Recently, we read Calming the Storm from Matthew 8:23-27. This time, we will read a version of John Chrysostom’s commentary on this episode in Coptic, adapted from his Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew (Homily XXVIII), which he delivered in Antioch at the end of the fourth century. ¹

The oldest surviving Bohairic manuscript (dated 888/9 AD) contains a catena on the Gospels, including a translation of this work from Greek. ²

The following text is taken from Paul de Lagarde’s 1886 edition. ³

ⲉⲑⲃⲉ-ⲡⲓϫⲓⲛⲉⲣⲉ̀ⲡⲓⲧⲓⲙⲁⲛ ⲛ̀ⲛⲓⲑⲏⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲙ-ⲫⲓⲟⲙ
Concerning the Rebuking of the Winds and the Sea

ⲓⲱⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ ⲡⲓⲭⲣⲓⲥⲟⲥⲧⲟⲙⲟⲥ: ϩⲓⲛⲁ ⲛ̀ⲧⲟⲩϣⲧⲉⲙϣⲟⲩϣⲟⲩ ⲙ̀ⲙⲱⲟⲩ ϫⲉ-ⲁⲩⲉⲣⲡⲉⲙϣⲁ ⲛ̀ⲧⲁⲗⲱⲟⲩ ⲉ̀ⲡⲓϫⲟⲓ ⲛⲉⲙ-ⲡ︤ⲭ︦ⲥ︥, ⲁϥⲉⲣⲥⲩⲛⲭⲱⲣⲓⲛ ⲉ̀ⲑⲣⲟⲩⲛⲉϩⲥⲓ ⲉ̀ϩⲣⲏⲓ ⲉ̀ϫⲱⲟⲩ ⲛ̀ϫⲉ-ⲛⲓϩⲱⲓⲙⲓ, ⲉϥⲧⲥⲁⲃⲟ ⲙ̀ⲙⲟⲛ ϧⲉⲛ-ⲫⲁⲓ ⲉ̀ϥⲁⲓ ϧⲁ-ⲛⲓⲕⲩⲛⲇⲓⲛⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ-ⲛⲓⲡⲓⲣⲁⲥⲙⲟⲥ, ϩⲓⲛⲁ ⲙⲉⲛⲉⲛⲥⲁ-ⲑⲣⲟⲩⲛⲟϩⲉⲙ ⲛ̀ⲥⲏⲟⲩ ⲛⲓⲃⲉⲛ ⲉⲩⲓ̀ⲣⲓ ⲙ̀ⲫⲙⲉⲩⲓ̀ ⲙ̀ⲫⲏ ⲉ̀ⲧⲁϥϣⲱⲡⲓ.

John Chrysostom [says]: So that they would not boast that they were worthy to board the boat with Christ, he allowed the waves to rise up against them, teaching us in this to endure the dangers of trials, so that after they were saved they would always remember what he did.

ⲁⲗⲗⲁ-ⲟⲛ, ⲁ̀ⲣⲉϣⲁⲛ-ⲟⲩⲁⲓ ⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉ̀ⲉⲣⲛⲟⲓⲛ ⲙ̀ⲡⲁⲓⲛⲟⲏ̀ⲙⲁ ⲙ̀ⲡⲛⲉⲩⲙⲁⲧⲓⲕⲱⲥ, ⲉϥⲛⲁⲓ̀ⲛⲓ ⲙ̀ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲉ̀ϩⲣⲏⲓ ⲉ̀ϫⲉⲛ-ⲡⲁⲓⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ, ⲡⲓϫⲟⲓ-ⲇⲉ ⲉ̀ϩⲣⲏⲓ ⲉ̀ϫⲉⲛ-ⲡⲓϩⲱⲓϣ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ-ⲛⲓⲁ̀ⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲁ̀ⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲟⲥ, ⲡⲓⲙⲟⲛⲙⲉⲛ-ⲇⲉ ⲉ̀ϩⲣⲏⲓ ⲉ̀ϫⲉⲛ-ⲡⲓⲧⲁⲕⲟ ⲉ̀ⲧⲁⲩϣⲱⲡⲓ ⲙ̀ⲡⲓⲥⲱⲛⲧ ⲧⲏⲣϥ ϩⲓⲧⲉⲛ-ϯⲙⲉⲧϣⲁⲙϣⲉ-ⲓ̀ⲇⲱⲗⲟⲛ, ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲛⲓϩⲱⲓⲙⲓ ⲉ̀ϩⲣⲏⲓ ⲉ̀ϫⲉⲛ-ⲛⲓⲡⲓⲣⲁⲥⲙⲟⲥ ⲉ̀ⲧⲁⲩⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⲉ̀ϫⲉⲛ-ⲛⲓⲁ̀ⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲟⲥ ϩⲓⲧⲉⲛ-ⲡⲟⲩϫⲓⲛϩⲓⲱⲓϣ ⲙ̀ⲡⲓⲉⲩⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲟⲛ.

