the repose of john alcock 2013

8/9/2019 The Repose of John Alcock 2013

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The Repose of St John the Evangelist and Apostle

Anthony Alcock

I have copied this text from the edition of E.A. Wallis Bdge Coptic Apocrypha in the

Dialect of Upper Egypt !ondon" #$#%" &here it can 'e fond on pp. (# )(*. It is part of B+

+s ,r.-*/. It consists largely of John0s address to his 'rothers and prayers spoken 'y

John" the action 'eing confined to the 'reaking of 'read" the digging of a pit and John0s

lying do&n in it. The final paragraph makes it clear that John" apart from 0a sandal and

some fresh earth0" disappears from the pit" giving the &riter of the text the opportnity to

1ote John #2. 3nlike Enoch 45en. (" 67 and Eli8ah 4 9g. " ##7" John seems to have

'ecome a 0missing person0.

I have not sed Bdge0s translation" 't made my o&n instead. The English version that

follo&s each printed page of the :optic text is a translation of &hat is on that page. I have

added almost all the 5reek &ords in 'rackets and some of the :optic &ords" and these I

hope &ill 'e of se to those familiar &ith 5reek and those &ishing to improve their

kno&ledge of :optic.

!ike Syriac" another vernaclar langage of the region that srvived the onslaght of

5reek" :optic ses 'et&een (; and #e" &hereas other

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kno&n as the :optic 3ncial" &hich may have developed in Egypt a'ot the nd cent. A?.%

:optic letters sed here are2 ¥sh" ff" x =h j8" qky and +ti and I hope they &ill 'e of

se to those &ho &old like to kno& &hat the &ords might have sonded like.

3 # Ca&allo Gr£mmata Άlexandrna Jahrbuch der österreichischen Byzantinistik $%, 14562 $3+6%#

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The repose (¢n£pausij) of Saint (¤gioj 7 John the Evangelist 4eÙaggelst!j7 and

Apostle 4¢p"stoloj7 of :hrist. In a peace 4e#r»n!7 of 5od 4pnoute7 . Amen.

Blessed 4ma$£rioj7 John &as in Ephess &ith the 'rothers 4nesnhu7 " re8oicing

4eftelhl7 in the !ord 4 joeis7. ,n the !ord0s day 4$uri£$!7 all the 'rothers &ere gatheredtogether.4fol. 2a col. 27 John 'egan 4%rces&ai7 to speak &ith them" saying2 0+y 'rothers"

and fello& heirs 4$l!r"nomoj7 and partakers 4summ'tocoj7 of :hrist ,r !ord.

9no& 4eime7 that the !ord has given (+) yo strength from him. Co& many great

thing and miracles and acts of grace 4c£risma7 he has done for yo. And yo kno& &hat

the teachings and gidelines" the ease and the service 4dia$ona7" the grace and the gifts

4dre£7" and all the other things that yo see &ith 4fol. 2b col. 17 yor eyes 4bal7" given

to 'y or master 4sax 7. Ce did not appear to yo in the eyes 4bal7 of the 'ody 4sma7. Dordid yo hear him &ith the ears (maaje7 of the 'ody 4sma7" 't he reveals himself to yo in

the prightness of yor heart 4xht7 in a vision 4*rama7 in holy things. Strengthen

yorselves 4tajrethutN7 therefore in him" remem'ering

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him at all times 4ouoei¥ nim7 and remem'ering also the mystery 4must»rion7 and

fello&ship 4$oinna7 that has happened 4fol.2b col. 27 to yo. The !ord has completed

them all.

Do& therefore" 'rothers" he 'egs yo from his o&n part and calls pon

4para$alen7 yo" &anting yo not grieve 4lupen7 him or scorn him or conspire against4+pi,oule-ein7 against him. =or he kno&s the scorn 4sw¥7 that comes from yo.

