Two Manuscripts attributed to Epiphanius on the family of Christ compared.
The fourth century Church father, Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis, wrote an account on the family of Christ that has important information. It contains backgrounds of His mother, Father, family last name, siblings, intermarriage and more. Although it is brief, containing only a few paragraphs, it is an important source of history. However, it is controversial, especially in light of the fact that the text that Epiphanius is quoted from, Adversus Hæreses, has many later editorial insertions. Another text, Quæstiones first written around the seventh century, contains portions of Epiphanius account, and follows closer to the original edition.
Comparing these texts in the Greek and Latin also allows one to graph how the concept of Christ’s family had evolved over the centuries.
This study is twofold:
locate the Greek and Latin texts, digitally capture them, and provide English translations
analyze the Latin parallel translation, and trace how the traditions had perpetuated
The actual analysis, comparison, and summary can be found at a separate article, The Genealogy of Christ and Other Problems Part 1
The two manuscripts compared are:
Quæstiones. Not much is known about this writing. Tradition asserts that it was by St. Anastassi Sinaitae who lived in the 7th century, but this cannot be confirmed. It was originally published around the 7th century — though the edition available today may not entirely reflect the original. It can be confirmed that it is a medieval work that quoted from a better copy of Epiphanius than what we have today.
Adversus Hæreses originally penned by the 4th century Church father Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis. The historic writing is properly known as the Panarion but the MPG version that is used here for the basis for whatever reason calls it Adversus Hæreses. It was originally written in the 4th century but this manuscript appears to have various interpolations and edits. The text has some portions that may be close to the fourth century, while others may be later, even up to the 8th century.
Enclosed is a text in the original Latin and Greek followed by an English translation along with critical notes by the author, Charles Sullivan.
Before reading please note:
It is important to include the Latin with its own parallel English translation. The Greek is not always straightforward and the Latin translator made some effort to clarify some difficult passages. It also demonstrates how the concept of Mary and Christ’s family had evolved from the time of the Greek Anastasii writer in the 7th century to the time of the Latin translator, which likely was in the 15th or later century.
The actual Latin and polytonic Greek have been typed in by myself. The Greek text input on this document outlines the problems, solutions and a disclaimer listed Notes on Ancient Greek Copy and this Website.
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1. The Quæstiones Text on the three Marys, Joseph, and Siblings of Christ
MPG Vol. 89. St. Anastasii Sinaitæ. Quæstiones CLIII. Col. 839ff
Greek with English Translation
Ἐπειδἠ δὲ πολλῶν Μαριῶν ἐν τοῖς Εὺαγγελίοις φέρεται μνήμη, τρεῖς εἶναι τὰς πάσας γινώσκειν ὀφειλομεν, ἂς Ἰωάννης συλλήβὀην ἠριθμησεν, εἰπών· « Ειστήκεισαν δὲ παρὰ τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἡ ὰδελφὴ τῇς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ, Μαρία ἡ τοῦ Κλωπᾶ, καὶ Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνή. » Μαρίαν γὰρ τὴν Ἰακώβου καὶ Ἰωσὴ μητέρα, παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις εὐαγγελισταῖς ὠνὸμασμένην τὴν Θεοτόκον εἶναι μεμαθήκαμεν. ῎Ωσπερ γὰρ τὴν οὶκονομίαν, καὶ τὸ ἐπισκιασθῆναι τὸν θεῖον τὸκον, καὶ μὴ φανερωθῆναι τοῖς μιαιφόνοις Ἰουδαίοις, ὡς ἄνδρα τῆς Παρθένου χρηματίσαι τὸν Ἰωσήφ· ἀναγέγραπται καὶ πατερα τοῦ Ἰησου· οὔτως καὶ Ἰωσὴ καὶ Ἰακώβου παίδων ὄντων τοῦ τέκτονος Ἰωσὲφ ἐκ προτετελευτηκυιας γυναικὸς, μήτρ ἡ Θεοτόκος προσηγορεύετό τε καὶ ὠνομάζετο· ταύτῃ τοι καὶ Βλασφημοῦντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι κατὰ τοῦ Κυρίου, ἔλεγον· « Οὺχ οὗτος ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ τέκτονος υἱός ; οὺχ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ λέγεται Μαρια, καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοι αὐτοῦ Ἰάκωβος, καὶ Ἰωσὴ, καὶ Σίμων καὶ Ἰούδας ; » Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὁ μὲν Ἰωάννης τὴν παρὰ τὸν σταυρὸν ἑστῶσαν, οἷα δὴ μετὰ παῤῤησίας θεολογῶν, μητέρα τοῦ Κυριου προσηγόρευσεν· οἱ δὲ λοιποι τῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν, τὰ πολλὰ περὶ τὴν οὶκονομιαν ἀσχοληθεντες, οὶκονομικῶς αὐτην Ἰακώβου καὶ Ἰωσὴ ἐπωνόμασαν· αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἧσαν οἱ πρῶτοι καὶ ἐπίσημοι παῖδες τοῦ Ἰωσέφ. Ἔστι δὲ αὐτὴν παρὰ τοῖς εὐαγγελισταῖς, καὶ ὲκ τοῦ ἑνὸς μόνου τῶν παίδων τοῦ Ἰωσὲφ ὀνομαζομένην εὑρεῖν Μαριαν τοῦ Ἰακώβου, καὶ Μαριαν τοῦ Ἰωσή. Ὁ δὲ Μάρκος Ἰακώβου τοῦ μικροῦ καὶ Ἰωσὴ μητέρα εἶπεν αὐτην, ἐπείπερ ἦν καὶ ἄλλος Ἰάκωβος τοῦ Ἀλφαίου ἐκ τῶν δώδεκα.
For indeed concerning all the Marions are brought to memory in the Gospels, we are obligated to have made known all three of these names, which John briefly counted, by saying “And they stood near the cross of Christ, His mother, His mother’s sister, Mary Cleopha, and Mary Magdalene.”[1] For the mother of James and Jose[2] was Mary, we have come to understand according to those other evangelists that she is the one who is named the Theotikos.[3]
As the mystery of the incarnation[4] and God-child had been kept secret, not being disclosed to the murderous Jews,[5] as[6] Joseph had bourn[7] the title husband of the Virgin. It is written the father of Christ.
Even so Jose and James being sons of Joseph the Carpenter from a deceased[8] wife, the mother who is the Theotikos was both called and named,[9] and the Jews were blaspheming against against the Lord, they said, “Is this not the son of a carpenter? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers James, Jose, Simon and Judas?”[10]
On this account while they stood near the cross John named the mother of the Lord even[11] openly in the midst[12] of the holy ones[13] standing near the cross.
For the remainder of the evangelists,[14] these ones were engaged in the affairs of the household, they administratively designated her of James and Jose.
For these were the first and distinguished sons of Joseph. It is her by the evangelists, and [usually] only one of the children is she to be named from, that she is found Mary of James and Jose. For Mark called her the mother of James the Less and Jose, seeing that that another mentioned was James Alphaeus from the twelve.
Latin with English Translation
Cæterum cum in Evangeliis crebra mentio fiat de Mariis, nosse oportet tres hujus nominis fuisse, quas sanctus Joannes breviter his verbis enumeravit : « Stabant autem juxta crucem Jesu mater ejus, et soror matris ejus Maria Cleophae, et Maria Magdalene. » Marima enim Jacobi, et Joseph matrem, quam evangelistæ memorant, non alium quam ipsam Deiparam esse arbitramur. Quemadmdoum enim, ut mysterium incarnationis et divinus partus occultaretur, neque scelestis Judæis patefieret, Josephus pro marito beatæ Virginis et pro patre Christi habitus est; sie mater Josephi et Jacobi, cum filii essent Josephi fabri ex defuncta uxore, Diepara appellata est, cujus occasione struxerunt Judæi contra Dominum hance columniam : « Nonne hic est fabri filius? Nonne mater ejus dicitur Maria, et fratres ejus Jacobus, Josephus, Simon et Judas? » Ideirco Joannes eam, quæ juxta crucem stetit, libere appellavit matrem Dominin. Alii vero evangelistæ, circa Domini œconomiam et dispensationem potissimum occupati, Mariam Jacobi et Joseph nominarunt : isti enim erant primi et illustres filii Josephi, tematsi apud evangelistas uno interdum duntaxat filio appellationem accipit, ita ut dicatur Maria Jacobi, et Maria Josephi. Marcus autem vocavit eam Jacobi minoris, et Josephi matrem, quia alius erat Jacobus Alphaei unus ex duodecim.