But further, if one wishes to understand this concept spiritually, he will liken the sea to this world, and the boat to the preaching of the holy apostles, and the tempest to the destruction that was done to all creation through idolatry, and the waves to the trials that arose against the apostles through their preaching of the good news.

ⲛ̀ⲑⲟϥ-ⲇⲉ, ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ, ⲛⲁϥⲛ̀ⲕⲟⲧ-ⲡⲉ. ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲉ̀ⲧⲁϥⲧⲱⲛϥ, ⲁϥⲉⲣⲉ̀ⲡⲓⲧⲓⲙⲁⲛ ⲛ̀ⲛⲓⲑⲏⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲙ-ⲫⲓⲟⲙ: ⲁⲥϣⲱⲡⲓ ⲛ̀ϫⲉ-ⲟⲩⲛⲓϣϯ ⲛ̀ϫⲁⲙⲏ. ⲉ̀ⲧⲉ-ⲫⲁⲓ-ⲡⲉ ϫⲉ-ⲛⲁϥⲛ̀ⲕⲟⲧ-ⲙⲉⲛ ⲟⲓⲕⲟⲛⲟⲙⲓⲕⲱⲥ-ⲡⲉ ⲛ̀ϫⲉ-ⲡⲉⲛⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣ ϧⲉⲛ-ⲡⲓⲙ̀ϩⲁⲩ, ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲉ̀ⲧⲁϥⲧⲱⲛϥ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ ϧⲉⲛ-ⲛⲏ ⲉⲑⲙⲱⲟⲩⲧ, ⲁϥⲉⲣⲉ̀ⲡⲓⲧⲓⲙⲁⲛ ⲛ̀ⲛⲓⲑⲏⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲙ-ⲫⲓⲟⲙ, ⲉ̀ⲧⲉ-ⲡⲓⲁⲛⲧⲓⲕⲓⲙⲉⲛⲟⲥ-ⲛⲉ ⲛ̀ⲇⲩⲛⲁⲙⲓⲥ, ⲉ̀ⲧⲁϥⲑⲉⲃⲓⲱ̀ⲟⲩ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲁϥⲁⲓⲧⲟⲩ ⲛ̀ⲥⲣⲁϩ ϩⲓⲧⲉⲛ-ⲡⲉϥⲙⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲙ-ⲡⲉϥⲥⲧⲁⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ: ⲉ̀ⲁϥϯⲉⲣϣⲓϣⲓ ⲗⲟⲓⲡⲟⲛ ⲛ̀ⲛⲏ ⲉ̀ⲧⲉ-ⲛⲟⲩϥ ⲙ̀ⲙⲁⲑⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲉ̀ϩⲱⲙⲓ ⲉ̀ϫⲉⲛ-ⲛⲓϩⲟϥ ⲛⲉⲙ-ⲛⲓϭⲗⲏ ⲛⲉⲙ-ⲉ̀ϫⲉⲛ-ϯϫⲟⲙ ⲧⲏⲣⲥ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ-ⲡⲓⲁⲛⲧⲓⲕⲓⲙⲉⲛⲟⲥ.

But he, it said, was asleep. And when he arose, he rebuked the winds and the sea: a great calm arose. That is to say, indeed our Saviour was asleep by divine dispensation in the tomb, and when he rose from the dead, he rebuked the winds and the sea, which are the diabolical power, having humbled them and he made an example of them through his death and his saving cross: having given authority therefore to his own disciples to tread upon serpents and scorpions and upon all the power of the Adversary.