Ce also kno&s the disgrace 4tqaeio7 and the conspiring 4+pi,oul»7 and the

pnishment 4$"lasij7 &ith &hich yo pnish 4$ol£.ein7 him. When 4*tan7 yo 4fol.3a

col. 17 o'ey his holy commands 4+ntol»7" he &ill have mercy 4na7 on yo. ?o not let the

good 4¢ga&"j7 5od grieve 4lupen7 'ecase of yo" the mercifl" the compassionate" the

stainless 4attwlM7" the n'lemished" the nattaina'le" the ni1e" the immta'le" the

gileless" the angerless 4atqwnt7. The name 4ran7 &hich is over every name" it is kno&n.!et him re8oice 4eÙ/ranein7 &ith yo" as yo condct yor lives 4polite-es&ai7 &ell for

him. !et him re8oice &ith yo" as yo live in 8oy and prity. 4fol. 3a col. 27 !et him repose

in yor hearts" as yo 'ehave 4¢nastr0/es&ai7 &ith seemliness 4mNt)semn"j7. !et him 'e

&ithot care" as yo live in self)restraint 4+g$ratea7. !et him 'e 8oyfl" as yo commne

4$oinnen7 &ith the good and the promises. !et him live delicately 4tru/1n7" as yo love

him. !et him smile" as yo are gentle.

These things" my 'rothers" I say to yo 'ecase I hasten to&ards the matter &hich is 'efore me" &hose flfilment &ill 'e mine 4fol. 3b col. 1) throgh the !ord. =or &hat else

&ill I say to yo" as yo have the pledge 4+n0curon7 of yor 5od" yo have the garantee

of the kingdom" yo have his implaca'le 4at)paraites&ai7 presence 4parousa76. If

4e¥wpe7 henceforth yo do not sin" the things &hich yo have done in ignorance" he &ill

forgive yo them. Bt if

% -he 7e"ond Coming

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after kno&ing him yo contine 4fol. 3b col. 27 in these same things" they &ill 'e

acconted to yo and yo &ill 'e handed 4paradid"nai7 to the fire 4kwx7.0

And &hen had said this" he prayed as follo&s2 0Jess is the one &ho plaited the

cro&n 4klom7 &ith yor o&n plaiting. The( one &ho created the cro&n of all the saints and

these many plants &hich transformed into people" yors is the flo&er 4xrhre7 &hich doesnot &ither at all. The one &ho so&ed in yo his &ords" &ho alone cares for 4fol. 4a col. 17

his servants. The physician of or 'ody 4sma7 cres them all in vain. ,r sole 'enefactor.

The one &ithot arrogance 4mNtjasixht7. The mercifl &ho loves everyone. Sole savior

4st»r7 and 8st 4d$aioj7 one &ho is every&here and has 'een forever" 5od :hrist Jess.

o are the one &ho protects 4s$ep£.ein7 everyone &ho hopes 4+lp.ein7 in yo &ith yor

gifts 4dre£7 4fol. 4a col. 27 and charity" kno&ing every trick 4t0cn!7 and a'se 4+

p!rea7 of the enemy &ho opposes s at all times.0 And after St John the Evangelist had said this" he took 'read 4oeik7 and gave thanks

4¥!xmot7 ths" saying2 0What is the 'lessing" &hat is the coming forth of the &ord or &hat

is the thanks 4eÙcaristea7 that &e shall name over this 'read as &e 'reak it if not yo

yorself" !ord :hrist F 4fol. 4b col. 17 We give glory 4eoou7 to yor coming forth from the

gate. We give glory to yor resrrection 4¢n£stasij7 from the dead" this a'ot &hich yo

instrcted s. We give glory to yo the &ay" &e give glory to yo the

6 -his is a set of in&o"ation *eginning with ), whi"h I ha&e not translated#

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seed 4qrooq7" the Word 4l"goj7" the salt" the tre stone"- the sacred treasre 4axo

etouaab7" the plogh" the net" the greatness 4mNtnoq7" the one &ho is called 0son of man

for or sake that he may save the 4fol. 4b col. 27 hman race 4g0noj70. We give glory to

yo" the trth 4me7" repose 4Mton7" glory" po&er" command 4+ntol»7" freedom of speech

4parr!sa7"/ freedom" or place of refge 4maNpwt7. =or yo are the !ord" the fondation

4sNte7 of immortality and the spring 4p!g»7 of indestrcti'ility and the strength of the

aeons 4¢23n7 yor name having 'een prononced over all these things so that &e too may

call pon 4+pi$alen7 yo throgh them.

