Jacob of Sarug’s Homily on Zacchaeus the Tax Collector: Metrical Homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug 9781463226725

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Jacob of Sarug's Homily on Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

Texts from Christian Late Antiquity

6 Series Editor George Anton Kiraz

TeCLA (Texts from Christian Late Antiquity) is a new series presenting ancient Christian texts both in their original languages and with accompanying contemporary English translations.

Jacob of Sarug's Homily on Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

Metrical Homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug

Fascicle 30 Translated by

Dana Miller Edited with Notes and Inroduction by

Mary T. Hansbury

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 2010

Gorgias Press LLC, 954 River Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA www.gorgiaspress.com Copyright © 2010 by Gorgias Press LLC All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise without the prior written permission of Gorgias Press LLC. 2010

‫ܒܐ‬



ISBN 978-1-61719-660-7

ISSN 1935-6846

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Jacob, of Serug, 451-521. [Homily on Zacchaeus the tax collector. English & Syriac] Jacob of Sarug's Homily on Zacchaeus the tax collector / translated by Dana Miller, Mary Hansbury. p. cm. -- (Texts from Christian late antiquity ; 6) (Metrical homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Zacchaeus (Biblical figure)--Sermons. 2. Sermons, Syriac. 3. Sermons, Syriac--Translations into English. I. Miller, Dana. II. Hansbury, Mary. III. Title. BS2520.Z3J33 2010 226.4'06--dc22 2010050017

Printed in the United States of America

TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents....................................................................................................v List of Abbreviations ............................................................................................vii Introduction .............................................................................................................1 Contents...........................................................................................................1 The Manuscript Tradition .............................................................................3 Summary ..........................................................................................................3 Text and Translation...............................................................................................5 The Path of Christ’s Mercy to Heal the World ........................................6 Power of Repentance Reflected in Zacchaeus as in a Mirror ..............10 The Light of Grace Dawns in Zacchaeus’ Soul .....................................16 Zacchaeus Climbs Up to Gaze and the Sight of the Lord Fashions Him Anew ............................................................................................22 The Gaze of Zacchaeus at Christ Is Transformed by Christ’s Love ..26 Christ the Husbandman, by His Teaching Redeems the World..........30 Zacchaeus as a First Fruit among Sinners ................................................36 The Lord of the World Reclines in the House of Zacchaeus ...............42 At the Great Banquet, Yoked by Christ, Zacchaeus Begins to Lavish his Wealth upon the Needy...................................................46 A Soul Restored from Wickedness is a Greater Sign than a Body’s Resurrection from Destruction........................................................50 Bibliography of Works Cited...............................................................................57 (A) Ancient Authors and Translations......................................................57 Aphrahat: .......................................................................................................57 Cyrillona: ........................................................................................................57 Ephrem: .........................................................................................................57 Jacob: ..............................................................................................................57 Narsai:.............................................................................................................58 Odes of Solomon: ........................................................................................58 Rabbinics:.......................................................................................................58 Theodore of Mopsuestia: ............................................................................58 (B) Modern Works .......................................................................................58 v

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Index of Names and Themes ..............................................................................61 Index of Biblical References ................................................................................63

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS CD CSCO ETL HTR JCSSS JNSL JTS LM PdO SJT Sob/ECR SP SVTQ RTP

Commentary on the Diatessaron. Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium (Louvain). Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses (Louvain). Harvard Theological Review (Cambridge Mass.). Journal of the Canadian Society for Syriac Studies (Toronto). Journal of Northwest Semitic Languages (Stellenbosch). Journal of Theological Studies (Oxford). Le Muséon (Louvain la Neuve). Parole de l’Orient (Kaslik, Lebanon). Scottish Journal of Theology (Edinburgh). Sobornost incorporating Eastern Churches Review (London). Studia Patristica (Louvain). St. Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly (New York). Revue de Théologie et de Philosophie (Louvain/Lausanne).

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INTRODUCTION INFORMATION ON THIS HOMILY Homily Title: Zacchaeus the Tax-Collector Source of Text: Homiliae selectae Mar-Jacobi Sarugensis edited by Paul Bedjan (Paris—Leipzig 1905, 2nd ed. Piscataway: Gorgias Press, 2006), vol. 1, pp. 344–64. [Homily 15] Lines: 400

This is the story of Zacchaeus the chief tax-collector of Jericho (Lk 9:1-10), found only in the Gospel of Luke. We are that told he was very wealthy. Yet while being a rich man, Zacchaeus provides a contrast to that other rich man in Luke’s Gospel (18:18-33) who couldn’t detach himself from his material possessions to follow Christ. In this verse homily /mimro, Jacob outlines how the transformation occurred in Zacchaeus.

CONTENTS Jacob begins and ends this homily with a reference to salvation history. His Soteriology indicates not so much divine providence from the time of creation but the path (ûrʚâ) of Christ in the world and actually continued by the Church at His Resurrection. Christ’s way is described here as He passes by those in need of repentance, those stricken with disease, sinners, the broken hearted, all awaiting the medicine of life. Only these know their need of the Physician, as did Zacchaeus seemingly intuitively. And it is the will of the Father that they be restored to the Kingdom, so Jesus goes along his way which is the will of the Father. This path (ûrʚâ) itself is the will of the Father (1–32). The Saviour proceeds along his way caring specifically for Zacchaeus, leading him to repentance by healing him. Perhaps Jacob shares Ephrem’s understanding of healing as a new creation. Then Christ places Zacchaeus as a mirror (mañõʚzitâ) or sign, set up along the way for all humanity to see. The very gravity of Zacchaeus’s faults as a greedy extortioner, becomes a 1

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stimulus to his own conversion and only adds to the symbolic import of the conversion for all humanity (33–72). Having heard that Jesus was passing by, Zacchaeus goes out to meet Him. As a tax-collector his vices were manifestly wicked like those of the harlot, and he carried this sickness to Jesus to be healed. It was by grace (ʞaybûtâ) that this awareness developed in him. Jacob gives no other reason for his recognizing in Jesus a refuge. Then inspite of being a little man, his love and faith were so great that his mind reached heavenward. And his body reached out to the barren fig (têtâ), a tree with its own long history (Gen. 3:7), so as to add to his stature (73–126). Impelled by his love Zacchaeus climbs the tree, his faith giving him new height. Immediately as he looked on Jesus he became righteous, as did the Jews who looked at the bronze serpent in the desert. Here Jacob’s typology may reflect the exegesis of Theodore of Mopsuestia. Then the venom of the fiery serpent (Num. 21:6) vanishes from Zacchaeus’s members. And even from a distance this transformation occurs, since nothing can keep desire (regtâ) from intermingling (ʚûlʞânâ). Because he gazed on Christ Zacchaeus was united with Him, such is the power of love (127– 166). Brought near to Christ by His love and inspite of the crowd of people Zacchaeus, recognizes Him and so begins the process of repentance, making of Zacchaeus a paradigm of salvation for “peoples, worlds and regions,” much as had occurred for the Sinful Woman. It is as if love is the mediary (meʜ’âyâ) setting this process in motion, reflecting prevenient divine love and also the human love in response to divine love. Whereas according to Ephrem, faith is the key to understanding God’s providence, for Jacob the emphasis seems to be on love, even for the understanding of Scripture. (167–202). With the use of the term Husbandman as a Christological title and the “irrigation” of His teaching, Jacob here shows how Christ produces and receives fruit throughout the world, from a harlot, from a tax-collector, even from the stones. And now from the “desolate city” of Jericho and a barren fig tree, a cherished cluster of repentance is brought forth in Zacchaeus, even finer than the fruit in Eden (203–240). Jesus continues on his path (ûrʚâ), trapping Zacchaeus into repentance and making of him a pattern (nišâ) for others. Then Zacchaeus who is accustomed to robbing, lays hold of grace and plunders forgiveness. It comes full circle and Zacchaeus distributes his possessions, lavishing them on the poor. He stole in abundance and gave back in abundance. Here again love is the mediating force: the love of Zacchaeus in response to Christ’s love (241–286).

INTRODUCTION

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Son of God, Physician, Shepherd, Nurse, Hope of the wicked, Lord of the world: Jacob invokes all these titles of our Lord in his description of this pivotal moment in the mimro of what occurred in Zacchaeus’s house. Though reproached by the crowds, Christ pursues iniquity there in order to forgive it and by repentance bring the iniquitous to righteousness. Zacchaeus’s conversion was remarkable (287–330), and now the wedding feast, the banquet prophesied, occurs. The conversion of Zacchaeus offers to humanity once again to partake of the feast interrupted in Eden by the sin of Adam. And all whom Zacchaeus had plundered now benefit from his transformation at the feast. Beholding the Son, “in one hour” he restores all that he had stolen. Christ yoked (kadneh) him as an apostle and without delay he gave up one half of his goods to those in need, most likely those whom he had already exploited (331–366). The outcry over the conversion of Zacchaeus was greater than at the resurrection of Lazarus. To this Jacob comments that conversion from perdition (Îabdânâ) is a greater sign (âtâ) than resurrection from corruption (sri). Then he reiterates the significance of the feast. It was not sufficient for Zacchaeus and Christ to have met along the way. Only when He went into his house and ate bread was true repentance achieved. The banquet, wedding feast and anticipation of Christ’s redemptive meal with his disciples, had achieved its purpose. It brought life and salvation to a son of Abraham, by means of His love—a new deed along Christ’s way (ûrʚâ) (367–400).

THE MANUSCRIPT TRADITION For his edition Bedjan employed London Br.Mus.Add.17159 and Vatican Syr.117 (12/13th century). Other manuscripts listed by Vööbus’ Überlieferung II which contain the mimro are: Mardin Ortho.130, 133,135; Diyarbakir Mar Ja‘qob 1/3; Paris Syr.117,196; Damascus Patr. 12/13, 12/14, 12/15.

SUMMARY I. The Path of Christ’s Mercy to heal the World (1–32). II. The Power of Repentance Reflected in Zacchaeus as in a Mirror (33–72). III. The Light of Grace Dawns in Zacchaeus’ Soul (73–126). IV. Zacchaeus Climbs up to gaze and the sight of the Lord fashions him anew (127–166). V. The gaze of Zacchaeus at Christ is transfigured by Christ’s love (167– 202). VI. Christ the Husbandman, by His teaching redeems the world (203–240). VII. Zacchaeus as a First Fruit among Sinners (241–286). VIII. The Lord of the world reclines in the house of Zacchaeus (287–330).

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IX. At the great banquet, yoked by Christ, Zacchaeus begins to lavish his wealth upon the needy (331–366). X. A soul restored from wickedness is a greater sign than a body’s resurrection from destruction (367–400).

TEXT AND TRANSLATION

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THE PATH OF CHRIST’S MERCY TO HEAL THE WORLD For the sake of wicked humanity our Lord undertook His path1 in the world, indeed, to gather those who had wandered from His Father’s house. He directed His way to sinners so as to bring them back, and He sought out the erring, that the lost might again be found. In His zeal He left the found and sought after the lost: He forsook the perfect and kept company with the repentant. He was kissed by a harlot and He accepted it. People invited Him along with sinners, and He took delight in it. He was called a companion of tax-collectors and harlots;

Ps 25:8, 51:3, 1 Tim 1:15 Lk 15:2 Mt 15:24, Lk 15:4, 19:10

Lk 7:38

Mt 11:19, Lk 5:29-31, 7:34, 15:31

1 Path (ûrʚâ): Christ’s way (ûrʚâ) is the will of the Father and he goes accordingly to perfect his work in order to accomplish his way, see Kollamparampil, Salvation, 261–63; 265–75. Soteriology thus becomes more important than Christology in defining Jacob’s theology according to Rilliet, “La métaphore,” p. 38. The term ûrʚâ is found throughout Jacob’s Letters. It occurs in the Acts of the Apostles with a different emphasis. See also the Odes of Solomon: 7:2, 11:3, 17:9, 22:11, 24:13, 38:7, 39:7,13; 42:2.

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ň ĪŌ ŏ ſł IJƢƉĪŅ ųƇſ ħŴƠƖ Ņ ƉŌ .ųƌ. ŧƢƉŤ ł Ņ ƉŅ Ɓƃł Įł ƈƕĪ .ťƐƄ

Ņ ųŶĿĭ Ō ĥł ťƤň ƀò ŨŌ ƈźŏ Ɖň Ņ ƖŨ ň ĥŏ ƁƉĿ :ķƢł ƉŅ ťƊíƇ ł ň Ƨł ŦĭŅ Ĭ ƥƍň Ƅƌł Īł ł Īł ƎƀƇſ ĖIJĬô ŴŨŏ ĥ Ƽň Ũň ƎƉň ŴƖŹ ň Ō ł ł ô ňò Ņ ł ň ň ŏ ł :ķŴƌĥ ťƍƙƌĪ ĬƻĪƢ Ɖ ĽĿŁ ťƀźŶ űſĽ ł Ņ ł Ņ ťŅƀò Ɩł źíƆ ł Ō ł Ō ŏ ƦƤƌň ťƖŨ ĖĭĭĬô ƎſűƀŨĥĪ ķŴŷƃ ĭł ł ł ňòŌ Ō Ņ ň Ō ł Ņ ò ň :ųƍƍźŨ ťƖŨł ŧűƀŨƧĭ ťŷƀƄƣ ƁƘĿĥ ň ƊŬ Ō Ɔł ơũƣ Ņ ł Ɖň ťũň ŅòſŁ Ƌƕł ŧǔƀ ł ĖŦĭĬô ƅƘł ĬƦ Ņ ł ĭł ŦĭŅ Ĭ ơƤł ƌƦ ł Ɖň ŦƼƌŌ ĮŅ ƎƉň :ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƈũň ƠƉ ô ł ň ųƆň ĭĭł Ĭô ƎſƢň ƟŅ ťňƀò źŅ Ŷł Ƌƕĭ ł Ɖĭ ĖŦĭŅ Ĭô ƋƐł ŨƦ ł Ņ Ņ Ŷł :ŦĭŅ Ĭô ųƉł ƦƤƉň ŦƼŅ òƌĮĪŅ ĭł ťƐň Ƅò ƉĪŅ ŧƢũ

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ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR He carried bandages and showed love to none save the broken. The good Physician2 did not come down to care for the healthy, since only the sickly were in need of His succour. The one who is not dead has no need of resurrection, and superfluous is forgiveness to one who has not sinned. He who is broken asks that a bandage be applied to him, and one who is stricken calls a physician for healing. The medicine for ulcerous wounds is applicable only to ulcerous wounds; a prescription for disease is sought for by none save the diseased. Only the broken of heart have need of encouragement, and likewise, only for the grieved in spirit is consolation necessary. The one who has ulcers requires medicines,3 and with healing, he will have relief for his running sores. The one who owes much loves Him to whom he is in debt,

Lk 10:34 Cf. Mt 9:11, Mk 2:17, Lk 5.31

Ps 34:18, 51:17, 147:3, Is 61:1

Lk 7:41-3

2 God as Physician (âsyâ) is found in the OT, Ex 15:26. In the N.T., Shemunkasho has noted seventy references to Jesus as the one who heals. And in Ephrem he shows the uses of the term âsyâ for Jesus: the heavenly Physician, the wise Physician, the great Physician, the good Physician, the pure Physician. See A. Shemunkasho, Healing, 119–40. See also Bou Mansour, Jacques, II, 114–25. 3 Medicines (sammâne): a physician uses the medicines to reveal and to heal physical and spiritual wounds. Another meaning of the plural form is pigments which portray the image of the kingdom in the soul at Baptism. This contrasts with the corrupted image of Adam (Hymns on Virginity 7.5), an image in need of healing using medicines. See Shemunkasho, Healing, 140–47. This link between pigments and medicines indicates the richness in meaning of iconic imagery in Ephrem and in Jacob. See note 26.

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ň ŨŁ Ō ťŨňò ƞƕ Ņ Ĭô ƋŶň ĿŅ ƧŅ ŧǔƀ Ō ƧĥŅ ĭň ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƎƀƖŹ Ņ ĖŦ ĭ ŅŅ Ņ Ņ ŏ ň Ņ Ō Ɔł ŴƆł ň ťƊň ƀò íƇŷ :ťũŹ ťƀƏĥ ĿŴƖƐƌĪ ŦĭĬô Ʀŷƌ Ņ ƕŏ ƈƕł ĭĭł Ĭ ƎƀƠƀ Ō ƧĥŅ Īň Ō Ō ƧŅ Ŧųſ ň ǔƃ ĖIJĬô Ŵƌł ǓĪŴ ô Ņ ƍƏ Ņ ƌŏ ƈƕł ųƆň ŦƞŅ ƭ ƧŅ ƼƉŌ ƧĪŅ ťƍſŅ Ƨł :ťƊŅ ŶŴ Ō Ņ Ņ Ņ ł Ņ ƣŏ ĻĥŅ ťźŶ ĖĭĬô ŧƢſł ƻł ųƆň ťƍŅ ƠŨŴ ƧĪ ťƍſĥĭł ň ł ň ł ň Ō Īł ťƍſŅ ĥ Ņ Ņ Ņ :ųƆ ħƢň ƟƦƌĪ ťŨŅ ƞƕ ťƖŨ ƢƀŨŁ ł Īł ƎƉĭ ł Ņ Ƨ ŧƢň ƟŅ Ɓŷł ƊƉ ĖIJĬô ĭŏ Īĥł Ľň ŦŁŤŅ ƌŌ ťƀƏ Ņ ň ň Ŵò ƣĪ ň Ŵò ƤíƆ Ō Ɖň ĶĭƦƉ Ƨ ťƍŶ ŏ ťƊŅ Əł ŏ Ƨĥ ťƍŶ :ƋƀƏŁƦ Ņ Ņ ň ƉŅ Ƨňĥ ťƕǔ ň ƉĪ ł ťŨŅ ƞƕ Ņ ĖųƆň ƎƀƖň ŨŅ Ƨ ťƕǔ ł ŨŁ Ō ƍƏ Ō Ņ Ɔŏ ƈƕł ĪŴŷíƇ Ō ťũŅ íƆň IJǔƀ ŏ Ũł ƎƀƠƀ :ťũŅ ŨŴ ŅŅ ŏ Ō Ņ Ŀŏ ƁƠł ƀò ƀŌ ƕł ĻĥŅ ĖŦŤſŴŨ ƈƕł ƎíſƞƀŌ ƭ ťŶĭ ň Ŵò ƣŏ ųƆň ƻĥĪŌ ťƍŅ ſĥł Ō ťƍŶ :ťƍň ƊŅ Ɗò Əł ƈƕł ň ĭĬô ŏ ơƀƍƏ ł ň ł ň ƌň ťƏň ĥƦ Ņ Ɔł ťƣŤ Ņ ƙƌŌ Ŧĭų ĖĬŁǔŅ ũŷ Ɖ űƃĪ ł ł ň ň ň Ņ Ō ĥ ŪŶŅ ƁŬƏĥ Ō Īł ƎƉł :ųŨŴŶł ŧƢƊíƆ ųƊŶĿ ƁŬƏ

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ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR because his soul hangs upon forgiveness, of which he has great need. The medicine of mercy will usefully be applied only to the one whose soul has been stricken with iniquity and who suffers from the wound. The one whom sin has bitten and who laments prudently feels the need for the Doctor4 who will devise a remedy. The one whose members have been pierced by the arrow of wickedness seeks for mercy that would extract the arrow-head of his passion. The one upon whom sin has fallen like a lioness, seeks for divine compassion which would rescue him from destruction.

