƀƕǓ ŦĭĬô ƎƏĥô ĬĿĬŴƌĪ ŧĿĬŁ ł ň ň Ō ň ł ťƤŶ ŏ ł Ō Ņ ĭĭĬ Ņ ł ĶŴƀŨĪ ĖųŨ ƎƀƄƉƦƐƉĭ ųƆŅ ƎſĪųƕ ň ŦŁŴſƢƃ ŏ ł ƎƉň ķŴŬíƇƘƦƌ ŏ ł ň ƧĪŅ Ņ Ņ ŏ ƎƉĭ :ťŬíƆŴƘ ł ł ųŷŨŴƣ ŏ ł Ņ ň ĿƢƤƌ Ō ł ĶűƟ ň ł ň ŏ IJŴŶ ĖķĭųƍƀƕǓ ŏ ň ň ł ł ň ŧĪĬ Ņ ô ƚƇŶƦƣĥ ł ł ŦĭĬ ň Ņ ƈźƉ :ĬĿĬŴƌŏ ĭŵŶĭ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION so that when He had put on the appearance of the dead they should not be alarmed.

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THE CONCEALED LIGHT AND THE MANIFEST DISHONOR OF THE LORD With the brightness of His glory He made them marvel and captured them so that when they saw His shame on the Cross they might not be scandalized. He led the apostles and between Him and them alone He manifested His glory so that He might testify to them beforehand regarding His majesty, So that when they would see on the Cross His contemptible state and His feebleness they should remember that magnificence and become proud of it. And they would say: “That ray of Light which we saw would not have been worsted by darkness had He not willed it. That great and glorious Day which was revealed to us without His will, the night will not be able to take hold of it. The sun and radiance of that Righteousness which we saw would not be held captive by the shade when He does not desire (it). Behold, that one by whose light the mountain was set aflame just a little while ago, would not grow dark with sorrows in this way, unless He wills it. That great column of fire which appeared to us, without His own will neither the Cross would have carried Him.” He willed and they took hold of Him; He desired it and they seized Him; He gave himself up, and because He wished it, behold, concealed is His light and manifest is His dishonor.

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ň ò Ō Ņ ł Ņ ň ł ťƉĭ ŏ ł ň ƧŅ ŦƼƉĪ Ņ ĖķŴŨĬĿƦƌ ljŴū ŦĭĬ ƥũíƆĪ ô ň ł ł ŏň ł ł ň ŏ Ņ Ō :ķŴƌĥŏ ł ƅũíƆĭ ķŴƌĥ ĿĬŁĥ ųŷŨŴƣĪ ŦŴſŵŨ Ņ Ņ Ō ł ťƉĪŅ ŏ ň Ƨ ųƀƏĿŴƘ ň Ņ ŏ ĭŵŶ ł ťƙƀƟŵŨĪ ĖķŴƇƟŁƦƌ ňò Ō ł ƢŨĪ ň ťŷƀƇƤƆ Ō ł ķĭųíƆĭ ŏ ł ųƆň ƼŨĭ ł ň ŏ IJŴŶ :ųŷŨŴƣ ň ŏ ł ł ŏň ň ł Ņ ň ł ł ĖĬŁŴŨĿ ŦĭĬô ĶűƠƌĪ ň ŏ ŏ ł ƈƕ ň ŏ ķŴƌĥŌ ĪųƐƌ Ņ Ō ł ťƉĪŅ ł ťƙƀƟŵŨĪ :ĬŁĭĿŴƕĮĭŅ ĬŁŴźƀƣ ĭŵŶ Ō Ō ł ŦŁŴŨĿ Ņ ųíƆ ł ŏ ł IJųíƆ Ō Ņ ĭĭĬ ñ Ņ ƎſƢſƦŶĭ ñ Ņ ƎſĪųƕ ĖųŨ Ņ ŏ ťƠƀƆĮ Ō Ņ ĭĭĬĭ Ņ Ō ł ĭĬĪł ƎſƢƉĥ ł ł ł ł ŧĿĬŴƌĪ :ƎſŵŶĪ ňŅ Ņ Ņ ŏň ň Ņ Ņ ŏň Ņ ô ħŤŶ ĖŦĭĬ ƎƉ ťŨĽ Ƨ Ŵƭ ň Ƨ ťƃŴƤŶ ł Ō Ņ Ņ Ō ĭĬł Ņ ł ťƊƊſĥ Ņ ł ł :ƎƆ IJŴŶŁĥĪ ťſŤūĭ ťŨĿ ň ň ťƀíLJ ł ň ƧŅ IJĬŴſƢƖƌĪ ň Ņ ň ƧĪŅ Ņ ô ŸƄƤƉ Ņ Ō ųƍƀŨƞŨ ĖŦĭĬ Ņ ŏ Ōł Ņ ň Ņ ň ł ł ĭĬł ŦŁŴƠſĪĮĪ :ƎƍſłŵŶĪ Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ň ň Ņ ťŷƉĽĭň ťƤƊƣ Ņ ň Ņ ĖťƖŨ Ƨ űƃ ƨíǑ ƎƉŏ ŦĭĬô űŶŁƦƉň Ƨ ň ŏ ŧĿŴŹ Ņ ĵĮŴūŁĥ Ō ł ĶűƟ ł ł Īň ĭĬł Ņ ŦĬŅ ĬĿĬŴƍŨ :ƈƀƇƟ ňò Ō Ņ ł Ņ ťŨŤƄŨ ň Ņ ƧŅ űƃł ƎƃĬ ň Ņ ƧŅ ĖťŨĽ ŦĭĬ ƅƤŶ ô Ņ ŏ ťŨĿ Ō ł ň ŧĿŴƌĪ Ņ ł ŧĪŴƊƕ Ņ ŏ ł ĭĬł :ƎƆł Ņ IJŴŶŁĥĪ Ņ Ņ ňŅ ň Ņ Ņ Ō ƨƘĥ ň ųƆň ťƙƀƟĮ Ņ ô ƎƖŹ ĖŦĭĬ ųƍƀŨƞŨ ƧĪ ł ťŨĽ Ņ ŏ ŏ ŏ ł Ņ ĭĬŏ ł ň ł ŏ :ųƤƙƌ ħųſ ťƖŨ ĭĬ IJĬŴƄ ũƆĭ ô ĭĬ IJĬĭűŶĥĭ ň ł ň ŏ ň Ņ Ņ ł ŏ ň ň ł ƨūĭ ĖĬƢƕĽ ĬĿĬŴƌ ťƐƃ ŦĬ ťŨĽĪ ƈźƉĭ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION He by His own will delivered himself up and they seized and bound Him and they stretched Him out and scourged, led Him out and condemned, lifted and crucified Him. Since it pleased Him, He was despised, stripped and was hung naked and it is according to His will He suffers pains and not by compulsion.10 In the case of the one whose might was seen by us on the mountain, it is clear that it was not because He was weak that the people crucified Him.

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THE MANIFESTATION OF OUR LORD’S HIDDEN GLORY AND LIGHT In order that this covenant should be a reality for the disciples, He transfigured himself and they saw His glory on the great mountain. By the love for the light they saw there, He made them fervent so that they might not be swallowed up by the sorrow of the crucifixion. The news of the slaughter troubled them when it was spoken, but before His slaughter He brought to pass His consolation11 to His disciples. For the day of His suffering, for Him to become the sacrifice, had arrived, and He announced to them about His death and caused them to quake. “I am going to be delivered up, and they will mock me and scourge me;

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Matt 17:22,23; Mark 9:31–33

Cf. Ephrem, HAzym 1:7. The fact of consolation, comfort and rest in the Lord, is the fruit of salvation through Christ. It is a major theological theme in the Syriac tradition; cf. A. Vööbus, History of Asceticism, Vol. III, pp. 63–65. 10 11

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ň Ņ ň ł ňŅ ň ŏ ŏ ł ĭűŶĥĭ ł ň Ĭƻ ƅũƭ ųƍƀŨƞŨ ĭĬ :IJĬĭƢƄƘ ł ł ň ŏ ł ł ł ŏ ł Ņ ŏ ł ŴŶƦƉĭ ĖIJĬŴƙƟĮ ŴƆŁĭ IJĬŴƌĪ ŴƠƘĥĭ IJĬĭűŬƌ ň ň ł ł ƈƕł ł ł ł ŻƀƣŌ ųƆň ƢƙƣĪ :ǏƢƕł ƧŁĭł ƁƏƢƙƉĭ ňò ł ƈũƏ Ņ Ō ł ƧĭŅ ťƤŶ ň Ņ ųƍƀŨƞŨĭ ňŅ ň ł ĖŧƢƀźƠŨ ň ŏŅ ł ł ł ł ň Ņ ŏ ł ł :ĬŁĭƢũƍū ô ƎƆ ƻŵŶŁĥ ŧĿŴźŨĪ ĭĬň ň ł ųíƆ ł Ņ ł ł ł Ō ñ Ņ ƼíƇūŁĥ ĖťƊƕ ųƙƟĮ ƈƀŷƉĪłł ƈƕł ŴƆĪ Ņ Ņ ljĬ ňò Ō ň ň Ņ Ņ ŦĭųƌĪ Ņ Ņ ťƊƀƟ :ŧűƀƊíƆŁ űſĽň ŧĿƢƣ Ņ ŏ ųŷŨŴƣ ł ł ň Ņ ô ƚƇŶƦƣĥ Ņ ł ŧĿŴźŨ ł ł ŦĭĬ ň ŏ ĭŵŶĭ ĖťŨĿ ň ł ł Ņł ł ł Ņ ŏ ň ŏ :ķŴƌĥŏ įŁĿĥ ƎƉŁ Ņ ĭŵŶĪ Ņ ŏ ŧĿĬŴƌĪ Ņ ųŨŴŷŨ ŏ Ō ň ł ł ñ ŏ ł ł ĖķŴƖíƇŨƦƌ Ƨ ŦŁŴƙƀƟĮĪ ĬŁŴſƢƄŨĪ Ņ ň ň ň ŏ ł ł ň ťƉŅ ƨźƟĪ ň ł Ņ ô ħĬƢƉ :džƉƦƉĪ ųũŹ ķĭųíƆ ŦĭĬ ňŅ ŏ ł ň ň ĶűƟĭ łò Ō ł űſĽň ĬŤſŴŨ Ņ ł ĖIJĬĭűƀƊíƆŁ űũƕ ųƇźƟ Ō ł ň ň ųƤŶĪ Ņ ł Ƣƀūň ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ƁźƉ ň ł ťƉŴſ Ņ ň ŦĭųƌĪ :ťŷŨĪ ň Ō ł ň ł ň ł ł ŏ ĖķŴƌĥŏ ƗſĮĥĭ ĬŁŴƉ ƈźƉň ķŴƌĥŏ ƢũƏĭ ň ň Ō ł ł ƁŨŌ ƎƀŶŵũƉ Ō ł ĭł ƋƆł ljĥŅ ô ƋƆƦƤƉ :ƁƆŌ ƎſűŬƍƉĭ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION they will both crucify me and kill me,” He recounted to His apostles. And because of these (things) they both trembled and were disturbed, feared and were confounded then in order that they might be consoled, He manifested His glory and made them marvel. Simon Peter had said to Him: “Far be it from you to suffer,” and they all feared on account of the story of the death that they heard. And He led Simon and Jacob and John and made them alone ascend a high mountain, In order to unburden from them that sadness that shattered them, and to gladden them with the great consolation of His glory. And before their eyes He was transfigured and His garments became white and His countenance also shone forth as the sun, and He made them marvel. From Him, His glory and from His face His light became radiant, both brightness and glory did His person cause to spring forth, and He made them marvel. It is not from another place He borrowed light for himself and clothed himself, but from himself and on account of himself He showed the light before the disciples. In Him there was light and it was covered up and they were not aware of it and out of Him He sent forth light and they saw His glory and they became amazed. His very countenance, it is written, became bright and His garments too became white. It is not from another place that light was stretched forth to Him. Belonging to Him and in Him there was glory which was hidden from the onlookers,

Matt 16:22

Matt 17:1

Matt 17:2,3

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Ō Ņ ĻĥŅ Ō Ņ ĻĥŅ ƁƆŌ ƎƀƙƟĮ ò ł Ō ł ljŁŅ ƁƆŌ ƎƀƇźƟ ĖIJĬŴŷƀƇƤƆ ŏ ň ł ł ň ł łł ň Ņ ň Ņ ƈźƉ :ƎƀƆĬ ŴƇŶĪĭ ĭĪĭĪŁĥĭ ŏ ł ŴƕĮĭ ň ł ĭĿĭŁĭ Ō ň ł ł ŏ ŏ ň ł ĖķŴƌĥ ň ĿĬŁĥĭň ųŷŨŴƣ IJŴŶ ķĭŤƀŨƦƌĪĭ Ņ Ō ķŴƖƊƣ ŏ ň Ņ ô ƢƉĥł ƥŶŁĪ ł ƅƆŅ ƑŶŅ ťƘŤƃ :ųƆň ŦĭĬ Ņ ł Ņ ł ŏ ŏ ŏ ŴƇŶĪĭ ł ł ŦŁŴƉĪ ň ł ĖŴƖƊƣĪ ťŨƢƣ ƈźƉň ķĭųíƿ ŏ ň ĭĬŏ ŦĭĬ ŏ ł ķŴƖƊƤíƆ Ņ ô ƢŨĪĭ ł ł Ņ ł ŏ ł ħŴƠƖſĭ :ƎƍŶŴƀíƆĭ Ņ ŏ ķŴƌĥŏ ň ơƏĥĭ ŏ ł ŏ ł ťƉĿŅ Ņ ŧĿŴźíƆ ň ł ĖķĭųſĪŴŷíƇŨ ň ł ň Ņ ŏ ł Ņ ŏ ň ň ň :ķŴƌĥŏ ƦƠŷƣĪ IJĬ ķĭųƍƉŅ ŧƢƤƌĪ ňŏ ň ł ŦŁŴſƢƃ Ņ ł ŦŤſŴũŨĭ Ņ ŏ ł ň ŏ ťŨĿ ĖķŴƌĥ ŧűŷƌ ųŷŨŴƣĪ ł ł ň ķĭųƀƍƀƖíƆĭ ò ł ł ĭĿŴŶĭ ŏ ł Ō ł ł ł ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ƚƇŶƦƣĥ :IJĬĭƦŷƌ ň ł ł Ņ ň ł ł ň ŏ ł ĖķŴƌĥŏ ĿĬŁĥĭ ťƤƊƣ ƅſĥ Ŀųƌ ųƘĭĽƢƘ ĻĥĭŅ ň ŏ ųƍƉ ň ŏ ł ƎƉň ŭƆĮĥ ň ł ĬĿĬŴƌĭ ň ň ųŷŨŴƣ ň ŏ :ųƘĭĽƢƘ ň ł ł łł ň ŏ Ņ ň Ņ Ō ĖķŴƌĥŏ ĿĬŁĥĭ ŧĿĪĬĭ ŦŴſĮĭ ň Ņ ƗŨĥŏ ųƉŴƍƟ ň Ō ň ł Ņ Ņ :ƥũíƆĭ ųƆł ĵŤƣ ŧĿĬŴƌ ljƢŶĥô ťũūł ƎƉň ŴƆł Ņ ŏ IJŴŶ ňò Ō ł ł ųƍƉ Ō ŧĿĬŴƌ Ō ł IJĬŴƇƕĭ ň ň ĖŧűƀƊíƆŁ ƎƀƖíƆ Ņ ŏ ŦĭĬ ł ł ł ŧĿĬŴƌ Ņ ô ųŨň ł ô ƎƀƤƀūĿ Ņ ô ƁƙŷƉĭ Ō Ō ƧĭŅ ŦĭĬ :ĭĭĬ Ņ ŏ ơƘĥ ň ł ųƍƉĭ ň ň ł ł ųŷŨŴƣ ł ł ŧĿĬŴƌ ň ŏ ĭŵŶĭ ĖĭųƉŁĭ Ō ň ŏ ł ĭĬŏ ò ł ł ĭĿŴŶĭ ł ł ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ĿųƌĪ ł ł Ūſǁ :IJĬĭƦŷƌ ųƘĭĽƢƘ Ņ ŏ ljƢŶĥ Ņ ŏ ƎƉň ŴƆł Ņ Ō ô ťƃĭĪ ł ł ň ŧĿĬŴƌ ĖųƆň ŻƣĭƦƣĥ ňò Ņ ł ƎƉň ťƐƃĪ ň ł ťŷŨŴƣ Ņ ô ƻĥŌ ųŨň ųƆň Ņ ŏ ŦĭĬ :ťſŵŶ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION and when He wished, He brought it out and showed it to the sons of His mystery.

