Page:Commentaries of Ishodad of Merv, volume 1.djvu/15



LL we know of Ishoʿdad is that he was a native of Merv, and became Bishop of Ḥadatha in Assyria, being much admired for his erudition, wisdom, and splendid personal appearance. We gather from Assemani and Bar-Hebraeus that after several untoward experiences in the election of their Patriarchs, who were speedily removed by death, all the Christians in 852 committed the choice to Abraham bin Noah, who nominated Ishoʿdad. But Bochtjesoʿ, the physician of the Caliph Mutawakkil, persuaded his master to appoint Theodosius, and the Christians rejoiced in the interest which the prince condescended to shew in their affairs. Abraham tried in vain to move him in Ishoʿdad's favour. It was not long before certain Arians gained the ear of the prince, and prejudiced him against both Bochtjesoʿ and the new Patriarch, saying that they were conspiring with the Greeks. The latter was summoned to Baghdad, where he was kept in chains for three years, and excommunicated Bochtjesoʿ. A severe persecution of the Christians followed. We may hope that Ishoʿdad had reason to consider himself more fortunate than his rival. He wrote Commentaries on most of the books of both Testaments. Assemani expressly mentions the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel, David (the Psalms), Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticles, and Job, all of which books were supposed by the Syrians to have been translated into their language in the time of Solomon, at the request of his friend Hiram king of Tyre.

It is now nearly seven years since Dr Rendel Harris suggested that I might edit Ishoʿdad's Commentary on the Gospels; and the printing has gone on for six years and a half. I have had three manuscripts to work from; one in the Cambridge University Library, which I have named Codex C a still better one, kindly lent me by the Rev. Professor D. Margoliouth of Oxford, which I have called Codex M; and a transcript of a MS. now at Ooroomiah, lent me by Dr Rendel Harris. This third one I adopted as the text, for the great convenience of printing, though the fact has come to light during the process of collation, that Codex M is the