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POWER OF REPENTANCE REFLECTED IN ZACCHAEUS AS IN A MIRROR Rightly, then, did our Saviour come to sinners to care for them as a physician cares for the wounded. In Zacchaeus the tax-collector, He made a marketplace for repentance,5

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Doctor (‘âʜobâ) sometimes used to refer to Christ the Physician, see Bou Mansour, Éphrem, 259–71. 5 Repentance (tyâbûtâ): see Aphrahat, Dem. XV; Ephrem’s homily “On Admonition and Repentance.” Jacob has two homilies on repentance: Bedjan I, Hom. 28 and Hom.29. References to repentance are found throughout the O.T.: both of ceasing to do evil and of doing good. The rabbis have much to say about repentance. In the Talmud it is one of the seven things created before the world was created (Pes. 54a); it reaches up to the Throne of Glory (Yoma 86a); it prolongs life and brings on the Redemption (Yoma 86b). And in Midrash: an opening of repentance no bigger than the eye of a needle will yield a gate through which wagons and carriages can pass (Song Rabbah 5:2 no. 2). Neusner traces the development of a shift in thinking from propositional to symbolic discourse during the 5th and 6th cent., in the Babylonian Talmud and in midrashic literature, especially Song of Songs Rabbah. A comparison of Ephrem/Jacob and the rabbis on repentance might yield further insights. See Neusner, Symbol and Theology. 4

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ł Ņ ƣŏ ƈƕĪ Ō Īł ƈźŏ Ɖň ųƤƙ ň ƌł ťƀíƆ Ņ Łł ťƍŅ ƠŨŴ Ėơƀň ƍƏ Ņ ł ųƤƙ ł Īň ƎƉł ň ƌł Ƽŷ ł ƉŁĥ ŏ Ũł ƥŶĭ ł ƧŴƖŨ :ĬŁŴŷƊ ł ƌĪň ťƊŶ ň ǓĪł ťƊŅ Əł ŸƤł ŶŅ ĭĬô ŏ ĭųíƆ ł ĖųƆň ħƢł ƟƦ ŌŅ ŏ Ņ ň ł ŅŅ ň ł Ņ ł :ƻŤƣĭƢƘ džſĥĭ ŦųźŶ ĬǂƌĪ ťƍſĥ ł ƌĪň ťŨĭ ň Ņ ƞŏ ƕŅ ƈƕł ĭĬô ŏ ơƀƍƏ Ō ljŅ ĬŅ ĖųƆ ĸƢł ƘƦ Ō Īł ƎƉł Ņ ĿĪŏ ŧĿŤŅ ŬŨ ň ųƆň ƗƀƇŨ :IJĬô Ŵò Ɖł ĪŅ Ĭł ƈƕł ťƖƣĭ Ņ Ō ƇíƆ ŏ Īł ťƖň ŨŅ ťƍŅ ƍŶ ŏ ň ň ł Ņ Ņ ĖİŴ łŏ ƊƤƌł ųƤŶĪł ŦƼƆŴ Ņ Ō ł ł ł ƌň ŦƼ :ŦŁŴſĿĥ ƅſŅ ĥ IJĬô ŴƇƕ ƦƇƙ źŶĪ ƎƉ ł ň ň Ǔł ň Ņ Ņ ťƊŶ Ņ ŏ ł ŏ ĖƨŨŴ Ŷ Ǝ Ɖ IJ ų ƀ ƌĭ ƞ ƙƌ Ī ť Ɩ Ũ ô ł Ƣŏ ƘŅ ŦŁŅ ĥ ťňƀò źŅ Ŷł űſĽň Ǝſűň ƉŅ ƢƀƙŌ ƣł :ƎƟĭ ô ŏ ƌĪň ò íƆł ťŨĭ ł Ņ ƞŏ ƕŅ ƅſĥł ķŴƌŏ ňĥ ĿŴƖƐ Ņ ł Ėť ƀ ŷ Ɗ Ɗ Ņ Ņ ł Ņ ł Ņ ŏ Ņ Ņ łł :ŦŁŴũŏ ſƦ Ɔ ųñ íƆ űũƕ ťƟŴƣ ťƐƄƉ ƁƃŵŨ

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ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR so that every man might come and trade therein without hindrance. By that plunderer He gave encouragement to iniquitous ones, that if they should repent, they would not be punished by justice. He placed him as a mirror6 before the eyes of others, that they study him and learn that if they convert, their faults will be forgotten. Who will despair of himself when he gazes at Zacchaeus, the comrade of tax-collectors who became a comrade to the apostles?7 Who will think his faults unforgivable when he sees the extortioner joined with the disciples? Who will not run to take refuge in repentance, wherein lies power that makes even hawks into doves? Who will not follow this good Shepherd,8 who traps wolves so as to make them sheep in His flock? Who so hates his own life as to flee from this Physician whose power triumphs over all wounds?

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Mirror (maʚzitâ). Here Zacchaeus is offered as a mirror to bring about repentance. The mirror reflects divine reality, and the interior eye illumined by faith is able to see God’s action in it. In his Letters, Jacob says that the way of life of the saints is a mirror, see Olinder p. 297. Mirror imagery occurs already in the Odes of Solomon and in the Acts of Thomas but the term is most frequent in Ephrem for whom maʚzitâ may be found throughout Scripture and Nature. Bou Mansour considers it to be one of the key terms in Ephrem’s symbolic theology together with râzâ, dmûtâ, ʜalmâ, peletâ, and nišâ. See Bou Mansour, Éphrem, 23–71. Ephrem’s most extended use of mirror imagery is in his “Letter to Publius.” For an overview of maʚzitâ, see S.P. Brock, “The Imagery of the Spiritual Mirror in Syriac Literature,” JCSSS 5(2005) 3–17. 7 Lit. “to apostleship”. 8 Shepherd (râ‘yâ): see R. Murray, Symbols, 187–191, including uses of the term as applied to Apostles and bishops. 6

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ň ł Ņ Ō Ņ ĖŦŅ ƼƿŅ ƧĪ ųñ ŨŅ Ƣūł ŁƦƌň ŦŁŤƌŌ ƥƍíŅ ƿĪŏ ł Ņ Ɔŏ ħųô ſł ŦĮĭŅ ŵŏ ŨŅ ĭųŨ :Ņ ƧŴƕł Ɓƍł ũò íƆł ťũŅ ŨŴ Ņ ŏ ň Ō ŁĪ ł Ɖň ƧŅ Ǝƀũſ Ō ƌƦ ĭųƌĥĪ ĖŦŁŴƌŤŏ ƃŌ ƎƉň ƎſűŬ Ņ Ō ł ł ŏ ł ň ň ň ň ł Ņ ò :ųŨ ķŴƠŨƦƌĪ ťƍƀƖíƆ ųƊƏŅ ŦƻŵŷƉ ƅſĥ Ņ ĭųƌĥ Ō ĪƦ ŏ ƍł ŶǓŴ ŏ Īň ł Ɖň Ƨ Ǝƀƍň ƘĪ Ņ Əŏ ƎſƢƃ Ėķĭųƀ ł Ņ Əł ľŴƐƙ ŏ ƌň Ŵƍŏ Ɖł ň ƌĪł ŧƢũ :ųŨň Ņ ĿŤŶŅ űƃł ųƤƙ Ō Ɔł ŧƢũ Ņ Ŷł ŦĭŅ ĬĪł ťƐň Ƅò ƉĪŅ ŧƢũ Ņ ŷŨ ŏ ƇƤ ł ĖŦŁŴŷƀ Ņ ň ł ò ł ò Ņ ł ň Ņ ł ł :ƎƠŨƦƤƉ ƧĪ ł ĬƦŨŴŶł ƈƕ ƢũƐƌ Ɓŏ ƃ ƎƉł Ņ źŷíƆ Ō Īł Ŧŵň ŶŅ ťƘŴ Ō Ł Ƌƕł ŻƀƇŶ Ņ Īł Ėŧűň Ņ ƀò ƊíƆ ł ƌň ƧŅ ƎƉł Ņ ūł ĪŴŶŤ Ņ Ũł ťƏŴ ŏ ƌň İĬƢ :ŦŁŴň ũŏ ſƦ ň Ł ljň Ŵò ſł Ŧƞňò ƌň ƎƉň ĻĥĪŅ ƨƀŅ Ŷł ųñ ŨŅ ƻĥĪŌ Ėűũƕ Ņ Ņ Ņ ŅŅ ł Ņ ň Ō Ņ ł :ťũŅ Ź ťƀƕ Ŀ ljĬ ĿƦŨ ŦŁŤƌ Ƨ ƎƉ ň Ō ł ł ň ň ŏ ň ňò Ō ň Ņ ĖĬƼƕƢƉ ŴŬŨ ŧǔƉĥ ķĭĭųƌĪ ťŨĥĪ ĪĥĽĪ ŏ ň òłł ň Ņ ň ł ŏ ł :ųƍň Ɖň ľĭƢƖ Ņ Ņ ƌĪŅ IJł Ĭô ŴƀňŶ ł ťƍƏ ł ťŅ ŬƐŅ ƉŅ ŴŅ ƍƉŅ ĖŦŁǔũŷŨ ųƇƀŶ įƞƌĪ ťƀƏĥ ljĬĪ

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ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR He mingled the tax-collector with the disciples as a device, setting bait for all extortioners, that they might imitate him. Who would not marvel at what the Son of God caught— the greedy tax-collector, who was to become an apostle to the repentant? This one, whose rapacious house was filled with groaning,9 who repeatedly amassed the spoil of others’ possessions; this one, who snatched from merchants whatsoever he could, and who knew not how to live without rapacity; this one sinned without shame all the days of his life, being supported by the law and governmental authority. While sinning he was confident and, exercising authority, he wrought iniquity, and doing so was unabashed. His sin was evident, yet left unprosecuted by the judges; his wickedness was known, and they did not restrain him because it was his work. The work of the tax-collector and the harlot is manifest wickedness; he does not hide under an outward show to prevent exposure; he forcefully seizes without shame as others look on; he freely plunders without blushing as they behold him. This is sin which defies both shame and law, and is unconcealed from onlookers when it is perpetrated.

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I.e. the groaning of the persons he unjustly treated.

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ł ťƐƄ Ō Łł Ƌƕł ŦĭŅ Ĭô ŻƇŶ Ņ Ņ Ƙŏ ƈźŏ Ɖň ŧűň ƀò ƊíƆ Ņ ƊíƆ :ťƏĿŴ ň ƌł ťƘň Ŵò źŏ ŷíƆ Ņ ūň ťƉƢ Ņ Īł ĖųŨň ķŴƉŏ űƌł Īł ťūƢ ŅŅ ł ł Ņ ŏ ł ł ł ň Ņ ł :Ŧųƭ ƢŨ ĪĽ ŴƍƊíƆĪ ĿĬƦƌ Ƨ ƎƉ ňò Ņ ł ň Ņ Ō ň ň Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ĖťũſŅ Ł űſň Ľ ťŷƀƇƣ ŦĭųƌĪ ťƍƖŏ ſ ťƐƄ ň ł ƊíƆ ň ł Ņ Ņ ò ň :ŦƦŌ Ơƌĥ ƎƉ ĬƼŨ ťƀƘŴŅ źŶ ƨƉĪ ljŅ Ņ ĬŅ ň ĪŌ ƧĪĭł ł ŦŁŵŨň ųƇſ Ėƻł ŤƀŅ ŬŌ Əł ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƈƊŶ ł Īň ťƉŅ ƈƃŏ IJűƕĥ Ō Īł ljŅ ĬŅ :ŧǔň ūŅ Ł ƈƕł ŸƄƣĥ Ņ ŏ Ņ ł ł Ɔł ŦĭŅ Ĭô ĺűł ſŅ Ƨ ťƀƘŴ Ņ źŶ ĖŴƄŏ íƆŅ ųƊ Ņ Ņ ł ƧĪŅ ĭŅ ŏ ò ŏ ŏ Ņ ł Ņ Ņ :IJĬŴƉŴſ ķĭųíƿ ŧűŶŴƃ ƧĪ ťźŶĪ ljĬ Ņ ô ŏ ň Ņ ŏŅ ň Ņ ł Ɖň űƃł ĖťƍźíƆŴƣ ƎƉĭ ťƏŴƊƌ ƎƉ ƈƀł ŶƦ Ņ Ō ĭł ťźň ŶŅ ŏ ĭł ƈƀƃŁ ł Ɖň ťƍŅ źíƆŴƤŨ :ŦĭŅ Ĭô ŸƤł ŶƦ ł ł ƧŴŅ ƕł ŸƇł ƘŅ ĖųƆň ŸƇł ƘŅ űƃł IJĬô Ŵò Ƙł ĥ ƎƀŅ Ņ íƇò ūĭ ň Ō Ņ ł ł Ɖň Ƨĭ ĬƼ Ņ ĿƦ :ťƍň ŅòſĪł ƎƉň ťƀƣ ťƀíƇū Ņ Ņ źŶ ŏ ň ň Ņ Ņ Ō ł ň ĖŦĭĬô ĬűũƕĪ ųƆ ƎƀƐƃŁ Ƨĭ ųƖƣĭĿ ƗſűŌ ſŌ Ņ ŌŅ ł Ņ Ņ ň Ņ ł Ŀŏ ŦƼ Ņ ūł ĭĬô ťƖƣĭ :ťƀíƇ ƉĪ Ĭűũƕ Ņ ň Ņ ƌĮĪň ĭŅ ťƐƄ ł Ō ň ň Ņ ĖťƏƢƘƦŅ ƌ ƧĪ ťźŶ Ūƍū ťƊň ƄƏŤŨň ŴƆł ł ň Ō ŶŅ űƃł ƚźŶŅ ƚźŷ ł Ɖň Ƨĭ ųŨň ƎſƢƀ :űŷł ƃƦ Ņ ň ň Ņ ł ň Ņ ł Ɖň ł ň ł ĖƚƄƌƦƉ Ƨĭ ųƆ ƎſŵŶ űƃ ĮŤŨ ŵũƉ Ņ ň ŧűŅ ŶŴ ł ŦųŅ źŶ Ņ Ɗŏ ƌŅ ƎƉĭ Ņ ƃŏ ƎƉň űſƢŌ ƉĪ :ťƏŴ ł ň Ņ ňò Ņ ł ň ň ł ň Ņ ĖƥƉł ƦƤƉĪ ťƉ ťſŵŶ ƎƉ ťƙŶƦƉ Ƨĭ

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ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR The iniquity of the tax-collector is loudly proclaimed before whoever encounters him, it is robbery daily re-enacted in all its forms.

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THE LIGHT OF GRACE DAWNS IN ZACCHAEUS’ SOUL Zacchaeus the tax-collector heard that Jesus was passing through the land of Judea, and with love he wisely went out after Him to see Him. He was ill with iniquity, and he heard news that the Physician was coming; carrying his sickness, he went forth to see Him, that by chance He might heal him. Having in his soul a great consuming wound, he hastened to go to the medicinal Herb of Life,10 our very Lord. Avarice beheld the Just One and shut its mouth; with wholesome thoughts it stood up to scrutinize Him. The plunderer heard that, behold, the upright Judge was passing by, and he left off the habitual practices in which he was engaged. From grace, light dawned in Zacchaeus’ soul, and he recognized that in the Son, who forgives debts, he might take refuge. He entered into repentance as into a walled city to seek shelter from a robber’s marauding power. The lost sheep heard tidings of the Shepherd who had come, and he ran after Him to include himself into His flock. He saw the crowds which closely surrounded Him,

10 Medicinal Herb of Life (‘eqârâ d-ʚaye): Christ is both Physician and Medicinal Herb for the wounds of humanity. See Kollamparampil, Salvation, 339–40.