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CHRIST, THE IMAGE OF THE GLORY AND THE SPLENDOR OF THE FATHER And this same our Lord is the image of the glory and the splendor of the Father, and He shone forth from Himself and manifested to them His glory there. For it is not from outside that light had entered and (then) become concealed. It is written that He shone out and it became known that He is the Light. He did not need radiance so that He ought to borrow radiance and be adorned by it, but through the glory of His own light He adorns the one who encounters Him. Therefore it is written that He was transfigured and shone forth and became white so that it shall be revealed that He is the light of the whole world. The fact that He became transfigured was because He willed and manifested His light; It is not that from something that He was transfigured to become something else. In the sight of the apostles He was transfigured while He remained without change as He had been. For before their eyes, it is written, He became transfigured, not in His own sight, but for them He was transfigured so that they might see the glory, instead of dishonor. For, He is as He is, the Light and the Son splendor and brightness and the great Sun of righteousness. Neither transformation nor change affects Him, because yesterday and today and for ever yet He is the same. The fact that it is written that He was transfigured before the disciples

Heb 8:8

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łò ł ň ł ň ł ťŨĽĪ ł ň Ņ ł IJƦƉĥĭ ň Ņ ô ƁƍũƆ ĖĬĮĿĥ ųſŴŶĭ ơƘĥ ł Ņ ŴſĭĬĭ Ņ ł ķƢƉ Ņ ł ųŷƉĽĭ ŏ ŏ ň ň ťŷŨŴƣĪ Ņ ŏ ťƊíƆĽ :ł ťŨĥĪ ŏ IJŴŶŁĥĭ Ō ł ň ųƍƉ ň ň Ŀųƌł ĭĬĭ ŏ Ņ ųŷŨŴƣ ň ŏ ķĭųíƆ ĖƎƉŁ Ņ ŏ ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ƁƐƃŁĥĭ Ņ ô ƈƕł ƢũíƆ ł ƎƉň Ƣƀūň ŴƆł Ō ł ň ŧĿĬŴƌ :ŦĭĬ Ō Ņ ŏ ŴſĭĬĪ ł ł ň ĿųƌĪ ŏ ł ł Ūſǁ ŏ ŏ ųíƆ ñ Ņ ƦƕűſŁĥĭ ĖŧĿĬŴƌ ĭĬ ł ł ƞƌĪň ťŷƉĽ Ō ƧŅ ł ň ťŷƉĽ Ņ ň ơƀƍƏ Ņ ň ĵŤƤƌĪ :ųŨň ƦũŹ ň ŏ Ņ ŏ Ņň ň ł ĬĿĬŴƌĪ ł Ņ ł ƦŨƞƉ ĖųŨň ƗŬƘűƆ ťŷŨŴƤŨ Ƨĥ ł ň Ō ŅŅ ŏ ň ł ł ł ł ł :ĿŴŶĭ Ŀųƌĭ ƚƇŶƦƣĥĪ Ūſǁ ljĬ ƈźƉ ň Ņ ŏ ŴſĭĬĪ ň ň Ņ Ņ ŧĿĬŴƌ Ņ ł ŦĭĬŁĪ ŏ ŏ ťƀíƇū Ėųƿŏ ťƊíƇƕĪ ň ł ł ň IJĬŅ Ō ł ťŨĽĪ Ņ ł IJĬô IJĬŌ ƚƇŶƦƣĥĪ :ĬĿĬŴƌŏ IJŴŶĭ ł ł ň ĶűƉ ň ň ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ƚƇŶƦƣĥ ň ň ŦĭųƌĪ ň ň ƎƉň ŴƆł ĖĶűƉ ŅŅ ł Ņ ł ł ň ťŷƀƇƣĪ ňò Ō ł IJĬŅ ŦŁŵŷƆ Ņ ô ƚƇŶƦƣĥ ñ :ŦĭĬ ųíƆ Ņ ł ł Ņ Ņ ŏ ƧĪ IJŴƟ Ō ł ĭĬŏ űƃł Ņ ô IJĬĭƻĥĪŌ ƅſĥ ťƙíƇŶŴƣ ĖŦĭĬ Ō ň Ō ųƆň ŴƆł ƚƇŶƦƣĥĪ ł ł ň Ūſǁ ł ŏ ƀƍƀ ò ł ƖíƆ :ųƇſĪ Ƣƀūň ķĭų Ņ ł ƚƇŶĪ Ņ ł ƚƇŶƦƣĥ ł ł ň ķĭųíƆ ŏ ŏ ň ťŷŨŴƣ Ņ ŏ ŧƢƕĽ Ėķĭŵŷƌ ł Ō ł ł ł Ō ň ŏ Ņ ŏ IJĬĭƻĥĪ Ņ ł ŧĿĬŴƌ :ŧƢŨĭ ƎƄſĥ IJĬĭƻĥ ĭĬ Ņ ŏ Ō ł Ņ ł Ņ ň Ņ Ƣƀū ň ň Ņ ĖŦŁŴƠſĪĮĪ ťŨĿ ťƤƊƣĭ ťŷƌĪĭ ť ŷƉĽ Ņ Ņ ŏ ƧĭŅ ųƆň ħƢƟ ň Ņ ƧĭŅ Ņ Ņ ŏ ƧĭŅ ťƙíƇŶŴƣ :ťƀƍūŴƣ ł Ņ ł ƎƉŴſĭ Ņ ł ƁƇƉŁĥĪ Ņ ň ŏ ŏ ħĭŁŏ ƋƇƖíƆĭ ĖĭĬŏ ł űƃł ŴſĭĬ Ō ł ň Ņ ňò Ō ł ł ň ŪſǁĪ Ō ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ƚƇŶƦƣĥĪ :ŧűƀƊíƆŁ ƎƀƖíƆ ƎſĪ IJĬ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION was so as to make the world perceive that He is the one who had shone forth and He is the Light. His countenance shone forth and His garments became white and they saw His glory and because of this it is written that He was transfigured before the disciples. Unlike Moses, who became radiant from without, our Lord is light from within himself together with His Father. It is written about Moses that the skin of his face became radiant, not that he was transfigured, shone forth and became white as our Redeemer. Moses indeed saw God and he was made to shine forth, but our Lord was God who is wholly light. He together with His Father had made Moses shine on the mountain and it is this same One who shone forth and Simon saw His glory. His countenance shone forth in front of the disciples and His garments became white and they saw with Him Moses on the mountain together with Elijah. HOW AND WHY THE SERVANTS OF THE KING CAME THERE Herein is the requirement and pressing need of grace for the soul so that it [the grace] may speak within me its story which is more exalted than language. What urged these servants of the King to come to speak with Him ? How did they come and why did they come ? He desired to join the two into one and to treat them alike so that the Good News might mingle with the Law and take hold of the earth.

Exod 34:29–30

Exod 34:29

Matt 17:2,3

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Ņ ŏ ŴſĭĬĭ Ņ ô Ŀųƌł ŴſĭĬĪ Ņ Ņ ƥūƢƌĪ ŏ ŏ ŦĭĬ ŏ ŏ ťƊíƇƕ ň ł ĖŧĿĬŴƌ ň ŏ ł Ŀųƌł ò ł ł ĭĿŴŶĭ ł ł ųƘĭĽƢƘ ł ł IJĬĭƦŷƌ ň ŏ ĭŵŶĭ :ųŷŨŴƣ Ō ŅŅ ŏ ň ňò Ō ł űſĽň ƚƇŶƦƣĥĪ ł ł ň Ūſǁ ĖŧűƀƊíƆŁ ljĬ ƈźƉĭ Ō ł ň ƢũíƆĭ ň ň ťƣŴƉ Ņ ô IJĬĪĮĥ ł ł ųƍƉ ň ŏ ƅſĥł ŴƆł :ŦĭĬ ł ŏ ŴŬíƆĭ ł Ņ ĭĬ ŧĿĬŴƌ ň ň ň ŏ Ņ Ƌƕł ķƢƉ ł ł ųƍƉĪ ĖĬĪŴƇſ ô Ō ò ł ł ťƄƤƉ Ņ ň ŦĭĬ Ō ł ň ťƣŴƉ Ņ ô IJĬĪĮĥĪ ň ŏ ƈƕł Ūſǁ :IJĬŴƘĥĪ ł ł ň ŴƆł ł ŏ Ņ ƅſĥł ĿŴŶĭ ł ł Ŀųƌĭ ł ł ƚƇŶƦƣĥĪ ĖƎƟĭƢƘ Ō ł ň ŦųíƆƧ Ņ ô IJĬĪĮĥĭ Ņ Ņ ł IJųſŵŶ Ņ ŦŵŷƉ Ņ ň ťƣŴƉ ň ŏ :ŦĭĬ ň ŏ Ņ ŅŅ ł ł Ņ ň ŏ ł ŏ ųƿĪ ĖĭĬô ŧĿĬŴƌ ŦĭĬ Ŧųƭ ķƢƉ ƎſĪ ĭĬ ŏ ôň ŏ Ņ ŏ ł Ņ ô IJĬĮŌ ł ĭĬŏ ň Ņ :ĬĪŴƇſ Ƌƕ ŧĿŴźŨ ťƣŴƊíƆ ŦĭĬ ŏ ň ųŷŨŴƣ ł ł ljĬ Ņ Ņ ŴſĭĬĭ Ņ ł ĿųƌĪ ŏ ŏ ň ŏ ŦŵŶĭ ĖķŴƖƊƣ ň ŏ ł Ŀųƌł ňò Ō ł ƎƀƖíƆ Ō ųƘĭĽƢƘ ò ł ŷƌł ĭĿŴŶĭ ł ł ŧűƀƊíƆŁ :IJĬĭƦ Ņ ŏ ťƣŴƉ ł ł ň ŏ IJĬĭĪĥĽ Ņ Ō ň Ƌƕł ŧĿŴźŨ ł ň ĭŵŶĭ Ėťƀƭ Ņ ŏ ł ł Ņ ł Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ :ŦŁŴũƀŹ ƈƕ ťƤƙƍíƆ Ŧƞƭĭ IJĬô ŦƦƖŨ ťƃĿĬ Ņ ň ň ň Ō Ō ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ñ ĖťƍƤíƆ ƎƉ ĭĬô ĶĿĪ ųŨƢƣ ƁŨ džƉŁ IJĬĪ ŏ Ō ł ł ł Ņ ň Ņ ķĭŁŤƌ łò ł ƎƀƆĬ Ņ ł IJűũƕ :ťƄíƇƉ Ɓƃ ƎƉ ł ň Ņ ł ł ň ł ł Łƞƭ ŏ ł ł ň ĖĭŁĥň ƎƊíƆĭ ĭŁĥ ƎƄſĥĭ ųƊƕ ķŴƇíƇƊƌ ň ł Ņ ŧűŷƆ ň ł ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ƚƠƌň ł ťƖŨ Ņ ł ƎſŁĿŁ :Ǝƀƌĥň ŦŴƤƌĭ Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ŏ ł ŏ ň ŦŁƢũƏ Ņ ł ĪŴŶĥŁ ŏ ň İŴƇŶŁ ĖťƕĿĥ ŦƻĿĭĥ Ƌƕ

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The keys of Moses He wished to confer upon John in order to give him at the beginning to write spiritually, So that instead of the son of Amram, there entered the son of Zebedee, that he also should become a great teacher of the hidden mysteries of the divinity. That authority which was with Elijah,12 He had given to Simon in order to loose and to bind divinely as the steward. He joined those of the household of Simon to the household of Moses so as to make the New equal with the Old in His proclamation. He wanted to exchange the stewards and He brought them so that the elders might hand over the keys to those who were youngsters. Those who had labored with Him well, He wished to honor, and He gave to the later ones the exaltation and the labor of righteousness.13 He gave rest to Moses and set the toil upon John; He spared Elijah and brought to Simon to loose and to bind. He wished to ratify His new covenant, and He brought the old servants of His Father to subscribe to it. He called the apostles and brought the prophets to treat them as equal, so that He might manifest the single teaching of the truth to the whole world.

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Exod 6:20 Matt 4:21; Mark 1:19

Matt 16:19

Cf. Martyrius (Sahdona), Book of Perfection, II chp. 8,40 (cf. S. P. Brock, Syriac Fathers on Prayer, p. 219). 13 Cf. Ephrem, HVirg 8:13. 12

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ňò Ō Ņ ô ťŨĽ Ņ ťƣŴƉĪ Ņ ł ŏ ƈƕł ŧűƤƌĪ ň ŏ ŧűƀƇƟ ň ň ŦĭĬ :ƎƍŶŴſ ŌŅŅ ŏ ŏ ň Ō Ō ň ň Ņ ô ĵƦƌĪ ĖƻŤƍŶĭĿ ħĭǂƌ ƼƤſƢŨ ųƆň ŦĭĬ Ņ ň ň ł ł ł ł ł ƢŨł ƚƇŶ Ņ ł ĶƢƊƕ :ĭĬŏ Ļĥ Ŧĭųƌ IJűŨĮ ƢŨ ƈƕ Ņ ŏ Ņ ł Ņò ł ň Ņ Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ťƀň Ɛƃ ŦĮǓƧô ťŨĿ ŧƢƙƏ ĖŦŁĭųƭĪ Ō ŏ Ņ ŅŅ ň Ņ ŏ ĭĬł ł ťƀíƆƧ ƻĥĪŌ ťƍźíƆŴƣ :ķŴƖƊƤíƆ ŦĭĬô ħųſ ô ł Ō ŅŅ ł Ņ ň ň ŏ ƌĭň ŧƢƤƌĪ ĖŦƼũł ŨĿł ƅſĥň ƻĥųƭ ĿŴƏŤ ŏ ň ƼŨűƆ ň ł ķŴƌĥŏ ƚƟĥň ł ķŴƖƊƣ ň ł ň ŏ ƼŨűƆ :ťƣŴƉ ň ŏ ŏ Ņ ňò Ō ł ł ň ò ł ň ł ĖĬŁĭĮĭƢƄŨ ťƠſƦƕ Ƌƕ ŦŁűŷíƆ ŦŴƤƌĭ ň Ō ň Ņò ł ł ň ł ł ťƖŨ Ņ ŦƦŨ :ķŴƌĥŏ IJƻĥĭł ƚƇŷƌĪ ƁŨǓ ňò ł ł ŏ Ņ ňò Ō ňò Ņ ŏ ň ł ĖĭĭĬô ťƊƀƇƕĪ ķŴƌųíƆ ŧűƀƇƟ ťũƏ Ō ł ķŴƆƦƌĪ Ō ň Ņ ł ł ň Ņ ł ł ł ųƊƕ ŴſƧĪ ƎƀƆųíƆ :ƢƠƀƌĪŅ ťŨĽ Ƣƀƙƣ Ņ ł Ņ ł ňŅ ł ŏ Ō ł ƨƊƕĭ ł ĖŦŁŴƠſĪĮĪ ťƉĭĿ ljǔŶƧ ħųſĭ ô ô Ņ Ō ł ƎƍŶŴƀíƆĭ Ņ ł ŏ ł ŸƀƌĥŌ ł ťƣŴƊíƆ ň ŏ :ƨƊƕł Ō ƁƉĿĥ ň ň ťƀíƆƧ ŏ ň IJƻĥł ĿŴƏŤ ŏ ƌĭň ŧƢƤƌĭ ł Ņ Ō ň ƅƐŶ ĖķŴƖƊƤíƆ ň Ō ŦŁŅ űŶ ł ł ł ťƖŨ Ņ ųƇſĪ Ō Ō ł űŌíƆ ł ťƟƻ :ĿƢƤƌĪ Ō ł ňò Ņ ňò ł ŏ ł IJƻĥ ŏ ł ťũƏ Ņ Ō ķŴƉƢƌĪ Ėŧűſĥ IJĬŴŨĥĪ ň ň ł ňò Ō Ō ł ňò Ō ŧűũƕĭ Ņ ŏ :ķŴƌĥ Ƌŷƙƌ ťƀũƌ IJƻĥĭ ťŷƀƇƤƆł ŧƢƟ Ņ ŏ ŅŅ ŏ ł ň ň ł ŦƦƣŴƟĪ Ņ Ņ ŦŴŷƌ Ėųƿŏ ťƊíƇƖíƆ ťƍƙíƆŴſ űŶĪ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION He had united the New with the Old so that the world might become conscious of the fact that He is the Lord, both of the latter and the former. From the Old (Testament) He brought the excellent, chosen, and exalted ones, so that they should be witnesses to that teaching of the New (Testament). He had wished to give rest to that Law which was through the hands of Moses, and He summoned him to entrust the truth to Simon, and (then) to depart. THE BETROTHALS AT SINAI AND AT MOUNT TABOR

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When the marriage settlements had been written down for that daughter of the people, Moses made seventy elders ascend the mountain with him, And here, when the Son betrothed the Church at His crucifixion, He too brought witnesses to the mountain so that they might subscribe. He brought Moses, that teacher of the Law, to the mountain to show that he was in agreement with the Good News of the household of John. From that mountain of Nebo He had called Moses and he obeyed Him. Then He beckoned to Elijah by the whirlwind and he came. One from the earth and another from the air, they presented themselves, so that they might be witnesses to the Son on the mountain that He is the Son of God. Good News went out from the Father to the living and the dead and the Son gave it to the two classes that they might be gladdened by it.

