The Ancient Witnesses

Chapter 1: A Journey to Nicaea • 49

students, who would echo them to learn the lesson. Then, in a voice as clear as a trumpet, Ephrem sang out,

In the midst of the Church is a fountain Those who thirst for eternal life come and drink Thirsty ears drink up and learn and, in return, they dispense They drink their fill of the Scriptures and become fountains of praise! 11

The beautiful lyrics pictured the Church’s teaching as a life-giving fountain whose waters spawned worshiping streams. Often, particularly when he had something profound to say, Ephrem would break out in song. From what he told me of his childhood, he must have been a musical prodigy. For example, he astonished his parents by singing in reaction to childhood experiences like a skinned knee, or being wronged by his brother, or seeing a man brutally punished for stealing sheep. While other children would laugh or cry, spontaneous songs would spring from Ephrem’s lips, telling of the smell of warm bread baked by his mother, or the sight of the full moon on a cold night, or the terrible sound of Roman soldiers terrorizing his village. Ephrem’s community recognized his gift as from God. Bishop Jacob of Nisibis baptized Ephrem and took him along when he attended the famous Council of Nicaea. After that experience, Ephrem began to sing about the Garden of Eden, the fall of Adam and Eve, the majesty of God, and eventually even composed songs about 11 Maier, Carmen E. 2012. Poetry as exegesis: Ephrem the Syrian’s method of scriptural interpretation especially as seen in his Hymns on paradise and Hymns on unleavened bread . Ph.D Dissertation, Princeton Theological Seminary.