Besides, a number of times is made mention of the Marions that are in the Gospels, we made it necessary about these three names which St. John briefly counted in these words, “They were standing near the cross of Christ, His mother, and His mother’s sister–Mary Cleopha, and Mary Magdalene”. Mary is the mother of James and Jose, which is brought to remembrance by the evangelists, none other than which we bear witness to be the Deiparam herself.
As it was hidden in the mystery of the incarnation and the divine part, neither was it layed open to the impious Jews, as Joseph was given in marriage to the Blessed[15] Virgin and as the father of Christ.
The mother of Jose and Jacob at this time were sons of Joseph the carpenter from a deceased wife, from him she was named Deipara, on which occasion a plan was devised by the Jews against the Lord with this argument, “Is this not the son of a carpenter? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers James, Jose, Simon and Judas?
On account of this John who stood near the cross, freely called her the mother of the Lord.
The rest of the evangelists were concerned about the household affairs of the Lord and the highest office, they gave Mary the name of James and Jose.
These were the first and distinguished sons of Joseph, and notwithstanding she usually receives the name of only one son, so Mary of James, and Mary of Jose was affirmed. And Mark called her the mother of James the Less and Jose, for another was James Alphaeus one of the twelve.
A few sentences down the same manuscript is where things begins to get really interesting. The St. Anastasii author begins to quote directly from Epiphanius himself. When one compares the St. Anastasii writing to that of the Against Heresie’s manuscript, important differences are found. One of the clues suggest that the St. Anastasii quotation is from an older Epiphanius manuscript than that of Against Heresie’s.
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2. The Quæstiones text on the Family and Surname of Christ
MPG Vol. 89. St. Anastasii Sinaitæ. Quæstiones CLIII. Col. 839ff
Greek with English Translation
Τοῦ ἀγίου Ἐπιφανίου ἐκ τῶν Παναριων.
Ὁ Ὶωσὲφ ἀδελφός ἦν τοῦ Κλωπᾶ· ἀμφότεροι γὰρ ἀπὸ Ἰακώβου τοῦ ἐπικλην Πάνθηρος γεννηθέντες. Ἔσχε δὲ ὁ Ἰωσὴφ γυναῖκα Σαλώμην ὲκ φυλῆς Ἰουδα, ὲξ ἧς ἐτέχθησαν αὐτῷ παῖδες ἕξ, τέσσαρες μὲν ἄῤῤενες, καὶ δύο θήλειαι. Καὶ ἧν πρωτότοκος Ἰάκωβος, ὁ ἐπικληθεις δίκαιος (εἶτα Ἰωσὴ καλούμενος), ἕπειτα Σιμεὼν, μεθ᾽ ὧν ὁ Ἰούδας, καὶ εἴθ᾽οὕτως ἡ Μαρία καὶ ἡ Σαλώμη. Ἡ δὲ Μαρία λαβοῦσα τὸν Κλωπᾶν ἄνδρα, ὡς ἀδελφὴ ἐχρημάτιζε τῆς Θεοτόκου Μαρίας. Ὅθεν φησὶν ὁ Ἰωάννης, « Είστήκεισαν δὲ παρὰ τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἡ μήτηρ αὺτοῦ, καὶ ἡ ἀδελφὴ τῆς μητέρος αὐτοῦ, Μαρία ἡ τοῦ Κλωπᾶ. »
From the Panarion of St. Epiphanius
Joseph was the brother of Cleopha. For these two were begotten from Jacob, surnamed Pantherus. For Joseph had a Solomaic wife from the tribe of Judah, six children were born from her for him, four males and two females.