Exod 24:9

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Deut 34:1–6 2 Kgs 2:1

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ňò Ō ł ł ň ò ł ł Ņ ł ƥūĿŁĪ Ņ ô ŻƇŶ ł ň ťƠſƦƕ Ƌƕ ŦŁűŷíƆ ŦĭĬ :ťƕĿĥ Ņ Ņ ŴſĭĬĪ ň Ņò ł ĭł ťſǔŶ ň Ņ ôĥĪł ĻĥŅ ŧƢƉ ŏ ŏ ĖťƀƉűƟĪ Ō ł Ņ Ō ł ň Ņò ł ťƟǔŹ ň ł IJƻĥ ň Ņ ťƀũū :ťƉǓĭ ƎƉ Ņ ł ł ł ŦƦƠſƦƕ ň Ņ ŏ ň Ņ Ņ ò ŏ Ėķĭĭųƌ ŧĪųƏ ŦŁűŶĪ ĭĬ ťƍƙíƆŴƀíƆĪł łò Ō ťƏŴƊƌ Ņ ô ťŨĽ ł Ņ ťƣŴƉ Ō ł ŦĭĬ Ņ ŏ Ņ ĭųíƆ ň ŏ IJűſŤŨĪ :ŸƀƍƌĪ Ņ ŏ ň ł Ņ ł ŏ ň ŦƦƣŴƟ ň ł ł ķŴƖƊƤíƆ ĖĭĬŏ ťƍƤƌĭ ƈƖŬƌ IJųſƢƟĭ Ņ Ō ň ł Ņ ô ťŨǁƦƉ Ņ ł ŁƢŨł IJųíƆ Ņ ŦƼƌƢƘ Ņ ł ň ťƊƕ űƃ :ŁĭĬ ô ł ňò Ņ Ō ł ŏ Ņ ł ň ŏ ň ň ĖųƊƕ ťƣŴƉ ơƏĥ ƎƀƖũƣ ň ŏ ŧĿŴźíƆ Ņ Ō ťũƏ Ņ Ō ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ł :ĬŁŴƙƀƟŵŨ ŦĭĬô ƢƄƉ ŦŁűƖíƆ ŧƢŨĪ ťƃĿĬĭ Ō ł ňò Ņ Ņ ŏ IJƻĥ ŏ ł ĭĬŏ ĻĥŅ ŧĿŴźíƆ Ņ Ō ķŴƉƢƌĪ Ėŧűſĥ ŧĪųƏ Ō ł Ņ ŏ Ņ Ņ ŏ ł Ņ Ņ ň ŏ :IJƻĥ ŧĿŴźíƆ ŦƻĿĭĥĪ ĭĬ ŧƢƙƏ ťƣŴƊíƆ Ņ ň Ņ ŦŴŷƌ ňł ň ŦŁƢũƐƆ ł ł ĻĥŅ ƋƇƣĪ Ņ ł ŏ ƼŨĪ ĖƎƍŶŴſ Ņ ŏ ĭĬł ƎƉň Ņ ŴũƌĪ Ņ ô ŧƢƟ ŏ Ņ ŧĿŴŹ Ņ ł ťƣŴƊíƆ ň ŏ ŦĭĬ :IJųƀƍƕĭ ŅŅ ł ň ň Ņ Ō ň Ņ ň ŵƉĿ ł ƨƖíƇƕ ĖŦŁĥĭň ųƆ ƎƉ ƎſĪ ťƀíƆƧ ł ň ł Ņ Ņ ł ƎƉň űŶł ł ô ŴũƀŹŁĥ ł Ŀĥĥ ƎƉň űŶĭ ł ťƕĿĥ :ĭĭĬ ňò Ņ ķĭĭųƌĪ Ņ ŏ ŧƢũƆ Ņ ł ŧĪųƏ ŏ ň ł Ņ ł ƢŨĪ ł ŧĿŴźŨ ĖĭĬô Ŧųƭ Ņ ł ň ò Ō ňò ł ł ł ň ŦŁƢũƏ ťƀŷíƆ :ťŨĥŅ ƼŨň ƎƉň ƦƠƙƌ ň ň ł ŦƼƉĭ Ō Ņ ł ò ň Ņ Ņ ł ŏ ł ñ ñ ķĭűŶƦƌ ƎƀƊūŁ ƎſĿƦƆ ųŨųſ ŧƢŨĭ ĖųŨ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION And He summoned the company of the dead through Moses and it came to Him. And through Elijah14 He proclaimed His Good News to all the living.15 Through the two men, He brought to Him all ages so that in front of them He might reveal His glory before His disciples. REPEALING OF THE JUDGMENT OF PARADISE BY CHRIST, THE COMMANDER OF ALL He summoned heaven and earth to give testimony as one who commands all, so that He might assure the disciples, as to who He is and whose son He is.16 He revived Moses and brought Elijah alive17 so that through the dead and through the living He should make known His truth. He wanted to show that the dead and the living are His, both the heavenly and the earthly obey Him. From Bethany He called the dead Lazarus and he came out, and He commanded Moses from that mountain of Nebo and he came. He vivified and brought him to the land which the forefathers had inherited,

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John 11:1–44 Deut 34:1–6

Elijah is the image and type of the Son of God, cf. Bedjan IV, p. 135, 10–11. Cf. Bedjan IV, pp. 230–31; p. 236, 9–12. Elijah averted all passions of this world and lived the life of the other world; Ephrem, HNat 1:34–37. 16 Cf. Ephrem, Comm. on Diatessaron, XIV.8. Our Lord wants to show that he is neither Elijah nor any one of the prophets as some thought; cf. Matt 16:13; Mark 8:28. 17 Syriac tradition gives much stress on the biblical fact of the translation of Elijah to heaven without tasting death. Aphrahat: Dem XXII 3; Ephrem: HNat 1:34–37; CNis 36:7; Ephrem speaks of Elijah and Enoch passing over to Paradise because of their merits: cf. HEccl 49:9–11; CNis 38:10. 14 15

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Ņ ň ň ŏ ň ò Ō Ņ ň Ņ ł ł ň ŦŁĥĭ :IJĬĭĪĥĽ ťƣŴƊŨ ŦƼƉĪ ťƊūƦíƆ ŧƢƟĭ ň ł ňò ł ŏ ŏ ň ł ĬŁƢũƏ Ņ Ō ň ĻĥŅ ĖĮƢƃĥ ťƀŶ ķĭųíǀíƆ ťƀíƆŤŨ Ō ł Ō ł ň ł ňò Ņ ŏ ŏ ł ň IJƻĥ :IJĬĭĪĥĽ Ǝſǔũū ťƊíƇƕ ň ň ķĭųíǀíƆ ł Ņ ƎſĿƦŨ ł ŏ ł Ņ Īł Ō ò ŏ ň ĭųƀƉűƟ ĖIJĬĭűƀƊíƆŁ ĶűƟ ųŷŨŴƣ ƨŬƌ ķ Ņ ŏ Ņ Ņ ň Ņ ƅſĥł ťƕĿĥĭ Ņ ł ťƀƊƣ Ņ ł ŦŁĭĪųƐíƆ ŧƢƟ :ƈƃŏ űƠƘ ł Ō ł ł ŏ ł ł ł ňò Ō ł ł ĖIJĬĭƻĥ ƎƉ ŴƍƉ ĿƢƤƌ ŧűƀƊíƆƦíƆĪ Ō ł ƢŨĭ ňò ł Ņ Ō ň ł ň ł ň ŏ :IJƻĥ ťƀŷŨ ťƀíƆƧĭ Ƌŷƌ ťƣŴƊíƆ ňò ł ł ł ň ò Ō ł ł ň Ņ ťƀŶ ł ł ĬĿƢƣ ĖĺĪŴƌ ŦƼƉ űƀŨĪ ň ň Ō ňò ł űƀŨĭ ň ò Ō ňł ł Ņ ŏ :ķŴƌĥ ųƇſĪ ťƀŶĭ ŦƼƉĪ ŦŴŷƌĪ ťŨĽ ł ň ň ňò Ņ ł Ņ ňò Ņ ň Ņ Ō ĖƎƀƖƉƦƤƉ ųƆ ťſƦŶŁ Ļĥ ťƀíƇƕ Ļĥ Ņ Ō ŅŅ Ņ ł ł ŦƼƉ Ņ ťƀƍƕ Ņ ł ƼŨň ƎƉň : ơƙƌĭ ĿŵƖíƇíƆ ŧƢƟ Ņ Ņ ŏ ĭĬł ƎƉĭ ł ťƣŴƊíƆ ň ŏ Ņ ŧĿŴŹ ň ŏ ŴũƌĪ ĖŦŁĥĭň ųƆň űƠƘ Ņ Ņò Ņ ł ň Ō Ņ ł ň ł ň ł ĭŁƢſĪ ťƕĿƧ ųƇƕĥĭ ųƊŷƌ :ŦŁųŨĥ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION into which it had been commanded by the judgment that he should not enter. And He manifested that He is able to repeal the judgment of the Father as well as to make the expelled return to their heritage as one who commands all. He brought in Moses18 to make known how Adam shall enter, because he too had been expelled through the judgment from Paradise. Through our Lord all inheritors shall enter to their destined abodes. Then through Him the expelled shall be made to return to gain possession of their heritage. Through Him Moses19 entered into the land into which it had been set that he should not enter. Through Him the robber20 too was transferred to within Paradise. Adam who went out from his inheritance as a rebellious (man) was made to return to become an inheritor through Him, because he had been expelled. Because it was necessary that the assembly of the house of John should learn all this, He raised Moses to life and made him enter into the land.

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Cf. Ephrem, HPar 4:6. Moses’ entry into Tabor (Matt 17:3), the promised land is a type of Adam’s re-entry into Paradise. 20 The robber who was admitted into Paradise is a type of Adam’s re-entry into Paradise. Adam tried to snatch away divinity like a thief; cf. Alwan, III 689, 735, 741, 781, 794; Aphrahat, Dem. XIV 22, XXII 24; Ephrem, HPar 8:1, 2, 10, 11; HEccl 51:8; HcHaer 22:8. 18 19

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Ō ł IJĬŅ Ņ ô ĵŴƖƌŏ ň ƧĪŅ ťƍſĪ Ņ ô űƀƠƘĪ Ņ Ō ĿŵŬŨ Ņ ł ŦĭĬ ĖŦĭĬ ň ň ťŨĥĪ ł ň IJŴŶĭ Ōł Ņ ł ťƍſĪ Ņ Ō ĿŵūĪ Ņ ł ŸƄƤƉĪ :ŧƢƤƌ ň Ņ ƅſĥł ķĭųŏ ƀƌŁǓŴƀíƆ ň ł ł Ņ ŏ ŧűſǔŹ ň Ō ťƍƙƌĭ Ėƈƃŏ űƠƘ Ņ ň ł ł ł ł ň ŏ ň ł ĺĪŴƌĪ ťƣŴƊíƆ ųƇƕĥ :ĶĪĥŅ ĵŤƕŅ ƎƄſĥ Ō ĭĬŏ ĻĥĪŅ Ņ ô űſƢŹ Ņ ł ł ƎƉň ťƍſĪ Ņ Ō ĿŵŬŨ Ņ ł ŦĭĬ ĖťƐſĪƢƘ ň Ņ ŏ ŏ Ō Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ò ł ŏ ł ŦŁǔſ :ķĭųƀƉŴŶƦƆ ƎƀƆŤƕ ķƢƊŨ Ņ ŏ ŏ ł ķĭųíƿ Ō ň ŏ ň ł ň ųŨĭ ł ň ĖķĭųƀƌŁǓŴſ ķĭűƠƌ ŧűſǔŹ ƎƀƍƘƦƉ Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ťƣŴƉ Ō ťƕĿƧ ň ŏ ƈƕł ųŨň ñ Ņ ĵŴƖŏ ƌň ƧĪ ŦĭĬ :ųíƆ ô ƋƀƏĪ Ō ł ł ųŨň ťƐƀū Ņ ł ł ŴŬíƆ Ņ Ņ ł ĻĥŅ ł ƁƌƦƣĥ ĖťƐſĪƢƘ ň ŏ Ņ ň ł ł ŅŅ Ņ ŏ Ņ ƅſĥł ĬŁĭŁƢſ :ŧĪĭƢƉ Ņ Ņ ň ƎƉň ơƙƌĪ ň ĶĪĥň ł Ō Ņ Ō ł Ņ ĖŦĭĬô ŧűſƢŹĪ ŦŁƢſŌ ŦĭųƌĪ ƁƍƘŁĥ ųŨ ŏ ň ł ŁĪ ŁƞłƭĪł ƈźƉĭ ň ŧĪŴū Ņ ŏ Ņ ŏ ƚƆĥ ł :ƎƍŶŴſ ƼŨĪ ň ł ťƣŴƊíƆ ň Ņ Ņ ł ųƇƕĥĭ ň ł Ǝſųíƿ ň ŏ ƎƀƆĬ ň ŏ ųƊŷƌ ĖťƕĿƧ

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THE REAL PRESENCE OF THE PROPHETS AND APOSTLES ON THE MOUNTAIN The disciples saw upon the mountain Moses as well as Elijah who were speaking with our Savior as it is written. They truly saw and not in appearance nor in any likeness, but in reality, face to face, as it was proclaimed. It was not the time of shadows nor of appearances, for there was in the crucifixion nothing that was borrowed. It was not the appearance of the prophets that our Lord sought, but He brought (them) that they might speak with Him on the mountain before His disciples. The whole vision that happened there was true because He too sought to manifest the truth, not an appearance. If you think Elijah was not (the real) Elijah, and if it seems to you, Moses was not Moses, Then, neither the light was (the real) light as it was said nor was Simon, who was there, (the real) Simon, Nor was the voice that was there, (the real) voice, nor was the Son there on the mountain with His disciples. If it was an apparition, then it was all apparition, as you are saying; But that was not an apparition, the whole of it is truth, He (himself) has assured. Until our Lord, there was the custom of borrowings that without (real) bodies they were seen in their forms But when He came and clothed himself a body and became man He manifested the truth, because He was revealed and stood as a luminary.

Matt 17:3 and parallels

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Ņ ŏ ťƣŴƊ ňò Ō ł ĭŵŶ ł ň ŏ íƆ ŧűƀƊíƆŁ Ņ Ō ň ĻĥŅ ŧĿŴźŨ :Ō ťƀíƆƧ ł ł ŏŅ ł ł Ō ł ł ĖŪſǁĪł Ņ ťƉŅ ƅſĥ Ņ ƎƟĭƢƘ Ƌƕ ĭĭĬô ƎƀƇíƇƊƉĪ Ņ Ņ ł ĭŵŶ ł ŧĿƢƤŨ ŏ ł Ƨĭ ťƊƄƏŤŨ Ņ Ō ň ŴƆĭ ł :ŦŁŴƉűŨ Ōò ł Ōò ł Ņ ŏ Ņň ł ł ň ƅſĥł ƎƀƘŤŨ ĖƦƖƉƦƣĥĪ ƎƀƘĥ ŦƦƣŴƠŨ Ƨĥ Ņ Ņ ò Ō ł Ņ Ņò Ņ ň Ņ Ņ ł ł ŤƣĥĪĭ ŦĭĬô ťƍŨĮ ŴƆŅ Ņ ŏ Ō :ŦƦíƇſ Ō ł ŦƼƍǑĪ Ō ň ł Ņ ň ñ ƻĥ Ƣƀūň Ƨ ĖŦŁŴƙƀƟŵŨ ƈſŤƣĪ ĶűƉ ųŨ Ō ł ňò Ō ł ň ł Ņ IJƻĥĭ Ņ Ō ň ŴƆł :ķƢƉ ťƀũƌĪ ĵŤƣ ťƊƄƏĥ Ņ ŏ ųƊƕ łò Ō ł ƎƀƖíƆ ŏ ł ł Ō ŧĿŴźŨ ň ł ĭĭĬ ł ô ķŴƇíƇƊƌĪ ĖIJĬĭűƀƊíƆŁ ŅŅ Ņ Ō ł ƎƉŁ Ņ ô ŧƢſƢƣ Ņ ł ŁĭĬĪ Ņ ł ŦŁŵŶ ñ Ņ ŏ :ŁĭĬ ųíƿ Ņ Ņ ĭĬŏ ĻĥĪŅ Ņ ŧĿƢƣ ň ł ł ťƖŨ Ņ Ō ň ŴƆł ŦŴŷƌĪ ĖťƊƄƏĥ Ņ ł ň ĭĬ ťƀƭĪ ł Ō ň ŴƆł ťƀƭ Ņ Ō ň ķĥň :ƅƆŅ ŧƢŨƦƐƉ ô Ņ ł ň ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ťƣŴƉ ň ŏ ŴƆł ťƣŴƉĪ ň ŏ ĭĬŏ ķĥĭň ĖƅƆŅ ŧƢŨƦƐƉ Ņ Ņ ň Ņ ł ň ł ł ŏ ŧĿĬŴƌ Ņ ŏ ƨƘĥ ł ŁĥĪ ƅſĥ ł ĭĬô ŧĿĬŴƌ ƎſűƉ :ŁƢƉĥ Ņ Ņ ł Ō ŏ ň Ņ Ņ ŏ ň Ō ĖIJĬĭƻĥ ķŴƖƊƣŏ ƎƉŁ Ņ ŦĭĬô ƻĥĪ ķŴƖƊƣ Ƨ ł Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ł ĻĥŅ Ņ Ņ Ņ ŦĭĬĪ ƨƟ ĭĬ Ņ Ƨĭ :ħĭŁ ł ł ŦĭĬŅ ô ŏ ƨƟ ƎƉŁ Ō Ņ ŏ Ņ ł Ō Ņ ò ĖIJĬĭűƀƊíƆŁ Ƌƕ ŧĿŴźŨ ŦĭĬô ƻĥ ŧƢŨ ĭĬ ƨƘĥň ł ł Ņ ł ň ŏ ł Ņ Ņ ň ķĥ ň :Ʀƌĥô ƢƉĥĪ ƅſĥ ųƿ ĭĬô ŦĭŵŶ ŦĭĬ ŦĭŵŶ ô ň ŏ Ņ Ņ ƧĥŅ ň ĭĬ ŦĭŵŶ ł ł ł ň ŴƆĪĭ ł ł ųǀíƆ ĖƢƣĥ ŧĿƢƣ ô Ō ł Ņ Ņ Ņ òŌ ł Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņł :ŦƦíƇſŤƤƆ ŧűƀƕ ŦĭĬô ƻĥ ķƢƊíƆ ťƉűƕ Ņł Ņò ł ň ťƊƣŴū ň ò ł Ō ň IJĭĬ Ņ ŏ ƧĪĪ ò ł ô ƎſŵŶƦƌ ĖƎſųƀƊƄƏŤŨ Ņ ň ň ň ł ĭĬŏ ŦŁĥĪ Ņ ł ťƊƣŴū Ņ ŏ ƥũíƆĭ Ņ Ņ ô ŦĭĬĭ :ťƤƌĥ ƎƉĭ ł ň Ņ ň ł Ōł ŅŅ Ņ Ō ł ĖŧƢſųƌ ƅſĥ ĶŤƟĭ ƨūĪ IJŴŶ ŧĿƢƣ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION He brought along the prophets as He had led the apostles also so that both orders of the teaching might be gladdened in Him. And as Simon was Simon corporeally, thus again Moses was truly Moses. And as James had come there, John too, behold, Elijah also came indeed to Him. Then if they have not seen there the prophets in their persons neither would have Simon made ready to construct tabernacles. Why then would tabernacles have been made for a shadow? and without the prophets, why would the names be mentioned ? If Simon did not see Moses he would not have wanted to make a tabernacle for Moses when there was no Moses. The certainty of Simon shall be a testimony to that revelation because he personally recognized the truth and then spoke about it. THE UNION OF PROPHETS AND APOSTLES, THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL The apostles saw the prophets face to face and they rejoiced, because our Lord himself had brought them to bring them into harmony. Then He gathered them together and united them to make them equal so that unanimously the two orders might bring forth His praise. He was the body and the two covenants, His hands, and He was using both of them to show His power. He led the apostles and summoned the prophets who preceded them,

