Dionysius Bar Ṣalībī's Treatise Against the Jews Edited and Translated with Notes and Commentary

150 Pages·2019·2.248 MB·English

by  Rifaat Ebied

Introduction
1 TheLifeandCareerofDionysiusBarṢalībī
Therhetor,polemist,exegete,theologianandmetropolitanDionysius(Jacob)
bar Ṣalībī was born in Melitene (west of the Euphrates) at the beginning of
the12thcentury.HisbaptismalnamewasJacob(James),butheisknownas
Dionysius,thenameheassumedwhenhewaselevatedtotheepiscopacyof
Marʿash(Germanicia)in1148.1ItwasduringthatyearthatMarʿashwasattacked
byArmeniansandBarṢalībīwascarriedoffasaprisonerofwar,butheescaped
onfoottotheMonasteryofKalasyur.2HewasappointedmetropolitanofAmid
in1167andremainedthereuntilhisdeathinNovember1171.MichaeltheGreat,
whowasBarṢalībī’scontemporary,inhisChronique3summarizedtheliterary
outputof hiscolleagueandrecordedhispassingawayandburialinAmidas
follows:
̄ ̄
焏ܠܒܐ ܒܘܬܘ.焿ܦܬܐ 狏ܢܫܕ ܝ犯ܚܐ̱ 爯ܝ犯ܫ狏ܒ 狏ܝܟܘܐ 焏ܚܪܝ ܒ 爯ܝܕ ܪ狏ܒ
ܝ犏ܝܪܬܕ 爯ܠܝܕ ܐܬ煟ܥ 爯ܡ 煟ܢܥܕ 煟ܝܒ 爯ܡܥܠ 牯ܣܘܬܬܐ 焏ܢܡܝܫܡ 犯ܝ狏ܝ
̄ ̄
.ܗܪܕܕ焏ܒܟ熏ܟܘ狏ܝ̣ܟ焏ܠܝܠܡ焏ܢܦܠܡܒ熏ܩܥܝܘ̣ܗܕ煟ܝܡܐܕ熏̇ ܢܢ熏ܝܕܒ熏ܫ
爏ܛܡ 焏ܝܗܪܘܐ ܒ熏ܩܥܝ ܬ熏ܡ煟ܒ 焏ܠܡܥ 爟ܚܪ 焏ܢܟ狏̣ ܢܕ 爟ܚܠ 煿ܠܕ 焏ܢܗ
̈ ̈
ܐ狏ܝ狏ܚ 焯ܛ 焏ܒ狏ܟ ܒ狏ܟܘ 犿ܢܟܘ 焏ܢܦܠ熏ܝܕ 焏ܠܡܥܒ 犯ܫܟܬܐ 焯ܛܕ
̇ ̈ ̈ ̈
.ܐ狏ܩܝ狏ܥ 營ܩܝܬ焏ܝܕ 煿ܠܟܠ 狏ܝܟܘܐ 焏ܝܒܢܕ 焏ܒ狏ܟ ܢܘ煿ܠܟܠ 焏ܩܫ熏ܦ
爿ܝܣܟ犯ܦܠܘ 焏ܚܝ̣ܠܫܠܘ ܢ熏ܝܠܓܢܘ焏ܠ 焏ܚܝܒܫ 焏ܩܫ熏ܦ ܒܘ̣ܬ 煟ܒܥܘ
̈
̈ ̈
ܣ熏ܝܠܝܣܒܕ 焏ܒ狏ܟܠܘ ܣ熏ܝܪ熏ܓܝ犯ܓ ܣ熏ܓ熏ܠܘܐܬܕ 焏ܢܦܠ熏ܝܕ 焏ܒ狏ܟܠܘ
̄ ̈ ̄ ̇
煟ܩܕ 焏ܒ狏ܟܠܘ .焏ܣ熏ܢܕ 熏ܝܪ熏ܓܝ犯ܓܕ 爯ܝܠ煿ܠܘ ܣ熏ܝܣ熏ܢܢ熏ܝܕܕ ܘ煿ܠܘ
̇
.焏ܝ煟ܝܚܝ 爿ܝ犯ܓܘܐܕ ܐܬܘ焏ܡܠܘ 焏ܝܩܝܢ熏ܠ焏ܩ ܐ犯ܛܦܕ ܘ煿ܠܘ ܐ犯ܝܘ焏ܣ
̈ ̈
爏ܒܩ熏ܠ 爯ܝ犏ܢܕ ܐ狏ܝܕܘܬܘ 爿ܝܣܪܐ 爯ܝ煿ܠܟ 爏ܒܩ熏ܠ 焏ܫܪܕܕ 焏ܒ狏ܟ 煟ܒܥܘ
1 ThereisadisputeamongscholarsandsourcesastothedateofBarṢalībī’selevationtoepis-
copacy.Itisgenerallythoughttobedated1154,butaccordingtoanoteinMSMardin350
[A](p.147,col.b)andMSHarvardSyr.91[E](fol.75r,col.b)thedategivenis1148.Cf.also
R.H.Petersen,TheTreatiseofDionysiusBarṢalibhi‘AgainsttheJews’,ATranslationandCom-
mentary,Ph.D.dissertation,DukeUniversity,1964,p.262,esp.p.267.
