The Ancient Witnesses

180 • The Ancient Witnesses: A Journey to Discover Our Sacred Roots

He did it so that this flesh might experience victory, And that we humans might know and understand the gifts of God. 14 Drawn by Ephrem’s hymn, the others gathered round the table. I shared with them what Augustine had taught us about the genealogies of Matthew and Luke, that they portrayed Jesus as king and priest. Ephrem’s hymn, we agreed, portrayed Christ as a warrior and champion. “No one has claimed this book yet,” I said, holding up the Opus Imperfectum . “That is not a catholic commentary,” said Augustine. 15 “What kind of commentary is it?” I asked, but he turned away from the table. “ Opus Imperfectum —the Incomplete Commentary —is an ancient commentary on eighteen of the twenty-eight chapters of Matthew’s Gospel,” said Father Greg. “What happened to the other ten chapters?” I asked. “No one knows for sure,” he said, “but probably they were destroyed.” Father Greg explained that some passages in the commentary taught heretical ideas. “Is that why no one has claimed the book?” I asked. “No one knows the author’s identity,” said Mentor. “Why did you checked it out?” I asked.

14 Paraphrase based on Carmel McCarthy, Saint Ephrem’s Commentary on Tatian’s Diatessaron (Oxford University Press, 1993), 39-40.

15 By catholic, Augustine meant universal or true Church.