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ňò Ō Ō ł ňò Ō ł ĻĥŅ ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ƢŨĪĪ ł ł ƅſĥł ťƀũƌ :Ņ ťŷƀƇƤƆ IJƻĥ ňò ň ŏ ł ň ŏ ł ň Ņ ł ŏ ťƊūŁ ķĭųſǓŁ ųŨ ķĭűŶƦƌĪ Ō Ņ Ņ ĖŦŁŴƍƙíƇƉĪ ł Ō ŏ ŏ ň ŦĭĬ Ņ ô IJĭĬƻĥĪ ł ň ŏ ƅſĥĭ :ƻŤƍƊƣŴū ķŴƖƊƣ ķŴƖƊƣ ŏ Ņ ň ŏ ň ŏ ł Ņ ŌŅ Ōł ĖƻĥƢſƢƣ ħĭŁ ŦĭĬ ô ł ťƣŴƉ ťƣŴƉ Ņ ň ƎƃĬł Ņ ŏ Ņ Ņ Ņ ŏ ł ł :ƎƍŶŴſ Ļĥ ħŴƠƖſ ƎƉƦíƆ ŦĭĬ ŦŁĥĪ ƅſĥĭ Ņ ŏ ŅŌ ň Ņ ô ň Ņ ň Ņ ň ł ĖIJĬĭĪĥĽł ŦƦƣŴƠŨ Ļĥ ųƆ ŦŁĥ ŦĬ Ņ ŏ ťƀƭ ňò Ō ŏ ň Ņ ł ŏ ò ł Ŵƭĭ :ƎƉŁł ĭŵŶ Ƨ ķĭųƀƉŴƍƠŨł ň ťƀũƌ Ņ Ņ ł ò ŏ ň ň ň Ņ ň ł ĖŦĭĬô ŪƀŹƦƉ ķŴƖƊƣ űũƖƌĪ ƨíƇźƉ ƨƘĥ ňò ł Ņ Ō Ņň ł ò Ņò ł ň ł Ņ ƎƊíƆ ƨíƇźƉ ŦƼƍíƇźíƆ :IJĭĬ ô ķűũƕƦƉ Ɓƃ ňò Ņ ňò Ō Ņ ł Ō ł ň ťƍƊíƆ ł ô ƎſƢƉĥƦƉ Ņ Ņ ŦųƊƣ ĖĭĭĬ Ņ ŏ ň ň ŏ Ņ ťƀũƌŅ ŏ ƧĪĭ ň ň Ņ Ņ :ŦĭĬô ťƖŨ Ƨ ķŴƖƊƣ ťƣŴƊíƆ ŦŵŶ Ƨ Ŵƭ Ņ ł ł ťƣŴƊíƆ ň ň Ņ ô ťƣŴƉ Ņ ô űũƖƌĪ ň ŏ ŴƆĪ ň ŏ ŦƦíƇźƉ ĖŦĭĬ ųƆň ŦĭĬ ňŅ ŏ ň ĬĿƢƣ ň ň ķŴƖƊƣĪ ł ŧĪųƏ Ņ Ņ ň ĭųíƆ Ņ Ņ Ŧĭųƌ :ťƍƀíƇū Ō Ņ ŏ ł Ņ ŏ ň ł Ǝƃĭ ň ł ƻŤƉŴƍƟĪ ň ŦƦƣŴƠíƆ ĖųŨň džƉ ųƕűſ Ō ò ł Ō ò ł ňò Ō ł ł ňò Ō ƎƀƘŤŨ Ō ł ťŷƀƇƣ :ŴſűŶĭ ťƀũƍƆ ĭŵŶ ň Ō ł ŏ ň ň ƎƀƘĥ ł Ņ ĭĬŏ ĻĥĪŅ ŏ ł ĖķŴƌĥ IJƻĥ ķŴƌĥ ŦĭŤƌ ķƢƉ ň ň ł ŏň ň ł ň ł ŏ ň űƕĭ :ķŴƌĥŏ ŦŴƤƌ ķŴƌĥ ŻƇŶĭ ķŴƌĥ ňò ň ŏ ł Ņ ŏ ł ň ŏ ł ťƊūŁ ň ŏ ķĭƢƙƌ ĖųŷŨŴƣ ķĭųſǓŁ ťƉŴƘ űŶ ƎƉĪ Ō ň ł łò Ō ł Ō Ņ ŏ ŏ Ņ ò ł :IJĬĭűſĥ ƎſŁĿŁ ƑƟƻĪĭ ťƊƣŴū ĭĬ ł ł ŦĭĬł ň ň ň ň Ņ ł ł ł ł ĖųƇƀŶ ŦŴŷƌ ŦĭĬô ŪƤŶƦƉ ƎſųſŁǓƦŨĭ ňò Ō Ņ ł ňò Ō ł ł ŏ ł Ņ ł ťƀũƌ ŧƢƟĭ ťŷƀƇƤƆ ƢŨĪ :ķĭųƀƉűƟĪ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION so that the Father would say with exalted voice who is His Son. He brought along Moses who is the head of prophecy and John who is the splendor of the apostleship. He called Elijah and joined him to Simon, the head of the disciples, so that the keys which he had received over the creation might be commissioned. He sought to manifest before the heralds of apostolate that He also gave the Spirit to the prophets and they were His servants. He brought forth His Gospel to lay hold of the world through Simon and He brought Moses to be a witness, for he was trusty. He summoned the great teacher who brought down the tablets from Mount Sinai, that he [Moses] too might manifest that he was in agreement with His proclamation. The Law ran through Moses until (the time of) our Lord and threatened to kill vehemently with justification. But the zealous Spirit entered instead of the Law, so that the world may live without law through our Lord. Instead of justice, the Son of God imparted grace and entrusted His spiritual treasures in the hands of Simon. Then Moses came so that he might conclude his teaching and henceforth Peter shall begin with his proclamation. For, our Lord, as the Mediator of the testaments, has concluded one and began the other because He was the Mediator. The Law came through Moses to the mountain so that it might rest there

2 Cor 3:6

Rom 7:6 John 1:17

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ŅŅ Ņł ł Ō ŏ ł ťƉĿŅ Ņ ƨƠŨ ň ł ŴƍƉĪ ĖĬűíƇſ ťŨĥ ƢƉŤƌ Ņ ŏŌ ł Ņ Ō Ō ł ł Ō ň ŏ ñ IJĬĭƻĥĪ ťƣŴƊíƆ IJƻĥ :ŦŁŴƀũƌĪ ųƤſĿ Ņ ŏ Ō ł Ņ ŏ ł Ō Ņł ŏ ł ñ ĖŦŁŴŷƀƇƣĪ ĬƢƘŴƣ IJĬĭƻĥĪ ƎƍŶŴƀíƆĭ ň ł ťƀíƆƧ ň:ŧűƀƊíƆŁ Ņ ŏ ň ųƙƟĥĭ ò Ō ł ƥſĿŌ ķŴƖƊƤíƆ Ņ Ō ň ŧƢƟ Ņ ŏ ł ň ňò Ō ųƆň ķĭĿĿƦƤƌĪ ł ŪƐƌĪ ł ł ŧűƀƇƟ ĖŦƻŅ ǔŨň ƈƕ Ņ ŏ Ō ł ň ŏŅ Ņ ňł ł Ņ : ŦŁŴŷƀƇƣĪ ŦĮĭǔƃ ĶűƟ ŦŴŷƌĪ ťƖŨ ň ňò Ō ł ŏ ò ł ŏ Ņ ł Ņ ĖķŴƌĥ IJĬĭűũƕĭ ťŶĭĿ ħųſ ĻĥĪ ô ł ň ĭĬŏ ťƀũƍƆ ň ł ň ł ĬŁƢũƏ łò Ō ťƊíƇƕ ŏ ň IJűſŤŨ Ņ Ņ ĪŴŶĥŁ ŏ ơƘĥ :ķŴƖƊƣ Ō ł Ņ Ō ł ŧĪųƏ ň ň ťƣŴƊíƆ Ņ ô ŧƢſƢƣĪ ň ŏ IJƻĥĭ Ņ Ņ ŦĭųƌĪ ĖŦĭĬ Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ŧƢƙƏ ł Ō ĿŴŹŏ ƎƉň ťŶŴíƆ ň ò ŏ ƦŶĥĪ ň ł ťŨĿ :ƁƍƀƏ ň ŏ ŏŅ Ņ ň Ņ ňł ł Ņ ĖĬŁĭĮĭƢƄíƆ ĭĬŏ Ļĥ ƋƇƣĪ ŦŴŷƌĪ ŧƢƟ ł ł ň ŏ ŏ Ņ İĬĿ Ō Ņ Ņ Ņ ň ò ł :ťƣŴƉ IJűſŤŨ ķƢƊíƆ ťƉűƕ ťƏŴƊƌ Ņ ŏ Ō ł ŌŅ Ōł ň Ņ Ņ Ō ŦŁŴƌŤƄŨĭ Ėƻĥŵſŵƕ ƈźƟĭ ŦĭĬô ƋƀŷíƆ Ņ ŌŅł Ņ ŏ ł ň Ņ ŦƼƍƍŹ Ņ ŏ Ņ ƚƇŶ ťŶĭĿ ƦƇƕĭ :ťƏŴƊƌ Ņł łò Ō ťƊíƇƕ ł Ņ IJűſŤŨ Ņ Ņ ťƀŶ ň Ņ ĸŴƊƌŏ Ņ ƧĪĪ ĖķƢƉ Ņ ŏ ł Ņ ŏ Ō Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ƢŨł ŦŁŴũƀŹ ł ŦŁŴƌŤƃ :Ŧųƭ ħųſ ƚƇŶ ô ł ŏ ň łò Ō ŏ òł ł ň Ņ ň Ņ ĖťƀƍŶĭǓ ň IJĬĭŵū ƈƖūĥ ķŴƖƊƣ IJűſŤŨĭ ň ł ł ň ŏ Ņ ň Ņ ô ĶƦŷƌĪ ŏ Ņ ł ŦĭĬ :ĬŁŴƍƙíƇƉ ň ŏ ŏ Ņ Ņ Ō ň ł Ņ ťƣŴƉ ł Ņ ŦŁĥĭ ň ĖĬŁĭĮĭƢƄŨ ťƘŤƃ ŧƢƤƌ ƎƉŁ ĿĬ ƎƉĭ łò Ō ł Ō Ņ Ņ ň ł ł Ņ ň ŏ :ƑƟƻ ĪĪ ťƀƕƞƉ ƅſĥ ķƢƉ ƎſĪ ĭĬ ň ł Ō ł ŧűŷƆ Ņ ô ťƀƕƞƉĪ Ņ Ņ ň ŧűŷŨ Ņ ł IJƢƣĭ Ņ ł ĶƦŶ ĖŦĭĬ Ņ Ņ ŏ Ņ Ņ ŏ ťƣŴ ŏ ŦƻĿĭĥ Ņ ł ŸƀƌŁŁĪ Ō ň ŧĿŴźíƆ ň ƊŨ :ƎƉŁ ŁŁĥô

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION near that One, who was also on the mountain, who gave it together with His Father. And (then) the Gospel approached to it [the Law] that it [the Gospel] too might begin on earth so that when the former [the Law] ceases, the latter [the Gospel] should hasten with proclamation. Then the Law is as Elizabeth before Mary; it [the Law] eagerly awaited and worshipped the Gospel of the household of John. Elijah leaped for joy from the Old [Testament] in front of our Lord rejoicing like the Levite21 in the womb of his mother. The Son, the Mediator, joined the relatives and on that mountain they22 saw each other and both of them rejoiced. The old (woman) laid aside the keys of the race, which she was holding so that the maiden might take them and make them prosperous by her deeds. The Gospel approached and took the load from the Law so that she might bring riches to the needy earth which was in want. Up to then the Prophets escorted and brought the great treasure, and they rested so that it might proceed forth to the world through the apostles. The wearied ship of prophecy carried the mysteries, as if to a haven which is full of peace, it reached our Lord.

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21 22

Here ‘the Levite’ refers to John the Baptist. Here ‘they’ refers to the Law and the Gospel.

Luke 1:40–45

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Ņ ŏ ĭĬŏ ĻĥĪŅ ĭĬł űſĽň ň ŏ Ņ Ƌƕł ųŨųſ ñ Ņ ł ŧĿŴźŨ ĖĬĪŴƇſ Ņ Ņ Ņ ňł Ņ ł ł ň ñ ň ň ƦŨƢƟĭ ŧƢƣŁ ŦŁƢũƏ ųſĪĥĽ :IJĬŌ Ļĥ ťƊíƇƖŨ Ņ ŏ ŏŅ ňŅ ł ň Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ĖŦŁĭĮĭƢƄŨ ŧĪĬ İĬĿŁ ƧųŨ űƃĪ Ō ň IJĬ ł ň Ņ Ņ ŏ ŏ ł ł ł ł ƅſĥ ƎſĪ ŦƻĿĭĥ :ƋſƢƉ ƈũƟŴƆ Ņ ł ƗũƤƀƭ ł Ņ ň Ņ ŏ ł ň ƦŶŴƏ ł ł ň ñ ŁűŬƏ ĖƎƍŶŴſ ƼŨĪ ŦŁƢũƐƆ ųíƆ Ņ Ō ł ň ŅŌ ň Ņ ł Ņ ƈũƟŴƆ ł ŏ ŦƦƠſƦƕ ƎƉ ťƀƭ ĽĪ :ķƢƉ ł Ņ ňŅ ł ň ł ň Ņ Ņ ň Ņ ĖųƉĥĪ ťƏƢƄŨ ťſŴíƆ ƅſĥ ŦĭĬ ŧűŶ űƃ Ņ Ņò Ņ ł ň ň ň ł ôŅ Ņ ň Ņ ťƀƕƞƉ ŏ ł ŧƢŨł ł :ŦƼƍƀŶƧ ł Ņ ô ň Ņò Ǝƀƌĥł ƚƟĥ Ņ ň ł ò ĖƎſųſŁǓŁ ĽĪĭ IJŵŶ ŧĿŴŹ ĭųŨĭ Ņ ł ŧĪűŷƆ Ņ Ņ ň Ō Ņ Ņ Ō ł Ņ ò ł ŧűƀƇƟ ŦƦũƏ ƦƊƏ :ŁĭĬô Ņ ťƄƀũíƆĪ ťŹĬĿĪ Ņ ł ł ł ŦƦƊƀƇƕ ŏ ň ŪƏŁĪ łň ñ Ņò Ō ł ŸƆĽŁĭ ĖĬŁűƀũƖŨ ķŴ ƌĥ Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ŏ ň ł ň ťƍƖŹ ł ň ŦŁƢũƏ Ņ ł ŦƻĿĭĥ ƎƉĭ ƦŨƢƟ :ƦƇƠƣ Ņ Ō Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ň ł Ņ Ō ŶĪ Ņ ô ŧƢƀƐ ł ŦƦƠƀƍƏ ĖŁĭĬ ŧĿŁŴƕ ŦƻŁĪ Ō ł ťƕĿƧ ł ł ň Ņ Ņł Ņ Ņ ł ł :ťŨĿ Ŧŵū Ŵſƻĥĭ ŴƇũſ ƎƉƦíƆ ťƉűƕ ňò Ō łò Ō ŴŷƀƌŁŁĥĭ ňò Ō IJűſŤŨĪ Ņ Ņ ťŷƀƇƣ Ō ň ťƀũƌ ĖľŴƙƌŏ ň ťƊíƇƖíƆ Ņ ŏŌ ł Ņ Ō Ņ ň ň:ŦĮǓĥŅ ô ƦƍƀƖŹ ł Ō ŦŁŴ ƀũƌĪ Ƨ ťƙƭ ň ł Ŧƻ ł ł ł ň Ō Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ĖǂƊƏ ķƢƊíƆ ťƍƀƣ ƨƉĪ ljŤƊíLJł ƅſĥ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION And the merchants23 of the apostolate entered and carried from there the riches to the peoples and they went out and distributed in the regions. The New (Testament) approached the Old (Testament) physically so that they should be bound to each other like chains.24 Lest He should make another beginning for His teaching the Son of God tied it up on the tracks of prophecy, So that a single teaching filled with truth should remain there through prophecy and through the apostolate without alteration. Therefore, He led the apostles to a high mountain and brought the prophets so that they might be treated as equal by Him and He might make them equal. He transfigured himself and the apostles saw His glory there and Moses appeared to them, with him Elijah too. They saw the prophets speaking with Him affectionately and they eagerly waited, adored and feared Him reverentially.