2 ThiseventisrecordedbyBarHebraeusinhisChronography.Cf.S.D.Ryan,DionysiusBarSal-
ibi’sFactualandSpiritualCommentaryonPsalms73–82[CahiersdelaRevueBiblique57,Paris,
2004],p.5.
3 SeeChabotJ.-B.(ed.&tr.),ChroniquedeMichelleSyrien,vol.IV,Paris,1910,pp.698–700;cf.
Ryan,DionysiusBarSalibi’sFactualandSpiritualCommentaryonPsalms73–82,pp.5,7–8;cf.
Ebied,“TheSyriacPolemicalTreatisesofDionysiusBarSalibi”,p.58.
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2 introduction
̈ ̈ ̄ ݀
爯ܝܠܗ 煟ܒ̣ ܥ ܒܘܬ 焏ܩܫ熏ܦܕ 焏ܒ狏ܟܘ .熏ܫ ܬ犏ܝ̣ܪܬ 爯ܠܝܕ ܐ狏ܝܕܘܬ
ܬ熏ܠܠܡܡܕ 焏ܒ狏ܟ 煟ܒܥܘ .犯ܛܣܘ 爿ܝܠܛ熏ܛܣܪܐܕ .焏ܝܪܒܕ ܐܬ熏ܠܝܠܡܕ
̄ ̈
ܒܘ̣ܬ ܡ焏ܡܘ ܐܬܪܓܐܕ 焏ܒ狏ܟܘ 焏ܢܒܙ 爏ܥܕ 焏ܒ狏ܟܘ .ܐܬܘ煿ܠܐ
̈ ̈
爯ܝ煿ܠܟ ܐ狏ܢܝܩ 煿ܒ (Sic) 爯ܝܠܡܚܕ 焏ܒܪ 焏ܒ狏ܟ ܒ狏̣ ܟܘ 犿ܢܟܘ .ܒ狏ܟܐ
̇
煿ܫܦܢܠ ܪ狏ܥܐܘ .爯ܝܠܗ 燿ܝܐ煟ܒ ܗܬ煟ܥܠ ܗܪ狏ܥܐܘ .爯ܠܝܕ ܐܬ煟ܥܕ
̇ ̄ ̈
(Sic) ܝܗ熏ܠܠܡܥܘ ܝܗܘܪܒܘܕ ܢܘ煿ܠܟ 爏ܥܕ ܘܗ 煟ܩ 焏ܢ熏ܢܩܕ ܐܬܘܪ熏ܛܢܒ
̇ ̈
煟ܢ̣ ܥ .ܥܕܘ狏ܫܡ 煿ܢܡ 焏ܒܨܕ 爏ܟܘ .爯ܢܒ狏ܟ ܐ犯ܡ焏ܡ ܝܗ熏ܢܚ犏ܢܘ
̇ ݀ ̇
焏ܒܓܒ 煟ܝܡ焏ܒ 煿ܒܕ ܐ煿ܠܐ ܬ煟ܠܝܕ ܐܬ煟ܥܒ ܗ犯ܓܦ 爿ܟܛܬܐܘ
̄ ̄
ܢ犯ܡ 熏ܚܝ̣ܢܢ .爯ܫ熏ܫ 犯ܒܘ ܢܘ煟ܒܥ 犯ܒ ܪܛܦܕ ܐ犯ܒܩ ܬ熏ܠ (Sic) 焏ܝܢܡܝܬܕ
.ܝܬ熏ܝܛܚ 爏ܥ ܦܐܘ 焏ܠ犏ܡܘ ܐ犯ܩܕ 爏ܟܠ 焏ܣܚܢܘ
BarṢalībīwasoneofthemostvaried,productiveandprolificauthorsofSyriac
literature.HeplayedamajorroleinthefinalstageofflourishingoftheSyriac
theologicaltradition(theSyriacrenaissanceofthe12thand13thcenturies).He
leftaconsiderableliterarycorpus,includingsevenpolemicaltreatises,homi-
lies,liturgicalworks,canonlaw,commentariesonclassicalandpatristictexts
(onpseudo-DionysiusandEvagriusPonticus),theologicalworksandbiblical
commentaries.4PartofthevalueofhiswritingsistheirdistillationoftheSyr-
iacintellectualtraditionofthe1stmillenniumAD.5
BarṢalībīwasadistinguishedhierarchoftheSyrianOrthodoxChurchwho
earnedthenowfamiliarepithet“theeloquentdoctor”andwashailedasthe
“starofhisgeneration”byMichaeltheSyrian.6
2 HisWorks
Bar Ṣalībī’s works have been considered a very valuable witness to the lost
worksof earlierauthors.7Theyaboundwithallusionsto,andcitationsfrom,
