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Chapter V – Soteriological Perceptions

This chapter contains two sections

Section one: Sin as the Soteriological Causality

Section two: Eschatological Perceptions of the Poet

Chapter V Section 1. Sin as the Soteriological Causality

Table of Contents Introduction ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... . 513

A. Basic concepts on sin in the Mimre ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ... 513

1.Ownership of sin ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ... 515

2. Sin in the divine plan ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ... 516

3. Adam’s blameworthiness ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ... 517

B. Etymology ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ... 518

C. Characteristics of sin ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... . 520

1. Creeping – sin’s inherent mode of entrance ...... ..... ..... ...... 520

2. Contagiousness – the innate nature of sin ...... ..... ..... ...... ... 521

3. Crossing over – a way of sin ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... .... 524

4. Treachery as the basic component of sin ...... ..... ..... ...... .... 525

5. Misuse of the freedom – a basic disposition for sin ...... ..... . 526

6. Snare – a device of sin ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ... 526

7. Defeat – co-walker with sin ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... . 527

8. Impropriety – a common feature of sin ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... .. 528

512

9. Hallucination – the first phase of sin ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ...... 529

10. Perversion – the wide road for sin ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... .. 530

11. Attractiveness – the mask of sin ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ..... 531

12. Destructiveness – co-existant of sin ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... 532

13. Seductiveness – the mode of sin’s action ...... ..... ..... ...... .... 534

14. Hastiness – sin’s intrinsic nature ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ..... 535

15. Sin lurks ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ..... 536

16. Sin - partnership with the wicked one ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ... 536

17. Sin is venomous ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... 538

18. Sin Pierces ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ........ 538

19. Grabbing the Unnatural – the formula of Sin ...... ..... ..... ... 539

D. Effects of sin ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ... 539

1. Sin brought Christ down and caused to reveal God’s mercy... 540

2. Sin marred the image and stopped its functions ...... ..... ..... .. 540

3. Sin made the disastrous fall from the lofty height ...... ..... ..... 541

4. Sin cracked the gorgeous order ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... .. 543

5. Sin opened the door of death ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... 547

6. Sin produced suffering and lamentation ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... . 549

7. Sin dethroned the prince ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... 550

8. Sin reserved Gehanna for its fans ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... 551

9. Sin carried all the possessions away ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... . 551

10. Sin brought shame and condemnation ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... .. 554

11. Sin exposed human nakedness ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... . 555

12. Sin dropped human integrity ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... .... 560

13. Sin enslaved the committer ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ... . 560

14. Sin demolished the fence of protection ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... . 562

15. Sin alienated relations and created hostility ...... ..... ..... ....... 564

16. Sin caused to expel men from Eden ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... 568

17. Sin intensified the dimensions of ignorance ...... ..... ..... ....... 569

18. Sin exterminated Cohesion ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ....... 569

19. Sin emitted malodour ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ......... 570

20. Sin abolished the marital bond ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... .. 571

21. Sin produced poverty and gloom ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... .... 573

22. Sin delivered defective knowledge ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ....... 574

23. Sin caused disease ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ....... 575

24. Sin affected the soul ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... .... 575

E. The verdict against the sin ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ....... 576

1. The presentation of the court ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... 576

2. The Mode of the questioning ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... 577

3. The verdict ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ....... 578

F. Remission of Sin ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ... 579

1. Initiation from the part of God ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ... 579

2. Opening from the part of Man ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ... 580

G. List of a few other sins mentioned in the mimre ...... ..... ..... ...... ... . 581

Conclusion ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ... . 583

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Chapter V Section 1

Sin as the Soteriological Causality

Introduction

What Mar Jacob basically wanted to portray through the Four Mimre ‘On Creation’,

was the disastrous end which our first parents brought into the world through their sin1149, how

the image of God in man was distorted by the sin,1150 the extent of the mercy which the

benevolent God has been showering1151 on the world as well as on the human beings in order to

save them from the total ruin etc. As the poet’s primary attention in the mimre is to explain

what happened to the image of Adam and since he set his eyes only on the Garden event, the

mimre is neither a complete catalogue of sin nor a comprehensive elucidation of its

characteristics or effects. Hence our attempt has to be limited in analysing some of the

distinctiveness of sin as they appear in the mimre, which the poet exposes openly or indirectly

and in evaluating the adverse effects of sin.

V. 1. A. Basic concepts on sin in the Mimre

Commonly sin, especially the original sin, is considered as the transgression of the

commandment (‘bodo dpuqdono) of God. Biblically, the general understanding of the Old

Testament on sin is as a deviation from the right path and a failure to attain the goal as well as

a rebellion against Yahweh.1152 Along with other notions on sin in the New Testament, for St.

John, sin is the negligence of the law, “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and

1149 See below in this section. 1150 See below in this section. 1151 This phase of God is discussed in detail in the segment, “God’s Mercy as the Catalytic Code”, p. 427 ff. 1152 Cf. Mckenzie, Dictionary of the Bible, 818.

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sin is lawlessness”1153 and for him it is also unrighteousness.1154 As Mckenzie opines, “The

fullest theology of sin in the New Testament appears in the writings of St. Paul, and practically

this entire theology appears in the first part of Romans”.1155 For St. Paul, sin is a deliberate act

of man but at the same time the criterion of sin is love1156 rather than the Law of Moses.1157

And according to Paul, the seat of sin as a power is in the flesh of man.1158

But Mar Jacob develops his own concept of sin in the mimre in relation to his thoughts

on the image (šalmo) of man. It is true that Mar Jacob also considers sin as a rebellion against

God and as a disobedience to God’s commandments,1159 but for him, much more than a

rebellious act, sin is something that brutally affected the image of man,1160 that was why he

bewails at the loss of this comeliness of the image.1161 Mar Jacob always conceives sin more as

a voluntary action of man against the Will of God, a deviation from the right path opened by

God, a going after the wicked master, a choice for calamity etc. than as a result of man’s

weakness to withstand the impulses of sin, even though he admits the role of Satan in the

commission of sin.1162 This view of the poet differentiates him from some other early fathers of

the Church. Among them Gregory of Nyssa, while explaining the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ admits

human weakness in falling into sin. Hilda C. Graef distinguishes the thoughts of Gregory in

this regard: “According to Gregory, when we recite the fifth petition of the ‘Our Father’, we

daily confess that we still commit sin. There sins are two fold. On the one hand, we all have

our share in the guilt of Adam inherent in our nature by the very fact that we are human. This

alone should prevent a man from thinking himself to be without sin. On the other hand, our

1153 I Jn. 3/4. 1154 Cf. I Jn. 5/17. 1155 Mckenzie, Op. cit. 820. 1156 Cf. I Cor. 13/1 ff. 1157 Cf. Rom. 7/1-25. 1158 Cf. Rom. 8/5 ff. 1159 See below in this section. 1160 See below in this segment – ‘Sin mars the image’. 1161 See ‘Infatuated lover of beauty’ in the section, “Man behind the Mimre”, p. 160 ff. 1162 See below – ‘Role of Satan’.

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conscience testifies that we commit many actual sins through out our life. Indeed, we need but

look at the dangers surrounding us on all sides to see how difficult and really impossible it is

not to fall into sin. No one, Gregory asserts, can boast of being without sin; hence no one can

dispense himself from the fifth petition”1163

V. 1. A. 1. Ownership of Sin

Along with the discussion on the upshots of the sin, the poet finds answers to the

questions related to the ownership of the sin; whether it is to the first parents, or to the Satan or

something or someone else caused the origin of sin etc. One may even dare to place the

responsibility of sin on God also on the basis that He allows man to commit it. Every sin is an

abuse of man’s freedom1164 and hence the ownership of sin is exclusively on man. And this

responsibility falls on his shoulders when he attempts to find happiness outside the Will of God

and rejects his all dependence upon God. Mar Jacob never relates the concept of the origin of

sin with God but he doesn’t hide his confusion on the issue:

“Whom shall I blame, Adam, who transgressed the commandment

or the treacherous one (Satan), who, in his cunningness, has deceived

and pulled him (Adam) down?” (FMC III 21-22).

But this expression of uncertainty is only a pretext and part of his teaching technique,

because, elsewhere in the mimre we find that the poet also joins with others who attribute the

responsibility of sin on man alone.1165 Based on the Gospel verse, “You accursed go away to

Gehanna that is prepared for the devil and all of his powers”,1166 and from the descriptions of

the punishments given to the serpent, it is easy to identify the role of Satan in committing the

sin. The main role of Satan is by provoking man to commit sin. For this he takes all tricky

1163 As quoted by Quasten, Ancient Christian Writers, 13. 1164 See below in this section, ‘Sin as the misuse of freedom’. 1165 Ibid 1166 Matt. 25/41.

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steps, wears all masks, tells all lies and gives all false promises.1167 The poet asserts:

“It was not God who appointed him to seduce the people ” (FMC III 56, 99),

“These snares of treachery which he laid hidden were his own ” (FMC III 60)

“since he was freeborn from the beginning, the judgment was reserved

to him” (FMC III 58).

and “It is made clear that in his l iberty Satan fel l in error ” (FMC III 103).

And hence, according to the poet Satan is equally blameworthy in the commission of sin.

V. 1. A. 2. Sin in the divine plan

Mar Jacob seems to favour the argument that the possibility for the shortcomings is

innate in human beings. It is true that the poet very strongly condemns the sin of Adam and

Eve as well as Satan’s role in it, but, at the same time, he states that God had already foreseen

the probable fall of Adam. But the poet clearly states that it was not predetermined on Adam. If

it was predetermined Adam would not have been blamed for his sin. At the same time, since

God is omniscient, He had anticipated what would have happened to Adam. The poet clarifies

this in these verses:

“Anyone who thinks thus would be one who blaspheme,

that, what has happened to Adam was determined by the creator.

In fact what happened to the house of Adam was bound to happen

and i t happened as the creator had foreseen” (FMC II 119-122).

And the poet asserts that if the sin was predetermined by God, He would not

have blamed Adam for his sin (FMC II 127-128). We infer the same notion from the

poet’s creation narratives also. According to Mar Jacob, the implication of God’s words ‘let us

make man in our image’ is,

“Let us make man in our image” and see what had been said.

For, He was prepared to descend towards him again, a second t ime,

lest He should descend to a stranger, He made him “in our image”.

Since He knew that He would have to ex tend His hand a second t ime,

He gave His semblance to him, so that, He may assume it from him

when He saves him” (FMC I 146-150).

1167 This characteristic of Satan is discussed in the segment, “Narrations on the Non-corporal Beings”, p. 489 ff.

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This idea of the poet underlines that the fall of Adam was already there as a part of God’s

eternal plan. Furthermore, the poet envisages,

“He (God) entered into a covenant with the dust when He fashioned him

that even i f he falls or become corrupted, He will set him in order ” (FMC I

189-190).

This verse of the poet on the first covenant justifies the poet’s concept that Adam’s fall was

also included in the divine plan.

V. 1. A. 3. Adam’s blameworthiness

The firm conviction of the poet in this regard is this:

“The Lord had created him (Adam) not to go out from Paradise;

but to enter and to become the inheritor and the ruler ” (FMC III 169-170).

Mar Jacob is aware of the fact that there are many who argue in favour of the innocence of

Adam for the reason that it was Satan, in his astuteness, who had deceived Adam through Eve.

The poet’s conclusions are not hasty, partial, reflexive and short sighted. He comes to a

conclusion on an issue only after a detailed, methodical and logical analysis.1168 Here also, he

is not impulsive to pass a judgement either on the innocence or on the culpability of Adam. So

he invites the hearers for a joint investigation on Adam:

“And now, let us seek whether i t is visible that he was innocent,

that, his ignorance defends his transgression? ” (FMC III 109-110).

After a very detailed analysis on the performances of Adam (FMC III 109-130), the poet

comes to the conclusion that Adam was strongly mature1169 when he committed sin. The poet

charges the blame of the sin on both Adam and Satan equally because, both of them Willed

purposely against the Will of God. Adam’s contribution was through his conscious but wilful

performance and Satan’s was through his planned and shrewd cunningness. The poet’s

1168 This nature of the poet is narrated in the segment, “Hellenic Influence in the Formation of the Mimre”, p. 669. 1169 Regarding the maturity of Adam, see the section, “Anthropological Concepts in the Mimre”, p. 371.

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conclusion is this,

“Now onwards, behold, the blame became his (Adam’s) own,

while the root of whole deception is from Satan” (FMC III 133-134).

V. 1. B. Etymology

Mar Jacob frequently uses in his mimre the root verb ܚܛܐ (hto) to connote the sin of

Adam and Eve, which basically means ‘to miss’. The root of the word ‘sin’ in various

languages also originally means ‘to miss’. A dictionary of the Bible gives us this understanding

of the word: “The word which commonly translated sin is ‘het’, ‘hatta’t’; literally like the

Greek ‘hamartia’ the verb means “to miss the mark”. This signifies not merely an intellectual

error in judgement but a failure to attain a goal”.1170 Hence it can be assumed that sin is

missing the target or going astray or adopting a perverse way or deviation from the approved

line or a flight from the presence of the Master. Even though Mar Jacob finds many evil

elements of sin in Adam and Eve, one among the recurring few of them is the perverse nature

of sin (FMC I 224, 235, II 97, 129, 218, III 758, 768, 935 etc). What sin signifies to him is

clear from his verses,

“The sin had struck (mho) her conscience (re‘ono)and i t perverted

(ptal) her” (FMC III 543).

According to the poet, every word of Satan is teachings of perverse ways in order to

divert people from attaining the goal:

“Satan put perversions (hapkoyto) into the mouth (pumo) of the serpent,

so that, the ruining (r‘i‘o) voices shall be stoned (rgam) to the house

of Adam” (FMC III 319-320).

Here, the poet takes the imagery of Satan’s stoning the house of Adam and intentionally uses

1170 Mckenzie, Op.cit. 817.

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the verb rgam, because, rgam actually means ‘to stone for killing’1171. The words of Satan are

stones that are being thrown on men in order to kill them. And the poet continues on the

perversions of Satan:

“From the beginning i tself , the deceit ful scribe distorted his word,

because, all the ways of his teaching were perverted (pti lo) ” (FMC III 359-

360).

Satan (FMC III 57, 62, 101) and Judas Iscariot (FMC III 69, 73, 92) are a few examples

taken by the poet, besides Adam, to show of those who travelled through the perverse ways

and had finally collapsed. ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it’,1172 to tend and

keep the universe1173 etc. were the prime objectives of Adam and Eve. At the attainment of this

target and at the fullness of time, Adam and Eve, along with the whole human kind and the

universe, would have been awarded the perfection of their self. But the poet weeps at the miss

of this target:

“She (Eve) abandoned (sbaq) the way which was instructed by the

Righteous one (zadiqo)

and in her Will she adopted (lbek) the pathless desert (tav so) with the

stranger (nukroyo)” (FMC III 509-510).

Mar Jacob narrates that God points out Adam’s abandoning of the righteous path through His

question, ‘where are you Adam?’ (FMC III 718) and the poet considers the sprouting up of

thorns on the ways of Adam and Eve after they have received the punishment, as a reminder of

their perversion from the righteous path (FMC III 943-944).

The sin doesn’t include a deviation from the right path alone but a deviation from the

right mission and right objective also is sinful. For this phase of sin, Mar Jacob might have

indebted to Mar Ephrem who elucidated the mission and objective of Adam and Eve while

explaining the real connotation of appointing Adam to keep and tend the garden.1174 Before

1171 Cf. Smith, Compendious Syriac Dictionary. 1172 Cf. Gen. 1/28. 1173 Cf. Gen. 1/18. 1174 Cf. McVey, The Fathers of the Church, 101, Gen. 2/15.

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Adam’s sin, since there were no threats to the garden and its inhabitants, there were nothing to

be tended and guarded and so Adam had nothing to do in this regard. Then Ephrem finds the

answer to the question of Adam’s mission as what God wanted from him was only the

observance of the commandment of God on the tree at the centre: “Adam had nothing to guard

then except the law that had been set down for him. Nor was any other ‘tilling’ entrusted to

him except to fulfil the commandment that had been commanded him”.1175 And Mar Ephrem

exclaims how easy this commandment to be followed: “It was not a great commandment

relative to the great reward that He had prepared for them: He withheld from them on tree, only

enough for them to be under a commandment. God gave them all of Paradise so that they

would be under no constraint to transgress the law”.1176 Thus sin shall not be considered

merely a breaking of the law but it is to be understood also a lapse in fulfilling the mission and

attaining the goal.

V. 1. C. Characteristics of sin

As said in the introduction, Mar Jacob doesn’t seem meticulous in isolating the

natures as well as the effects of sin or he never aims at preparing a complete catalogue of

transgressions. We can only deduce his concepts on sin from his discussions on the image of

God in man1177 and on the mercy of God.1178

V. 1. C. 1. Creeping – sin’s inherent mode of entrance

The ways of sin are always perverse and it never approaches man openly and directly.

1175 Ibid, 102. 1176 Ibid, 108 1177 See the section, “Image and Likeness of God in Man”, p. 249 ff. 1178 See the segment, “God’s Mercy as the Catalytic Code”, p. 427 ff.

521

Snakes usually seek holes to creep in. The symbol of the serpent as the persuader of sin

connotes to the real nature of sin as creeping. The poet narrates in detail in the III mimre from

verse 305 onwards the planning of Satan for this kind of peeping into the secrets of the first

parents. Satan, as the wholesaler of sin, in order to sell his product easily to Adam and Eve,

takes the shape of a serpent in the garden. Mar Jacob describes this entrance of the serpent,

“The serpent had crawled to ascend and he descended from the tree ” (FMC III

297).

While describing in the mimre the sin of the Israelites at Mount Sinai, the poet says,

“Then the serpent entered the camp as a cal f

and i t became the cause (for destruction) to the house of Adam and

they became corrupt” (FMC I 125-126).

Along with this, the poet adds that as the snakes find holes on earth for their easy creeping, the

serpent at Eden found a delicate spot in Adam where it made a hole and entered him through

that opening. Since Adam was a vessel made of clay (FMC I 163) it was easy for the serpent to

perforate and to creep into him. Keeping this in mind the poet says,

“The serpent perforated (nqab) into him and since he was soft (rpo), he

was spoiled (hbal)” (FMC I 164).

V. 1. C. 2. Contagiousness – the innate nature of sin

Unless and otherwise sin was not hindered by proper means, it will spread from one to

another and from one generation to another without end. St. Paul has this notion of sin in his

letter to the Romans: “Just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin,

and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned”.1179 When the poet opines,

“The love of the Father had concealed the tax (makso kso) from the

creatures” (FMC I 243),

it is clear that he was mentioning the infectious nature of the sin that it effected in the world

through Adam and Eve and it has been transmitting to the entire creatures and all of them are

1179 Rom. 5/12.

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obliged to recompense for it. The way through which the dirty and poisonous flood of sin flows

from one to another is obvious from the garden event; it starts from Satan, flows to the serpent,

then to Eve, reaches Adam, spreads to the entire earth and it continues. Based on this

communicable characteristic of sin the poet says,

“Through her (Eve’s) own actions she rebuked her companion also ” (FMC III

18),

“She (Eve) snatched, ate and then turned back in order to extend (the

fruit) to Adam” (FMC III 548)

and “When she was conquered she did not fall down (without) her partner ” (FMC III

552).

This infectious character of sin is also visible when the poet speaks of how Satan and Judas had

slid at the same place (FMC III 91-92, 95).

Ever since this first division in the human family, there has only been a furtherance of

evil. The later events narrated in the Holy Scripture show the social aspect of sin as well as the

swiftness of sin’s extension. The enmity between Cain and Abel is the best example.1180 The

Scripture says, the ungodly line of Cain enhances the crime in the world1181 and one among

them, Lamech, even boasts of his brutality: “For I have killed a man for wounding me, even a

young man for hurting me. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-

sevenfold”.1182 The Babel event is yet another example of the catastrophe resulting from man’s

sin.1183 Leon-Dufour, in the exposition of the concept of man, discloses: “Religious history is a

tissue of divisions, a succession of wars between the people and the nations, between the

members of this people...”.1184

The phrases of the poet, ‘house of Adam’ (bayto dodom) and ‘race of Adam’ (tuhmo

dodom) used else where in the mimre (FMC I 58, 120, 126, 140, 246, II 121, 201, III 1, 30,

1180 Gen. 4/ 8 ff. 1181 Gen. 4/16 ff. 1182 Gen. 4/ 23-24. 1183 Gen. 11/ 1ff. 1184 Leon-Dufour, Dictionary of Biblical Theology, 331.

523

104, 137, 171, 252, 320, 332, 335, 706, 813) also help us to understand the contagiousness of

sin from the head to the whole race. Leon-Dufour explains the collectivity of a large group

within a simple concept: “The second chapter of Genesis is concerned not only with the history

of a single man, but with the history of all humanity, as is clear from the meaning of the word

‘Adam’, which means ‘man’. For the Semitic mind, the ancestor of a race carries in himself the

collectivity ‘which has come from him’. All the descendants are really expressed in him; they

are incorporated in him. This is what has been called ‘the corporate personality”.1185

For the poet the commission of sin is conceiving sin as a mother conceives the embryo

and begets a child.

“In her tumult , she conceived iniquity (b ten ‘avlo) and gave birth to

deceit (yi led ‘eto)” (FMC III 546).

This has a reference to the epistle of James 1/15, “When desire has conceived, it gives birth to

sin; and sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death”.1186 When the poet employs the concept

of conception, it implies certain things. Conception normally takes place through an

intercourse. For the poet, committing sin is a kind of intercourse with Satan. It is in this respect

he considers the overshadowing of Satan over Eve as against the overshadowing of the Power

of the highest over Blessed Virgin Mary.1187 ‘Conceiving sin’ denotes an action that is done

within a human being. When the seed of sin enters into a man it starts growing up. At its

maturity it is being delivered as a child of sin. This birth of the child of sin frightens the poet.

It is quite natural that the basic characteristics of a mother are being transmitted to her

child. Mentioning this mother and child relation, Mar Jacob states about the feature of sin as,

Also, when the poet very coherently used the expression ‘overshadow’ (talel) to narrate the

seduction of Satan over Eve (FMC III 819, 821), this spreading nature of sin from one to

1185 Ibid, 329. 1186 Cf. Rom. 5/12, 6/23 etc. 1187 Cf. Luke. 1/35.

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another – from Satan to Eve – is made more visible, because when the serpent overshadowed

Eve, it was sharing the nature of Satan over her.

The poet uses this mother and child simile also in the relation between Adam and earth;

he calls the earth the mother (emo), foster mother (mrabyonito) etc. (FMC III 938-940) and

Adam, a child (yoludo) (FMC III 938-939). In the usual childbearing, if the transmission of

something is from mother to the progeny, here, it is contrary in the case of Adam and earth,

where the child gives back his mother the effect of his sin. Based on Gen 3/17, the poet writes,

“The Lord said to him, ‘the earth is cursed because of you’;

He cursed the mother (emo) because of her child, while she is

uncorrupted” (FMC III 937-938).

No more evidence is needed to confirm the transmissible characteristics of sin than God’s

punishment on earth, because even though the earth is basically incorrupt (FMC III 939) the

extended sin of Adam makes it corrupt and punishable. The illustration of the poet on the

contagiousness of sin argues for and answers to the questions in the debate on the issue of the

original sin in a new born baby.

V. 1. C. 3. Crossing over – a way of sin

The adherence of the poet towards the non-crossable supremacy and sovereignty of

God on everything is clear when he says,

“At f irst , think as a wise man, relying on his reason,

that majesty which measures the heights shall not be surpassed” (FMC II 125-

126).

Hence any trespass into the realm of God by any creature will be detrimental to them (FMC III

245, 254, 272, 1069-1070, IV 60, 91-92). Moreover, any attempt to go beyond one’s own

original stature and purpose also will be sinful. The sin of Adam and Eve, according to the

poet, was their unsuccessful and unlawful attempt to intrude into and to snatch the divine

525

powers (FMC III 125, 21, 249, 277, 461, 569-570, 579). This was an idiotic challenge to make

a giant leap (svoro armi) by a little child (bro z‘uro) (FMC III 125). The God-given

commandment was the fence (suro) to prevent them from crossing the limit (FMC III 197-

198). But the poet says,

“She broke down the fence (suro) of the commandment which protected

her” (FMC III 511, 513, 515, 547-548)

and “She crossed (‘bar) the l imit that was established there by justice

(kinuto)” (FMC III 507).

She was too hasty and strong in breaking the law for becoming first in divinity and chief over

Adam (FMC III 505-506, 535). The transgression of the commandment was counted by the

poet as the most nasty and hateful thing in the world (FMC III 605-606).1188

V. 1. C. 4. Treachery as the basic component of sin

Sin is an infidelity of the committer towards the other party to whom he is indebted.

Here, no question arises whether the other party is God, or a man, or an occasion, or the nature

or even his own person. Treachery (neklo) can be understood as one’s determined rejection of

the fulfilment of an obligation (FMC III 7). It may be an entangling of any one or anything

(FMC III 69, IV 180) through premeditated stratagem and with a selfish motive.

When the poet speaks of sin as a treachery (neklo) he had in his mind its two aspects;

the deceptive nature of sin and the personification of this deception in Satan. These notions can

be found else where in the mimre (FMC II 94, III 13, 22, 44, 61, 79, 81, 88, 94, 99-100, 104,

177, 182, 304, IV 176). Satan betrayed the serpent through putting the treacherous words into

its mouth, the serpent betrayed Eve through enticing promises, Eve betrayed Adam by sharing

the forbidden fruit, Adam betrayed God by destroying all precious things that were entrusted

into his hands. Sin is a chain of betrayals. Judas, who betrayed Jesus, is another prominent

1188 The connotation of ‘fence’ is described below in this segment.

526

figure of this group of betrayers (FMC III 69, 87, 93, 97-98) It is in this context he states,

“He cursed the furnace, for, the word of treachery (melto d neklo) was

moulded in i t” (FMC III 867)

and “The crafty scribe wrote the let ter which was full of treachery (m’lo

neklo)” (FMC III 323).

V. 1. C. 5. Misuse of the freedom – a basic disposition for sin

Freedom (hiruto) is the most valuable gift God has gratuitously given to man alone.1189

Man possesses the bridle to control himself (FMC II 145-146) and hence he must choose

wisely his immortality (FMC II 299-300). Mar Jacob bewails on the misuse of this greatest

gift of God,

“Out of his freedom (men hiruto), Adam fell down into the hands of

death” (FMC III 178).

Instead of sweet fragrance to be scented at the proper exercise of freedom, the poet says,

“The hateful lust had burst forth from the freedom (men hiruto)” (FMC III 517).

V. 1. C. 6. Snare – a device of sin

While comparing Adam and Eve as partridges and the serpent a hunter, the poet

matches the sin with a snare spread by the huntsman, the Satan (FMC III 301-302, 61):

“The hunter (Šayodo) . . . . .stretched out his snare (ne sbo), so that, she

(Eve)shall be ensnared (parkel) into his snare (m Šidto)” (FMC III 397-398).

and “Like a hunter (Šayodo), he twined the net (nesbo) and laid the snares

(paho) hidden

in order to entangle (‘arqel)the two partridges (haglo) into his snare (m -

Šidto)” (FMC III 301-302).

This ensnaring leads to the enslaving of the sinner’s soul (FMC IV 373):

“In his freedom (hiruto) and without any compulsion, he enslaved

(sa‘bed) his soul” (FMC II 302).

And this enchainment leads to death (FMC IV 67) and the poet laments over the enslaved soul

1189 See the segment, “Freedom and Freewill of man”, p. 328 ff.

527

(FMC IV 373). According to Mar Jacob, from the very desire, the very first step itself for

committing sin, one yokes his soul under the clutches of Satan (FMC III 519). The devices that

attract the prey to this trap are Satan’s persuasion and seduction (FMC III 30, 46, 54, 363, 815,

840 etc). So the poet warns,

“Shackles (sutmo) are i ts love, cut i t off and escape with legs;

take care of you, before i t makes you fall: you are also in calamity ” (FMC IV

371-372).

It is not Satan alone who fixes snares to entrap the prey, but, according to Mar Jacob,

all those who cause or persuade others to commit sin are also fixing such snares. This idea of

the poet can be seen in his homily ‘On the Nativity’ where, as a response of Mary to the

revelation of the angel, the poet mentions of Eve’s ensnaring on Adam: “I am not an infant like

her who became a snare to her husband, for unless I have learned the truth, you shall not

depart. Behold, she had wanted (to become) a goddess which would be beyond her”1190

V. 1. C. 7. Defeat – Co-walker with sin

Even though one will be enthusiastic in committing sin, he will never be successful in

its end result. Mar Jacob evaluates on those who join hands with Satan in the contest of sin:

“This was a contest (rodo) of defeat (hayobuto) in i ts entirety” (FMC III 146,

147-148).

The poet understands the commandment of God prohibiting their approach to the tree at the

centre in terms of success and defeat:

“But i f i t is that, you neglect and you are brought near to i t (the tree),

you cause defeat (a‘ned) for yourself (you will die) ” (FMC III 226).

Adam neglected the commandment and he was defeated. The end- result of the sin is,

“The defeat (hayobuto) was brought down and i t fel l upon them,

so that, the transgression of the commandment was to be fulf i l led

through them” (FMC III 569-570).

1190 Kollamparampil, Jacob of Sarug’s Homily on the Nativity, 38.

528

The sinner, while doing sin, dreams of a giant leap (svoro armi) ahead towards victory in his

life; but the poet says it is only a far away backward throw and hence a defeat (hayobuto):

“Oh, Satan, now, your leap (svoro) threw you away backwards” (FMC III 151).

