Then Went the Pharisees and Considered How they Might Ensnare Him in a Word...

The Diatessaron of Tatian — Rev. Hope W. Hogg, B.D.

[1] [2315] Then went the Pharisees and considered how they might ensnare him in a word, [2] and deliver him into the power of the judge, [2316] and into the power of the ruler. [2317] And they sent unto him their disciples, with the kinsfolk of Herod; and they said unto him, [Arabic, p.129] Teacher, we know that thou speakest the truth, and teachest the way of God with equity, [2318] and art not lifted up [2319] by any man: for thou actest not so as to [3] be seen of any man. [2320] Tell us now, What is thy opinion? Is it lawful that we should [4] pay the tribute to Cæsar, or not? shall we give, or shall we not give? [2321] But Jesus knew [5] their deceit, and said unto them, [2322] Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the [6] penny of the tribute. [2323] So they brought unto him a penny. Jesus said unto them, To whom belongeth this image and inscription? They said unto him, To Cæsar. [7, 8] [2324] He said unto them, Give what is Cæsar's to Cæsar, and what is God's to God. [2325] And they could not make him slip in a single word before the people; and they marvelled at his word, and refrained.

[9] [2326] And on that day came the Sadducees, and said unto him, [2327] There is no life for [10] the dead. [2328] And they asked him, and said unto him, Teacher, Moses said unto us, If a man die, not having children, let his brother take his wife, and raise up seed [11] for his brother. [2329] Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first took a wife, [12] and died without children; [2330] and the second took his wife, and died without children; [13] [2331] and the third also took her; and in like manner the seven of them also, and they [14, 15] died without leaving children. [2332] And last of them all the woman died also. [2333] At the resurrection, then, which of these seven shall have this woman? for all of them took [16] her. [2334] Jesus answered and said unto them, Is it not for this that ye have erred, [17] because ye know not the scriptures, nor the power of God? [2335] And the sons of this [18] world take wives, and the women become the men's; [2336] [2337] but those that have become worthy of that world, and the resurrection from among the dead, do [2338] not take [19] [Arabic, p.130] wives, and the women also do [2339] not become the men's. [2340] Nor is it possible that they should die; but they [2341] are like the angels, and are the children of [20] God, because they have become the children of the resurrection. [2342] For in [2343] the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read in the book of Moses, how from the bush God said unto him, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? [21] [2344] And God is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all of them are alive with him. And ye have erred greatly.

[22, 23] [2345] And when the multitudes heard, they were wondering at his teaching. [2346] And [24] some of the scribes answered and said unto him, Teacher, thou hast well said. [2347] But the rest of the Pharisees, when they saw his silencing the Sadducees on this point, gathered against him to contend with him.

[25] [2348] And one of the scribes, of those that knew the law, when he saw the excellence [26] of his answer to them, desired to try him, and said unto him, [2349] What shall I do to inherit eternal life? and, [2350] Which of the commandments is greater, and has precedence [27] in the law? [2351] Jesus said unto him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O [28] Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: [2352] and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy thought, and with all thy [29, 30] strength. [2353] This is the great and preëminent [2354] commandment. [2355] And the second, which is like it, is, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. And another commandment [31] greater than these two there is not. [2356] On these two commandments, then, are hung the [32] [Arabic, p.131] law and the prophets. [2357] That scribe said unto him, Excellent! my Master; [2358] thou hast said truly that he is one, and there is no other outside of him: [33] [2359] and that a man should love him with all his heart, and with all his thought, and with all his soul, and with all his strength, and that he should love his neighbour as [34] himself, is better than all savours and sacrifices. [2360] And Jesus saw him that he had answered wisely; and he answered and said unto him, Thou art not far from the [35, 36] kingdom of God. [2361] Thou hast spoken rightly: do this, and thou shalt live. [2362] And he, as his desire was to justify himself, said unto him, And who is my neighbour? [37] [2363] Jesus said unto him, A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho; and the robbers fell upon him, and stripped [2364] him, and beat him, his life remaining in him but little, [2365] [38] and went away. [2366] And it happened that there came down a certain priest that way; [39] and he saw him, and passed by. [2367] And likewise a Levite also came and reached [40] that place, and saw him, and passed by. [2368] And a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, [41] came to [2369] the place where he was, and saw him, and had compassion on him, [2370] and came near, and bound up his strokes, [2371] and poured on them wine and oil; and he set [2372] him on the ass, and brought him to the inn, and expended his care upon him. [42] [2373] And on the morrow of that day he took out two pence, and gave them to the innkeeper, and said unto him, Care for him; and if thou spendest upon him more, [43] when I return, I shall give thee. [2374] Who of these three now, thinkest thou, is nearest [44] to him that fell among the robbers? [2375] And he said unto him, He that had compassion [45] [Arabic, p.132] on him. [2376] Jesus said unto him, Go, and do thou also likewise. And no man dared afterwards to ask him anything.