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In Ephrem the imageries of the ‘road’ of salvation which passes through the sea and land, together with all the faithful as merchants trading with the silver of Christ (allusions to Matt 25:15ff; Luke 19:12ff), stand in a unified symbolic framework. Cf. HFid 25:17; 69:5–9 (Christ became a sea to enhance the merchants for their travel, HEccl 42:8–11). 24 It seems a critical revision of this printed text (of P. Bedjan) in comparison with other manuscripts is necessary. Instead of šetlĆtĆ (plantations) in the Syriac text, it seems, it should be šešlĆtĆ (chains). 23

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Ņ ŏ Ō ł ň Ņ ł ł ň ŦŁŴŷƀƇƣĪ Ņ ł ƎƉň ŴƍƖŹ :Ņ ƎƉŁ ŧǔūŁ ŴƇƕĭ ł Ņ ŏ ł ł ň ò ł ŧĿŁŴƕ ň Ņ ł ł ĖŦŁĭǓŁŤŨ ŴŬƇƘ ŴƠƙƌĭ ťƊƊƖíƆ ŌŅ Ņ ŏ Ņ Ō ł ň ł ň Ņł :ƻŤƍƊƣŴū ŦƦƠſƦƕ űſĽ ƦŨƢƟ ŦŁűŶ ł ò Ņ ł ň Ņ Ņò ň ł Ņ ł Ņ ł Ʀƌ ŦƦƆƦƣ ƅſĥ ŧűŷŨ ŧűŶĪŅ ĖIJĭĬ ň ô ŏ ķǔƏĥ Ņ ň ň ƧĪ ł Ņ ô űũƖƌ Ņ Ō ô ťƤſĿ Ņ Ō ŦĭĬ :ĬŁŴƍƙíƇƊíƆ ljƢŶĥ Ņ ŏŌ ł Ņ ň Ņ Ņ ł ƢŨł ñ Ņ ł Ŧųƭ ĖŦŁŴƀũƌĪ ťũƠƖŨ ĬƢźƟ ň ň Ņ ň ň Ņ Ņ Ņ ŏ űŶł ĶŤƟ :ŦƦƣŴƟŏ ƨƉĪł ťƍƙíƆŴſ Ņ Ņ ŏ Ō ł Ņ ŦĭųƌĪ Ņ Ņ ŏŌ ł ŏ ĖťƙíƇŶŴƣ ƧĪ ŦŁŴŷƀƇƤŨĭ ŦŁŴƀũƍŨ ŏ ň Ņ ŏ ťŷƀƇƤƆ ňò Ō ł ƢŨĪ ł ljĬ Ņ Ņ ƈźƉĭ :ťƉĿŅ ň Ņ ŧĿŴźíƆ ňò Ō Ō ł ň ł ųŨň ķŴƊŷƘƦƌĪ ŏ ł ň ťƀũƌ ŏ ŦŴƤƌĭ IJƻĥĭ ĖķŴƌĥ ł ňò Ō ł ň ł Ņ ł Ņ ł ŏ ň :ƎƉŁ Ō ťŷƀƇƣ ųŷŨŴƣ ĭŵŶĭ ŦĭĬ ƚƇŶƦƣĥĭ ô ň Ņ ŏ IJŴŶŁĥĭ Ōł ň ň ŏ ķĭųíƆ Ņ ň ĻĥŅ ĬŁŴíƆ Ėťƀƭ ťƣŴƉ Ō Ņ Ō ł ň ł ňò Ō Ō ł ł ĭŵŶ ł :ƻŤũƀũŶ ųƊƕ ťƀũƌ ƎƀƇíƇƊƉĪ ŌŅ Ōł ň ň Ō Ņ Ō Ņ Ō Ņ ĖƻĥƢƀƠſ ųƍƉ ƎƀƇŶĪ ƎſűŬƏ ƎƀŶŴƏĭ

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THE STORY OF THE CRUCIFIXION SPOKEN AT THE TRANSFIGURATION What was indeed the discourse that was spoken there ? and what sort of a topic did the prophets of His Father place before the Son? What were they speaking of, or what was He hearing from them and which words were heard from their mouths? That the prophets were speaking with Him is written in the Gospel but what they spoke, the book has hidden and it is not indicated to us. The exalted speech and the awesome story of the crucifixion was spoken at length in front of the disciples. The prophets were praising the Son for how much He was brought low, and they marveled about Him, and they praised Him for how much He had humbled himself. And they prostrated before Him because He had come and perfected their revelations, and all the mysteries and their interpretations were explained by Him. and such things as these were being spoken to our Redeemer by Elijah and Moses on the mountain when they spoke with Him: “It is becoming to you, my Lord, to perfect the books of the prophecy, and that all the symbols of truths should receive their seal in you. Death is proper for you, for you employ it for redemption, and your slaughter is desirable because the sin of Adam is slaughtered in it. The road of suffering is right for you to walk on (it),

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Ņ ł ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ł ň ƎƉŁĪ Ņ ô džƉƦƉ Ņ ł ƨíƇƊƉ :ŦĭĬ Ɓƃ ŦĭĬô ťƍƉĭ ł Ņ ł Ņ ł ňò Ō Ņ ł Ō ŏ ł ĖIJĬŴŨĥĪ ťƀũƌ ŧƢũƆ ŴƀƉĿĥ ťƍſĥĭ ň Ņ Ņ ŏ ň ŏ ł ł ťŨƢƣ Ņ Ņ Ō Ņ :ŦĭĬô ŁĥĽ ƎƉ ķĭųƍƉ ĭĬ ĭĥ ĭĭĬô ňƎſƢƉĥ ƎƉ ł ò Ņ ò ł ň ňò ň ł ŏ ò ł ŏ ƎƉň IJĭĬ ĖķĭųƀƉŴƘ ƨƉ ƎƀƇſĥĭ Ō ňò Ō ô ƎƖƉƦƤƉ Ņ ł ł Ō ł ł ł ň ł ųƊƕ ĭĭĬ ƎƀƇíƇƊƉĪ :ŦŁƢũƐŨ Ūſǁ ťƀũƌ ô ň ł Ņ ł Ō ł ŴLjƉ Ņ Ņ ƁƙŶ ň ł ƧĭŅ ťŨǁ ĖƎƆł Ņ ľűŨ Ņ Ō Ņ ł Ņ ƎƉĪĭł Ņ ŏ Ō Ņ ł :ŦŁŴƙƀƟĮĪ ťƉĿ ƨíƇƊƉ ł Ō ƨƀŶĪŅ Ņ ťŨƢƣĭ Ō ł Ņ ł ł ň ň Ō ò ĖŧűƀƊíƆŁ ŦǂſǓŤŨ ŦĭĬ džƉƦƉ ň Ņ Ņ ƎƀƖíƆ ňò Ō ň ł ô Ō ł ł ł ł :ƅƄƉŁĥ ł ťƊƃ ŧƢũƆ ťƀũƌ ųƆ ĭĭĬô ƎƀƐíƇƠƉ Ō ň Ņ Ō Ōł Ō ł ł ųŨň ƎſƢſĬŁĭ ĖIJƦŶŁŁĥ ťƊƃ ųƆň Ņ ƎƀŷũƤƉĭ Ō ł ŦŁĥĪň IJĬŴƉĪŴƟ ŏ ò ł Ņ ň ƁƇƊƣĭ ł ŏ ƎſűŬƏĭ Ō Ņ :ķĭųƀƍƀíƇū ŏ ł Ņ ŏ ŦĮň ǓĥŅ ô ķĭųíƿ ŏ ŏ ųŨň ŴƠƤƘŁĥĭ ł ł ň ĖķĭųƀƊūǓĭŁĭ łò Ņ ł ň ň Ņ Ņ ł ł ŏ Ņ űſĽň IJĭĬ ķǔƉĥƦƉ ƎƀƆĬĪŌ ťƊƃĥĭ :ƎƟĭƢƘ ň łô Ņ ŏ ł ň ň ŏ ťƀƭ Ņ ň ƎƉň ĖųƊƕ ŴLjƉĪ ŧĿŴźŨ ťƣŴƉĭ Ņ ŏŌ ł ň ň ŏ ň IJƢƉŅ ƅƆŅ ŦŤſň Ņ :Ņ ŦŁŴƀũƌĪ ŧǔƙƏ ĿŴƊūŁ Ņ Ō ł ŦĮǓĥ ŏ ŏ ƅŨŅ ķŴƉƦŶƦƌĭ ŏ ł ň ň Ņ ô ķĭųíƿ ĖŦŁǔſƢƣĪ ł łł ň ŅŅ ŏ ł Ņ ł Ņ ň :Ʀƌĥô ŸƤŶƦƉ ťƍƟĿŴƙíƆĪ ŦŁŴƉ ƅƆ ŦŤƘ ň Ō Ņ ł ň ň Ņ ň ŭƀūĿĭ Ņ Ņ Ō ł ĖĶĪĥĪ ĬƼźŶ ƨźƟƦƉ ųŨĪ ƅƇźƟ ňò ł ťŶĿĭĥ ň ł ł ťƤŶĪ Ņ Ō ł Ņ ŏ ƅƆŅ ŧƢƀƙƣ ñ Ņ ƅƆĬŁĪ :ųŨ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION so that you may take up all the passions of Adam when you suffer.”

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THE DISCOURSE OF MOSES Moses says: “It is becoming for you my Lord to endure calumny, mocking, ingratitude and insult of the daughter of the Hebrews. I know her, how much her mouth is wide open with insult and how much she thirsts for blood, slaughter and harm. I have experienced her impudence, her rashness and her stubbornness for how much she had corrupted herself, ungrateful for good things. She knows how to bring false accusations and knows well how to lie; She is skilled for slaughter and her sword is sharpened to cause harm. Her mouth is a sea that is full of false spirits and all sorts of abuses, like rough storms, everyday. When you with your Father sent me from mount Sinai then I took from you the staff of symbols25 and descended to her. Then I performed miracles by your own power among the Egyptians and I divided the seaa and rent asunder the rockb and brought down manna.c And I brought up quail and I increased blessings and all sorts of luxuries; but after all these, she abused, rejected and provoked me.

Exod 4:1–5 Exod 7:10ff Exod 14:21 Exod 17:6 cExod 16:14– 36 Exod 16:13 a

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25 Moses was holding a staff of symbols: cf. Albert, Juifs, I 193–99; Ephrem, HAzym 8:9–10.

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ł ň ò ł ł ķĭųíƿĪ ŏ ŏ ł ň ĶĪĥĪ Ņ Ņ IJĬŴƤŶ ĖƦƌĥô ŀŤŶŅ űƃł ŪƏŁ ŏ Ņ ł ł IJƢƉŅ ƅƆŅ ŦŤſň Ņ ťƣŴƉ ň ŏ ƢƉĥł Ņ :ĭƢũƀƐƊƆ Ņ ł ťƀƉŴǑ ł ŧƢƕĽĭ ň Ņ ň ŁƢŨĪ Ņ ŏ ťŶŵŨĭ Ņ ŏ Ņ ň ťƀƟŴƤƕ Ėťſǔũƕ ô Ņ ł ųíƆ Ņ ł ųíƆ ñ Ņ ŏ ŧƢƕƞŨ ñ Ņ ƗſĿŁŌ ťƊƃĪ ñ Ņ ljŅ ôĥ ĺűſł Ņ :ųƉŴƘ Ņ ň Ņ ł Ņ ł Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ŏ ł ƨźƟĭ ĖťƍŶĿŴƐíƆĭ ťƉűƆ ťſĬĽ ťƊƃĭ Ņ ŏŅ ł Ņ ŏ Ņ ł ł ñ ñ ñ ŏ ƁƆŌ ĭĬô ƁƐƍƉ :ĬŁŴŶƢƉĭ ĬűƉŴūĭ ųƘĽŴŶ Ņ Ō ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ł Ņ Ō Ņ ł ñ ťƊíǑĭ ųƤƙƌ ťŷſƢƏň ťƊƃĪ ĖŦŁǔŅ ƀƙƣ ŏ Ņ űƊƆ ŏ Ņ Ņ ħĭƢƏŁĪ Ņ Ņ ł ł ƁŬƏ Ō ł ťƕűſĭ ťƕűſ :ŴƇū Ņ ň Ņ Ō Ņ Ņ ŏ ł ƨźƠíƆ Ņ Ō ťƍŶĿŴƐíƆĭ ñ Ņ ł ťƤƀźíƆ ĖųŨƢŶ ŧƢſųƉ Ņ Ņ Ņò ł ň ŏ ň ł Ņ ŏ łł ñ ťŶĭǓ ƨƉĪ ųƉŴƘ ĭĬô ťƊſ :ŦƦŨűƃ Ņ Ņò ŏ ŏ ň ò ŏ Ō ƅſĥł ŦƼŶĭĽ ň ò Ō ljŴƊƀƃ ŏ ŏ ťƤƀŬƣ ĖĶŴƀíƿ ƈƃĭ Ņ łł ł ł Ō Ŵūł ƎƉň ƁƌŁĿűƣ Ņ ŏ Ņ Ƌƕł ƁƍƀƏ :ĴĪŴƇſ űƃ ň ň ňŅ Ņ ŏ Ņ ň ň ň ň ň ñ ŁƦŷƌĭ ŦĮǓĥĪô ŧƢŹŴŶ ƅƍƉ ƦƇƠƣĭ ĖųſĪĥĽ ňò ł ň ň Ņ Ō ƅƇƀŷŨ Ņ ł ƨƀŶ ň Ņ ň ƼŨň ƅƇſĪ :ťſǓƞƉ ŁƢƖƏĭ ň ł Ņ Ō ň ň ł Ņ Ņ ł ň ň ĖťƍƍƉ ŁƦŶĥĭ ťƘŤƃ ƦƕĿŁĭ ťƊſ ƦŬíƇƘĭ Ņ Ņò ň ňò ŏ ň ł ŏ ťŨŴŹ ł ł ƦƠƏĥĭ Ō ł IJŴíƇƏ ƈƃĭ ƼŬƏĥĭ :ŦŁĭŤū ł ł ł Ņ ł ň ł ł ň ŏ ł Ņ ĖƁƌŁƢƉƢƉ Ļĥ ƦƊíǑ ŁƢƕĽ Ǝſųíƿ ĿƦŨĭ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION She was crazed, she committed adultery; she fell in love and impetuously forged images; She went astray with molten images, purchased idols, and became a slave. She afflicted Aaron and stoned Hur and me she provoked. She treated your Father with contempt and substituted His love with the desolate image. My Lord, she has the habit to cause harm from her youth; and it is not recently that the daughter of Hebrews rejects and kills. You know what you have made us endure when you brought her,26 and you yourself betrothed her with awesome things in Egypt. And now thus you have to suffer from the daughter of the nation insults and mockings and all sorts of abuses with blasphemies. Behold she attacks you and reviles you and insults you; and through blasphemy her mouth gives vent against your holiness. She hates and rejects and forgets all your good deeds and Zion27 mocks you and shakes her head at you. She constructs the Cross and sharpens the spear and unsheathes the sword; she plaits a crown and mingles vinegar and mixes it with gall. And she makes bonds and casts nails and mocks at you. She crucifies and kills, thirsting for blood, and then it satisfies her.

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26 27

Num 31:8

Allusion to Moses leading the people out of Egypt, cf. Ehprem, HRes 3:1. Cf. Ephrem, HNat 6:23–24.

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ňò ł ł ň Ņ ł ł ň ł Ņ ł ň :ťƊíƆĽ ƦƇƤŶ ƦƖƏĭ ƦƊŶĿ ŁƢū ŁƢƠƘ ł Ņ ł ł ƦƍƟ Ņ Ņ Ō ł ƦƖŹ Ō Ņ ŧƢƃƦƙƆ Ņ ťƄƀƐƍŨ Ņ ĖŧűƀũƖƆ ŁĭĬ ł ł ł Ō ŏ ł ł ň ĿŴŷŏ íƆĭł Łƞƭ ł ł ķĭĿĬƧ :ƁƌŁƢƉƢƉ ƁƆĭ ƦƊūĿ ł ł ĴŴŨƧ ň ŏ ƦƙíƇŶĭ Ņ ł ųŨŴŶ ŏ ł ƦźłƣŅ Ņ ł ťƊíƆƞŨ ĖťŨƢŶ Ņ Ō ŏ ň ŧűƀƕ Ņ Ņ ųíƆ ñ ŏ ł ƎƉň įĭƢƏŁĪ ñ Ņ ĭĬô ƻĥ IJƢƉŅ :ĬŁŴƀíǑ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ ŌŅ ł ł ł ƨźƟĭ ň Ņ ň ŁƢŨ Ėťſǔũƕ ťƊíǑ ƻĥŁűŶ ŴƆĭ ô Ņ ň ł ł ł ň ł Ņ ł łŅ ł ñ :ĬƦíƇũƏ űƃ ƁƌƦíƇũƏĥ ƎƉ Ʀƌĥô ĺűſ Ʀƌĥ Ņ Ņò Ō ł Ņ Ņ ł ôł ň ň ň ł ñ ĖƎſĿƞƉ Ŵū ƎƉ ŦƦň íƇƀŶűŨ ƅƆ ĬŁƢƄƉĭ Ō ł Ņ ťƣĬĭ Ņ ł ŁƢŨł ƎƉň ĵŴũƏŁ ŏ Ņ Ņ ƅƆŅ ƻĥ ƎƃĬ :ťƊƕ ôň Ņ Ņò ŏ ň ł ňò ň ŧǔƕĽ ŏ ťŶŵŨĭ Ņ ò ŏ Ƌƕł ŦƼŶĭĽ ĖťƘĪŴū ƈƃĭ Ņ ł ł ƅƆŅ ŧűƐŷƉĭ Ņ Ņ ŦĬŅ Ņ ł ł ƅŨŅ ťƄũƏ :ƅƆŅ Ņ ŧƢƕƞƉĭ ŅŅ ŏ ł Ņ Ņ ťƘĪŴŬŨĭ ŏ ł ƈƕł ųƉŴƘ ñ Ņ ŏ ťƕĿŁ ĖĴŁŴƀƐŶ Ņ Ņ Ō ł ň ŏ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ :ĴŁǔƀƙƣ Ǝſųíƿ ťƀƖŹĭ ťƊíǑĭ ťƀƍƏ ł ł ň ŏ Ņ Ņ Ō ł ƅŨŅ ťŶŵŅ ũƉĭ ñ Ō ƅŨŅ ŧűƀƍƉĭ ĖķŴſĬĽ ųƤſĿ Ņ Ņ Ņ ŏ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ō Ņ ł Ņ ł ťźƊƣĭ :ťŨƢŶ ťŷƉĭĿ ťƤźƆĭ ťũƀƆĽ ťũƃƢƉ Ņ Ņ Ņł Ņ Ņ Ņ Ō Ņ Ņ Ņ ň ĖŧĪǔƉ ťźíƇŶĭ ƨŶ ťƘƢŶĭ ƨƀƿ Ƨűūĭ ň Ņ ŧűũƕĭ Ņ Ņ ŧǔƄƘ Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ł ŦĽňò Ľň ťƤíƇŶĭ :ƅŨŅ ťŶŵũƉĭ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ ň ťƉűƆ Ņ ł ƻĬĽ ł ł ƨźƟĭ ŏ ł Ǝƃĭ ñ Ņ ĭűƃ ĖųíƆ ťƙƟĮ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION And when her wicked will has accomplished that indignity, it is not by compulsion that she led you off to suffer, but you yourself wished it. Your Father sent you and so you came to bear these things. Excellent is your will: perfect your work and accomplish your way. Descend, my Lord, and effect the way on account of which you have come. Bind the sin and liberate Adam by your crucifixion. Ascend the Cross and put to shame principalities and powers unmask them because the rulers were in error. Go, die and redeem, for behold, all the dead look to you, visit the prisoners and make your light shine forth among the dead. Behold, in the caves of the tombs all the captives are shut up. Go, enter into it and make return the bereaved to their place. As you will it, thus accomplish, because it is fair for you. Conquer the victorious one, and grant victory to Adam who had been condemned.” THE DISCOURSE OF ELIJAH Then may be that Elijah too spoke to the Son on the mountain, and after the words of Moses, he attested as someone trusty. “It is proper for you, my Lord, to perform these very things, because you have come to perform them. Zion is wicked, as you also know her. She resembles Jezebel who until she had killed, was not relieved. Like her [Jezebel] she [Zion] threatened dispute and strife,