V. 1. C. 8. Impropriety – a common feature of sin

The poet considers everything that goes against the decorum and propriety (volito) a

sin and for the propriety certain limits are required:

“Propriety (voli to) is not recognized without a l imit (thumo) ” (FMC III 196).

In the Garden of Eden, it was the commandments of God that decided the limits and the

propriety (III 195, 256) and when they were broken, there was immodesty (FMC III 513, 507,

511).

The poet whimpers that Eve did not set herself to give place for righteousness (kinuto)

(FMC III 542) and propriety (volito) (FMC III 544). She lustfully made haste (FMC III 538,

500, 646, 961) and pressed onward (FMC III 547) to demolish the fence (FMC III513, 511)

and to pluck the fruit (FMC III 500, 505). Mar Jacob views indecency in her other behaviours

also.1191 Like Mary1192 (FMC III 439 ff.), she should have asked a lot of questions to the

serpent, the liar (FMC III 465 ff) and got clarification for all what he had told. She should not

have received the words of treachery (FMC III 499, 545), abandoned the right path (FMC III

509) and adopted the pathless desert with a stranger (FMC III 510). She should have invited

Adam, her husband, first and then after having a serious discussion with him the action must

have been carried out. But,

“She did not invite (q’ro) Adam, so that, he may eat f irst f rom it” (FMC III 537).

1191 The scandalous characteristics of Eve have been discussed in detail in the section, “Anthropological Concepts

in the Mimre”, p. 387 ff. 1192 Cf. Luke 1/34.

529

She should not have tried to exult herself to become chief (riso) in divinity (alohuto) above

Adam, her husband (FMC III 506) and become a priest (kohno) (FMC III 535-536). The poet

finds an impropriety (lo volito) when she, instead of Adam, her husband, looks for the food –

she plucks the fruit from the tree and extends to Adam in order to feed him1193 (FMC III 536,

548, 567) and also, in Eve’s attempt to sew cloths for him (FMC III 638-639, 643, 645) -

which were against their original assignments.

Mar Jacob conceives that snatching the prohibited fruit from the tree as a theft

(ganobuto) (FMC III 627) and thus to be called thieves (ganobo) (FMC III 735) which are

never proper attributes to some one who was created noble. The poet adds,

“The sin took off the glorious garment of creatorship (Creator)

(boruyuto)” (FMC III 573, 581, 602)

and “The l icentious nakedness (pursoyo dzali luto) of the f lesh was exposed

to them” (FMC III 572)

and this shameful life in the garden (FMC III 624) was sheer impropriety.

V. 1. C. 9. Hallucination – the first phase of sin

In its first appearance, everything that leads to sin seems covetable and pleasurable and

its disastrous and true effects would be hid from the viewer. Mar Jacob states in his mimre that

the attractiveness of sin will easily take away captive a man’s reasoning capacity (FMC III

530, 519). Therefore the lack of discernment to make proper judgements, impulsive and

illogical response to a situation etc. misguide one and lead him to hallucination and

consequently to sin. Eve’s inner-eyes, the power of discrimination, had lost their sight in order

to assess values. So the poet says,

“The sin had struck (mho) her conscience (re‘yono) and i t perverted

(ptal) her” (FMC III 543).

1193 Adam as the head of the family – see the section, “Anthropological Concepts in the Mimre”, p. 379 ff.

530

In her hallucination Eve misconceived the serpent as a godparent and protector (FMC III 333),

a friend (FMC III 335), virtuous (FMC III 337), true interrogator (FMC III 341), teacher (FMC

III 362), wise counsellor (FMC III 364, 404), trustworthy (FMC III 367), affectionate (FMC III

401, 407), unquestionable (FMC III 427-429, 499) etc. She swallowed indiscriminately all

treacherous words of Satan (FMC III 425-426, 435-436, 457-458). How far Eve was

hallucinated on sin can be understood from the words of the poet,

“When Eve had coveted to eat from the tree,

in her sight, i t was greater than God and of His ordinance ” (FMC III 599-600).

Mar Jacob finds another example of hallucination when Adam and Eve approached the

fig tree at their affliction misapprehending it as their refuge to be hid and escaped from God

(FMC III 631-634). As part of this hallucination, she shortened her sight towards one tree; the

tree at the centre and its fruit alone, among the density of trees and the profusion of fruits in the

garden:

“And she began to look (hur) consciously (yidi‘oit) at i t alone.

There she did not gush forth (guh) and look on i ts surroundings,

because, on i t alone she had f ixed the eyes pleasantly ” (FMC III 520-521).

Mentioning the womanly fascination on beauties the poet says,1194

“No other beauties attracted her, so that, she may consider them,

for, she had wantonly (srihoit) desired on the tree” (FMC III 525-526).

The hallucination of the first parents can very well be seen from their foolishness so as to

believe the wicked one who said that divinity could be obtained from a created thing, the tree:

“The divinity dwells there among its branches

and he who enters and plucks i ts fruit is worthy for i t ” (FMC III 411-412).

V. 1. C. 10. Perversion – the wide road for sin

According to the poet, in order to mislead Eve, the serpent, pretending himself to be a

wise counsellor, began asking questions. But he did not base his questions on the original

1194 Feministic Approach of the poet is discussed in the section, “Man behind the Book”, p. 181 ff.

531

commandments but they were based on the twisted and distorted descriptions of the

commandments (III 363-366). Reading the mind of the serpent, the poet elaborately expresses

how the serpent was successful in handling Eve (FMC III 399 ff.):

“And he understood that according to his w il l , she had reached into his

hands” (FMC III 396).

To show how Satan twists the original content, misleads people through wrong ways, pushes

them into catastrophic pits and provokes them to commit sin, the poet imaginarily recreates the

serpent’s misinterpretations on the original commandment through the verses in the third

mimre beginning from 401 onwards. There, one can read how the born liar attributes lie and

fraud on God, in order to make people believe. Some of those expressions are,

“That tree exists eternally; that much great for creatorship

and he who is worthy to eat from it , becomes great for ever.

The divinity dwells there among its branches

and he who enters and plucks i ts fruit is worthy for i t ” (FMC III 409-412),

“And if you eat from its fruit , you are gods.

Great is the measure of dignity that could be found in i t ” (FMC III 414-415),

“You will not die as i t was told by God,

instead, through i t , you will become great, as I told you ” (FMC III 419-420),

“Also, on account of this, you were kept within bounds from the tree,

so that, you shall never have intell igence l ike God ” (FMC III 423-424) etc.

Mar Jacob exclaims,

“The soft one regarded that l ie as true ” (FMC III 429),

“She obeyed the serpent without the discernment of truth” (FMC III 501)

and “She abandoned the way which was instructed by the Righteous one

and in her Will she adopted the pathless desert with the stranger ” (FMC III

509-510).

V. 1. C. 11. Attractiveness – the mask of sin

Mar Jacob makes a common and philosophical statement on sin and its nature:

“Evil is immeasurably beloved (rhimo dlo mu sho) for i ts makers

and iniquity (‘avlo) is more beloved (for them) than a multi tude ( sugo)

of righteousness (zadiquto)” (FMC III 531-532).

Thus he reminds that it is this magnetism of the sin that draws people towards it and makes

them renounce the ways of God. Even though there are elements of exaggeration in narrating

532

the scene, Mar Jacob spectacularly sketches and goes to the extent of saying how Eve was

attracted towards sin:

“On it (tree – fruit) alone she had f ixed the eyes pleasantly.

She did not consider the tree of l i fe which was by i ts side,

because, due to her perturbation, she did not turn towards hither and

thither.

No other beauties attracted (ngad) her , so that, she may consider them,

for, she had wantonly (srihoit) desired on the tree” (FMC III 522-526).

While repeatedly expressing philosophically the fascination of sin, the poet says,

“The charm of the lust (payo regto) is l ike a f lower (habobo) as long as

i t has been committed” (FMC III 591).

And the poet warns people about sin’s transitory existence (FMC IV 370), its deadly end etc.

Hence he exhorts the audience:

“At the beginning, sin is immeasurably beloved;

but at the end, lamentation possesses the one who crosses over i t ” (FMC III 593-

594).

Sin is a mixture of bitterness as well as sweetness (FMC III 596). The sweetness the sinner

tastes at the beginning will be turned as catastrophic and severe resentment at the end (FMC III

597-598). Thus what the first parents gained out of their sin was only bitter lamentation (FMC

III 583-584).

V. 1. C. 12. Destructiveness – co-existant of sin

In the poet’s view committing sin is ruining the soul (FMC II 297), uprooting all its

powers of governorship (FMC II 298-299), snatching away glorious garments of creatorship

(FMC III 573, IV 184), driving away innocence (FMC III 575), flowing out of confidence

(FMC III 577), breaking the fence of protection (FMC III 607) and weakening the body (FMC

III 566). Sin never constructs, instead, it always destructs. Adam was the inheritor and ruler of

Paradise (III 169-170) but his sin uprooted this inheritance and he became a ‘wretched

inheritor’ (FMC III 167).

533

One of the basic natures of sin is that it causes breakups to a well set establishment. The

commandment given in the garden was eternally planned and fundamentally ideal and perfect.

But the sin of Adam and Eve crumbled it in the garden itself. Here, the poet doesn’t mean that

sin is more powerful than the commandment, but he only means that, it can enfeeble the one

who received the commandment and through him it can approach the law and disturb it.

Sin detrimentally decomposes the well set human physique. The poet explains in detail

this devastating destructive face of sin in the fourth mimre from 65th verse onwards. The

poisonous bite of the serpent causes total annihilation of the strong body (FMC IV 89-90) into

its lowest level of dust (FMC IV 65-66, 141-142, 454). How harsh is sin in distorting the body

can be seen in the poet’s own words:

“And i t (sin ) para lyzed i t ( image), hurled i t , t rampled i t and spoi led i t

and i t became dust ” (FMC IV 68, 93-94, 352).

Decaying of image’s each element by sin is illustrated one by one in the mimre (FMC

IV 69 ff.). The deadly bite of the dragon had struck the thread of the lovely necklace of life and

the necklace was collapsed (FMC IV 105-106, 101-104). The viper’s blow had thrown off the

crown (FMC IV 109) and thus the whole precious elements of the body had been overthrown

into destruction (FMC IV 107- 110, 143-144, 189-192).

Yet another expression of the deteriorating character of sin is that it spoiled the peace of mind

and consequently disturbs one’s psyche as well as physique (FMC IV 381). When the poet compared

Satan with a thorn (FMC III 74) he disclosed the prickly nature of sin that irritates the committer.

Another explicit instance where the poet sees the destructive power of sin was the event at Mount Sinai.

The descending Moses sees the people’s sin against God’s Will by worshiping an idol. Moses threw

the tablets down on which the commandments of God were drawn, and thus they were

destroyed (FMC I 109-110).1195 When he opines,

1195 Cf. Ex. 32/19.

534

“The sin of the world had broken the beautiful Tablets ” (FMC I 113)

he was illustrating the vicious nature of sin (FMC I 127-128). While describing devil’s

preparation for spoiling the first parents, all the symbols the poet employed there to portray the

evil one, like wolf (FMC III 289), hawk (FMC III 291, IV 177), kite (FMC III 293), asp (FMC

III 295), serpent (FMC III 297), robber (FMC III 299), hunter (FMC III 301), malicious one

(FMC IV 175) etc.1196 are of brutal and cruel creatures whose only attitude and activity are

harsh killing. Through these symbols the poet depicts the fatality of sin and its author.

V. 1. C. 13. Seductiveness – the mode of sin’s action

Another plain nature of sin as we see it in the mimre is that it is seductive (to‘yuto).

Quite often the poet identifies Satan as seducer and his ways seductive (to‘yuto) (FMC III 30,

46, 363, 855, 886 etc). Seduction (to‘yuto) can be done through provocation, compulsion,

brainwashing, taking one’s reason away by presenting a series of enticing promises of benefits

and forcing him to follow the seducer blindly (FMC III 347-348, 395-398, 501 ff.). In this way,

besides Adam and Eve, the serpent also was seduced by Satan. He appoints the serpent as his

envoy (FMC III 309 ff.), but later we see that the serpent was cursed by God due to the

seduction of Satan (FMC III 855). Eve was provoked and seduced by the serpent (FMC III

363) by presenting before her the glory and the attractiveness of the tree and its fruit (FMC III

403 ff.). The measure of his seduction on Eve was so immense and its pressure was intense so

as to make her answer his questions immediately when it was asked (FMC III 368 ff 425 ff,

459 ff,). The seduction goes to the extent of making her wonderstruck and silent (FMC III 498,

495). The poet beautifully describes from verse 505 of the third mimre how far she fell into his

1196 See more illustrations on these characteristics of Satan and the serpent in the segment, “Narrations on the

Non- corporal Beings, p. 489 ff.

535

seduction and became irrational and apparently blind. Finally Adam was also seduced by his

spouse (FMC III 567-568).

V. 1. C. 14. Hastiness – sin’s intrinsic nature

The swiftness of sin was brought to light in some parts of the mimre. Thus the poet writes,

“Sin performs and snatches this (way) those who possess i t ” (FMC III 529).

Sinning being an imprudent and impulsive act, the doer will be hasty to complete it, because he

does not need time to think over it. Hence, following the persuasion of Satan, Eve was too fast

to reach near the tree ahead of her husband, to snatch the deadly food, and to become elder

than him (FMC III 538). She was also too hasty in revealing divine secrets to the evil one,

paving him way for seducing her further and obeying the wicked one’s false discourse (FMC

III 391). Mar Jacob mentions in his homily ‘On Nativity’ also, this hastiness of Eve to follow

the wicked one and there he extols the cool nature of Mary and blames the hastiness of Eve.

Mary expresses her patience to the angel to learn the details of the matter: “Make manifest

your word, do not speak to me by way of signs. I am not hasty as my mother Eve who was

cajoled; because she believed out of a single saying, she tasted death. She did not ask her

messenger how it would happen that from the tree divinity should reach her”.1197 This hasty

nature of the devil, the wholesaler of sin, is explicit in the poet’s words,

“The avaricious hawk suddenly (haripoit ) sharpened his toe nails” (FMC III

291),

“The deceit ful ki te descended suddenly (qali loit)” (FMC III 293) etc.

The poet mentions the swiftness of the serpent at the description of God’s curse on him in the

Garden as shooting the arrows of justice contentiously by a well versed warrior against the

opponent,

“Because, the opponent was highly extolled in his swiftness (qali lo) ” (FMC III 880)

1197 Kollamparampil, Jacob of Sarug’s Homily on the Nativity, 36.

536

and it is in this way God had stumbled the fleetness in treachery of the serpent (FMC III 882).

V. 1. C. 15. Sin lurks

Sin always appears with a mask and the sinner usually carries out sin secretly. This

hiding nature of sin has been brought to light through the stanzas of the mimre. Satan generally

doesn’t attack people face to face, but he often employs envoys (FMC III 307- 311, 399-400).

The planning and ways of Satan at all times are cunning, circuitous and perverse. He puts on

masks of soft and noble beings in order to appear before men appealingly to confuse and

persuade them. Thus, the access of Satan into the camp of Israelites at Mount Sinai is pictured

in the mimre, as the entrance of a tender calf (FMC I 125). Regarding Satan’s mask wearing,

the poet discloses the mind of Satan,

“How can I go, through what and where can I attack him

and which pretext (‘elto) shall I devise to supersede him? ” (FMC III 305-306).

He illustrates in verses 307-332 of the third mimre, the plan of Satan on what his messenger

must do. The lethal serpent himself pretends as a godparent and caretaker before Eve (FMC III

333-356). He acts fake as a wise counsellor who wants to know more so that he may guide her

(FMC III 364-366). According to Mar Jacob, sin is wearing masks before God like concealing

the truth from Him (FMC III 747-748, 754). Covering with leaves (FMC III 635, 638 etc.) and

hiding behind the tree (FMC III 767, 633) etc. are impulsive and reflexive responses generated

from this occult characteristic of sin.

V. 1. C. 16. Sin - partnership with the wicked one

Mar Jacob warns people that whoever walks on the path of sin become partners of the

evil one and this journey’s end-result will be self destruction and total ruin. Trust is an essential

537

element in a partnership. But, here, the poet scorns Eve at her blind trust on the most evil

deceiver:

“Woe to you, Oh, Eve, why did you trust the one who had misled you? ” (FMC

III 387, 367).

She trusted the fraudulent promises also made by the serpent (FMC III 502). The poet again

wails over her unsighted reliance on the words of the serpent:

“As to a relative (’hyono) she revealed the secret; but he betrayed her ” (FMC

III 394).

The partnership is more clearly expressed when the poet says about the joint enterprise of Eve

and the serpent at the fabrication of clothes:

“The serpent and Eve had woven a garment of iniquity for Adam:

the serpent through his counsel, and with him, Ev e through her

insolence” (FMC III 683-684).

The poet considers this collaboration as her partnership with the beast and to become beastlike

(FMC IV 4).

Mar Jacob opposes sharply this partnership of the first parents in his homily ‘On the

Nativity’ also, where he extols the sagacity of Mary in asking questions against the statement

of the angel and also where the angel is represented as against the wicked serpent who cheated

Eve at the Garden of Eden. As against the serpent’s talk to Eve, the angel speaks to Mary, “I

have not led you astray, O Daughter of David, accept my words; Truth resounds from my

words distinctly. I am not a deceitful ambassador: Let me be believed by you. My action is in

truth; do not be doubtful about my arrival. I am not like the serpent who deceived your mother

in Eden .... I am not stripping you of glory as happened in the Garden; I have brought a cloak

(so that) you can cover your forefather who was stripped bare”.1198

1198 Ibid, 40.

538

V. 1. C. 17. Sin is venomous

The very embodiment of Satan as a serpent shows the venomous nature of sin. Various

figures used by the poet in order to represent Satan, such as, ‘cursed asp’ (FMC III 295) etc.

also point to this venomous nature of sin. The provocation of the serpent for committing sin is

conceived by the poet as the bite of the serpent injecting deadly venom (merto) into the image

(FMC IV 65-66) as well as the blow of the viper (FMC IV 109) and it kills the image (FMC IV

105-106). The poet smells this venom’s worst malodour (FMC IV 141-142). Along with Mar

Jacob, the fathers of the Church have common concept on this nasty face of sin. Mar Ephrem,

the pioneer among them, also warns of this venomous characteristic of sin: “How strong is his

(Serpent’s) poison, upsetting the whole world. Who can hold back the sea of that bitter one?

Everyone contains drops of it that can harm you”.1199

V. 1. C. 18. Sin pierces

Yet another characteristic of sin is that it pierces those who commit it. A physical scar

might not be found in a sinner. But, since a sin cuts all the loving relations,1200 the very act

itself creates wounds and pain. Sin is a sharpened sword that slashes the life of the soul. The

prick of conscience after a sin would create hurt-like pain in the heart. The narrations of the

poet point to this aspect of sin:

“Suffering (haso) exists with the crime as a watcher (no turo),

so, when man commits sin, suffering (haso) seizes him bit terly (mariroit)”

(FMC III 589-590).

The poet’s notion on the piercing characteristic of sin is clearer from his parallelism between

Eve and Mary. Eve was pierced by sin and she had been under its pain. The poet considers

1199 Brock, Hymns on Paradise, 167. 1200 See below in this segment.

539

Mary, the mother of the saviour, as the one who was born to wrap up affectionately the wounds

of Eve:

“The daughter will come and wrap up (kso) her mother; because, so

much she became corrupted!” (FMC III 445).

V. 1. C. 19. Grabbing the unnatural – the formula of sin

Coveting as well as attempting to snatch, possessing and utilizing something

undeserved to someone is considered sin by the poet. Mar Jacob views the sin of Adam and

Eve in this respect, because, they tried to snatch the divinity from the tree at the middle of the

Garden. The poet opines that the fruit of the tree was certainly for them, but it was not intended

to give them at that particular moment:

“He preserved there the tree of l i fe in watchful care,

so that, i ts fruit wil l be theirs long after ” (FMC III 1049-1050).1201

So, according to the poet, the sin of Adam was the wrong doing, with a wrong intention, in a

wrong place, through a wrong way and at a wrong time. As against this disposition of the

sinner the poet, in another homily, gives a piece of advice through the mouth of the angel who

spoke to Mary, “Do not exalt yourself over against your God, I am advising you. It is not that I

am misleading you so that you should snatch divinity for yourself”1202

V. 1. D. Effects of sin

The tragic and catastrophic effects of the transgression of Adam and Eve have been

discussed in more detail than its characteristics in the Four Mimre ‘On Creation’ of Mar Jacob.

The notions of the poet on the effects of sin can be summarised in this verse from the mimre:

“And since, in his Will , he disobeyed the commandment rebell iously ,

he is rightly dead and became dust in Sheol ” (FMC II 293-294).

1201 The poet sees every act of God very positively - see the section, “Man behind the Book”, p. 188 ff. 1202 Kollamparampil, Jacob of Sarug’s Homily on the Nativity, 40.

540

As in the case of the characteristics of sin, here also, we do not find that the poet particularly

makes a list of the effects of sin, yet, we can deduce them from the narrations of the poet.

V. 1. D. 1. Sin brought Christ down and caused to reveal God’s mercy

The fact that it is the sin of the man that caused Christ to come down and thus He

became one among the human being which is, from the human view point, a positive result of

the sin.

“And because he sinned, He (Son) became the Anointed one (Msiho)

and died for his sake” (FMC I 284).

This can be compared with the idea of St. Paul regarding the positive fruitfulness of Jews’ sin.

He says, “Because Jews have sinned, salvation has come to the gentiles, to make the Jews

jealous of them. The sin of the Jews brought rich blessings to the world and their spiritual

poverty brought rich blessings to the gentiles”.1203 Yet another positive outcome of the sin of

Adam, as the poet sees it, is that it was an occasion where the profundity of God’s mercy was

revealed to the world. When Adam, due to his sin, had fallen down, the merciful God

descended towards him and saved him from the ruin through delivering His only begotten Son

on the cross1204 (FMC I 275-276). All other effects of sin are catastrophic to the world as well

as to man.

V. 1. D. 2. Sin marred the image and stopped its functions

Man was created in the image (Šalmo) of God1205 (FMC I 51-52, 181-182). But the

poet explains that the sin of man destroyed and shattered this image1206 (FMC I 94,116, 126,

1203 Rom. 11/11-12. 1204 The poet conceives this act of God as an outpouring of God’s mercy; this topic is developed in the

section “God’s Mercy as the Catalytic Code”, P. 433 ff. 1205 Details on this topic is discussed in the section, “Image and Likeness of God in Man”, p. 249 ff.

541

129, 143, 154, 160). When Adam and Eve yielded themselves to the cunningness of the

serpent, it resulted in their total annihilation (FMC II 300). Mar Jacob states it as,

“He (Satan) dragged and brought him (Adam) down, carried in and threw

him (Adam) into the abyss of Sheol.

He (Satan) trampled him, shattered him and made him dust as he was

and his entire beautiful image was spoiled ” (FMC I 208-210, IV 190).

The anointment (msihuto) on Adam as the image (Šalmo) of God was rubbed out due to his sin

(FMC I 283). Seeing this pitiable state of the glorious image, the poet yells,

“By his Creator, he was (made) a god of f lesh (aloh besro) for the

creatures

and in his freedom he joined with the beast and resembled i t” (FMC IV 3-4).

The poet assesses that the image of Adam was the comprehension of all the goodness of all

created things1207 but, its beauties fell off on the dust and it became shameful, and since it

violated the commandments of its master, it was given over to death” (FMC IV 58-60). Quite

soberly the poet expresses his grief over the rebounds Adam faced on account of his sin:

“And since he (i t - image) ate from the tree and transgressed the

commandment,

he (i t - image) caused the dissolution for himself (i tself) through death

and i ts (image’s) action ceased” (FMC IV 91-92).

The sin of man had dissolved the image1208 (FMC IV 69-86, 91-92). Now and again the poet

writes about how the death, which was resulted by the sin, dissolves the limbs:

“In Sheol, The death enters into the l imbs of the man

and i t disperses, scatters, corrupts and destroys their components ” (FMC IV

351-352).

V. 1. D. 3. Sin made the disastrous fall from the lofty height

Adam was placed at the top of all creatures1209 (FMC IV 5) but he had fallen down

from that lofty place:

1206 See above in this section. 1207 The poet’s notions on the comeliness of the image is discussed in detail in the segment, “Image and Likeness

of God in Man”, p. 281 ff. 1208 On the destruction of the image – see the segment, “Image and Likeness of God in Man”, p. 286. 1209 The concept of the poet on the placement of Adam is narrated in detail in the segment, “Anthropological

Concepts in the Mimre”, p. 365.

542

“It (image) fel l down (npal) from its heights (ravmo) and i t (death) pulled i t

(image) down (shap) into the deep pit of the dead ones:

i t (death) destroyed i ts (image’s) beauties ( supro) and in nakedness

(pursoyo) i t went down (nhet) into Sheol ” (FMC IV 99-100)

and “Again, out of his freedom (men hiruto), Adam fell down (n-pal) into the

hands of death” (FMC III 178).

The poet finds that the falling down is a natural consequence of sin:

“The one who was on the exalted posit ion (ravmo) was brought down

and became a mockery (guhko):

he fell down (npal) from his status (dargo), embraced (‘paq) his clay

and possessed his humiliation ( seplo).

Exalted (rom) was his rank (dargo), however, he should have remained

in his exalted place;

and since he did not continue (there), deep and terrible was his chasm” (FMC

IV 145-148).

Before Adam’s slip and fall, Satan and his followers fell down from the heavenly bliss

immediately after their rebellion against God (FMC III 95, 137 ff.):

“And from the rank (sedro) of the glorious watchers (angels), the wicked

one had sl ipped away (sra‘)” (FMC III 72).

Rejecting Jesus is also a sin and fall; in this sense the poet narrates the fall of Judas Iscariot

who betrayed Jesus:

“This one had fal len down (npal) from the company of apostleship ” (FMC III 91).

If the sin of Adam had not ruined his soul, the poet opines, he would never have fallen down

from his lofty status (FMC II 297).

In a wrestling contest the weak contestant will fall and fail and the mightier one will

become victorious. But in the poet’s opinion, in the wrestling competition between Adam and

Satan, both of them fell short; Satan fell down from heaven and Adam collapsed from his

exalted status (FMC III 143-144, 149-150), because, both of them had transgressed and

became weak. Since none of the competitors came out triumphant, the poet opines it as a

unique game:

“This was a contest (doro) of defeat (hayobuto) in i ts entirety” (FMC III 146)

and “They sl ipped into destruction (srae lahbolo). . . .” (FMC IV 183).

543

This powerlessness was due to their sin: Satan’s revolt against God (FMC III 57) and Adam’s

transgression of the commandment (FMC III 127-128).

At the questioning in the Garden, God’s first question was ‘where are you Adam’

(FMC III 709). The poet views that God had used the question-word ‘where’ in order to

convince Adam about the unfathomable pit into which he had fallen form his exalted position:

“Through i t (question), again, his terrible fall ( seplo rabo) due to i t (sin)

was pointed out” (FMC III 719).

The poet asserts that all those who join with Satan in committing sin will slip and fall

along with him (FMC III 80) Thus when Adam (FMC III 136) and Eve (FMC III 564) had

associated with Satan, all of them together had slipped and fallen down.

V. 1. D. 4. Sin cracked the gorgeous order

God placed a hierarchical order within the creation. Being self existent, infinite, eternal

and the Creator, God is supreme. By the very fact that every other creature is finite by nature,

none of them can come closer to God in virtue of their capacity. But the poet opines that when

man wilfully tried to cross over his Creator, this lofty and sublime order was shattered:

“Since he exalted (‘lo) himself above hi s creator, death attacked him” (FMC III

247).

The place of man in the original order was next to Angels1210 and above all other creatures and

he was the custodian of all the creatures.1211 The poet states it as,

“The Benevolent one who fashioned hi m, had set and placed him at the

summit (ravmo) of Eden”1212 (FMC IV 5).

At the very moment of sin, this order was altered. Consequently, they slipped and lost their

position and the whole order of the universe was scattered.

1210 Cf. Ps. 8/5. 1211 Cf. Gen. 1/28. 1212 Regarding the placement of Adam at the top – see the segment, “Anthropological Concepts in the

Mimre”, p. 383.

544

The sin created anarchy among the mankind itself. The Scripture says that Adam was

created first and later Eve was created as a companion to him.1213 But what happened after the

sin was the contradictory to this order. The poet says,

“And behold, in her tumult , she behaved haughtily (sa‘li) against

Adam also.

She cleaved (and) entered, so that, she shall pluck the fruit f irst

in order to become the chief (riso) in divinity (alohuto) over Adam, her

husband” (FMC III 504-506).

The whole orderly scheduling for the livelihood of the living beings were reshuffled

after the sin. At first God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on

the face of all earth, and every tree whose fruits yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Also, to

every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and everything that creeps on the earth, in

which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”. 1214All of them were given freely

and without any toil. But after the sin, God ordered Adam and said, “In the sweat of your face

you shall eat bread”1215 (FMC III 945). And the poet adds,

“In a poor l i fe, due to poverty (sniquto), you will suffer severe pain ” (III 947).

The menu of their food was amended: “And you shall eat the herb of the field”.1216 The flavour

and the satisfaction of the food became dull:

“It is through pain that you will eat meagrely through out your days ” (FMC III

942).