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Ņ Ɔł ųƇň ƟŅ ĶĿŅ űƃł ťƐƄ Ņ ƉĪŅ ƧŴŅ ƕł :ųŨň ƗŬł ň Ƙű Ņ ł ň ł ŏ ŏ Ņ ň Ō DŽƄŨ ŏ ŦŁű ĖƎƀò ƊŌ ƄƏ ŶƦƉ űƃ ĶŴƀíƿĪ ŦŁŵŨ Ņ Ņ ŦĭŅ Ĭ ƗƊƣ ŏ ł ł ň Ō ŏ :ĪĭųſĪ ťŌ ƕĿŤŨ ĺŴƤſ ƢũƕĪ ô ł ň ljŅ ĬŅ Ņ ŷŨ ň ƌĪň ťŨŴ Ņ Ƣŏ ƘŅ IJĬô Ŵſŵŷ ŏ ĬĿƦŨŅ ơƙƌł ĭł ĖƻŅ Ťƣĭ ň Ō ł ŦĭŅ Ĭ ųſƢƃ ł ĭł ƧŴŅ ƖŨ Ņ ĪŅ ųũň Ź ƗƊƣ :ŦŁĥĪň ťƀƏĥ ô ł ĭł ň ƃŌ ƎƖŹ ň ƌň ơƙƌł ĭł ųŨŤ ĖųƆň ħƞň ƕŅ ĶĪĪł IJĬô Ŵſŵŷ Ō ł ųƤƙ ł ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƻĥ ťŨŅ Ŀł ťƍŶŴ Ņ ƣŏ ň ƍŨ :ųñ ŨŅ ŦĭŅ Ĭô űſƢŌ ƉĪ ł ňł Ņ Ņň ň ň ň Əĭ ł ŧƢƠƕ űſĽ ųƠƘĥ ħĬƢ ĖķƢł ƉŅ ťƀò ŶĪ Ņ ł Əĭ ň ŦŁŴƍƖ Ņ Ƙŏ ŁƢƄ ł ŏ ſł ŁŵŶ Ņ ljŤŅ ƃŌ ƢŨł ĭųíƆ :ųñ ƉŴ ň Ņ ň ł ŁĪ ƦƊł ƟŅ ťũò Ź ťũň ƣŅ Ŵò ŷŨ ŏ ĭł ĖųŨň ťƠň ŨŁ ł :Ƣũł ƕŅ ŦƞſŅ ĿŁŌ ťƍŅ ſŅ Īł ŦĬĪŅ ŦĮĭŅ ŵŏ ŨŅ ƗƊƣ Ō ĭł ŏ Īł ƎƀƆň ĬŅ IJĬô ĭò űł ƀƕ ł Ɖň ķĭųŨ Ņ ƁƘĿĥ ĖŦĭŅ Ĭô Ņ ƅƘł ĬƦ Ņ ƌŏ ŏ Źł ƎƉň Ɓƃł ĮĪł ųƤƙ ł ŦĭŅ Ĭô ŸƌĪł ŧĿĬŴ ň ƍŨ :ŦŁŴũƀ Ņ Ɔł ųƕű ň ſĭ Ņ ŧƢũ ł ł ƌň ĭĬô ťŨň Ŵò Ŷł ơũň ƣĪ ĖųŨň ĸŴł ūƦ Ņ ň ŏ Ņ Ō ł ł ŏŅ ł ł ŧǓŴ :ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƈ ƕ Ņ ŏ ŏ Ņ ƣĪŅ ŦƦł ôƍſűƊł Ɔ ň ƅſĥ Ņ ŦŁŴł ũł ſƦƆň ĖŦŅ ŁĭĮĭŵŨĪ ťƐƀū ƌĪ ň Ņ ĭĬ ƎƉł ųñ ŨŅ ĿŁŅ ƦƐ Ņ ň Ņ ň Ņ :ŦŁĥĪ ťƀƕĿĪ ųũŹ ŦĭĬô ƗƊƣ ťƀƖŹ ťŨƢƕň ň Ō ł ł ň ŨŅ İĬĿ ň ĭł ŏ ƌĪň ĬĿƦ ň ƌł ĵŴƊŷ ĖĬƼƕƢ Ɖ Ō ŴŬŨ ųƤƙ Ō Īł ťƤň òƍƄíƆ ň ŦĭŅ Ĭ ŦŵŶ Ō Ƣƃ :ƻŤƀŅ ŬŌ Əł ųƆň ƎƀƄſ ô Ņ

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and the ranks of people which surged on forcefully ahead of Him. He strained to see the Son, but the multitudes which pressed forward from all sides to keep near Him, did not allow him. He was little of stature, the people thronged together, and what should he do? His pain was intense, but the Physician was concealed from his sight. He was afflicted by sins and longed to see Him who came to care for the suffering; ********************************** 11 The little man was hemmed in by the great concourse and did not manage to see the Son whom he loved. Though Zacchaeus was small in his appearance, not so small was his love, which surpassed even the world in breadth and width. Though his stature was smaller than those surrounding him, his mind transcended even the clouds, because he loved. If you look with discernment at this man, you will perceive him to be one of the mighty and renowned by reason of his lofty intellect. A great soul in a little body was to be seen, one whose measure transcended created things and their formations.12 His limbs were small, but his thoughts were farreaching; his appearance was little, but in searching he was greater than many.

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11 12

The second verse of the couplet seems to be missing. Formations (tûqânayhen).

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Ō Ņ Ņł ň ň Ō Ņ Ōł ł Ɵŏ ƎƀŹĬ ĖƻŤƙƀ ƟŁ Ņ IJĬô ŴƉĪŴ ĿĪ ťƊƕĪ ŧǓűƏĭł ň Ņ ł Ō ň ň ƌł ťƀíƆ Ņ Ł Ņ :ųƆ ƎƀŨųł ſ Ƨĭ ŧƢũƆ IJĬô ŴſŵŷƌĪň ųƤƙ ŏ Ō ĮĪŅ ťƤň òƍƃň ĖųŨň ķŴƙŹƦƌĪň Ǝƀò ũŌ ūł ƈƃŏ ƎƉň ƎƀŨĿ ň ň ƌň ťƍŅ Ɖĭ Ņ ťƊŅ ƕł ƞũň Ŷĭ Ņ ƕĮŏ ĬƦƉŴ Ņ ťſĿŴ :űũƖ Ɵł Ņ ň ƃŌ ň ĭł ƎƀƐŌ Ŷł ųŨŤ ł ƌĪň ťƀƏ Ņ ĥ ťƍū ĖųŨň ťƠň ŨƦ Ņ ł Ō ň ƌĪň ŦĭŅ Ĭô ŭƀūĿ Ņ ĭł Ŧųňò źŷ Ō ŧĿŴŅ Ɩŏ ƐíƆ ĖŦŵŷ Ũ ƞƀƭ ł Ņ Ņ ūł ň ŏ ł ł ň Ņ Ņ Ņ :ŦĭĬô ƈƟƢƕƦƉ ťŨĿ ťƤƍƄŨ ŧĿŴƕĮň ŧƢũ Ņ Ņ Ɔł IJĬŴſŵŷ ł ŧƢũ ĖųƆň ŦĭŅ Ĭô Ūŷň ƉĪ ô ň ƌĪň ŦĭŅ Ĭł ô ťźƉŅ Ƨĭ ł Įł Ĭĭŵň ŷŨ ň ŦĭŅ Ĭô ĿŴƕĮŏ Īł ƅſĥ ťƍŅ ƃł ĬŅ ŴƆł : Ɓ ƃ ň ň Ŷŏ ŦĭŅ Ĭô ĿŴƕĮŏ Ņ ƕŅ ƎƉň ĻĥĪŅ ųŨŴ ĖŦƦƘĭł ŦĭŅ Ĭô ŸſĭĿŌ ťƊíƇ ň ŏ Ņ ł Ō ƢŌ ƟĪł ŦŤňƀò ŬŌ Əł ƎƉň ĬƦŶŴ :ųƆň Ǝƀũſ ťſƢƃ Ņ ƤƉ ò ł ł ň ł ł Ņ ň Ņ Ŀň ň ĖŪŷƉŌ űƃ Ƣũƕ ł ťƍƍƖł íƆ ň Ļĥ ƎſĪ ųƍň ƀƕ Ņ ūł ljŅ ųŨ Ņ Ņ Ƣŏ ƘŅ Ʀôƌĥ ĿŤŶŅ ķĥ ŧƢũ :ƻŤƣĭ Ņ ň ƊŨ ł ŦŁųŅ ƊŅ ƣò Īł ŦĭŅ Ĭô ŧƢŅ ũŅ ôƍūł ĖťƉŅ ĿŅ ųƕű Ņ ł Ņ ł ł ŦƦŨ Ņ ƙŨ ł Ɖň ŧĿŴŅ ƕĮŏ ŧƢŬ :ŁĭŅ Ĭô ťſŵŅ ŶƦ ŏ Ņ Ņ ň ň Ņ ŏ Ŀ Ņ ťƤƙł ƌ ò Ņ ň ł ĖƎſųƀƍƟĭŁĭł ŦƻǔŨ ƎƉ Ĭñ ƦŶŴƤƉ ťƀíƆŁĪ ň Ō ĿŌ ĥ ƎſĪň IJĬŴũł ƣŅ Ŵò Ŷŏ IJĬŴò Ɖł ĪŅ Ĭł ƎſƢƃ :ĭĭł Ĭô ƎƀƄſ ô ô ň Ņ ň Ņ Ũł ĿŴƕĮŏ Ņ Ũł ħĿĭł ĬŁŵŷ ĖŦŤƀò ŬŌ Əł ł ƎƉň ŦŁƞũ Ņ Ņ ň Ņ Ɔł IJĬŴſŵŷ Ņ Ľň ƅſĥ ŧƢũ :ųƍň ƀŨ ô ň ƌň ťźƉŅ ƧĪ ŦŵŶ

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ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR He perceived that he would not succeed in seeing the Son as he wished, and so the wise one ran to a fig tree13 to find a means. Immediately Zacchaeus said the following to the fig tree: “Make a way14 for me, as you have been accustomed to do from the beginning of time! You clothed Adam when he was stripped: now provide for my need, that I may see the Son. Allow me to scale your height that, standing in your boughs, I may catch sight of the Lord of Eden who has come to visit us. Make a place15 for me in your lofty crest where I may stand and see Him who, with His Father, caused all trees to sprout. Briefly bear me up while I gaze upon and scrutinize the Fruit of Life16 which was sent to us from on high. My stature is small, and if I stand not upon your height, I shall not catch sight of thy Lord amid the crowds. I have no height, and you have no fruit, since you are barren: be height for me, and I shall be your fruit.

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Gen.3:7

Fig tree (têtâ): Jesus had dried up the fig tree (Mt. 21:19) since he had come to heal Adam, and its leaves (Gen. 3:7) were no longer needed as He was bringing a robe of glory to clothe him. From this very tree renewed by Christ’s suffering, Jacob sees Zacchaeus as a first fruit. See Jacob’s mimro “On the Fig Tree which Our Lord Cursed,” Bedjan IV, 724–39. See Ephrem, CD XVI.1–10 and his Paradise Hymns: II.7, III.13, VII.6, XI.8, XII.10.13.14. See also note 31. 14 Way (pursâ). 15 Place (atrâ): perhaps an intentional use of the Syriac term here. In his commentary to the “Homily on Zacchaeus” by Cyrillona, Vona sees the tree in Lk. 19 to be the Tree of Life in Paradise and he includes a reference to the Cross which would make of it a place (atrâ) of God’s presence. On atrâ in Jacob, see note 36. 16 Fruit of Life (pirâ d-ʚaye): “All the negative results of the fall are seen as blotted out by Christ who is depicted by symbolic titles such as the Fruit of Life.” See Kollamparampil, Salvation, 115–16. 13

.¾éÝâ Ú܇ áîƒ

ŏ ťƊƀ ŏ ƌň ųƏĿŴ ň ŦŁŅ ŁŌ ŁŴíƆ ň ƘĪ Ņ ƄŌ Ŷł İĬĿ Ņ ĭł ĖĿŴƖƐ Ņ Ņ Ō Ņ ĭł :Ɓƃł Įł ŦŁƦíƆ ųñ íƆŅ ŦĭŅ Ĭô ł ƢƉł ĥ ƎƀƆň ĬĪŅ ťƊƃĥ Ņ Īł ƅſĥ ťƏĿŴ ň Ņ Ƙŏ ƁƆŌ IJűũƕ ĖťſŅ ĿŴŅ ƣŏ ň ƎƉň IJŁűł ƖƉ Ņ ł Ō ł ň Ź ĶĪŅ Ƨ IJĬŴſƦƤũň ƭ IJƦƌĥł ł ĥ űƃł ťƘǔ Ō ƘŁ :ƁƏƢ ô ň ł ň ôň Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ŏ ň ň Ņ ƢũƆ ŦŵŶĥĪ ťň ƣĬ Ɓƍň ƠƌŴƏ ƨƉƦƌ ƁƄŨ ň Ņ Ėŧ ò ň Ŀł ƁƆŌ ƁŨĬł ł :ƁƃǁŴƏ ƈƕł ĶŴŅ Ɵŏ ĥ ơƏł ĥ ƁƄƉĭ ł Əł ŦŁĥĪň ķűƕ Ņ ųŨň ťƠň ŨŁĥ ł ĭň ň Īł Ĭñ ƢŅ ƊŨ ĖķƢƖ ň ł Ō ŧĿŁŅ ĥ ƁƆŌ IJűũƕ ň ň ĭň ĶŴƟŏ ĥ ťƉŅ ĿŅ ƁƄƤſ ň ƢŨ :IJĬô ŴſŵŶĥ Ō Īł ĭųíƆ ł ň Ƈŏ ſŅ Ƌƕł ƎƀƍŌ íƇŅ òſĥŌ ƈƃŏ ŦĭŅ Ĭô Ɓƕĭĥ ĖĬĪŴ ł ň ljŅ ôĥ ĿŤŶŅ űƕł ƈƀƇŌ Ɵł IJƢũƀ ł Ɖĭ ł Əł :ljŅ ôĥ ťƠň ŨƦ ł ňł Ņ Ō ĖťŅ ƀŅ íƇŅ ƕň ƎƉň ƎƆł ĿĪł ƦƣĥĪň ťƀò ŶĪ ŧĿŤƙŨ ň ł ł Ņ ł ň ň ł Ņ Ņ ƕĮŏ :ljôĥ ĶŤƟ Ƨ ƁƄƉĭĿ ƈƕ ķĥĭ IJƦň ƉŴƟ ň ťſĿŴ Ņ ŦŵŶ ň ĥ ljŅ ôĥ ťźƉŅ ƧŅ Ėťł Ƥň òƍƃň ƦƍƀŅ Ũł ƁƃƢň ƊíƆ Ņ Ŀł ƁƆŌ ƧŅ ł Īł ŧĿŤŅ ƘŌ ƁƄƆň ƧĭŅ ťƉĭ :IJƦôƌĥ ťſŵŅ ŬƉ Ņ Ŀł ƁƆŌ IJĭĬ Ņ ĖƁƄŨň ljŅ ôĥ Ŧĭň Ĭł Ņ ŧĿŤŅ ƘŌ ljĥŅ ĭň ťƉĭ ň ƏĪ ł Īŏ ň ťƉŅ IJƦôƌĥ ƁƆŌ ƁƇŅ Ɖł IJƦƉŴ ł Ɵł ǁĭ :ƁƄƆň ƦƠíƇ

21

110

115

120

22 125

ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR Fill up the deficiency of my stature when I climb upon you, and I shall fill up for you the place of fruit.” ZACCHAEUS CLIMBS UP TO GAZE AND THE SIGHT OF THE LORD FASHIONS HIM ANEW

130

135

140

Then the wise one climbed up and stood in the fig tree, and see, he beheld our Lord who was coming, surrounded by the multitudes. His short stature did not suffice his faith, and so he added a borrowed height to himself so as to see the Son. Love seized him, and he climbed up and stood in the tree, that his vision might take its fill of the Son of God. He perceived that he was lowly and would not be able to see the Son, so he snatched a height not his own, on which he stood and saw Him. His faith made for him a new stature which, for a moment, was taller than the entire throng. The lowly one climbed up and stood high in the tree to view how much the Lofty One had descended unto lowliness. He raised himself up to see Him who had descended; he scaled the height to gaze upon Him who had come down to the depths. The chief tax-collector looked upon our Lord and became righteous; he saw Him from afar and loved Him as though from near at hand.

.¾éÝâ Ú܇ áîƒ

351

ł Īŏ ƁƃňŁŴíƆ ň ljŅ ôĥ ƨň ƊƉ ł ŧĿŤŅ ƘŌ ǁĭ Ņ ljĥŅ ĭň ĖƁƄ Ũ Ņ ł Ō ň Ņ ťƊƀ Ņ ŦŁƦŨ Ņ ƄŌ Ŷł ơƇƏ :ųŨň ĿŤŶŅ ŦĬĭ ųƆň ƋƟĭ ň ƎƀƄſ Ō Īł ųƊň ƕł ťƤň òƍƃĭ ň ŦňŁĥĪŅ ķƢł ƊŨ Ō Ƣƃ Ņ Ėų Ɔ ň ŏ Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ň ł Əň ƧŅ :ĬŁŴƍƊſųíƆ ŦŁĿŴƕĮ ĬƦƉŴƟł Łĭł Ņ Ĭô Ņ Ʀ Ơƙ Ō Ņ Ɔł Ŧŵŷ ň ĥ ƨſŤƣ Ņ Ŀĭł ň ƌĪň ųƆň ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƚƏĭ ĖŧƢũ ť Ɖĭ Ō ň ƌł ň ĭł ťŨŴ Ņ Ŷŏ ųƘƦ :ťƍŅ íƇſŅ ĥ ƈƕł ųƆň ƋƟŅ ơƇƏ Ņł ł ň ň ň ň ňŅ ñ Ņ ŏ ųƍƉ ƨƉŁ ĬŁŵŶ ųíƿĪ ĖŦųŅ ƭ ƢŨĪ Ņ:ŧƢũƆł Ŧŵŷ ł ŦŵŶ ň ƌĪň ŦĭŅ Ĭô ťźň ƉŅ ƧĭŅ ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƅƀƄŌ ƉĪ Ņ Ņ ł ł ň ĪŌ ƧĪĭł Ņ ťƉĭ Ņ Ŀł ųƆň ƚźŶ ĖųŨň ň ĿŤŶŅ ƋƟĭ ų Ƈſ Ņ Ņ Ĭł ųƆň ŁĭŅ Ĭô Łűũ ł ƕň ŦŁŅ űŶ ł ŦƦƉŴ :ĬŁŴƍŏ Ɗſ Ɵł ň ŏ ň Ņ Ņ ƣŅ ŧűŷ Ņ ƃň ųƿ Ņ Ũł ĴĿŤł ƌŌ ťƤƍ Ėť Ɩ ƎƉ ĻĥĪ Ō ł Ņ ł ň ň Ņ Ō Ņ Ņ ł Ņ :ťƍíƇſŅ ĥ ƈƕ ťƉĭƢŨ ųƆ ƋƟ ťƄƀƄƉ ơƇƏ Ņ Ŧŵŷ ŏ ƄŌ ƊíƆ ł Ņ ň ƌĪň ň Ņ Īł ťƉŅ ƢíƆ ĖŦŁŴŌ Ƅƀ ł ň Ŧł ĭĬô ƦŅ ŷƌ ň ťƊƃ ł ňĥ ł ƌĪň ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƁƇŌ ƕŁ :IJƦŶŁŁĥĪ ĭŅ ųŨ ŦĭĬô ťƠŨƦ ň ł ŦĭŅ Ĭ ơƇƏ ŏ ŦŁĥĪň ĭųŨ Ņ ƖíƆ ł Īł ťƉĭ Ņ ƢíƆ ĖĿŴŷƌŏ ťƠƉŴ ô Ņ ųŨň ƢŶŅ Ņ ƉŅ ķƢł ƊŨ ł ĭň ťŨŅ Ŀł ťƐƄ :ŦĭŅ Ĭô ľĪł ĪĮĥ Ņ Ŀŏ ƎƉň IJųſŵŶ Ņ Ɵŏ ƎƉň ƅſĥĭł ťƠŶĭ Ņ ł ťŨĿŴ ĖųƆň ŦĭŅ Ĭô Ūũň ŷƉ ô ŏ Ņ ƃł ťſŴ Ņ ŷíƆ ň :ťƘň Ŵò źŶŅ ħĿł Ɓƃł Įł ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƼƄƌŌ ťƀƐ

