The Diatesseron of Tatian: Arabic Manuscript Images.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section LV.

[1] 3774    Matt. xxviii. 16.But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain3775    Vat. ms. omits to the mountain. where Jesus had [2] appointed them.  3776    Matt. xxviii. 17.And when they saw him, they worshipped him:  but there were of [3] them who doubted.  3777    Mark xvi. 14.And while they sat there he appeared to them again, and upbraided them for their lack of faith and the hardness of their hearts, those that saw him when he was risen, and believed not.3778    This seems to be the meaning of the text of the mss.  Ciasca conjecturally emends it by printing in his Arabic text because they after hearts; but this is of no use unless one also ignores the and before believed.

[4] [Arabic, p. 209] 3779    Matt. xxviii. 18b.Then said Jesus unto them, I have been given all authority in heaven [5] and earth; and as my Father hath sent me, so I also send you.  3780    John xx. 21b; Mark xvi. 15b.Go now into [6] all the world, and preach my gospel in all the creation; 3781    Matt. xxviii. 19b.and teach3782    Or, make disciples of. all the peoples, and [7] baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; 3783    Matt. xxviii. 20.and teach them to keep all whatsoever I commanded you:  and lo, I am with you all the days, unto [8] the end of the world.  3784    Mark xvi. 16.For whosoever believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but [9] whosoever believeth not shall be rejected.  3785    Mark xvi. 17.And the signs3786    Not the usual word, although that is used in the Peshitta. which shall attend those that believe in me are these:  that they shall cast out devils in my name; and they [10] shall speak with new tongues; 3787    Mark xvi. 18.and they shall take up serpents, and if they drink deadly poison,3788    The Arabic translator renders it the poison of death. it shall not injure them; and they shall lay their hands on the diseased, [11] and they shall be healed.  3789    Luke xxiv. 49b.But ye, abide in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be clothed with power from on high.

[12] 3790    Mark xvi. 19a; Luke xxiv. 50.And our Lord Jesus, after speaking to them, took them out to Bethany:  and he [13] lifted up his hands, and blessed them.  3791    Luke xxiv. 51; Mark xvi. 19c.And while he blessed them, he was separated from them, and ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  [14, 15] 3792    Luke xxiv. 52.And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:  3793    Luke xxiv. 53.and at all times they were in the temple, praising and blessing God.  Amen.

[16] 3794    Mark xvi. 20.And from thence they went forth, and preached in every place; and our Lord helped them, and confirmed their sayings by the signs which they did.3795    cf. Peshitta.

[17] 3796    John xxi. 25.And here are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written every one of them, not even the world, according to my opinion, would contain the books which should be written.3797    In the Borg. ms. the text ends on folio 353a.  On folios 354a-355a are found the genealogies, with the title, Book of the Generation of Jesus, that of Luke following that of Matthew without any break.  Ciasca has told us nothing of the nature of the text.  The Subscription follows on folio 355b.

Subscriptions.

I.  In Borgian ms.

Here endeth the Gospel which Tatianus compiled and named Diatessaron, i.e., The Fourfold, a compilation from the four Gospels of the holy Apostles, the excellent Evangelists (peace be upon them).  It was translated by the excellent and learned priest, Abu’l Faraj ‘Abdulla ibn-at-Tayyib3798    See note 1 to Introductory Note in Borg. ms. (above, p. 42). (may God grant him favour), from Syriac into Arabic, from an exemplar written by ‘Isa3799    ms., by misplacing the diacritical signs, has Ghobasi. ibn-‘Ali al-Motatabbib,3800    The ms. has Mottayyib; but Ciasca, in an additional note inserted after the volume was printed, gives the correct form. pupil of Honain ibn-Ishak (God have mercy on them both).  Amen.

2.  In Vatican ms.38753875    The Arabic text of this Subscription is given by Ciasca in his essay, De Tatiani Diatessaron arabica Versione, in I. B. Pitra’s Analecta Sacra, tom. iv., p. 466.

Here endeth, by the help of God, the holy Gospel that Titianus compiled from the four Gospels, which is known as Diatessaron.  And praise be to God, as he is entitled to it and lord of it!  And to him be the glory for ever.