Medieval History, Modern History, Syro Malabar Church, Thomas Christians

As is my custom, I also take historical …

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Comment posted on Major Arch Bishop Alencheril Mar Giwargis II Bava-The Patriarch of Syro Malabar Church and The Gate of All India- A Discussion on The Historical Hierarchical Status of The Church of Saint Thomas Christians by Steven Ring

As is my custom, I also take historical evidence into account when considering Syriac texts and their interpretation. This is no exception. The 4th century work called the Liber Graduum discusses Matthew 19.12. The Syriac comments in question extend from column 377 line 26 to column 380 line 12 in Kmosko’s edition of 1926. From these comments it is clear that the author interpreted the meaning of the key Syriac word as ‘faithful ones’ not ‘eunuchs’. Secondly and also from the 4th century but this time arguing from silence, Mar Ephrem a famous celibate, an evangelist for virginity and a gospel commentator, never once comments on this passage in Matthew. In this case, his silence is quite significant I think.

From the Catholicos Mar Aqaq’s see in the 5th century onwards however, the situation changes. An increasingly Hellenized eastern Syriac church, changed its mind and adopted the Greek miss-translation of this passage in Matthew. This much is certain from the synodal canons of Catholicos Mar Aqaq dated AD 486, (Chabot 1902, Syriac text p. 56) and from the explanations of the later gospel commentators including Isho`dad of Merv in the east Syrian tradition (9th century AD) and Dionysios Bar Salibi in the west Syrian tradition, (12th century AD).

Steven Ring

References:
Chabot, Jean-Baptiste 1902 ‘Synodicon Orientale’ Paris.
Kmosko, Mihály 1926. ‘Liber graduum’ Patrologia Syriaca, part 1, tome 3, Paris.
Leloir, Louis 1958. ‘L’Évangile d’Éphrem d’après les oeuvres éditées’ Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, volume 180, subsidia, tome 12. Louvain.