=or &e kno& yor invisi'le greatness" 4fol. 5a col. 17 this &hich &e cannot no&

see. If yo prify s s" then &e &ill see in the 'ody 4sma7 itself" this &hich yo have

re8venated in old age.0 When he 'roke the 'read" he prayed over each of the 'rothers that

they might 'e &orthy of the grace 4c£rij7 of 5od. Similarly 44moij7" he too" the holy John" &hen had tasted the 'read" John spoke2 0+ay there 'e a share 4m5rij7 for me too of

yor peace 4e#r»n!7" 4fol. 5a col. 27 my 'eloved.0 Then he said to yrrhs*2 0Take &ith yo

t&o 'rothers that have 'askets and handles and follo& me.0

yrrhs did not ignore this at all" 't 4¢ll£7 performed &hat he &as ordered to 'y

John the Theologos" the servant of 5od. When the 'lessed 4ma$£rioj7 John came forth

from his hose" he &ent otside the city gate 4p"lij" pul»7 and said that most 4fol. 5b

col. 17 of those follo&ing him shold go and they left him. When he reached the 'rialplace 4ma Mxaau7 'elonging to one of the 'rothers" he said to the yong men2 0?ig 4¥ike7 in

this place" my sons. 0 They dg do&n.

/ -r!e here means pre"io!s2 phrase also o""!rs in the apo"rphal Sapientia Salomonis 5,45 8 fairl "ommon term in Copti" texts that seems largel to mean the a*ilit to speak ones mind freel# For a

thoro!gh treatment of the word in the "lassi"al and Christian world "f# i!seppe 7"arpat Parrhesia greca-

parrhesia christiana (14/%, re $001 Co!ld this the same person mentioned in 8"ts $0,% 9

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Bt he John the Theologos kept$ ordering them2 0?ig do&n deep 4$alj7.0 And he kept

saying2 0?ig deeper.0 As they &ere digging" he kept saying this 4fol. 5b col. 27 and rging

4protr0pein7 them" edifying them" preparing them" persading 4pe&ein7 them to&ards thekingdom of heaven.

Ce kept praying over each of them. When the yong men stopped digging the place

4t"poj7 in &hich they &ere digging" having done their 8o' &ell 4$alj7" as he &anted" &e

kne& nothing. Then he ndressed himself and thre& his clothes 4xoite7 do&n into the

4fol. 6a col. 17 place that had 'een dg like a place spread ot. Ce stood &ith only a

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his kno&ledge to shine in every place. The son of 5od" the Savior" the !ord" the

commander 4t£xij7 of all that is in the air" the gardian 4prefxarex 7 of all that is on

earth" 4fol. 6b col. 277the grace 4c£rij7 and 8oy of all that 'elongs to him. Receive to

yorself the sol 4yuc»7 of John" &ho is yors" the sol 4yuc»7 that yo allo&ed to kno& yo. =or yo are the one &ho has protected me so far" I not having defiled myself at all

4*lj) &ith a &oman.

