CHAPTER - II

ISAAC OF NINEVEH: THE PERSON & TIME

2 The Life of Isaac of Nineveh

Very little is known about Isaac’s life. There are only two references which give

details about his life. One is in the Book of Chastity of Isodnah, from the early ninth

century.10 The other reference is by Rahmani, from a fifteenth century manuscript in

Mardin11. Isaac was born in Bet Qatraye, near the present day Bahrain which was a

trade route to India in the seventh century. In Bet Qatraye, famous writers of East

Syriac tradition as Abraham of Lipeh, Ahob of Qatar, Dadisho of Qatar and Gabriel of

Qatar, were living in the sixth and seventh centuries. Because of the presence of such

scholarly and spiritual men, Christianity of this region had its own spiritual strength

which enabled them to survive persecution and promote expansive missionary thrust.

Born into this spiritual haven Isaac was instructed in scripture and biblical

commentaries and he became a hermit and instructor. Isaac was noticed by the

Nestorian Catholicos George12 during a pastoral visit and was taken with him to

Mesopotamia.

Eventually George consecrated Isaac bishop of Nineveh (Mosul) sometime between

A.D 660-680 at the monastery of Bet ‘Abe13. But after just five months as bishop,

10
CHABOT, Le Livere de la Chast-ete, in Milanges d’Archeologie et d’Histoire 16 (1896) p. 277-278.
11
RAHMANI, Studia Syriaca Lebanon : Charfet Seminary (1904), p.33.
12
CHABOT J. B, ed. & trans., The Synodicon Orientale, Paris, (1902), p.480. (George was Catholicos
from 660 – 680. He was from Kaphra in Beth Garmai, became a monk in the Monastery of Beth
‘Abe and was taken by Isho‘yahb to Mosul, then to Arbeil and ordained by him Bishop of Arbeil
when Isho‘yahb himself was made Catholicos (as Isho‘yahb III). Upon dying, Isho‘yahb directed
that ‘his Disciple George’ should succeed him).
13
BUDGE E.A.W, ed. & trans.,The Book of Governors:The Historia Monastica of Thomas Bishop of
Marga A.D.940 , London (1893), Vol.1, p.xli (The exact situation of the Monastery of Bet ‘Abhê
 Isaac Of Nineveh – The Person & Time

Isaac resigned and continued as a monk in Bet Huzaye. Later he moved to the

monastery of Rabban Shabur in Iran, near the Persian Gulf. 14

2.1 Rejection of Episcopacy

The reasons for Isaac’s motives in resigning the episcopate are seriously disputed and

discussed. We do not have full details regarding this. But hints generally point out

that the reason is both spiritual and theological. In The Way of a Pilgrim15 while

refuting a query by a priest regarding the necessity of sticking to one’s duties in life,

the Pilgrim refers to Saint Isaac the Syrian who though a bishop abandoned his people

because he found this position a cause of hindrance and temptation. There the author,

the pilgrim, reiterates that he firmly believed the words of the Lord “for what will it

profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?” (Mt. 16:26).

Biographical references show that he resigned “for a reason known to God”16.

Isodnah confirms that there was jealousy surrounding the person of Isaac: “He wrote

three things which were not accepted by many. Daniel rose against him on account of

what he had said ... I believe that jealousy awakened against him”17. Another theory

is unknown, but it is quite clear that it must have stood in the mountains at a short distance from
the Upper or Great Zab, on its right bank…The Monastry was built in the mountains to the south of
Herpâ in Saphsâphâ under Mount Niphates, about sixty or seventy miles to the N.E of Mosul).
14
WENSINIK, Mystic Treatises, “Introduction” XVIII; Miller, Ascetical Homilies, Traslator’s
Introduction LXV.
15
“Oru Sadhakante Sancharam” tr. Mal, by Swami Siddhinathananda, from English of the original
Russian book by an unknown author, Roy International Children’s Foundation, Kottayam, 2005,
(p. 59).
16
ISHODENACH, Liver de la Chastete p. 277-278; Wensinck, Introductions XVIII; Miller,
Translator’s Introduction LX-VIII- Miller proposes another argument that the Ninevites did not
prefer a stranger as their bishop especially from the region of Qatar which was in Schism for some
years- Miller, “Translator’s Introduction”, p XIX.
17
Daniel bar Tubanitha was a bishop at Bet Garmai in the seventh century. Cfr. Wensinck. Mystic
Treatises, Introduction, p. XVIII; Hansbury M; St. Isaac of Nineveh on Ascetical Life, Crestswood,
New York (1989).

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 Isaac Of Nineveh – The Person & Time

regarding his resignation is about Isaac’s concept of the ‘primacy of mercy’. This

appears in one of the translations in Arabic by Ibn-as-Salt of the ninth century on the

Syriac writings of Isaac18. In his introduction Ibn-as-Salt confirms that the reason was

Isaac’s insistence on the primacy of mercy. Isaac’s writings give much importance

to the concept of mercy which he considers as the basis for adoration and humility.

