Fragments of the Commentary of Ephrem the Syrian on the Diatessaron

For Bar-Ṣalibi we must also turn to the manuscripts: for I do not know that any portion of the commentary on the Gospels is in print, over and above the extracts given by Assemani. A large part of the text was however given in English and Latin translations by Dudley Loftus in the two valuable little books which he published at Dublin in 1672 and 1695¹; and his manuscript translations of the remainder into Latin are preserved in the Bodleian Library².

For Moses Bar-Kepha I have consulted a fragmentary manuscript containing his commentary on Matthew in the British Museum (Cod. Add. 17,274). Wright's description of the manuscript I relegate to a note³. The importance of Moses Bar-Kepha in this connection lies in the fact that he knows the Ephrem commentary, which he sometimes expressly refers to, and that he imitates it; and further his commentary is one of the principal sources of Bar-Ṣalibi, who expressly names him in his preface as one of the authors whom he has laid under contribution. Anything, therefore, in which the two writers agree, must be read as from the pen of Moses Bar-Kepha, and not from Bar-Ṣalibi. Probably it will be found that Moses, in his turn, derives many of his comments from earlier sources.

¹ The Exposition of Dionysius Syrus, written above 900 years since, on the Evangelist St Mark, translated by D. L. (Dublin, 1672); A clear and learned Explication of the History of our Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ,...by Dionysius Syrus;... faithfully translated by Dudley Loftus, Dublin, 1695.
² Fell MSS. Fell Manuscripts, Nos. 6 and 7.
³ Wright, Cat. Syr. MSS. Catalogue of Syriac Manuscripts, ii. 620. A volume measuring about 14⅝ in. by 8¾, made up of portions of several paper manuscripts. It consists of 260 leaves, a great many of which are more or less torn. The quires are signed with letters. Each page is divided into two columns. Though written by several hands, the character throughout is a good regular cursive of the 11th or 12th cent. The contents are as follows:
(1) Portions of a Commentary upon the Book of Genesis by Moses bar Kīphā...
(2) Portions of a Commentary on the Gospels, with a long introduction, by Moses bar Kīphā:
(a) Introduction. Fol. 26 a.
(b) Commentary on St Matthew. Fol. 50 a (should be 48 a).
(c) A single fragment of the Commentary on St Luke. Fol. 152 a.
(3) Portions of a Commentary on the Gospel of St Matthew, by some other author. Fol. 121 a.
(4) Portions of a Commentary on the Pauline Epistles by Moses bar Kīphā:
(a) On the Epistle to the Romans. Fol. 153 a.
(b) On the First Epistle to the Corinthians. Title, fol. 190 b.
(c) On the Second Epistle to the Corinthians. Fol. 239 a.
(d) A single fragment of the Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians.