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vid · 07-11-2011, 08:29 AM

According to http://www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PD...7-238_JETS.pdf , Syrian bishop Theodoretus (420-457) destroyed 200 copies of Diatessaron to "make way for canonical gospels", and his contemporary Rabbula of Edessa (411-435) was not far behind. Source given is "Haer. fab. Comp., I, 20".

Does anyone have primary source for this in English?

DCHindley · 07-11-2011, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vid

According to http://www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PD...7-238_JETS.pdf , Syrian bishop Theodoretus (420-457) destroyed 200 copies of Diatessaron to "make way for canonical gospels", and his contemporary Rabbula of Edessa (411-435) was not far behind. Source given is "Haer. fab. Comp., I, 20".

Does anyone have primary source for this in English?

It is “Haereticarum fabularum compendium ad Sporacium” book 1 chapter 20, more familiarly known by the title, “Treatise on Heresies.” It can be found in P.G. 83, pages 370-371. I think PG stands for "Patrologia Graecae" or something Latiny like that. Roger Pearce says no English translation exists.

http://www.btinternet.com/~lmf12/TatianArticle.pdf

DCH

Roger Pearse · 07-11-2011, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCHindley

Quote:

Originally Posted by vid

According to http://www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PD...7-238_JETS.pdf , Syrian bishop Theodoretus (420-457) destroyed 200 copies of Diatessaron to "make way for canonical gospels", and his contemporary Rabbula of Edessa (411-435) was not far behind. Source given is "Haer. fab. Comp., I, 20".

Does anyone have primary source for this in English?

It is “Haereticarum fabularum compendium ad Sporacium” book 1 chapter 20, more familiarly known by the title, “Treatise on Heresies.” It can be found in P.G. 83, pages 370-371. I think PG stands for "Patrologia Graecae" or something Latiny like that. Roger Pearce says no English translation exists.

http://www.btinternet.com/~lmf12/TatianArticle.pdf

DCH

I did say so. But I was wrong! I said it again recently and someone pointed out that a complete translation was made in a dissertation, Glenn Melvin Cope, An analysis of the heresiological method of Theodoret of Cyrus in the Haereticarum fabularum compendium, Washington, 1990. P.116:

Quote:

Chapter 20: Concerning Tatian and Hydroparastati or the Encratites

Now Tatian, the Syrian, was [at] first a sophist and then he became a student of the divine Justin, the Martyr. But after the death of the teacher, he desired to be a leader of a heresy. He collected the starting points of [his] concoction from Valentinus, the emanations of Aeons; and from Saturnilus and Marcion, he made marriage loathsome, and the taking of animal meat and wine.

Those called Hydroparastati and Encratites had him as their leader. Now they are called Hydroparastati because they offer water instead of wine. But the Encratites are so called because they do not drink wine or partake of animal foods. Now they abstain from these things loathing wickedness. And they observe celibacy, calling marriage fornication, but naming diabolic cohabitation as lawful.

Tatian composed a Gospel called the Diatessaron amputating both the genealogies and other things which show that Christ was born according to the flesh from the seed of David. Not only those of his party used this [book], but also those who follow the apostolic doctrines, not knowing the evil nature of [this] composition, but using [it] more simply as an abridgment of the Bible. And I have found more than two hundred such books held in honor in the churches among us, and I collected and destroyed all [of them] and I introduced the gospels of the four evangelists.

That's the entirety of book 1, chapter 20.

Theodoret was one of the good guys, I should add. NB: The somewhat exaggerated language is characteristic of 5th century Greek writing. "Pious" merely means "I agree with him" and "impious" means "I don't agree with him".

I don't recall the Rabbula reference. Anyone got something we can work with?

All the best,

Roger Pearse
PS: PG does indeed equal Patrologia Graeca.

Roger Pearse · 07-11-2011, 01:29 PM

I think Rabbula may be in J. Overbeck, S. Ephraemi Syri, Rabulae Episcopi Edesseni, Balaei, Aliorumque Opera Selecta, Oxford, 1865, pp . 239-244. At Archive.org here: http://www.archive.org/details/sephr...irab00ephruoft. These are homilies preached before the whole city at Constantinople. But the stuff is all in Syriac!

Wonder if these 5 pages have been translated.

Roger Pearse · 07-11-2011, 01:31 PM

Not sure whether that is the right stuff, tho. There is also a reference to the Canons of Rabbula here.

stephan huller · 07-11-2011, 11:41 PM

All the Diatessaron references are to be found in William Petersen's book entitled - what else? - the Diatessaron (or via: amazon.co.uk). I can see all of the references in Google preview. I don't know about people in other parts of the world.

DCHindley · 07-12-2011, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Pearse

Not sure whether that is the right stuff, tho. There is also a reference to the Canons of Rabbula here.

Vita Rabbulae ed. Franz Overbeck, S. Ephraemi Syri, Rabulae Episcopi Edesseni, Balaei aliorumque Opera Selecta (Oxford: Clarendon, 1865)

DCH

07-11-2011, 08:29 AM	#1
vid Regular Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Myjava, Slovakia Posts: 384	Theodoretus destroyed 200 copies of Diatessaron? According to http://www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PD...7-238_JETS.pdf , Syrian bishop Theodoretus (420-457) destroyed 200 copies of Diatessaron to "make way for canonical gospels", and his contemporary Rabbula of Edessa (411-435) was not far behind. Source given is "Haer. fab. Comp., I, 20". Does anyone have primary source for this in English?

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07-11-2011, 01:29 PM	#4
Roger Pearse Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: N/A Posts: 4,370	I think Rabbula may be in J. Overbeck, S. Ephraemi Syri, Rabulae Episcopi Edesseni, Balaei, Aliorumque Opera Selecta, Oxford, 1865, pp . 239-244. At Archive.org here: http://www.archive.org/details/sephr...irab00ephruoft. These are homilies preached before the whole city at Constantinople. But the stuff is all in Syriac! Wonder if these 5 pages have been translated.

07-11-2011, 01:31 PM	#5
Roger Pearse Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: N/A Posts: 4,370	Not sure whether that is the right stuff, tho. There is also a reference to the Canons of Rabbula here.

07-11-2011, 11:41 PM	#6
stephan huller Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: seattle, wa Posts: 9,337	All the Diatessaron references are to be found in William Petersen's book entitled - what else? - the Diatessaron (or via: amazon.co.uk). I can see all of the references in Google preview. I don't know about people in other parts of the world.

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