Selected notes

ⲁϥⲉⲣⲥⲩⲛⲭⲱⲣⲓⲛ ⲉ̀ⲑⲣⲟⲩⲛⲉϩⲥⲓ ⲉ̀ϩⲣⲏⲓ ⲉ̀ϫⲱⲟⲩ ⲛ̀ϫⲉ-ⲛⲓϩⲟⲓⲙⲓ. Here the use of the verb ⲛⲉϩⲥⲓ may intentionally recall the part of the story in which ⲁⲩⲛⲉϩⲥⲓ ⲙ̀ⲙⲟϥ “they (sc. Jesus’s disciples) woke him” (Matthew 8:25), which employs the same verb.

ⲛ̀ϫⲉ-ⲛⲓϩⲱⲓⲙⲓ. The edition corrects the manuscript spelling ⲛⲓϩⲟⲓⲙⲓ “the waves”.

ⲉ̀ϥⲁⲓ ϧⲁ-ⲛⲓⲕⲩⲛⲇⲓⲛⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ-ⲛⲓⲡⲓⲣⲁⲥⲙⲟⲥ. Literally, this is “to endure the dangers of the trials” but a generic reading, which is what is intended here, forces the idiomatic translation: “to endure the dangers of trials”.

ⲁⲗⲗⲁ-ⲟⲛ. This is an uncommon combination of discourse markers but the sense is clear enough: “but again,” “but also,” “but further,” etc.

ⲁ̀ⲣⲉϣⲁⲛ-ⲟⲩⲁⲓ ⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉ̀ⲉⲣⲛⲟⲓⲛ ⲙ̀ⲡⲁⲓⲛⲟⲏ̀ⲙⲁ ⲙ̀ⲡⲛⲉⲩⲙⲁⲧⲓⲕⲱⲥ, ⲉϥⲛⲁⲓ̀ⲛⲓ… This is a conditional sentence with a protosis (if-clause), headed by ⲁ̀ⲣⲉϣⲁⲛ- in this case, and an apodosis (then-clause), headed by ⲉϥⲛⲁ-. This apodosis has the forms of a durative future with circumstantial conversion, which, as far as I know, does not function in this role in Bohairic. On this basis, it may require emendation to ϥⲛⲁ-, the future durative, which often functions in this role. Alternatively, it might be interpreted as a durative future with focalising conversion, which has the form ⲁϥⲛⲁ-, and which would focalise the phrase ⲉ̀ϩⲣⲏⲓ ⲉ̀ϫⲉⲛ-ⲡⲁⲓⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ, which might be translated “… to the world, he will liken the sea,” and so on.

ⲡⲓⲙⲟⲛⲙⲉⲛ-ⲇⲉ. This edition has ⲡⲓⲙⲟⲙⲙⲉⲛ here but does not indicate it as a mistake, which suggests that it is likely an edition error. This should be corrected to ⲡⲓⲙⲟⲛⲙⲉⲛ “the tempest”.

ⲡⲓⲧⲁⲕⲟ ⲉ̀ⲧⲁⲩϣⲱⲡⲓ ⲙ̀ⲡⲓⲥⲱⲛⲧ ⲧⲏⲣϥ ϩⲓⲧⲉⲛ-ϯⲙⲉⲧϣⲁⲙϣⲉ-ⲓ̀ⲇⲱⲗⲟⲛ. The edition text reads ⲉ̀ⲧⲁϥϣⲱⲡⲓ, which is likely an error for ⲡⲓⲧⲁⲕⲟ ⲉ̀ⲧⲁⲩϣⲱⲡⲓ. This allows the appropriate passive reading “the destruction that was done” rather than “the destruction that he/it did” as the edition has it.

