VU Research Portal The Self-Enclosing God Hunt, R.M. 2015 document version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Link to publication in VU Research Portal citation for published version (APA) Hunt, R. M. (2015). The Self-Enclosing God: John Chrysostom and Ephrem Syrus on divine self-limitation as gift of love in Genesis 1-3. General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. E-mail address: [email protected] Download date: 30. Sep. 2021 VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT The Self-Enclosing God John Chrysostom and Ephrem Syrus on divine self-limitation as gift of love in Genesis 1–3 ACADEMISCH PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad Doctor aan de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, op gezag van de rector magnificus prof.dr. V. Subramaniam, in het openbaar te verdedigen ten overstaan van de promotiecommissie van de Faculteit der Godgeleerdheid op maandag 14 december 2015 om 9.45 uur in de aula van de universiteit, De Boelelaan 1105 door Rosa Maria Hunt geboren te Sliema, Malta G.C. 1 promotoren: prof.dr. W.Th. van Peursen prof.dr. I. Noble copromotor: dr. L. Kucova This dissertation research was completed in co-operation with the International Baptist Theological Study Centre, a collaborative partner of the Faculty of Theology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 2 Acknowledgements To all the members and friends of Bethel Baptist Church, Penyrheol, who supported me in the first years of ordained ministry while I was also writing this thesis – thank you for your love and grace. A special thanks to Sally and Mike Ball for their unflagging interest and multi-faceted support! To all the members and friends of Capel Salem, Tonteg, for their love and generous support over the last two and a half years – diolch o galon i chi i gyd. To Ivana, Wido, Lydie and all the staff at IBTS for their wisdom and guidance. To my mother – lil ommi. Mingħajrek qatt ma kont nista’ nagħmel li għamilt. Inħobbok. To our sons Joshua, Christopher, Timothy and Daniel. Dw i’n eich caru chi cymaint, a dw i mor falch ohonoch chi i gyd. Diolch am eich cefnogaeth yn ystod yr holl flynyddoedd. Inħobbkom ħafna u ħafna. To my husband Francis, ħafnu lil-ftita li jien, qalb ta’ qalbi, cariad. Grazzi ta’ kollox, a dw i’n edrych ymlaen at yr antur noi nesaf, tuag at y bedd a wedyn tu hunt ... And to the One in whom I live and move and have my being, for mercy and love and grace upon grace. We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. T.S. Eliot 3 . Contents Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... 2 Note on References to Primary Sources .................................................................................... 6 Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Introduction............................................................................................................................... 8 The Bible in Patristic Exegesis. .............................................................................................. 9 The Theological Landscape of the Fourth Century ............................................................. 15 Why Ephrem Syrus and John Chrysostom? ........................................................................ 20 Overview of Scholarly Literature ........................................................................................ 25 Overview of Scholarly Literature on Divine Self-limitation in Chrysostom ................. 26 Overview of Scholarly Literature on Divine Self-limitation in Ephrem ......................... 28 Methodology and Research Process .................................................................................... 30 Structure of the Argument .................................................................................................. 33 Part 1: EPHREM SYRUS ............................................................................................................ 36 Chapter 1: The Heritage of Ephrem Syrus ............................................................................... 36 Introduction......................................................................................................................... 37 1.1. Ephrem’s Social and Theological Heritage: the cultural, theological and political contexts of Nisibis and Edessa ............................................................................................. 37 1.1.1 The Church in Nisibis .............................................................................................. 38 1.1.2 The School in Nisibis ............................................................................................... 43 1.1.3 The Church in Edessa .............................................................................................. 45 1.1.4 The School in Edessa ............................................................................................... 48 1.1.5 The ‘Enemies’ in Edessa and the Teachings of Bardaisan ....................................... 49 1.2 Ephrem’s Literary Heritage: poetry and prose .............................................................. 53 1.2.1 Why Did Ephrem Write Poetry? .............................................................................. 54 1.2.2 Why Did Ephrem Write a Commentary? ................................................................ 60 1.3 Ephrem’s Philosophical Heritage: space and limit ........................................................ 63 1.3.1 Tracing Ephrem’s Ideas Back .................................................................................. 63 1.3.2 Space and Limit in Ephrem’s Writings .................................................................... 70 Summary .............................................................................................................................. 77 Chapter 2: The Rôle of ‘Limit’ in Ephrem’s Exegesis of Genesis 1–3 ....................................... 78 Introduction......................................................................................................................... 78 2.1 Fifteen Hymns and a Commentary ................................................................................ 79 4 2.1.1 The Hymns on Paradise ........................................................................................... 80 2.1.2 Ephrem’s Commentary on Genesis ......................................................................... 82 2.2 Divine Self-Giving as an Act of Divine Self-Limitation: the concept of limit in the Hymns on Paradise and the Commentary on Genesis ............................................................... 85 2.2.1 Limit as Boundary ................................................................................................... 85 2.2.2 Limit as Proportion ................................................................................................. 90 2.2.3 The Limits of Human Language .............................................................................. 97 2.2.4 Limitation as Gift: its purpose being to overcome human limitation .................. 101 2.3 Ephrem’s Own Reading of Genesis 1–3 ........................................................................ 102 2.3.1 Limitations of Human Language and the Necessity of the Reader’s Journey ...... 103 2.3.2 The Importance of Doctrine as a Limitation on the Reading of Scripture ........... 106 Summary ............................................................................................................................ 111 Summary of Part 1 ................................................................................................................. 114 Part 2: JOHN CHRYSOSTOM .................................................................................................. 116 Chapter 3: The Heritage of John Chrysostom....................................................................... 116 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 116 3.1 Chrysostom’s Social and Theological Heritage: the cultural, theological and political contexts of Antioch ........................................................................................................... 117 3.2 Chrysostom’s Literary Heritage – Sermons and Homilies .......................................... 126 3.3 Chrysostom’s Philosophical and Theological Heritage ............................................... 129 Summary ...........................................................................................................................