Complete Works of Saint Ephrem the Syrian, Volume 1

...[the old man] said to him: "May God bless you." Then the woman said: "Is there anything you need, Father?" "Yes," he replied, "namely three bricks and a little lime, with which I would like you to block up that window."

The Synaxarium is a collection of hagiographies used in Eastern churches; Abib is a month in the Coptic calendar roughly corresponding to July.

TESTIMONIES OF SEVERAL ANCIENT WRITERS

Concerning these Commentaries.

A decorative woodcut initial "S" featuring a seated figure in a landscape, possibly a scholar or saint, reading or writing at a desk.
Saint Gregory of Nyssa original: "Sanctus Gregorius Nyssenus"; a prominent 4th-century Greek theologian. in his Eulogy for Saint Ephrem the Syrian: "With diligent study, like any other devoted student, he examined both the ancient and the new Scripture, and interpreted them accurately word for word. From the very creation of the world original: "procreatione Mundi"; referring to Genesis. until the final book of grace Refers to the New Testament or specifically the Book of Revelation., he explained through the light of the Spirit everything that was hidden, secret, and concealed."

Syriac Acts of Saint Ephrem in the first volume of the Clementine Vatican Library, page 35. When Ephrem was occupied with such cares, the aforementioned Elder once came to visit him and found him writing commentaries on the books of Moses (for he had written an exposition on Genesis and, having finished that, had begun to explain Exodus). When the Elder had read through these accurately, he was struck with great awe, looking upon the riches of divine grace and the exceptional treasures of heavenly wisdom poured out by the Lord upon the Blessed Ephrem.

Severus the Monk in his Collections A compilation of historical and theological excerpts., which he writes he completed in the Year of the Greeks 1170 (861 AD).

Memory of Saint Ephrem the Syrian... he wrote many Sermons and poems. In a certain copy, we find it noted that the total number of all the Sermons which he produced through the Holy Spirit is fourteen thousand.

The total number of verses in the exposition of the Old Testament original: "veteris Instrumenti" by Saint Ephrem is 5,600. However, those of Saint Jacob of Edessa A 7th-century scholar and bishop known for his revisions of the Syriac Bible. on the Pentateuch The first five books of the Bible. and Job, together with the remaining scholarly notes original: "scholiis" which are found scattered in this Code, amount to 2,860.

Moses Bar Kepha A 9th-century bishop and prolific writer of the Syriac Orthodox Church., a tenth-century author, in his treatise on Paradise, which Andreas Masius A 16th-century humanist scholar who was one of the first Westerners to study Syriac. edited, copies out Saint Ephrem’s commentaries in various places, page 1, chapter 14: "Those who hold this opinion praise Ephrem as the author, who left it written thus in his commentaries," etc.

Gregory Barhebraeus A 13th-century polymath and high-ranking official in the Syriac Orthodox Church., Bishop of Tagrit, very frequently produces Ephrem’s commentaries on the Pentateuch in his "Storehouse of Mysteries" or "Notes on Scripture." He flourished in the twelfth century. He also points out the same man’s commentaries on the Gospels, which Dionysius Bar Salibi, Bishop of Amida and contemporary of Gregory, also praises.

Ebedjesu Also known as Abdisho bar Berika, a 13th/14th-century bishop who compiled a famous catalog of Syriac literature., Bishop of Soba, in his Catalog of Syrian Writers, number 51: "Ephrem the Great, who is known as the Prophet of the Syrians, published commentaries on the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Joshua the son of Nun, Judges, Samuel, the book of Kings, David [the Psalms], Isaiah, the twelve minor Prophets, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Blessed Daniel, etc." This author was writing in the thirteenth century.

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THE SERIES AND ORDER OF THESE WORKS

Which are contained in this volume.

This table lists the contents of the current volume of Saint Ephrem's works, following the order of the books of the Old Testament. Note that "Kings I-IV" refers to the traditional naming convention for the books of Samuel and Kings.