ϫⲉ-ⲛⲁϥⲛ̀ⲕⲟⲧ-ⲙⲉⲛ ⲟⲓⲕⲟⲛⲟⲙⲓⲕⲱⲥ-ⲡⲉ ⲛ̀ϫⲉ-ⲡⲉⲛⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣ ϧⲉⲛ-ⲡⲓⲙ̀ϩⲁⲩ. The term ⲟⲓⲕⲟⲛⲟⲙⲓⲕⲱⲥ is rare in Coptic. It is borrowed from the Greek adverb οἰκονομικῶς. It is used here as an adverb, modifying the verbal clause ⲛⲁϥⲛ̀ⲕⲟⲧ… -ⲡⲉ “he was asleep”. Its original sense is ‘prudent household management’ but in patristic literature it also has the sense ‘providentially, by divine dispensation,’ which is meant in this context (Lampe, 1961:943b). This is confirmed by the Arabic translation, which gives كان نايما بالتدبير في القبر “he was sleeping by design in the tomb” (Caubet Iturbe, 1969: 79).

ⲛ̀ⲇⲩⲛⲁⲙⲓⲥ. The edition has the spelling ⲇⲩⲛⲁⲙⲏⲥ “power, might, force”.

ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲁϥⲁⲓⲧⲟⲩ ⲛ̀ⲥⲣⲁϩ. This is literally “and he made them (an) example,” i.e. he made an example of them. Crum (1939: 358a) suggests another possible translation: “and he put them to shame”.

ⲙ̀ⲙⲁⲑⲏⲧⲏⲥ. The edition has the spelling ⲙⲁⲑⲓⲧⲏⲥ “disciple, follower”.

Featured image

The featured image is a detail from a 16th-century Greek icon that combines imagery from Calming the Storm and, on the right, the story of the man with unclean spirit in the country of the Gadarenes from Mark 5.

Focussing on the section on the storm: at the back of the boat Jesus is shown asleep and in the middle, having been awoken, it shows him commanding the winds and the sea. An interesting detail is the personification of the winds as a diabolical figure, quite in keeping with John Chrysostom’s elaboration on Calming the Storm: ⲛⲓⲑⲏⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲙⲫⲓⲟⲙ, ⲉ̀ⲧⲉⲡⲓⲁⲛⲧⲓⲕⲓⲙⲉⲛⲟⲥⲛⲉ ⲛ̀ⲇⲩⲛⲁⲙⲓⲥ “the winds and the sea, which are the diabolical power.”

References

• Caubet Iturbe, Francisco Javier. La cadena árabe del Evangelio de San Mateo, I: Texto. Vatican: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, 1969.
• Chrysostom, John. Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew. Translated by Sir George Prevost. Edited by Philip Schaff. Vol. 10 of A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, First Series. New York: Christian Literature Company, 1888.
• Crum, Walter E. A Coptic Dictionary. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1939.
• Hušek, Vít. “Scholia of Clement of Alexandria in the Coptic Catena on the Gospel.” Adamantius 24 (2018): 349–59.
• Lagarde, Paul de. Catenae in Evangelia Aegyptiacae quae supersunt. Göttingen, 1886.
• Lampe, G. W. H. A Patristic Greek Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1961.
• Schulz, Matthias. “An Overview of Research on Bohairic Catena Manuscripts on the Gospels with a Grouping of Arabic and Ethiopic (Gəʿəz) Sources and a Checklist of Manuscripts.” In Commentaries, Catenae, and Biblical Tradition, edited by H. A. G. Houghton, 295–330. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2016.

Footnotes

1. The homily was originally composed in Greek and is translated into English in Chrysostom (1888: 189-95). ↩︎
2. This manuscript is known as British Library Ms. Or. 8812 (formerly known as Ms. Parham 102). Additionally, British Library Add. 14740 f. 9 originally formed the first two pages of the manuscript. It is the oldest dated surviving complete Bohairic manuscript and was translated or copied in the Monastery of St. Macarius in Scetis. It contains a catena on the Gospels and is believed to have been translated from Greek between the sixth and ninth centuries. Paul de Lagarde published an edition of Ms. Or. 8812 in 1886. Unfortunately, other than for small sections, it has not yet been translated into a modern language. The catena also survives in Arabic translations, edited by Caubet Iturbe (1969). Additionally, there are Ethiopic versions of the basis of the Arabic translations. For more on this work, see Hušek (2018) and especially Schulz (2016). ↩︎
3. Since I do not have access to the manuscript or its images, I rely entirely on de Lagarde’s edition of the Coptic text (1886: 22). The most significant changes are in the layout of the text and its punctuation. ↩︎