1 Kgs 18:13

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Ņ Ņ ł Ņ ł ň Ņ Ō ŅŅ ň Ņ ñ :ŦƦŶƢƉ IJĬ ŁƢƊū ťƤƀŨ ųƍƀŨĽĪ ťƉĭ ň Ņ Ō ł ł Ņ ň ł ł Ņ ł ĖƼŨĽ ĭĬô ňƦƌĥĪ ŴƆ ô ƥŶŁĪ ł ň Ņ ĴŁƢŨĪł ŧƢƀźƠŨ Ņ ň Ņ ŏ ŏł ł :ƎƀƆĬ ĵŴũƏŁĪ ƻŁĥ IJĬ ƈƕĭ ĴĿűƣ ĴŴŨĥ Ņ ł ŅŅ ň ň ŏ ł Ĵűũƕ Ņ Ņ ƨƊƣ Ņ ŏ ĿŴƊūĭ ĖƅŶĿĭĥ ƅƍƀŨĽ ŦŤƘ Ņ Ņ ŏ ň ł ň Ņ ŏ ŏ ł Ņ ŏ ñ :ĬƦíƆŴźƉ ťŶĿĭĥ IJƢƉ ŁŴŶ Ņ Ō ł ĿŴƖƏĭ Ņ ŏ Ō ƻŁĥĪ Ņ Ō ł ŏ ł Ņ ĖĴŁŴƙƀƟŵŨ ĶĪƧ IJƢƣĭ ŦƼźŷƆ ĿŴƄƘ ň ò Ōł ł ł ł ň ł Ņ Ō Ņ ł :ťźƀíƇƤíƆĭ ƑƃǓƧŅ ŁųŨĥĭ ťƙƀƟŵƆ ơƏ ł ŦŁŴƀƖźŨĪ Ņ ł ŏ Ņ ł ķŴƌĥŏ ň ťƏƢƘĭ Ņ ł Ņ ĭĭĬ ĖťſǔƉ ň ò Ō ŏ ŏ Ņ Ō Ņ Ņ ŏ ł ŁŴƉŏ ĵĮň :ŦƼƉ ķĭųíƿ ƅƆ ƎſƢƀŶ ŦĬĪ ľĭƢƘĭ Ņ ŏ ŸƌĪĥĭ ňò Ō ł ƼŨň ĴĿĬŴƌ ŏ ł ł ťƤƀũŷƆ ň ò Ō ł ĿŴƖƏ Ėŧűƀƍƕ Ņ Ō Ņ Ō ň ł ňł ł Ņ ñ Ņ ŏ ŦƼũƣ ťƤƀũŶ ŧǔũƟĪ ŧǔƖƊŨ ŦĬ :ųíƿ Ņ ł ł ł Ņ ł Ņ ł ň ň ñ ťƍƘĥĭ ųſĪĥĽ ñ ĵŴƕŏ ĵĮň ĖŦƻŵŬƊƆ ĬĿŁƧ Ņ ł ł Ņ Ō ł ƨƊƣ ł ł ň Ņ ƎƄſĥ :ƅƆŅ ĭĬô ƢƀƙƣĪ ƎƃĬ ƼŨĽĪ Ņ ł ťƀƃĮ Ņ ô ŪƀŶŁĥĪ ł ł ň ĶĪƧŅ Ņ ťƃĮĭ Ņ Ņ ł ħŴŶŏ ĖŦĭĬ Ņ ŏ ťƀƭ Ņ ł ŧĿŴźŨ ł ł Ņ Ō ň ĻĥŅ ƢƉĥł ň Ƣũƃĥĭ :ŧƢũƆ ň ł ň ŏ ň ňò ł Ņ Ņ Ō ł ƅſĥł ĶƦŶ ĖŧƢſƢƣ ƨƉ ĿƦŨĭň ň ŏ ň ň Ņ ťƣŴƉĪ ň ň ň Ņ ƅƆŅ ŦŤſŅ :ň Ǝƀƌĥ ĿŴƖƏŁ ƎƀƆĬ ƎƀƌĬ IJƢƉ łň Ņ ŏ ň ƎſĬƦƇźƉ ł ň Ņ ŏ ň ƻŁĥ ĖƎƀƌĥň ĿŴƖƏŁ IJĬ ƈƕĪ ł ł ł ł ķŴſĬĽ ŏ ň ťƤƀŨ Ņ Ō ñ Ņ Ʀƌĥô ĺűſł Ņ Ʀƌĥô ĻĥĪŅ ƎƄſĥ :ųíƆ Ņ ł ň Ņň Ņ Ņ ň Ō ň Ņ ł ñ ĖųíƆŅ ƦŶĭĿ ƧŅ ƦƇźƟ ƧĥĪ ťƀƉĪ ƈŨŵſƧ Ņ ł ň ťƊƀŷíƆ Ņ Ō IJĬô ĬŁŴƃĥ ŏ ł ł ŦŁĿųíƆ ñ Ņ :ŦŁĭƞƊíƆĭ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION and gladly she sheds innocent blood on the earth. She has deceitful snares and crafty contrivances. She hates truth and from righteousness her face is averted. Truth is her adversary and falsehood is the light of her countenance; Desolation is her delight, and iniquitous blood (she has as) her meal. She quarreled and she was refreshed, she despised and she was at rest, she killed and she became delighted, because her soul is wicked and on the commerce of iniquity she grazes. Peace grieves her and she hates love and harmony because the companion of idols is accustomed to contentions and murders. She loves to commit adultery, and since you are holy, she flees from you; she loves idols, and since you are God, she hates to see you. At the table of Baal the daughter of Hebrews grew fat, and she forgot your Father and does not receive you because she is polluted. She rejects and kills because this is her work and the labor of her hands; she loves darkness and because you are light, she shuns you. Go, descend, accept the lance28 and the nails that are reserved for you,

28 Lance: The biblical episode of the piercing of the side of Christ in John 19:34 is a key to a complex and very intuitive net-work of typologies in the early Syriac literature. It is a very prominent theme in the exegesis and catechesis of Mar Jacob: cf. Bedjan III, 290,1; 299,11–300,4; 320,10–19; I 162; II 589. For a systematic exposition of this typological key, see S. P. Brock, “Mysteries Hidden in the Side of Christ,” pp. 462–72; “Wedding Feast of Blood on Golgotha,” pp. 121–134; R. Murray, “The Lance Which re-opened Paradise,” pp. 224–34.

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ŌŅ Ō ł Ņ ł ŧűƣĥ Ņ Ņ ł ťƉĪŅ ťƕĿŤŨ Ņ Ņ ƻŤŷſƞƘĭ ĖťƀƃĮ Ņ ŏ Ņ ŏ ň ŏ ňò Ō ň ò ň Ņ Ō ñ ƻĥ :ŦŁŴƍƉĭĥĪ ƌ ųíƆ ťƏǓŴƘĭ ljŤƊƃ ƨƄ ł Ņò Ō Ņ ŏ Ō ň Ņ ŏ Ņ Ņ ñ ò ň ƎƄƀƘĬ ĖųƀƘĥ ŦŁŴƌŤƃ ƎƉĭ ŦƦƣŴƠíƆ ťƀƍƏ Ņ ŏ Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ŦŁŴƇūĪĭ ŅŅ ñ ò ň ł ŧĿĬŴƌ ñ Ņ ŏ ŧĿƢƣ ųíƇŨŴƠƏ :ųƀƘĥĪ Ņ ł Ņ Ō Ņ ł ųƊƐŨ Ņ ł ñ ŏ Ņ ƅſĥ ťũƀƇƕ ñ Ņ Ņ ťŨƢŶ ĖĬŁĭƢƣ ťƉĪĭ ł ň Ʀŷƌł Ņ ŁƢƕĽ ł ł ƦƤƙƌŁĥ ł ň ƦƇźƟ ł ł ň ŁƞƌŅ :ƦƊƐŨ Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ň ł Ņ Ō Ņ ł Ņ ł ƧŴƕĪ ñ ĖťƀƕĿ ťƤƀŨ ųƤƙƌĪ Ņ ŏ ł ł Ņ ŏ ŦŁĿŴŅ ūĥƦŨĭ Ō Ņ ťƍƀƣ Ņ ł ųíƆ ñ Ņ ơƀƖƉ :ŦŁŴſĭƧĭ ťŨŴŷíƆ ťƀƍƏĭ ňò ł ł ł Ņ Ņ ň ňò ň Ņ ň ł ĖťƊíƆĽ ŁƢũŶ ŧűƖƉ ƨźƟĭ ťƍſǔŷŨĪ Ņ Ņ ň Ņ Ņ Ņ ł űƟĪĭ Ō ł ł ĿŴūŁĪ ŏ ł ťƊŶĿ : ƅƍƉ ťƟƢƕ Ʀ ƌ ĥ ť Ƥſ ô ň ł ł ťũŷƉ Ņ ł ŧǔƃƦƘ ň ň ťƀƍƏ Ņ Ņ Ʀƌĥô ŦųłŅ ƭĪł ƈƕĭ ĖƅſŵŶŁĪ Ņ ł ň ŏ Ņ ł ł ƦƍƊƣ ł ň ƨƖŨĪ ň Ņ ň ŁƢŨ ĬĿĭƦƘ ƈƕ :ťſǔũƕ ô Ņ ł ł ł Ņ ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ŏ ł ƦƖŹĭ ĖIJĬô ŦƦũƀƐƉĪ ƨũƠƉ Ƨ ƅƆĭ ĴŴŨƧ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ ň ł Ņ ƨźƟĭ ñ ňò Ō ŦŁĭƧĭ ųíƇƊƕ ñ Ņ ł ŴƌĬĪ :ųſűſĥĪ ťƊíǑ ł Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ʀƌĥ ŧĿĬŴƌĪĭ Ņ ň Ņ ťƄƤŷíƆ ŏ ł ťƊŶĿ Ņ ň ťƟƢƕ ĖƅƍƉ ô Ō Ō ł ŦĽňò Ľĭ ň ł ŁŴŶŏ ĵĮň ň ťŷƉĭĿ Ņ ŏ ƈũƟ :ƅƆŅ ƎſƢƀźƌĪ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION because that also is the very purpose of your way, and for it you have come. Behold, the Cross which the daughter of Hebrews has fabricated gazes at you. Go, be adorned and be glorified by it, as it is proper for you. Your death is the crown of life for humanity, die as you willed and let all live by you, as it pleased you.” THE SPEECH OF THE PROPHETS ON THE PASSION AND THE CRUCIFIXION It was becoming for the sons of the mystery of the great King as they narrated to Him about His suffering and His death and crucifixion. The prophets speak and Simon hears and he is filled with wonder and his soul rejoices in the great revelation which he saw. The disciples heard the discourse which was carried out there, and clearly they understood the sufferings of the Son. They heard from Moses and from Elijah who had spoken about His departure, and they were clearly enlightened. Lest our Lord alone should speak about His death, He brought the prophets to speak of it to His disciples, In order that the apostles should be confirmed about the passion and the crucifixion, before it happened, lest when it happens they would be confused. SIMON’S JOY AND MISUNDERSTANDING That discourse of the company of Elijah pleased Simon

Luke 9:31

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łň Ņ ň Ō Ņ ł IJĬ ŧĪĬ Ņ ŏ ŦƦíƇƕ ĖƻŁĥ IJĬŅ ƈƕĭ IJĬł ĻĥĪ ô Ņ Ņ ƅŶĿĭĥĪ Ņ ň ŁƢŨł ƦƇƤŶĪ Ņ Ō ƅƆŅ ĿŤŶ ł ň ťƙƀƟĮ ň:ťſǔũƕ Ņ ŦĬŅ ô ň ł ł ň ł ł ň ł ł ň ň Ņ ĖƅƆ ŦŤƘĪ ƅſĥ ųŨ ŸŨƦƣĥĭ ƦũŹ Ņ ĽǃĮ Ō ł Ō ňò ł łò ł Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ĴŁŴƉ IJĬĭƻĥ ťƀŶĪ ƨƀƿ :ťƤƌĥô ƁƍũƆ ł ŏ Ņ ňŌ ł Ņ ł ł ƅſĥł ŁŴƉŏ ł ĖƅƆ ƢƙƣĪ ƅſDŽƃ ƅŨ ťŷƌĭ ƼŨĽĪ łò ł Ņ ł ĬĮĿĥ ŏ ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ŦŤſň Ņ Ņ ł ťƄíƇƉĪ ň Ņ ô ƁƍũƆ :ťŨĿ ķĭųíƆ ň ŏ Ō ł ň ł ň ł ň ňŅ ł ĖĬŁŴƙƀƟĮĭ ųƤŶ ųƆ ƎƀƌŁ űƃ ň ł ň ĬŁŴƉĭ ňò Ō Ņ:ŧĿĬŁň ƨƉĭ Ō ł ťƀũƌ ŏ ň Ņ ŁĥĽ ķŴƖƊƣĭ ƎƀƇíƇƊƉ Ņ ł ťƍƀíƇŬŨĭ ŅŅ ň ł Ņ Ņ ŦŵŶĪ Ņ ł ťŨĿ ň ł ŦĮĭĿ ĖųƤƙƌ Ņ ł ňò Ō ł Ņ ô ƥƉƦƣĥ ł ł ň ƎƉŁĪ Ņ ł ƨíƇƊƉ ł :ŦĭĬ ŧűƀƊíƆŁ ŴƖƊƣ ŌŅ Ōł ňò ł ĭĭĬ Ņ ł ťƤŶ ł ł ň ƻĥƢſųƌĭ ł ô ŴƿƦƏĥ ĖŧƢŨĪ ň ň ň ŏ ň ŏ ň ł ťƀŅ Ō ƭ ł ô ķŴƇíƇƉĪ ł ƎƉĭ ťƣŴƉ ƎƉ ŴƖƊƣ :ĭĭĬ Ō Ņ Ō ł ň Ņ ł ł ł ô ĭĿųƌŁĥ ł ł ň ƻŤƠƀƤƘĭ ĖĭĭĬ ųƍƠƙƉ ƈƕ ň ŏ ň ł Ņ ł Ō ł ŏ Ņ ƧĪŅ ķƢƉ ƢƉŤƌ IJĬĭĪŴŷíƇŨ :ĬŁŴƉł ƈźƉ ňò Ō Ō ł łò Ō ł űſĽň IJųƀƌŴƇíƇƊƌĪ Ņ ŏ ł ł ťƀũƌ ĖIJĬĭűƀƊíƆŁ IJƻĥ Ņ ŏ Ō ł Ņ ł ňò Ō ł ň ŏ ň :ŦŁŴƙƀƟŵŨĭ ťƤŷŨ ťŷƀƇƣ ųŨ ķĭĿĿƦƤƌĪ Ņ ł ň ł ŦĭĬĪ ň ň Ƨűƕ Ņ ł ťƉŅ ƧĪŅ Ŧĭųƌ ŏ ň ŭƇƙƌ ĖķŴƌĥ ŏ ň ųƆň ƋƐŨ ň ťƍƀƍƕ ň Ņ Ņ ň ĭĬł ķŴƖƊƤíƆ Ņ Ō ň ƼŨĪ :ťƀƭ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION and the talk of Moses which was spoken, filled him with wonder. The light pleased him and his soul took delight in the great glory: and he loved the place and did not want to descend from there. Peter learned that when he would come down he would find the Cross, but he desired much that he should not come down from that mountain. Simon was desiring ardently to remain there in peace, because he became aware of the passion and feared to see it. He heard the prophets who spoke the story of the crucifixion and was terrified to come down to encounter the battle of blood. Therefore he offered supplication, saying, “It is good for us to be here,” so that he might not go down. The brightness, while our Lord with Elijah and the great Moses were on the mountain, then Simon saw and he earnestly desired it. And on account of this he would remain, and dwell in peace and not come down. He was beseeching our Lord affectionately, saying to him: “Lord, if you will it, it is becoming for us to be here and we shall make three tabernacles, for you and for us, to dwell in them. One for you as yours, and one for Moses to be held in honor in it, then we shall make one for Elijah too and we shall remain here.” And why then, after he saw the great glory, did Simon treat with equality the servants and the Lord on the mountain?