suchsources,someof whicharenolongerextant.Hence,partof thevalueof
hiswritingsisthattheydistilltheSyriacintellectualtraditionof thefirstmil-
lennium.8Tothisend,J.RendelHarrisdescribestheseworksas“amagazineof
earlytraditions”.9
4 R.Y.Ebied,s.v.“BarṢalībī,Dionysius”,EBR3(2011),pp.493–494.
5 Cf.supra,p.XI.
6 Seesupra,p.X,n.3.
7 SeeRyan,DionysiusBarSalibi’sFactualandSpiritualCommentaryonPsalms73–82,p.xvii.
8 Cf.Ebied,“TheSyriacPolemicalTreatisesofDionysiusBarSalibi”,p.58.
9 TheCommentariesofIshoʾdadofMerv5,p.xxxi(quotedbyRyan,op.cit.,p.xvii).
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introduction 3
WorksofBarṢalībīcanbedividedintosevencategories.Theseare:polem-
ical treatises, biblical commentaries, homilies and liturgical writings, canon
law,commentariesonclassicalandpatristictexts,theologicalworksandmis-
cellaneouswritings.10Therefollowsabriefsurveyandanalysisoftheseworks
focusingingeneralonhispolemicalworksandhisTreatiseAgainsttheJewsin
particular.
2.1 PolemicalTreatises
The study of ThePolemicalTreatises of Dionysius Bar Ṣalībī has not hitherto
receivedtheseriousandadequateattentionitdeservesbyscholars.Theyhave
onlybeenpublishedinapartialandpiecemealfashion.11Theseare:
(a) TheTreatiseagainsttheJews
Sixmanuscripts,containingthetextofthistreatise,havesurvivedincol-
lectionsinSyria(Damascus),Turkey(Mardin),USA(Harvard)andEng-
land(Birmingham).
(b) TheTreatiseagainsttheMuslims
Eightmanuscripts,whosedatesrangefrom1325ADto1870AD,containing
thetextofthistreatisehavesurvivedincollectionsinSyria(Damascus),
Turkey(Mardin),USA(Harvard),England(Birmingham)andtheVatican.
(c) TheTreatiseagainsttheNestorians
Ninemanuscripts,containingthetextofthistreatise,havesurvivedincol-
lectionsinSyria(Damascus),USA(Harvard),England(Birminghamand
Oxford)andFrance(Paris).Noeditionortranslationof thetextof this
treatisehas,todate,beenundertaken.
