Roger Pearse

John has gone into the monastery of Mar Saba near Jerusalem, where one of the old men has accepted him as a disciple.

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26.  He is sent to Damascus to sell baskets.

After this, as the elder was training the athlete in the greater contests of obedience, what did he devise?  He gathered together many baskets, which they had woven with their own hands, and presented them to John with the following pretext: “My son, I have heard that baskets are sold in Damascus for much more than in Palestine, and, as you know, we are in need of many things. So take them all, go there as quickly as you can, and do not sell them for less, even by a little, than the exact amount that I tell you.” Then he set the price at more than double their worth.  But he [John] did not object, nor did he question the command of the one who gave him orders, being obedient even to death.  As if with wings of obedience, he took the load on his shoulders, and set off to Damascus, he who was once held in high regard there, now in rags, parched and filthy.  And he wandered around the marketplace, trying to make a sale of the baskets.  But since he was asking for too high a price, he provoked laughter, and became to all the object of reproach and insults.  Then one of those who had served him when he was a well-known man in the city, standing close to him and studying his appearance, realised who this wretched and ragged man was, and what he had become. His heart was crushed, and though he knew him, he approached as if he did not, and bought the baskets, giving him the exact price that had been demanded.  Having received this, he retraced his path to the one who had sent him, and returned like a victor who had boldly struck down his opponent to the ground, the father of empty glory and pride.

27.  He is asked to compose a funeral hymn.

Now, among the neighbours of John’s superior, there was a certain monk who left his dwelling on earth and departed to the heavenly abode, and journeyed to God.  He [this monk] had a brother according to the flesh, who, overcome by the calamity, was utterly unable to bear the death of his brother.  So John tried to comfort the grieving brother and, as best he could, tried to alleviate his grief with words.  But the mourning man implored him and earnestly begged him to compose a hymn that would offer consolation to his grief and soothe his soul.  Yet John feared the commandment of the old man, and did not consent to the request.  On the other hand the man did not cease his entreaties. “For why,” he said, “do you not have mercy on the soul of one who is suffering, and apply just a little painless medicine to it? If you were a physician of the body, and bodily pain was afflicting me, would you not provide me to the best of your ability with the medicine?  And if I were suffering terribly, perhaps even to the point of death, would you not be accountable before God for this neglect?  And now, ignoring me suffering in even greater affliction, will you not be liable for even greater judgement?^[1]  But if you are afraid of the command of the elder, know that I will keep this matter absolutely secret, and no-one shall hear of it.”  With these words John was persuaded and composed for him a melodious funeral hymn^[2], which even today is sung by everyone: ‘All human things are pointless.’

28.  John is cast out by his master.

One day, when John’s superior^[3] was away from the cell, John was inside the cell and singing the aforementioned hymn softly, when the elder returned and heard that musical sound; and in great anger he said to John, “Have you forgotten your initial vows?  Instead of mourning and being downcast, you sit at ease, indulging yourself with melodies!”  But he [John] explained the reason to the old man, and spoke of the grief of the one who had made him do it, and fell prostrate and begged forgiveness.  But the old man stood firm, like a stone or an anvil, not yielding at all to the one who was begging, and immediately cast him out of the cell.

29.

That remarkable man immediately called to mind the ancestral disobedience [of our first parents]^[4] and the expulsion from Paradise because of it.  He did not know what to do or where to turn, and he grieved even more than the one who had lost his brother, and he said as follows to himself, “That man indeed lost his brother, but I have destroyed my own soul through disobedience.”  Finally he approached other elders whom he knew to be of outstanding virtue, and put them forward as mediators, to speak to the old man and intercede, so that he might be persuaded and forgive John for his offence.  So those men went and interceded, but he did not yield, unmoved like a statue, nor did he permit the disciple to enter the cell.

*    *    *    *

Serious stuff, given that John was now penniless.

1. ^[1]This sentence does not seem to be translated by Lequien.↩
2. ^[2]“τροπάριον.”↩
3. ^[3]“καθηγούμενος.”↩
4. ^[4]Addition in the Latin of Lequien, but not in the Greek.↩

The story so far.  John has decided to abandon his high-powered job in Damascus after the caliph chopped off his hand on (fake) treason charges. Even though the Theotokos has healed him, and the caliph has decided that he must be innocent after all, he’s hitting the road for the monastery of Mar Saba.  Very wisely, no doubt.

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22.  He distributes his wealth and possessions.

Two of the Lord’s commands were set before him; one that ordained selling one’s possessions and distributing them to the poor, and the other that prescribed leaving behind houses, fields, and everything else for the sake of the Lord’s name. He did not hesitate to do the first, in order to avoid procrastination. The second he carried out, but not in such a way that, by abandoning his possessions^[1], quarrels might arise and many disputes among those related to him by blood, with different people asserting different rights to inherit.  Instead, he took a middle course between the two, distributing his possessions to the poor, to captives, and to his own slaves, whom he also deemed worthy of freedom, while dedicating some to his relatives and to the holy temples.  As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so he left this world naked, retaining only the necessary garments.  Departing for Jerusalem, he performed the appropriate acts of worship in those sacred places, and, thirsting for God like a deer, he went into the desert.   He arrived at the Laura of the God-bearing Saba, accompanied not only in his journey but also in his purpose by Cosmas, who had shared in his spiritual ascent and education.  You might say that they were a sacred pair, running together under the yoke of Christ, to carry it upon their shoulders.

23.  John is received by the shepherd of the monastery.^[2]

So John, the subject of this narrative, entered the divine sheepfold, and fell at the feet of the shepherd, earnestly begging to take the vow as one of the sheep there, calling himself lost, and just now returning from the desolate mountains to Christ the Shepherd.  The leader of the flock rejoiced over him and declared his choice blessed.  And since he was distinguished by the importance of his life and his exceptional knowledge, he decided that it was worthwhile to entrust the novice to one of the principal elders, so that, under such a guide, he might walk safely in the path of God [without danger of error]^[3].  Therefore he first summoned the one whom he considered the most distinguished among the monks of the monastery in all virtues, and attempted to entrust John to him.  But he refused, claiming that he was not equal to the pastoral care of such a man, who had acquired a great reputation for his wisdom.  The chief shepherd dismissed this elder, and summoned another.  But the second one said the same things as the first.  Then a third was brought in after them, and after him, not a few others.  And with one voice, they all began to decline responsibility for [instructing] John.

24.  He is handed over to an old man to be instructed.

After many others, another old man was introduced, simple in manner but great in knowledge. Willingly he received the eager John, and went with him to his own cell.  There, he first laid down an excellent foundation: that he should do nothing according to his own will, but to offer to God [as a sacrifice]^[4] the sweat of the prayers produced through their intensity and effort, to shed tears from his eyes, striving for purification from his former life: for they are considered by Christ as a pure sacrifice, more pleasing than any other incense.  This was the first instruction regarding those things performed through the body.  But regarding those things which concern the soul, [he instructed him]^[5] not to imagine^[6] any worldly images, nor to form within his soul the images of things that are unsuitable; to keep his mind free from all empty pride; and not to be puffed up by the abundance of his learning, nor to think that he has fully comprehended everything that he has studied.  He should not desire visions or secret revelations,  nor should he allow his mind to become proud; nor should he ever place his trust in himself or believe that he possesses infallible knowledge until the separation of his soul from his body^[7]; but rather he should recognize that his own thoughts are weak and premature, and that his own insights are uncertain; and he urged him to strive to avoid his thoughts from being scattered, but to concentrate most carefully, so that in this way his mind would be enlightened by God, his soul cleaned, and his body purified; and finally the body together with the soul may be united to the mind and the threefold [being] may become a single [being], through union with the most single Trinity; and man may become no longer carnal nor animal^[8] but wholly spiritual [in nature], when the two former states have been transformed by a conscious choice into the third and highest, namely the mind.

Thus, the father set down these instructions to the son, and the teacher to the disciple. But he also added this, saying, “Do not write a letter to anyone.  Do not say anything at all of external matters. Practice silence with understanding. For you know that this is not only a commandment of our own philosophers, but also that this Pythagoras of Samos imposed many years of silence upon his disciples who were newly initiated into the mysteries of philosophy.  And do not think that it is good to speak good things, at an inappropriate time, but in this matter let David be your guide, who says, ‘I kept silent about good things.’^[9] And what happened to him because of this? Listen to him speak. ‘My heart grew hot within me’^[10]—surely with the fire of divine love; indeed, it was through constant meditation that this fire was kindled within the prophet.”

25. 

