Jesus – ܡܰܪܓܳܢܺܝܬܳܐ ܓܢܺܝܙܬܳܐ

Jesus Christ, the Eye of Prophecy

05/26/201604/11/2020by The Hidden Pearl PressLeave a comment

This talk was given at the 13th Colloquium of Syriac Patrimony under the title The Syriac Exegetes at the Maronite Patriarchal Seminary, Ghazir, Lebanon, in February 2015. It was published in English and Arabic by Centre d’Études et de Recherches Orientales (CERO) in its Patrimoine Syriaque: Les Exégètes Syriaques – Actes du Colloque XIII (2015). We thank CERO for granting us permission to republish the English version on the hiddenpearl.org. This links displays/downloads an Arabic Translation of this article in pdf.

Abstract

The Treasury of Prophecy, i.e., the Old Testament, reveals the Son of God according to Jacob of Sarug. God the Father chose prophets to reveal this truth. Their prophecies disclose the only-begotten Son, his coming, crucifixion, and resurrection in numerous types and symbols. These prophets gaze upon the Son through the exalted or luminous Eye of Prophecy (ܥܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܢܒܺܝܘܽܬܳܐ). For example, with the luminous Eye of Prophecy, David saw the Son, who heals the earth by his blood. Moses perceived with the exalted Eye of Prophecy the creation of the world ex nihilo. With the same Eye, he saw the Son of God united to his Church in the waters of the Jordan. The objective of this presentation is to elucidate Jacob’s understanding of the Eye of Prophecy and its relationship to Jesus Christ.

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Death of “Sin and Death” on the Cross – An Excerpt from “On the Crucifixion” by Jacob of Serugh (ca. AD 451-521)

03/25/201512/28/2020by The Hidden Pearl PressLeave a comment

Our Lord was crucified, bore the debts of the entire world, and fastened sin [on the cross] with nails that it might never reign again.	ܙܩܺܝܦ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܡܳܪܰܢ ܘܰܛܥܺܝܢ ܚܰܘ̈ܒܶܐ ܕܟܽܠܳܗ ܬܺܒܶܝܠ܃ ܘܰܩܒܺܝܥܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܚܛܺܝܬܳܐ ܒܨܶܨ̈ܶܐ ܕܬܘܽܒ ܠܳܐ ܬܰܡܠܶܟ܀
While crucifying Him on Golgotha, they crucified [also sin] with Him that [sin] might never again slay another generation henceforth.	ܟܰܕ ܙܳܩܦܺܝܢ ܠܶܗ ܙܰܩܦܳܗ݀ ܥܰܡܶܗ ܥܰܠ ܓܳܓܘܽܠܬܳܐ܃ ܕܠܳܐ ܬܘܽܒ ܬܶܩܛܽܘܠ ܕܳܪ̈ܶܐ ܐ̱ܚܪ̈ܳܢܶܐ ܡܶܢܶܗ ܘܰܠܟܳܐ܀
He led sin from the tribunal to [the place of the] crucifixion, lifted up with Him the daughter of perdition, and slew her on the cross.	ܕܒܰܪ ܠܰܚܛܺܝܬܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܒܶܝܬ ܕܺܝܢܳܐ ܠܰܙܩܺܝܦܘܬܳܐ܃ ܘܰܐܣܩܳܗ݀ ܥܰܡܶܗ ܘܰܩܛܠܳܗ݀ ܒܩܰܝܣܳܐ ܠܒܰܪ̱ܬ ܐܰܒܕܳܢܳܐ܀
Sin slew Adam with a tree from the beginning. For this reason did the Son of God slay [sin] on a tree.	ܚܛܺܝܬܳܐ ܒܩܰܝܣܳܐ ܩܶܛܠܰܬ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ ܡܶܢ ܫܘܽܪܳܝܳܐ܃ ܘܡܶܛܽܠܗܳܢܳܐ ܒܩܰܝܣܳܐ ܩܰܛܠܳܗ݀ ܒܰܪ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ܀
Our Lord died indeed on account of sin. For this reason did He die and slay [sin] by His crucifixion.	ܠܰܚܛܺܝܬܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܡܺܝܬ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܡܳܪܰܢ ܟܰܕ ܡܳܐܶܬ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ܃ ܘܡܶܛܽܠܗܳܢܳܐ ܡܺܝܬ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܘܩܰܛܠܳܗ݀ ܒܰܙܩܺܝܦܘܽܬܶܗ܀
The Tree of Life destroyed the tree of knowledge, shook down Its fruit on the dead and resurrected them.	ܐܺܝܠܳܢ ܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ ܫܪܳܝܗ̱ܝ ܠܺܐܝܠܳـܢܳܐ ܗܰܘ ܕܺܝܕܰܥܬܳܐ܃ ܕܰܐܬܰܪ ܦܺܐܪܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܥܰܠ ܡܳܝ̈ܘܽܬܶܐ ܘܢܰـܚܶܡ ܐܶܢܘܽܢ܀
Our Redeemer uprooted the tree of death by His death that the tree that slew Adam might never again be fruitful.	ܠܗܰܘ ܐܺܝܠܳܢܳܐ ܕܡܘܰܬܳܐ ܒܡܘܰܬܶܗ ܥܩܰܪ ܦܳܪܘܽܩܰܢ܃ ܕܬܘܽܒ ܠܳܐ ܢܶܬܶܠ ܦܺܐܪ̈ܶܐ ܩܰܝܣܳܐ ܕܩܰܛܠܶܗ ܠܳܐܕܳܡ܀
He cut down the bitter tree of knowledge with the Tree of Life which He chose to sprout from Golgotha.	ܚܪܰܒ ܐܺܝܠܳܢܳܐ ܗܰܘ ܕܺܝܕܰܥܬܳܐ ܕܡܰܪܺܝܪܳܐ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ܃ ܒܺܐܝܠܳܢ ܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܨܒܳܐ ܕܢܺܐܥܶܐ ܡܶܢ ܓܳܓܘܽܠܬܳܐ܀
He stretched out His arms like branches at the crucifixion, His fruit fell off on the ground of the dead, and it bore life [immediately].	ܦܫܰܛ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܕܪ̈ܳܥܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܒܰܙܩܺܝܦܘܽܬܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ ܣܰܘ̈ܟܳܬܳܐ܃ ܘܰܢܬܰܪܘ ܦܺܐܪ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܒܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܕܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܘܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ ܛܶܥܢܰܬ܀
He lured the formidable Serpent to Golgotha, attacked it, and crushed it with the suffering of His crucifixion.	ܐܰܛܥܺܝ ܐܰܣܩܶܗ ܠܚܶܘܝܳܐ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܨܶܝܕ ܓܳܓܘܽܠܬܳܐ܃ ܘܰܗܦܰܟ ܥܠܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܘܪܰܨܶܗ ܒܚܰܫܳܐ ܕܰܙܩܺܝܦܘܽܬܶܗ܀
By the nails of His hands He pierced the venom of the Snake that it might never again fill the earth devastation by its hateful deceit.	ܒܨܶܨ̈ܶܐ ܕܐܺܝ̈ـܕܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܒܰܙܥܳܗ݀ ܠܡܶܪܬܶܗ ܕܗܰܘ ܚܰܪܡܳܢܳܐ܃ ܕܠܳܐ ܬܘܽܒ ܢܶܡܠܶܝܗ݀ ܠܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܚܪ̈ܺܝܒܶܐ ܒܢܶܟܠܶܗ ܣܰܢܝܳܐ܀
To accomplish this, He brought Himself to the crucifixion, stretched out His hands and received the nails from the insolent ones.	ܕܢܶܣܥܘܽܪ ܗܳܠܶܝܢ ܐܰܝܬܝ ܝܳܬܶܗ ܠܰܙܩܺܝܩܘܽܬܳܐ܃ ܘܰܦܫܰܛ ܐܺܝ̈ـܕܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܩܰܒܶܠ ܨܶܨ̈ܶܐ ܡܶܢ ܡܰܪ̈ܳܚܶܐ܀

Balai of Qenneshrin on the Faithful Departed

11/16/201408/29/2020by The Hidden Pearl PressLeave a comment

May the faithful departed who put You on through baptism put on, in Eden, the robe of glory.	ܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܶܐ ܡܗܰܝ̈ܡܢܶܐ ܆ ܕܠܰܒܫܘܽܟ ܒܰܥܡܳܕܳܐ ܆ ܢܶܬܥܰܛܦܘܽܢ ܒܰܥܕܶܝܢ ܆ ܐܶܣܛܰܠ ܬܶܫܒܘܽܚܬܳܐ ܀
The mouths that professed You, ate You and drank Your blood, shout with the angels, “Glory be upon Your coming!”	ܦ̈ܘܽܡܶܐ ܕܰܐܘܕܺܝܘ ܒܳܟ ܆ ܘܰܐܟܠܘܽܟ ܘܐܶܫܬܺܝܘ ܕܡܳܟ ܆ ܥܰܡ ܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܢܶܩܥܘܽܢ ܆ ܫܘܽܒܚܳܐ ܒܡܶܐܬܺܝܬܳܟ ܀
The hands and feet that have ministered at the altar may they not, Lord, be burnt up in the fire of Gehenna.	ܐܺܝ̈ܕܰܝܳܐ ܘܪ̈ܶܓܠܶܐ ܆ ܕܫ̈ܰܡܶܫܝ ܩܕܳܡ ܡܰܕܒܚܳܐ ܆ ܠܳܐ ܡܳܪܝ ܢܶܣ̈ܬܰܝܛܳܢ ܆ ܒܢܘܽܪܳܐ ܕܓܺܗܰܢܳܐ ܀
Glory be to the Voice, who calls the departed so that they may rise incorruptibly and sing glory.	ܫܘܽܒܚܳܐ ܠܗܰܘ ܩܳܠܳܐ ܆ ܕܩܳܪܶܐ ܠܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܷܐ ܆ ܘܩܳܝܡܺܝܢ ܕܠܳܐ ܚܒܳܠܳܐ ܆ ܘܙܳܡܪܺܝܢ ܬܶܫܒܘܽܚܬܳܐ ܀

Balai of Qenneshrin on a Laborer in the Vineyard of the Lord

11/16/201408/29/2020by The Hidden Pearl PressLeave a comment

Blessed are you, our father, when the King reveals himself and rewards justly every person according to their deeds.	ܛܘܽܒܰܝܟ ܐܳܘ ܐܰܒܘܽܢ ܆ ܡܳܐ ܕܡܶܬܓܠܶܐ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ ܆ ܘܦܳܪܰܥ ܒܟܺܐܢܘܽܬܳܐ ܆ ܠܟܽܠܢܳܫ ܐܰܝܟ ܥܰܡܠܶܗ ܀
Since you labored in His vineyard from morning till evening, behold, a wage awaits you, an entire denarius.	ܕܰܦܠܰܚܬ ܒܓܰܘ ܟܰܪܡܶܗ ܆ ܡܶܢ ܨܰܦܪܳܐ ܠܪܰܡܫܳܐ ܆ ܗܳܐ ܢܛܺܝܪ ܠܳܟ ܐܰܓܪܳܐ ܆ ܕܺܝܢܳܪܳܐ ܡܰܠܝܳܐ ܀
Pray, on our behalf, to your Lord, Who is pleased with you, so that, through your prayer, with you, we may rejoice in your gladness.	ܐܰܦܺܝܣ ܚܠܳܦ ܟܽܠܰܢ ܆ ܠܡܳܪܳܟ ܕܡܶܬܬܢܺܝܚ ܒܳܟ ܆ ܕܒܰܨܠܘܽܬܳܟ ܥܰܡܳܟ ܆ ܢܶܚܕܶܐ ܒܚܰܕܘܽܬܳܟ ܀
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit Who chose you, our father. You then triumphed and were crowned.	ܫܘܽܒܚܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܠܰܐܒܳܐ ܆ ܘܠܰܒܪܳܐ ܘܪܘܽܚ ܩܘܽܕܫܳܐ ܆ ܕܰܓܒܳܟ ܐܳܘ ܐܰܒܘܽܢ ܆ ܘܰܢܨܰܚܬ ܘܐܶܬܟܰܠܰܠܬ ܀

Balai of Qenneshrin on the Holy Martyrs

11/12/201408/29/2020by The Hidden Pearl PressLeave a comment

To the contest went the holy martyrs and against false worship battled the glorious laborers.	ܠܰܐܓܘܽܢܳܐ ܢܚܶܬܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܆ ܣܳܗ̈ܕܶܐ ܩܰܕܺܝ̈ܫܶܐ ܆ ܘܥܰܡ ܛܘܽܥܝܰܝ ܐܰܩܪܶܒܘ ܆ ܦܳܠܚ̈ܶܐ ܢܰܨܺܝ̈ܚܶܐ ܀
We beseech the martyrs and entreat them earnestly to implore with us the Lord, who crowned them.	ܡܶܢ ܣܳܗ̈ܕܶܐ ܢܶܒܥܶܐ ܆ ܘܰܠܗܘܽܢ ܢܶܬܟܰܫܰܦ ܆ ܕܰܢܦܺܝܣܘܽܢ ܥܰܡܰܢ ܆ ܠܡܳܪܝܳܐ ܡܟܰܠܠܳܢܗܘܽܢ ܀
They entered the contest that is full of sufferings and trampled every torment by the Messiah’s love.	ܥܰܠܘ ܗ̱ܘܰܘ ܠܰܐܓܘܽܢܳܐ ܆ ܕܡܳܠܶܐ ܐܘܽܠܨ̈ܳܢܶܐ ܆ ܘܕܳܫܘ ܥܰܠ ܟܽܠ ܫܶܢ̈ܕܻܝܢ ܆ ܒܚܘܽܒܶܗ ܕܰܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ ܀
Glory be to Him who exalted the commemoration of His holy ones in heaven, on earth and in the four corners of the world.	ܫܘܽܒܚܳܐ ܠܗܰܘ ܕܰܐܘܪܶܒ ܆ ܕܘܽܟܪܳܢ ܩܰܕܺܝ̈ܫܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܆ ܒܰܫܡܰܝܳܐ ܘܒܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܆ ܘܒܰܐܪ̈ܒܰܥ ܦܶܢ̈ܝܳܬܳܐ ܀

Balai of Qenneshrin on the Holy Apostles