The Diatessaron FAQ

[Paul Younan]

Shlama Akhay,

If there is no evidence that Mar Aphrahat used Diatessaron or O.S., why is this assumed? Convenience? Who originally made this claim? Voobus?

Shlama w'taybootha
Rob

Shlama Akhi Rob,

They have to try and do something. See, they've dated the Peshitta to a certain time period. And then Aphrahat's writings in Aramaic come along and he lived a century before the Peshitta supposedly existed - and they scramble.

So they have to find some way to avoid his use of the Peshitta, because that would throw their entire theory (Greek->Diatesseron->OS-> Peshitta) off.

They know they can't tie his quotes to Old Scratch - because Old Scratch was non-existent in Persia where Mar Aphrahat lived and died. And besides, they tried. His references to NT passages are nothing like Old Scratch.

Since the Diatesseron doesn't actually exist - and may never have actually existed in Aramaic - it's very easy for anyone to come along - find paraphrasing going on in hymns - and say "AHA! See, Aphrahat was quoting the Diatesseron!"

Of course, they totally dismiss when Aphrahat seems to quote the Peshitta against the known translations of the Diatesseron. That he simply paraphrased and created hymns and homilies.

This line of reasoning that they use is totally ridiculous. You can make almost anything seem plausible enough if you have a degree behind your name and speak authoritatively enough.

I don't know about Voobus, but our modern "scholars" sure seem to parrot this line a whole lot.

Personally, I have Aphrahat's demonstrations in the original Aramaic - and many times he quotes directly from the Peshitta - other times he paraphrases, other times he's just recalling from memory.

Back then, when they were writing something, it's not as if they had the tools we do (both in print and online) to go and find a passage really quickly. So most of what they wrote or quoted was from memory or from paraphrasing.

I want to see proof, Yuri! Show me how Mar Aphrahat used the Diatesseron! <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s -->