Letter 20: To Mar Iazdshapur, a reply to the duality of persons

Letter 20: To Mar Yazdshapur, a reply to the duality of persons — Ishoʿyahb III of Adiabene A reply to the letter concerning the duality of persons which you wrote to him, one in the name of one. To the excellent one, by the hand of the excellent one, is adorned the beloved of God, Mar Yazdshapur. Ishoʿyahb, in the Lord, salutes. To you then, O beloved of God: before I write what I have read that you wrote, praises for the zeal of your headship, that thus in the furnace of love you burn hotly. As before the destruction you groaned for the birth, again you are anointed. And behold, from a distance both are easy. But for the mother, not only in the change of order, but also in an orderly manner, in the canon and for the sake of the sick. It remains, then, to will in goodness as it is written. For it is not easy to accomplish it as also this is written. And that not from the multitude of toil in such things, he says when the matter concerning which the word is simple. When I was willing, O wise one, that the stone upon which the spiritual request is placed in the horn of the leper, as in a sling to the rock of righteousness and cast it, and it reaches the pain of the creature, that which the sense of hearing from a distance extends to the blind, or when not thus, but when to the herald of the speaker, in the pairs of the saw of the spirit it is established, and it is stirred to do the service of the side to him. Think that for this wise mockery, if it is not under the headship, it is not at all successful. For there is no need for the beginning in these airs of envy; think that you are faithful. And if not, it is not a contest against persons or even against all: the opposite of that which obscures the beauty of the first thought, you will be convinced by my hands. And help then with all good thoughts, those which bring to completion what you love. You can, then, in deed or in care for the sake of peace, in deed from all in the time of rest. But to you then, as in pain, such things.

To you, then, how you have vehemently extended the bonds of love, as in the apostolic pattern of the beloved disciple, even to the extremities of silence. Or how, not as in the particularity of suffering from a just cause, you were compelled, for the bond of praise, that from the nearness of common participation the assembly might be established. And instead of the persons, the language would be; instead of the others, the self; instead of the interior, the word; instead of you, the payment of the debt which is evident. And if, with all these, the completion of the assembly which stands, the grace of the gift to God. And if now, as also now, no longer a free man from the extremities: but I was considered to be a high-voiced permission. So that, therefore, when I bring forth in the spirit of the multitude of your extremities in your letter from my side, you should not strike: the humility of my worthiness would be lacking, or the smallness of the self of the fathers of the interior, or perhaps again the strong agreement of the one who was well distinguished and well heard, and well spoken, and well examined upon well. For this reason, in it, when at the end of the writing you will think freely from the language of a free man. What then, that you consider the servitude of the church of God a small thing? That small thing is also the action. But enough. It has been opened to you towards the spiritual books, and you will find its glory. What then, again? That which was spread in anger upon the road, and turned back in the footsteps to cast stones at the honored ones: what is this to you, the blow which befell the friend of God, our brother John? How that no longer beloved and praised, but a reviler and a mocker of his acquaintances he was considered. Or from harshness. For in one thing, you cast him with the arguments of Satan, and you showed the ministers of sin, and concerning the servant of God, because of the opposition of the serpent, you proclaimed an evil service. And for this, its rebuke sufficed as was said.

of the passion, that it might not be in its passion. How then, again, do I ask to know the cause of the cessation of the person? Behold, do you ask to find a birth that does not exist? Or do you call the cessation of the face a supplement? I, however, not only thus, but also others concerning this service, which was prepared to be offered, I did not yet consider it to be ceasing. Just as I see Joseph, who is called Bar Yashba, who was also called Justus among the apostles, even not among the twelve. And if not thus, how much more so when not even thus? What then, again, was it sufficient for the peace of the men alone, those who are not unjust, in the name of Christianity? It was sufficient, I say, for me and for me, if you had been convinced of what it was fitting to be convinced. And not even in others. But when two or three of those who are near to peace were near, even they were few in name, as if the foundation were not being moved, but among the few who are near to the multitude of others who are far. And not thus. They did not counsel the East, and it was not found to be foolish. Again, what then? I wish, when I know even the hidden murmurs that have occurred, to declare to you openly, that without difficulty in the matter, a finding like this is possible. But the Lord of the matter does not cease from the service of his church for a sinful body. Again, what then? That if a man or men from among those who believe in the East also to the West, from that which is understood, a certain one was being persecuted that they might be saved. Good, then, is the half of the division. But not all of it is good. For here, when I am sparing, I am rejecting the burden of the gospel, and I release to you by my hands: that there was no hatred nor evil encounter.

and not the counsel of the fear of God. Again, what? Behold, I ask whether the hidden things of the troubled natures are the outcome of the activities: by those which I said before are destined to happen. The whole wealth of opposition was loosed for it, and with that which determines without the outcomes of the agreements, the remainder of the obligation that is attached to the end of the discourse remains. I, however, as at the beginning, am upon the hope of the will. And as at the beginning, I am upon the hope of the one who receives. That which brings to a will such as this: it gives fruits to the hope of the divine worker, and if not, when it is fulfilled and against the living one who hung him, grace for his offering. And if, on the other hand, against the living one and finally, even so grace for his distribution. Again, what? Have you not striven to complete the foundation of your deposit? So that there might not be a place for straight tongues to pour out the measures of custom. And in what way, when it is urgent, does it seem to you that among free ones from measures such as these it will be saved? For just as for this one thus, so also for that one the tongue that cuts the sinews is prepared. And both instead of good things are silent: or have you not seen from the divine ones that it was saved from tongues such as these? Not the fathers, not the apostles, not the prophets, not the Lord, not his father, it is clear that not even one. Now then, accuse the sinners of the sign. That from those such as these. But these, what to you, or the cutting of the sinews is removed: against those in which you, as with the rod of love for the lover, were contending in your letter. What it was, and how it was, and why it was, if you have heard from those who were clearly exalted, set down that which is hidden is also like that which is revealed. Or if you again wish to know, my mouth with your mouth will speak when God wills. Only now, concerning this, I am zealous.

in how much he is able, though weak, to the actions from there, my brother, lover of God, Mar Yohannan, that not even the Catholicos should be a conclusion, but a beginning, but a beginning from there. So that not a foreign thought and opinion should arise in the mind of those who are set upon this: it is revealed to you and to the faithful, as you also wrote once. And strive especially that you also may do everything that is pleasing to the will of God. And he, God the merciful, he who at all times does for you more than you ask and think, he will perfect the labor of your diligence, when it is equal to the glory of his name. They are true in the Lord.