J S ’ H acob of arug S omilieS on tHe n ativity TexTs from ChrisTian LaTe anTiquiTy 23 General Editor George A. Kiraz The Metrical Homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug G e m e eneraL diTor anaGinG diTor s P. b G a. k ebasTian roCk eorGe iraz fasCiCLes 18–20 J s ’ h aCob of aruG s omiLies on The n aTiviTy T i ransLaTed wiTh nTroduCTion by T k homas oLLamParamPiL GorGias Press 2010 First Gorgias Press Edition, 2010 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. Published in the United States of America by Gorgias Press LLC, New Jersey ISBN 978-1-60724-139-3 ISSN 1935-6846 GorGias Press 180 Centennial Ave., Suite 3, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA www.gorgiaspress.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Jacob, of Serug, 451-521. [Homilies. Selections. English & Syriac] Jacob of Sarug’s homilies on the Nativity / translated with introduction by Thom- as Kollamparampil. -- 1st Gorgias Press ed. p. cm. -- (Texts from Christian late antiquity, ISSN 1935-6846 ; 23) (Metrical homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug ; fasc. 18-20) Homilies in English and Syriac. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Jesus Christ--Nativity--Sermons. 2. Sermons, Syriac--Translations in to English. 3. Sermons, Syriac. I. Kollamparampil, Thomas. II. Title. III. Title: Homilies on the Nativity. BR65.J283H6313 2010 232.92--dc22 2010007899 The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standards. Printed in the United States of America This publication was made possible with a generous grant from The BarnaBas Fund and The aThanasius Yeshu samuel Fund TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents....................................................................................................v List of Abbreviations.............................................................................................ix FIRST HOMILY Introduction.............................................................................................................3 Outline..............................................................................................................3 Summary..........................................................................................................6 Text and Translation...............................................................................................9 The Marvellous and the Ineffable Revelation in the Nativity...............10 Seeking the Hidden and the Revealed One..............................................12 The Singing of the Homily by the Impulse of the Spirit........................16 The Nativity of the Son from the Daughter of David...........................18 Disclosure of the Good Will and the Confession of the Desire to Praise.....................................................................................................20 The Hidden Mercy of the Grace in Adam...............................................22 The Reason for the Angel’s Mission to Mary..........................................24 The Encounter between the Angel and Mary..........................................28 The Angel’s Exhortation to Mary to Concede to the Hidden Divinity..................................................................................................34 Mary’s Discerning Question.......................................................................34 The Angel’s Explanation on the Truth of the Virgin-Birth..................40 Aspects of Contention versus the Loving Discernment for the Word......................................................................................................48 The Angel’s Explanation to the Inquiry of Mary....................................52 Mary’s Preparation for the Indwelling of the Son...................................54 The Son’s Dwelling in Mary while not Departing from the Father.....58 Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth and the King’s Visit to His Servant..............64 The Singing of ‘the Daughter of Levites’ in Praise of Mary..................68 Mary’s Return from Elizabeth....................................................................70 Doubts of Righteous Joseph and the Ordeal of Mary, the Believing Woman..................................................................................................74 The Disputation between Mary and Joseph.............................................76 Scriptural and Natural Testimonies for Mary’s Virginity.......................82 Mary’s Supplication to the Son..................................................................86 v vi HOMILIES ON THE NATIVITY The Encounter between the Angel and Joseph.......................................88 Believing Joseph, the Herald of the Truth of Nativity...........................92 Joseph, the Cherub of Flesh and the Virtuous Servant..........................94 The Inscription of the Name of Adam in the Book of Life.................98 The Wonder of ‘the Begetter of Babes’ Begotten Corporeally...........100 The Birth of ‘the Hidden and the Revealed One’.................................104 Glory in the Highest, Peace on Earth, Hope to Adam and Praise Everywhere.........................................................................................106 The Unrecognized Pastor of the Rational Sheep..................................110 The Nativity of the Sacrificial Lamb.......................................................112 The Reconciliation of Heaven and Earth in the Wonder of the Nativity................................................................................................114 Mary’s Supplication with Adoration and Praise....................................116 Nativity, the Day of Joy and Exultation.................................................120 Nativity, the Day of Joy for the Prophets and Virginity......................122 The Day of Renewal and Freedom..........................................................124 The Day of Restoration and Rebuilding.................................................128 The Month of Divine Fruits for the Impoverished Creation.............132 The Day of Renovation and Praise.........................................................136 SECOND HOMILY Introduction.........................................................................................................143 Outline..........................................................................................................143 Summary......................................................................................................144 Text and Translation...........................................................................................145 The Wonder of Divine Nativity...............................................................146 The Reason for the Son’s Corporeal Birth.............................................146 The Way of the Humble State and the Frightened Demons..............150 Devils’ Consultation to Satan...................................................................152 The Deliberations of Error.......................................................................154 Demons’ Search for the Reason of the Great Light.............................156 The Light Shone forth at Bethlehem......................................................158 The Terrified Company of Satan, Error and Demons.........................160 The Contemplations of the Terrified Evil One.....................................164 The Report from Persia and the Secret Devices of the Evil One......168 The Side of the Left and the Plot against the Child..............................170 The Babe of Swaddling Clothes, the Reconciler and the Life-Giver.174 THIRD HOMILY Introduction.........................................................................................................181 Outline..........................................................................................................181 TABLE OF CONTENTS vii Summary......................................................................................................183 Text and Translation...........................................................................................185 The Supplication to Speak of the Lord’s Descent on Earth...............186 Divine Mercy’s Sending of the Son and His Mingling with the Earthly.................................................................................................186 The Clamour on the Earth Regarding the Son......................................190 The Hidden Economy of the Son...........................................................192 Wonder and Love Speak the Story of the Son......................................194 The Disclosure of the Hidden Mystery and the Fulfilment of the Prophecy.............................................................................................196 The Fulfilment of the Mysteries, Parables and the Words of Prophecy.............................................................................................202 The Prophecy at Rest and the Silent Heralds........................................204 The Perfection of the Picture of Prophecy............................................206 The Birth of Immanuel, the Marvel........................................................210 The Marvellous and Ineffable Way of the Son......................................212 The Dependence of the Creation on the Child of Swaddling Clothes................................................................................................214 ‘The Image of the Father’ and ‘the Splendour of the Divinity’ on Earth....................................................................................................216 Joseph, the Guardian of the Hidden Mystery........................................220 Joseph, the Worthy One for the Mystery of the Son...........................222 The Divine Nativity Full of Joy and Gladness......................................224 Bibliography of Works Cited.............................................................................229 Index of Names and Themes............................................................................233 Index of Biblical References..............................................................................241