The order of pleasant emotions was forced to be reshuffled due to the sin. The first parents

were enjoying all pleasures in the garden and there was no place for sorrow. But as a result of

the sin, God said to Eve who had been without any suffering in Eden: “I will greatly multiply

your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children”1217 (FMC III 889-

1213 Cf. Gen. 2/18 ff. 1214 Gen. 1/ 29-30. 1215 Gen. 3/19. 1216 Gen. 3/18. 1217 Gen.3/16.

545

890). Adam and Eve were companions (FMC III 783) and parts of the same body.1218 This

feeling of oneness was lost; they began renouncing each other and their uniqueness was

misplaced. The poet repeats God’s judgement:

“You will turn towards your husband in o rder to be subdued” (FMC III 893)

and “Adam, your husband, will bear rule and will rage you ” (FMC III 895).

Sin not only deformed the image of man but it distorted the orderly structure of other

living beings also. The Scripture says, “And God made the beast of the earth according to its

kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind.

And God saw that it was good”.1219 Although we do not know the original figure of the serpent

before its participation in the commission of the sin, it is evident that the curse disfigured the

natural stature of the serpent:

“Now onwards, you will possess crippled -walk (halokto hgirto) on your

ways” (FMC III 816)

and “You will be walking on your belly (karso) on all yo ur days” (FMC III 818).

The integrity and perfection of Adam’s body was also lost and it became viable for dissolution

into its primary status:

“You are dust and through death you will return to dust ” (FMC III 953-954, 957).

It is written in the Scriptures: “And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed

according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind.

And God saw that it was good”.1220 Sin marred this goodness of the earth and it was affected

contradictorily. According to the poet,

“He cursed the earth on account of Adam, when he went astray ” (FMC III 857,

853, 937, 941).

We see that with God’s judgement, the ugly and detrimental products are coming out

from the earth. When the curse of God began affecting the earth, instead of producing best

1218 Cf. Gen. 2/21ff. 1219 Gen. 1/25. 1220 Gen. 1/12.

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fruits, the poet says,

“It (earth) will bring forth thorns on the ways to infl i ct you”1221 (FMC III 943).

The poet finds that sin disorders the assignments given to the first parents and he views it as an

impropriety.1222 It was she who provides food for Adam, but the assignment was originally

given to Adam.1223 The poet reminds that she was not the mistress of Adam (FMC III 781-

782), hence, the right to have the food first is reserved to the head of the house.1224 But,

according to the poet, this divine order was puzzled by the perturbed behaviour of Eve (FMC

III 547-548, 537-538). The poet compares the perplexity of Eve with an illegal exercise of the

power of priesthood:

“In her perturbation she approached to become a priest (kohno) there

and she stretched out (avse t) the fruit of the tree to her husband” (FMC III 535-

536)

Here, the expressions of the poet make us clear that any attempt to disorder the arrangement

made by God is equally culpable of transgressing the commandment given by Him. Because,

we find that he makes use of the same verb to convey the idea of demolishing fence of the

commandment and Eve’s attempt to overcome Adam:

“She demolished (shap/sehpat) the fence (syogo) which was buil t by the law

and she looked for moving along in impropriety; she defeated

(shap/sehpat) her husband (gabro)” (FMC III 513-514).

Here, shap denotes an intentional attempt to demolish, overthrow, defeat and dethrone an

existing system. By employing the term, Mar Jacob aims at emphasising more on the deliberate

role of the human beings in the entry of sin than on the provocation of Satan.

The order of precedence was twisted in the garden when Adam and Eve had

committed sin. They were bound to obey God alone as their Creator and caretaker. God asks

1221 Cf. Gen. 3/18. 1222 See above in this section. 1223 Cf. Gen. 1/15. 1224 Adam as the head of the family- see the segment, “Anthropological Concepts in the Mimre”, p. 401ff.

547

them to obey His commandments.1225 This rank of superiority of God was broken by Eve when

she obeyed the deceitful words of Satan. The poet affirms it saying,

“Eve, in her tumult , had attended the words of the serpent

and when he deceived her, she received i t in her l axity” (FMC III 457-458).

Not much later, Adam also breaks the hierarchy by obeying Eve’s whisperings instead of

following God’s words. That was why the poet rebukes Adam,

“So then, the thief (ganobo), to whom you certainly ought to l isten:

God or Eve, the one who transgressed the law?” (FMC III 781-782).

According to Mar Jacob, Christ has come to the world to re-establish the distorted order caused

by Adam’s sin. In the homily ‘On Priesthood and Altar’ Mar Jacob gives a list of various

stages through which attempts were made to restructure the lost order. A reordering and

repopulation of the world took place through Noah, again through Abraham, Melchizedek,

Moses and finally through Jesus Christ, which is being carried on by the Christian

priesthood.1226

V. 1. D. 5. Sin opened the door of death

Adam was created mortal as well as immortal1227 (FMC II 165-166, 305-306). Sin was

the implement through which Adam dug a big hole and made a vast doorway for death for him

as well as for the entire humanity. So the poet laments:

“If he (Adam) had not opened (ptah) the door of death, he would not

have entered through i t” (FMC II 295).

Mar Jacob, in another work, contrasts the opening of the door for death through Eve with the

opening of the door of life through the ‘Yes’ of Mary to the word of God: “She gave her

1225 Cf. Gen. 2/16-17. 1226 Cf. Kollamparampil, Jacob of Sarug’s Homily on the Nativity, 24. 1227 The poet’s views on this topic is developed in the segment, “Image and likeness of God in Man”, p. 272.

548

consent and henceforth she received the fruit in her womb. She by her will opened the door and

then the king entered”.1228

When the poet speaks of death as the result of sin he might have been influenced also

by the words of St. James on the process that leads to death: evil desires lead us to sin and the

fullness of sin produce death.1229 Adam was created mortal as well as immortal (FMC III 173).

He was immortal as long as he kept himself away from the tree of life and death and thus

obeyed the commandment of God. Hence the poet affirms,

“Likewise, Adam met with (eskah) death through that tree:

it was not the tree, but the transgression of the commandment that

killed him there” (FMC III 271-272, 277, 281-282).

As death is the natural consequence of the transgression,1230 one shall not even say that God

punishes the offender by means of death. So the poet states,

“Adam died because he transgressed the commandment ” (FMC III 277).

So it was not God who killed Adam as punishment for the sin, but Adam himself committed

suicide when he acted willingly against the will of God. Adam was created mortal as well as

immortal (FMC III 173) and he had the freedom to choose either of them (FMC III 175). The

poet asserts,

“Out of his freedom (men hiruto), Adam fell down (npal) into the hands

of death” (FMC III 178).

Assuming that sin kills man, the poet synonymises sin and death in his mimre, especially in the

fourth one, where he narrates in detail how sin and its consequential death of the committer

dissolve the perfect organization of the human body (FMC IV 75 ff.).

1228 Op. cit., 58. 1229 Cf. Jam. 1/14 ff. 1230 Cf. Rom.6/23.

549

V. 1. D. 6. Sin produced suffering and lamentation

The devices and deeds of Satan are pleasurable and estimable at the beginning; but he

will cunningly lead people towards utter calamity. Whatever comes from him are disastrous:

“The wicked master had writ ten the discourse, full of distresses (‘oqo) ” (FMC

III 327),

and “The wise one for destruction had drawn a base l ine which begets death

(avled mavto)” (FMC III 329).

According to Mar Jacob, the pain, agony, disaster etc. were not from God; it is the result of the

wilful behaviour against the Will of God. The poet expresses it through pointing out the garden

event where it is the conscious attempt of the first parents to pluck the forbidden fruit that

caused their calamity:

“It gives suffering (haso) to drink bit terly (mariroit) to the one who

tastes (t‘am) i t;

truly i t clothes (lbes) with lamentation (eblo) to the one who plucks i t ” (FMC

III 211-212).

Here, the poet considers the fruit as a chalice (koso) which is filled with poison that kills. Man

was given sufficient warning in advance about the fatality of the tree and he was given freewill

to keep away from it:

“And this is why, with prudence, you should f lee (‘ruq) from its frui t” (FMC

III 210).

Disregarding all the warnings Adam and Eve approached the tree, drank the cup and

experienced suffering, death and lamentation.

When sin takes away the innocence and its happiness from the sinner they will be

replaced by the remorse of the soul which is carried in by the sin and it scourges the sinner

(FMC III 575-576). Sin compresses, crams and squeezes the sinner in order to burst forth grief:

“At i ts (sin’s) complet ion, the regret (tvoto) had burst for th (nba‘)

mournfully (hasisoit ).

She coveted iniquity (regat eavlo) (and) this caused the soul to regret(tvo)

and when i t was committed, i ts completion was t ied up with

lamentation (tenahto)” (FMC III 582- 584, IV 369).

550

The poet strongly emphasizes that suffering is an invariable and indissoluble companion of sin:

“Suffering (haso) exists with the crime (surhono) as a watcher (noturo),

so, when man commits sin (srah), suffering (haso) seizes him bit terly

(mariroit)” (FMC III 589-590).

V. 1. D. 7. Sin dethroned the prince

Having received the image of the supreme king, the human being became a lord over

other creatures (FMC IV 3). The poet discloses the chief ingredient – the reasoning power and

its proper exercise – that made him the god among them:

“He fabricated the brain (muho), the place of reason (beyt lhavno), so

that, he shall be steady

in order that he should l ive l ike a god (aloho) in great lofty

habitations (medyoro rabo)” (FMC IV 119-120, 139-140).

When Adam adhered himself to Satan and committed sin, he lost all his kingship and

transcendence. This removal was not the result of a bloody revolution by an opponent but, as

the poet evokes, the root was from within himself:

“And their freedom (hiruto) dethroned (shap) them from their ranks

gudo)” (FMC III 95).

Crown (klilo) is the essential mark of kingship. In the poet’s opinion Adam himself was a

crown (klilo) (FMC IV 111 ff) and he wore another one as he was lord of flesh among

creatures. Later the poet views, sin smashed both the crowns (klilo) into smithereens (FMC IV

109). This dethronement caused him to fall into the deepest levels and thus to become

beastlike. The fathers of the Church keep the same thought on the fall of Adam. Mar Ephrem,

the foremost among them contemptuously says, “The fool who is unwilling to realise his

honourable state, prefers to become just an animal rather than a man, so that, without incurring

judgement, he may serve naught but his lust. But had there been sown in animals just a little of

551

the sense of discernment, then long ago would the wild asses have lamented and wept at their

not having been human”.1231

V. 1. D. 8. Sin reserved Gehanna for its fans

The poet warns:

“All men should know that, from Gehanna, which is reserved to him,

who had proceeded forth in his own Will to seduce the people ” (FMC III 45-46).

Through this admonition the poet reminds the reader about the residence of Satan and

his followers. A sinner cannot live along with the celestial beings that are holy. So he will

naturally be excommunicated from their company and will be forced to go to Gehanna, a place

reserved for the expelled ones:

“Gehanna was promised to the evil one who had apostatized” (III 84, 102). The

poet cites from the Holy Scripture:

“Go away, you accursed, to Gehanna, that is prepared

for the devil and all of his powers!”1232 (FMC III 51-52).

From the words of the poet it is explicable that the sinner naturally goes to Gehanna

(FMC IV 100). According to him, it is a place where the valuable gems and precious pearls

stringed on the image of man will be shattered. And in its huge flaming fire these precious gifts

will become a circle of light (FMC IV 107-108).

V. 1. D. 9. Sin carried all the possessions away

People commit sin with the aim of gaining something for pleasure. But the truth is that

sin takes away and ruins every bit of what we possess, including our happiness. Basing on this

fact the poet assesses that the transgression of Adam had forced him to abandon and throw all

1231 Brock, Hymn on Paradise, 168. 1232 Cf. Matt. 25/41

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his valuable belongings away (FMC II 299). All over the verses of the mimre Mar Jacob

reveals his thoughts on how sin acts as a robber and steals all valuable treasures such as purity,

innocence, confidence, discriminative power, love etc. Some of the explicit expressions in the

mimre on the loss are,

“The serpent seized (htap) the garment of glory (es tal subho) which

they had put on.” (FMC IV 184),

“The sin took off (qpal) the glorious garment (nahto sbiho) of

creatorship (boruyuto)” (FMC III 573),

“The iniquity (‘avlo) drove ( trad) the innocence (psituto) away from

them” (FMC III 575),

and “The confidence (tuqlono) which accompanied them in the garden had

f led (‘raq)” (FMC III 577).

The poet sees also the cessation of their shouting of jubilation in the garden as a result of their

sin (FMC IV 183).

The spilling over of the nostalgic feelings through out the mimre and the sad picture

drawn with the colour mixed with his tears on the loss of the comeliness of the image due to

sin1233 is a clear proof of the poet’s perception and fondness on the pre-iniquitous stunning

state of the human image. What makes the poet more worried is the spoil of all the comeliness

of the image. Besides narrating in detail about the dissolution of the physique of human being

resulted by the sin (FMC IV 67 ff.), he uses a good amount of space of his mimre to express

his grief on the thrashing of the gorgeousness of the image,

“But the comely graces (supro payo), which were covetable, were

dissolved and i t was burned f iercely,

and all the beautiful forms (Šurto) had fallen down into destruction” (FMC IV

95-96)

Together with the carrying away of the beauty of the image, the sin took the image’s glory1234

also away from it (FMC III 573-574):

“The glory vanished (‘bar iqoro) from the glorious thing (one)

(yaqiro) and disgrace encircled i t (him);

1233 The notions of the poet on the comeliness of the image and its destruction are discussed in detail in the

segment, “Image and Likeness of God in Man”, p. 281 ff. and p. 286 respectively. 1234 See ‘Cyclic history of the Garment’ in the segment, “Eschatological Perceptions of the Poet”, p. 615 ff.

553

and the great one fel l down (npal rabo) from his greatness and he

himself summoned his humiliation ( seplo)” (FMC IV 191-192)

show how sin takes away the innate glory of the human image. Mar Jacob conceives this glory

as a covering on the bodies of Adam and Eve, with which their nakedness was concealed, and

as soon as the glory vanished from them, their nakedness was exposed.

Even the planning of committing the sin causes the sinner to lose his sight and the

power of discrimination and thus he becomes unable to distinguish the order of precedence. It

happened to Eve,

“When Eve had coveted to eat from the tree,

in her sight, i t was greater than God and of His ordinance ” (FMC III 599-600).

The sin of Adam and Eve took away their cognising capacity also:

“They had not seen the sin that was overlaid on their f lesh;

but they were ashamed due to the ugliness of the nakedness ” (FMC III 623-624).

Since the commission of sin enfeebled Adam’s sensitivity so as to make out any of the

implications of God’s question, ‘Where are you Adam’1235 (FMC III 709), he tries to escape

from responding to such question through his excuses (FMC III 737 ff.). Mar Jacob writes,

“The perished one (Adam) did not recognize (lo yida‘) the reason

(connotation) of the voice

and he was not prepared to bring himself for examination ” (FMC III 763-764).

The powerfulness of the word of God is seen at the very outset of the Holy Scripture.1236 This

unique and powerful feature of the Word has been transmitted to man when God created him in

His own image and this made man commanding and distinguishable among other creatures.

This exceptional element was lost, according to the poet, as a result of the sin, together with the

long list of other fatalities. Mar Jacob narrates the plight of the image,

“It (image) has neither words, nor voices , nor melodies,

for, the death had shut (skar) the mouth up into si lence and i t

ceased(nuh) the power of speech” (FMC IV 97-98).

1235 Cf. Gen. 3/9 1236 Cf. Gen.1/2ff.

554

In his intrinsic calibre of expressing thoughts in a rhythmic flow of terms, the poet illustrates

how unfathomable was the loss and how much pathetic was the condition of our ancestors in

the Garden when they had committed the sin. Everything in the garden was entrusted to them

and they were rich and powerful (FMC IV 13 ff, 157 ff.). Until the sin had been performed, all

the living and non-living beings in the garden used to bow before Adam with honour and fear

and all of them were subject to him. But after the sin, Adam and Eve, the powerful ones and

the owners of all prosperities, became deprived of everything. Scornfully the poet notes,

“They borrowed (sel) leaves from it in order to go before their f lesh

because, the poverty (hasiruto) encircled them from all sides ” (FMC III 635-636).

The poet is not reluctant to call those who lost everything due to the sin, ‘beggars’ (hasiro)

(FMC III 649).

V. 1. D. 10. Sin brought shame and condemnation

Adam was created blameless and spotless (FMC II 303). The poet, while sadly seeing

the wretchedness of the image, yells,

“Look, thenceforward (mekil ) the condemnation ( hayobuto) had

remained (srek) with them!” (FMC II 301).

The poet evaluates,

“And they ventured and ate from the tree which was full of death;

confusion of the face (behtat ape) had fallen upon them and the fame

(smo) had been corrupted” (FMC IV 181-182).

Mar Jacob points out the moment of the entrance of shame:

“She gave Adam, and he also ate from the tree;

and shame (pursoyo) made haste (rhe t) and seized (drak) them equally”

(FMC III 567-568).

The result of the foolish trust on the promise of the serpent regarding the opening of the eyes,

as the poet says, is,

“There, the eyes were opened (p tah) towards shame (bahitto)

555

and the l icentious nakedness (pursoyo dzali tuto) of the f lesh was

exposed to them” (FMC III 571-572).

There Adam and Eve realised how much hateful is the transgression of the commandment

(FMC III 605). The poet draws our attention to the nasty abomination they achieved through

their sin:

“How much detestable (sanyo) was that, which they have gained through

the theft (ganobuto),

and since they approached i t (tree); i t (theft ) loathed (nad) them among

themselves” (FMC III 627-628).

V. 1. D. 11. Sin exposed human nakedness

The Scripture says, “They were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not

ashamed”.1237 Adam and Eve were clothed with the glory of God and so human nakedness was

not a matter of ugliness or shame. ‘Garment of glory’1238 is a favourite topic of the Church

fathers, including Mar Jacob, Mar Ephrem etc.1239 Mar Ephrem puts it in this way, “That they

were not ashamed doesn’t mean that they did not know what shame was....... It was because of

the glory with which they were clothed that they were not ashamed. It was when this glory was

stripped from them after they had transgressed the commandment that they were ashamed

because they were naked”.1240 For Ephrem, the nakedness of the first parents is by means of the

stripping off of the garment of glory: “For, He (Christ) had devised a way to reclothe Adam in

that glory which he (Adam) had stripped off”.1241 This notion of Mar Ephrem is attested by

Mar Jacob in his mimre that it was the garment of glory with which they were covered had

blocked them from seeing the ugliness of the nakedness:

“The couple shined (prag) in their crowns (kli lo) and garments (lbuso).

He clothed them with magnificent l ight (nuhro gayo) and dazzling

brightness (zivo payo)” (FMC IV 162-163).

1237 Gen. 2/25. 1238 See ‘Cyclic history of the Garment’ in the segment, “Eschatological Perceptions of the Poet”, p. 615 ff. 1239 Cf. Brock, Hymns on Paradise, 66, Luminous Eye etc. 1240 McVey, The Fathers of the Church, 106. 1241 Cf. Brock, Hymns on Paradise, 69.

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And the poet conceives that Satan had already planned to strip them off by means of provoking

them to commit sin:

“The robber (gayso) made haste on the way of Eden and he placed

himself there

in order to strip off (s lah) the two merchants who were proceeding

forth through i t” (FMC III 299-300).

When Adam and Eve ate from the tree, their vulnerability was exposed:

“Eve and Adam distinguished (hzo) their nakedness (pursoyo) near the

tree” (FMC III 603).

The existence and nature of nakedness and ugliness were absolutely unheard of in the garden

(FMC III 615-619). They were living together as they were born, along with other creatures

and their bodies were pure, intact, and fine-looking:

“It (f lesh) was lasting (qom) so long as the o bservance of the

commandment (continued);

i t (shame) was far off from them, on the outs ide of the face.

So long as the ordinance was kept entirely with prudence,

there was no chance to the f lesh to be ashamed due to the nakedness.

So long as the sin was not administered through them,

they had not perceived the nakedness in the garden” ( FMC III 611-616).

But “When they coveted and committed sin, the iniquity, which they

had done, had stripped them naked ” (FMC III 620).

The notion of the poet on the state of nakedness before the commission of sin goes along with

the teachings of John Chrysostom. While exhorting the candidate for the Baptism, he explains

the reason why the catechumens were lead naked towards the holy water to be baptised: “After

stripping you of your robe, the priest himself leads you down into the flowing waters. But why

naked? He reminds you of your former nakedness, when you were in Paradise and were not

ashamed. For holy writ says: Adam and Eve were naked and were not ashamed until they took

up the garment of sin, a garment heavy with abundant shame”1242 Satan’s Another treacherous

explanation on the commandment was that eating the forbidden fruit would earn them immense

1242 As quoted by Quasten, Ancient Christian Writers, 170.

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amount of knowledge: “You will be like God, knowing good and evil”.1243

V. 1. D. 11. i. Connotation of ‘nakedness’

Mar Jacob explains what he means by the use of the term ‘nakedness’. For him it was

not the disclosure of the genital parts of the human physique, instead, it was the removal of the

garment of glory1244 which was adorned by God. We must understand that this garment of

glory was not for covering outwardly, but it was the splendour and beauty of the image of God

in them1245 and it was integrally united with their self. That is why, while explaining the role

of Satan in making them naked, the poet emphasises that what Satan really aimed at was the

stealing of this precious rob from them (FMC III 299-300). The poet, besides finding it as the

garment of magnificent light and dazzling brightness (FMC IV 163), synonymises this rob, in

one occasion, with the purity and innocence of the first parents:

“The iniquity drove ( trad ‘avlo) the innocence (psituto) away from

them” (FMC III 575);

and in another occasion, with the commandment of God,

“Sin tore (sdeq) that ordinance (nomuso) which they had put on;

and the f lesh remained exposed(pras) in tremble when i t was terrif ied ” (FMC

III 607-608)

and yet in another instance with the immeasurable divine power Adam and Eve had:

“The sin took off (qpal) the glorious garment (nahto sbiho) of

creatorship (boruyuto)” (FMC III 573).

So, for the poet, nakedness of the first parents was not the outer appearance of the

genital parts, as we understand ‘nakedness’ today, but it was their inner feeling of the prick of

conscience on the loss of their innocence and glorious status, on the violation of the

commandment and on the destruction of the image of God in them. Thus, in a way the

1243 Gen. 3/5. 1244 See above in this section. 1245 See the segment, “Image and Likeness of God in Man”, p. 281 ff.

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nakedness they felt in the Garden, according to the poet, was the realisation of the vulnerability

of their inner self by themselves. This is evident from the narrations of the poet on the hiding

of Adam and Eve behind the fig tree:

“The ashamed ones (bahito) f led to seek shelter under the tree ” (FMC III 631).

This flight was not because they looked each other, but it was because they heard of the arrival

of God. If the shame of the nakedness was because of viewing each other’s genital parts, Adam

and Eve should have hidden behind different trees in order to cover each one from the other.

So, it is clear that the shame of the nakedness was the panic feeling of facing God with their

corrupted and contaminated self. It becomes clearer from another narration of the poet. He

illustrates how Adam and Eve realized their nakedness and its ugliness. At the commission of

the sin, justice of God appeared before them:

“The justice (qusto) appeared in their conscience in the form of sun ( semso)

and i t exposed (pras) the thieves in their plunders (tahlu Šo)” (FMC III 629-

630).

Justice is the touchstone to test the quality of one’s actions and attitudes. Here the poet

compares justice with the sun, the light, which reveals even minute particulars which are

hidden under the cover of darkness. When this light of justice, the sun, appeared in their sense

of right and wrong and when it disclosed the spitefulness of their misconduct, they felt

ashamed. The feeling at the revelation of their imprecision through the light of justice was their

shame of the nakedness. It is in the same sense Mar Jacob points out,

“The reproof (maksonuto) was brought forth from his conscience

(re‘yono)” (FMC III 586).

These verses of the poet also underline the same notion:

“How much hateful (sono) is the transgression of the commandment

manifested to them

and (how much is) the distress (‘oqto) of their souls on account of that

which was performed” (FMC III 605-606).

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Pauline thoughts had helped the poet to conceive the dichotomy within the conscience

of man. St. Paul describes of a desperate situation of a conflict within man’s innermost depths,

a cleft between his basic desire and actual performance, and a cry for divine assistance: “For

what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will do, that I do not practice, but what I hate,

that I do. If, then, I do what I will not do, I agree with the law that it is good. But, now, it is no

longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh)

nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not

find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.......

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me

into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will

deliver me from this body of death?”1246

We again see Mar Jacob, with the same notion, in one of his other prayers as one who

laments over the ugliness of the image at its sinful state: “O Soul, depiction of the Kingdom,

who has stripped you of your beauty and mocked you? For, look how ugly you are with your

many evil deeds”.1247 He continues, “O Soul, neighbour of the Luminous one, image of the

great one, how far have you fallen state reached! For now thorns are mingled for you in your

bread. You were clothed in rays of light, you were sealed with the king’s own necklace; who is

it who has given you leaves (to cover your) nakedness?”1248

Thus for him, their nakedness is the state of being cut off from God and being exposed

their individual self which is drastically contaminated by their sin. That is why the poet says,

“They were ashamed due to the nakedness of their individual self (qnumo)”

(FMC III 650).

And so, they felt their nakedness from their scrupulous state of mind. Mar Jacob uses the term

1246 Rom. 7/15-24. 1247 Brock, “A Prayer Song by St. Jacob of Serugh recovered”, Harp, XVI, 351. 1248 Ibid, 352.

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‘confusion of the face’ (behtat ape) to express their feeling on the nakedness (FMC III 574).

Moreover, the poet’s notion on the nakedness of Adam and Eve become clearer from the

repetition of the question of God:

“Reply me Adam, who revealed to you that you are naked?” (FMC III 773).

If the nakedness they felt was external, God would not have asked a question like this. Then it

is quite certain that the poet expresses their nakedness not as external, but internal. The feeling

of the ugliness caused by the transgression of the commandment is to be understood as the

nakedness and the shame of the first parents.

V. 1. D. 12. Sin dropped human integrity

Eve was so energetic and enthusiastic to approach the tree at the middle of the Garden,

but, the poet says,

“She returned ashamed (bhet) due to the act ion which stripped (pras)

(and) defeated (spah) her” (FMC III 602).

When God sought them in the garden, Adam replies,

“I heard your voice and I hid myself because I am stripped (pra s)

and behold, my nakedness (‘ar teloyuto) caused me to tremble (arheb),

hence I f led from you” (FMC III 767-768).

Insecurity, anxiety etc. are marks of the loss of one’s integrity. The sin steals all the best

qualities in man and he loses his integrity. Keeping this notion of sin the poet opines,

“Instead of i t (innocence), i t (iniquity ) carried-in the remorse (tvoto) of

the soul in order to scourge (naged) them.

The confidence (tuklono) which accompanied them in the garden had f led

and fear (qento) came and stood before them with terror ” (FMC III 576-578).

V. 1. D. 13. Sin enslaved the committer

Jesus Christ had already very well spoken of the enslavement of sin on man: “most

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assuredly I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin”.1249 St. Paul underlines the same

by saying: “Do you not know that to whom you present yourself slaves to obey, you are that

one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin to death or of obedience to righteousness. .... you

were slaves of sin”.1250 Basing on these notions on sin, Mar Jacob also narrates sin as slavery:

“The sin enchained (pkar) i t and delivered i t to death in order to scoff

at i t (bazah)” (FMC IV 67).

The commencement of slavery marks the ending of all freedom, rights and possessions.1251 The

poet awfully rebukes the foolishness of the ancestor on the enslavement of his soul:

“In his freedom (hiruto) and without any compulsion (lo baq tiro), he

(Adam) enslaved (sa‘bed) his soul” (FMC II 302).

The slavery nature of sin is conveyed by the poet through the disclosure of Satan’s mind where

Satan plans to stretch his net out to entangle the prey. According to him, Satan was also

seeking an occasion for entangling them:

“Like a hunter (Šayodo), he (Satan) twined the net and laid the snares

(paho) hidden

in order to entangle (‘arqel) the two partridges into his snare (m - Šidto)”

(FMC III 301-302).

Approaching the wickedness of Satan is sewing one’s own net to be entangled. When the

serpent conversed with Eve and misled her through his cunning words, the poet views that he

was stretching out the net for hunting the lovely couple:

“The hunter (Šayodo), seeing that the lovely partridge had come near him,

stretched out his snare (nesbo), so that, she shall be ensnared (earqel)

into his snare (m Šidto)” (FMC III 397-398).

The poet, being skilful in mindreading, teaches from the incident of Eve that one who is

attracted towards the outward beauties of sin is a slave to it:

“She considered i t (the fruit) desirable and she was enslaved ( sbo) so as

to approach i t” (FMC III 519)

1249 Jn. 8/34. 1250 Rom. 6/16-18. 1251 See the segment, “Freedom and Freewill of Man”, p. 327 .

562

The principle behind it, as the poet says, is,

“Sin comes suddenly (‘do) to act this (way) upon those who possess i t;

for, through i ts pleasant love, i t wil l terribly take the reason away

captive (nsab)” (FMC III 529-530).