Matt 17:4

Matt 17:4 and parallels

¾Ùß~† ¾üÍâ áî† ˜ÍÁšƒ À˜ÍÓÁƒ û⃠…šÍ⃠óàÏÍü áîƒ 61

Ņ ň IJųƀƇƉĭ ł ł ň ťƣŴƉĪ ň Ņ ł ł ŧĿĬŁ ň ŏ ųƇíƇƊƉ džƉŁĥĪ Ņ ŏ ųƆň Ƣƙƣ ł ł ň ŧĿĬŴƌ ň ł ƦƊƐŨĭ Ņ ŏ ųƤƙƌ ťŷŨŴƤŨ Ņ ł ƋŶĿĭ ň Ņ ƧŅ ųƍƉ ň ň ŁŴŷƌĭ Ņ ô ťƖŨ ň ł ŏ ň ŧĿŁƧ ĖŦĭĬ Ņ Ō ŦĭĬ Ņ Ō ƚƇſ ňŌ ł ň ťƙƀƟĮ Ņ ô ƦŷƌĪ ň ł ťƉĪŅ ťƘŤƃ :ŸƄƤƉ Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ĭĬł ƎƉň ŁŴŷƌŏ ň ƧĪĭ Ņ ô ŭƀūĿ Ō ł ŦĭĬ Ō ŧĿŴŹ ĖƁŬƏ łł ň ŏ ň Ņł ň ň ŏ ł Ņ ô ħŤſƦƉ :ŦĭĬ ķŴƖƊƣ ƎƉŁ ƨƤƌ ŀŴƙƌĪ ň ň ň ň ł ňò ł Ņ ô ƥūĿĥĪ ň ł ĖķŴƌĥŏ Ņ Ŧŵŷƌ ƈŶĪĭ ťƤŷŨ ųƆň ŦĭĬ ň ł ňò Ō ł ŏ Ō ł ųŨƢƣ ł ñ Ņ ł ŴLjƉĪ :ŦŁŴƙƀƟĮĪ ťƀũƍƆ ƗƊƣ łł ň ň Ō ĺĭĿŤŏƌň ŁŴŷƌĪ Ņ ł ťƏǓŤƟ Ņ ô ĪĿƦƏĥĭ ŏ ň ŦĭĬ ĖťƉĪĪ ŏ ň Ņ ô ƢƉĥł Ņ űƃł ħƢň Ɵł ťƐƀƘ Ņ Ņ ljĬ Ņ Ņ ƈźƉĭ :ŦĭĬ Ō ł ň ň ƎƌŁĪ Ņ ô ŁŴŷƌŏ ň ƧĪŅ Ŧĭųƌ Ņ ł ƎƆł ĭĬô ƢƀƙƣĪ ĖŦĭĬ Ņ ŏ ł Ņ ŧĿĬŴƌ Ņ ł ťƣŴƉĭ ň ŏ ťƀƭ Ņ Ō ň Ƌƕł ķƢƉĭ :ťŨĿ Ņ ŏ ŦĭĬ ł ł ň ķŴƖƊƣ ŏ ň ŦŵŶĭ Ņ ô ƻĥŌ Ņ ł ŧĿŴźŨ ĖųƆň ĨƢūĿŁĥĭ ň ň ł ł ŅŅ ŏ ň Ņ ô ŁŴŷƌŏ ň ƧĭŅ ƨƤƌ :ŦĭĬ Ŀǂƌ ljĬ ƈźƉĭ ŌŅ Ō ł ł Ņ Ņ Ō Ņ ô ƑƀƙƉ ĖųƆň ƢƉĥł űƃł ƻŤũƀũŶ ķƢƊíƆ ŦĭĬ Ō ł ƼŨĽ ł Ņ ň ň ƎƌŁĪ ł ķĥň ķƢƉ Ņ ł ƎƆł ĭĬô Ƣƀƙƣ :Ŧĭųƌ ňò ł Ņ ƨíƇźƉ ň ł ƎƆł ĻĥŅ ƅƆŅ ƦƆŁ ň ň ł ň ƎſųŨĪ ĖƢƊƖƌ űũƖƌĭ Ņ Ō ƅƆŅ ŧűŶ ł ł ň ťƣŴƊíƆ ň ŏ ŧűŶĭ Ņ ł ƅƇſĪ Ņ ñ Ņ ƢƠſƦƌĪ :ųŨ Ņ Ņ ťƀíƆƧ ň ň ŧűŶĭ Ņ Ō ň ĻĥŅ űũƖƌ Ņ ł ĖŀŴƙŏƌň ťƃĿĬĭ ł Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ł Ņ ł ťŷŨŴƣ Ņ ł ĿƦŨ Ņ ŏ ŦŵŶĪ :ťŨĿ Ɓƃ ťƍƊíƆĭ ŏ Ņ Ņ ňò ł Ņ ŏ ł ł Ņ ŏ ň ĖķŴƖƊƣ ŧĿŴźŨ ŧƢƉĭ ŧűũƖíƆ ŦŁŴſŴƣ űũƕ Ņô ĖŦĭĬ Ņł :ťŨĿ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION He equated Elijah and Moses with the Son of God, and he was not knowing what he was saying because he was wonder-struck. The new vision which he saw seized the head of the disciples and wonder carried him and without any order he distributed honor. For, the Father heard and He was moved with indignation to honor His Only-Begotten; because He alone should be glorified, as it is proper for Him. And immediately He himself had spread out a tabernacle of light for Him upon that same mountain, a magnificent cloud, and it was full of brightness and great excellence. THE REPROOF FROM THE FATHER ON THE FALSE RECKONING OF SIMON The talk of Simon had not pleased the hidden Father because he had said, “Let us make three (tabernacles) for the three of them.” In that he [Simon] had despised Him by the single [tabernacle] that was made for the One, in order that He might show him that the OnlyBegotten is without any other companion, The zeal of the Father reproved Simon because he had made (them all) equal, having accorded honor to the Lord and the servants with their tabernacles. And because he had reckoned Him along with Moses and Elijah, the Father showed him that the Son alone is in (a state of) honor. And a single cloud covering over the glory did He spread out upon the mountain for the One honorable, and He left the two as they are.

Matt 17:4

¾Ùß~† ¾üÍâ áî† ˜ÍÁšƒ À˜ÍÓÁƒ û⃠…šÍ⃠óàÏÍü áîƒ 63

Ō ł ťƣŴƉĭ Ņ Ņ ł ƢũíƆ ł IJŴƣĥ ň ŏ ťƀƭ Ņ Ō ň Ƌƕł :Ŧųƭ Ņ ô ĿĬŁĪ ł ł ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ƢƉĥł Ņ ķŴƉŏ ŦĭĬ Ņ ô ĺűſł Ņ ƧĭŅ ĖųƆň ŦĭĬ ň ł Ņ ł Ņł ŅŅ ňò Ō ł ƥſƢíƆ Ō ĬƦƙźŶ :ŧűƀƊíƆŁ ň Ņ ł ŦŵŶĪŅ ň ŦŁűŶň ŦŁŵŶ Ō ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ĖŧƢƠſĥ ŭƇƘ ťƐƄŹ ƧĪĭ ŧĿĬŁ ųƇƠƣĭ ł Ņł ň ł ł ł ł ƎíŹĭ ň Ņ Ō ƀƆŌ ƢƠƀƌĪ ťŨĥ ƎſĪ ƗƊƣ : ųſűƀŷ ň ł ł Ņ ł ň ň ł ł ŏ Ņ ĭĬĪŏ ĖųƆ ŦŤƘĪ ƅſĥ ŦĭĬô ŸŨƦƤƌ IJĬĭĪŴŷíƇŨ Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ŦĭĬ Ņ ŏ ŦƦíƇźƉ ł ŧĿĬŴƌĪ Ņ ô ĸƢƘ Ņ ň ŧűŷƉĭ :ųƆň ĭĬŏ ŧĿŴźŨ Ņ Ō Ņ ň ŦŴſĮ Ņ Ō ťƀíƇƉĭ Ņ ł ŧĿĪĬĭ ŅŅ Ņ ł ŦƻŤū ĖťŨĿ ťƍƍƕ ň ň Ņ Ō ŏ ň ĬƦíƇƉ Ņ ô ƦƊƐŨ ł ň ƧŅ ķŴƖƊƣĪ Ņ ł :ŁĭĬ Ŧŵƀƍū ťŨƧ Ņ ł ŦĭĬ ň ň ƦƆŁĪ ŏ ò ł Ņ ł űũƖƌ Ņ ô ƢƉĥĪ ł ň ƈƕł ĖķĭųſƦíƆƦƆ ň ł ƅſĥĭł Ņ ô ŁűũƕŁĥ Ņ ô ĬƢƐŨ ł ł ň űŷíƆĪ Ņ ł ŦĭĬ ł ł ŧűŷŨ :ŁĭĬ Ņł ň ňł ł ł ł ƧĪĪ Ņ Ņ Ō Ō ĭĬô ŧƢũŶ Ėťſűƀŷſ ųƆ ŦŴŷƌĪ ł Ņ ł ŅŅ ň ŏ ł Ō Ņ ň ł :ŦĭĬô IJŴƣĥĪ ƈƕ ķŴƖƊƤíƆ Ƒƃĥ ťŨĥĪ ťƍƍŹ ňò ł ŧƢƊíƆ Ņ Ņ ŧƢƠſĥ Ņ Ņ Ō űũƕ ŏ ò ł ł ł ŧűũƕĭ ł ĖķĭųƀíƇíƇźƊŨ ł ťƣŴƉĪ ł ň ł ŦĭĬ Ņ ô IJųƀƍƉĪ Ņ ł ƈƕĭ ň ŏ ųƊƕ Ņ Ō ň Ƌƕĭ :ťƀƭ Ņ Ņ Ō ŧƢŨ Ņ ĭĬ IJĬĭĪŴŷíƇŨĪ ň ł ł ŏ ł ťŨĥŅ ł ųſŴŶ ĖŧƢƠſŤŨ ô Ņ ŏ ƈƕł ĸƢƘ ł ťŷŨŴƣ ł ł ťƍƍƕ Ņ Ņ ŧűŶĭ Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ƦƇźƉ :ŧĿŴŹ ň ł ƁƘĿĥĭ Ō ł ŧƢƀƠſ Ņ Ō ł űŷíƆ ŏ ł Ō ƅſĥł ƎſĿƦƆ ł ĖķĭųſƻĥĪ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION He taught him to measure out his word when he speaks because a servant is a servant and the Lord is Lord. And He manifested a singular cloud of glory for the Only-Begotten for He has no companion with Him, or lord or someone with whom He can be numbered. Lest the Father should consent by His silence to that which was spoken, He made His voice heard about His Beloved before the disciples. He called out: “This is my Son, this is my beloved, you hear Him.” He is commanding and His word alone should be obeyed. THE GATHERING ON THE MOUNTAIN Then the gathering that was on the mountain of the Son was glorious: apostles, prophets, the living and the dead, and the Son of God. The hidden Father explained about His Beloved; and He poured out light to honor the story of His Only-Begotten. Prophets were gathered, apostles were present, generations hastened; Light shines forth, the Father speaks, Son is glorified. On the exalted mountain the New (things) with the Old (things) are joined, and they heard the Father giving testimony about His Beloved One. The Gospel is treated as equal with the Law, and it is joined to it [the Law], Because between both of them stands our Lord as the Heir of all. The New (covenant) is united with the Old and they are made one, by the unique Mediator for whom and in whom both of them exist.

Matt 17:5

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ň ň ň ł ň ł ł ťƉŅ ĬƦíƇƊíƆ ň ň ųƙƭ Ņ ŏ űũƖƌĪ ťƉŴŶŁ :džƊƉĪ Ņ Ņ ĭĬ ŧűũƕ Ņ Ņ ŧƢƉĭ ł ł ŧűũƕĪ Ņ ł ĖťſƢƉ ô Ņ ŏ ň Ņ ŅŅ Ōł Ō Ō űŷíƆ ł ŦƦŶŴũƣŁĪ :ŧűŅƀŷſ ŧűŶ ťƍƍƕ IJŴŶĭŅ Ņ Ņ Ņ ň ň ł ƻĥŌ ƧĪ Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ĖťƍƀƍƉň ƢŨĭ ŧƢƉĭ ŦƦƍƃ ųƊƕ Ņ ł ł ł IJųíƆ ł ň ƧĪĭ ň ň ťŨĥŅ ł ƋƇƤƌ Ņ ųƟƦƤŨ :ŁƢƉĥŁĥĪ ňò Ō ł ƎƀƖíƆ ň Ņ ƗƊƣĥ Ō ųũƀũŶ ň Ō ł ƈƕł ųƇƟ ł ł ĖŧűƀƊíƆŁ ŏ ł ł Ņ Ō ł ŴƌĬ ł Ņ IJƢŨň ŴƌĬĪ ł Ņ ťƖƟ ųƆň ƁũƀũŶ :ķĭƦƌĥô ŴƖƊƣ ň ň ň Ņ ŏ ŏ ň Ō ĬƦíƇƉĭ Ņ ł ň ĪŴŷíƆ ŏ ųƇſĪ ĖťƖƉƦƤƉ űƠƘ ŴſĭĬ ŏ Ņ Ņ ň Ņ ô Ÿƀũƣ Ō Ņ Ņ Ō ł Ņ ň :ƎſűſĬ ŧƢŨĪ ŧĿŴźŨ ŦĭĬô ƻĥĪ ťƤƍƃ ŦĭĬ ň ò Ō ňò ł ňò Ō ňò Ō Ņ Ņ ł ƢŨĭ ł ŦƼƉĭ ĖŦųƭ ťƀŶ ťƀũƌ ťŷƀƇƣ ł ň Ņ ł ň Ō Ņ Ō Ņ ň ł ł :ųũƀũŶ ƈƕ Ŧŵƀƍū ťŨĥ Ƣƀū ŦĭĬô ƋūĿƦƉ Ņ ŏ ŸƆĮĭ ł ł ł ł ŧĿĬŴƌ ň ł ƢƠƀƌ Ņ Ņ Ō Ō ųŨƢƣ ĖťſűƀŷſĪ ňò Ņ Ō Ņ ňò Ō ňò Ō Ō Ō ťƊíƇƕ Ō Ō ťƀũƌ :ƎƀũſĬĿ ƎƀƊƀƟ ťŷƀƇƣ ƎƀƤƀƍƃ Ņ ŏ ň ł ťŨĥŅ ł ŸƌĪł Ņ ŧĿĬŴƌ Ņ džƊƉ ł ł ň ŧƢŨ ĖŸŨƦƤƉ ňòł Ō Ō Ņ ŏ ťƠſƦƕ ň ò Ō ł Ƌƕł ŦŁűŶ :ťƉĿŅ Ņ ŧĿŴźŨ ł ƎƀźƀƇŶ Ō Ņ ł ň Ō Ō Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ł ĖųũƀũŶ ƈƕ ŧĪųƏ űƀũƕĪ ťŨƧ ƎƀƖƊƣĭ Ņ Ņ ŏ ł Ņ ł Ņ Ō ł ŦƻĿĭĥ Ņ ł ñ Ņ ťƙƀƠƌĭ Ƌƕ ŦŁƢũƏ ťſŴƣ :ųíƆ ł ł Ņ ň Ņ ň ł ł ň Ėƈƃŏ ŁƢſň Ņ ƅſĥ ķƢƉ ĶŤƟ ƎſųſŁǓŁ ƼŨĪ Ņ Ō ł ł Ņł Ņò Ō ł ŦƦƠſƦƕ Ņ Ō :űŶł ķűƀũƕĭ Ƌƕ ŦŁűŶ ťŬſŵƉ ň Ņŏ ň ŅŅ ň ł ň ł ł ųŨĭ ň ĬƦíƇźƉĪ ĖƎſųſŁǓŁ ťƀƕƞƉ űŷŨ

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HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION The Old came and it brought down the mysteries that it had carried. It approached carrying the Good News of riches so that these might come to the earth. In front of both of them the Father spoke with His Beloved One so that for both of them He might bear witness corporeally in His Son. He brought one to an end and awakened another (one) to begin, so that through both He might announce about His Son abundantly. He proclaimed, “This is my Son,” so that His voice might gladden both the prophets and the apostles as they are confirmed in His Only-Begotten. So that Moses, the laborer of the types and parables might hear and be consoled because all that he had prophesied had come to fulfillment; So that Simon, who was constituted the head of the apostolate might hear, and in his gladness he might begin on the course of his proclamation. THE BETROTHAL OF ‘THE BRIDE OF LIGHT’ TO ‘THE BRIDEGROOM OF LIGHT’ There the light of the Son and the voice of the Father were united, the symbols of the prophets, as well as the discourses of the apostolate. Light sprang up there from the countenance of the Son and the Father brought the cloud of light again for His honor. First of all the light of the Son shone before the disciples and then the Father too showed the cloud of light If the cloud of light had appeared first

