Ephrem the Syrian
4th century · AD 373 · Syriac & Oriental · 790 passages
A deacon and poet who taught Scripture in hymns, rich with imagery drawn from paradise, light, and the Eucharist.
Background on Ephrem the Syrian
In his own words on 2 Chronicles
- 2 Chronicles 26:16-21
In the midst of paradise God had planted the Tree of Knowledge to separate off, above and below, sanctuary from Holy of Holies. Adam made bold to touch and was smitten like Uzziah: the king became leprous, Adam was tripped. Being struck like Uzziah, he hastened to leave: both kings fled and hid, in shame of their bodies.
HYMNS ON PARADISE 3.14
- 2 Chronicles 26:16-21
Remember Uzziah, how he entered the sanctuary; by seeking to seize the priesthood he lost his kingdom. Adam, by wishing to enrich himself, incurred a double loss. Recognize in the sanctuary the Tree, in the censer the fruit and in the leprosy the nakedness. From these two treasures there proceeded harm in both cases.
HYMNS ON PARADISE 12.4
Quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations of the fathers — Aquinas's Catena Aurea, the Ante-Nicene and Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers, and related editions. Each quotation links to its source.