Mar Jacob’s concept of the real characteristic of this slavery of sin can very well be

understood in relation with the teachings of the early Church fathers. John Chrysostom, at his

baptismal exhortations, speaks of the relation between sin and slavery. As he was appraising

the catechumens for the sacrament of Baptism says, “Before yesterday you were captives, but

now you are free and citizens of the Church; lately you lived in the shame of your sins, but

now you live in freedom and justice. You are not only free but also holy”1252 For Chrysostom,

committing sin is equal to be falling in an unquenchable great fire and so an escape from this

fire of sin is emancipation from slavery: “Prayer together with alms-giving can furnish us with

countless good things from above; they can quench the fire of sin in our souls and can give us

great freedom”.1253 Based on the concept of the original sin and its transmittable nature from

Adam to all people,1254 Chrysostom speaks of a social element in the slavery of sin as well as

of a collective freedom from sin. Thus he exhorts, “Therefore do not look only to your own

health and freedom from disease, but take considerable thought and care that your fellow

members is get free from the hurt which comes from this evil and that he flees this disease”1255

V. 1. D. 14. Sin demolished the fence of protection

The poet always possesses a positive perspective. He sees every act of God an

outpouring of His abundant blessings.1256 Since God is the fullness and perfection of

1252 As quoted by Quasten, Op. cit. 57. 1253 Ibid. 1254 The topic ‘contagious nature of sin’ is discussed under ‘Characteristics of sin’ in this section, p. 521. 1255 As quoted by Quasten, Op. cit. 86. 1256 The poet’s concept on the mercy of God is narrated in the segment, “God’s Mercy as the Catalytic Code”, p.

427 ff. and the poet’s positive outlook is discussed in the section, “Man behind the Book”, p. 188 ff.

563

everything, no work of God shall produce negative result. For the poet, the commandments

given by God are not restrictions; instead they are fortifications. In appearance they may seem

as devices for control, but in fact they were for protecting life. It was like a shepherd who

makes a barrier around the shelter of his sheep to care them from the wild animals’ attack.

Mar Jacob takes the example from Mount Sinai. At the Mount, a limit was determined

by God around it for the people and approaching the mountain was forbidden under the penalty

of death1257 (FMC III 265). Actually it was not a constraint for the people but a warning to

save them from being killed. In the Garden also, the intention was same. They were

commanded to keep away from the middle tree just for keeping their life from destruction. All

commandments are for the betterment of the creatures.1258 But Adam and Eve did not

recognize this truth and so they followed the misinterpretation of the commandment given by

Satan. And by disobeying the commandments, they thought they were becoming free.

Adam and Eve had offended the commandment and were defeated. Eve was more zealous

than her husband in breaking this compassionate fence. According to the poet,

“She broke down ( t ra‘ ) the fence ( suro) of the commandment which

pro tec ted her

and she proceeded forth to go wi th the robber ( saboyo) who beckoned

(rmaz) her.

She demolished ( spah) the fence (syogo) which was bu i l t by the law

and she looked for moving along in impropriety; she defeated her

husband.

The transgression of the commandment was the way for her towards

the t ree

and she moved along through i t contumaciously (moruro it ) towards the

fru i t” (FMC III 511-516).

Mar Jacob might have assumed this concept of ‘fence’ from Aphrahat, Mar Ephrem etc.

because, Sebastian Brock asserts that Aphrahat had already been using this term by the second

quarter of the fourth century.1259 Even though Mar Jacob emphasises on the major role of Eve

1257 Cf. Ex. 19/12 1258 See ‘Optimist’ in the section, “Man behind the Book”, p. 188 ff. 1259 Cf. Brock, Hymns on Paradise, 64.

564

in crossing and breaking the fence, he doesn’t overlook the responsibility of Adam for the

same as the head of the family,1260 instead, he ridicules Adam for his attempt to escape from

the responsibility of sin (FMC III 780 ff). A slight difference in the narration on this issue

between Mar Jacob and Mar Ephrem is that Ephrem insists more on the role of Adam than that

of Eve in transgressing the commandment. Thus Ephrem writes, “Adam trampled down that

gentle and pleasant boundary”.1261 Moreover, Mar Ephrem finds the rationale behind the

institution of Cherub with a fiery sword as the second and stronger level of fencing to protect

the tree of life other than the commandment of God: “The mere words of the commandment

had been the boundary to the Tree, but now the cherub and a sharp sword provided the fence to

Paradise.1262

V. 1. D. 15. Sin alienated relations and created hostility

One of the detrimental effects of the sin, as it was said by the poet, is that it spoils

strong bonds of relations. Man, as the head of the created things, was in healthy association

with all other fellow creatures,1263 in love with his companion Eve1264 and was friendly with

God, his creator.1265 Man was entrusted to keep and herd the universe1266 and in loving

response to it, the earth produced all kinds of fruits for man.1267 Thus there was a perfect

harmony among all of them. But the sin tarnished all these magnificent interactions.

At the very moment when Adam and Eve committed sin and hence destroyed the image

of God in them, it cut the string of their strong attachment with God. The clear evidence for

1260 See details on the topic ‘Head of the family’ in the section, “Anthropological concepts in the Mimre”, p. 401. 1261 Op. cit. Hymn IV, 1. 1262 Ibid. 1263 Cf. Gen. 2/19. 1264 Cf. Gen. 2/23. 1265 Cf. Gen.1/26-30. 1266 Cf. Gen. 2/15. 1267 Cf. Gen. 1/28-30.

565

this was their hiding behind a tree after the sin in order to keep them unseen from God1268

(FMC III 633). At the time of creation we see God blesses them, “Then God blessed them and

said to them .... ‘See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all

the earth”.1269 But after the sin, God cursed them. There, the cordial relation between them was

broken. Blaming others for the responsibility of a failure is a sign of the broken relation.

Excusing himself from the accountability Adam blames even God for the cause of sin:

“The woman whom you gave me; i t is she indeed have gathered from

the tree” (FMC III 779) .

The poet ridicules Adam’s childishness:

“It was l ike people who say: ‘behold, the blame is yours . ” (FMC III 744).

Here, when Adam scorns God, its result is the breaking up of the strong bond between God and

man. Finally this relation was clearly broken when Adam and Eve were expelled from their

direct vision of God – from the Paradise.

Adam was longing for a companion and in his search he found no one among other

creatures comparable to him.1270 When Eve was given to him by God, he exclaimed, “This is

now, bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh”.1271 But after the sin Adam said,

“The woman whom you gave me had given me the fruit and I ate i t” (FMC III

788).

Here, the poet finds that the one who received Eve as his bone of bones and flesh of flesh, as a

better half of him; now considers her some one outside of him and accuses her as one who

dragged him into sin. The intimacy of their bond was lost.

Fabricating excuses is a clear proof for one’s detachment from himself. If somebody is

confident of and truthful to himself, he will be willing to bear the responsibilities of his actions

1268 Cf. Gen 3/7. 1269 Gen.1/28-29. 1270 Cf. Gen. 2/20. 1271 Gen. 2/23.

566

and to face its consequences whatever they might be. By applying the blame directly on Eve

(FMC III 739, 743, 756, 779-780, 797-798) and indirectly on God who gave him his wife (III

745), Adam tried to defend himself. The poet says,

“He (Adam) began fabricating (rakeb) excuses (‘elto) to escape (emad)

from accusation (‘dloyo)

as i f he had never approached the crime that happened there ” (FMC III

737-738, 780, 797-798, 801)

and “He (Adam) wished to escape(emad) from the accusation (mar suto)

through the arguments (‘elto)” (FMC III 752).

Sincerity, reliability, frankness, straightforwardness etc. are the essential characteristics of a

healthy relation. But Adam behaved hypocritically, fallaciously, restrained and perverted

towards God as well as towards himself and thus he proved the loss of the whole credibility.

Disrespectfully calling him ‘thief’ (ganobo) (FMC III 741) and describing Adam’s outlook ‘a

distorted disposition of impudence’ (niso ptilo dsoruboto) (FMC III 747), the poet suggests:

“Adam should have prepared himself to tel l about the action which

made them fall” (FMC III 748).

Through this the poet discloses how Adam was far away from his true self. The same

was the case with Eve also; by attributing the burden of sin on the serpent, tries to find excuses

for her role in committing sin (FMC III 806, 809-810).

So far they were living together in the garden unaware of what the nakedness is. Sin

opened their eyes and they distinguished theirs as well as each other’s nakedness.1272 This also

caused them to keep oneself away from the other. Moreover, the poet notes,

“Jealousy (hsomo) entered among the charming ones and perturbed

them” (FMC IV 179).

Jealousy is a spiteful but strong weapon that separates, widens and worsens step by step any

strong relation. All these factors intensified their alienation.

Adam was assigned the caretaker of the universe1273 and he was supposed to fill the

1272 Poet’s notions on ‘nakedness’ is discussed above in this section.

567

earth and subdue it.1274 But later we see this earth was cursed due to the sin of Adam:

“The Lord said to him, ‘the earth is cursed (l i t) because of you’”1275 (FMC III

937, 941).

In the place of taking care of the earth, now, Adam has to toil in it:

“It is through pain (kibo) that you will eat meagrely (meskinoit ) through

out your days”1276 (FMC III 942).

As opposed to producing food for Adam, the earth brought forth thorns to inflict him:

“It (earth) will bring forth thorns (kubo) on the ways to infl ict you 1277 (FMC III

943)

and “The thorns (kubo) pierced Adam while he was running ” (FMC III 1073).

Thus the whole harmony between man and nature was destroyed.

When one loses the control over himself, it means that there is alienation in himself.

The poet says that sin caused this conflict in man. Mar Jacob describes Eve’s loss of control

over herself:

“The hateful lust (regto) had burst forth (tra‘) from the freedom (hiruto)

and i t carried her (g-rap) towards the beauty of that tree” (FMC III 517-518)

and “When she looked at i t , the lust (regto) for that tree bruised ( sqap) her”

(FMC III 539).

How can a man be peaceful with himself when this war of contradictions caused by the sin

makes pandemonium in him? He will certainly be in a state of being cut off his relation with

himself.

God’s first question after their sin was ‘Where are you Adam?’1278 (FMC III 709, 713,

716, 721,723, 733, 762, 765). Adam heard the sound of God’s footsteps as if He was walking

in the garden (FMC III 690). These show how close God and Adam were in the garden. In such

proximity, if God asked him ‘Where are you’, the poet says,

1273 Cf. Gen. 2/15. 1274 Cf. Gen. 1/28. 1275 Cf. Gen 3/ 17. 1276 Ibid. 1277 Cf. Gen. 3/18. 1278 Cf. Gen. 3/9.

568

“At (the t ime of) that question from God, he was near Him,

but what had been revealing was his abandonment from the

righteousness” (FMC III 717-718).

Adam was far away from all realms of morality and virtues and his alienation from

them was complete. This question also revealed, according to the poet, Adam’s aloofness from

the divinity (FMC III 723).

What we see in history through out the ages is the continuation of this hostility which

was generated by sin. The immediate successors of the first parents for this resentment were

Cain and Abel.1279

V. 1. D. 16. Sin caused to expel men from Eden

In the Scripture we read, “The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there

He put the man whom He had formed”1280 And this garden was full of virtues.1281 But the sin

of Adam and Eve had corrupted all the beauties of the Garden. The sinners could not remain

there in the garden, the place of holiness and life, for long. So the poet feels that the judgement

is quite natural:

“As i f in wrath He decreed judgment to expel ( trad) them” (FMC III 1019)

and “Because they have sinned against Him, He casts (apek) them out of

Paradise” (FMC III 1021).

Mar Jacob, while revealing the role of Satan1282 in making the first inhabitants of the Paradise

being expelled, puts it more poetically,

“The vicious hawk (ne Šo sriho) entered and s tood in the midst of the

innocent doves (yavno briro);

i t made them flee (apred) from that vast nest (qeno rabo) of Eden ” (FMC IV

177-178).

1279 Cf. Gen. 4/8. 1280 Gen 2/8. 1281 Cf. Gen. 2/9 ff. 1282 This topic is discussed above in this section.

569

V. 1. D. 17. Sin intensified the dimensions of ignorance

There is no doubt that it is the ignorance of Adam and Eve on the power of God and on

His commandments which led them to challenge Him through their sin. But the poet ridicules

them saying they were so ignorant even to the extent of thinking that God’s vision is too short-

sighted:

“The ignorant one (lo yodu‘o) had confined ( hbas) the Lord when he

said to Him:

“I heard your voice and I hid ( tso) myself in the garden” (FMC III 769-770).

They thought that their hiding behind a tree would put them out of the sight of God. They

imagined that as a poor sighted living being, God was fumbling around in search of them in the

garden. The poet’s expression is funny,

“He (God) was seeking him, but he (Adam) thought i t as He (God) was

not acquainted with (the place) where he (Adam) is ” (FMC III 766).

Thus they revealed that their comprehension, on the omnipresence,1283 omnipotence1284

omniscience1285 and all seeing characteristics of God, was so miserable.

V. 1. D. 18. Sin exterminated Cohesion

The compatibility and the harmony of the limbs of the human body are related in the

mimre with the sophisticated arrangement of precious pearls in a costly necklace.1286 Very

poetically the author of the mimre expresses the complexity, superiority and the coherence of

the image and its limbs:

“On the thread (huto) of the soul, in the form of a necklace of pearls

(‘eqo dmargonito),

i t (image) was stringed (hraz) with the l imbs and set in order; wholly

covetable (FMC IV 101-102).

1283 Cf. Ps. 139/7-12. 1284 Cf. Jer. 32/17. 1285 Cf. 1Jn. 3/20. 1286 Poet’s notion on the ‘Coherence of limbs’ is discussed in the section, “Anthropological concepts in the

Mimre”, p. 354 ff.

570

Besides the parable of a necklace, the poet uses another comparison of a crown to put

into words the splendour of the human image (FMC IV 113) and goes a step further and says,

“In exalted beauty, Adam was more glorious th an the diadem (togo)” (FMC IV

111).

But, according to the poet, the entrance of sin distorted all the cohesiveness and the original

solid organization of the image:

“But the dragon (tanino) entered and bit (nko) sharply the string of l i fe

(huto dhayo) and i t (necklace- image) collapsed (ntar),

and behold, the lovely necklace (‘eqo) is broken (prat) and scattered

(dro) within the cells of Sheol” (FMC IV 105-106).

All its properties were contaminated through the bitterness of the venom, the sin, at the bite of

the serpent:

“And the viper (asp) blew (nsam gorso): due to i ts harshness i t threw

off the crown (kli lo),

and behold, within the tomb, i ts gems ( taba‘o) were dispersed (zraq)

and i t scattered (dro) i ts beauty” (FMC IV 109-110).

The poet elaborately speaks of the dissolution of the properties of the image (FMC IV 65 ff),

because it is quite natural that the presence of the venom in a living organism will result in its

disintegration. Here the occurrence and the presence of sin acts and reacts as poison in the

image of man.

V. 1. D. 19. Sin emitted malodour

The poet is very extravagant in using words to express the comeliness of the original

image.1287 When the poet emphasizes that the whole beauties of all generations were

embroidered in the image (FMC IV 103), he means that all pleasant elements of the world are

filled within the image and hence the image is delightful to all. Moreover, he states that the

nostrils of man are made as corridors to enter all the fragrances of the world into the image

1287 Comeliness of the image is discussed in the section “Image and Likeness of God in Man”, p. 281.

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FMC (IV 123) and these nostrils are also for distinguishing the ill smell from the scent (FMC

IV 124). Hence, it is primarily intended that by receiving the fragrance through nostrils the

image shall not only be filled with the perfume, but it should spread the same around it

wherever it exists. The poet says figuratively that sin is a bite of the serpent (FMC IV 65) and

the blow of the viper1288 (FMC IV 109). Now, the poet speaks how this comely, aromatic

image had turned into malicious and malodorous:

“The serpent (hevyo) arrived and shed (e sad) his venom (merto) upon the

beauti ful one:

i t decayed and poured i l l -smelling mud (soyno saryo) on his (Ada m’s)

dust” (FMC IV 141-142).

Thus the image had turned out, according to the poet, both malodorous and muddy. The

malodour that is being emitted is of the sin in the image as well as the resultant putrefaction

and the decaying of the dead image.

V. 1. D. 20. Sin abolished the marital bond

In addition to the depictions of God as the most wise craftsman, artisan, painter,

goldsmith, potter etc. God is described in the mimre by the poet as the most beloved parent as

He arranges the marriage, settles the dowry and prepares the marriage feast (FMC IV 159-

160). As the best parent, He arranged a grand wedding feast by putting together whole worlds,

gave them all the trees and their fruits as marriage gift and placed them in the Garden of Eden,

the bride chamber (FMC IV 161-168). Thus a strong marriage bond was tied up between Adam

and Eve, the newly and the first wedded couple. The poet, seeing the tragic end of this couple

caused by the violation of the marital bond, woes:

“The malicious one entered and cast division (sedqo) in this marriage

(mestuto)

and he appeared falsely before the bride, whispered, deceived,

seduced and betrayed her” (FMC IV 175-176).

1288 See above in this section, ‘Sin is venemous’.

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Thus sin cut this strong marriage bond. The poet went even to the extant of calling Eve, a

harlot (zanoyto) (FMC III 17), the best as well as the worst attribute which can be applied to an

infidel wife, because, she, in her own Will and without the consent of Adam, her husband, had

journeyed through the pathless dessert (tavso) with a stranger (nukroyo) (FMC III 509-510).

The poetical expression of this pathless desert is highly symbolic and it symbolises the

plight of a man who commits sin. Journey through the pathless desert is so dangerous and

calamitous, because he will reach nowhere and within a short time he will fall and die. The

state of the danger of the journey will be intensified if it is with a stranger of whose nature the

traveller is unaware of. The stranger will certainly mislead him and finally kill him to snatch all

his possessions. Exactly the same happened to Adam and Eve. God the Father was a friend of

them, so close as to walk with them. But when they travelled with Satan, they were not only

misled by him, but all their possessions were stolen and finally they were killed by him.

It is because of this perversion of Eve on the pathless desert and her journey and

adultery with the fornicator and the stranger made God pronouncing a certain amount of

control of man over woman:

“Adam, your husband, will bear rule and will rage you,

and you will never be the mistress to your husband according to your

thought” (FMC III 895-896).

The poet speak also of jealousy (hsomo) that arose among them and incited Adam and Eve to

attack each other and the treachery (neklo) of the serpent created all possible splits between

them (FMC IV 179-180) which led to a total ruin of their congenial family life. Later, we see,

the evil upshots of this rift have been sprouting up through out the ages.

Since this marriage bond was broken, every pleasures connected with it had been

turned contradictory and detrimental: because of their corruption, they were expelled from the

garden, the bedchamber (FMC IV 178); the misuse of the tree, the marriage gift, earned them

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death (FMC IV 169, 181); the dowry, the whole earth, sky and sea became accursed (FMC III

941) and instead of the life-giving fruits, from which God prepared the wedding feast, the

piercing thorns and thistles sprang up from the world (FMC III 943).

V. 1. D. 21. Sin produced poverty and gloom

Sumptuousness was the identity of the Garden of Eden and the reverberations of feast,

festival and jubilation echoed everywhere (FMC IV 135-136, 161-166 etc). The sin not only

quenched all throbs of joyfulness but it dragged the first parents into a pitiable state of scarcity

also. The powerful ones, Adam and Eve, were forced to seek the shelter, as beggars, under a

tree (FMC III 631), deplorably they stretched their hands to borrow leaves from the tree to

cover their nakedness (FMC III 635) and they had to leave all their possessions behind when

they were forced to flee from Eden. God punished them with the curse of poverty:

“In a poor l i fe, due to poverty ( sniquto), you will suffer severe pain ” (FMC III

947).

Thus Mar Jacob calls them fugitives (‘oruqo) (FMC III 1062) and ‘beggars’ (hasiro) (FMC III

649). As the beggars use to wear rag tunic these beggars also used the tunic made up of leaves,

hence the poet calls it ‘weak garment’ (lbuso mhilo) (FMC III 669), ‘ragged clothes’ (kutino

ruqa‘to) (FMC III 671) etc. He ridicules the insufficiency of the dress, exclaiming,

“Oh, the garment (lbuso), how much insuff icient (kasir) is i t near

(comparing to) His garments (lbuso),

for, poverty (sniquto) is typif ied from all i ts sides! ” (FMC III 651-652).

The poet points to the prime reason of their scarcity:

“It was also right that the poverty (meskinuto) should come upon them;

for, they roused desires to snatch the rank of divinity (dargo dalohuto) ” (FMC

III 675-676).

The whole fun which they enjoyed in the garden was upturned into gloom. The poet describes

the deplorable situation:

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“Poverty (hasiruto) encircled them from all s ides ” (FMC III 636).

One can imagine the measure of disappointment they felt in the garden and how much gloomy

they were when they lost everything. The poet observes,

“..... The shouting of their jubilation (yubobo) had been ceased ” (FMC IV 183).

Even though the poet narrates their poverty in very common terms, it is to be understood that

what he primarily means is not the want of something which is needed for their livelihood;

instead, it is to be discerned as the loss of the powers of their image of God due to the sin.

Because, whatever they gained and possessed were solely on the basis of the image of God in

them. When they lost the powers of their image, they lost everything, hence they became in

want of something. So, their poverty is their feeling of the absence of the image of God in them

and consequently the absence of God in them and this made them fugitives and beggars.

V. 1. D. 22. Sin delivered defective knowledge

The serpent provoked Eve promising her the immeasurable amount of knowledge if

they eat from the fruit of the tree, especially assuring them the gift of intelligence to discern

good and evil1289 (FMC III 401-424). But the poet reveals that what they have gained from the

tree was very poor knowledge. The only knowledge they had acquired from the tree was the

recognition of their nakedness (FMC III 603 ff.) and the poet asserts:

“They had obtained no other knowledge from the tree ” (FMC III 622).

The notion of the poet on the profit of eating from the fruit seems to be contrary to the thinking

of Mar Ephrem, who also had done a beautiful exposition on the Garden event. Ephrem goes

one step further and scornfully explains that Adam and Eve got more than one knowledge from

the tree: “But when Adam boldly ran and ate of its fruit, this double knowledge straightaway

1289 Cf. Gen. 3/5.

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flew toward him, tore a way and removed both veils from his eyes: he beheld the Glory of the

Holy of Holies and trembled; he beheld, too, his own shame and blushed”1290

V. 1. D. 23. Sin caused disease

Modern sciences, especially psychology and psychiatry, have the opinion that mental

agony can create bodily disorders which may lead to sickness. Jesus Christ relates sin and

sickness at the event of curing the paralytic1291 as well as rejects the cause-effect relationship

between the sin and illness at the event of curing the blind.1292 Centuries back from now, Mar

Jacob had this conviction and he reveals it in his mimre. He had already gone one step ahead

and said man’s sin can be a cause for serious diseases in him. One of such disclosures is that

jealousy (h’somo) will cause ulcer (suhno) and its pain will be severe (FMC II 260). This he

said on the physical ulcer and pain while he was arguing for establishing his doctrine on the

mortality and the immortality of Adam. But, according to him, sin can cause ulcer to the soul

also. Since this disastrous ulcer had cruelly damaged the soul, the poet advises repentance as

the best and only remedy for the cure and the recovery of the soul (FMC IV 379-380).

V. 1. D. 24. Sin affected the soul

The poet emphasises that the sin primarily affects soul of the sinner. So, seeing the

disastrous and pathetic end of sin that affects the soul, he laments:

“Woe to you, oh, soul, while you have inclined towards the love of the

world” (FMC IV 369).

Mar Jacob condemns the soul on the basis of his conviction that it is from here the desire for

sin shoots up and soul is the axis on which the whole human body and its performances

1290 Brock, Hymns on Paradise, Hymn III. 7. 1291 Cf. Matt. 9/1 ff. 1292 Cf. Jn. 9/1 ff.

576

revolve.1293 Thus he advises the soul,

“Oh, the dissolute soul, which the world has enslaved with i ts

covetousness,

look at the dead one, who also had coveted and was destroyed ” (FMC IV 373-

374, 364, 366, 375-376).

When the poet compares the beauty of the image of man with a costly necklace he

considers the soul as the string on which the image is stringed and the limbs of the body as the

precious pearls (FMC IV 101-102). The effect of sin on the soul is pictured here as the bite of

the dragon on the string, the soul, in order to demolish the necklace, the image as well as its

limbs (FMC IV 101-108).

V. 1. E. The verdict against the sin

A major part of the third mimre is set apart for the presentation of the verdict of God upon the

transgression of Adam and Eve.

V. 1. E. 1. The presentation of the court

The presentation of the court is one of the occasions in the mimre which would raise

one’s admiration at the resourcefulness of Mar Jacob in various fields.1294 The verdict of God,

given in the garden, has been produced in the mimre almost similar to the proceedings of a

legal court. The expressions:

“He f i rst ly inv ited Adam ... ...” (FMC III 795),

“Eve came after her husband, in order to be perforated ....” (FMC III 802),

“She also went out and Adam entered in order to receive his own ” (FMC

III 921) etc.

point to the procedures of a trial in a court. Thus the poet says,

“He (God) was establishing there the throne of judgment (kursi dino),

1293 The thoughts of the poet on the body-soul relation is discussed in the segment, “Anthropological Concepts in

the Mimre”, p. 355 ff. 1294 Various glorious phases of the poet is discussed in the segment, “Man behind the Book”, p. 149 ff.

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out of justice,

and the thieves (ganobo) entered in order to be questioned on the crime.

He f irst ly invited Adam to enter and to be questioned” (FMC III 793-795).

God summoned the accused ones one by one to be questioned and they were brought in as if

into the dock of a legal court. After the questioning session, there was the verdict. There, from

verses III 811 onwards, the poet elucidates God’s proclamation of the ruling according to the

gravity of each one’s each offense more elaborately than what is given in the Book of Genesis

3/14 ff. This shows the fine association of the poet in the judicial procedures.

V. 1. E. 2. The Mode of the questioning

As opposed to a normal legal procedure, where questions are asked to identify and

ensure whether the accused is a culprit or not and to pronounce the verdict and punishments

accordingly, here, the poet says that the questions are asked to make the accused mindful of

what he has done and to deliver him from punishment. So, according to the poet,

“The search was to f ind out everything; on account of Adam

He went after him, so that, he should be met with repentance (tayobuto)” (FMC

III 727-728).

God asks many questions, some times even compellingly, in order to bring the culprits for

penitence; all questions came out of the mercy of God.1295 While God asked several questions

out of His mercy towards Adam and Eve, so that they might repent of their sins; the serpent

was punished out of God’s wrath, purely on the basis of justice, mercilessly and without any

question:

“The Judge shouted (z‘aq) against the serpent without any question (lo

suolo),

He uttered the decree of the judgment (gzar dino) against him without

any investigation (lo ‘uqbo)” (FMC III 811-812).

1295 A whole segment is set apart in this study to discuss the mercifulness of God – see “God’s Mercy as the

Catalytic Code”, p. 427 ff.

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V. 1. E. 3. The verdict

When the questioning session was over, God began to decree the judgment. Here, the

order of the questioning: Adam, Eve etc. is reversed; the first pronouncement of the verdict

was against the serpent, then Eve received the punishment and finally Adam was sentenced.

The poet finds a reason in this reversal of the order; the serpent and Eve were sentenced in

front of Adam. Through these instances Adam should have understood the mind and mode of

operation of God and there was chance for him even at the last moment for his repentance and

conversion. This becomes clearer from the verse of the poet:

“He (God) turned towards Eve in order to ask questions,

so that, she might be a cause for Adam to be afraid of the Judge ” (FMC III 791-

792).

The poet elucidates the various features of God’s verdict: the retributions given to the

culprits were equal as to their wrongdoings1296 (FMC III 813 ff.), especially those against the

serpent.1297 Eve’s pain and suffering at begetting of the children were due to her attempt for

self elevation over the magnificence and great glory of the Divinity (FMC III 503-504, 891-

892). For her misbehaviour against Adam she has to be subdued and will be raged by Adam

(FMC III 893-896). Now, Adam appears on the dock (FMC III 921 ff.). As against the laxity in

tending and keeping the universe1298 and against his exaltation above his Creator, he was

punished with the assignment of hard work (FMC III 945-946).

But the poet also describes, even contrarily, another face of the punishments, that they

were very soft; especially those against Adam and Eve. The severity of the punishment was

avoided on account of the mercy of God:

“The punishment which Eve received from the Judge was soft;

1296 Gen. 3/ 14 ff. 1297 More details on this can be seen under ‘Judgment against the serpent’ in the section “Narrations on the Non-

Corporal beings”, p. 504. 1298 Gen. 2/15.

579

i t was not as grievous as the transgression and her revolt ”1299 (FMC III 897-898).

V. 1. F. Remission of Sin

Even when Mar Jacob takes too much space of his mimre to narrate the characteristics

and the effects of sin, he does not disregard to tell about the means for the remission of sin.

Mar Jacob points out two most important means to get rid of one’s sins; the repentance

(tayobuto) of the sinner on the sins committed and then the involvement in the salvation

given by Jesus Christ. Thus he was pointing out as well as insisting on the necessity of the

initiation from both the sides – from God’s side through salvation and from the side of man

through repentance – for the remission of sin.

V. 1. F. 1. Initiation from the part of God

According to the poet God had done a lot of things as part of the initiation for the

remission of the sins and for the restitution of the image. God did not punish the sinner on

account of the gravity of the sin; instead, he showed compassion towards him and prolonged

the time for his return: 1300

“From the t ime he was exist ing, Adam was loved (r hem) by the Creator:

even when he (Adam) went astray, he was precious (yaqir) to Him (God)

when He (God) looked upon (hur) him (Adam).

He (Adam) sinned but He (God) did not curse him, since His (God’s)

love (hubo) was with him, He (God) did not hate (lo sno ) him:

not to curse him (Adam), He (God) cursed the earth on account of him

(Adam)” (FMC I 223-226).