And the firstborn was James, who was surnamed Righteous, (afterwards Jose being called this), then Simon, following these Judas, and last of all these, Mary and Salome.
Mary is taken by husband Cleopha and was given the title sister of the Theotokos Mary. For which reason John makes known, “They were standing near the cross of Jesus, His mother, and His mother’s sister Mary of Cleopha.”
Latin with English Translation
Ex Panario sancti Epiphanii.
Joseph frater erat Cleophæ ; uterque enim ex Jacobo, cui congnomentum erat Pantherus, prognatus est. Joseph uxorem habuit Salomen ex tribu Juda, ex qua sex liberos genuit, quatuor masculos, et duas femellas. Primogenitus erat Jacobus cognomine Justus ; deinde Joseph, postea Simon, post quem Judas, tandem Maria et Salome. Maria, ducto in matrimonium Cleopha, soror Deiparæ Mariæ appellata est. Unde ait sanctus Joannes : « Stabant juxta crucem Jesu, matre ejus, et soror matris ejus Maria Cleophæ. »
From the Panarion of St. Epiphanius
Joseph was the brother of Cleopha. The two were born from Jacob whose surname was Pantherus. Joseph had a Solomaic wife from the tribe of Judah and from her begat six, four males and two females.
The firstborn was James surnamed Righteous, then Jose, after this Simon, and behind him Judas, finally Mary and Salome.
Mary, given in marriage to Cleopha, was called the sister of the Deipera Mary. From this Holy John affirms, “They were standing near the cross of Jesus, His mother, and His mother’s sister Mary Cleopha”.
Now compare this to what is found in the Epiphanius Adversus Hæreses text:
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3. St. Epiphanius on the Surname and family of Christ
MPG Vol. 42. St. Epiphanius. Adversus Hæreses. Lib. III. Tom. II:LXXVIII. Col. 707ff
Greek with English Translation
Οὕτος μὲν γὰρ ὁ ᾽Ιωσὲφ ὰδελφὸς γίνεται τοῦ Κλωπᾶ, ἥν δὲ υἱὸς τοῦ Ἰακὼβ, ἐπίκλην δὲ Πάνθηρ καλουμένου. Ἀμφότεροι οὕτοι ἀπὸ τοῦ Πάνθερος ἐπίκλην γεννῶνται. Ἔσχε δὲ οὗτος ὁ Ἰωσὴφ τὴν μὲν πρώτην αὐτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς Ἰούδα, καὶ κυῖσκει αὐτῷ αὔτη παϊδας τὸν ὰριθμὸν ἓξ, τέσσαρας μὲν ἄῤῤενας, θηλειας δὲ δύο· καθάπερ τὸ κατὰ Μάρκον καὶ κατὰ Ἰωάννην ἐσαφήνισαν. Ἔσχε μὲν οὖν πρωτότοκον τὸν Ἰακωβον τὸν ἐπικληθέντα ᾽Ωβλιαν, ἑρμηνευόμενον τεῖχος, καὶ δίκαιον ἐπικληθεντα, Ναζωραῖον δὲ ὄντα, ὅπερ ἑρμηνεύεται ἅγιος.
In this way Joseph is the brother of Cleopha, he was the son of Jacob, who was given the surname Pantherus. These two were born from the one surnamed Pantherus. In this way, Joseph had his first wife from the tribe of Judah and she bears for him a total of six children, four males and two females.
Just as they clearly explained (in) the Gospel according to Mark and according to John. The first is held to be James, the one who was called “Oblian”, interpreted the “Wall” and also called righteous and being a Nazarite which is to be interpreted as holy.