23

125

130

135

140

24

145

150

155

ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR Zacchaeus, the chief of the extortioners, had been bitten by a hidden serpent: he gazed upon the Son, and its venom vanished from his members.17 The viper’s bite pained him when he perceived it, and he ran to look upon Him by whose type18 the Hebrews were restored to life. Our Lord stood in place of that bronze serpent for the chief tax-collector whom iniquity had bitten like a basilisk. Sin, like venom, was spread throughout his soul, but when he gazed upon the Son, it vanished from him and he became righteous. The sight of our Lord fashioned19 the tax-collector anew, for as soon as he looked upon Him, he was changed from his evil ways. He merely gazed at Him, and he found all righteousness, for love produces action wherever it wishes to gaze.20

Num 21:6 Cf. Num 21:9

Num 21:9, Cf. Jn 3:14, 8:28, 12:32

Num 21:4-9

17 Zacchaeus inherited the venom from the serpent’s having bitten Adam. It was Jesus’ suffering which healed Adam’s wound. And as Zacchaeus looked on Jesus he was healed, a healing prefigured by the presence of the bronze serpent in the desert. See Jacob’s mimro “The Bronze Serpent” (Hom. 4, Bedjan I 47–67). Theodore of Mopsuestia in his “Preface to the Commentary on Jonah” speaks about the bronze serpent and its typological aspects. See also Narsai’s “Memra on the Brazen Serpent.” See J. Frishman, “Type and Reality.” 18 Type (râzeh), see Bou Mansour, Éphrem, 26–35. 19 Zacchaeus looks on Jesus and is healed of his sinfulness, Christ created him anew. On healing as a second creation in Ephrem see Shemunkasho, Healing, 411– 13. 20 Love (ʚûbâ) occurs frequently in this homily, mostly from 154 to 180. Love and desire characterize how Jacob sees human understanding of God’s providence. Zacchaeus knows because he loves not because he inquires or searches out. Whereas for Ephrem the key is faith, for Jacob it seems to be love. See Bou Mansour, Jacques, II, 411–24. See also S.P. Brock, “Dieu Amour.” And on love as a key to the understanding of Scripture see Jacob’s mimro “On the Veil of Moses” (Bed. vol. 3, Hom. 79, 283–305), lines 19–20.

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352

Ņ Ņ Ũł ųŨň ƢŶĭ ł Īĭň ŧƢũ Ņ ĖIJĬô Ŵò Ɖł ł ĪŅ Ĭł ƎƉň ŦŁƢƉň ň ǂƕ ň ł ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ň ĥ űƃ ŁĭĬô ĬƦƤŶň ĥ ťƏƢūĪ Ņ ĬŁŴŷƉ ŏ :ųñ Ũ ƥūĿ Ņ Ņ ň ň ĭł ł Ŧŵŷ ň ƌň İĬĿ ł ĬĮň ĿŤô ŨĪł ĭųíƆ Ėťſň ǔũƕ ŴƀŶ ł Īŏ Ņ Ŷň ǁĭ :ķƢł ƉŅ ł ƁŅ ƇŌ Ɖł ťƤňŅ ŷƌŅ Īł ĭĬł ťſŴ ł Ņ Ŷł ƅſĥ ƧŴƕł ĬǂƌĪł ťƐň Ƅò ƉĪŅ ťŨŅ ƢíƆ ĖťƍŅ ƉƢ Ņ ň Ņ Ō ŏ Ũł ųƤƙ ł ŦƼ ň ƍŨ Ņ ƢŌ Ƙł ŦŁƢ :ŁĭŅ Ĭô ťŷſ Ɖ ŁŴƉű źŶ Ņ ł ł ň ň ň Ņ ł ň ł ł ĖŦĭĬô ľĪĪĮĥĭ ųƍŅ Ɖ ǂƕĪ ŧƢũŨ ƢŶŅ űň ƃĭ Ņ Ō ķƢł ƉĪŅ ĬŁŵŶ Ņ ŦŁűŶ Ņ ƊíƆ Ņ ł ƕň ťƐƄ ł ŦƻƢŨ :ň Łűũ ł ň ň Ņ Ņ ň ł Ʀƣ ĖĬƦƤŅ ƀò Ņ ŨŌ ƎƉň ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƚƇŶ ĥ ųŨ ƢŶĪ ŧűŷƉĪ Ņ ŏ ŏ ł ň ł Ō ŏ Ũł ųŨň ƢŶŅ :ŦŁŴƠſĪĮ ųñ íƿ ŸƄƣĥĭ ĪŴŷíƇ Ņ Īł Ņ ťŨŴ Ņ Ŷŏ ĿŴŷƌŏ Īł ťŨň ĽĪŅ ťƄſĥ Ėűũň ƕŅ Ō ŧűŅ ũƕ Ņ ň ł ł Ņ ũŌ Ŷł Ķűň Ɖň Ŧŵň ŶŅ ŦƦū :ƻŤũƀ Ņ ł Ō Ņ Ņ ň ň ƢŨ ł Īł ƎƉň Ō ł ĖŪſƢƟ Ƨ űƃ ƻŤƍƀŨĽ ųƆ ĻŁĭƦƣĥ

25

145

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155

26

ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR The one who with desire looks on something lovingly voluntarily communes with it, though he be far off. The impulses of desire bring about a work21 after the manner of God which causes either edification or destruction to him who possesses it.22 And evil desire produces iniquity even by its gaze, whereas a desire of truth is entirely involved with God. From the tree Zacchaeus saw God with desire, and the fervour of his love joined him to Him in communion. If one’s soul desires to view something closely, that thing is near at hand because of his love, however distant it may be. There is no distance which can prevent desire from intermingling,23 for to the degree that it gazes, it is wholly joined with that which it beholds.

160

165

THE GAZE OF ZACCHAEUS AT CHRIST IS TRANSFORMED BY CHRIST’S LOVE Zacchaeus stood further away than the entire throng, but because he gazed at Christ with desire, he was joined to Him. The fire of love burned hotly within him, and as he looked upon the Son, with desire he received Him into his thoughts. If love had not performed its work there, who would have been further from our Saviour than Zacchaeus?

170

Work (britâ). I.e. the desire or the work 23 Intermingling (ʚûlʞânâ) and joined (ʚliʞâ): words of mingling in Jacob reflect the Incarnation. Along His way (ûrʚâ) He mingles with creation. See Kollamparampil, Salvation 199–200. For metaphors of mingling and mixing in early Syriac literature, see Stewart, ‘Working the Earth of the Heart,’ 188–203. 21 22

.¾éÝâ Ú܇ áîƒ

353

Ō Ņł Ņ Ō Ņ ň ň òł Ō Ŧƻ Ō ƠƉ :ƻĥųŅ ƭ ƎƀƊƀ ƢŨ ŦƦū ł Ņ ĿĪŅ ň ťƕĭł Į Ņ Ņ ł Ņ ň ŏ Ņ Ə ĭĥ ťƍƀƍŅ Ũ ĭĥ Ņ ĖŅ ųñ ł íƆ ťŅ ƍƟűŅ ƆŅ ťƙŅ ŶŴ Ņ Ō ł :Ĭñ ŁŵŷŨ Ļĥ ŧűũƕ ƧŴƕ ŦƼƍƏ ŦƦū Ŀň Ņ Ņ Ō ŅŅ ł ł Ņ ŏ Ņ ň Ėųñ íƿŏ ťźƀƇŶ Ō Ŀĭň Ņ Ŧň ųƭŅ ƋŅ ƕł ŦƦƣŴŅ ƟĪ Ņ ŦƦū Ņ ł ł ƢŨ ŦųíƆň Ƨ IJųô ſŵŶ ťƍíƇſĥ ƎƉ Ņ :Ɓƃŏ ŅĮ ŦƦū ň ŶĪ ł ŏ ťŶŁ Ņ Ŀĭň ĖŦŁŴƘŁŴƤŨ ųƊňň ƕł ųźíƇŶł ųŨŴ ł ŁĪ Ķűň Ɖň ųƤƙ ň ƌł ťūŅ ĿĪŅ ťƍſŅ ĥł :ųŨň ťƠň ŨŁ ň Ŷŏ ƈźŏ Ɖň ĭĬô ťũſ Ņ ł ƢŌ Ɵł ųƆň ơƀŶŌ Ŀł ķňĥ ťƊƃ ĖųŨŴ ň ł Ō Ņ Ņ ň Ņ :ťƍŅ źíƆŴŶŏ ƎƉň ŦƦūƢíƆ ƨƄƌĪň ŧĿŴŅ Ź ƻĥ Ƨ Ņ Ō Ņ Ņ Ņ ł Ņ ŏ Ņ ųñ íƿ Ņ ťƊŨ ĖųŨň ŁƢł ŶĪ IJ Ĭ ť źƀ ƇŶ ŧƢƀŶĪ Ņ ťƊƃĪ ô ł ň ň ł Ņ Ņ ł Ņ ň ĥ ťƤƍƃ ųƿŏ ƎƉň ŪŹ :ƁƃĮ ŦĭĬô ňƋƟ ơŶĿ Ņ ň ł ł Ō Ũł ƢŶŅ ŦƦū Ņ ƤƊ ĖųƊň ƕł ųŌ źíƇŶł ťŷƀ ƢŨĪ ƈƕĭ ł ň Ō ň Ņ Ņ Ņ ŶĪ ŏ ŧĿŴŅ ƌŏ ł :ƻŤƊƀƊŶ ųŨ ŁĭĬô ƦƙƏ ťŨŴ Ņ ň ň ƣĭ Ņ Ũł ųŨň ƢŶĭ ł ŧƢũ Ņ ĖIJĬô Ŵũł ƣŅ Ŵò Ŷŏ ƈƕł ł ŦƦūƢŨ ųƇƠ Ņ ŏ ň ň Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ :ƎƉŁ Ĭűň ũƕ ŦĭĬô ƥƊŅ ƣł Ƨ ťŨŴŶŏ Ŵƭ ł Ƣŏ ƘŅ ƎƉň Ɓƃł Įł ƎƉň ŪŹ ŦĭŅ Ĭ ơƀŶŌ Ŀł ƎƉł ĖƎƟĭ ô ŅŌ ň ł Ņ ň ň ł ł Ņ :ųŨ ťƠŨƦƌ ŦŁŁ ƈƕ ƋƟ ťƤƍƃň ƎƉň ƢũíƆ

27

160

165

170

28

ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR Outside the crowd he stood in the fig tree to look upon Him, but his love brought him nearer than all who were assembled there. He gazed while loving, he beheld the Son while yearning, and who was there that was so close to Him as he? As his thirsty gaze knelt down toward our Saviour, drinking from Him as from a wellspring full of life; and as he snatched the Son from amid the throng with his eyes, that he alone might take delight in Him, that Sweet Fruit;24 and as he rejoiced to have found a place according to his wish, high enough that from it he might see Him whom he loved: then our Lord looked up into the tree as He was passing and saw Zacchaeus standing in its boughs. He looked upon him with love and began to say to him: “Come, Zacchaeus, I see you as you see Me. Come, tax-collector, and be an apostle to the repentant, and teach them that I possess mercy along with forgiveness. Come, O sinner, go out together with My disciples and proclaim Me, for I receive whoever repents of his evil deeds.

175

180

185

190

Sweet Fruit (pirâ ʚalyâ): for the Christological dimensions of pirâ see Bou Mansour, Jacques, II, 101–09. The relation of Fruit to the Tree or Root is examined by Ephrem in his Hymns on Faith 77. And Bou Mansour looks at the Trinitarian aspects of this imagery in his Éphrem, 187–93. 24

.¾éÝâ Ú܇ áîƒ

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ł ł ň Ɵĭ Ņ Ŷŏ ųŨƢ ł ťŨŴ ĖƎƉŅ Ł ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƻĥĪŌ ķĭųíŏ ƿŏ ƎƉň ŴŬíƆ ł Ɖň űƃł ŧƢũ ł ĿƦ Ņ Ɔł IJųſŵŶ Ņ ĭł Ūŷň Ɖł űƃł ƢŶŅ :ĨƢū ô ň Ņň Ō ł ĖĭĬŏ ķĥ Ƨĥ Ǝƃł ĬŅ ŪſƢŌ ƟĪł ň ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƻĥ Ŵƍŏ Ɖĭ Ņ Ō ł Ƣŏ ƘŅ ƈƕł Ŧƻ Ņ ƢŌ Ũł űƃł ĭ Ņ ťƄſ :ƎƟĭ ĬĽ ĬŁł ŵŶ ň ň Ņ ƌň ƎƉň ƅſĥ ųƍň Ɖň ťſƦ Ņ Ņ ƣĭ Ėťƀò Ŷł ƨƉĪł ťƖũ ň ň Ņ ł ň ł ŧƢũƆ ųƆ ƚźŶŅ űƃĭ ł :ťƤň òƍƃ ƼŨň ƎƉň IJĬô Ŵƍł ƀò ƖŨ Ō ųŨň ƋƐł ŨƦ ŏ ł ƌň IJĬô ĭĪŴł ŷíƇ Ņ Ŷł ŧĿŤŅ ƙŨ ŏ Ũł ĭĬĪ ĖťƀíƇ ł Ņ ł Īň ŦĭŅ Ĭ ŧűň ŶŅ űƃĭ ł Ņ Ľň ƅſĥ ŦǁĭĪŏ ŸƄƣĥ :ųƍň ƀŨ ôł ł ųñ ƍŅ Ɖň Ŧŵŷ Ņ Ŀ ųñ íƆŅ ƻĥĪŌ ň ƌĪň ťƉĭ ň Īł ĭųíƆ ĖŦĭŅ Ĭô ŪŶĥ Ņ łŅ ł Ņ Ņ Ō Ņ ł Ņ ň Ņ ň :ŦĭŅ Ĭò ô ł Ƣũƕ ł űƃ Ņ ťƍíƇſŤň ŨŅ ƢŶł ķƢł Ɖł ƎſűſŅ Ĭł ĖĬǁŴƏ ƈƕ ŦĭĬô ĶŤƟ űƃ ƁƃŵíƆ ŦŵŶĭ Ņ Ņ ŷŨ ł ťŨŴ ŏ ųŨň ƢŶŅ :ŦĭĬô džň Ɗƌł Īł IJĬô ĭł Īĥł Ľň IJƢŌ ƣĭ Ņ ł ł Ņ Ō Ņ ň łł Ņ Ņ ĖƁƌ ƻ ŵŶ Ī ƅſ ĥ Ĵ ƻ ŵŶ ljĥĭ ƁƃĮ ƅƆ ŦŁŅ ł ň Ņ Ō Ņ Ō ň Ō ťƐƄ Ņ ƉŅ ƅƆŅ ŦŁ ò :ťũſŁ űſĽ ťŷƀŅ Ƈƣ ƁƆ IJĭĬ Ņ ƣŏ Ļĥ ťƊŶ ň Ǔł ƁƆŌ ƻĥĪŌ ķŴƌŏ ňĥ ƚňƭĭł ĖťƍŅ ƠŨŴ ň ĥł ľŴƘŏ ťƀŅ źŅ Ŷł ŦŁŅ Ō Łł Ƌƕł ƁƍſĮł Ƣƃ :IJűł ƀòň ƊíƆ ł ňŅ ł Īł ĖĬƦƤŅ Ņ ƀò ŨŌ ƎƉň ħĥŁĪ ťƍſŅ Ƨ ljŅ ôĥ ƈũň ƠƉ ł ĭł ŦĮĭŅ ŵŏ ŨŅ ŁŴŶŏ Ņ Ũŏ İĬĿ :ŦŁĭĮĭŏ Ƣŏ ƃĪŅ ťŶĿĭŤ

29

175

180

185

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30

ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR Come down, plunderer, and hasten on the path of preaching: proclaim hope and life to the wicked with a resounding voice. Come, I shall send you to the lawless to teach them that I possess mercy and I receive the one who seeks Me. Come, I shall portray in you a comely image25 of repentance, so that the whole world may admire and imitate you.26 Come, be among sinners an advocate of My compassion, that I earnestly wish to forgive the debts of whomever seeks Me. In you peoples, worlds, and regions will learn of Me, that I am the Shepherd, and that I cherish the lost sheep. Come, descend, Zacchaeus: I must abide in your house today; come down, make ready for Me, that I may take pleasure at your repast.”

195

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Lk 15:4-6, 24, 19:10, Jn 10:11 Lk 19:5

CHRIST THE HUSBANDMAN, BY HIS TEACHING REDEEMS THE WORLD This was a guest who came of His own bidding, and though He was not invited, He was ready for a supper.