God promised the sinner His only begotten Son as his redeemer and the poet finds that even in

the midst of her grief, Eve rejoices on the basis of God’s promise of the child as the saviour:

“It (mercy) turned and contented her through the love towards the child;

which rejoiced her” (FMC III 904).

1299 See the segment, “Mercy of God as the Catalytic Code”, p. 452 ff. 1300 Prolongation of the verdict against Adam was for giving him a chance for repentance – see “Mercy of God as

the Catalytic Code”, p. 453.

580

And God delivered His only begotten Son for the redemption of man and thus kept His Word:

“In order to redeem (praq) His image (Šalmo), He handed over (aslem)

His only begotten Son (yihidoyo),

for, i t was not proper (lo payo) to lose His image ( Šalmo) in the abyss

of Sheol” (FMC I 215-216).

V. 1. F. 1. i The use of the terms ܝܠܕܐ (yaldo) and ܒܢܝܐ (bnayo)

Here, the poet intentionally uses two words to denote the promised child, yaldo (FMC

III 904) and b-nayo (FMC III 906 and 917). But bnayo is used in plural in the Third Mimre

verses 906 and 917. Here, the poet is deliberate in using these terms as it is said, because,

yaldo denotes to the promised Son of God and the bnayo in plural number certainly denotes to

the entire human generation that is going to be born from Adam and Eve. Both the Son of God

and the humanity are, in a way, her descendants. The sight of both of them comforted her.

V. 1. F. 2. Opening from the part of Man

When God does all the benevolences for the forgiveness of the sin of man, what is

required from the part of man, according to the poet, is only one thing; his repentance over the

sin as well as the resultant return towards God. The poet’s advice is this:

“Establish (heal) (n Šab) your soul in the del ightful sea of repentance

(yamo datyobuto)

before i t comes and puts burning coals (g murto) on your sores (hborto).

Heal (hlam) your ulcers (suhno) through gentle drops of tears ( tavpto

dem‘o),

for, there, they are healed through f lames (gavzalto): fear the f ire! ” (FMC IV

377-380).

The poet understands that the sin of Adam and Eve would have been remitted if Adam had

distinguished the Word of God and made his mind for repentance. Regarding the questioning at

the Garden, the poet observes it as,

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“In this ‘where are you’, through this, He indicated to him; ‘seek your

soul,

make a prayer and approach Me, so that, I may be in agreement with

you’” (FMC III 733-734).

The poet discloses further:

“Behold, the questions in order to open the door tow ards repentance:

i f Adam Willed to push (the door), he could enter there ” (FMC III 775-776).

But Adam had neither approached the great door of repentance (FMC III 749) nor he softened

his insolence and said, ‘I have sinned, have pity on me’ (FMC III 751). He was not willing to

fold his hands with the regret of the soul to make supplication (FMC III 753) and to pray for

his deliverance (FMC III 755). Instead he fabricated excuses and blamed Eve, his wife (FMC

III 739-740). Thus, the poet laments over the lapse of the chance:

“But the thief was not prepared for the repentance

and he did not seek mercy through which he might have been

delivered from the transgression” (FMC III 735-736).

Moreover, the poet’s conviction on God’s mercy1301 as the fundamental, sole and

integral medicine for the cure of the ulcer caused by sin and tears of repentance as the only

payment for the remission of sin can be seen from his other works also. In his mimre, ‘The

Sinful Woman’ the poet writes, “She offered her tears as a fee to the Physician so that he

would heal her iniquity, He bandaged her in forgiveness and she reached recovery”.1302

V. 1. F. 2. i. A paradox

But we see that Mar Jacob presents a soul as that of Adam in one of his prayers which

is convinced and has regretted of its folly: “The accursed one laid ambush and has mocked me;

he stole my clothes, and (so) I stood naked. (now), with the leaves he has clothed me in, I am

scorned. I went astray because I listened to the Evil One: in his guile he led me into captivity

1301 Details on God’s mercy can be seen in the segment “God’s Mercy as the Catalytic Code”, p. 427 ff. 1302 Johnson, “The Sinful Woman”, Sobernost 24:1, 62.

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and now my feet are entangled in stumbling blocks. I should have kept the commandment .......

He enticed me on (saying) he would raise me to heaven, whereas he dug for me a grave – into

which I fell and now I lie in Sheol, (the home of) the dead. I went wrong because of the beauty

of the tree (its) beauty was borrowed, and I did not realise”1303

V. 1. G. List of a few other sins mentioned in the mimre

Blasphemy / apostasy (FMC II 119, III 84), Covetousness (FMC III 533),

Cunningness (FMC III 94, 304, 317, IV 10), Desiring the undeserved (FMC III 535),

Disobedience (FMC III 774), Disrespect (FMC III 537), Distorted thinking (FMC III 521 ff),

Evil desire (FMC III 57, 130, 1076), Fornication (FMC III 17, 508, 512, 683, 819,821, 823,

829, IV 4), Hiding truth (FMC III 623-624, 748, 754, 767), Ignorance (FMC III 769),

Imprudence (FMC III 225, 389-390, 392, 747), Inclination to falsehood (FMC III 343-348,

361-362, III 395-396, 545), Infidelity (FMC III 1044), Insolence (FMC III 7, 10, 77, 128, 264,

673, 684, 751, 753), Jealousy (FMC III 182, 183, 461-462, IV 64, 179), Killing (FMC III 85),

Laziness (III 776, 778), Lust (III 517, 526, 539, 551, 599, 676, IV 367, 369, 373), Making war

(FMC III 188), Misleading (FMC III 353 -360, 401-424, 817, 819), Nasty exploration into

other’s secrets (FMC III 309 ff.), Negligence (FMC III 226, 458), Receiving and doing

whisperings of deceit (FMC III 331, 545, IV 176), Rejection (FMC III 3, 7), Revolt (FMC III

20, 29, 48, 57, 75, 76, 83, 120, 132, 281, 547-548, 750, 758, 898, 933, 1046), Robbery/

unlawful acquiring (FMC III 15, 122, 216, 627, 689, 735, 741, 781, 1015, IV 185), Self

exaltation (FMC III 247, 503-504, 514, 678, 946), Selfishness (FMC III 535), Wickedness

(FMC II 117, III 54, 60, 81, 90, 182, IV 6) etc.

1303 Brock, “A Prayer Song by St. Jacob of Serugh recovered”, Harp, XVI, 352-353.

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Conclusion

One of the major themes that is dealt with in the Four Mimre of Mar Jacob ‘On

Creation’ is the concept on the sin of man. The other major topics are the poet’s concepts on

the image of God in man, on God and His mercy, on anthropology, on the freedom of man etc.

But we cannot isolate the one from the other, because, all these concepts are interrelated. Thus,

the concepts of the poet on the sin of Adam also shall be treated in connection with all other

concepts. One cannot speak of sin without mentioning its wholesaler, Satan. A discussion on

sin will be incomplete without considering the role of the freewill of man in it. Since the sin of

the first parents affected the whole humanity, anthropological concepts become relevant in the

discussion. No treatise on sin will be ideal unless a proper understanding is obtained on the

unfathomable gulf between God and man that was created due to sin as well as on the merciful

performances of God in order to save man from the slavery of sin. Thus, while the perceptions

of the poet on sin being more soteriological in nature, they have roots deep-spread in all other

relevant topics. In a soteriological point of view Mar Jacob explains sin as that which hinders

man from entering into heaven, steals everything valuable which is to be presented before the

master at the end of the times, destroys everything that is worthy enough and necessary for

receiving the reward, deforms and kills the image, the identity mark that makes one identical

with its donor etc.

In relation to the image of God in man, Mar Jacob views sin as the detrimental poison

that crept into the image of man which deformed and dissolved the image and finally killed it.

The sin decomposed the image to the extent of emitting the malodour of its decay.

Anthropologically the entrance of the sin was the beginning of the total deterioration, pain,

grief, calamity etc. of the entire humanity. Psychologically the sin not only affected the soul

but it caused the diseases also of man; thus the effects of sin are treated in the mimre in the

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physiological and psychological realms also. The psychological expertise of the poet,1304

helped him to present sin not as a means that satisfy one’s self but as an instance when one

sheds ill-smelling dirt on his own self. It is in this context that the poet speaks of the after

effects of sin as nakedness, humiliation and shame. The sinner, through his sin, mocks at the

dignity of the donor of all gifts via questioning against the existence, integrity and

magnificence of his own self.

The whole mimre gives us the picture of sin as a weighing balance; Satan and the

freewill of man as its two sides having equal share and weight for the effect of sin. Even when

Mar Jacob takes a lot of space of the mimre to describe the wily characteristics of Satan, his

major concern is on the issue of the misuse of man’s freedom and on man’s intentional

invitation for the entrance of sin.

Mar Jacob’s demonstration of Satan as the cruellest being, by means of embodying him

in the brutal and ugliest beasts,1305 is with the intention of presenting the sin’s deadliest

characteristics and the same is for terrifying men in order to keep themselves away from

committing sin. Besides the direct warnings against the transitory nature of the pleasures of sin,

the religious assignments of the poet1306 urged him to describe over and again the torture and

calamity that the sin brings in, so as to save the faithful from endangering themselves into the

trap of the sparkling of sin. The characteristics of sin as we see them in the mimre are

forewarnings to distinguish them and to prevent their entry into our life. The long list of the

adverse effects of sin that we infer from the mimre is not only a monument of poetical calibre

in poeticizing a spiritual topic in a classical manner, but it also reveals the anxiety and concern

of a loving father over his only son who happened to be a rascal and criminal. Long narrations

on the harmful effects of sin are also finger-boards that point out the calamitous abyss into

1304 See the segment, “Man behind the Book, p. 164 ff. 1305 See the section, “Narrations on the Non-corporal Beings”, p. 489 ff. 1306 See the general introduction, p. 2. Also see ‘Pious poet’ in the segment, “Man behind the poet”, p. 150.

585

which the sinner runs on an accelerated speed. It is to be terribly noticed that Mar Jacob

elucidates the punishments on Adam, Eve and on the serpent according to each aspect of their

sin. The poet does it very intentionally in order to teach people about God’s mode of operation,

unless the sinner does not repent of his sins.

Even though Mar Jacob’s raw material to formulate the treatise on sin was limited to

the life of Adam and Eve, his notions have universal applicability in an inductive manner:

since all human beings are from the same parents,1307 they share the common traits of the race.

Although the occasions for the diversifications of sin are opened wide, the basic characteristics

as well as the appalling results of sin never changes. So, the notions of the poet on the

characteristics and effects of sin are ever fresh and from the soteriological point of view they

have unmatched and supreme value and importance.

1307 See ‘House and race of Adam’ in the segment, “Anthropological Concepts in the Mimre”, p. 379.

586

Chapter V Section 2. Eschatological Perceptions of the Poet

Table of Contents

Introduction ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... . 587

A. Eschatological destinations ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ... 588

1. Heaven ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ... .. 588

2. Gehanna / Sheol / Hell ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... 589

B. Eschatological prospective ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... 591

1. Death ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... .. 592

2. Characteristics of death ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... 592

3. Means of death ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... . 594

4. Arrival of death ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... . 595

5. Calamities of death ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... . 596

6. Death as a pattern ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ... 597

7. Expulsion of death ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... . 597

C. Advent of Christ ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ... 599

1. The purpose and the reason behind the advent ...... ..... ..... ..... 599

2. Nature of the advent ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... 600

3. The Lordship of Messiah in the new world ...... ..... ..... ......... 602

D. Renewal at the end of the times ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... 603

1. God renews ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ..... 603

2. Uniqueness of the renewed image ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ... 608

E. Costume of the resurrected flesh ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... .... 615

1. Cyclic history of the garment ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ..... 615

2. Eschatological and soteriological aspect of the garment ...... . 623

F. The New World ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ... 626

1. The end of the times ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... .... 626

2. Consistency of the new world ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ... 628

3. Radiance in the new world ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ........ 629

G. Cosmology of the poet and the cosmic convergence ...... ..... ..... .... 630

1. Homocentric Cosmology ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... .... 630

2. Universe – a partial image of God and Man ...... ..... ..... ...... 632

3. Earth - a mother and a scapegoat ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... .... 634

4. Garden of Eden/Paradise ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ... 635

5. The trees at the centre and its fruits ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... 636

6. Dissolution of the cosmos ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... .. 640

7. Cosmic transformations ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... 642

Conclusion ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... .... 644

587

Chapter V Section 2

Eschatological Perceptions of the Poet

Introduction

One of the fine characteristics of Mar Jacob is that he always remains faithful to the

truths and teachings of the Holy Scripture and this faithfulness helped him to be considered

authentic in his expositions and exegeses. We find that his thoughts on the new and the coming

world and its related topics are also solely based on the Holy Scripture. Even though his

eschatological thoughts are spread through out the Four Mimre ‘On Creation', he sets apart the

forth one for more discussions on the theme.

While soteriology, a branch of theology, gives more emphasis for the matters related to

the entry into heaven, eschatology, another branch deals with the happenings at the end of the

times. A Dictionary on Bible analyses the term ‘eschatology’ as it is from the Greek word

‘eschatos’ and gives its meaning as, “Ideas about the end or ‘last’ period of history or

existence”.1308 The Dictionary considers the meaning of the word on the basis of the promises

given to the ancestors by God.1309 Mar Jacob had already formulated his eschatological

thoughts as we see them in the Dictionary. In this line he goes into the details on Gehanna,

Sheol, hell, death, the advent of the Messiah, the resurrection and the renewal of the image,

cosmic convergence and the emergence of the new world etc.

In this second section of the fifth chapter of the thesis, we try to discuss the poet’s

notions about the eschatological destinations like heaven, Sheol etc., eschatological prospective

which mainly speaks of death of man, renewal of the image etc. Special mention is given in

this section to the tunic of the resurrected flesh. We try to see how the poet goes in detail in his

1308 Achtemeier, Harper’s Bible Dictionary, 275. 1309 Ibid

588

descriptions on the features of the new world. Since, in his mimre, the poet mentions of the

cosmic convergence at the end of the times, the poet’s homocentric cosmological notions are

also included in this session.

V. 2. A. Eschatological destinations

The questions on the end of the times and the state of affairs of man, of other creatures

and of the universe at that situation are questions not yet solved agreeably to all. Based on the

Scripture, to a certain extent repeating the same notions, Mar Jacob gives his own answers to

them; he emphatically states that there will be an end of the times, and then the whole universe,

including human beings, will be dissolved:

“His voice (qolo) dissolves (sro) all composit ions of whole worlds . . . . .

and their entire course of the t imes and their successions cease ” (FMC IV 269-

272).

Hence, a discussion on the final destinations of the organisms, living and non-living, which

include heaven, hell etc. is needed.

V. 2. A. 1. Heaven

While discussing the conditions of the organisms at the end of the times the poet

repeatedly mentions in his mimre the places such as Gehanna, Sheol, hell etc.1310 into which

the sinners would fall; but he never uses the word ‘heaven’ (smayo) in his eschatological

narrations, especially in the fourth mimre, to denote the place where the holy people would go.

In its place he has long narrations on the bliss and glittering of the new world which would be

created at the end of the times and where all living and non-living organisms will be with a

1310 These topics have been discussed below in this section.

589

new existence, in a new shape and with a new mode of functioning.1311

V. 2. A. 2. Gehanna / Sheol / Hell

Gehanna (gihano) means a valley of fire, Sheol (syul) means a pit or a tomb1312 and hell

is the place of the wicked ones who disobeyed God.

V. 2. A. 2. i. Scriptural Basis

We see in the Bible the three terms, Gehanna, Sheol and Hell are very often being used

almost synonymously to refer to a place of death, destruction, torment and eternal punishment.

Sheol is meant in the Bible as a place of sorrow,1313 a place of darkness, dust, worms and

decay,1314 hell,1315 as a place of destruction,1316 and as a pit or grave.1317 Gehanna is used in the

Bible in the place of hell as a place of judgement for the sinners.1318

V. 2. A. 2. ii. Thoughts of Mar Jacob

The poet reiterates in his mimre the Biblical notions of these terms and uses them

almost synonymously and explains them as a place reserved to Satan and his company (FMC

III 45-46, 51-52, 84 etc.).1319 Again, Gehanna is portrayed in the mimre as a place of fire (FMC

IV 380):1320

“Think, oh, soul, about that renewal which the f ire (nuro) makes;

and renew yourself before the flame (salhebito) shall terrify you” (FMC IV 375-

1311 See below, ‘The New World’ in this section. 1312 Refer: Smith, Compendious Syriac Dictionary 1313 Cf. Gen. 42/38. 1314 Cf. Job. 17/ 13-16, 21/13, 24/19-20, Matt. 8/12 etc. 1315 Cf. Ps. 9/17, Prov. 7/27 etc. 1316 Cf. Prov. 15/11, 27/20 etc. 1317 Cf. Acts. 2/27, I Cor. 15/55, Num. 16/30, 33, Job. 16/ etc. 1318 Cf. Jas. 3/6, Jer. 7/32, 19/6 etc. 1319 Cf. Matt. 25/41, 2Pet. 2/4, Rev. 2/8, 19/20, 21/8 etc. 1320 Cf. Matt. 5/22.

590

376),1321 where there are showers of burning coals (gmurto) (FMC IV 378). So, the poet warns

the sinners to repent on their sins (FMC IV 376-377, 379, 381 etc.),

“Before i t (death) comes and puts burning coals (gumre) on your sores (FMC

IV 378)

and “Before the sea of f ire (yamo dnuro) roars and terrif ies the universe ” (FMC IV

382).

V. 2. A. 2. iii. Characteristics of Sheol

Reviewing various views of many Syriac fathers, Sebastian Brock opines, “Sheol, in

the eyes of the early Syriac poets, is the third of the ‘Staging posts’ where Christ resided, or

‘wombs’ which bore him, the other two being the River Jordan and Virgin Mary. His presence

in each provides sanctification, in Mary’s case effecting her own baptism”.1322

But corresponding to the literal meaning of the word ‘Sheol’, Mar Jacob considers it as

an abyss (FMC I 208, 216, II 36, III 139, IV 99-100, 148 etc.), where Satan had fallen down

disastrously from the house of angels (FMC III 139), and where Adam and Eve fell down with

Satan (FMC III 140). Towards this abyss of Sheol, Satan took all efforts to drag, bring down,

carry in, and throw Adam (FMC I 207-208 and IV 99-100). It is in this chasm where Adam

was severely trampled by Satan (FMC II 36), his beauties were destroyed (FMC IV 100, 143-

144, 189-190 etc.) and it is from here Jesus Christ had delivered the image of God (FMC I 216,

III 152 etc.).

No positive feature of Sheol is given in the mimre, but in its place a lot of negative

phases of it are being illustrated in detail: it is the place of eternal sleep (santo) (FMC IV 252),

the place of the dead ones (mite) (FMC IV 99), a place of torture (dos) (FMC IV 144)1323 and a

place of destruction and dissolution (heblo/hbolo) (FMC IV 68-88, 106, 110, 190, 349 etc.).1324

1321 Cf. Matt. 25/4, and Rev. 19/20. 1322 Brock, “The Harp of the Spirit”, Fellowship of St. Alban and Sergius, 15. 1323 Cf. Matt. 5/29-30, 10/28, 23/14.

591

Describing the manner of the destruction of the image in Sheol, the poet writes,

“In Sheol, The death enters into the l imbs of the man

and i t (death) disperses, scatters, corrupts and destroys their (l imb’s)

components” (FMC IV 351-352).

Mar Jacob uses the imagery of a beautiful necklace of valuable pearls for the image of Adam

and explains how it was totally destroyed in Sheol (FMC IV 106-108). To illustrate the

universal fact that a slip into wickedness is a fall into annihilation in Sheol, the poet says,

“They sl ipped (srae) into destruction (hbolo) and the shouting of their

jubilation had been ceased” (FMC IV 183)

and “Look at the corpse when i t is destroyed (hbal) in Sheol” (FMC IV 349).

For the poet, the Sheol is the ‘shrine of demons’1325 and he restates it as the ‘house of darkness’

in his other homilies also.1326 Roberta Chesnut enlists some other expressions of Mar Jacob on

the Sheol: ‘the dark city’, ‘city of the dead’, ‘the city of heroes’, ‘the dark world’ etc.1327

The mind of the poet is clear when he illustrates all the darker and dreadful faces of

Sheol: it is to make a sense of hatred and fear among the audience and to advise them to keep

them safe from the least chance of falling into it.

V. 2. B. Eschatological prospective

Mar Jacob views that what happens at the end of the times is opposing in their

characteristics, among which the illustrations on the renovation of the present world into a new

one is its brightest phase and the descriptions on the shattering death effect utter gloominess.

The long narrations of the poet on death are really terrifying.

1324 Cf. 2Thes. 1/9. 1325 Cf. Kollamparampil, Jacob of Sarug’s Homilies on the Nativity, 126. 1326 Ibid, 128. 1327 Cf. Chesnut, Three Monophysite Christologies, 114.

592

V. 2. B. 1. Death

Throughout the mimre, what the poet wanted to tell the audience was the catastrophic

collapse of man due to his sin.1328 The expositions of Mar Jacob on death, especially in the

fourth mimre, gives us the impression that, when he uses the term ‘death’ (mavto), he is mainly

concerned with the destruction of the flesh at death. We get this idea from his comparisons on

death of Adam with that of animals, insects, Satan, angels etc. (FMC II 45 ff.). The same

concept on death can also be seen in his narrations on what happens at the time of death (FMC

IV 69 ff.). But in some places in the same mimre as well as in the first one, he laments on the

destruction of the comely image of man. These are not two understandings but one, because,

the poet does not consider the flesh of man and the image of God in him as isolated entities,

but he sees them as the integral parts of the same reality.1329 Whatever affects the one equally

affects the other also; that is why he says that it is the same flesh that rises up at the time of the

renewal (FMC IV 444). He answers through his narrations on the renewed flesh1330 the

questions about the status of the flesh of man if he had obeyed the commandments of God and

kept himself away from the way of transgression. Mar Jacob includes various aspects of death

in his mimre.

V. 2. B. 2. Characteristics of death

Through the illustrations on the death, Mar Jacob gives a few characteristics of death.

V. 2. B. 2. i. Inertia of death and sleep

Even though Mar Jacob calls those who are in the grave ‘dead ones’ (mite) (FMC IV

1328 Characteristics as well as effects of sin are discussed in detail in the section, “Sin as the Soteriological

Causality”, p. 513 ff. 1329 More details on this aspect of man can be seen in the section, “Image and Likeness of God in Man”, P. 355. 1330 See below in this section.

593

257, 374, 410, 412 etc.), he doesn’t see the state of inertia at man’s death as an eternal end in

itself, but he considers it only a sleep (santo/damko) in Sheol:

“The trumpet resounds and the world collapses at i ts shout of joy,

and at i t , those who were sleeping in Sheol will be awakened from

their sleep (damko)” (FMC IV 251-252).

Those who sleep will certainly rise up. The comparison of the poet between death and a sleep

is surely based on his acquaintance with the descriptions of Jesus Christ about the death of

Lazarus as a sleep1331 and it is the same also with the daughter of Jairus.1332 There Jesus

categorically says, even while knowing that these people are dead, that they were only

sleeping.

Considering death only as a sleep is a predominant aspect in the thinking of the early

Syriac Fathers. While Mar Jacob describes death as a sleep, he was only following those

fathers, especially Mar Ephrem who was the champion among them. Mar Ephrem was very

much fascinated with the promise given to the good thief at Gogultho in which Jesus said,

“This day you will be with me in Paradise”.1333 Thus, for Ephrem, this state of sleep is a resting

time as well as a waiting place outside the Paradise before man’s entry into it. In this sense

Ephrem writes: “Thus in the delightful mansions on the boarders of Paradise do the souls of the

just and the righteous reside, awaiting there the bodies they love, so that, at the opening of the

Garden’s gate, both bodies and souls might proclaim, amidst hosannas, ‘Blessed is He who has

brought Adam from Sheol and returned him to Paradise in the company of many’”.1334

V. 2. B. 2. ii Rapidity of death

Mar Jacob explicitly states that when man commits sin he dies immediately.

1331 Cf. Jn. 11/ 11-14. 1332 Cf. Mk. 6/39. 1333 Luke. 23/43. 1334 Brock, Hymns on Paradise, 135.

594

Elucidating the first commandment of God: “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil

you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die”,1335 the poet underlines

the co-existence of death with the transgression. Like a thief who attacks his prey all of a

sudden, the death attacks the sinner at once he commits sin:

“On all sides is l i fe that saves alive without end

and under i ts branches is death (mavto) which snatches (htap) l ike a

robber (gayoso).. . . .

but i f you pluck the fruit due to the nearness , suddenly death will

seize (‘do) you” (FMC III 221-224).

V. 2. B. 3. Means of death

We may find contrary statements of the poet in his mimre regarding the means of death;

but a close look at them will reveal that they are not contradictory, but are only

complementary. He refutes the teaching that the fruit of the central tree at the Garden of Eden

caused the death of Adam and Eve (FMC II 98) and at the same time, in his third mimre while

he was explaining the Adamic covenant at Eden he narrates about the cup of death (FMC III

209) that is hung at the tree and that the death is concealed at every tip of that tree – its root,

fruits, branches, leaves etc (FMC III 207-216) which may sound against his denial on the

efficacy of the fruit to produce death. In his opinion even the way towards it is certainly a way

towards death (FMC III 219-220) and a proximity in any case to the tree would be capable of

effecting death (FMC III 222-226). But this need be considered only a poetical unfolding of the

Garden event, because in the following lines themselves he asks sharp questions against the

potentiality of the fruit to produce death (FMC III 227- 244, 246, 248, 250-253 etc.) and

mockingly asks whether the tree or its fruits are self existent beings or mistress of times (FMC

III 236-240, 241 ff.) so as to take the life away.

1335 Gen. 2/17.

595

Hence the origin and cause of death is portrayed in the mimre as a result of man’s

misuse of freedom and the consequent transgression against the will of God (FMC III 271-272,

277, 281-282, 383-386, 500, IV 181 etc.).1336 Here, the poet is influenced by the teaching of

St. James, who gave the description on the mother-child relation between sin and death: “But

we are tempted when we are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires. Then our evil

desires conceive and give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death”.1337

According to the poet the only source for death is the transgression of the ways of God; at first

it was caused by the lust of Eve and Adam for the forbidden fruit of the tree (FMC III 517 ff).

V. 2. B. 4. Arrival of death

Mar Jacob’s keen attention in observing and narrating even subtle details of instances is

once more made clear from his statements of the arrival of death. Regarding the entry of death

the poet says that it was Adam who invited death and opened the door for its entry (FMC II

295). The poet describes the arrival of death:

“The death arrived (eto) and dissolved the joints (kdino) and the guides

(doburo)” (FMC IV 75).

He envisages that the death penetrates through the doorways of man and enters into his limbs

as if the robbers (gayoso) breakthrough the doors and enter forcefully into the rooms of a

building and steal and destroy everything in it. It is in this context he opines,

“In Sheol, The death enters ( ‘al ) into the l imbs of the man

and i t disperses, scatters, corrupts and destroys their components ” (FMC IV

351-352).

Instead of death (mavto), the poet uses ‘departure’ (‘undono) synonymously and says,

“The departure (‘undono) arrived (and) removed the elements which

encircled i t” (FMC IV 69).

1336 For more details of the misuse of freedom that resulted in committing sin, see the sections, “Freedom and

Freewill of man”, p. 336 ff and “Sin as the Soteriological causality”, p. 526 ff. 1337 Jas. 1/14-15.

596

This is the departure of the life, comeliness and powers of the image of God in man, the

departure of the soul from the flesh, departure of the human body from the world and the

separation of the one limb from the other.

V. 2. B. 5. Calamities of death

The main disaster death brings in is the dissolution of the body and the destruction of

the image. As we see elsewhere in the mimre, the poet is talkative to describe the elegance of

the image.1338 But the poet invites the audience to watch the pathetic condition of man at his

death and he comprehends the profundity of his grief over its destruction in his invitation:

“Look at the corpse (s lado) when i t is destroyed in Sheol ” (FMC IV 349).

The mind of the poet regarding the calamities caused by death is explicable from the

elucidations of the brutality of death in the mimre; the death scoffs at man (FMC IV 67),

destroys the power of the senses (FMC IV 70, 72, 80-81, 85-86 etc.), scatters the image (FMC

IV 87, 93 etc.), dissolves the joints and guides of the body (FMC IV 75, 83, 92 etc.), separates

its cold and heat as well as the moist and the dryness (FMC IV 77-78), divides its companions

(FMC IV 79), throws the image down into the corners of the grave (FMC IV 87), shuts the

mouth up and makes man silent (FMC IV 97-98) etc. By death all the beauties of the image

are fell off (FMC IV 88, 95-96, 99-100333, 338, 346, 348 etc.), the sight is lost (FMC IV 341-

343), the limbs are cut off (FMC IV 79, 347-348 etc.), actions and courses are ceased (FMC IV

76, 78, 84, 92, 361 etc.) and elements that constituted it are annihilated (FMC IV 69, 72, 80,

83, 93, 362, 417 ff.). The image of man has a strongly built physique (FMC IV 90); but death

caused by the sin enfeebles it (FMC IV 95). Death pulls the image down into the deep pit of

the grave where it has to undergo all kinds of torture, destruction and humiliation and it was

1338 Comeliness of the image is discussed in the section “Image and Likeness of God in Man”, p. 281.

597

brought to nothing (FMC IV 96, 100, 106-108, 110, 144, 146, 190 etc.). The death allows

nothing to remain alive and active in man.