Latin with English Translation
Siquidem hic ipse Josephus Cleophæ frater, Jacobi filius cognomento Pantheris, fuit : ambo, inquam, illi Panthere patre nati sunt. Cæterum Josephus primam e tribu Judæ conjugem habuit, e qua sex liberos suscepit, mares quatuor, feminas duas : id quod Marci ac Joannis Evangelia declarant. Primus ex omni stirpe natus illi filius est Jacobus, cognomento Oblias ( quod murum, vel castellum interpretari licet ), qui et justus appellatus est, et Nazaræus fuit, quod vocabulum sanctum significat.
Since that this Joseph himself is the brother of Cleopha, a son of Jacob surnamed Pantherus. It was: two, it was said, were born from the father Pantherus. Besides what has been mentioned, Joseph had a first wife from the tribe of Judah, and from her begat six children, four males and two females.
Just as they declare in Mark and John. The first born son to all his family is James, surnamed Oblias (which one may attempt to interpret as Wall or Stronghold) and also called righteous and was a Nazarite, which proves the appellation “Holy”.
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4. The Lives of Mary and Joseph in the Epiphanius text
MPG Vol.42. St. Epiphanius. Adversus Hæreses. Lib. III. Tom. II:LXXVIII. Col. 709ff
The Epiphanius text contains a further expansion on the family of Christ that the St. Anastassi author(s) are either not aware of, or ignore. The Latin and Greek texts are supplied with only one English translation.
Η᾽. Τίκτει μὲν τοῦτον τὸν Ἰὰκωβον ἐγγύς που περὶ ἔτη γεγονὼς τεσσαράκοντα πλείω έλάσσω · μετ᾽αὐτὸν δὲ γίνεται παῖς Ἰωσῆ καλούμενος· εἶτα μετ᾽αὐτὸν Συμεών· ἔπειτα Ἰούδας· καὶ δύο θυγατέρες, ἡ Μαρία καὶ ἡ Σαλώμη καλουμένη. Καὶ τέθνηκεν αὐτοῦ ἡ γυνή· καὶ μετὰ ἔτη πολλὰ λαμβάνει τὴν Μαρίαν χῆρος, κατάγων ἡλικίαν περὶ που ὀγδοήκοντα ἐτῶν καὶ πρόσω ὁ ἀνήρ. Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα λαμβάνει τὴν Μαρίαν, ὡς καὶ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ λέγει· Μνηστευθείσης γὰρ, φησὶ, τῆς Μαρίας. Καὶ οὐκ εἷπε, Γαμηθείσης. Καὶ πάλιν ἄλλοτε· Οὐκ ᾔδει αὐτήν.
VIII. Redeo ad Jacobum illum, quem Josephus annos plus minus natus XL genuit. Post hunc alius ei filius nascitur, cui Jose nomen fuit. Inde Symeon ac Judas ; filiæ veru duæ, Maria et Salome. Tum mortua uxore, multis post annis viduus Mariam duxit, cum octogesimum atque eo amplius annum attigisset. Mariam, inquam, id ætatis accepit, ut Evangelium narrat ; Cum esset, inquit, desponsata Maria. Non dicit, cum nupsisset. Item alio loco : non cognovit illam.
“Thus he brought fourth this James, I suppose having been born more or less in about the 40th year. After him a child named Jose is born. Next after him Simeon. Thereupon Judas. And two daughters who are named Mary and Salome. And then his wife died. Then after many years the widow takes Mary into marriage, estimating the age of life somewhere around 80 years and a man advanced (in age). At this time he takes Mary into marriage, as also it says in the Gospel, “for having been betrothed”, it says, “belonging to Mary”. And it does not say, “belonging in the state of marriage” And (it is) repeated again, “He did not know her”.”
For a general summary and observations of these translations please go to: The Genealogy of Christ and Other Problems Part 1
Pingback: Charles A. Sullivan » The Genealogy of Christ and Other Problems Part 1
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