(d) TheTreatiseagainsttheArmenians
Five manuscripts, containing the text of this treatise, have survived in
collectionsinSyria(Damascus),Turkey(Mardin),USA(Harvard)andEng-
10 Foradetailedsurveyof theliteraryoutputof BarṢalībī,seeJ.S.Assemani,“Dionysius
Bar-SalibiEpiscopusAmidae”,BibliothecaOrientalisClemantino-VaticanaTom.II,Descrip-
toribussyrismonophysitis,Roma,1721,pp.156–211;IgnatiusEphremIBarsoum,Al-Lūʾlūʾ
Al-Manthūr fiTarīkh Al-ʿūlūm wal-Adāb Al-Sūryāniyyah, Damascus, 1996, pp. 384–391;
RaboG.,“DionysiusJacobBarṢalibi:DieDesideratainderHandschriftenforschungzu
seinemWerk”,inD.W.Winkler(ed.),SyrischeStudien:Beiträgezum8.DeutschenSyro-
logie-SymposiuminSalzburg2014(Orientalia—Patristica—Oecumenica10,Wien,2016),
pp.119–127;cf.Ryan,DionysiusBarSalibi’sFactualandSpiritualCommentaryonPsalms
73–82,pp.8–14;cf.Ebied,“DionysiusBarṢalībī’sWorksintheMinganaCollectionofSyr-
iacandArabicManuscripts,withspecialemphasisonhisPolemicalTreatise‘Againstthe
Muslims’”,CCO8(2011),pp.49–64;S.P.Brock,ABriefOutlineofSyriacLiterature,Moran
Etho9(1997),pp.72f.
11 Seesupra,p.XI.
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4 introduction
land(Birmingham).Asisthecasewiththeprevioustreatises,nofullcrit-
icaleditionofthetexthashithertoappeared.
(e) TheTreatiseagainsttheArmenianPatriarchKewark
Four manuscripts, containing the text of this treatise, have survived in
Syria(Damascus),Turkey(Mardin)andtheMinganaCollection(Birming-
ham,England).Thistreatisehasnotreceivedanyattentionfromscholars
andnoeditionortranslationofthetexthasbeenmade.
(f) TheTreatiseagainsttheChalcedonians(Melkites)
Sixmanuscripts,containingthetextofthistreatise,havesurvivedincol-
lectionsinSyria(Damascus),Turkey(Mardin),USA(Harvard)andEng-
land(Birmingham).Asisthecasewiththeprevioustreatises,nocritical
editionofthetexthashithertoappeared.
(g) TheTreatiseagainsttheIdolators
The text of this treatise, which has not been edited or translated, has
apparently survived in a unique manuscript (Mardin 82), which forms
partoftheRahmanimanuscripts(MSS106and282)nowpreservedinthe
MonasteryofCharfeh(nearBeirut,Lebanon).12
2.2 BiblicalCommentaries
BarṢalībīisregardedasaveryimportantfigureinthehistoryof SyriacBible
interpretation, being credited with the largest and most complete commen-
taryontheOldandNewTestamentspreservedinSyriac.Partof thevalueof
hiscommentaryistherecoveryofearliersources.Moreover,heiscreditedwith
aninnovationinthelayoutofhiscommentarysincetherearenoexactprece-
dentsforhismethodologyinformerChristianorJewishbiblicalcommentaries.
InhiscommentariesontheOldTestamentbooks,hedivideshisworkintotwo
separatecommentaries,factual(orliteral)andspiritualandhepresentsthem
insynopticcolumnsinamirrorarrangement.13
2.3 HomiliesandLiturgicalWritings
BarṢalībīmademanyseminalcontributionstothestudyandrevisionof the
Syrian Orthodox Liturgy. He is credited with writing treatises and commen-
12 SeeBaumstark,GeschichtederSyrischenLiterature,p.297;P.vanderAalst,“DenisbarSal-
ibi,polemiste”,p.11.Cf.Ryan,DionysiusBarSalibi’sFactualandSpiritualCommentaryon
Psalms73–82,pp.13–14,n.113.
13 R.Y.Ebied,s.v.“BarṢalībī,Dionysius”,EBR3(2011),p.494.Foracomprehensivesurvey
ofpublishedcommentariesofBarṢalībīonbooksoftheOldandNewTestaments,see
Ryan,DionysiusBarSalibi’sFactualandSpiritualCommentaryonPsalms73–82,pp.14–
22.