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Ņ Ō ł Ņ Ņ ô ťƍƀƖŹĪ ň Ņ ô Ʀŷƌĥĭ Ņ Ō ł ŦĮǓĥ ł ł ŦƦƠſƦƕ :ŁĭĬ ô ň ł ŁŁĥ ł ň Ō ň ŏ Ņ ł ň Ņ ł ĖťƕĿƧ ŦŁĥŁĪ ŧǓŁŴƕĪ ŦŁƢũƏ ƦƍƖŹł ƦŨƢƟĭ ň ł ƎſųſŁǓŁ ň ł ĶűƟ ň Ō ł Ƌƕł ťŨĥŅ ł džƉ Ņ :ųũƀũŶ ŌŅ Ņ ŏ ň ł ň ł ň ł ł ł ĖƻŤƍƊƣŴū ĪųƐƌ ĬƢũŨ ƎſųſŁǓƦíƆĪ ł ł Ņ ł Ņ ł Ō ł ƢźƘ ŏ ł Ņ ł Ƣƀƕĥĭ :ŴſƢƤƊƆ ŧűŷƆ ĥ ŧűŷƆ ŌŅ Ō ł ł ł ň ł ň ł ł ł ĖƻĥƢſƦƕ ƢũƐƌ ĬƢũƆ ƎſųſŁǓƦŨĪ ňò Ō ł Ō ł ĻĥŅ ťƀũƍƆ ň Ņ ł Ņ ťƖƟ ò ĻĥĪŅ IJƢŨň ŴƌĬĪ :ťŷƀƇƤƆ Ō ł ň űƃł ųƇƟ ň Ņ ŧűŷƌ ň Ņ Ō Ō ƎſĿĿƦƤƉ ňł ĖųſűƀŷƀŨ Ņ Ņ ňò ł ň Ņ Ņ Ņ ň ŏ ł ň :ŦŁƨƘĪĭ ŦĮǓĥĪô ň ƨƖƘ ťƣŴƉ ƗƊƤƌĪ ł ł Ō Ņ ô ťƀŨƦƌĭ Ņ ł ƈƃĪŏ ŦĭĬ łł ň Ņ ũƖƆ ơƙƌ ƁũƌŁĥĪ Ėŧű Ņ ŏ Ō ł Ņ Ō Ō ň ŏ ň ł ň :ŦŁŴŷƀƇƣĪ ťƤſĿ ƋƀƏŁŁĥĪ ķŴƖƊƣ ƗƊƤƌĭ ň ŏ ŏŅ Ņ ł ňł Ņ ňŅ ł ťŹĬƢŨ ŧƢƤƌ ł ŦĭĬô ŧűŶ űƃĭ ĖĬŁĭĮĭƢƃĪ ň ŏ Ņ Ņ ň Ō Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ł ĬĿĬŴƌ ŧƢŨĪ ƎƉŁ ŦĭĬ ŻƀƇŶ :ťŨĥĪ ųƇƟĭ ô Ņ ŏ Ō ł ň Ņ ŏ Ņ ňò Ō ł Ņ ñ ĖŦŁŴŷƀƇƣĪ Ļĥ ťƀũƌ IJĮǓĥô łŅ Ņ ł ň ųƀƊūǓĭŁ Ņ ł ň Ņ ô Ɨũƌ ł ŏ ŦĭĬ ŏ :ƎƉŁ ŧƢŨĪŌ ųƘĭĽƢƘ ƎƉ ŧĿĬŴƌ Ō ł Ņ ŏ ťƍƍƕ ň Ņ ħĭŁŏ ŧĿĬŴƌĪ Ņ Ņ ťŨŅ ĥł IJƻĥĭ ĖĬƢƠſƧ ň ŏ ĶűƟŴƆ ňò Ō ł ƎƀƖíƆ Ņ ł ĬĿĬŴƌ Ō ŧƢŨĪ Ņ ô ŸƌĪł ł ŏ ŦĭĬ :ŧűƀƊíƆŁ Ņ Ņ ŏ ŅŅ Ōł Ņł ň Ņ ĖĭĬŏ Ļĥ ŧĿĬŴƌĪ ťŨĥ ƎſűſĬĭ ň ł ťƍƍƕŏ IJŴŶ ŏň Ņ Ņ ŏ Ņ Ņ Ŵƭ ł ł :ŁĭĬô ƻŵŶŁĥ ĶűƟŴƆ ŧĿĬŴƌĪ ťƍƍƕ

545

550

555

68 560

565

570

575

HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION it might have been considered that the Son of God had shone forth from it. And because of this the Father delayed the light which He brought so that it might be made clear that the Son has light within himself. And when it had become known that the Son is light from Himself and on account of Himself, again by the cloud of beautiful light His Father honored Him. The disciples saw that all that the Father has, the Son too has: power and glory, and the great light, as His Father. The Father made the cloud of light as the bridalchamber for His Son; so that Simon might not make the tabernacle as he had requested. One (tabernacle) alone was made for the One, who is the Only-Begotten, and He [the Father] brought the (other) two to nothing, and (so) Simon knew that the Son is the only One. The Father taught him through the single tabernacle of light that He made, that one is the Church, and one is the Cross that is ministered in it. There were no tabernacles but a tabernacle for the one Only-Begotten, because there are not churches but a Church for the Son of God. His Father portrayed the bride of light in the cloud of light, for she is the only one whom the symbols betrothed affectionately to the One [the Son]. For the daughter of light the Father set the signet-ring of light and He betrothed her to His Son because the Bridegroom as well is wholly light.

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374

Ņ ł ň Ņ Ņ ł ƢŨł ŦĭĬ Ņ ô Ŀųƌł ųƍƉĪ Ņ ô ŧƢŨƦƐƉ ñ Ņ ň ŁĭĬ ĖŦųƭ Ō ŏ ň Ņ ŏ ťŨĥŅ ł Ƣūĥ Ņ Ņ ƈźƉĭ ł ł ljĬ :IJƻĥĪł ŧĿĬŴƍíƆ Ņ ŏ ųƆň ƻĥŌ ųŨň ųƆĪ ň ťƀíƇū Ņ ł ŧĿĬŴƌ ň ň Ņ ł ŦĭĬŁĪ ĖŧƢũƆ ł ŏ ŧƢŨĪ ł ł ųƍƉ Ņ ł ƦƕűſŁĥĪ ł ł ň ƎƉĭ ň ň ň ĭĬô ŧĿĬŴƌ :IJĬŴƇƕĭ ŏ ł ň ł Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ŅŅ ł ĖIJĬŴŨĥŏ ĬƢƠſ ťſŤƘ ŧĿĬŴƌĪ ťƍƍƖŨ ħĭŁ ňò Ō ł ĭŵŶ Ņ ł ĭĬ ƻĥŌ ťŨƧ Ņ ł ƻĥĪŌ ƈƃĪŏ ŧűƀƊíƆŁ ł :ŧƢũƆ ô Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ťŷŨŴƣĭ Ņ ł ŧĿĬŴƌĭ ň ŏ Ņ ƅſĥł ťŨĿ Ņ ŏ ƨƀŶ ĖĬĪŴƇſ Ņ ŏ ťƍƍƕ ň ł ljŴƍū Ņ ô űũƕ ł ŧĿĬŴƌĪ ŅŅ Ņ ŏ ťŨĥŅ ł ŦĭĬ :ĬƢũƆ ň ł ł ŏ ň Ņ ł ň ň ƧĪŅ Ņ ô ĵŤƣĪ Ņ ô űũƖƌ ĖŦĭĬ ƅſĥ ķŴƖƊƣ ŦƦíƇźƉ ŦĭĬ ł Ō ł Ņ ô ŁűũƕŁĥ Ņ Ņ Ō Ō IJĬĭƻĥĪ ł ł ň ťſűƀŷſ Ņ űŷíƆ ŧűŶ :ŁĭĬ ň ł ň Ņ ł ķŴƖƊƣ ŏ ň ĺűſĭ ł Ō ƎſŁĿŁ ĖĭĬô űŶł ŧƢŨĪ ƈźŨĭł Ņ ł Ņ ŴƌĪŏ ŦƦíƇźƉ ň ł ł ł ŧĿĬ Ņ ł ťŨĥŅ ł ųƙƭ :űũƕĪ ŧűŷŨ Ņ Ō ł ł ň ťũƀƆĽ Ņ Ō ĭĬô űŶĭ Ņ ł ł ŦŁűƕ ñ Ņ ƥƉƦƤƉĪ ĖųŨ IJĬ ŧűŶĪ ô ň ňòł Ņ ł Ņ ô ƧŅ Ņ Ō Ō űŷíƆ ł ŦƦíƇźƉ ŦĭĬ ƧŅ ņ ĥ ƨíƇźƉ :ŧűƀŷſ Ņ Ņò Ō ł Ņ Ņ ł ƢũíƆ ł ŦŁűƕŌ ƧĥŅ ň ŦŁűƕ ĖŦųƭ ŴƆĪ ł Ņ ŏ ŅŅ ł Ņ Ņ ŏ ł ł ŏ :ŌIJĬŴŨĥ ŧĿĬŴƌĪ ťƍƍƖŨ ĿĽ ŧĿĬŴƌ Ʀƿ Ņ Ō ł ŦĮǓĥ ň Ņ ô ĬĭƢƄƉ Ņ ł ł ł IJĬô ŧűŶĪ ñ ŏ ł űŷíƆĪ ĖƻŤũƀũŶ ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ŏ Ņ ł Ņ Ōł ł ñ ƋƏ ŧĿĬŴƌĪ ŦƦƟŵƕ ŧƢſųƌ ŁƢô ũíƆ :ťŨĥŅ ųíƆ ň Ņ ł ŏ Ņ ň ł ñŅ ł ł ĖĭĬô ŧĿĬŴƌŏ ųƿŏ ljƦŶ ĭĬ ĻĥĪ ĬƢũƆ ĬƢƄƉĭ

560

565

570

575

70

580

HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION He designated the Church in the single cloud of great light and the Father commanded her to give heed to His Son, to all that He says to her. Through the apostleship and through prophecy one thing was manifested: that One is the blessed Bridegroom because everything has been perfected in his mystery. The homily on our Lord and Moses and Elijah when they spoke with Him from the cloud is ended.

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375

Ņ Ō Ņ ŏ ťƍƍƕ Ņ ł ŧĿĬŴƌĪ Ņ Ņ ŧűŷŨ Ņ ł ŦŁűƖíƆ ñ Ņ ł :ťŨĿ ųƊƣĿ ň ł ƗƊƣŁĪ ł Ņ ƈƃŏ ĬƢũƆ ł ň ťŨĥŅ ł ĬűƠƘĭ ñ Ņ ƢƉĥĪ ñŅ ł ĖųíƆ Ņ ŏŌ ł Ņ ŏ Ō ł Ņ ŦŁŴƀũƍŨĭ ł ł ň ŧűŶ :ƦŷƌĪŁĥ ŦŁŴŷƀƇƤŨ ł ň ŏ ňŅ ł Ō Ņ ł Ō ł ĖƁƇƉƦƣDŽƃ ĬĮĿŤŨĪ ô ƅſƢŨ ljƦŶ ĭĬô űŶĪ ň Ō ł űƃł ťƀƭĪĭ ł Ņ ŧƢƉŤƉ Ņ Ō ƋƇƣ ň ŏ ł ķƢƉĪ Ņ Ō ň ťƣŴƉĪĭ ƎƀƇíƇƊƉ ňł Ņ Ņ ƎƉň ųƊƕ .ťƍƍƕ

580

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WORKS CITED (A) SYRIAC AUTHORS Aphrahat, Demonstrations (ed. J. Parisot, PS I.1–2; 1894, 1907); English translation, K. Valavalonickal, Aphrahat, Demonstrations I–II (Moran Etho 23–4; 2005). 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). _____, 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). _____, HcHaer = Des heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Hymnen contra Haereses (ed. E. Beck, CSCO 169–70 = Scr. Syri 76–7; 1957). _____, HNat = Des heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Hymnen de Nativitate (Epiphania) (ed. E. Beck, CSCO 186–7 = Scr. Syri 82–3; 1959). _____, HNis = 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). _____, 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). _____, HVirg = Des heiligen Ephraem des Syrers Hymnen de Virginitate (ed. E. Beck, CSCO 223–4 = Scr. Syri 94–5; 1962). Jacob of Serugh: Albert, Juifs = M. Albert, Homélies contre les juifs par Jacques de Sarough (PO 38:1, 1976). Alwan, Création = Jacques de Saroug, Quatre homélies métriques sur la Création (CSCO 508–9, Scr. Syri 214–5; 1989). Bedjan I–VI = Hom. Selectae Mar-Jacobi Sarugensis I–V (Paris/Leipzig, 1905– 1910; reprinted with extra vol. VI, Piscataway NJ, 2006). 73

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Olinder, Epistulae = G. Olinder, Jacobi Sarugensis Epistulae quotquot supersunt (CSCO II.45 = Scr. Syri 57; 1937).

(B) MODERN LITERATURE E. Beck, “Das Bild vom Weg mit Meilensteinen und Herbergen bei Ephraem,” Oriens Christianus 65 (1981), 1–39. S. P. Brock, The Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life (Kalamazoo, 1987). _____, “The Mysteries hidden in the Side of Christ,” Sobornost 7:6 (1978), 462–72. _____, “The Wedding Feast of blood: an unusual aspect of John 19:34 in Syriac tradition,” The Harp 6:2 (1993), 121–34. F. Graffin, “Le thème de la perle chez Jacques de Saroug,” L’Orient Syrien 12 (1967), 355–70. S. Grill, ‘Jakob von Serug als Dichter und Exeget’, Jahrbuch der österreichischen byzantinischen Gesellschaft 8 (1959), 17–28. T. Jansma, “Die Christologie Jakobs von Serugh und ihre Abhändigkeit von der Alexandrinischen Theologie und der Frömmigkeit Ephraems des Syrers,” Le Muséon 78 (1965), 5–46. E. Khoury, “L’hymne sur la Transfiguration de Jacques de Saroug,” Parole de l’Orient 15 (1988/9), 65–90. R. Murray, Symbols of Church and Kingdom. A Study in Early Syriac Tradition (Cambridge, 1975; revised edn Piscataway NJ, 2004). _____, “Mary, the Second Eve, in the early Syriac Fathers,” Eastern Churches Review 3 (1971), 372–84. _____, “The lance which re-opened Paradise. A mysterious reading in the early Syriac Fathers,” Orientalia Christiana Periodica 39 (1973), 224–34, 491. A. Vööbus, History of Asceticism in the Syrian Orient III (CSCO 500 = Subs. 81; 1988).

INDEX OF NAMES AND THEMES Adam, 267, 273, 390, 392, 432, 440 adultery, 409, 457 Amram, 217 Bethany, 261 darkness, 130, 462 dishonor, 85, 86, 87, 93, 98, 113, 116, 146, 190 Elijah, 55, 208, 219, 228, 246, 252, 257, 277, 287, 304, 323, 347, 370, 386, 441, 475, 481, 493, 500, 503, 517 Elizabeth, 345 glory, 5, 29, 32, 51, 53, 66, 71, 87, 100, 102, 103, 107, 109, 115, 120, 123, 125, 148, 158, 164, 167, 168, 172, 175, 177, 178, 182, 190, 198, 206, 254, 369, 483, 501, 519, 523, 566 grace, 101, 209, 335 honor, 85, 255, 409, 506, 507, 516, 518, 532, 556 humble, 65, 382 humiliation, 49, 59, 86, 103, 108 humility, 68 impudence, 397 ingratitude, 394 Jezebel, 446 John, 161, 215, 227, 244, 275, 303, 322, 347 judgment, 264, 265, 268 Lazarus, 75, 261 light, 4, 117, 121, 129, 135, 140, 149, 167, 169, 170, 171, 172, 174, 179, 180, 182, 184, 185, 191, 197, 200,

204, 289, 436, 451, 462, 483, 509, 532, 534, 553, 555, 556, 557, 558, 559, 561, 562, 563, 564, 566, 567, 571, 575, 579 love, 21, 35, 39, 41, 42, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 54, 104, 149, 409, 412, 455 Mary, 345 mercy, 9 mocking, 98, 113, 394, 418 Moses, 55, 199, 201, 203, 205, 208, 215, 221, 227, 237, 240, 243, 245, 251, 257, 262, 267, 271, 276, 277, 288, 289, 302, 309, 310, 321, 328, 330, 331, 337, 341, 370, 386, 393, 442, 475, 482, 493, 499, 503, 517, 549 Nebo, 245, 262 Peter, 159, 338, 485 praise, 6, 87, 316, 382 righteousness, 133, 192, 266, 450 sadness, 119, 163 Simon, 109, 115, 159, 161, 206, 219, 221, 228, 238, 290, 301, 306, 309, 311, 323, 327, 336, 471, 481, 487, 494, 502, 511, 515, 551, 568, 570 sorrow, 136, 150 splendor, 177, 192, 322 stubbornness, 397 suffering, 46, 67, 99, 110, 113, 118, 153, 391, 470, 474 truth, 232, 238, 258, 286, 294, 298, 312, 365, 388, 450, 451 weakness, 105, 114 Zebedee, 217

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INDEX OF BIBLICAL REFERENCES Gen 3:23

268

Exod 4:1–5 6:20 7:10 14:21 16:13 16:14–36 17:6 24:9 34:29 34:29–30

404 217 405 406 407 406 406 240 201 199

Num 31:8

411

Deut 4:21 34:1–6

264 245, 262

1 Kgs 18:13

446

2 Kgs 2:1

245

Matt 4:21 7:6 11:5 12:24 16:19 16:22 17:1 17:2

218 80 90 92 228 159 163 165, 208

17:3 17:4 17:5 17:22 17:23

76

165, 208, 277 492 527 155 155

Mark 1:19 9:2–8 9:31–33

55 155 90

Luke 1:40–45 9:31 13:10–17 22:55–62 23:43

247 475 92 109 272

John 1:17 11:1–44 11:15 2:1–11 2:6–11 5:1–18 6:5–13 9:1–17

335 261 77 71 89 92 89 92

Rom 7:6

334

2 Cor 3:6

331

Eph 5:2

43

INDEX OF BIBLICAL REFERENCES

Heb 8:8 9:26

194 43

77