V. 2. B. 6. Death as a pattern

In order to learn how the world will be dissolved at the end of the ages, the poet exhorts

the followers of the mimre to consider death as an example (tupso) and a teacher (malpono)

(FMC IV 331, 335, 345, 347-350, 358, 363, 374, 383-384 etc.):

“The death of a man is certainly a model ( tupso)” (FMC IV 359).

At death, whatever man possesses corporally will be dissolved and lost in the grave; like that

everything that the world possesses now will disappear at its consummation (FMC IV 333-334,

336, 346-350 etc.):

“In the same way this also happens to the world at the consummation,

because, i t (death) bends, collapses, ceases(and) vanishes as i f there is

nothing” (FMC IV 353-354).

The poet adopts an inductive method and finds a reason to compare the death of a man

with the dissolution of the world, that, both of them are from the same source,

“Man also is fashioned (taqen) from the elements (es tukso) of the world,

because, in his composit ion he is also a world (‘olmo) ” (FMC IV 355-356).

V. 2. B. 7. Expulsion of death

According to Mar Jacob, death can easily be avoided by fulfilling the commandment of

God, because,

“The observance of the law should become s omething which makes him

grow (mrabyono)” (FMC III 198, 187-204 etc.).

And since this law is not out of constraint but out of the affection of God (FMC III 201-202),

man will never die. The poet warns to keep away from committing sin in order to live long:

“Death is concealed (kso) in i t and i f you approach i t , i t ki l ls you:

f lee (‘ruq)from its side, for, l i fe is alien in i ts food ” (FMC III 208-209, 213-214,

598

225-226 etc.).

Thus, one can lengthen his life provided he keeps the commandments (FMC III 223-224) and

the way of destroying life is the disobedience. The poet explains it in this way,

“You are immortal as long as you do not approach and eat from it ,

but you are mortal i f you will turn aside and taste from it ” (FMC III 217-218).

So the best possibility for eternal life is the observance of the commandments (FMC III 207-

226).

The passion for the worldly beauties is yet another cause for death as it is explained by

the poet (III 517 ff). So, revealing how the splendour of the world simply vanishes (FMC IV

368), the poet recommends the way for the escape from the death:

“Since i t (world) vanishes, your soul shall not hold i t on with passion” (FMC

IV 364),

and one shall not go astray in this covetous world (IV 367), because,

“Shackles are i ts (world’s) love, cut i t off and escape with legs ” (IV 371).

Those who keep themselves away from the vanities of the world are equally away from the

danger of death. In order to escape from the ensuing death, repentance over the committed sins,

supplication for the remission of sins etc.1339 are the other best ways the poet proposes to the

one who unfortunately happen to fall in sin1340 (FMC IV 375-376, 378, 382 etc.).

Evaluating and contrasting the silence of Eve before Satan which led her to death and

the series of questions of Blessed Virgin Mary before the Angel which caused her eternal life

(FMC III 427-494), and while extolling Mary’s disposition, the poet makes a thoughtful

statement on the possibility of expelling death from man:

“Some times si lence causes damage to those who keep i t

and some times question will eject death” (FMC III 495-496).

1339 ‘Remission of sin’ is discussed in the segment, “Sin as the Soteriological Causality”, p. 579. 1340 Ibid.

599

V. 2. C. Advent of Christ

Mar Jacob is quite convinced that a discussion on the eschatological concepts will be

incomplete without descriptions on the advent of Christ at the end of the times. Basing on the

Scriptural narrations the poet restates that the Messiah will come again to reunite His own

image and likeness with Him.1341 The poet finds it a kind of requirement on God to come down

again and again, because he says,

“If He had not created him (Adam) He would not have redeemed him,

and since He created and saved, again, the mercy demands (tba‘)Him to

resuscitate” (FMC IV 231-232).1342

The verses of the poet about Messiah’s arrival give the reader a feeling of a live enactment of

the events:

“The movement is swift , the voice is terrible, and the hearing is severe:

glorious is the resurrection and i ts discourse is incomprehensible ” (FMC IV

407-408).

V. 2. C. 1. The purpose and the reason behind the advent

Mar Jacob speaks of three major advents of God,

“In a unique, definite and immutable design

the mercy manifested three t imes and thus i t was accomplished. ” (FMC IV 203-

204);

the first one was for creation, the second one was for the salvation of the fallen image through

the blood of Christ and later for the resuscitation by the loud voice and thirdly for the

perfection, restoration and fulfilment of the image at the end of the times (FMC IV 205-208, I

35-38, 43-44, 53-54, 57-58, 70, 72, 77-94, 281-284 etc.).

Thus the poet describes the motive behind the final advent:

“He comes at the end to accomplish ( samali/mlo) everything spiri tually

(ruhonoit)

1341 Cf. Matt. 24/27 ff., Luke. 21/25 ff., I Cor. 15/51-52, I Thess. 4/16-17, 2Pet. 3/10 etc. 1342 The feature of God as the one who descends is described in detail in the segment, “God’s Mercy as the

Catalytic Code”, p. 434 ff.

600

and to raise (aqim/qum) His image from the disaster, so that, i t shall

never fall again.” (FMC IV 233-234).

The advent of Christ is for making the creatures perfect after they will be tested by fire (FMC

IV 247-248). Yet another purpose of the final arrival of Christ is to make final judgement

(FMC IV 268). Since the judgement is for renewal of the whole creatures, the poet could feel

the gladness of the world at His coming (FMC IV 245-246, 256).

V. 2. C. 2. Nature of the advent

Mar Jacob elaborates the scriptural passages1343 to illustrate the nature of the Messiah’s

advent. The poet emphasizes that the final arrival of God will be totally different from the

previous ones. At the end, Christ will come in His majesty with all pomp and splendour (FMC

IV 245), because, He is the Lord and sun of righteousness (FMC IV 305-306), whereas, His

earlier arrival was humble and for crucifixion:

“He will come aroused (zuh) and the worlds tremble in front of His arrival:

His sign (niso) appears; the whole nations quiver at i t ” (FMC IV 237-238),

and when He makes a sign (rmaz) the vigilant angels and thousands of hosts fly on high,

trembled and hastened, before His arrival (FMC IV 239-242). There will be joyful shout of the

trumpets (zeoqto qarno) that come in front of the Prince (FMC IV 251). Another marvellous

group that accompany the Judge will be the apostles who sit on the thrones (FMC IV 265-266).

The narrations of the poet give us a feeling of live enactment of the events. We sense a

fiery scene at the arrival of Christ:

“A sea of fire (yamo dnuro) in uproar (zu‘) will come before His arrival ,

and He will test (bhar ) the worlds with the f ire (gavzalto) and thus they

will be finished” (FMC IV 247-248).

In this context the poet calls the company of angels, ‘bands and arrays of blaze’ (gudo

usedro dsalhebito) (FMC IV 242) and these hasty legions (legyono qalilto) who are flames

1343 Cf. Matt. 24/27 ff, Luke. 21/25 ff, I Cor. 15/51-52, I Thess. 4/16-17, 2Pet. 3/10 etc.

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(salhebito) and who carry with them clouds of fire (‘nono dnuhro) (FMC IV 253-254), shed

burning coals (gmurto) and flashes of lightning (barqo dnuhro) in order to oscillate the

boarders of the world (FMC IV 243-244).

In his homily ‘On the Nativity’ also Mar Jacob narrates the swiftness of the advent of

Christ which cannot be compared with the most quickest movements in the universe: “The

spiritual beings in their swiftness do not fly on high with Him and the fiery ones in their fiery

nature do not come near him. His impetus is swifter than that of the Cherubs if He should

travel, and his fight is swifter than that of the Seraphs if He departs. The flash of the lightning

is weary and it does not overtake Him if He steps out and the wind is powerless to capture

Him, because He is swifter than it”.1344 At His arrival the tombs will be dissolved and the good

ones will rise up and accompany Him with great joy (FMC IV 257-260, 403 etc.);1345 they will

come together with the glorious apostles (FMC IV 261-266) and the whole creatures also will

join them for shouting praises to the prince (FMC IV 267-268). The entire universe will be

reconstructed and the order of their existing powers will be messed up (FMC IV 275 ff.), and

the wheels of times (gigle dzabno) and seasons will be crushed (FMC IV 293-304).

The poet makes the descriptions on Christ’s arrival very dramatic. Certainly this has

references to many Scriptural passages like Rev. 22/6 ff, 2Pet. 3/1 ff etc. It is depicted in the

mimre as a jubilant flocking together of the likeminded, as a grand reception to the Prince and

as the fulfilment of the promises about the resurrection of the dead from the tomb. The poet

tries to give us a spectacular vision:

“The band (gudo) of Simon meets the band (gudo) of the house of Gabriel ,

and His own chosen ones come with Him like His angels.

The thousands of Paul with the myriads of the house of Michael

sing praises with their trumpets and Hosannas” (FMC IV 261-264).

1344 Kollamparampil, Jacob of Sarug’s Homily on the Nativity, 26. 1345 Cf. Matt.16/ 27, Matt.16/ 27

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The poet imagines that along with the angels, the marvellous apostles, in a solemn

procession will accompany the Judge (FMC IV 265-266) and the good ones will fly at the

encounter of the Bridegroom and through this reception they will be one with Him as it was in

the case of the five wise virgins (FMC IV 259-260).1346 Besides them, the whole creatures will

shout in powers in front of the Prince (FMC IV 267). Here, Mar Jacob views the fulfilment of

another promise of Jesus about the reward of the apostles that they will rule over Israel sitting

on the thrones (FMC IV 265).1347

The spectacular, impressive and long narrations of the poet on the magnificent advent

of Christ aim at many things; primarily it is to extol the majesty of the Prince, then it is to

differentiate between the previous descends and the final one, it is also aimed at exhibiting the

attractiveness of the glory in front of the faithful so as to generate in them a kind of thirst and

aspiration for taking part in that jubilation and to be one with the dazzling ones by means of

leading a divine life. Yet another aim of the poet is to uncover the richness of God’s mercy1348

and not as the last one, he also aims at comparing the ugliness and wretchedness of the image

at its possession by the devil with its glory and magnificence when it is in the hands of God at

its renewal at the final advent of the Messiah.

V. 2. C. 3. The Lordship of Messiah in the new world

The Messiah concept of the Son of God is prevalent in the mimre of Mar Jacob. The

Messiah is the accomplishment of the figures predicted in the Scriptures (FMC I 168), the one

who dies for the sake of the sinner (FMC I 284), uproots the thorns of sin (FMC III 1079), the

ever shining sun in the new kingdom at the final consummation (FMC IV 291, 313 etc.) and

1346 Cf. Matt. 25/1 ff. 1347 Cf. Matt. 20/27-30. 1348 See the segment, “God’s Mercy as the Catalytic Code”, p. 427 ff.

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never confined to any alterations or limitations (FMC IV 310, 314 etc.)

Mar Jacob asserts in the mimre the Lordship of the Messiah in the new world also:

“There, Jesus is the Lord (moryo), the Sun of righteousness ” (IV 305)

and “Messiah is the Sun (semso) of this kingdom which is indissoluble,

that is to say, He is the l ight (nuhro) which manifested, which covers the

whole luminaries (nahiro)” (FMC IV 291-292)

V. 2. D. Renewal at the end of the times

If the creations of the world and of man from the dust are instances of the expressions

of God’s wisdom, mercy and the Lordship, the poet finds that the renewal and the recreation of

the image and of the universe will be yet another occasion for God for the merciful

manifestation on Himself. While insisting on the involvement of God as the sole agent in the

renewal process, the poet narrates various aspects of the final renewal.

V. 2. D. 1. God renews

The poet reiterates that whatever has been done or will be done in connection with the

creation, redemption, resurrection, resuscitation etc. are purely the works of God (FMC IV

211, 456 etc.) and the role of man in them is practically nil. Although Mar Jacob speaks

elaborately on the two phases of the creation of man, creation out of nothing (FMC IV 90, 139,

150, 219, 227 etc.) as well as creation from the dust (FMC II 34, 173, 175, 177-178, III 948,

951, 953 IV 152-153 etc.), more space is given to the latter aspect of man’s creation.1349

Even though the image had lost its possessions and became dead, God had compassion

on it and saved it from captivity (FMC IV 201). Thus the poet restates,

“The Son of the King (prince) came down to renew ( hadet) His image

(Šalmo) which was disf igured.” (FMC IV 194).

1349 The creation of man from the dust and out of nothing is discussed in the section, “Anthropological Concepts

in the mimre, p. 345 ff.

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While unfolding the renewal of the body, the poet is too expressive in giving us even the

microscopic details of the renewal of image by God. The poet imagines the approach of a

loving mother towards her much-loved infant who, in her extraordinary affection towards him,

would clean him when he happens to fall down on the mud due to his own slip-up and the poet

applies the same modus operandi on God in the process of renewing His own image which fell

down due to its sin.1350

“He (God) clears (npaŠ) i ts (image ’s) face from the dust (dahiho) and

renews (hadet) i t

and He raises (aqim) i t up spiri tually (ru honoit) into the l ight (nuhro),

without any corruption (lo hbolo)” (FMC IV 209-210).

Thus, renewal of the image by God, according to the poet, is the affectionate clearing

and washing away of the ill-smelling mud of sin that was shed upon the image by Satan (FMC

IV 141-142) and bringing back the image into its original form.1351 The poet uses npaŠ to

denote the clearing the face of the image. The word npaŠ originally means ‘to shake off’1352.

Thus renewal is the shaking off of the unwanted and destructive elements from the image.

Also, the word npaŠ in its passive voice, means ‘rousing someone up from the sleep’.1353 Since

the poet considers death as a sleep,1354 the employment of the term npaŠ’ becomes more

meaningful and in this context it connotes to the clearing of the face from the dust of the grave

where the image was buried at its death. The renewal of the image is also a bringing back into

the light of holiness from the darkness of sin. That is why the poet speaks of the raising up of

the image into the light (FMC IV 210).

1350 The motherliness of God is elaborated in the section, “God’s Mercy as the Catalytic Code”, p. 450 ff. 1351 See descriptions on the original comeliness of the image in the section, “Image and Likeness of God in Man”,

p. 281 ff. 1352 Cf. Smith, Compendious Syriac Dictionary. 1353 Ibid. 1354 See above in this section.

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V. 2. D. 1. i. Faculties that assist the renewal

It is impossible, improper and offensive to isolate the powers of God from His essence

and to see His powers isolated; one unattached to the other for effecting something on the

world, because, all the powers of God exist harmoniously in Him and they are active in one

accord at every moment of His activities, and they are existentially united with His essence.

But, for the human beings, some of them will be seen predominant in each manifestation of

God. Mar Jacob narrates that the resurrection of the image and its final renewal occurs by the

command, voice, gesture and the power of God.

The word, command, voice, gesture, etc. of God emanates from Himself and so they

possess the divine power of God so as to be capable enough to produce what God wishes. That

is why the poet finds much relevance in these powers of God in the renewal activity. Since

God is immaterial and human capacities are limited to comprehend God, the longing of man

for the vision of God can be compensated by means of seeing God through His powers; hence

Mar Jacob likes to see and present God to the world through these powers of God.

V. 2. D. 1. i. a. Gesture and command: Mar Jacob asks the audience to give glory to the hidden

power of God, because, by its gesture everything is being created as well as dissolved and by

the same gesture Adam will be raised to life at the end (FMC IV 387-392, 399-400 etc.). Since,

in God, there is no renewal of thinking (FMC I 245), no new idea springs up from God (FMC I

277) and God is immutable (FMC III 696) His faculties are also immutable. The same gesture

renews the image (FMC IV 406), because, the poet says,

“The sign (remzo) which gave i t existence from nothing, appears

and i t accomplishes (samali/mlo) i t (f lesh), so that, i t may rise up to be

impassable (lo hosuso)” (FMC IV 447-448).

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At the same time the gesture (remzo) of the Prince dissolves the whole elements that are joined

together (FMC IV 271). The poet reiterates that it is the same commands, gestures, and voices

of God which were was active at the creation of the world and Adam, will be employed at their

destruction, raising up and the renewal at the end:

“In one gesture (remzo) the beginning and the consummation are yoked

(kden)

and in one command (puqdono) the resurrection and t he fall take place”

(FMC IV 396-397).

V. 2. D. 1. i. b. Voice: Regarding the voice of God Mar Jacob says that it is omnipotent (FMC

IV 416) and he narrates it destructive as well as creative. But, since the voice of God can

always be constructive by nature, the apparent damage caused by the voice will automatically

turn into productive. In this sense the poet says,

“His voice (qolo) dissolves (sro) all composit ions of whole worlds ,

in order to fashion (taqen) the world spiri tually without any composit ion ”

(FMC IV 269-270).

Hence it is God who sends forth the voice of the archangel as far as to the ends of the universe

in order to cast down its compositions and natures (FMC IV 249- 250). The poet gives

sufficient space to expound the force and potency of the voice:

“A loud voice (qolo rabo), a strong movement and trepidation.. . ” (FMC IV 395),

“Its voice (qolo) is powerful (‘azizo), i ts strength is valiant ( taqipo), i ts

gesture (remzo) is swi ft (qali lo),

i ts word is sublime (romo) and in i ts Will ( Šebyono) i t accomplishes

(samali/mlo) everything” (FMC IV 413-414),

and “It is the voice (qolo) which raises up, demolishes, binds up, loosens,

corrupts, restores , begins and f inishes while being unwearied ” (FMC IV 401-402).

The voice raises the tombs, defeats the rulers of the world, frames the body and loosens the

course of the powers, restores the image, and finishes the world (FMC IV 403-406), uproots

sheol, binds the death, delivers Adam, rends the rocks, opens the tombs and brings out the dead

ones (FMC IV 411-412). The voice makes fleshes, puts the bones together and raises the dead

ones into great glory (FMC IV 409-410).

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When the poet speaks of the voice of God he does not mean it as mere reverberation of

some noise in the air. Actually the Word or Voice of God becomes powerful when it

intentionally comes out from God to produce an effect. The Word or voice of God becomes

effective by the reason of its identity as well as its indissolubility with its maker; the voice of

the Word of God is a manifestation of the existential characteristic of God. Hence it is as

powerful as the power of the existence of God. The Word of God is more powerful because,

there is in it the combination of diverse powers; the power of the Will of God to make some

effect and the power of the Word of God as existential part of God’s characteristics. The words

of the ambassadors of God are also equally powerful, because as and when they undertake the

mission of God, they partake in the existential powers of God. When God employs them to

fulfil His mission, then He shares His powers with them. It is in this sense the poet understands

the effectiveness of the voice of the angel (FMC IV 249-250).

V. 2. D. 1. ii. Purpose of the renewal

Mar Jacob is also thorough with the rationale behind this renewal. God created man in

His image so that he may be with him forever.1355 But man sinned and thus he was separated

from God. So the poet states the purpose of the renewal in this way,

“He moulded i t , saved i t; and He raises i t up and unites i t with Him,

so that, i t may be with Him, in Him, l ike Him and for Him ” (FMC IV 211-212).

The contaminated image cannot receive the reward from the master. So, according to the poet,

God Himself takes further initiative to renew the image from the stain and give him the

promised rewards:

“And when He raises i t to l i fe, He gives an inheritance of blessings as

i t was promised,

so that, Adam should consecrate (offer) everything what he has,

without any change” (FMC IV 215-216).

1355 This thought of the poet is developed in the section, “The Image and Likeness of God in Man”, p. 263 ff.

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The raising up of Adam from disaster at the end was also for making him upright and he shall

never fall again (FMC IV 233-234).Yet another purpose of the renewal is to mock at the

spoiler:

“In order to put i ts enemy to shame by the mercy which inclined

towards i t when i t wil l be resuscitated” (FMC IV 456).

V. 2. D. 2. Uniqueness of the renewed image

The poet acknowledges that any discourse on the glory of the image at its renewal is

above all eloquence (FMC IV 408). Mar Jacob underlines the fact that it is the total image or

person of Adam (FMC IV 234, 393), with his body and soul, rises up at the time of

resuscitation, but they will be purely in a different and spiritual appearance and it will be a new

creature (IV 445). And he narrates the coherence of the resurrected body:

“They rise up in astonishment (tehro) and they come in glory ( subho)

without any corruption (lo hbolo)” (FMC IV 415).

Here, ‘they’ stands for the whole limbs of the body in its spiritual form. Another important

thing the poet puts forward is that it is not on the merit of the image that it will be risen up, but

it is God who mercifully provides this resurrection (FMC IV 387 ff).

When the poet underlines that the whole creatures will be transformed spiritually

without any composition at the second coming of Christ (FMC IV 270), he also states that the

resurrected body will entirely be spiritual (ruhono) (FMC IV 233-234). It will never again be

composed of elements (estukso), because, each and every element would be isolated from the

flesh (FMC IV 317-328). He is also sure that it will be a perfect and complete (gmiro) body,

because in His third major advent God Himself will restore, fulfil and make it perfect (FMC IV

208). Once the body was corrupted and bound by sin. But the same body will be freed from all

kinds of captivities at its renewal (FMC IV 214). When the tombs will be dissolved at the

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second arrival of Messiah, the dead ones will be shed forth like a fountain (mabu‘o) and their

status will be pure and without any corruption (lo hbolo) (FMC IV 257-258).

The resurrected and renewed image is never subject to any change under any

circumstance (FMC IV 424). Thus the poet says,

“For, the resurrection renews (hadet) i t (image) to be immortal (lo

moyuto)” (FMC IV 420)

and “It (power of God) forms (q tar) the bodies (gusmo), so that , they shall

never be loosened through dissolution (hubolo)” (FMC IV 392).

The reason behind it is that, since the material things alone are subject to decay and by the

reason that in resurrection the body loses its heaviness of something material, naturally the

cause of perdition is evaded (FMC IV 427-428). Immutability is the intrinsic attribute of

God.1356 When the poet says that the renewed body will be freed from any impulse of change,

he was telling that the spiritual body of man will attain equality with God’s attributes and man

will become God-like as he was god (FMC IV 3)1357 in his pre-sin state.

V. 2. D. 2. i. Regaining of the elements

Man is fashioned from the elements (estukso) of the world and hence he is a microcosm

(‘olmo z‘uro) (FMC IV 355-356).1358 The poet affirms that at the resurrection of a person he

will rise up with all his possessions which he had earlier; but they will be in an uncontaminated

and spiritual form. According to the poet, the resurrected image will not absolutely be

unrelated to its former elements, because, the poet highlights that when the image rises up it

will have all the substances of those previous elements, even though its nature will be spiritual,

and all these elements will be in unity and they will become one:

1356 The poet’s notions on the immutability of God is discussed in the section, “God’s Mercy as the Catalytic

Code”, p. 441 ff. 1357 ‘Adam was god’ is elaborated in the section “Anthropological Concepts in the Mimre”, p. 374. 1358 See the microcosmic feature of man according to the poet in the section, “Anthropological Concepts in the

Mimre”, p. 377.

610

“The four (elements), which fell down, rise up at once

unanimously (ihidoit ),

so that, neither the dissolution ( sroyo) nor the consummation ( sulomo)

should come again upon them” (FMC IV 417-418, 421-422).

In order to stress the oneness of the elements in its transformed state the poet repeats:

“They (elements) are one (had) from the many” (FMC IV 423)

and the elements will come out together, as if it is from a furnace of fire (kuro dnuro) , in

perfection (gmiruto) and without any dissolution (lo mestaryo) (FMC IV 425-426).

V. 2. D. 2. ii. Resurrection of the flesh

Mar Jacob affirms that our flesh also will rise up at the end of the times without any

dissolution (FMC IV 428). The same flesh of Adam, which he possessed earlier and which was

contaminated and exposed, will be resurrected in its spiritual form and with absolute purity:

“That is to say, this body (pagro) rises up spiri tually (qoem ru hunoit):

i t is not ano ther one (lo ’hrino), but this is (the same), which the serpent

had bit ten (nko).

I t is this which was exposed (pras) and i t is this which the garment of

glory (estal subho) is being clothed” (FMC IV 453-455).

As St. Paul said, “The body is sown in corruption, it is raised without corruption”,1359 “it is

raised in glory”,1360 “it is transformed”,1361 “it is immortal”1362 etc. the poet also underlines

these various phases of the resurrected body in his mimre. Based on the life of Jesus Christ

after His death and resurrection, where Jesus talks, walks, enters through the closed doors, eats

with the disciples, asks the disciples to touch his resurrected body, gives them mission etc.1363

the poet authenticates,

“By the resurrection (nuhomo), the body rises up (qoem pagro) as a new

creature (brito hadto)

while being not subjected to weakness (mhiluto) and to change (suhlopo)”

(FMC IV 445-446).

1359 I Cor. 15/42, 52, 54. 1360 I Cor. 15/43. 1361 I Cor. 15/52. 1362 I Cor. 15/53. 1363 Cf. Jn. 20/15 ff., 21/ 1 ff., Luke. 24/13 ff., Mk. 16/ 9 ff., Matt. 28/ 9 ff.

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V. 2. D. 2. iii. Common features of the resurrected flesh

While describing the renovation of the flesh, the poet brings out some of its special

features. Thus the poet contrasts between the flesh in its sinful and renewed status.

V. 2. D. 2. iii. a. They are thin and pure: The general and essential mark of a spiritual being is

its thinness; the existence of a spiritual being is without any substance. Hence the poet affirms

the thinness of the resurrected flesh,

“It exclusively possesses the thinness (qa tinuto) and the spiri tual

existence (ruhonuto),

and i t renounces from it all bodily movements ” (FMC IV 451-452),

“It is refined (mŠalal) and pure (dko), thin (qa tino) and transparent

(spo), perfect (gmiro) and complete (msamli)” (FMC IV 439).

V. 2. D. 2. iii. b. Their sensation is ideal and in a different manner: When we are alive

physically, we feel the existence and qualities of other materials through the senses. The poet

narrates that the purpose of the creation of the senses is for that (FMC IV 117 ff.). However,

this feeling is limited according to the capacity of one’s senses. But the poet speaks of a kind of

perfect sensation without the use of bodily senses. This we infer from the poet’s description,

“It sees totally (bkul), i t hears exclusively (bkul), i t fee ls entirely (bkul),

i t tastes absolutely (bkul) and i t breaths completely (bkul) when i t is

resuscitated” (FMC IV 431-432, 433-434 etc.).

Thus the sensation is in an opaque manner and so no sense organ is necessary for the sensation;

the whole existence of the image itself feels everything in its totality. This perfect sensation of

the renewed flesh is to be understood as against the evil desires and the lustful glance of Eve at

the forbidden fruit at the middle of the Garden.1364

1364 See the description on the lustful desires of Eve in the segment, “Anthropological Concepts in the Mimre”, p.

412.

612

V. 2. D. 2. iii. c. Their movements are unusual: Corporality of a being makes restrictions for

its movements. But Mar Jacob finds the movements of the spiritual beings as without any

hindrance and as easier as anything:

“Now, i t is easy for i t to descend, touch the depths while being

unwearied . . . . . . . and when i t performs, i t sets i ts way strait in i ts front ” (FMC

IV 435-437).

Here also, this unrestricted movement of the renewed flesh is to be understood as against the

journey of Eve with the stranger through the pathless desert and her valiance to breakthrough

the fortification of the ordinance.1365 The poet repeats that the risen body can perform all

activities of a human body but only in a spiritual way. Thus he writes,

“For, the body rises up spiri tually (qoem ru honoyo) in the new world

(‘olmo hadto),

so that, l ike the spiri tual (beings) (ru hono), i t can also perform in

opaque (tmimo) natures” (FMC IV 433-434).

No barriers, such as space, time, matter etc. hinder the movements of the resurrected body and

it is free to move about anywhere:

“And when i ts l imbs rise up with i t in their composit ions,

i t entirely moves spiri tually (ruhonoit) without any thickness (l o

‘abyuto)” (FMC IV 449-450)

and its bodily parts will completely be renounced (FMC IV 452). Hence, as it happened to

Jesus’ resurrected body,1366 the poet establishes:

“The closed doors do not hinder i t (f lesh) from entering through them ” (FMC

IV 438).

V. 2. D. 2. iii. d. Their immunity is strong: Yet another characteristic of the spiritual being is

its resisting power against any kind of weakness and inclinations and worldly passions. The

poet is fully convinced of this fact because he has been trying throughout the mimre to disclose

the worldly passions into which the feeble body had fallen down. Hence, he affirms,

1365 Eve’s transgression is narrated in the section, “Anthropological Concepts in the Mimre”, p. 408 ff. 1366 Cf. Jn. 20/19.

613

“The passion, desire, hunger, thirst and the sloth,

labour, sleep, sickness and all i ts seriousness:

none of these approaches i t when i t is resuscitated,

for, i t is glorif ied, and became renewed and spiri tual ” (FMC IV 441-444).

The basis of these features of the renewed image is its immateriality; only something made of

matter is in need of satisfying its requirements. Something made of matter wants the support of

other things for its sustenance and growth. But, the requirements of a spiritual being cannot be

satisfied with material objects; since the renewed image has become purely spiritual, it does

not need any material objects. Also, the poet contrasts how the renewed body is totally against

the body which is infected by the sin through its plunge into the worldly pleasures.

V. 2. D. 2. iv. Relation between the resurrected body and the old physical body

It was easy to God to renounce the sinful man completely and to create a new man as

and how He wishes. But, Mar Jacob discloses the mode of God’s operation as He is not willing

to forsake man on the basis of his sin and God cannot do that because, since man is His own

image, abandoning man is abandoning His own self which will be a contradiction in God and a

contradiction is impossible to happen in God. That is why God cleansed the same image, even

though it was infected, with the blood of His only begotten Son and renewed it. On this basis,

in accordance with St. Paul,1367 the poet emphatically reiterates that the relation between the

two – the old flesh and the renewed body – are indivisible because, one is the continuation of

the other:

“It is not another one, but this is (the same), which the serpent had

bit ten” (FMC IV 454);

It is the same one that was exposed in the garden and will be clothed with garment of glory

after the resurrection (FMC IV 455, 461-462). That is, that which was fallen down and that

1367 Cf. I Cor. 15/ 35ff.

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which will be raised up are not two, but of the same essence. Underlining this fact the poet

repeats:

“Its own is resurrection and i ts own was the judgment out of justice ” (FMC IV

463).