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introduction 5
tariesontheEucharist,theHolyChrism(Myron),Baptism,theHolyCross,etc.
HeisalsocreditedwithauthoringseveralAnaphorasandexplanationsofthe
WestSyrianLiturgy.
2.4 CanonLaw
BarṢalībīassembledandsystematizedcollectionsof lawsrelatingtospecific
topics, e.g. penitential canons on the obligations of bishops and priests, on
penitenceabsolution,onthesinsof thelaity,etc.Worksinthiscategoryhave
survived,inbothSyriacandArabic.
2.5 CommentariesonClassicalandPatristicTexts
Bar Ṣalībī wrote a commentary on the works of Pseudo-Dionysius the Are-
opagite.AcopyofthiscommentaryispreservedinMinganaMS539,fols.3b–
235b:
̄ ݀
爿ܝܦܐ ܣ熏ܝܣ熏ܢܢ熏ܝܕ ܝ犯ܡ 焏ܒܪܕ 焏ܒ狏ܟܠ 犟ܫܦܢܕ ܝܗ ܬ熏ܠ 爯ܢܝܒ犯ܩ狏ܡ…)
̈
焏ܝܢܣܟܐ ܣ熏ܝܣ熏ܢܢ熏ܝܕܕ ܐܪܗ熏ܢ ܐ狏ܩܝܣܦܒܘ ܐ狏ܝܪܟܒ 爿ܢܝܬܐܕ
.(ܐ煿ܠܐܕ ܐ煟ܒܥܘ
2.6 TheologicalWorks
TwoworksunderthiscategoryhavesurvivedinthefollowingMinganaMss,viz.
MinganaMS152,fols.304a–305a:SevenLettersinSyriacattributedtoBarṢal-
̈
ībī(ܣ熏ܝܣ熏ܢܢ熏ܝܕ ܝ犯ܡ 營ܒܝܠܨ 犯ܒܠ ܢ煟ܝܒܥܕ ܐܬܪܓܐ 爯ܢܝܒ狏ܟ)andMingana
MS460,fols.11a–12b:AshorttreatiseonthehistoryofthetwelveApostles犯ܒܟ)
̇
(犯ܫܥܝܢܬ焏ܠܐ 爏ܣ犯ܠܐ;andontheseventyDisciples營ܡ焏ܣܐ ܒ狏ܟܢ ܐ犏ܝܐ)
(爯ܝ犯ܫܒܡ 爯ܝܥܒܣܠܐ.
2.7 MiscellaneousWritings
TheremainingworksofBarṢalībīwhichdonotfallintoanyspecificcategory
are,therefore,classifiedas“MiscellaneousWritings”.Examplesoftheseworks
havesurvivedinthefollowingMinganaMss:
– MinganaMS71,fols.108b–112a:Atreatisecontainingastronomicalandphys-
icalnotesexplaining:a)Theeclipseofthesun(焏ܫܡܫܕ爿ܝܣܦܠܩ爏ܛܡ);b)
Thewinds(焏ܚܘܪܕ ܐܪܨܘܐ 爯ܝܚ狏ܦ狏ܡܕ ܐ狏ܠܥ ܝܗ 焏ܢܡܕ);c)Thewinter
̈
(ܐܘ狏ܣ 爏ܥ ܥܕ熏ܡܕ 焏ܦܠܚ熏ܫ);d)Thefirmament(焏ܝܠܥ 焏ܛܗܪ 爏ܥ).
– MinganaMS215,fols.56a–59a:Atreatiseona)Themeaningofalltheobjects
foundinachurch,andchurchpossession;b)Thevestmentsof thepriests;
c)Imagesandgenuflections;d)Allthepreciousstones:
ܐ狏ܝܢܙܐܪܕ 爯ܝ煿ܢܡ ܒܘܬ … 爯ܝ煿ܠܟ ܐ狏ܝܢܙܐܪܕܘ 焏ܒܪ熏ܩܕ 焏ܩܫ熏ܦ)
̈
.(焏ܝܟܘ犯ܟ 狏ܝܟܘܐ ܐܪܕܘ ܐܬ熏ܢ煿ܟ 營ܫ熏ܒܠ 爏ܥܘ 焏ܟ犯ܫܕ
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6 introduction
TheforegoingsurveyofBarṢalībī’sworksrepresentsavastliterarycorpuson
avarietyoftopicsandsubjectmatterbyourauthor.Itis,therefore,awitnessto
theprolificacyandtheconsiderableliteraryactivityof thisSyrianMetropoli-
taninspiteofhiscopiousecclesiasticalactivitiesandresponsibilities,duringa
turbulenttimeofheightenedtensionsintheregioninwhichhewasliving.
