The Diatesseron's Peshitta Pedigree.

[Paul Younan]

Good evening Darrell,

You asked me for proof that Burkitt was worried about how the Arabic translation of Tatian's Diatesseron read exactly like the Peshitta, and how he charged without any basis that the text must have been tampered with. To this, I refer you to his own work entitled Evangelion de-Mepharreshe (2 Vols; Cambridge; University Press, 1904, 1.200) (you can pick up a copy here: http://www.gorgiaspress.com/Merchant2/me...Series-JSC or at your local university library)

The point I'm trying to make here is that there is a false belief, based on ONE man's hypothesis (Burkitt, who else?), that Rabbula "suppressed" the Diatesseron around 430 A.D.

But then 7 manuscripts are discovered - four of which have a subscription stating that it is an Arabic translation of Tatian's Aramaic Diatesseron. Most importantly, that it was made by someone who we know for a fact died in 1043 A.D. Not a no-name guy, either - Ibn-Tayyib was famous in his day. That's more than 600 years after Rabbula supposedly "suppressed" the Diatesseron.

You are a reasonable person. I think if you give a second look at this evidence, you will come to the logical conclusion that Rabbula suppressed the Diatesseron only where he could within his jurisdiction in Byzantium, but not in Persia where all evidence points to the Diatesseron's survival until at least 1043 A.D. I will be happy to supply you with any reference material you deem necessary about this translator and the Patriarch who commissioned his translation work.

I admire your ability to not be easily convinced - that's to your credit. But please be reasonable here. Why would somebody making an Arabic translation in the 11th century lie about the base text he was working with?

Regards,
Paul