When I &anted to marry in my yoth" yo appeared to me and said2 0John" I need

4crea7 yo.0 o have preserved my 'ody 4o#$onomen sma7 from 'odily illness 4fol. 7a

col. 17. It is yo &ho stopped me many times &hen I &anted to marry. !ater yo spoke

&ith me at the third hor on the sea 4&£lassa7 2 0John" if yo &ere not mine" I &old

leave yo and yo &old marry and 'ecome 'lind in yor t&o eyes and yo &old contineto morn" 'egging me.0 The one &ho opened my heart in the third year" yo granted

4car.ein7 me other eyes that are not visi'le. The one &ho made 4fol. 7a col. 27looking at

or ogling &omen an a'omination to me. The one &ho resced me from transient illsion

4/antasa7 and kept me for eternal life. The one &ho made me stranger to the &icked

madness 4mana7 that is in the flesh and cased me to distant from 'itter death. Ce &ho

resced me from the second death" the 5ehenna of fire" having made me pre. The one

&ho sealed off the secret sickness of my sol 4yuc:7"4fol. 7b col. 17 yo stopped the secretpractices 4pr£xij7 or visi'le deed that &as 'eing done in the 'ody 4sma7 . The one &ho

resced me and cast me from that &hich &as destroying me. The one &ho prepared my &ay

to him in holiness. The one &ho left my thoghts a'ot him ndefiled. The one &ho

granted 4car.ein7 me

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his ndivided faith 4pstij7. The one &ho cased my thoghts and consels to 'e a'ndant

4fol.7b col. 27 to him. The one &ho gives to each according to his deeds. The one &ho has

pt it into my sol 4yuc»7 not to let anyone into me except yorself" !ord. =or &hat &ill I

find precios prer than yo. Bt no& I have fond yo and flfilled the dispensation

4o#$onoma7 that yo have entrsted to me. +ake me therefore 4o;n7 &orthy that yo may give me rest in yor holy repose 4¢n£pausij7 and grant me the perfection that is in yo"

&hich is 4fol. 8a col.17 sinlessness and the salvation that is indescri'a'le" nexamina'le

and intangi'le &hen I come to yo" !ord Jess :hrist. +ay the fire a'ate and darkness

recede 4¢nacren7 and the chaos diminish and the 'rning oven 'ecome po&erless and

5ehenna 'e extingished and all the angels follo& me and the demons 'e afraid.

And may the archons 4%rcn7 'e destroyed and the po&ers 4d-namij7 of darkness

recede 4fol. 8a col. 27 and fall and the places 4t"poj7 remain pright. +ay the devil4di£,oloj7 'e shamed and 'e laghed at. +ay his anger 'e 1enched and his madness

s'side. +ay his honor 'e shamed and his anger 4Ñrg»7 'roght to nothing. +ay his

children 'e 'roght do&n and their roots exterminated.

5ive me the po&er 4+xousa7 to go and complete my &ay &ithot tro'le or

distr'ance" coming to yo" !ord" that I may receive the re&ards 4¢ga&"j7 of those &ho

have lived in prity.0 4fol 8b col. 17

When he had said these things" John the Theologos" looking at the places in &hichhe &ill give glory to 5od" he spread his arms and prayed" saying2 +y !ord 5od" yo are

&ith me.0 Ce then leaped do&n into the pit that had 'een dg" the place &here his clothes

had 'een laid ot.

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When he said to them" 0eace 4e#r»n!7 and grace 4c£rij70" he left the 'rothers and they

&ent. 4fol. 8b col. 2 7 They came on the follo&ing day. Cim they did not find" 't only his

sandal 4sand£lion7 and fresh earth in the place he had gone to. They then 4lopon7

recalled &hat the !ord had said to eter2 If I &ish him to stay ntil I come" &ho are yo F

=ollo& me.0#

And they gave glory to the !ord Jess :hrist for the miracle that hadhappened t the 'lessed Apostle and Evangelist and Theologos 4fol. 9a col. 17 and holy

virgin 4p£r&enoj7" Saint John" the 'eloved one of :hrist Jess and or 5od and Savior

4st»r7 " this one of e1al glory &ith the =ather and the Coly Spirit 4pneàma7" the one &ho

gives life to everything and is cons'stantial 4

the repose of john alcock 2013

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