Portray (eʜûr): Ephrem’s use of visual imagery to depict the economy of salvation is well documented in Sidney Griffith’s “The Image of the Image Maker in the Poetry of St. Ephraem the Syrian.” The verb ʜûr is found in Bou Mansour’s study of Ephrem’s use of symbols, another indication that iconic imagery may be very basic to Ephrem’s way of theologizing, see Bou Masour, Éphrem, 44–52. For examples in Jacob see Konat’s “A Metrical Homily of Jacob of Serugh.” Here words like image, picture, depiction, color, carve, draw, imprint are found throughout. Kollamparampil comments on Jacob’s iconic imagery, see Salvation, 391–93. 26 Here Zacchaeus becomes an effective sign for all humanity much as did the Sinful Woman, see Johnson, “The Sinful Woman,” 71, 81. 25

.¾éÝâ Ú܇ áîƒ

Ņ Ņ ňò ł Ņ ł ň ò Ō Ō ĭł ĖťƉŅ ĿŅ ƨň ƠŨ ťƀł Ŷĭ ŧƢũƏ ťƤƀũíƆ IJƢƟ ň ň ƣŌ Ǔł ƈƕł ĴĿűŅ ƣł ĥ ŦŁŅ :ķŴƌŏ ĥ ƚƆň ŁĪ ťƖƀ ł ł ŅŅ Ō Ņ Ɔł ljŅ DŽũň ƠƉ ĖƁƆŌ ťƖň Ņ Ũű ĪŌ ô ł ĭ ťƍƍŶ ƁƆ ƻĥ Ņ ň Ņ Ľł ƅŨŅ ĿĭĽŏ ĥ ŦŁ :ŦŁŴũŏ ſŁŅ Īł ťſŤŅ Ƙ ťƊíƆ ň ŏ ł ƌň ťƊíƇ ł ĿƦ Ņ ƕŅ ųƿĪ ł ƌĪň ƅƆŅ ĨƢū ĖƅŨŅ ťƉň ĪƦ ňŅ ł Ɔł ŧƢūŤ Ņ ƍƏ Ō ŦŁŅ Ņ ƢƊ Ō IJĭĬ :ťƀò źŶł űſĽň IJŁŴƍŏ ƊŶ ň ƁŬŌ ƏĪ ŏ ňĥ ljŅ ôĥ ťƕĿ Ņ Ɔł ťŨň Ŵò Ŷł ľŴũƣ ł ĖƁƆŌ Ņ ťƖň Ũű ň ł ĭł ťƊíƇ ŏ ƌŌ ƅŨŅ ò ƕĭ Ņ ťƊň Ɗò ƕł ƁƍƌŴŅ ƙíƆŤ :ŦŁĭŅ ǓŁĥ Ņ ň ljŅ ňĥ ťƀƕ Ņ ƕĭ Ņ Ź ťŨƢ Ņ ĿĪŅ ĖƁƆŌ ĭĬô ŏ Ūƀň ũŌ Ŷł ň ťƀƖ Ņ ł ł Įł ŁŴŶŏ ŦŁŅ ň ĥ ƧĭŅ ĴƼ Ņ ſł ŦĭĬ :ƎƉŴ ũŨ Ɓ ƃ Ņ ŏŅ ł Ō ň ł ŏ ł Ɖň ĴŁĭ ĖljŅŅ ôĥ ƋƐł ŨƦ ƢƤŨĪ ƁŅ Ɔ ƎƟŁĥ ŁŴŶ ň ň ŏ ťŶĿ ł łŅ ň ň Ņ Ņ :ųƍƀŨƞŨ ŦŁĥ ųƤƙƌ ƎƉ ĭĬĪ łł ň ĥň ĭĬô ł ljĬŅ ł Ņ ŌŅ ł Ņ ĖŦƼƊƤŷƆ ŦĭĬô ŪƀŹŁĥ ųƆ ĭƢƟ Ƨ űƃĭŅ ł Ņ ł ł ň ň Ņ :ljŅ ôĥ ŧĿň ƦƤƉň ƋƆł ĴƼũŨ ĭ ųƍƉ ťƖŨ Ƨ

31

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200

32

ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR

205

He did not ask Zacchaeus, but said, ‘In your house I must lodge’27: love gazed upon Him and exceedingly rejoiced to go with Him. O Husbandman,28 who cultivated a field which was overgrown, labouring until even the weeds were turned into stalks of wheat! The irrigation of His teaching kept the wicked thorns low until they produced sweet fruit throughout the world. From a harlot He received tears as a first fruit,

210

and the chief tax-collector, who simply gazed at Him, He made an apostle. Even from stones He brought forth fruit by His crucifixion,29 and flintly rocks issued streams for Him when He required it of them. In the wilderness He gave bread, in inhabited regions good wine, to the hungry satiety, and to the suffering every kind of succour. He passed not through a place without receiving tribute there, and even the barren fig tree He required to give Him fruit.

215

Hos 9:10, Js 1:18, Rev 14:4

Mt 27:51-3, Lk 19:40 Ex 17:5ff, Deut 8:15 1 Cor 10:4 Ex 16:31, Deut 8:16, Jn 2:1-11 Ex 3:7, Mt 15:32-7 Mt 22: 15-22

Lodge (meštare): for this and other images of dwelling and the indwelling of Christ as found in early Syriac literature derived from šrâ, see Stewart, ‘Working the Earth of the Heart,’ 211–23. 28 Husbandman (’akârâ): see Murray, Symbols, 195–99. Included are references to the Odes of Solomon, to Aphrahat and to Ephrem. 29 The shaking of the earth and the splitting of the rocks in Mt. 27:51–53 are seen by Jacob, as well as by Ephrem and Narsai, as cosmic praise. See Jacob’s Homily on the Sunday of the Hosannas 171–204 and his Prose Homily on the Sunday of the Hosannas 43–46 in Kollamparampil, Select Festal Homilies. Ephrem says that this cry of the stones was announced in Lk. 19:40. For textual references in Ephrem and in Narsai see Rilliet, “La Louange des Pierres et le Tonerre.” 27

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Ņ Ņ Ŷŏ Ņ ťŨŴ ĖŦĭŅ Ĭô ŧűň ŶŅ ŪŹ ųƊň ƕł ĵĮŤłł ƌĭŌ ųŨň ŦŵŶ ł ŧƢŅ ƃŅ Ƨł ĭĥŅ Ņ Ƨ ųñ ŷíƇ ł ťƕĿ Ņ ƘĪ :ŁĭŅ Ĭô ň ŧűſŅ ƢŌ ƉĪ ň ƌł ťźŷíƆ ňò ljň ŵŅ òſĮŌ ĻĥĪŅ ŸƄł ƣĥĪň ťƉŅ űƕ ł Ėƅň Ƙų ł Ņ ƉĪ ŏ Ō ĥ ťƤň ƀò ŨŌ ťŨň Ŵò ƄíƆ ł ťƀƠ Ņ ƣň ƁƉĿ :ĬŁŴƍŏ ƙíƇ ň ł ŧǓŤň ƘŌ ĭĭł Ĭ ŴŨųſĪł ťƉŅ űƕ Ņ ťŅƀò íƇŶ Ņ ƖŨ ł Ėųƿŏ ťƊíƇ ô ô Ņ Ņ Ō Ō ł Ņ ň ò ł ťƖƉĪň ŦƼƌŌ ĮŅ ƎƉň :ŦƼƤſĿ ƅſĥ ŦĭĬô ƈƠƣ Ō Ĭűũ ň ƕł ĪŴŷíƇ ŏ ł ň Ņ ň ò Ņ ł ł Ņ Ƈƣ Ėťŷƀ ň ŏ Ō ł Ũ ųň ŨŌ ƢŶĪň ł ťƐň Ƅò Ɖŏ ħň ƢíƆĭŅ :ĬŁŴň ũƀƆƞŨ ŧǓŤƘ ơƘĥ ťƕň Ŵł ƣ ƎƉł ĻĥŅ ŏ ĥ ƗŨŁ ł Īł ųƆň ŴŨųô ſł ťƘò Ł ljň ǔŅ Ź Ļĥ ĖķŴ ƌ Ņ Ņ ł Ņ ł ł ł Ņ ł Ņ ŏ :ťũŅ Ź ŧƢƊ Ŷ ťƍƀƣŅ ŴŬŨĭ ťƊŷƆ ťŨĿŴŷŨ Ņ ŏ Ō ĭł ťƖũ Ņ Əł ťƍň ƙò ƄíƆ ò ƄíƆ ł Ō ĖƎƀƌǓĪŴł ƕ ƈƃŏ ljň ƦŨŤ Ņ Ņ Ņ Ũł Ƣũƕ ł ŦŁĥűł Ɖł ƧĪ ŧĿŁŤ ł ƧŅ :ƎƉŅ Ł Ǝň Ɖň ň ƈƠƣ Ņ ł ŅŌ ň Ņ ł ŧĿŤŅ ƘŌ ŦŁƢ ĖųƆň ĵŁŁŅ ƗŨŁ Ơƕ ŦŁŁ ƎƉ ĻĥĪ ň Ō Ņ ł ł Ņ :ŧűŅ ƀƖŨ ƧĪ ŧƢſƦƏĥ ƈƠƣ ťƊŅ ſł Ŵūł ƎƉň

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ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR From out of the sea He received a coin in an unusual manner,30 and from that unfruitful tree He received a sweet fruit. Beloved was the fruit of the flavourless fig tree31 which Christ plucked from its branches as He passed. He saw Zacchaeus in the tree like a ripe first fruit,

Mt 17:24-7

Hos 9:10, James 1:18, Rev 14:4

and quickly plucked him so as to make use of his sweet savour. Not even in Eden did He once find a fruit like this one, which He plucked from that fig tree as He passed through Jericho. Zacchaeus was not like Adam, who fled among the trees and took leaves from the fig tree, but nothing else. Rather, he yearned to see the Son from the tree, and resembled not Adam, who endeavoured to hide himself from the Creator. He was ripe with love and full of the savour of repentance,32 attaining even to the degree of being delightful to God. From Jericho and from that unsavoury fig tree Christ, by His skill, produced this fruit. The desolate city and the tree bereft of produce

30 See Ephrem CD XIV, 16–17, where all creation comes with first fruits as tribute. 31 Throughout this mimro Jacob ignores an equivalent in Syriac, têtâ pkihtâ, insipid fig or sycamore. (The Greek text 19:4 uses sycamore, taking the word as a compound sukos fig + moros stupid). But here and in 233, he uses pkihtâ to describe its fruit. Elsewhere he uses only têtâ which has been translated as fig tree. See note 13. 32 Savour of repentance (ta‘mâ d-tyâbûtâ) for the impact of sensory experience in Christian life, not as a metaphor but as a way of knowing, see S. Harvey, “St. Ephrem on the Scent of Salvation”; see also her “Embodiment in Time and Eternity: a Syriac perspective.”

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Ō ťƐƀ ň Ņ Ɵł ĭĬł ƎƉĭ Ņ Ŷł ŧĿŤŅ ƘŌ ŧǓŤň ƘŌ ƎƉň ŵƀƇū ĖťƀíƇ Ō Ņ ł ŦŁŁ ŧĪň ĬĪŅ Ĭñ ĿŤŅ ƘŌ ŦĭŅ Ĭ ƋƀŶĿ Ņ ƄŌ ƘĪ Ō :ŁĭŅ Ĭô Ŧųƀ ô Ņ ň ň Ō ųƙźƟł Ĭñ ǁŅ Ŵò Əł ƎƉĪ Ņ ƤƉ ĖŦĭŅ Ĭô ƢŌ ũł ƕŅ űƃł ťŷƀ ł ł ŦĭŅ Ĭô IJųô ſŵŶ Ņ ł ŧƢŅ ƄŅ Ũł ƅſĥ Ɓƃł ŵíƆ :ťƍŅ íƇſŅ ĥ ŴŬŨ ł ň Ɵł ħĬƢ ň źŨ ň Əĭ ł Ņ Ŷł ųƊƖ ł ƌĪň ųƙź ĖťƀíƇ ŦĭŅ ł Ĭô ŸƤŏ ł ŶƦ Ņ Ņ ł ňĥ ķűƖ ň Ũł ƨƘ :ŧĿŤŅ ƘŌ ĭĬł Ō ƅſĥ ĶĭƦƊƉň ŸƄƣ ĥ Ō Ņ ł Ō Ņ ł ň Ņ ł ň ŏ Ƣſĥ űſĽ Ƣũƕ űƃ ƚźƟ ŦŁŁ IJĬ ƎƉĪ ĖŴŷſ ł Īł ĶĪŅ ƧŅ ŦĭŅ Ĭ ťƉň ĪŅ ƧŅ ň íƇŅ òſĥŌ ƼŨň ľƢƕ : ť ƍ Ņ ň ň ł ŅŌ ô Ņ ň ŏ Ņ ň ł ĖƧ ĶűƉ Ō ħĭŁĭ ŦĭĬô ƈƠƣ ťƘǔŹ ŦŁŁ IJĬ ƎƉĭ ł Ɖň ŧƢũ ł ĿƦ Ņ Ɔł IJĬŴſŵŷ :ťƍŅ íƇſŅ ĥ ƎƉň ŦĭŅ Ĭô ĨƢū ô ł ň ƌĪň ł Ņ Ņ Ƣŏ ŨŅ ƎƉň ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƁƤŌ ŹŁĥĪň ĶĪŅ ĥ ƅſĥ ŴƆł Ėťſĭ ň ł Ņ ŏ Ņ Ņ Ņ Źł ƨƉ ň :ŦŁŴũŏ ſŁŅ Īł ųñ ƊƖ ĭ ł ťŨŴŷŨ ŦĭĬô ƈƤŨ ł Ɖň ŦųŅ íƆŅ Ƨ ĻĥĪŅ ƋƐŨ ň Īł ťƉŅ űƕ ł ĖŦĭŅ Ĭô ħƢł ƟƦ Ō Ņ Ō ł ŦŁŁ IJĬŅ ƎƉĭ ň Ŵŷſ Ņ ƄŌ ƘĪ ŏ ƢſŌ ĥ ƎƉň :ŁĭŅ Ĭň ô Ŧųƀ ŏ ƤŌ ƄŨ ł ťŷƀ ł ťŨŅ ňĥ ljŅ ĬŅ Ō ŦĭŅ Ĭô űũƕ Ņ ƤƉ ĖĬ Łĭ Ƣƀ Ņ Ņ łò ň Ō ł Ņ ł Ņ ł Ņ Ō :ŦƦíƇíƇ ƕ ƎƉ ŵƀň ƇūŅ Ī ťƐƀƟĭ ťŨƢŶĪ ŦƦôƍſűƉŅ ł Ɔł ħųô ſł ťƀíƇ Ņ Ŷł ťƣĪ Ņ ĥ ł ŁĪ ŦŁƢũƐ ĖųŨň ƢƠł ſŁ

35

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ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR yielded a sweet crop for the Gospel whereby it would receive honour. Great is the power of repentance when it shines forth: by its strength it can even rebuild the desolate. In one which bore no crop at all, repentance produced fruit, on a barren tree it suspended a cherished cluster in Jericho.

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ZACCHAEUS AS A FIRST FRUIT AMONG SINNERS The Son of God wrought new deeds on the path He journeyed,33 and by every means He trapped the world into repentance. He took Zacchaeus as a first fruit from among sinners, that he might become a pattern34 for whomever should draw nigh to repentance. “Come, descend, Zacchaeus”, and he, the prudent one, hurried to climb down, and, with a sincere heart, to receive the Lord of kings. He was eager to bring into his house the great wealth he encountered, for he did not suppose that he would ever find such a treasure. The eye of the covetous tax-collector rested upon a Merchant, and he led Him so as to bring Him to plunder from Him great riches. He saw a load of mercies passing by there on the road, and he desired to bring it in, that it might remain in his house. A caravan came down bearing mercy from on high:

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33 34

path (ûrʚâ). pattern (nišâ): see Bou Mansour, Éphrem, 57–61.

Hos 9:10, James 1:18, Rev 14:4

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Ņ ŏŅ ł Ņ ł ŏ ł ň ťƉŅ ŦŁŴ ł ƉĪ :ťŷƌŅ ĪƦ ũſŁĪ ųñ íƇƀŅ Ŷ ĭĬô ħĿ Ņ ł ł ł Ņ Ņ ł ťſƞŅ ƉĪ ĖŴƀŏ ƍũƊƆ ŦŅ ƦŨǔŶł ĻĥĪŅ ƨƀŌ ŷŨ ň Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ł ųŨň ƻĥ ƧĪŅ ťƊŨ Ņ ƕ ƢƊŬƆ ŦƦíLjƕ :ŧǓŤƘŌ ŧűũ Ņ Ō ŨŌ ƦƆŁ Ņ ťƊƀ ł Ņ ŶĿ Ņ Ŷł ťƐƀ Ņ ƠŨ ŏ ťŨƢ ŏ ƢſŤ Ō ƧŴŬƏ ĖŴŷſ Ņ Ņ ł ł Ō Īł ťŶĿĭŤ ł ŦųŅ Ņ ƭ Ņ Ũŏ ŦŁŁűò Ŷł űũƕ :ƁŅ ƉĿĥ ƢŨ ŏ ł Ņ ŏ ĭł ŏ Ņ Ō ň Ņ Ņ ĖŦŁŴũſƦƆ ťƊíƇƖíƆ ĬĪĽ ƎƀƏǓŴƘ ƈƄŨ Ņ ňò Ņ ł ň ł ł Ō ň ƣł ŦƼƤſ Ō Ŀ ƅſĥł :ťƀźŅ Ŷ ƎƉ ƁƃŵíƆň ųƇƠ ň Ƨł ťƤƀ ň ƌĪň Ņ ƌŌ Ŧĭų Ņ Ɔł ƎſŁĥĪŅ ƎƀƇſ ĖŦŁŴũŏ ſƦ ł ň łł ŏ Ņ ł ƦƏĥ Ņ Ƣŏ ƘŅ Ʀŷƌ ň ŦĭŅ Ĭô ħĬĿ :ťƣĭ ĭ ƁƃĮŅ ŁŴŶ ŦŁ ňò ł ň Ņ ň ł ň Ņ ĖťƄíƇƉ ŧƢƊíƆ ŦĭĬô ƈũƠƌĪł ťũŅ Ź ťũŅ íƇŨ Ņ ƕŏ ƈƖň ƌĪł ŦĭŅ Ĭ ŪſĬĿ Ō ł Īł ťŨŅ Ŀł ŧĿŁŴ :ųŨň ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƗŬƘ ô ł ƌĪň ųƆň ƻĥŌ ĭĬł ƅſĥĪł ŦŵŅ ūĪ ł ŦĭŅ Ĭô Ƣũł ƏŅ ƧĪŅ ĖŸƄƤ ł Ņ ťƍƖ Ņ ſł ťƐƄ Ņ ƉŅ :ŧƢŅ ūŅ Ł ƈƕł ųƍƀň ƕł ŁĭŅ Ĭô ƦƆĽ Ņ ƕŏ ųƍň Ɖň ĮŴũŏ ƌň ĵŴƖŏ ƌň ĬƢŨ ň Īĭł ŨŅ Ŀł ŧĿŁŴ łŅ Ėť Ņ ŏ Ņ ƕĪ Ņ ŦŵŶ ň ǓĪł ŦƦƌŴ Ņ ťƊŶ Ņ Ũŏ ŁĭŅ Ĭô ŧƢũ :ƎƉŁ ťŶĿĭŤ ň ň ł ł ł Ņ ł ň ł ƖŹ Ņ ň ŏ Ėųñ íƿ ŧƢƣŁ ĬƼŨ ŴŬŨĪ ųñ íƇƕł ĥ ĨŅƢūĭ Ņ ųñ ŨŅ ƻĥĭŌ ŁƦŷƌň ŦŁƢƀƣ Ņ :ťƀŅ íƇŅ ƕň ƎƉň ťƍŅ ƍŶ ň ĪŌ ŪƐł ƌĪň Ɓƃł Įł Ĭñ űŶĥ ň ųƇſ Ņ ĭł Ėųñ íƆŅ ơũň ƣŅ Ǝƃĭ