The poet views a divine purpose behind the unity between the resurrected and the fallen

bodies:

“In order to put i ts enemy to shame (nebhat sono) by the mercy which

inclined towards i t when i t wil l be resuscitated ” (FMC IV 456).

If the resurrected body were totally a newly created one, the adversary would have rejoiced at

his victory over the destruction of the image of God in man. Since the same body, which was

distorted by Satan, rises up, it is a victory of God over Satan. Another purpose of God, as the

poet views, is that God wants the resurrection should exist forever and for that, few transitory

falls are required (FMC IV 457). Moreover, as the basic optimistic mind of the poet is revealed

elsewhere in the mimre,1368 here also, he sees the brighter side of the fall of Adam and says,

“For, i f i t (f lesh) had not fallen down, the resurrection also would not

have been required.

Since i t had fallen down, i t rises up: to that which did not fall , i t i s

deprived of rising up;

the dead l ives and he who is not dead is not revived ” (FMC IV 458-460).

V. 2. D. 2. v. Moment of the Renewal

The Four Mimre of Mar Jacob ‘On Creation’ gives us the impression that the renewal

of the image will be held at the glorious resurrection at the end of the times (FMC IV 408),

then, Adam rises up (FMC IV 393) and together with him all those who are dead will be raised

into glory (FMC IV 410). The resurrection will be at the shouting of the voice (FMC IV 395

ff.) and at the gesture of Messiah (FMC IV 399, 447-448 etc.) and at this voice and gesture the

Sheol will be uprooted, death will be bound up, tombs will be opened and it will bring out the

1368 The poet was an optimist – see the section, “Man behind the Mimre”, p. 188 ff.

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dead ones from it (FMC IV 411-412).1369

V. 2. E. Costume of the resurrected flesh

Nowadays people use to wear a variety of costumes according to their mood and as the

occasion demands. Francis Acharya, while narrating the ritual of the clothing of monks,

explains biblically the change of garments according to one’s duty and need, “Here on earth

the garment reveals a distinctive state of life, kings wear a robe of state. But more significant is

the garment of the prophet, which is a sign of both his being set apart from the world and of his

nearness to God”.1370 Experts opine that it is Mar Ephrem who expounded in detail on the

symbolism of garments than Mar Jacob. The fathers of the Church, especially the Syriac

fathers including Mar Ephrem and Mar Jacob use the clothing metaphors as a means to express

their theological thoughts.1371

V. 2. E. 1. Cyclic history of the garment

Mar Jacob narrates in his Four Mimre ‘On Creation’ a revolving history of the

costumes of man; a transition from one type of garment to the other. The criterion of the

change of garments is the condition of man and it is attuned with his intimacy with God or

Satan. When he is with God he has brighter and perfect garments and when he is under the

clutches of Satan, his garments are ugly, inadequate and rotten. Mar Jacob narrates in the

mimre in detail on the garments of glory, of ordinance, of leaves, of skin and of light.

1369 See below in this section ‘End of the times’. 1370 Acharya, F. The Ritual of the Clothing of Monks, 77. 1371 Theological implication of ‘Clothing’ is a favourite topic of the early fathers of the Church. Since Sebastian

Brock has more elaborations on the topic in his Clothing Metaphors as a means of Theological Expression

in Syriac Tradition, and in Hymns on Paradise, 66 ff., I do not attempt to repeat them here, instead, I try to

see another aspect of the ‘Clothing’.

616

V. 2. E. 1. i. Garment of glory and of the ordinance

Before their sin Adam and Eve had not even the covering of skin on their bodies,

because according to the Scripture, the skin was given only at the time of their expulsion from

the Paradise.1372Then the poet assumes that before their sin they were clothed with the

garments of glory (FMC III 573, IV 455 etc.):

“He clothed them with magnificent l ight (nuhro gayo) and dazzling

brightness (zivo payo)” (FMC IV 163).

It was this garment of light that was seized by the serpent (FMC IV 184). The poet again states

that it was Eve who stripped off the glory which they had put on (FMC III 646). The poet

describes how God is pleased to adorn His children and he compares it with the finest

decoration of a bride (FMC IV 155-160). Another figurative explanation of the poet on their

state of being before the sin is that they clothed with the ordinance of God; because he says,

“Sin tore that ordinance (nomuso) which they had put on ” (FMC III 607, 615-

616).

So, as the poet narrates, the original garment of man was not a garment at all as we

understand the garment now. We understand the garment as an outfit that is being placed on

our flesh. The original garment was not something added to our image, but it was the intrinsic

as well as the inseparable part of the image; it was the self luminous state of the image which

was covered and protected by the commandments of God. When they violated the

commandments, they were tearing their own outer cover; it is when their cover was broken,

they felt ashamed.1373 Mar Jacob elaborately describes on the comeliness1374 (FMC IV 155 ff.)

and integrity (FMC IV 61 ff.) of the image. Then he states that this intrinsic integrity and the

comeliness of the image was its garment, because, at the loss of the comeliness of the image

what the poet considers as something lost is the cloths of the first parents:

1372 Cf. Gen. 3/21. 1373 ‘Sin exposed human nakedness’ is discussed in the section, “Sin as the Soteriological causality”, p. 555. 1374 The comeliness of the image is discussed in the section, “Image and Likeness of God in Man”, p. 281 ff.

617

“The serpent seized the garment of glory ( estal subho) which they had put on. . . . .

and i t (serpent) unfastened and destroyed al l their beauties with which

they were clothed” (FMC IV 184-187).

More than that, even while it being intrinsic, it cannot be considered a distinguishable entity,

because, it was the glory and the magnificence of the image that the poet considers as their

original dress. Actually, as against the present concept, the original dress of the first parents

was not on them, but it was within them and it was there from the very moment when they

were created. In a way, it can be said that the image of God in them itself was their dress and

thus their image and their dress were not two, but one and the same. As immediately as they

sinned, the brightness of their image became dull1375 and consequently the garment of glory

disappeared from them and then they felt nakedness.1376 Immediately the foolish ones

borrowed the leaves of the fig tree and sewed a new garment.

V. 2. E. 1. ii. Garment of Leaves

The poet wants to stress on the instability and dreadful results of something which is

made, gained and availed by men against the Will of God. When the covering of glory was

vanished from them and in its place shame encompassed (FMC IV 191-192); in their limited

conscience and experience, they planned to cover their nakedness with a garment of leaves:

“The insolents are wearied at the fastening of the leaves of the f ig

tree together” (FMC III 673).

V. 2. E. 1. ii. a. Impropriety of the garment of leaves: Mar Jacob has nothing to say positively

on the tunic of leaves (kutin tarpo). The contempt of the poet on it is explicit in his verse:

“Through i t they had seen the whole humiliation of indigence.

This apparel was equal to that of nakedness;

and i t was when they clothed themse lves, i t was then they remained stripped.

The garment was of grief , bruised and wholly decayed ” (FMC III 660-663).

1375 See adverse effects of sin under ‘Effects of sin’ in the section, “Sin as the soteriological causality”, p. 539 ff. 1376 ‘Sin exposed human nakedness’ is discussed in the section, “Sin as the Soteriological causality”, p. 555.

618

According to the poet, this garment of leaves was totally inadequate and unbefitting to them

due to many reasons:

i) The very process of making of this garment of leaves (kutin tarpo) was inauspicious. The

poet describes it in this way:

“In the remorse of the soul ((tvot napso) i t was prepared under the tree

and in sorrow (karyuto), i t was furnished by i ts craftsman.

In tremble (zav‘o) i t was fabricated, in suffering (b haso) i t was

composed and with lamentation (eblo) i t was woven ” (FMC III 653-655).

ii) Besides the impudence behind its fabrication, another ill-fate was that it was manufactured

together with the serpent, the envoy of the adversary of God. The poet speaks about this joint

venture:

“The serpent and Eve had woven a garment of iniquity (kutin ‘avlo) for Adam:

the serpent through his counsel, and with him, Eve through her

insolence” (FMC III 683-684).

iii) It was only a see-through garment by its very design and never solid enough to hide

anything. Comparing to the glorious garments which they had worn, it was too insignificant

and worthless, perhaps, not even significant enough to compare with the garment of glory. See

the words of the poet:

“The veil of the leaves which they had wrapped around was too thin

and through i t they had seen the whole humiliation of indigence ” (FMC III 659-

660).

Scornfully the poet looks at this garment and asks,

“Oh, the garment ( lbuso), how much insuff icient (hasir) is i t near

(comparing to) His garments” (FMC III 651).

iv) Yet another reason for its inadequacy was the impropriety in its production. Adam was

asked by God to tend and keep the whole creatures including Eve.1377 Here, what happened

was the contrary to the design of God, where, Eve tries to protect Adam by clothing him. Mar

Jacob argues it as an impropriety:1378

1377 Cf. Gen. 2/15.

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“My brothers, perhaps, Eve might have done this f irst:

she might have woven a garment of leaves (kutin tarpo) for Adam, in order

to clothe him” (FMC III 637-638, 639-646 etc.).

v) Usually a new garment adds joy and satisfaction. But according to the poet, this insolent

attempt of making a new garment of leaves only increased their grief, because,

“The veil of leaves which they had clothed was full of distress (‘oqto

mlo)” (FMC III 681, 663, 679 etc.).

vi) This new garment did not give them any benefit but it revealed only their insufficiency,

because, like beggars (meskino) (FMC III 649), they borrowed (sel) it from the tree (FMC III

635-636, 647 etc.), and so the garment of leaves (kutin tarpo) was only a symbol of their

poverty (hasiro) (FMC III 636, 641, 648, 652, 675 etc.).

vii) It was a garment of iniquity (kutin ‘avlo) (FMC III 683) as well as of shame (FMC III 685,

993 etc.).

viii) A normal garment gives comfort and protection to the body; but this garment constrained

them (FMC III 687) and made their movements impossible. The poet ridicules,

“Who is able to walk with a tunic of leaves (kutin tarpo)” (FMC III 667)

and states, “When they put i t on, they were not able to walk ” (FMC III 665).

ix) It was a rag tunic (kutin ruqa‘to) (FMC III 671) which was wholly decayed (FMC III 663,

668).

x) This tunic caused them to fall down (npal) (FMC III 674) and to be expelled from Paradise

(FMC III 985-986).

xi) It was only a very fragile garment (lbuso mhilo). The poet describes the quality of the

garment of leaves:

“A weak garment (lbuso mhilo) which is made (easy) to rustle even by a

breath (ruho)” (FMC III 669).

1378 This impropriety is elaborated in the section, “Sin as the Soteriological Causality”, p. 528 ff.

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As immediately as they put it on, it was bruised from their bodies (FMC III 682) and it was too

feeble so as to wither away at the rays of the rising sun (FMC III 672). Thus this garment of

leaves remained a sign of contradiction but also a sign of insolence, foolishness and sin.

V. 2. E. 1. ii. b. Downward/upward journey of the garment: If the downward transition from

the garment of glory to the garment of leaves was initiated from the freewill of man, we find in

the mimre the presentation by the poet on the journey of the garment of man from that lowly

status to a superior level. The poet imagines that the reason why God prolonged the question

time at the Garden before their expulsion was for drying out and withering away of the leaf

garment (FMC III 987-992). When the tunic of leaves was completely dropped out from them,

God gave them a new tunic of skin.

V. 2. E. 1. iii. Garment of Skin

When the original garment of glory (estal subho) (FMC III 573, IV 163, 455 etc.) was

lost and the newly manmade leaf garment (kutin tarpo) was bruised from the bodies of Adam

and Eve (FMC III 635 ff.) they became barer than before. Then the compassionate God had

woven another costume, a tunic of skin (kutin mesko) for them (FMC III 999, 1003, 1013,

1018, 1020 etc.).1379 The poet’s comments on this event are interesting. At first he clarifies a

misinterpretation that God made the garment of skin out of something in the manner He

created Adam from the dust and Eve from the side of Adam, by asserting that God made the

tunic of skin purely ‘out of nothing’ (men lo medem) (FMC III 997, 1004, 1008, 1014 etc.):

“The Creator made a s ign (remzo) and the garment (lbu so) came to be

‘out of nothing’(men lo medem)” (FMC III 1001 and 1005).

Praising the craftsmanship of God, the poet says that God wove the tunic of skin (kutin mesko)

1379 Cf. Gen. 3/21.

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very beautifully (FMC III 1006). At the very moment he clarifies that it was not interlaced on

another beam (FMC III 1004) but it was created at the sign (remzo) of God (FMC III 1005).

Although it was performed at the presence of Adam and Eve, they had not seen how it

happened until they felt a woollen feeling on their bodies (FMC III 1002, 1007, 1009, 1011

etc.) when it was interwoven on their bodies (FMC III 1005). And according to the poet, since

Adam had the feeling this woollen tunic, he called it ‘the skin’ ( mesko) (FMC III 1002).

V. 2. E. 1. iii. a. Implication of the tunic of skin: The poet finds significances in weaving and

clothing this new garment of skin to the culprits (FMC III 1026). The first implication is that it

is considered as the revelation of the mercy of God towards the sinners (FMC III 995, 1013,

1016, 1018, 1020, 1022-1023, 1025 etc). Another significance of the tunic is its impact in the

act of restoration:

“Through the garments which He clothed them when they were expelled,

through these, He was teaching about the resti tution which He

prepared for them” (FMC III 1033-1034).

Thus the poet opines that if it was not meant for the same, God would, in His wrath, have

expelled them naked from Paradise (FMC III 1027-1032). According to the poet, the garment

of skin (kutin mesko) was intended also to show them that the relation between Him and them

was not totally cut off due to their sin (FMC III 1035-1036). It was given as a gift as well as a

token of the God’s relation with them even when they were in sin, and whenever they see and

touch this tunic of skin (kutin mesko) they should remember the promised restitution and they

must prepare for the same.

Through implying the mark of restitution and of the intimate relation on the tunic of

skin, the poet was disclosing another facet of God’s love. In the parable of the prodigal son in

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the New Testament,1380 the father of the son waits for his return and when he returns he gives

him the best garments. He was keeping that garment as a token of his love towards him and as

a token of his return. The endurance of the father shows that he still loves his son even though

he wasted his possessions. Mar Jacob was applying the moral of this parable of Jesus in the

Garden event. Mar Jacob portrays the tunic of the skin (kutin mesko) as the icon of the love of

the heavenly Father on the one who spoiled all His wealth and as a symbol of His endurance

for the repentance and return of the culprit. According to the poet, even though this garment of

skin was produced by God, it was not equal to the garment of glory (estal subho)1381 at the time

of creation and to the garment of light (kutin nuhro) 1382 at the time of renewal. Although the

skin-tunic (kutin mesko) was perfect by the reason of its creation by God, it was only

temporary, only to cover their nakedness until the time of their restitution. Due to its transient

characteristic and since the original garment of glory was lost; there arises the requirement of

an everlasting garment. God gave them the eternal garment of light.

V. 2. E. 1. iv. Garment of light

The representation of light for goodness and darkness for wickedness is a common

notion that we see in the Scriptures. It is St. Paul who calls the faithful the children of light.1383

Mar Jacob had in his mind the teachings of Jesus also about the angelic nature of the

resurrected bodies.1384 Combining these, the poet ascertains the glittering of the uniform of the

renewed image:

“Like the angels, i t (image) is clothed with l ight (nuhro) in the world of

l ight (nuhro)” (FMC IV 440).

1380 Cf. Luke. 15/11 ff. 1381 ‘Garment of Glory’ - See above in this section. 1382 ‘Garment of Light’ - See below in this section. 1383 Cf. 1 Thess. 5/5, Eph. 5/8, etc. 1384 Cf. Luke. 20/36.

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In the new world (‘olmo hadto),1385 since there is no darkness of sin and since there

prevails only brightness, all the inhabitants of the new kingdom have only luminous existence.

Thus, according to the poet, in the new world the flesh rises up spiritually (ruhonoit) (FMC IV

433) amidst the cascade of radiance and like angels, the outfit of the renewed image will be

brightness (FMC IV 440). Contrasting to the shame of nakedness caused by their sin, the poet

says,

“It is this (f lesh) which was exposed and i t i s this (f lesh) which (now)

the garment of glory (estal subho) is being clothed ” (FMC IV 455)

and “This f lesh was remaining stripped in the Garden,

that is to say, i t (f lesh) clothes i tself with glory ( subho) and shines

(p-rag) due to the resurrection (nuhomo)” (FMC IV 461-462).

The extra emphasis given by the poet to the luminosity of the renewed image is

noticeable. By giving this emphasis, Mar Jacob joins with his ancestors in describing the

renewed image with such brilliance. Because, Sebastian Brock mentions of an old manuscript

of Genesis in which the actual reading of the text is, ‘garments of light’ instead of ‘garments of

glory’ and he asserts that these expressions are common among the Syriac Fathers, especially

in Mar Ephrem.1386 It is in this context that Mar Ephrem writes, “The children of light dwell on

the heights of Paradise”.1387 Mar Jacob had this concept in his mind. Hence, this expression,

‘garment of glory’ by the poet shall be understood in connection with his narration of the

immeasurable dazzling of brightness in the new kingdom.1388 Quoting from the Homily on

Faith of Mar Jacob of Sarug, Sebastian Brock shows how Mar Jacob relates this robe of glory

with baptism of Christ: “(Christ who) came to Baptism, went down and placed in the baptismal

water the Rob of Glory, to be there for Adam, who had lost it”.1389

1385 ‘New world’ - See below in this section. 1386 Cf. Brock, Hymns on Paradise, 68. 1387 Ibid, 82. 1388 The topic ‘Radiance in the New Kingdom of Heaven’ has been discussed below. 1389 Brock, opcit, 70.

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V. 2. E. 2. Eschatological and soteriological aspect of the garment

The history of the garments starting from the very garment of glory and of the

ordinance until the garment of light, as it is stated in the mimre, revolves on the axis of God’s

mercy and the driving force behind this revolution is also the outburst of God’s mercy alone

towards His own image.1390When the first garment of glory (estal subho), a merciful gift of

God, was torn by the sin of Adam, the glory of God in the world was also dishonoured. All of a

sudden God poured out His mercy and replaced the insufficient garment of leaves (kutin tarpo)

with the garment of skin (kutin mesko) as a temporary covering until the image attains

perfection in the new world through God’s merciful resuscitation of the image. Not anything

else effects at the end of the times than the mercy of God, to clothe the image of Adam with the

garment of light (estal nuhro).

V. 2. E. 1. v. a. Etymology: For the ‘garment of glory’ which will be granted at the time of the

renewal of the image, the poet intentionally uses the term estalo instead of kutino (FMC III

638, 667, 683, 1033) or lbuso’ (FMC III 651, 669, 1001 etc.) or nahto (FMC III 663) or

talbesto (FMC III 661). All other terms except estalo are found being used interchangeably to

connote the garment of skin or the garment of leaves. But for the garment of glory which will

be awarded at the end of the times, he uses estalo (FMC IV 184, 455 etc.). Estalo actually

means a ‘stole’, ‘robe’, ‘habit’ etc.1391 This connotes that the estalo (stole) will be awarded to

the renewed image as if putting a stole around its neck as garlanding a winner in a contest. If

sin was a contest between Satan and Adam, as the poet opines, – in which both of them failed –

(FMC III 146, 147-148 etc.), renewal of the image, even though it is only out of the mercy of

God, is a victory over sin and Satan and so, garlanding with a stole is opportune. Estalo (stole,

1390 See detailed narrations on the mercy of God in the section, “God’s Mercy as the Catalytic Code”, p. 427 ff. 1391 Cf. Smith, Compendious Syriac Dictionary, 23.

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habit) is also a vestment and symbol of ordination and appointment1392. Hence, this term

denotes to the regained dignity of the image’s divinity also. The glory of the renewed image is

a state of being unstained which will be granted to the image of Adam at the end of the times

by the mercy of God.1393

This glorious garment points to the worthiness of the image to enter into the kingdom

and to enjoy the feast as against the expulsion of the guest from the wedding feast by the

reason of his shabby clothes.1394 According to the poet the sin of man alienated him from God,

from himself and from the nature.1395 Hence the poet’s insistence on the common dress for all

in the Kingdom of God also connotes to the uniformity, integrity as well as the indissolubility

among the new kingdom - its ruler, its environment and its inhabitants.

The eschatological and soteriological importance of the garment becomes more

valuable when it is related to the stripping of Jesus Christ. Adam and Eve removed their

garment of glory and they became bare in the Garden.1396 When Christ underwent the stripping

and humiliation on the cross, it was for clothing them with the garment of light in the new

world. And with this soteriological perspective Mar Jacob describes the sin of Adam as the

stealing of the tunic of glory (estal subho) by Satan:

“The serpent seized the garment of glory ( estal subho) which they had put

on” (FMC IV 184).

It is with the same viewpoint the poet illustrates how God clothed and adorned the first parents

at the Garden of Eden:

“He adorned Eve, the virgin bride, and gave her to Adam, ” (FMC IV 159),

“He clothed them with magnificent l ight (nuhro gayo) and dazzl ing

brightness (zivo payo)” (FMC IV 163)

and the poet assesses,

1392 Priests are adorned with a stole as the symbol of their ordination. 1393 See details on the Mercy of God in the section, “God’s Mercy as the Catalytic Code, p. 427 ff. 1394 Cf. Matt. 22/12. 1395 See this unpleasant effect of sin in the section, “Sin as the Soteriological causality”, p. 564. 1396 Ibid, p. 599.

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“The couple shined (p-rag) in their crowns (kli lo) and garments (l buso)”

(FMC IV 162).

In the same way God will clothe Adam and Eve and the entire humanity at their resurrection.

V. 2. F. The New World

In the place of all the deprivations, deteriorations and cessations of the transient world,

the poet hopes for the emergence of a new and everlasting world and an unbreakable kingdom.

All these concepts of the poet on the new world are based on Biblical notions, especially on the

twenty first chapter of the Book of Revelations where we see disclosures of a new heaven and

earth. The poet, in connection with the darkness of sin and the brightness of the renewed body,

attempts to elaborate more on the luminosity of the new world.1397

V. 2. F. 1. The end of the times

When the poet speaks of the ‘end of the times’ (sulomo dzabno), even though he

narrates on the cessation of the courses of sun, moon and of other luminaries (FMC IV 273), he

gives more emphasis to the time of the arrival of the Messiah and to the time of the renewal of

the image than to the time of the disappearance of everything. The ‘end of the times’ (sulomo

dzabno) is only a moment of transition from the limited time towards eternity (‘olam). In this

eternity (‘olam) the present period of the limited time is also a part and hence it cannot

disappear totally but it can only be included in the eternity. So, for the poet, ‘end of the times’

(sulomo dzabno) has not a negative connotation, but it has a very positive perspective.1398

The mind of the poet on the moment of the resurrection will become clearer from his

other writings. Since the fathers of the church consider time neither purely on the

1397 Cf. Rev. 21/23 ff. 1398 Positive outlook of the poet is evaluated in the segment, “Man behind the Mimre”, p. 188 ff.

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astrophysical, nor on the cosmological, nor on the chronological nor on the historical bases, but

on the eschatological as well as soteriological base, their narrations about time should have

been considered relatively. Mar Jacob also, when he speaks of the moment of the renewal,

doesn’t consider it as something that happens at the end of all the times; but for him, the end of

the times means the end of the time which is regulated through the courses of the luminaries.

Because, even when he mentions of the termination of the time and its sources as,

“He dissolves the wheel of t imes (gigl zabno) and stops (i ts) vehemence ” (FMC

IV 293, 273 ff.),

he never speaks about the end of everything; instead, what he means is the end of the

revolution and change of times and seasons, in its place, there will be permanence of time in

the new world. And that will not be the end of the times but it will be the perfection of times

which will have its continuity from the present time.

Thus the concept of the poet on the moment of renewal is a continuous process. This

opinion of the poet will be clearer from his homily ‘On the Nativity’ where he narrates some

other events in history as the moments of the renewal. Mar Jacob conceives the event of

Nativity also as the event of renewal of the world as well as of man: “The world was renewed

in praise at the nativity of the Son, from that time, on His great day, a new creation was

established”,1399 “Today the painter restored the image of Adam: because it had worn out, He

mingled with it the pigment that it might not get corrupted. Today the Master-builder has

rebuilt the house that had fallen, and so that it might not fall, the support of divinity entered

in”1400 and “On this day in which the old things have been renewed, the Lord of Kings has

renewed for us the things of former times”1401 Thus, for the poet, ‘the end of the times’ also

means the time of the intervention of God for the fulfilment of the good news of the Kingdom

1399 Kollamparampil, Jacob of Sarug’s Homilies on the Nativity, 124. 1400 Ibid, 128. 1401 Ibid, 136.

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of God. He had the teaching of Jesus Christ on ‘the end of the times’ as his basis: “And this

Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the entire world as a witness to all the nations, and

then the end will come”.1402 In this sense, every involvement of God in the process for the

completion of the good news is a renewing act of God.

V. 2. F. 2. Consistency of the new world

It is also same with the case of the transient world. The physical world is subject to

constant change, because, they are made of matter. But the poet states that the individuality of

the new world is its permanency:

“For, there is but one single day (had imomo) for ever without any

change (lo suhlopo)” (FMC IV 296, 297 ff.).

Even though the narration of the poet gives us the picture of the dissolution of the world,

occasionally he uses certain terms intentionally to connote the accomplishment of the world:

“He comes at the end to accomplish ( samli/mlo) everything spiri tually

(ruhonoit)” (FMC IV 233).

Since Messiah is unalterable and free from all weak elements, His kingdom also will be with

the same character (FMC IV 309-312). Thus the poet emphasises:

“He removes the t imes, but He is wi th the t imes; He never vanishes,

and with a gesture (remzo) He changes the season, but He (remains)

unchanged (lo methlap)” (FMC IV 315-316).

So the eternal presence of the immutable sun, the Messiah, makes the stability of the new

world possible (FMC IV 309-310).

Here also, even though Mar Jacob takes sufficient space to narrate the dissolution of the

world, the annihilation of the world is not for nothing, but it is for constructing the new world.

The present world has a mission to fulfil and at the completion of the mission, it has to give

way to the new world and the annihilation of the world shall only be seen as part of this

1402 Matt. 24/14.

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transition. The present world is also a part of the eternal world, because, eternity is not

something to be expected in the future, but it is the ever presence without beginning and in this

ever presence the present world also includes. Thus the new world is founded on the debris of

the present world, but totally new in its form, and the new world is the continuation of the

present world and as part of the continuation of the eternity. Deterioration of the present world

shall be considered only as the completion of its mission. It is in this sense that the poet writes,

“He comes to accomplish (Šlem) the course of the t imes and of the customs;

and at i ts completion ( sulomo), He will cease the course of the grand

revolution (of the universe)” (FMC IV 235-236).

From this we understand the eschatological conscience of the poet. For him, it is not the

annihilation of the physical word, but it is the accomplishment of the mission of the universe

and it is paving the way by the present world for the entry into the new world.

V. 2. F. 3. Radiance in the new world

Another unique characteristic of the new world is the fullness of light everywhere. Mar

Jacob narrates,

“Because of the huge l ight (nuhro rabo), the dawn (or epiphany) (den ho)

and the day t ime (imomo) is one and the same:

the l ight grew young (for ever) which cannot be restrained by the

darkness” (FMC IV 307-308).

The only reason behind this perfect dazzling radiance in the new world is,

“There, Jesus is the Lord, the Sun of righteousness (semso dzadiquto)” (FMC

IV 305)

and “Messiah shines (or manifests) (dona h) in all and every where, with all

and in all” (FMC IV 313).

For the poet, this radiance in the new kingdom is the reflection of the majesty, holiness and

glory of the presence of the Messiah and also of the absence of any kind of stain of sin in it.

This radiance of the Messiah and of his kingdom is incomparable with any of the worldly

luminaries. This we infer from the poet’s explanations on the purpose of the creation, where he

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narrates that all powers of the world, disregarding how strong and powerful they are in the

world, are weak and dull in the presence of God:

“If the l ight (nuhro) approaches Him, i t becomes a shadow (telolo) . . . (FMC I

263).

V. 2. G. Cosmology of the poet and the cosmic convergence

It is true that, as a branch of physical science, cosmology is not directly related to

eschatology. But here, cosmology of Mar Jacob is included in the section of eschatology

because, the history and the destiny of man is indissolubly related to the cosmos. The inclusion

of the cosmology of the poet as part of his eschatology is on the basis of its relation also to the

poet’s soteriological notions, where, according to him, the cosmos also attains eternity along

with man at the end of the times.

The main themes in the cosmology of the poet are the Theo-homo-centric existence of

the universe, its eschatological origin, persistence and deterioration, homocentric cosmic

convergence etc.

V. 2. G. 1. Homocentric Cosmology

Mar Jacob cannot think of a universe which is not totally depended on God for its

origin, existence, maintenance, ultimate convergence etc. and so, naturally, the cosmology of

Mar Jacob is Theo-centric; to a certain extend it is theology itself. At the same time, the

cosmology of the poet is basically homo-centric also. He places man at the centre of the

universe.1403 In this regard he writes,

“It (wisdom) brought in and placed i t (image) at the centre of the

worlds (mŠato d‘olme), so that, they should look i t ” (FMC IV 56).