And what is merciful heart? It is the heart’s burning for all creation, for men, for birds,

for animals and even for demons. At the remembrance and at the sight of them, the

merciful man’s eyes fill with tears which arise from the great compassion that urges his

heart. It grows tender and cannot endure hearing or seeing any injury or slight sorrow

to anything in creation. Because of this, such a man continually offers tearful prayers

even for irrational animals and for the enemies of truth and for all who harm it, that

they may be “guarded and forgiven”19. Mercy as a virtue may not warrant dismissal or

censure from ecclesial positions. But Isaac held mercy to the extreme extent that may

result in the final salvation for all creations, including the demons. This idea is

Origenist and was not acceptable to both Nestorians and Monophysites20. The notion

of the mercy of God was not so pleasing to the self-righteous believers of the seventh

century but it is rather attractive and appealing to the modern mind because it carries an

element of consolation and hope in the present day crisis of faith.

18
IBN SALT, Isaac de Ninive, tr. P. Sbath, Cairo (1934) p. 4-5,Wensinck notes that it has the capacity
only of an anecdote - Wensinck Introduction XIV.
19
cfr. BEDJAN, ed. Mar Isaacus Ninivita, De Perfectione Religiosa, Paris – Leipzig, (1909), p. 507.
20
cfr. GUILLAUMONT, Les ‘Kephalia Gnostica’ d’Evagre le Pontique, Paris : Editions du Seuil,
(1962), p. 333 – 337.

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 Isaac Of Nineveh – The Person & Time

In the monastery of Rabban Shabur, Isaac spent his retired days in the study of

Scripture. He became blind and had to dictate his writings. He died at an advanced

age and was laid to rest in Rabban Shabur. 21 His feast day is 28 January. 22

2.2 The Works of Isaac of Nineveh and their Translations and Publications

His works in general are divided into two parts. The first part contains 82 chapters of

varying length and contents. It is titled as Mystic Treatises by A. J. Wensinck.23 The

second part of his writings contains 41 spiritual treatises that have been discovered

recently. This part begins with a letter to a certain Ishozkaha and contains four

“centuries” or groups of 100 small texts on spiritual knowledge. A collection of 700

other short texts known as The Book of Grace has also been attributed to Mar Isaac.

Apart from some extracts this work has not been edited and translated24.

As mentioned above Paul Bedjan has two editions on Isaac of Nineveh. The “First

Half of the Works of Mar Isaac” corresponds to the Syriac text translated by A.J.

Wensinck.25 Bedjan also found some extracts from a manuscript, from Urmiah26

which is known as the “Second Half” containing pages 582 to 600.

21
ISHO DENACH, Livre de la chastete, p. 277-278; Hansbury, Introduction to St. Isaac, p. 7;
Wensinck, Mystic Treatises, “Introduction” p XIX.
22
CROSS LIVING STONE, ODCC, ed. Oxford, (1997).
23
Translated from Paul Bedjan’s Syriac Text with an introduction and Registers – Paul Bedjan
published these 82 chapters under the name – De Perfectione Religiosa. – Amsterdam, Reed, 1923.
24
cfr. BROCK, Spirituality in the Syriac Traditions, Moran Etho Series 2, Kottayam, 1989, p. 34.
25
That is to say, p. 1 to 581
26
North-West Iran

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 Isaac Of Nineveh – The Person & Time

Besides, Bedjan claims that there is another manuscript in Paris, the beginning and end

of which had been lost. It may also be noted that the Urmiah manuscript which was

presumably lost during the unfortunate events of 191827 in Urmiah, when the Christian

community there had to flee the area. Sebastian Brock confirms that another copy

from 10th -18th century of the “Second Half” was found in Oxford, at the Bodleian

Library. “Ironically, the manuscript had been lying there since 1898, eleven years

prior to Bedjan’s edition. It had been presented to the Bodleian Library by the

Reverend Yaroo M. Neesan, himself from the Urmiah region”28.

The Second Part containing four centuries (Kephalaia) on spiritual discourses were

translated into Italian in 1985 by P. Bettiolo 29. The Second Part was discovered by S.

Brock in the Bodleian library in 1983. The first two chapters were translated into

English by S. Brock under the title ‘Isaac the Syrian: two unpublished texts in Sob/

ECR 19:1 (1997) 7-33. The Third chapter was translated in Italian by P. Bettiolo in

1985. The rest of The Second Part (i.e. Oxford Manuscript) Chapters IV to XLI is

translated into English by Sebastian Brock, published in CSCO Vol. 555 - as Isaac of

Nineveh (Isaac the Syrian) The Second Part in 1995.

Basically we have two recensions of Isaac’s translations: eastern and western30. It is from

western recension that the Greek translations were made at the end of the eighth or the

27
The 1st World War
28
cfr. BROCK, Isaac of Nineveh : Some newly discovered works, Sob ECR 8:1 (1986), p. 28
29
BETTIOLO, Isacco di Ninive, Discorsi Spirituali, (Edizione Qiqajon, Communita di Bose, 1985;
expanded Second Edition, 1990).
30
Codex Sinaticus Syriacus, p 24.