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ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR Zacchaeus held it fast, releasing it only when he had taken what he desired.35 The chief tax-collector seized an encampment full of good things, one which from that hidden place36 came down to terrestrial beings. With love he held that Merchant of mercy who had come, and he brought Him into his house to be enriched by His treasures. O Zacchaeus, who robs both what is of earth and of Heaven, who plunders both man and God and hides the spoils in his house! By you all the merchants on their ways were plundered; because of you the orphans, wronged in their accounts, cry out. Of you all the wayfarers complain in their inns, and against you even the inhabitants murmur when they take a day-long journey. Mercy descended, walked upon earth, and you seized it; Loving Kindness journeyed from on high and you took it in. Grace had come, it was to traverse your region once again, and you laid hold of it;

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Lit. ‘his own’. Hidden place, atrâ gnizâ: Bedjan gives a variant atrâ ityâ, hidden Being. Atrâ occurs frequently in the Demonstrations of Aphrahat. Golitzin analyzes these examples while giving the linguistic background: maqom in the Hebrew Bible as the place of divine manifestation, and topos in the LXX as “a stand in for God himself.” In Rabbinic literature, particularly hekhalot texts, maqom is actually used as a divine name. See A. Golitzin, “The Place of the Presence of God.” See also Golitzin, “Image and Glory of God,” 338, 354–55. On maqom in Tannaitic sources see Urbach, The Sages, 66–79. . 35 36

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ŏ Ņ ł Ņ Ō ł ł ň Ƅò ƉĪŅ ťŨŅ Ŀł :ťŨň Ŵò Ź ťƀíƇ ƉĪ Ŧ ƻ ƢƤ Ɖ ƅ ũíƆ ť Ɛ ł ň Ņ Ō Ņ ł ł ň Ņ ĥł űſĽň ŁƦŷ ň ƕǓ Ėť ƍ Ņ ň ň ł Ņ Ņ ł ƌ Ŧŵƀł ƍū ŧĿŁŅ ĥ ŏ ĭĬ Ǝň ƉĪł ǓĪ ŧƢūŁ ĭųíƆ ťŨŴŷŨ ĬűŶĥ ň :ŅŦŁĥò ĪŌ ťƊŶ ł ň ň ł ň ł ł ł ň ĭŅ ĖĬƦƊƀƏ ƎƉ ĿƦƖ Ņ ƌĪŅ ųł Ƈƕĥ ň ĬŅ ƼŨł ł ŴŬíƆ Ņ ł Ņ ł :ťƀƊƣĪ Ļĥ ťƕĿĥĪ ƚźŶł ƁƃŅ Į ƅƆ ň ĭĥ ň ł Ņ Ņ ň Ɖł ĬƼ ĖťƍŬ ũŨ ł ŦųíƆƧ Ļĥ ťƤŅ ƌŅ ôĥ ĮŤŨŅ ŏ Ƈł ƀò ũƤ Ō Ũł ŧǔň ūŅ Ł ƈƃŏ ƅƍŅ Ɖň ƎſŵſŌ ŵŨ Ō :ķĭųƀ Ō ťƉňò ƻł ƅƍŅ Ɖň ƎƀƖň ūŅ ŏ ƍł ũƣ Ņ Ŵò ŷŨ ŏ ťũň ƀò íƇƕ Ėķĭųƀ Ō ƟŅ :ķĭųŏ ƀò ƌł ĭŤŅ Ũł ťƟň ĭò ŵŏ ŶŅ ƈƃŏ Ņ ƅƍŅ Ɖň ƎƀƇũ ł ƎƀƍŹ ŏ ƌł Ŵò ƀƐ ł ťſĭ Ō ĿŅ ŏ ƊŨ ň ǔŏ ƣŅ Ļĥ ƅƀƇƕ ųƀ ňŏ Ėķĭ ł ł ł Ņ Ũł ťƊŶ ň Ǔł ň ťƕĿŤ :ķŴƌĥ ƦƙźŶĭ ĭł ĭĬô ŴƄƆň Ĭł ĭƦŷƌ Ņ ň Ņ ĖIJŅųô ſƦíƇũƟ ĥ Ʀŏ ô ƌĥĭł ťƀŅ íƇŅ ƕň ƎƉň ň ŦĭŅ Ņ Ĭô ŧĪĿŅ ł ťƍŅ ƍŶ Ņ Ņ ŏ Ź ŁŁĥ ł ĭł ħĭŁ ĴĿŁŤŨł Ƣũƕ ł ŁĪ ŦŁŴũƀ :Ĭñ ǂŌ ũíƆ Ņ ł Ņ Ņ Ņ ƞŌ Ŷł IJųſŁŵ Ņ ƣŏ ŸƌĪł ťƊíƇƖíƆ ťƍŅ ƠŨŴ ĖƻŤƙſ ô Ũĭ

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ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR Forgiveness dawned upon the world, and you plundered it without shame. The gift of peace came to earth, and see, it is in your house: intrepidly you venture to gain possession of both Heaven and earth. O Zacchaeus, you overwhelm me,37 and how I shall speak of you I know not; I marvel at you, O victorious one replete with victory.38 I should call you a tax-collector, but you are an apostle to the repentant; you are also a disciple, O plunderer among the extortioners. In everything you are the best, and I am too feeble to speak of you; for tax-collectors you are a chief, and for the apostles a colleague and companion. In the world you have your wealth, and in apostleship you are illustrious; you suffer no poverty, and yet your fame is joined with the disciples. You are secure in riches and assiduous in harvesting, for you know how to seize, and it is not difficult for you to dispense. Readily and easily you both amass and disperse; you have the strength to cause wailing, to plunder, and to make yourself righteous. On the one side your hand fills itself by seizure and robbery, and on the other it lavishes upon all men alms of every kind. In your way of life there is iniquity, and in your house the Son of God:

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A play on words in Syriac: zkaytun zkkai. A further play on Zacchaeus’ name.

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Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ł Ņ ł Ņ ł ł Ņ :IJĬô Ō ĴƼũŨ Ō Ņ ŦĬĭŌ ł ťƕĿƧŌ ł ťƍƀň ƣĪň ŦƦŨŅ ĬŴł ƉŅ Łł Łĥ ĖƻĥƢƀƤƃŅ ƻŵƕŌ ťƍƟŁĪ ťƕĿĥĭ ťƀƊƣ Ņ ł Ņ ĥ ƎƄſĥ ł ĭł Ɓƃł Įł ƁƌƼ :ljŅ ôĥ ĺŅ űł ſŅ Ƨ ň ĴƢƉ Ņ Ņ Ō ň ƃĮň ŏ Ņ Ņ ł Ņ ťƀƃĮ ĭĥ ƅŨ Ɓň Ɔ ŁĿĬŁ ł ĖŦŁŴň ƃĮ ƨƉ ł Ō Ņ Ō Ņ ň ĥ ťƐƄ ň Ņ ƉŅ ò :ťũſŁ űſĽ ƅſƻĥ ťŷƀƇƣł ƅſƢƟ ň Ŵò źŏ ŶŅ Ƌƕł ŦĮĭŅ ŵŏ ŨŅ ĭĥ Ʀƌĥł ŧűƀ Ō Łł Ņ ƊíƆ Ėť Ƙ ô ň ŏ Ņ Źł Ǝſųíň ǀŨ Ō ljĥŅ ĭň Ʀôƌĥ ťƟƢ :ƅƆŅ džň Ɖł ĥ ljŅ ôĥ ƈƀŷƉ Ņ Ō Ɔł Ļĥ ťŨŅ Ŀł ťƐň Ƅò ƊíƆ Ņ Ŷĭ Ņ Ņ ôĥ ťŷň ƀò íƇƤ ł ťƍŅ ƀŶ ĖŧƢũ Ņ ŏ Ō ł łŅ Ņ ł Ņ ŏ Ņ Ņ :ŦŁŴŷƀ ƇƤŨ įƞƌĪł ťƊƣĭ ĴĿŁŴƕ ťƊíƇƖŨ ł ł Ņ ł Ō Ņ ł ƅſƼ ŏ Ō Ł Ƌƕĭ Ņ Ɔ ťƟƢƐƉ ĖƅƐíƆŴƟł ŻƀƇŶ ŧűň Ņ ƀò ƊíƆ ł ł ò Ņ Ņ ł Ō ň Ƅò ƍŨ ň ł :Ʀôƌĥ ŧƢƀƤŌ ƃ Ņ ŦƦíƇíƇ ƖŨĭ Ʀôƌĥ ƅƀƊƏ ť Ɛ ŏ ŏ ň Ņ ƕł Ƨ ħĭŁ Ŀűł ŨŁ ł ĭł ƅŨŅ ƻĥŌ ĻŴźŶ ĖƅƆŅ ťƠƐ ŁĪ ł ŏ Ō ł ł ł ł ł Ņ ŏ Ō Ņ :ĭĿűũƊƆĭň ŴƤƍƄƊň Ɔ ơƀł ƤƘĭ Ʀôƌĥ ƈƀƆĪŌ ň ŁĪ ťƀŅ íƇŶł ƅŨŅ ƻĥ ĖľŌ Īł ĪĮł ŁĪĭł ĮŴŅ Ũŏ Łĭ ŦŴƕ ŏ Ņ ŏ Ņ ł ň ťƀƘŴ Ņ Ɖł ŦŁŵŨĭ Ņ źŶ :ĴűſŅ ĥ ťƀíƇ ŦǁĭĪ ŧűŷŨ Ņ Ņ òň ŏ Ņ ŏ Ō ĥ ťũŅ ŬŨ Ņ Ņ Ņ ł ĖŦƦƟĪĮ ƈƃ ƥƍíǀíƆ ťſĿĪ ljŅ ƢŶ ŅŅ ł ł Ņ ł ł ł ł ô Ņ ŏ :Ŧųƭ ƢŨ ĴƼŨň ŴŬŨĭ ƧŴƕ ĴƢƉŴƖŨ Ņ ł ŅŅ ŏ ň Ņ Ɵŏ ƎƉň ƨƣĥĪň ƁƌƼ ĖƅƐŅ íƆŴ ƃĮ ljųíƇźƉĭ

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ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR therefore you so overwhelm me that I must cease from your praise.

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THE LORD OF THE WORLD RECLINES IN THE HOUSE OF ZACCHAEUS The Son of God invited Himself to the home of Zacchaeus, so as to give salvation to those who were in need of forgiveness. The Physician came to the sick to drive out the sicknesses of iniquity, but the blind multitudes bitterly reproached Him as He restored health. “Why has He gone to the house of a tax-collector filled with evils? Why does He keep company with sinners and show them love? Why does He not turn away from association with the wicked, but He forgives them? And why does He mingle with the lawless and favour them? Why, if He is true, does He not despise the workers of iniquity? For what reason does He eat with transgressors and they are dear to Him?” The Shepherd was blamed as He sought out the lost sheep, being very earnest in His quest, He ardently persisted. And the Nurse39 was being diligent in cleansing the ulcers of odious iniquity, these men murmured against Him because He healed those suffering from wounds. The Hope of the wicked and of sinners, who reclined at that banquet, is He who forgives the debts of the repentant.

Lk 19:5

Lk 19:7 Lk 15:2

Lk 15:4-6

39 Nurse (yâʜopâ): a term found infrequently in early Syriac literature for Christ as healer.

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ň ł Ņł ň ƌł ƎƉň Įł Ɓƃł ĮĪł ĬƼ :ŦųŅ ƭ ƢŨł ųƤƙ ũíƆ ň ňò ł ł Ō Ņ ł Ō Ņ ŏ ł ĖťƍƠŨŴƣ ƈƕŅ ĭĭĬô ƎƀƠƀƍƏűíƆ ťŅ ƀŶ ĵƦƌĪň ŏ ƌň ƧŴƕĪ ł ljň ĬǓŴ ŏ Īł ťƀƏ Ņ ƄíƆ Ņ ĥ ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƈƕł :ĪĭƢź ŏ ƕł ĵűƖ ň ň Ɖł űƃł IJĬô ŴƆű Ō ťƤň òƍƃĭ ł Ɖň ŧǔſň Ŵƕ ĖŦŅ ĭŅ Ĭô ťƏŤ ň ň ł ŏ Ņ ƉĪŅ ĬƼ :ŦƦƤŅ ƀò ŨŌ ƨƉ ťƐƄ ũíƆ ljŅ ĬŅ ƈƕł ķŴƊíƆ ŏ ŏ Ūŷň Ɖĭ ł ťňƀò źŅ Ŷł Ƌƕł ŻƇł ŶƦ ł Ɖň ķŴƊíƆ ĖķĭųíƆ Ņ ň ŏ ơũň ƣĭ ŏ Ņ ťƤň ƀò ŨŌ űſĽň ƎƉň ťźƐƉł Ƨ ķŴƊíƆ :ķĭųíƆ ň Ņò ł ł ł ł ł ŏ Ō ťƍŅ ƊíƇ ň Ņ źƉĭ ĖƧŴň ƕ ƋŅ ƕ ƎƀƤƉĭ ŻƀƇŶ ň Ņ Ņ ƨƐƉł Ƨ ķŴƊíƆ ŏ :ĭĬô ŧƢſł ƢŌ ƣł ķĥ ƧŴƕł Ɓŷł íƇò ƙíƆ ł ň ƣŌ Ǔ Ƌƕł ƑƖň íƆŅ ťƍŅ ƊíƆ Ō ũŌ Ŷĭ Ņ ł ťƖƀ ĖųƆň Ǝƀũƀ ň ŦĭŅ Ĭ ťƖň ŨŅ űƃł ťƀƕ Ņ Īł ťŨƢ Ņ ƖíƆ Ņ ĿŅ ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƈſűƕ Ō :ťƖŹ ô ł ň Ņ Ņ ł ň ŏ ł Ɖ ŧƢƀƤŌ ƃ ƅſĥ ĬƦƖũŨł ĭĬĭ ĖŦĭŅ Ĭô ŸƤł Ņ ŶƦ Ō Ņ ƞŏ ſŅ ŻƀƙŶ ł ťƍŶ ň Ŵò ƣŏ Ŀŵł ūĭ Ņ ťƘĭ :ťƀƍŅ Əł ƧŴƕĪ ł Ņ ň ł ł ƎƀƍŹ Ō ĿĭŅ ĖťƀŅ ŷł Ɗł Ɗò íƆ ƕł IJĬô ŴƇƕ Ņ ŏ ŦŅ ĭĬô ťŅ ƏŤƉĪňò Ņ ƈ Ņ Əł Ō ŧƢũ ł ĭł ťƤň ƀò ũíƆ :ł ŦŁĭƢƣ IJųŨ ťƀźŷíƆ Ō Īł Ėťũň ŅòſŁ ƼŨň ł ťŨň Ŵò Ŷł ơũň ƣŅ ųñ ŨŅ ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƅƀƊƏ Ņ ƕŏ Ɓƃł Įł ŦĭŅ Ĭ ŦŵŶ :ųƌň ĭŅ Ƨ ƈƕł Ī ťŨŅ Ŀł ŧĿŁŴ ô Ņ

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ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR Zacchaeus saw the great wealth which had entered his lodging, and he despised his goods so as to gain the treasure which he had found. His soul was enlightened and he saw that the wealth of this world is iniquitous, so he began to cast it from himself for the benefit of many. He beheld the Lord of the world reclining at his feast, and he despised the world and began to flee from its evils. He, the prudent one, drew nigh and worshipped the Son, saying: “I worship You, O Physician, who have visited me, stricken as I am with wounds. A soul tormented by running sores will confess You, O Lord, for when Your mercy has cleansed it, it will behold Your beauty clearly. One stricken with many ulcers supplicates You, for, as one solicitous, You did not find it loathsome to bind up my wounds. My feeble mouth will give thanks to Your mouth which uttered sweet words in my ears, that I might turn toward You and away from offences. My lips will kiss Your feet, O Physician of many remedies, for as soon as You visited me, my sickly members found relief. I shall lick the dust of Your holy footprints, for by Your steps You have driven out the iniquity which dwelt in me. Let the half of my goods be a payment for the toil of Your feet, O Physician, for though I am unworthy of Your visitation, You came to me.

Lk 19:9

Lk 19:8

Lk 1:43

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Ņ Ō Ņ ł ł Īň ťƍƠ ň ƌň ŦƦƊƀ ł òň Ņ Ņ ĖŸƄƣĥ ł ł Ņ Ə Ņ IJųíƆň Ī IJŏ Ĭô ŴŅ ƐƄł ƌ ŦňĭĬô ł Żłƣĭň :ĭĬô ƧŴƕ ťƊíƇƕĪ ĬĿŁŴƕĪ ŦŵŶĭ ųƤƙƌ ŁĿųƌ ňò Ō ł ł ųƍň Ɖň IJĬŴſűƤ ł ň ƌĪň ťƖň ŨŅ IJƢŌ ƣĭ ĖŦŤ ƀ Ŭ Ə ƈ ƕ ô ň ŏŅ ł Ņ ň ł Ņ Ņ ƕĪ Ņ ĬƢň ƊíƆ Ņ :ĬŁĭ ň ƢŅ ƣò Ō ƈň ƕ ŦĭĬô ŏ ťň ƍū ĪŌ ł ŦŵŶ ťƊíƇ ň Ņ ųźƣĭ Ņ ƖíƆ Ņ ĖĬƦƤƀŨ ƎƉŅ ľĭƢƖƌĪ IJƢƣĭ ťƊíƇ Ņ ň ň ŏ Ņ ł Ņ ƢƘ ħƢƟ ň ĭł ťƣĭ :ųƆ ƢƉł ĥ űƃł ŧƢũƆ űŬƏ ł ƏĪ ł Īł ƁƌƢƖ ł ťƀƏ Ņ ĥŅ ƅƆŅ ljŅ ôĥ űŬň ƏŅ ĖƻĭŌ Ĭô ƁŅ ŷł ƊƉ ł ň Ņ ł Ņ Ņ ň ł Ņ Ũł ŁƦŷ :ŦŁǔŅ ũŷ Ō Ņ Ō ł Ņ ƣĪ ŏ ťƤƙň ƌň IJƢƉŅ Ņ ƅƆ Ņ ŧĪĭł Ł ĥƢſųƌ ĴƢƘŴƣ ŦŵŶŁ ƅƍƍŶ ųñ ƟƢƉĪ Ō Ėƻ Ņ Ƥł ƃƦ ł Ɖň ň ł ň òŏ Ņ ł Ō :ųŨ ƎſŤƀŬ Ņ Ņ Əŏ ťŌ ƍŶł ŴƣĪłò ťŌ ƀŷƊƉŏ ň ƅƆ ƚ ĖĴŁŴƙƀƃĥĪ ƁŨŤƃ ħĭƞƕŁĪ ƅƆŅ Łűł ƌň ƧĪ ŏ ŧĪŴ Ņ Īł ƅƉŴ Ņ ƙíƆ ň ƌł ťƤŅ íƇŅ Ŷł ƁƉŴƘŏ :Ɓƌł ĪŤò ŨŅ ň ŧƢƟ Ņ ĭò Łŏ ƎƉň ĴŁŅ ŴíƆ ł ƨň ƟŅò ň Īň ťŅƀò íƇŶ Ņ ťƍƘĥ ĖŦƦň íƇƟ Ņ ƕŏ ƨƉ ťƀƏ ň IJŁŴŅ ƙò Əň ƎƠŅ Ƥò ƍƌł Ņ ĥŅ ƅƀũł Ơò ƖíƆ :ljň ǓĪŴ Ņ ł ł ň Ō Īł ƁƉłò ĪŅ Ĭł ŴƇƟł ƁƌŁƢ Ō Ƣƃ ƖƏĪ ƎƉĪ Ėĭĭł Ĭô Ǝſųſ Ņ ŅòŌ ł Ņ Ņ ŏ ň ň Ņ ł ŏ :ŦƦƤſűƟŅ ĴǁǓĭĪ ƎŅ Ɖ įŴƄŅƭŅ ŧƢƙ ƕ ò ł Ņ ł ł Ņ ł ł ĖƁƊƕ ŦĭĬô ƢƊŅ ƕĪ ƧŴƖíƆ IJųô ſƦƘ ĪĿ ĴǂíƆųŨĪł ł ł ǓĪň ŧƢū Ņ ĥ ƁƐł Ƅò ƌň ŁŴŬíƇ ň ƌň ťƀƏ Ņ ĥ ƅƀƇū ŏ Ƙň :Ŧĭų ň Ō Ņ Ņ ŏ ł ĖIJĪĥł Ľň ŦŁĥŁ ƻĭŌ Ĭô ŦŴň ƣŅ Ƨ ƅƌŅ ƢƕŴ ƐíƆĪ Ņ ł ł Ņ Ņ ň Ņ Ņ ň ň :ljôĥ ŧűŶŅ űƃ IJƢƉ ljôĥ ĺƢƘ ŁŵíƇūĪ ťƉ ƈƃŏ

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ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR Whatsoever I have taken unjustly, O Lord, I restore with joy, and the iniquity which I have done I shall change into righteousness. That which I have appropriated through usury I shall return, and whatsoever I have seized by force I shall restore twice over to the wronged. Far be it that ever again I should usher iniquity within my gates, or that baneful wickedness should be perpetrated within my mansion! The door, whereby the great King entered to abide with me, I shall not open again to sin to give it entry.” AT THE GREAT BANQUET, YOKED BY CHRIST, ZACCHAEUS BEGINS TO LAVISH HIS WEALTH UPON THE NEEDY Christ wrought a great work at that feast, for indeed, He did not hunger to eat bread without some motive. A great banquet for repentance was held there in the tax-collector’s house, and He invited all sinners to it. A wedding feast40 was held wherein righteousness was exalted, and our Lord went to make merry with the repentant.

Mt 22:10, Jn 2:1, Rev 19:7,9

40 The image of wedding feast (meštutâ) in Jacob’s theology takes in all salvation history. Here the banquet is being held in Zacchaeus’s house to celebrate his repentance and the righteousness brought by Christ. The marriage feast in Eden was distrupted; Christ seeks to restore it in the Kingdom. His encounter with Zacchaeus is a sign which prepares for the eschatological banquet. See Ephrem’s treatmernt of wedding imagery in Brock, The Luminous Eye, 115–41.

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Ņ ň Ɖł ƦŷíƇ ň ƧŴŅ ƕĭ ł ł ųƆň ljŅ ôĥ ƅƘų ň ƘĪ ĖŦŁŴƠſŏ ĪŌ ŵíƆ ň Ō ň ł ňň Ņ ł ň ljŅ ĥ ťƍƙ ň Ɖł ĬƼ : ų Ɔ ô Ō ł Ņ ł ň ň ň ò ł ŨĿ Ƌň ƕ ň ŁŵŨĪ Ņ ťƉ ĭŏ Ĭ Ėƚƀł źŶĪ ťƍſƧ ĵŁŅ ĥ ťƙƕŤŨ ƦƙźŶĪ ťƉ ƈƃĭ ł Ł ƎƉň ŴŬíƆ ł ƧŴƕł ĵŴƖŏ ƌň ƈƀƄŌ Ɖň ƁƆŌ ƑŶŅ :ƁƕǓ Ņ ł Ņ ł Ņ ŏ ł ł ň ł ĖƁƌł űò Ƙł ĥ ŴŬŨ ťƀƍƏ ťƖƣĭĿ ƥƉƦƤƌ ĭł ĥ ł ň ł ťƕĿ Ņ Ł Ņ Ɖł ųŨň ƈƕĪ ň Ņ ň ł :IJĪĥĽ ŧƢƤƌĪ ťŨĿ ťƄíƇ ŏ ł Ņ ŏ ƌň ųƍň ƉĪ ň ŦųŅ źŷƆł ħĭŁ ljŅ ôĥ įƦƘŅ ƧŅ ĖĵŴ Ɩ Ņ ŏŅ Ņ Ņ Ō Ņ ł Ņł ŅŅ : Ŧ Łĭ Ņ Ņ Ƣňò ƣ Ņ IJųŨŅ ťŷƀň ƤƉ Ņ ŦĭĬô ł űũƕ ťŏ ŨňĿ ŧűũƕň ł ĖŦƦíƇíƇƕ ƧĪ ŦĭŅ Ĭô Ǝƙƃ ťƊŷł Ɔ ĵŴƃŤƌĪ ƢƀūŅ ŴƆ ŏ ł ťŨŅ Ŀł ƧŴƇŶ Ņ Ɔł ƎƉŅ Ł ŦĭŅ Ĭô űũƕ :ŦŁŴũŏ ſƦ Ņňò ł ň ł Ņ ƉĪŅ ĬƼũŨ ĖťƀźŶ ƈŅ ƃŏ ųƆň ŦĭŅ Ĭô Ņ ƎƉň Įĭł ťƐƄ Ņ ŏ ł ň Ņ :ŦŁŴƠſŏ ĪŌ Įł ųł ñ ŨŅ ƨƟƦƤł ƉĪ ŁĭĬô ŦŁĭƦƤƉň ňò Ņ ł Ņ ň ň ł Ņ ł ň Ėť ũ ſŁŅ Ƌƕ ƎƉŁ ł ŧűŷƌ ķƢƉ ĵĮĥĭ ł Ņ ł ĬĪƢň Źĭ ljŤŅ ƃŌ ƢŨł ƈƕł Ņ Ō :ƎƉŁ ŦĭĬô ƻĥĪ ƧŴƖíƆ

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ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR The Son of the Just One came and drove out the wickedness which resided there, for darkness could not dwell together with the Resplendent One. Zacchaeus began to lavish his wealth upon the needy and to disperse all his goods to those in distress. He carried alms in his right hand and in his left, and with both he diligently distributed them. He was as quick to disperse as he was quick to amass, for in every aspect in all that he encountered he was assiduous. His doors are open, he fetches and sends forth again; he raises his voice, calling all whom he had plundered to come and receive: “You who have been robbed, come, receive back your own from the plunderer; today is a day of retribution: let no one be reluctant to come to me! Come, you poor, receive alms from a grasper; you needy of the region, help me swiftly to disperse my wealth. You who are in want, be labourers for me for a handsome wage: take in and remove this iniquity of mine which my debts41 have so increased.” He was glad as he hastened to give out alms and to distribute his wealth to all who came from every side. The plunder, which had gradually flowed in as he rejoiced, in one hour he brought forth and gave away, exulting. He beheld the Son and his eyes were filled with His beauty, and no longer could he gaze upon the world with love.

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‘Guilty debts’.

Lk 19:8

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Ņ Ņ Ŷň ŦĭŅ Ĭ ŸƄƤ ł ł ƌĪň ťƄƤ ĖŧƢſŅ ųŌ ƌł Ƌƕł ƢƊƖ ô ň Ɖň ƧĪ Ō ƍƏ Ō Īł ƈƕł IJĬô ŴƐł Ƅò ƌň Ɓƃł Įł ŧĿűƌĪň IJƢŌ ƣł :ƎƀƠƀ Ņ Īł ƈƕł IJĬŴƍł ƀŅ òƍƟň ƈƃŏ ŦĭŅ Ĭ Ŀűł ũƌ ĖƎƀƠŌ ƖƉ ô ô ł ĭł Ņ Ō ł ųƍƀň ƊŌ ſł ƈƕł ŦƦƟŅ Īò Įň ƎƀƖŹ :ųƇň Ō ƊŅ Əň ƈƕĭ ň Ō ł ł ĭł ĖƻĥƢƀŅ ƤŌ ƃł IJĬô ĭűł òſĥ ƎſŁĿƦŨ Ŧł ĭŅ Ĭô ŭƇň ƙƉ Ō Ō Īł ƅſĥ Ŀűł ũƌ ł Īł ŪſĬĿ :ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƥƍň Ƅƌł Īł ŦĭŅ Ĭô ŪſĬĿ ŏ ŦĭŅ Ĭ ŧƢƀŅ ƤŌ ƃł Ǝƀò ũŌ ūł ƈƄŨ ŏ Īł ł Īł ƈƄŨ ĖųŨň ƗŬƘ ô ł Ō ň Ɖł ƈũň Əĭ ł Ł Ǝƀŷſ Ņ IJĬô ŴƕǓ Ō ƦƘ :ťſň ǔŅ Ũł űſĽň ơ ƙ ň Ō ĭł Ō Īł ƎƉł ƈƃĪŏ ųƇň ƟŅ ƋſƢƉ ĖŪƐł ƌň ŦŁŤƌŌ ŵſŵŨ Ō ł Ņ Ō źŶ ŏ ĪŌ ŴũƏł ĭŁł Ǝƀƙƀ :ŦĮĭŅ ŵŏ ŨŅ ƎƉň ķŴň ƄíƇſ Ņ Ņ Ņ ŏ Ī ĭĥŏ ł Ō Ō Ņ ň ł ĖIJĪĥĽ ŦŁŤƌ ƎƉŤƌ ƥƌôĥ Ƨ ťƍƕĿŴƘ ĶŴł ſ Ō Ɖň ĭŁ Ņ Ƈŏ ƕŅ ƎƉň ŦƦŅ ƟŅ Īò Įň ŴũƏł ťňòƍƄƐ :ťŨŴ ň Ņ Īł IJĬŴƠł ƀò ƍƏ ĖƁƐł Ƅò ƌň ŧĿĪň Ņ ĥ ƈƀƇŌ Ɵł ň ƁƌĭĿűŏ ƕł ŧĿŁĥ ô Ō Ņ ň ƐŌ Ŷł ĭĥ Ņ Ũł ƨƖò ƘŅ ƁƆŌ ĭĭĬ ł ŧǔƀ :ťũŅ Ź ŧƢūŤ Ņ ŏ ĭł Ō Īł ƧŴƕł ljŅ ĬŅ ŴƠƘň ĥł ŴƆŴũƏ ĖƁŨł Ŵò Ŷł ŴƀŬƏĥ Ņ :ŦƦƟŅ Īò Įň ƈƕł ň ŦĭŅ Ĭô İĬň ĿŅ űƃł ųƆň ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƢƀƙŌ ƣł ĖƎƀò ũŌ ūł ƈƃŏ ƎƉň ƎſŁĥĪŅ ƈƃŏ ƈƕł IJĬô ŴƐł Ƅò ƌň ŧŅ Ŀň ĪĭŅ ň ŦŁŵŨň :ŦĭŅ Ĭô ŧűň ŶŅ űƃł ƈƀƇŌ Ɵł ƈƀƇŌ Ɵł ł ƦƇł ƕĪ Ņ ſł ơƘň ĥ ťƖŅ ƣŅ ŧűŷ Ņ Ũł ĖŦĭŅ Ĭô Įĭň ĿŅ űƃł ųñ Ũų Ņ ƣŏ ųƍƀň ƕł ƦƇƉ Ņ ł Ņ ł Ņ Ņ :ųƍň Ɖň ŧƢƘŴ Ō Ņ Ō ł Ņ Ņ ĭŏ ŧň ƢũŅ Ɔ ŦĭĬô ł IJňųô ſŵŶŅ ĖƻŅ ŤũƀũŶ ťƊíƇƖŨ ĿŴŷƌ ŦĭĬô ŸƄƤƉ Ƨĭ Ō Īł ƈƀƇŌ ƟĪł ŧƢƀŅ ƍŨ Ō ťŷƀ Ō ųƌűň ƃł ŏ Ƈƣ Ņ ƤƉ :ŦŁŴŷƀ

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ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR Christ yoked42 him to the light yoke of apostleship in the manner that he had been pleased to bend his shoulder to riches. He willed to the Gospel one half of his goods when he encountered it, and he did not tarry to bring forth and give what he had promised. His hands carried righteousness to distribute, and his eyes were alert for the poor to receive them. His feet ran along the streets after passers-by to disperse his wealth with love to whomever was in need. A SOUL RESTORED FROM WICKEDNESS IS A GREATER SIGN THAN A BODY’S RESURRECTION FROM DESTRUCTION This work, then, was transacted at that banquet, but the foolish found fault, saying, “Why does He eat with sinners?” Not so great a thing was it that He raised a dead man to life after corruption43 had set in, as it was that He made this chief of the tax-collectors an apostle. Yes truly, it was a most awesome wonder,44 that a man so covetous should divide and give away all that he possessed. Greater is it to restore a soul to life from out of much wickedness than to raise up a body from perdition.

Mt 11:29-30

Lk 19:8

Lk 15:2, Jn 11:38-44

42 Yoked (kadneh): Aphrahat speaks about the devotion of the yoked-one to his Lord and what this implies, see Koltun-Fromm, “Yokes of the Holy-Ones.” 43 Corruption (da-sri). 44 Wonder (tehrâ) occurs several times in this homily and frequently throughout Jacob’s writings. See his mimro “On the ‘Wondrous’ Name that Our Lord was called.” Also in his Letters the term is frequently used. On the exegetical dimensions of tehrâ in Jacob and in other Syriac writers see my “Insight without Sight.”

.¾éÝâ Ú܇ áîƒ

ň ƌĪł ųƆň ŦĭŅ Ĭ ƢƀƙŌ ƣĭ ł ĖljŴŅ Ɗŏ ƉŅ űſĽň ųƘň ǁł ƎƃƢ ô Ņ ł ł Ƙň űƃł IJĬŴƐł Ƅò ƌň ŁŴŬíƇ ł Ɔł ħǁ ŏ Ƙň ŦŁƢũƐ :ųŨň ƦƖŬ ô ň ł ł ň Ņ ł Ʀƣ ĖIJĪĭŌ ƦƣĥĪň ķŴƉŏ ĵƦƌň Ņ ľŴƙŏ ƌň ƢŶĭ ĥ Ƨĭ Ō ł Ņ ł Ō ŏ ò ł Ō ł :ŴŬŏ íƇƙƊƆ ŦŁŴƠſĪĮ IJĬô ĭűſĥ ƎƍŅ ƀò ƖŹ Ō ł Ɔł ťƍň ƄŌ Ɛò Ɖň űſĽň IJĬŴƍł ƀò ƕł Ǝŷſ Ņ ǔƟ ĖŴƇŏ ũŅ ƠƊ ô Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ ŏ ł ň ł Ǔň ƎíŹĬ :ŧǓŴũŏ ƕŅ űſł Ľň ŦƦŶǓĭ ĥ ƈƕ IJĬô ŴƇū Ǔ ł ň ò ň Ņ Ō Ņ Ņ ł ł ŏ ŦĭĬô ŭƇƙƌĪł ĖơƀŅ ƍƏĪ ťƍſƧ IJĬô ŴƐƄƌ ťŨŴŷŨ ł Ņ ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƥƉł Ʀƣňĥ ŧűŅ ũƕ Ņ ljŅ ĬŅ :ŦŁĭƢŏ ƣŅ IJųŨ ň ňŅ Ō ƕĭ Ņ ŏ Īł ƨƄò Əł ƎƀƆű Ėťƀò źŶł Ƌƕł ƑƖň íƆŅ ķŴƊíƆ Ņ Ō Ō ł Ņ Ņł Ņ Ō Īł ĿƦł ŨŅ ŦƼ :IJƢƏ Ɖ ƁŶĥĪ ŁĭĬô ťŨĿ Ƨł Ō ň ň Ņ Ņ Ņ Ƈƣ ťƐƄƉĪ ŧĪň ĬŅ ťŨŅ ĿĪł ťƉŅ ƅſĥ ĖŦĭųƌň ťŷƀ Ņ ŏ ň ŅŅ ł Ō Ņ Ł ƼíƇ ł Ɖł ŁĭŅ Ĭô ŦŁĿŴ :ŧĿĬ ƉĪŁĪ ŧĿƢƤŨ Ǝſĥ ň ň Ņ ūĪ ŏ ň ň Ņ Ņ ſł ŧƢũ ł ł ĖŦĭĬô ťƍƟĪ ƈƃ ŧĿűƌ Ō ŭƇƙƌł ťƍƖ Ņ ŅòŌ ň ň Ņ ł ňŅ :ŦƦł ƤƀŨ ƎƉ ťŶŁ ťƤƙƌĪ ŧĪĬ IJĬô ťŌ ŨŅ Ŀł ł IJĬŅ ƎƉň Ƣſƻł Ņ ƘĪ Ņ ĥ ƎƉň ĶŴƠŏ ƌň ŧƢŬ ĖljŅ űŨ Ņ ł ŅŅ Ņł ł Īł IJĬ ŧĪň ĬŅ ŦƦŨ :ŦųŅ ƭ ƢŨł ƢƖƏ Ŀ ŦŁĥ ô

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ZACCHAEUS THE TAX-COLLECTOR This is the great sign45 that the Son of God wrought, when in a single moment He made a sinner into a righteous person. Where are the multitudes who found fault when He entered the house of the tax-collector to eat bread with sinners? They knew not how to view rightly what He was doing; wise was the heart which used it for its own profit. That most sagacious Fisherman46 cast His hook and caught by His mercies the ruler of the town. He enclosed the chief tax-collector in the net which He cast there, for indeed, no one ever fished thus save our Lord. Into the sea of the world the Son of God cast His net, and it caught the tax-collector, dragging in with him his possessions as well. If our Lord had not gone into his home to eat bread, this catch would not have fallen into the net. If He had passed by and not invited Himself to come to the tax-collector, this trove of repentance would not have been found. Indeed, He knew what He was doing where He tarried, and for this reason He was not concerned over the reproach. Our Lord saw Zacchaeus and rejoiced over the child He had gained, and began to call him a son of Abraham by reason of His love.