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TreatiseAgainsttheJews
1 SynopsisandCommentaryontheTreatise
The work is given the title in the surviving Manuscripts “Against the Jews”.
Thoughalltheintroductiontothefirstchaptermaysimplybescribal,asthe
variantformstobefoundintheMSSallowfor,ifnotsuggest,theauthor’sindu-
bitablyownwordsdescribetheworkinI,2as‘apolemicalcounter-argument’,
which, condensed into a general title, understandably and naturally yields
Against the Jews. The title is found in such classic writers as Tertullian and
Chrysostom Against some specified opponent being a standard descriptive
designation. The division into nine numbered chapters is evidently by the
author,sinceherefersbacktoanearlierchapter.1Theheadingsandoccasional
explanatorynotesarecertainlynotbyBarṢalībī.2
ChapterOneaddressesanunnamedsponsorofthework,itbeingthecon-
ventionoftheageandofseriouswritingthattheunassumingauthorhasunder-
takenhistaskinmodestresponsetoacallfromoutside(I,1):theopeningof
Actsof theApostles is a good example. His book against the Muslims, called
here‘Tayites’fromatribalgroup,precededthispresentrebuttalandasimilar
work against the Armenians was to follow. (I, 2–12) give a summary account
answeringtheimpliedquestion‘whoaretheJews?’Drawingeitherdirectlyor
moreprobablyindirectlyonJosephusandEpiphanius,thename‘Jew’isdis-
tinguishedfrom‘Israelite’and‘Hebrew’andtheJewishSectsaredescribedas
thoughtheywereallcurrentrealities.Nothingapparentlyhashappenedtothe
Jews,forBarṢalībī,betweentheworldof theNewTestamentand1165/6AD3
apartfromthedispersionanditsconsequencestowhichheturnsin(I,13)to
endthechapter.Itisworthnotingthattheauthorattributesthequestionabout
theResurrectionofthedeadtoaNasoreanandnottoaSadducee(I,10).
BarṢalībī’scaseissetoutinwhatmusthavebeenregardedandwouldstill
beregardedasthemosteffectivemethod:demonstrationfromtheauthorities
forthe opposition: proof is tobe givenfromthe Scripturesof the OldTesta-
ment that the new and Christian Covenant is there announced.To this end,
ChapterTwostartswithtexts(II,1–2)whichprescribeunderthreatthepub-
liccommemorationoffeastsandatonement:theimplication,notspelledout,
is that here the Old Law is contrasted with and countermanded by the New
1 E.g.cf.chapterV,1.
2 SeeMSMardin350[A],pp.5–6;infrapp.19–21.
3 Cf.infra,p.12.
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8 treatise against the jews
LawandCovenantproclaimedpropheticallybyDavidthePsalmistandbyIsa-
iah (II,3). Bar Ṣalībī passes on to introduce a group of texts appealed to in
the earliest Christian theology, as proof that Christians and theTri-une God
arementionedintheHebrewBible(II,4–9).TheBible,again,provesthatcir-
cumcision and Sabbath observance convey no moral benefit and the latter’s
purpose was merely to ensure a minimum of divine worship (II, 10–11). The
predictionsof Jewishcaptivityinthebookof Daniel(tobedweltoninchap-
ter9)arerecalled(II,12)andtheconsequencedrawnthatthemarksofdivine
favourtowardsJewshavebeenwithdrawn(II,13).Theprovisionalandtempo-
rarycharacteroftheOldLawandtheintendedchoiceofnon-Jewsareproved;
thesignsandwondersof theexodusweredesignedtoshowdivinepowerat
workamongstJewsforthebenefitofnon-Jews.Theaccompanyingillustration
frommarket-placemedicinecuriouslyimpliesitsefficacy(II,14–17).