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 Isaac Of Nineveh – The Person & Time

beginning of the ninth century. The Greek translation was first published in 1770 in

Leipzig. From Greek the works of Isaac were translated into many languages. Alfeyev

gives the details of the translations thus: “From Greek the writings of Isaac were

translated into Georgian (tenth century), Salvonic (fourteenth century) and Latin (fifteenth

century); from Latin in turn, into Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan, French and Italian

(fifteenth and sixteenth centuries). Later Isaac’s writing were translated from the Greek

printed edition into Romanian (1781), Russian (1854 &1911), Modern Greek (1871),

French (1981) and English (1984); and from Russian into Japanese (1909). From Syriac

Isaac’s works were in ancient times translated into Arabic (ninth century) and Ethiopic

(before fourteenth century) and in modern times, in part into German (1876) and then into

English (1921) and in part into Italian (1984).”31 The list of translations alone shows the

popularity of Isaac’s writings to the present day.

2.3 The Time of Isaac of Nineveh

No where else in Christendom, conflict and upheaval were seen as serious as in Syria

in the early centuries. To know Isaac and his mystic visions, it is fitting to look back

to the background which promoted him ecclesially. In a later chapter, the individuals

who influenced his thoughts will be discussed in brief. Here we restrict it to Syriac

Christendom from a secular point of view, without considering the theological

31
ALFEYEV, h, The Spiritual world of Isaac the Syrian, Cistercian publications, Kalamazoo,
Michigan- Spencer, Massachussets, (2000), p. 30.

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 Isaac Of Nineveh – The Person & Time

exigencies and disputes of the time. The centuries before the time of Isaac were

clearly periods of political conflicts and divisions32

2.4 The Secular Picture of Syria at the time of Isaac

2.5 Syria, a Roman Province

Syria became a Roman Province even before the Christian era. And it was mainly due

to commercial contacts. East Syria thereafter remained a battle-field between Rome

and Persia. The Semitic background of Syria was in fact alien to both Persia and

Rome. The East Syrian Christians in the first six centuries were genuine religious

warriors. These were days of religious controversies, synods and theological disputes.

Behind all these there were bloodshed, riots and martyrdoms. They were agonized

both from inside and outside. This created in them the spirit of religious fight and

spiritual excellence creating many mystics and martyrs. In the beginning there was no

reason for Persian persecution because their affinity with Rome was not a threat as

long as Rome remained pagan. But once Rome became Christian, Shapur of Persia

began to consider Christians as traitors. Persian Christians had a Valley of Martyrs

under Shapur II, according to Roman Martyrology numbering 9,000. This carnage

continued until the Edict of Toleration in 409 33. There was a temporary halt for

arrogance which lasted only for some eighty years. When the Persians invaded

Roman Armenia in 488, violence broke in again in full swing. A detailed account of

32
cfr. BROCK, “Christians in the Sasanian Empire – A Case of Divided Loyalties´ in ‘Syrian
Perspectives on Late Antiquity, London : Variorum Reprints,1984.
33
Edict of toleration is a declaration made by a Government or ruler and states that members of a given
religion will not be persecuted for engaging in their religious practices and tradition. The Edict here
refers to the one issued by the Roman emperor Constantine to legalise Christianity across the whole
empire.

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 Isaac Of Nineveh – The Person & Time

the Persian War of 502 is available in ‘The Chronicle of Joshua the Stylite’34. This

Persian war of Anastasius is another prolonged cause of agony. By 629 the Persians

agreed to give up all Byzantine territory but aggression from the Arabs was very close.

2.6 Islamic Rule

The Arabs conquered Syria and Babylonia in 636. Under the Islamic rule theological

disputes among the Christians remained almost mute. But the divisions remained.

Somehow the relation between the Muslims and the East Syrians was rather cordial. It

was in a situation of intense tension both external and internal that Iso’yahb III of

Adiabene, the grand predecessor of Isaac became the Bishop of Nineveh in 638. He

later became the Patriarch of the Church of the East. Iso’yahb was a great Syriac

theologian in fields like exegesis, liturgy etc. A chief liturgical book Hudra was his

best contribution to the Syrian tradition.

Iso’yahb letters were informative both in secular and theological aspects. In one of his

letters he mentions marching towards Tagrit “the great city of the heretics”, to fight

the monophysites35. Iso’yahb died at the age of eighty and passed the Patriarchate on

to George who was known as Bishop of the Arabs at Akoula in 636. Besides his

pastoral and administrative duties he proficiently accomplished his literary career. He

was one of many translators of Greek works into Syriac. He translated Aristotle’s

34
Wright, tr. The Chronicle of Joshua the Stylite, Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, (1882).
35
cfr. DUVAL, The Patriarchal letters of Ishoyahb, (ed. and tr.) Liber, Epistolarum, Louvain, (1905).

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 Isaac Of Nineveh – The Person & Time

Organon and commented on it. It was Patriarch George who consecrated Isaac

Bishop of Nineveh.

Conclusion

Thus the religious background of Isaac was intense both in secular events and spiritual

commitment and dedication. One thing to be noted here is that at this time there was

little Christological controversy striking hard. The thrust was heavily on the study of

the Bible, dedication in life and martyrdom. Hence the soil was very much sensitive

to the seed of monasticism and mysticism. Isaac was one of its prominent products.

15