The old man gave these instructions to John, and it was not like writing on water, or sowing on rocky ground, but upon good soil.  Then some time passed, as John was being trained by the old man through every trial, and was demonstrating unwavering obedience in all things.  And there was no argument from John regarding what was commanded of him.  There was no murmuring on his tongue, nor any debate in his heart, inquiring within himself into what his master prescribed for him.  But this alone he had inscribed within his mind, as if deep-cut on tablets: to do, as Paul exhorts, whatever was commanded without murmuring or questioning.  For what benefit is there in doing any kind of good, if murmuring sits on one’s lips, or evil arguments in his heart like a serpent?  When will the soul be improved, for someone serving like this?  When will he make progress?  Indeed this is perhaps the reason that many toil in pursuit of virtue, but the toil in vain, not making progress towards what they aim at.

*    *    *    *

The monks are clearly hesitant about teaching this big shot the way of suffering and abstinence.  As you would, when the guy has the ear of the caliph and a great reputation for learning.  This could end pretty badly.  Fortunately John is sincere.  And definitely not going back.

1. ^[1]Lit. “leaving these things to chance.”↩
2. ^[2]”ποιμήν” = pastor, teacher, shepherd.↩
3. ^[3]Present in the Latin translation, but not in the Greek.↩
4. ^[4]This only in the Latin, as an explanation.↩
5. ^[5]Not in the Greek, but implicit, and present in the Latin.↩
6. ^[6]Lit. “paint, depict.”↩
7. ^[7]Lit. “until he is divided.”↩
8. ^[8]ψυχικός.↩
9. ^[9]Ps. 39:2.↩
10. ^[10]Ps. 39:3.↩

The story so far.  John Damascene has been working as CFO for the Muslim caliph in Damascus.  In his spare time he has been writing a series of hard-hitting articles in the Constantinople press, attacking the Byzantine president emperor Leo for promoting iconoclasm.  Words like “anti-Christ”  are getting used.  Leo’s PR department responds by doxxing him to the caliph using a fake and treasonous letter.  The caliph falls for it, and initiates cut-backs in John’s department – specifically paring John’s writing hand to the wrist.  Now read on.

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18.  John’s Plea to the Mother of God That His Hand Be Restored, in Anacreontic Verses.

As evening fell, and John supposed that the tyrant’s anger had subsided, he sent a representative to him, pleading and speaking thus, “My pain is increasing and has become unbearable. The sharp sting of my suffering will not cease as long as my severed hand remains suspended in the air. Therefore, command that it to be given to me, so that I may bury it in the earth, and the agony may subside.” The tyrant immediately allowed the request, and the hand was given to the righteous man. Having received it, he entered the oratory of his house and, falling prostrate before a certain sacred icon bearing the divine likeness of the Mother of God^[1], he placed his severed right hand upon its former joint, and, he prayed from the depths of his heart, crying out with sighs and tears,

O Lady, most holy Mother, You who gave birth to my God,
For the sake of the holy icons, My right hand was cut off.
You are not unaware of the cause For which Leo went mad.
Hasten, then, with all speed And heal my hand.
The right hand of the Most High, Who took flesh from you,
Works many wonders Through your intercession.
Now, through your prayers, Let Him also heal this right hand of mine,
So that the hymns to you which you give me, And to the One incarnate from you,
May be written in harmonious melodies, O Mother of God,
And become an instrument For Orthodox worship.
For you can accomplish whatever you will, Since you are the Mother of God.

While John was saying these words with tears, he fell asleep. In his sleep, he saw the holy icon of the Mother of God looking at him with merciful and joyful eyes, and saying, “Behold, your hand has been made whole.  Delay no longer, but make it the pen of a swift-writing scribe,^[2] as you have promised me today.”

19.  John’s Severed Hand Is Healed By the Prayers of Mary.

He awoke, and was healed, and he examined carefully the severed hand, and on seeing it he rejoiced in the spirit in God his Saviour and in His Mother, because the Mighty One had done great things for him. Rising to his feet, he lifted his hands on high and sang a divine hymn most fitting for the occasion.  Throughout the whole night, he with his whole household rejoiced and sang a new song of thanksgiving to God, “Your right hand, O Lord,” he said, “has been glorified in strength; Your right hand has healed my broken right hand, and through it, you will crush the enemies, those who do not honour the venerable icons of Yourself and those of Her who bore You.  By the abundance of your glory, you will crush the enemy icon-breakers through my hand.”  So that night was like day to him, a light and not darkness;^[3] and to express the prophetic word with a figure of speech,^[4] there was there the pure sound of celebration and the voice of exultation in the tent of the righteous man.^[5]