[46] [2377] And he was teaching every day in the temple. But the chief priests and scribes and the elders of the people sought to destroy him: [2378] and they could [2379] not find what [47] they should do with him; and all the people were hanging upon him to hear him. [48] [2380] And many of the multitude believed on him, and said, The Messiah, when he [49] cometh, can it be that he will do more than these signs that this man doeth? [2381] And the Pharisees heard the multitudes say that of him; and the chief priests sent [50] officers [2382] to seize him. [2383] And Jesus said unto them, I am with you but a short time [51] yet, and I go to him that sent me. [2384] And ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: [52] and where I shall be, ye shall not be able to come. [2385] The Jews said within themselves, Whither hath this man determined to go that we shall not be able [2386] to find him? can it be that he is determined to go to the regions of the nations, [2387] and teach [53] the heathen? [2388] What is this word that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, ye cannot come?

Footnotes:

[2315] Matthew 22:15; Luke 20:20b.

[2316] Vat. ms. omits the power. We should then translate (with Pesh. and Sin.) unto judgement.

[2317] Matthew 22:16.

[2318] See note, 3, 53.

[2319] Possibly this is the meaning of the Arabic phrase, which occurs also in Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary (Brit. Mus. text).

[2320] Matthew 22:17.

[2321] Mark 12:15a.

[2322] Matthew 22:18b; Matthew 22:19.

[2323] Matthew 22:20.

[2324] Matthew 22:21.

[2325] Luke 20:26.

[2326] Matthew 22:23.

[2327] cf. the Syriac versions.

[2328] Matthew 22:24.

[2329] Matthew 22:25; Luke 20:29b.

[2330] Luke 20:30.

[2331] Luke 20:31.

[2332] Matthew 22:27.

[2333] Matthew 22:28.

[2334] Matthew 22:29a; Mark 12:24b.

[2335] Luke 20:34b.

[2336] cf. the Syriac versions.

[2337] Luke 20:35.

[2338] Or, shall.

[2339] Or, shall.

[2340] Luke 20:36.

[2341] Borg. ms., all of them instead of but they.

[2342] Matthew 22:30a; Mark 12:26b.

[2343] Or, Moreover, regarding.

[2344] Luke 20:38; Mark 12:27b.

[2345] Matthew 22:33.

[2346] Luke 20:39.

[2347] Matthew 22:34.

[2348] Matthew 22:35a; Mark 12:28b.

[2349] Luke 10:25b.

[2350] Mark 12:28b.

[2351] Mark 12:29.

[2352] Mark 12:30a; Matthew 22:37b [rather, Mark 12:30b.].

[2353] Matthew 22:38.

[2354] This simply represents first in Syriac.

[2355] Mark 12:31.

[2356] Matthew 22:40.

[2357] Mark 12:32.

[2358] Vat. ms. has a corruption of Excellent! Rabbi, better preserved by Borg. ms., which, however, adds our translator's ordinary rendering of Rabbi--my Master. This explanation is confirmed by Ibn-at-Tayyib's Commentary. Ciasca's emended text cannot be right.

[2359] Mark 12:33.

[2360] Mark 12:34a.

[2361] Luke 10:28b.

[2362] Luke 10:29.

[2363] Luke 10:30.

[2364] The diacritical point over the third radical must be removed.

[2365] cf. Peshitta.

[2366] Luke 10:31.

[2367] Luke 10:32.

[2368] Luke 10:33.

[2369] Ciasca's Arabic text (apparently following Borg. ms.) has till he before came. This is unsupported by any of the three Syriac texts, although they differ from one another. Perhaps till and came should be transposed. The translation would then be as given in the text above; but this rendering may also be obtained according to 54, 1, note.

[2370] Luke 10:34.

[2371] The Syriac word used means both wounds and strokes.

[2372] The Arabic word is a favourite of the translator's, and may therefore be original. One cannot help thinking, however, that it is a clerical error for mounted (cf. Cur. and Sin.).

[2373] Luke 10:35.

[2374] Luke 10:36.

[2375] Luke 10:37.

[2376] Mark 12:34b.

[2377] Luke 19:47.

[2378] Luke 19:48.

[2379] In Syriac could and found are represented by the same word. The Arabic translator has chosen the wrong one.

[2380] John 7:31.

[2381] John 7:32.

[2382] See note, 11, 11.

[2383] John 7:33.

[2384] John 7:34.