ChapterThree,accordingtotheheading,justifiesfromtheOldTestament
theworshipoftheAnointedone.Objection:theprophecyisunfulfilled:alldo
not worship him. Answer: the Gospel has indeed been accepted throughout
theworld;‘all’isbytheliteraryfigureofsynecdoche(III,1–2).Objectionraised
inanencounterof aJew,evidentlyconversantwiththeCreed,andanamed
Christian:‘wherearetheAnointedone’spassionandresurrectiononthethird
day predicted?’Answer, by Hosea (III, 3). An objection: the powerlessness of
the (allegedly) crucified God. Answer: abuse of the Father in the Old Testa-
ment conforms to this abuse of the Son, endured voluntarily (III, 4–5). ‘The
predictedAnointedoneistohaveapermanentearthlythroneandcouldnot
havedepartedindeath?’Answer:David’sownthronewasearthlyandimperma-
nent;theAnointedone’sisheavenlyfromwhichhedescended(inincarnation)
and to which he ascended (III, 6). His death was prophesied by Isaiah. ‘No’,
saystheJew,‘Danieltheeunuchwasmeant’.(Danielisdescribedasaeunuch
and descendant of Hezekiah, apparently according to a tradition otherwise
unattested). Answer:thewordsdonotfitthehistoricalDaniel(III,7–8).The
predictedabolitionoffeast-daysandthediasporaprovethattheAnointedone
hascomeandbeenrejected.Objection:thetextquotedfromJeremiahrefersto
theBabyloniancaptivity.Reply:othertextsmakethesamepoint.Thediaspora
haslasted1140yearssince25/26AD(accordingtoPetersen’scalculation)isclear
proofofdivinerejectionbecauseofthedeathofhisSon(III,9–11).4
The heading of Chapter Four suggests a change of emphasis. Much the
same points are made again, but this time in the form of Jewish objections,
4 ForadetaileddiscussionofBarṢalībī’sremarksontheBiblicalchronologyoftheTreatise,
see:Petersen,TheTreatiseofDionysiusBarSalibhi‘AgainsttheJews’,ATranslationandCom-
mentary,Ph.D.dissertation,pp.260–268.
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treatise against the jews 9
somebasedonknowledgeoftheNewTestamentwhicharerebuttedfromthe
HebrewBible.TheevidencethattheAnointedonehascomeisgivenbythe
cessationofprophecyandpriesthoodsincetheCrucifixioninAD25/26(IV,1).
Circumcision, it is objected, is prescribed as obedience to the Law for Abra-
ham’sdescendants.Butabolished,istheanswer,forAbraham’sspiritualheirs
undertheNewCovenant(IV,2–4).AseriesofobjectionstothenotionofGod
undergoinghumanexperiencesandaspresentintheEucharist,areraisedand
countered(IV,5–10).Thewordsof Danielaboutthecomingof theAnointed
onemustbereadinconjunctionwithZechariah’s:Danieltherepredictsasec-
ondcoming(IV,11).Thetitle‘Wordof God’isappliedtotheAnointedonein
theOldTestament,hispassionistherepredicted(IV,12–13).Theconversionof
non-Jewstothenon-idolatrousworshipproclaimedbytheLawshowsthetruth
ofhisCominganditsuniqueoriginality(IV,14).TheTrinityofFather,Sonand
HolySpiritisrevealedintheOldTestament(IV,15).
ChapterFiveoffersproofsfromtheOldTestamentthatGodinTrinitywas
proclaimed there. The texts, standard from the earliest Christian apologetic
onward, are reproduced (V, 1–8).The author has proved from the Scriptures
themainoutlineofChristiandoctrineandwillmoveontoparticularproofsof
Christ’ssavingpassion(V,9).
ChapterSixdeals,astheauthorhaspromised,withspecificpredictionsof
Christ’s saving death. Amos, Zechariah and others are quoted as providing
detailedforecastsof itshistory(VI,I-2).TotheobjectionthatElijah’sappear-
ancemustprecedethepromisedMessiah,firstarequotedthewordsofJohnthe
Baptist’sfather,andthenDaniel’sforecastsofanintervalbetweentheadventof
theMessiahKingandthedestructionofJerusalemandcessationoftheIsraelite
kingdom.Theabolitionof theOldLawwaspredictedbyHoseaandJeremiah
(VI,3–6).