These things did not take place in secret, nor in silence; rather, that marvellous sound and harmonious jubilation was heard by those in the whole surrounding neighbourhood.  Immediately some of the Christ-hating Saracens went to their own leader, saying that John’s right hand had not been cut off at all, but of someone else—perhaps a slave or some other attendant who had, out of loyalty, sacrificed himself in place of his master, and that those ordered to carry out the amputation had taken money instead of inflicting the penalty. “For John remains at home, singing and rejoicing in such a way that you might say that he was celebrating a wedding and composing a bridal song for the marriage hymns. Indeed, his joy seems even greater than that.”

20.  The Barbarian Recognizes the Miracle.

When these things had been reported in this way, John was summoned.  On his arrival, he was ordered to show his severed right hand; and as it was displayed, by the arranging of the Mother of God, a faint line of the cut also was visible, as a most undeniable sign that the severance had indeed taken place.  At this, the barbarian exclaimed: “Who is the physician that has healed you, John?  And what medicines were applied to you?”  Then he [John] in a loud and clear voice proclaimed the miracle.^[6] “My Lord,” he declared, “the Almighty Physician, whose power does not fall short of His will.”  The barbarian responded, “Then I infer, O man, that you have suffered for something of which you are innocent.  Forgive us, then, for the rash and thoughtless judgment, because of which we inflicted this punishment upon you.  Go, then, and take charge of your former office; and you will be foremost among our advisors.  From now on, we will undertake nothing without both your advice and guidance.”

21.  He obtains permission to withdraw into a monastery instead, although with difficulty.

Then he [John] fell to the ground and prostrated himself, and, lying face-down for a considerable time, he pleaded to be excused and allowed to take another road, more desirable to journey upon, and to follow Him who says, “I am the Way.”  But the barbarian did not grant permission. And it was like seeing gladiators, as one might say, the barbarian and the righteous man.  The former strove by many ways to hold John fast in the chains of the world, while the other was fiercely trying to break them apart with zeal, and to take flight on angelic wings.  A great stadium then lay open, where Christ was seated as judge of the contest, the audience was the angels.  Indeed one might rightly say that the wicked spirits on the left side emboldened and strengthened the persuasiveness of the barbarian.  Yet with great acclaim my gladiator conquered, and all the adversary’s persuasive efforts were reckoned as [nothing more than] the [feeble] arrows of infants.  The victor departed, his head adorned with a radiant crown, and entered his home with a joyful countenance, though he had left it previously downcast.

    *    *    *    *

The wisdom of John’s decision to get out of the job will be understood by anyone who has worked in an office!

1. ^[1]Θεομήτωρ.↩
2. ^[2]Ps.44/45:1-2.↩
3. ^[3]The Latin translation of Lequien expresses this idea twice; presumably the translator’s eye skipped back a phrase, and was not checked later.↩
4. ^[4]ὑπαλλαγή↩
5. ^[5]Here the chapter numbering diverges.  Lequien numbers the next paragraph “20”, and the next two sections are both numbered “21”.  I have followed the numbering of the Patrologia Graeca reprint, which is the Greek text used in the TLG.  This makes Lequien’s “20” the second part of “19”, and then the first “21” as “20.”↩
6. ^[6]lit. “became the herald of the miracle.”↩

Let us continue with the “Jerusalem Life” of John Damascene.  I had not realised that I had completed – but not posted – three more chapters before my hand injury, so only chapter 17 is new.  A quick recap: John is living in Damascus and working as chief financial officer for the muslim caliph.  Now read on!

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14.  The madness of Leo the Isaurian against images.

At that time Leo the Isaurian was ruling the Roman Empire.  He, opposing the sacred icons and the orthodox mainstream of the church, ^[1] was like a lion, seizing  and roaring, burning them^[2] with a fire of bestial madness, and seizing and destroying their^[3] worshippers, and cruelly tearing them apart with the teeth of tyrannical impiety.  These things came to John’s ears, and he imitated the zeal of Elijah and the rebukes [of wrong-doing] of his namesake [John the Baptist] as if the spirit had anointed him invisibly, and before his consecration,^[4] as an opponent of this impiety; and he wielded words as though they were the sword of the Spirit, a sharp weapon to destroy the doctrine of the beast-minded one, as if he were cutting off its head.  So he sent out letters to defend the veneration of the sacred icons to those of the right faith^[5] who knew him, powerfully demonstrating in a philosophical way that the veneration of the divine images was necessary.  He also instructed them to say the same things to others, and to show his letters to everyone.  The new athlete of the truth laboured in every way for his letters to pass from hand to hand among the faithful, as if in a circle,^[6] to strengthen the true doctrine,^[7] and following the example of Paul, he laboured to cover the whole world, although not on foot but through letters proclaiming the truth.

