Greek vs. Aramaic

[Paul Younan]

Shlama Akhi Yuri,

You have me totally perplexed. <!-- s:dontgetit: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/dontgetit.gif" alt=":dontgetit:" title="Dont Get It" /><!-- s:dontgetit: -->

I ask you for proof of anyone from the CoE quoting from the Old Scratch or Diatesseron - and you give me quotes from St. Ephraem (of Edessa!)

I ask you for proof of the CoE surpressing the Diatesseron - and you give me the names of Theodoret of Cyrus and Rabbula of Eddessa (!)

I ask you where "before God" is found in the Diatesseron - and you point me to the Magdelene gospel and some medieval English version, whatever those things are <!-- s:dontgetit: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/dontgetit.gif" alt=":dontgetit:" title="Dont Get It" /><!-- s:dontgetit: --> - instead of the two oldest surviving, and most trustworthy translations in Latin and Arabic.

I ask you to show me where in the CAL database that the original Aramaic of St. Ephraem contains the "before God" reading - and you point me to an English translation where only GOD knows how he ended up with that reading. I know for a fact that the reading is not present in the original Aramaic of Ephraem - because all of it is right there on CAL and I can read it like you can read this English.

I ask you how it is possible for Ephraem to be quoting Old Scratch in his commentary on the Diatesseron <!-- s:whatthat: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/whatsthat.gif" alt=":whatthat:" title="Whats That" /><!-- s:whatthat: --> - and I get no answer. <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/huh.gif" alt="" title="Huh" /><!-- s -->

I ask you how Mar Aphrahat the Persian could be quoting Old Scratch when the word order is completely different, and I get no answer. <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/huh.gif" alt="" title="Huh" /><!-- s --> And then you give me "scholarly" references to his quoting the Diatesseron. So which one is it, Yuri? Is Mar Aphrahat quoting the Diatesseron or is he quoting Old Scratch? I get no answer from you! You are being very slippery! <!-- sly: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/sly.gif" alt="ly:" title="Sly" /><!-- sly: -->

Akhi Yuri,

I've been following you and your posts on Yahoo for a long time. You are absolutely a brilliant man and like I said back on the old forum - I am a big fan of yours.

But this type of argument for this example is not in your league (or mine). You have to switch to something else and really demonstrate this Old Scratch theory - because that's the one thing I disagree with you most about, and I would love for you to be able to convince me that these two junk manuscripts belong in the same category as 350 beautifully-preserved manuscripts from the 5th-9th century which all agree with one another, and which have at least 1,600 years of documented custodialship in all the Aramaic-speaking churches.

You have a big task - but I know if anyone can convince me otherwise, it'll be you. <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s -->