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Mt 13:47-8

Lk 19:5 Lk 19:5

Lk19:9

Sign (âtâ): see Bou Mansour, Éphrem, 57–61. Fisherman (ʜayâdâ): in the “Homily on Our Lord” Ephrem applies the term to Christ but elsewhere he uses it in reference to Apostles and to bishops. See Murray, Symbols, 176–78. 45 46

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ň ł ťƀŅ źŅ Ŷł ƎƉĪ ł ťƠſŅ ĪŌ Įł űũƕ ĖljŅ ňűŅ ƕň űŷŨ ň Ō ƕĪ Ņ ťƤň òƍƃň ķŴƌŏ ĥ ťƄſ Ņ ĥł :ŦĭŅ Ĭô ĵŤƕŅ űƃł ƎƀƆű ň ł ňŅ Ņ Ɔł ĵŴƃŤŏ ƌĪň ťƐƄ Ņ ƉĪŅ ĬƼ Ėťƀò źŶł Ƌƕł ťƊŷ ũíƆŅ ŏ Ō ł ň ŏ Ņ ł Ņ ł :ŦĭĬô ƢƖƏ ķŴƉ ųŨ ķĭĿŴŷƌŏ Ī ĭĭĬô ƎƀƕűſŅ Ƨ Ņ ƀíƆ ŏ Īł ĭĬô ťũł íƆň ƋƀƄŌ Ŷł ł Ɖň ljň ǓŁŴ ĖŦĭŅ Ĭô ŸƤł ŶƦ ň Ņ Ƈŏ Ũł ŧűƣ Ņ Ũŏ ƨƉ ŧűŅ ſŅ Ľł ĭĬł ťƕŴ Ņ :ťƍŅ ſŴ Ņ ň ł ťƃƢ Ņ ƃł ųƿĪŏ ťźƀƇŌ ƤíƆ ł ǔŨ ňŅ ł ĭł łŅ ĖĬŌ ĪĽł IJĬôŅ ŴƊŶ ł ł ťƐň Ƅò ƉĪŅ ťŨŅ ƢíƆ ł ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƥũŶ :ƎƉŁ ƁƉĿĥĪ ťƘŴŬŨ Ņ Ņ ň ŏ ĖķƢł ƉŅ Ƨĥ ňťƍŅ ƃł ĬŅ ĪĽŅ Ķĭł ƦƊƉň ƥƌŅ ôĥ ƧĪ Ņł Ņ Ō ĥ ťƊŅ ſł ťƊíƇ Ņ ƖŨ Ō ƁƉĿ :ŦųŅ ƭ ƢŨł ĬŁűſƞƉ ň ĭł ƦƤũ Ņ Ņ Ɖĭ ł Ŷň ťƐƄ ł ƌň ųƊň ƕł IJĬô Ŵƍł ƀŅ òƍƠíƆ ĖŁűŬ Ņ łŅ Ņ ł ň ŏ ƌň ķƢł ƉŅ ƈƕł Ƨ Ŵŏƭ :ƎƉŁ ťƊŷƆň ĵŴŅ ƃŤ Ņ Ņ ŧűſŅ Ľł ljŅ ĬŅ ĖŦĭŅ Ĭô ĵň ŤƕŅ Ƨ ŦŁűſň ƞŌ ƉŅ ŧĪň ųíƆ ň ł Ŵŏƭ :IJĬô ĭĪĥł Ľň ŦŁŤƌĪŌ ň ƎƉł Ņ ĪĮł Ņ ĥ Ƨĭ ŦĭŅ Ĭô Ņ Ƣũƕ ł ĥ Ƨ ŦŁŴũŏ ſŁŅ Īł ŦƦŷƄƣ Ņ ŧĪň ĬŅ ĖŦĭŅ Ĭô ŸƄƣ ł :ŦĭŅ Ĭô IJĬô ĭƻĥĪŌ Ƣƃł ŦĭŅ Ĭô űũň Ņ ƕŅ ķŴƉŏ Ƣƀūň ŦĭŅ Ĭô ŏ ĺűł ſŅ ň Ņ źƉĭ ĖŦĭŅ Ĭô ƈŶň ĪŅ Ƨ ťƀŅ ƌŴŅ ūŏ ƎƉň ljŅ ųíƇ ł Ņ Īł ťƀíƇ Ņ ł ķƢł ƉŅ ŦĭŅ Ĭô IJųô ſŵŶ Ņ źŨ Ō ĭł Ɓƃł ŵíƆ :ťƍƟ IJ űŶ ł ŏ ň Ō Ņ ň Ŷŏ ƈźƉň ĶĬŅ ƢŨĥ ƢŨł IJĬô ŴſƢƠƌĪň IJƢƣĭ ł ĖųŨŴ Ņ ň Ņ ſł ł ƋƆł ťƍŅ ƉŴ ł ťƀò Ŷł ųŨň ĭĭĬ :ljŅ ĬŅ ŦƼũŨ

53

375

380

385

390

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395

“Today”, He said, “there is life in this house, for life has dawned in it, and the death which reigned here has fled away.”47 Behold, encouragement for all the wicked and for sinners, that they too can become good through repentance! Behold, the new deeds which the Son of God wrought on His path: blessed is He who has proclaimed good hope to humanity.

400

Life/ salvation: in early Syriac writings there is a sense of ‘salvation’ (Lk. 19:9, sŇtēria; Peshitta, ʚaye) as being ‘brought to life,’ hence the interchangeability of the terms. For a discussion of what this implies see Klijn, “The Term Life,” see also Lenzi, “The Syriac Usage of the Term Life.” 47

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Ņ ł ł ł ň ł ňò ł ň ƉĪ ł ŦŁŴ ĖųŨň ŦĭŅ Ĭô ƅƇƊ Ɖ ľƢƕĭ ųŨ ŴŷƌĪ ťƀŶĪ ňò Ņ ł ł ŏ ŏ ň ò Ō Ņ Ɔŏ ŦĬŅ :ťƀźŅ ŷíƆĭ ķĭųíƿ ťƤƀũíƆŅ ťũŅ ŨŴ ň ťũňò Ź ķŴƌŏ ňĥ ƎíſƞƉ Ņ ƊíƆ ň Īł Ņ Ũł Ŧĭų ĖŦŁŴũŏ ſƦ ŅŅ ł ł ň ŏ ł ł Ņ Ņ ò ł Ņ :Ŧųƭ ƢŨ ųŅ ŶĿĭŤŨ ƢƖƏĪ ŦŁŁűŶ ŦĬ ň Īł ĭĬŏ ƅſƢŨ Ō Ņ Əł ĮƢƃĥ ł Ɔł ťũŅ Ź ŧƢũ ĖťƤŅ ƍŅ ƀò ƍũ ô Ņ Ņ Ņ Ņ łł ł ň .ŦŁĭƢŏ ƣĭ ťƐƄƉ ƁƃĮ ƈƕĪ ƋƇƣ

55

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BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WORKS CITED (A) ANCIENT AUTHORS AND TRANSLATIONS Aphrahat: K. Valavanolickal, Demonstrations I (Kerala,1999); II (Kottayam: SEERI, 2005). Cyrillona: C. Vona, I Carmi di Cirillona (Rome/Paris, 1963). Ephrem: S.P. Brock, “Ephrem’s Letter to Publius,” LM 89 (1976) 261–305. S.P. Brock, Hymns on Paradise (Crestwood, 1990). Commentaire de l’Évangile Concordant, Texte syriaque, ed. L. Leloir, Chester Beatty Monographs 8 (Dublin, 1963; French trans. L. Leloir, SC 121 [Paris, 1966]). Homily “On Admonition and Repentance,” Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, 2nd series vol. XIII, 330–36. “Homily on Our Lord” in St. Ephrem. Selected Prose Works (Washington DC, 1994) 269–332. C. McCarthy, St. Ephrem’s Commentary on Tatian’s Diatessaron (JSS Supplement 2, 1993). K. McVey, “Hymns on Virginity” in Ephrem the Syrian. Hymns (New York, 1999). Jacob: M. Albert, Les Lettres de Jacques de Saroug, Patrimoine Syriaque-3 (Kaslik, 2004). P. Bedjan, Homiliae Selectae Mar-Jacobi Sarugensis, I–V (Paris/Leipzig, 1905– 1910; repr. Piscataway, 2006). S.P. Brock, Jacob of Serug’s Homily on the Veil on Moses’ Face (Piscataway NJ, 2009). 57

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S.F. Johnson, “The Sinful Woman: a memra by Jacob of Serug,” Sob/ECR 24:1 (2002) 56–88. E. Khalifé-Hachem, “Homélie Métrique de Jacques de Saroug sur l’Amour,” PdO 1:2 (1970) 281–99 T. Kollamparampil, Select Festal Homilies (Bangalore, 1997). J. Konat, “A metrical homily of Jacob of Serug on the mysteries, types and figures of Christ: authentic or compilation?,” LM 118 (2005) 71–86. G. Olinder, Jacobi Sarugensis. Epistulae quotquot supersunt, CSCO 110/syr 57 (Louvain, 1965). Narsai: J. Frishman, “Memra on the Brazen Serpent,” The Ways and Means of the Divine Economy (diss. Leiden, 1992) http://public.me.com/ophirmm Odes of Solomon: J.H. Charlesworth, The Odes of Solomon (California, 1977). J.A. Emerton, The Odes of Solomon in The Apocryphal Old Testament ed. H.F.D. Sparks (Oxford, 1984). Rabbinics: The Babylonian Talmud (London, 1938). Midrash Rabbah (London, 1951). Theodore of Mopsuestia: R.C. Hill, Theodore of Mopsuestia. Commentary on the Twelve Prophets (Washington DC, 2003).

(B) MODERN WORKS T. Bou Mansour, La pensée symbolique de saint Ephrem (Kaslik, 1988). ——, La théologie de Jacques de Saroug, I–II (Kaslik, 1993, 2000). S.P. Brock, “Dieu Amour et Amour de Dieu chez Jacques de Saroug,” Patrimoine Syriaque VIII, vol. 1 (Lebanon, 2003) 175–82. ——, “The Imagery of the Spiritual Mirror in Syriac Literature,” JCSSS 5 (2005) 3–17. ——, The Luminous Eye (Kalamazoo MI, 1992). J. Frishman, “Type and Reality in the Exegetical Homilies of Mar Narsai,” SP 20 (1989) 169–75.

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A. Golitzin, “The Image and Glory of God in Jacob of Serug’s Homily, ‘On that Chariot that Ezekiel the Prophet Saw’,” SVTQ 47:3–4 (2003) 323–64. ____, “The Place of the Presence of God: Aphrahat of Persia’s Portrait of the Christian Holy Man,” 1–31. http://www.marquette.edu/maqom/aimilianus S.H. Griffith, “The Image of the Image Maker in the Poetry of St. Ephrem the Syrian,” SP 25 (1993) 258–69. M.T. Hansbury, “‘Insight without Sight’: Wonder as an Aspect of Revelation in the Discourses of Isaac the Syrian,” JCSSS 8 (2008) 60–73. S. Harvey, “Embodiment in Time and Eternity: a Syriac Perspective,” SVTQ 43.2 (1999)105–30. ——, “St. Ephrem on the Scent of Salvation,” JTS NS, 49.1 (1998), 109– 28. A.F.J. Klijn, “The Term Life in Syriac Theology,” SJT 9(1962) 390–7. T. Kollamparampil, Salvation according to Jacob of Serugh (Bangalore, 2001). N. Koltun-Fromm, “Yokes of the Holy-Ones: The Embodiment of a Christian Vocation,” HTR 94.2 (2001) 205–218. J. Konat, “Christological Insights in Jacob of Serug’s Typology as Reflected in His Memre,” ETL 77(2001) 46–72. G. Lenzi, “The Syriac Usage of the Term ‘Life’ for “Salvation” Reconsidered,” JNSL 32/1 (2006) 83–95. R. Murray, Symbols of Church and Kingdom. A Study in Early Syriac Tradition (Cambridge,1975; revised ed. Piscataway, NJ, 2004). J. Neusner, Symbol and Theology in Early Judaism (Minneapolis MN,1991). F. Rilliet, “La Louange des Pierres,” RTP 117 (1985) 293–304. ——, “La métaphore du chemin dans la sotériologie de Jacques de Saroug,” SP 25 (1993) 324–31. A. Shemunkasho, Healing in the Theology of Saint Ephrem (Piscataway NJ, 2002). C. Stewart, ‘Working the Earth of the Heart,’ The Messalian Controversy in History, Texts and Language to AD 431 (Oxford, 1991). E. Urbach, The Sages (Jerusalem, 1979).

INDEX OF NAMES AND THEMES Abraham 394 Adam 113, 227, 230 apostle, apostleship 42, 54, 187, 212, 273, 276, 277, 359, 370 bread 215, 332, 387 Christ, titles of Doctor 28 Fisherman 381 Fruit of Life 120 Herb of Life 78 Hope 301 Husbandman 207 Judge 81 Just One 79 King 329 Lofty One 138 Lord of Eden 116 Lord of kings 246 Lord of the world 307 Merchant 249 Merchant of mercy 257 Nurse 299 Physician 11, 34, 50, 75, 94, 289, 310, 317, 321 Resplendent One 338 Saviour 33, 172,177 Shepherd 47, 200, 297 Son of God 53, 132, 241, 285, 287, 375, 385, 399 Son of the Just One 337 Sweet Fruit 180 cluster 240

corruption 369 Creator 230 desire 155, 157, 159-160, 161, 163, 165, 168, 170 destruction 32 disciple 274, 278 Eden 225 faith 129, 135 fashioned anew 151 first fruit 211, 223, 243 forgiveness 14, 24, 188, 268, 288 formations 106 fruit 213, 218, 221, 223, 225, 234, 239 grace 83, 267 harlot 7, 9, 65, 211 health, healing 22, 76, 290, 300 Hebrews 146 hope 192, 400 bronze serpent 147 hidden serpent 143 image 195 iniquity, wickedness 26, 29, 62, 64, 65, 71, 75, 159, 289, 295, 299, 305, 320, 324, 327-328, 337, 373 Jericho 226, 233, 240 joined 162-68 joy 323 Judea 73 justice 38 life/salvation 192, 288, 395-396 lodge, abide 205, 329

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lost sheep 87, 200, 297 love 10, 23, 74, 98, 100, 102, 131, 154-56, 161-64, 169-72, 174, 175, 182, 185, 206, 231, 257, 292, 358, 366, 394 lowliness 138 marvel, wonder, admire 53, 196, 272, 371 medicine 17, 21, 25 mercy, compassion 30, 32, 188, 194, 197, 251, 253, 265, 312, 382 mingle 51, 162-68, 294 mirror 39 pattern 244 path, way 1, 3, 241, 399 peace 269 place 117, 256

portray 195 repentance 35, 45, 85, 195, 231, 237, 239, 242, 244, 333, 390, 398 resurrection 13 righteousness 153, 324, 335, 363, 141 sign 375 stones, rocks 213-214 sweet fruit 210, 220 sweet savour 224 fig tree, passim truth 160 wedding feast 335 wine 215 yoke 359 Zacchaeus, passim

INDEX OF BIBLICAL REFERENCES Genesis 3:7 3:7–8 3:10 Exodus 3:7 16:31 17:5-6 Numbers 21:6 21:9 21:4–9 Deuteronomy 8:16 Psalms 25:8 34:18 51:13 51:17 109:22 147:3 Isaiah 61:1 Hosea 6:1 9.10 Jeremiah 33:6 Matthew 9:12 9:9 11:19

11:29–31 13:47-8 15:24 15:32–7 17:24–7 22:1–10 22:15–22 27:51–3 Mark 2:17 Luke 1:43 5:29–31 5:31 7:34 7:38 7:41–3 10:34 15:1 15:2 15:4 15:4–6 15:24 19:5 19:7 19:8 19:9 19:10 19:40 John 2:1 2:1–11 3:14

113 227-28 230 216 215 214 143-50 144, 146, 147 150 215 3 19 3 19 20 19 20 11 211, 223, 243 11 11 212 9

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359 385-6 5, 200 216 219 335 217 213 11 322 9 11 9 7 23-4 10 9 4, 292, 368 5, 200 200, 297 200 201, 287, 387, 389 291 306, 343, 361 258, 303, 394, 396 5, 200 213 335 215 147

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I Corinthians 10:4

147 200 368 147 214

I Timothy 1:15 James 1:18 Revelation 14:4 19:7, 9

3 211, 223, 243 211, 223, 243 335