15.  Leo’s strategem against John.

These things were reported to the emperor Leo, and, summoning some of his like-minded associates, since he could not bear the exposure of his impiety, which John’s letters proclaimed clearly, he commanded them to put on a mask of piety and make haste and fabricate a discourse, and to locate a letter written by John in his own hand.  These accomplices of wickedness did not cease pulling on every rope, concealing their intentions and seeking out what they had been ordered to find, until they did find it, and delivered it to the emperor.  He summoned some of his scribes and set before them examples of John’s letters, to imitate the style of the writing, both in thought and phrasing.  Thus he found sufficient people to carry out this task, and he ordered them to write a letter as if from John to himself, the infamous emperor, with the following content.

“Greetings, O emperor!  I also rejoice in your mightiness, because we share the same faith.  I render both gratitude and the appropriate respect to your imperial majesty, for which reason I send these things for your information.  This city of ours happens to have been completely neglected in terms of its defence, and the military force of the Hagarenes here is weak and few in number.  Wherefore in the name of God take pity on this city, and, contrary to all expectation, send a powerful and numerous force which pretends to march elsewhere, and you will  take the city without a fight; for I myself will assist you considerably in this purpose, because both the entire region and the city itself are under my authority.

16.  Leo’s Letter to the Caliph.

After this letter had been written, the impious man wrote another letter in malice to the leader of the Saracens in Damascus, with this intent:

“As I know nothing more blessed than peace, nor more fortunate than friendship, – and keeping treaties of peace is praiseworthy and pleasing to God, –  for these reasons I prefer above all else to preserve unbroken the peaceful friendships which I established with your eminence, although I have often been urged to secretly break these and treacherously violate the treaties, by one of the Christians serving under you through his many letters, who confidently assures me that he would contribute greatly to subdue the city under your control if I should send a large army against it.

For this very reason I have also sent back to you one of the letters which he sent to me, showing that the things which I have written are true, so that you may know what kind of person I am in regard to friendships – truthful, and not inclined to break treaties – and so that you may recognise the ill-will and deceitfulness of the one who dared to write these things to me.

17.  John’s Right Hand is Amputated.

He was lion-named, and serpent-like in deceit, so he sent both these letters through one of his men to the barbarian [ruler].  Upon receiving them, the latter summoned John and showed him that deceitful letter.  John, reading through it, admitted that the pattern^[8] of the letters resembled his own, but he added that he did not know the things contained in them at all, nor had such thoughts ever even crossed his mind.  But having read it, he did not fail to recognise the deception, and the plot of the Emperor [against him].  But that ruler, who hated Christ, was like a donkey listening to a lyre—so says the proverb^[9]—in his response to what was said  by John. He became deaf to good and truthful speech, and did not remain dumb, when it came to issuing an unjust decree.  Instead he immediately ordered that John’s right hand should be cut off.

When he [John] requested a brief delay in order to defend himself, and to explain the rage of the impious one against him, the barbarian refused, and would not hear of it, being completely beside himself with anger.  And so the right hand was cut off, which had performed great deeds for the Orthodox in God through what it had written; the right hand was cut off which had rebuked those who hated the Lord and, instead of being dipped in ink, as it had once been when writing in defence of the veneration of icons, it was now dipped in its own blood.

So, having cut off that right hand of the Lord, so to speak, they suspended it in the marketplace.

    *    *    *    *

Not one of John’s better days at work, I would guess.

1. ^[1]“τῆς Ἐκκλησίας πληρώματος”: this appears to be a standard phrase, lit. “fullness of the church,” the faithful, the assembly.↩
2. ^[2]The icons.↩
3. ^[3]The icons.↩
4. ^[4]“anointing.”↩
5. ^[5]“orthodox.”↩
6. ^[6]“ὡς διὰ κύκλου τινὸς.”  Not translated by Lequien.↩
7. ^[7]“the orthodox faith.”↩
8. ^[8]τύπους↩
9. ^[9]This is one of Aesop’s fables↩