Chapter Seven draws together texts foretelling Christ’s Burial and Resur-
rection (VII, 1–4). David and Isaiah predicted Christ’s Ascension (VII, 5–7).
Israel’srejectionbyGodisaconsequenceofdisobedience(VII,8).Theancient
prophecyoftheblessingofAbraham’sdescendantshasbeenfulfilledinChrist
the Servant’s purifying the Gentiles (as mentioned by Isaiah) who was not
Hezekiah,astheJewsclaim,buttheChrist(VII,9).‘Whywashecalleda“ser-
vant”?’Answer,becausethatwasthedivineschemeoftheeconomy(ordivine
dispensation): Christ’s service was his ‘tidying up’ of the world in redemp-
tion. Other transcendent predictive images from Isaiah, Solomon, Zechariah
andDavidamplifytheproof(VII,10–12).‘HowcouldChristbefromarejected
people?’Answer:onlyimpenitent,disbelievingJewsarerejected;theGentiles
have heard the message and been accepted, as had been predicted (VII, 13–
18).
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10 treatise against the jews
ChapterEightturnstoChristianrites.BaptismwasforetoldbyJoel,Zecha-
riah,DavidandIsaiah(VIII,1).ThevenerationoftheCrossandthecommem-
orationofChristianmartyrsaredefendedbytheirScripturalpredictions(VIII,
2–3). The First Coming, the Second Coming and the Last Judgement are all
recalledandDaniel’spredictionsexplained(VIII,4–6).
InChapterNine,beingthefinalchapterof theTreatise,BarṢalībīsumma-
rizeshisrebuttalagainsttheJewsbyofferingaseriesofconcludingremarksin
ordertopresenttheChristiancaseasprovedfromtheAncientScriptures(IX,
1–5).Jewishobstinatedisbeliefwillentailfinaldamnation,asbeliefwillbring
rewardtoChristians(IX,6).
2 TheArgument:Content,StructureandMethod
Whenhewrotethisworkof Christianapologetics,towhichhegavethetitle
̈
焏ܝܕ熏ܝ 爏ܒܩ熏ܠ(AgainsttheJews),theauthoraddedonefurtherlinkinachain
of traditionasoldas,evenindeedolderthan,theChristianreligionitself.For
therootsof thistraditioncanbefoundintheHebrewScripturesthemselves
wherethethemeofthefalsehoodandabsurdityoftheethnicreligionsisplayed
outinmanyplacesinthePsalmsandsuchsecondarypiecesofbiblicalGreek
literatureasBelandtheDragon.Amongthefirstworksofthepatristicwriters,
the‘FathersoftheChurch’,werepresentationsoftheChristianfaithdesigned
todefenditagainsthostilecritics,discredittheclaimsofrivalreligionsandpro-
motebyrationalargumenttheirown.Inthatimportantgroupof earlyChris-
tiantheologians,theGreekandLatin‘Apologists’ofthe2ndand3rdcenturies,
the main outline of subsequent Christian discourse was established. If that,
however,didincludeademonstrationof theclaimof thenewreligiontothe
publicgroundofopendebatewiththephilosophicaltraditionsoftheGreeks,
italsoincluded,andevenmoreimportantly,itsclaimtobethetruesuccessors
oftheancientandfundamentalHebrewfaithknownandproclaimedthrough
the saints and prophets of old. The Jews, it was argued, had misunderstood
andmisinterpretedtheirowntraditions:theLaw,theProphetsandtheWrit-
ingsmustbeseenasforeshadowingthenewreligionwithitsfocusinJesusof
Nazareth,theAnointedone,theChrist,theMessiah(thewordsareidenticalin
meaninginthedifferentlanguagesfromwhichtheyderive).Thatfundamental
themeofmisunderstandinghadbeenvoicedbyStPaulinseveralmemorable
passagesinhisEpistles.ItmaybefoundingermintheGospelsandderivesno
doubtfromaspectsof theteachingof Jesushimself.Afterthewritingsof the
NewTestamentitwasexpoundedandexploitedinoneof theearliestextant
Christianwritings,theEpistleofBarnabas.Forthatauthor,alaymanaddress-
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