1403 See below in this section.

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Even though Mar Jacob mentions of an axis1404 on which the universe revolves, the poet draws

in his Four Mimre ‘On Creation’ a sphere of the revolution of the universe around man.

While assigning world’s creatorship to God, Mar Jacob emphasises a homocentric

principle and existence of created world and hence seemingly he denies its independent

survival apart from man. According to him,

“It is for Adam that the creatures and their structures were established

(qom)” (FMC I 267, 253-260 etc.).

He was made the lord (moro) (FMC IV 62, III 169-170 etc.) and god (aloho) 1405 (FMC IV

120, I 203, II 289 etc.) over the universe. Seeing the presence of every element of the universe

in man, Mar Jacob puts forward his theory; man is a microcosm (‘olmo z‘uro) 1406 (FMC IV 15-

24, 29-30, 33-34 etc.). And since he is its lord, the whole creatures must be obedient to him

(FMC I 270, 274 etc.). The poet states that even though it was God who created the world, He

himself had designed that the world shall relate with its creator only through man:

“The creatures shall see the image of the Lord ( Šalmo dmoryo) in Adam”

(FMC I 269).

Even though man is the lord (moro) of the universe, he should not have acted as an

autocrat over the universe so as to destroy it according to his whims and fancies, but he should

be its caretaker. Since man is taken from the elements of the universe,1407 man should not feel

isolated from the universe; instead, he should feel the oneness with it. The universe, especially

the earth, being the foster mother1408 of man, and since he and the universe are one and the

same, the caretakership of man over the universe shall be considered caring of himself. Thus,

the growth of the universe towards perfection is the growth of man himself and vice versa also.

1404 See below in this section. 1405 See ‘Adam was god’ in the section, “Anthropological Concepts in the Mimre”, p. 374. 1406 See ‘Adam - a Microcosm’ in the segment, “Anthropological Concepts in the Mimre”, p. 377. 1407 See details of Man’s creation from the elements of the world’ in the section “Anthropological Concepts in the

Mimre”, p. 349. 1408 See below in this section – ‘Earth - a mother’.

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Thus Mar Jacob finds no separation among the creatures, including man; each one is

substantially dependant on the other.

V. 2. G. 2. Universe – a partial image of God and Man

One of the fundamental features of a better poet , the talent of very keen observation on

the things that exist and happen around him, is very well seen in Mar Jacob, especially when he

develops his cosmology. Along with the psalmist who discerns the glory of God among the

miraculous universe1409 the poet also keeps in his mind the sentiments of praises towards God

at the sight of the wonders of the universe. Along with St. Paul who said; “Ever since the

creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly

perceived in the things that have been made”,1410 the poet also possesses the view that the

created world reveals the greatness and glory of the Creator. Even though the poet is not a

pantheist, some of his expressions show that he is lenient to say that the universe is part of

God. Even though the whole creation is useless for God (FMC I 266), the poet confirms that

“... all the courses of all creatures are with Him (God)” (FMC I 265).

This gives us the clue to discern the mind of the poet that the whole creatures are to be

understood as part of God and His image. While emphasising on the thoughts and actions of

God for creating the world, Mar Jacob was indirectly pointing to the share of divinity to the

universe also in its relation with God (FMC I 255 ff., IV 15 ff.).

God is depicted elsewhere in the mimre by the poet as the Wise one (hakimo) on the

basis of his appreciation on God’s calibre in making the creatures in such a wonderful manner

(FMC II 269, 303, III 949, 958, IV 27-28, 30, 55 ff. 138 etc.). This, in turn, is the revelation of

the presence of God’s wisdom; in a wider sense, the presence itself of God in the creatures.

1409 Cf. Ps. 19/1 ff. 1410 Rom 1/20.

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Thus the creatures become manifestations of God’s glory. Here, the poet joins with the

psalmist to sing; “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His

handiwork ...”.1411 The image of God in man is made out of the dust and out of the elements of

the universe.1412 When the poet emphasises the ascension of the status of the dust through the

possession of the image of God in it,1413 it certainly connotes to the share and fortune of the

universe to contain the image of God and the image of man in it. Thus the universe becomes

the partial image of God and man.

Mar Jacob’s concept of the universe as the resemblance of God’s glory may not be

unique. Early fathers of the Church had spoke of the same notion in advance. Origen, one of

the earliest Greek Fathers, in his expositions on the ‘Song of Songs’, mentions the images of

the created world in heaven: “And perhaps, even as God made man to His own image and

likeness, so also did He create other creatures after the likeness of some other heavenly

patterns. And perhaps the correspondence between all things on earth and their celestial

prototypes goes so far, that even the grain of mustard seed ..... which is the least of all seeds,

has something in heaven whose image and likeness it bears; .... the likeness that it bears is not

merely that of some heavenly pattern, but of the kingdom of heaven itself”.1414 Thus it is the

common understanding of the early fathers of the church that man can know God through the

created world.

Even though none of these teachings explicitly say that the universe is a partial image

of God, it can be understood from them. Mar Jacob also does not say directly that the world is

the image of God, but we can infer the notion that the cosmos is the emanation of God by the

reason of their creation by him and it is also an image of man by the reason of man’s creation

1411 Ps. 19/1 ff. 1412 These topics are discussed in detail in the segments, “Image and Likeness of God in Man”, p. 287, and in the

section, “Anthropological Concepts in the Mimre”, p. 349 etc. 1413 Ibid, p. 392. 1414 Quasten, Ancient Christian Writers, 219.

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from the elements of the world. But this notion of the poet shall not be misunderstood as

pantheistic so as to see him as the one who sees every created thing as a figure of God,

because, the whole mimre of the poet harshly condemns those who followed the fallacious

description of the serpent that divinity dwells in a material object like the fruit of the tree at the

middle of the Garden; instead, the poet was seeing the glory of God in every creature and the

world is a partial image of God only on the basis of the amount of God’s glory it reveals.

V. 2. G. 3. Earth - a mother and a scapegoat

According to the poet, since God created Adam by His own hands (FMC II 175),

Adam was born without a mother (FMC I 56). Hence, the poet looks upon the earth as a

passive partner along with God for the generation of Adam. In this sense he calls the earth, ‘a

mother’ or a ‘foster mother’ which generated Adam and looked-after him:

“He cursed the mother (earth) (emo) because of her child (Adam)

(yaldo),while she is uncorrupted.

The foster mother (mrabyonito) received punishment without any

transgression,

so that the child (yoludo), whom she bore, should not have been beaten ” (FMC

III 938-940, also 948).

Adam has to return to the earth (FMC III 948). The poet repeats the words of the Lord:

“You are dust (‘apro) and through death you will return to dust ( ’apro)” (FMC

III 953).

Mar Jacob considers death not an end in itself but only as a sleep (FMC IV 252).1415

Combining these two ideas one can come to the core of the poet’s imagination; like a wearied

child takes rest in the bosom of a loving mother, Adam has to recline in the bosom or in the lap

of the earth, his mother, during the period of his death with all its weariness and sufferings up

to the final revival at the end of the times.

1415 See above in this section the characteristic of death as sleep.

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The poet seems to be sympathetic towards the earth by the reason that it became a

scapegoat for Adam, because, the earth was cursed on account of Adam (FMC I, 226, III 851,

857, 861, 937, 939, 941 etc.) even when

“The earth had neither transgression ( sakluto) nor freedom (hiruto)” (FMC III

853):

“However, the whole curse of the earth was because of Adam, ” (FMC III 859).

He finds the reason behind this action of God:

“It (justice) smote (bla‘) the earth, so that Adam, who went astray, should

not be scourged (lo ngad)” (FMC III 935).

Thus the earth, the mother1416 had suffered for the sake of her child, Adam.

V. 2. G. 4. Garden of Eden/Paradise

The aesthetic sense of Mar Jacob once again sprouts up in his expositions of the

ecological concepts which we see in the mimre.

V. 2. G. 4. i. Positive aspects

So many good things of the Garden of Eden are highlighted in the mimre such as it is a

beautiful place (FMC III 521, 525, 534 etc.), a place where man felt the presence of God and it

was a meeting place of God and man (FMC III 690 ff), a place of joy (FMC III 890, IV 158-

166 etc.) a place of confidence (FMC III 577 ), a place of light (FMC IV 13, and 163), the

bride-chamber (FMC IV 158, 162, 164, 167 etc.), a blessed place and full of blessings (FMC

III 3, 294, 617-618 etc.), a place where the abundance of God’s mercy was revealed (FMC III

725 ff.), a place of richness and sumptuousness (FMC III 200, 202-203, 205, 371, 375, 377, IV

161, 165 etc.), possessed and controlled by Adam and Eve (FMC III 371, 375, 377, IV 5, 173

etc.), compact with trees and fruits (FMC III 200, 351, 358, 371, 373, 527, IV 164-165 etc.), a

1416 See above in this section.

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place that rejoices at the presence of its inhabitants (FMC IV 166), the residence of Adam and

Eve (FMC III 141, 150, 290, 292, IV 158) etc. In this sense and considering Adam and Eve

lovely sparrows, the poet calls the garden, a nest (FMC III 294, 297, IV 178 etc.). The presence

of the tree of life and knowledge at its centre enhanced its elegance and magnitude (FMC III

523, 1041-1042, 1045-1046, IV 167, 169 etc.).

V. 2. G. 5. The trees at the centre and its fruits

Since the central theme of the mimre of Mar Jacob being man’s creation, transgression,

fall, resurrection etc. he can’t but narrate in detail the existence of the tree at the centre of the

Garden of Eden; because it bears a central role in the whole episode. The tree and its fruits are

conceived in the mimre only as a medium among God, Satan and human beings (FMC III 245,

278). But as the immediate means of the fall and death of Adam and Eve, the tree and its fruit

are treated unpleasantly in the mimre.

Other fathers of the church also consider the tree’s darker aspects. In Liber

Graduum1417 we see this tree of knowledge is being compared with Satan; until Adam and eve

had sinned, they were ignorant about the existence of evil and only when they ate from the tree

they became aware of it: “Because God had only taught what is good to Adam and Eve when

He created them, they did not know evil until they had obeyed Satan and he taught them evil.

Because of this Satan is called the ‘Tree’, through which Adam and Eve knew evil and good.

They learned good from God and Evil from Satan”1418

1417 = Book of Steps 1418 Kitchen, Book of Steps, 231.

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V. 2. G. 5. i. Names and the placement of the Trees

Referring to the scriptural passages1419 the poet mentions in his mimre the names of two

trees based on their potency as the tree of life (FMC III 523, 1041-1042, 1045-1046, IV 167

etc.) and the tree of knowledge (FMC IV 169). Mar Jacob conceives that the tree of life and

tree of knowledge are planted alongside at the centre of the Garden (FMC III 383). Hence,

while narrating the rush of Eve to pluck the fruit from the tree of knowledge, he mentions the

presence of the tree of life alongside the tree of knowledge:

“She did not consider the tree of l i fe which is inside (l’gav) ” (FMC III 523).

Here, Mar Jacob points to the negligence of the first parents to notice the presence of the tree

of life alongside the tree of knowledge.

But this statement of the poet goes slightly contrary to the explanations of Mar Ephrem,

who, in his ‘Hymns on Paradise’ considers the Paradise as a huge mountain higher than all

other hills of the universe: “The summit of every mountain is lower than its summit”.1420

There, the trees of life and knowledge are planted at different levels; the tree of life stands at

the summit of Paradise, whose glory is much great, nobody can approach it and the tree of

knowledge is situated much lower down at the centre of the mountain and the tree of

knowledge is considered by Mar Ephrem as a pass-way to the inner region of paradise and as a

boundary around the tree of life.1421 Mar Ephrem indicates that Adam and Eve were not even

conscious of the presence of the tree of life at the summit of Paradise.1422 Here, this difference

of the explanations of both the fathers were not contradictory, because what Mar Jacob wanted

to present in the mimre was not a geographical sketch, but he was only trying to illustrate very

poetically how Eve was approaching so covetously towards the fruit of the tree at the centre in

1419 Cf. Gen.2/9, 17 etc. 1420 Brock, Hymns on Paradise, Hymn. I, 4. 1421 Cf. Ibid, Hymn III, 2, 3, 14 etc. 1422 Ibid, 90-91.

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order to consume it and thus to commit sin. In a poetical expression the exactness of things and

facts are irrelevant comparing to the main idea that is expressed.

V. 2. G. 4. ii. Rationale behind the retention of the middle tree

The poet in his mimre gives us an answer to a heated question: while God lavishly

gave Adam all the wealth of the Garden, why did He forbid them from approaching one tree

alone at the centre? According to the poet, God, as the self existant and perfect being, did not

create anything to satisfy His own needs, but every creation was for the creatures themselves

(FMC I 254-268). Thus the poet discloses the intention of God by saying that in His original

plan, God did not mean to keep aloof the tree of life and knowledge for ever from man, but this

was also planted for man. But the entrustment was prolonged because of the immaturity of

human beings to possess and handle it sensibly. Since the fruit of this tree is more valuable

than the fruit of any other tree and because this fruit is the reward of eternity, its fruits will be

given to them only at the end of the times. Hence, the poet reiterates:

“He preserved (ntar) there the tree of l i fe in watchful care (bazhiruto),

so that, i ts fruit wil l be theirs long after (botar zabno) ” (FMC III 1049-1050).

Here, for this concept, the poet is obviously influenced by the verse from the Book of

Revelation, where it is stated that the fruit of the tree of life which is in the midst of the

Paradise will be given to eat as a reward to those who overcome every trials.1423

Another intention of God in withholding the tree, according to the poet, was for

examining their patience, enthusiasm for adhering to and obeying the law etc. It is in this sense

the poet writes,

“He gave the whole garden to the new children to possess;

but one tree alone He had given for examining (b har) them.” (FMC IV 173-174).

1423 Cf. Rev. 2/7.

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Yet a further target of this abstention was for making them mature through a process of

equipping themselves and to receive the fruit as a reward for the obedient journey through the

law which was constituted by the Lord. This we infer from the verses of the poet:

“The tree of l i fe (i lon hayo) within the vast bedchamber of Eden

(qaytuno rabo)

was concealed (kso), so that, the couples of l ight ( hatne dnuhro) shall

be perfected (samli/mlo) from it” (FMC IV 167-168).

Many fathers of the Church view a positive element behind the retention of the tree at

the centre. Mar Jacob certainly had these thoughts while he was explaining the Garden event.

As it is described by Sebastian Brock, Mar Ephrem, in his Hymn on Paradise and Commentary

on Genesis, narrates similar reasons as that of Mar Jacob behind the retention of one tree at the

Garden from Adam: its vision shall be given as a reward for the observance of the

commandment so that, the attraction of its surpassing beauty might not make the temptation to

eat the forbidden fruit. Mar Ephrem adds other reasons also; that it should not, with its beauty,

stir up conflict with them and so double their struggle, and also because it was inappropriate

that they should be observant of the commandment of Him who cannot be seen for the sake of

a reward that was there before their eyes.1424 According to Iranaeus, “For this reason also He

cast him out of Paradise, and set him far away from the tree of life – pity toward him, so that he

should not continue for ever as a transgressor, and that the sin which surrounded him should

not be immortal .... hence death is an act of divine grace, which sets a limit to the life of sin,

and allows God to recreate man in the resurrection”.1425 No father of the Church finds a

negative aspect in the retention of the middle tree at the Garden, but all of them ridicule the

immaturity and lustfulness of the first parents in snatching and eating the fruit at an unripe

state. The uniqueness of Mar Jacob among them is his excellent poetic calibre in presenting the

theme in an attractive manner.

1424 Brock, Hymns on Paradise, 60, Hymns, III 9, II 17. 1425 Danielou, Gospel Message and Hellenistic Culture, 406.

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V. 2. G. 6. Dissolution of the cosmos

Cosmogonists, while being garrulous to describe the origin, development and

sustenance of the universe, seldom take risks to predict its termination. But with the power of

the Word of God and with the firm conviction in its ratification and fulfilment, Mar Jacob is

not reluctant to forecast the manner of the dissolution of the universe at the end of the ages,

because his source of information is the powerful word of God.

V. 2. G. 6. i. The curse and the dissolution of the world

Even though Mar Jacob elaborates in detail the curse of God on the earth, which was

due on Adam as the punishments for his sins (FMC III 934 ff.), the poet does not give the

impression that the dissolution of the world at the end of the times is the result of this curse,

instead, the dissolution is narrated in the mimre as the accomplishment (sulomo) of the mission

of the world up to a certain period (FMC IV 233 ff., 269 ff.). He emphatically and repeatedly

says that the dissolution of the corpse of man is only because of his sins (FMC IV 184-190).1426

But we see in the narrations of the poet a contradiction in the events that takes place at the end

of the times: that which was existing until the time – the universe with all its paraphernalia – is

made dissipated and that which was shattered in Sheol (FMC I 207-209) – the image is being

renewed into its original comeliness. This shows that the sin and the curse are not the reasons

behind the dissolution, but it is the plan of God that takes place in its due course of time.

V. 2. G. 6. ii. The Purpose behind the termination of the world

The dissolution of the world is neither an impulsive reaction of God against its

wickedness nor it is an end in itself. But, according to the poet, God disbands the universe with

1426 This topic is discussed as ‘Effects of sin’ in the section, “Sin as the Soteriological Causality”, p. 539 ff.

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a proper purpose; it is,

“In order to fashion (tqen) the world spiri tually (ruhonoit) without any

composit ion (lo rukobo)” (FMC IV 270).

So this dissolution is not for destruction but, in the method of recycling, it is for renovation and

completion. Hence, mentioning the second arrival of Christ, he asserts,

“He comes at the end (harto) to accomplish ( samli/mlo) everything

spiri tually (ruhonoit)” (FMC IV 233)

and “He comes to accomplish (slem) the course of the t imes and of the

customs ” (FMC IV 235).

The way by which the perfection of the world will be like this;

“A sea of f ire (yamo dnuro) in uproar will come before His arrival ,

and He will test (bhar) the worlds with the f ire (gavzalto) and thus they

wil l be perfected (g-mar)” (FMC IV 247-248)

V. 2. G. 6. iii. The manner of the collapse

Mar Jacob explains the direct involvement of God in the dissolution of the world:

“He (Messiah) dissolves (sro) the wheel of t imes (gigal zabno) and stops

(i ts) vehemence (hipo)” (FMC IV 293).

His arrival itself is a cause of trembling for the whole world (FMC IV 237) and

“His voice (qolo) dissolves (sro) all composit ions (rukobo) of whole

worlds” (FMC IV 269).

Through various other actions of God the universe will be scattered. He sends His

angels to disperse the world and

“The boarders (savpo) oscil late (r‘al) due to His hasty legions (legyun

qali l to):

they shed burning coals (gmurto) and cast f lashes of l ightning (barqo)

of great l ight” (FMC IV 243-244).

The voice of the archangels (qolo dris malako) slackens and casts down the compositions and

natures of the universe (FMC IV 250), the shouts of the trumpets (z‘oqo dqarno) causes the

world collapse (FMC IV 251), and clouds of fire (‘nono dnuhro) carried by the trembling

angels will dissipate the earth (FMC IV 254, 255). Yet another means of dissolution will be the

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gesture of God:

“His sign (remzo) dissolves the whole elements which were joined together

and their entire course of the t imes and their successions cease ” (FMC IV 271-

272).

With a gesture (remzo) He dissolves every thing (FMC IV 316 and 399). The poet reiterates,

“The same Will (Šebyono), which mixed them, separates them,

and the same knowledge (yida‘to), which bound them together, dissolves

them” (FMC IV 325-326 also, 327-328).

V. 2. G. 7. Cosmic transformations

The poet replicates the Biblical notions on the cosmic changes that occur at the second

coming of Christ. The entire course of the times ceases; sun, moon and heavenly shining stars

obscure, order of the universe collapses, all the regions will be deprived of its possessions, the

whole functions of all creatures cease and everything will be deteriorated and because of the

absence of the luminaries there is neither dawn nor evening and so there are no seasons (FMC

IV 271-290, 297 ff, 317, 337-340 etc.). Each and every element will be isolated from the

compounds (FMC IV 319-320); heat is detached from the cold, moist from the dry etc. (FMC

IV 321- 326). The poetical expression of the poet flows like this,

“The axle (sarno) is broken and the (wheel of) t imes do not revolve

there:

the bridge (gasro) is broken and the powers do not cross through i t ” (FMC IV

303-304).

At its consummation, the world

“Bends, collapses, ceases (and) vanishes as i f there is nothing ” (FMC IV 354).

Many other changes take place.

V. 2. G. 7. i. Cosmic convergence

The poet speaks of the convergence of the cosmos into man at the end of the times.

Even though the poet describes the disappearance of the cosmos at the end of the times, this

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disappearance is its merge with as well as its accomplishment in the renewed image of man.

The reason behind it is the indissoluble and common characteristics between man and the

cosmos. The poet very often he speaks of the identity of man with the world or vice versa:

“For, the world and the man are two (identical) worlds (‘olmin) to

contemplate” (FMC IV 330)

and “Man also is fashioned from the elements (es tukso) of the world,

because, in his composit ion he is also a world (‘olmo) ...”1427 (FMC IV 355-356).

And the poet compares the dissolution of the world with the death of man:

“The death of a man is certainly a model ( tupso)

of that consummation (sulomo) that happens to the world at the end of

the t imes (harto dzabno)” (FMC IV 359-360).

At the end of the times, the macrocosmic characteristics of the universe will be condensed into

the microcosmic nature of man,1428 because, the image of man is the comprehension of all the

elements and beauties of the world (IV 15-22).1429 When the poet reiterates that it is the same

flesh (had pagro) that man possessed earlier is rising up at the end of the world (IV 454-464),

it is quite clear that the elements, beauties etc. of the universe, out of which the man was

created, also will rise up along with man. Furthermore, the poet states the rising up of the

elements very clearly:

“The four (elements), which were fallen down (n’pal),

rise up (qom) at once unanimously (i hidoit ),

so that, neither the dissolution ( sroyo) nor the consummation ( sulomo)

should come again upon them.

One element (had estuqso), the f lesh (pagro), came to be from the (other)

elements (es tuqse),

for, the resurrection (qyomto) renews (mhadet) i t to be immortal (lo

moyuto) (IV 417-420).

And so, the resurrection of the image is the resurrection of all these beauties and elements of

the world; hence the world as a whole rises up along with the image, but certainly it will be in a

different and spiritual manner:

1427 The theme, Man or Adam, as the Microcosm is discussed in detail in the segment, “Anthropological Concepts

in the Mimre”, p. 377. 1428 Ibid. 1429 See the segment, “Image and Likeness of God in Man”, p. 287 ff.

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“The four (elements) r ise up (qom) as i f they are spiri tually one

(had ruhonoit )”(IV 421).

Moreover, the created cosmos is the partial image of God.1430 The image of God cannot be

deteriorated for ever; hence, the universe deserves to be resuscitated. On this basis also, the

poet affirms the renewal of the world at the end of the times. If God created everything for

man,1431 it is only natural that the universe is being amalgamated with the image of man at its

resurrection at the end of the times.

Conclusion

Even though Mar Jacob was replicating in his mimre the Biblical concepts on

eschatology, his narrations are unique and purposeful: the uniqueness consists in the fact that

the narrations are powerful enough to give the reader a feeling of the live enactment of the

events. It is quite noticeable that even if these eschatological incidents will happen only in

future and at the end of the times, the most of the presentations of the incidents in the mimre

are in present (active) tense (See FMC IV 233 ff.), which is certainly with the purpose of

presenting it live before the audience so as to make them conscious of the conditions of the

world as well as of the human beings at the end of the times. It is also on the basis of the ever-

presence of the new world.1432

The connotation of the heading of the mimre, ‘On Creation’, will be complete only with

the understanding of the eschatological concepts of the poet. Because, for him, the creation of

man is not a single event that had already happened, but it is a continuous process begins from

his creation from the mud,1433 continues through his salvation from the mud of sin and attains

1430 Cosmos as the partial image of God - See above in this section. 1431 Cf. Gen. 2/15. 1432 See above in this section – ‘New World’. 1433 ‘Creation of man’ - See the segment, “Anthropological Concepts in the Mimre’, p. 345.

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perfection only at the final renewal. The eschatological notions of the poet connotes to the ever

presence of time and space.

The eschatology of Mar Jacob, understanding that eschatology is about the matters

related to the end of the existence,1434 is more soteriological than cosmological. So, the

discussion in the mimre on the eschatological concepts is centred on man: his creation in the

image of God, his sin and fall which necessitated the salvation, his redemption through the

merciful descend of God for the crucifixion, his final resuscitation at the magnificent and final

advent of Christ etc. All these themes are seen connected with the eschatology in the mimre of

Mar Jacob, because, an eschatological reformation in such a way, as the poet narrates, would

not have been required if man had not committed sin. Thus, since Mar Jacob relates his

eschatological themes with the image of man, instead of narrating the bliss of the heaven, he

purposefully illustrates the magnificence of the renewed image in the glorified new world. And

in the same pattern he discloses the torture the image has to undergo in Sheol.

The concept of the poet on ‘death’ is to be understood clearly. Sometimes the poet goes

to the extreme of describing death as the occasion for the total annihilation of the image (FMC

I 208-210). This creates a certain amount of confusion as if he is speaking about the image as

totally annihilated and disappeared. Then naturally the question will arise; how a being in its

non-existant state could be resuscitated at the end of the times? Because, the poet himself states

that it is the same flesh and image of man, that was exposed and humiliated at the Garden of

Eden, that will be resuscitated:

“It is not another one (lo ahrino), but this is (hono) (the same), which

the serpent had bit ten (nkat hevyo).

I t is this which was exposed (pras) and i t is this which the garment of

glory (estal subho) is being clothed” (FMC IV 454-455).

Even when the poet illustrates the cruelty of Satan to kill the image, he never speaks of

1434 See the introduction to this section.

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the total disappearance of the image at its period of suffering in Sheol; instead, he was telling

about the death as the return of the image into dust; its pre-creation status:

“He trampled him, shattered him and made him dust (‘apro) as he was ” (FMC I

209).

So, for the poet, death is neither a time nor a period of total annihilation of the image, it is a

state of inertia of the image.1435

In this context, when the poet speaks of death only as a sleep,1436 it gives us the

impression that every sinner will be resurrected into the new world after a period of torture in

Sheol. Because, the poet says that at the shout of the trumpet all the dead ones, leaving nobody

in the grave, will rise up (FMC IV 251-252). When the poet says that Adam will rise up at the

end of the times (FMC IV 397-398), it also connotes to the resurrection of all Adamites,

because, the poet considers Adam not as a single individual but as a collective man and as the

head of the family and race.1437

The soteriological perspective of the poet is this: if a man, by misfortune, happens to

commit sin, he has to repent of his sins and beg pardon from God for its remission.1438 Then

the merciful God will not judge him,1439 but He will forgive his sins and thus he will become

eligible for the share in heaven, if he does not commit further sins. Mar Jacob gives us the idea

that since Adam did not repent of and did not confess his sins (FMC III 733-736), he had to

undergo the torture and suffering of Sheol and he had to die an unfortunate death.1440 When

this period of suffering in Sheol will be sufficient enough for compensating the gravity of the

sin and at the end of the times, God will rescue, renew and resuscitate Adam and the Adamites

1435 See above in this section. . 1436 See above in this section. 1437 ‘House and race of Adam’ - See the segment, “Anthropological Concepts in the Mimre”, p. 379. 1438 ‘Remission of sin’ – see the section “Sin as the Soteriological Causality”, p. 579. 1439 Refer ‘God’s Righteousness and Mercy’ in the Section, “God’s Mercy as the Catalytic Code”, p. 477 ff. 1440 See above in this section – ‘Sheol’.

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into the newly created spiritual world.1441

The poet takes too much attention to explain the Scriptural passages on the advent of

Christ at the end of the times in a grand scale as of the procession of a triumphant emperor (See

FMC IV 233 ff.). This is particularly for illustrating the victory of God over Satan at the end of

the times. And so, when the poet writes,

“For, the Honourable one (sapir) shines (nŠah) and he who had gone

astray is constrained.” (FMC IV 464),

“In order to put i ts enemy to shame (bhet sono) by the mercy which

inclined towards i t when i t wil l be resuscitated ” (FMC IV 456) etc.,

he aims at describing the final victory of God over the one who pulled Adam and his

descendants into Sheol and they are clear indications of the resurrection of all the Adamites,

because, if at least one of them remains in Sheol after the final resuscitation, the victory of God

over Satan will not be complete. Thus, the eschatological expositions of the poet aim at

presenting before us the reestablishment of God’s Lordship over everything through the

absolute eradication of the stains of sin from the creatures by the final renewal and

resuscitation of the image and by the reformation of the existing world.

The cosmic convergence in man at the end of the times is a virgin thought of the poet

at his time. The poet presents the cosmos only in relation to man and hence his cosmology is

homo-centric cosmology. Hence the cosmos also will attain perfection through man at the end

of the times. The alienation between man and the cosmos began when he illicitly attended to

snatch the fruit of the tree at the middle of the Garden of Eden. There began their expedition to

come to a meeting place where this alienation will be fasten together. When man will be

rewarded with the fruit of the tree of life at the time of the resuscitation,1442 then the

convergence of the cosmos with man will be complete.

1441 See above in this section – ‘New World’. 1442 Cf. Rev. 2/7, See above in this section – ‘Rationale behind the retention of the tree’.

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