Opening the library…
The Diatessaron
Tatian
An influential continuous harmony weaving material from the four canonical Gospels into one narrative, known especially through later witnesses because Tatian’s original form does not survive intact.
The original text is lost; surviving witnesses and reconstructions differ and require source-specific review.
Section XVIII.
[1] At that time Herod
[22] And many saw them going, and knew them, and hastened by land from all the cities, and came thither beforehand; for they saw the signs which he was doing on the [23, 24] sick. And Jesus went up into the mountain, and sat there with his disciples. And [25] the feast of the passover of the Jews was near. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and saw great multitudes coming to him. And he was moved with compassion for them, for [26] they were like sheep that were without a shepherd. And he received them, and spake to them concerning the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.
[27] And when the evening approached, his disciples came to him, and said unto [28] him, The place is desert, and the time is past; send away the multitudes of the people, that they may go to the towns and villages which are around us, and buy for [29] themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat. But he said unto them, They have [30] no need to go away; give ye them what may be eaten. They said unto him, We have not here enough. He said unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat? [31, 32] And he said that proving him; and he knew what he was resolved to do. Philip said [Arabic, p. 72] unto him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread would not suffice them after [33] every one of them hath taken a small amount. One of his disciples said unto [34] him (namely, Andrew the brother of Simon Cephas), Here is a lad having five loaves [35] of barley and two fishes: but this amount, what is it for all these? But wilt thou that we go and buy for all the people what may be eaten? for we have no more [36] than these five loaves and the two fishes. And the grass was plentiful in that place. Jesus said unto them, Arrange all the people that they may sit down on the grass, [37] fifty people in a company. And the disciples did so. And all the people sat down [38] by companies, by hundreds and fifties. Then Jesus said unto them, Bring hither [39] those five loaves and the two fishes. And when they brought him that, Jesus took the bread and the fish, and looked to heaven, and blessed, and divided, and gave to [40] his disciples to set before them; and the disciples set for the multitudes the bread [41] and the fish; and they ate, all of them, and were satisfied. And when they were satisfied, he said unto his disciples, Gather the fragments that remain over, that nothing [42] be lost. And they gathered, and filled twelve baskets with fragments, being those that remained over from those which ate of the five barley loaves and the two [43] fishes. And those people who ate were five thousand, besides the women and children. [44] [Arabic, p. 73] And straightway he pressed his disciples to go up into the ship, and that they should go before him unto the other side to Bethsaida, while he [45] himself should send away the multitudes. And those people who saw the sign which [46] Jesus did, said, Of a truth this is a prophet who hath come into the world. And Jesus knew their purpose to come and take him, and make him a king; and he left them, and went up into the mountain alone for prayer.
[47, 48] And when the nightfall was near, his disciples went down unto the sea, and sat in a boat, and came to the side of Capernaum. And the darkness came on, and Jesus [49] had not come to them. And the sea was stirred up against them by reason of a violent [50] wind that blew. And the boat was distant from the land many furlongs, and they were much damaged by the waves, and the wind was against them.
Matt. xiv. 1; Luke ix. 7b.
Mark vi. 14b.
There can be little doubt that this is the meaning of the Arabic. There is nothing like it in the Peshitta; the Curetonian is of course lacking; but the phrase in the Sinaitic is very similar.
Luke ix. 7c.
Luke ix. 8a; Matt. xvi. 14b.
Here begins verse 8a in Greek.
Luke ix. 8b; Mark vi. 15b.
Mark vi. 16; Matt. xiv. 2b.
Perhaps appointment (cf. Moesinger, p. 165; but Isho‘dad [Harris, Fragments, p. 65] and the Brit. Mus. text of Ibn-at-Tayyib’s Commentary have the ordinary reading).
Or simply ask.
Matt. xiv. 12b.
Or, to tell.
Matt. xiv. 13a; John vi. 1b.
A misunderstanding or slavish reproduction of the Syriac. The Brit. Mus. text of Ibn-at-Tayyib’s Commentary has of Galilee, Tiberias.
Mark vi. 33a.
cf. Syriac versions and margin of R.V.
John vi. 2b.
John vi. 5a.
Mark vi. 34b.
Luke ix. 11b.
Matt. xiv. 15a.
Or, came.
cf. the addition in the Sinaitic Syriac.
Matt. xiv. 17a.
John vi. 5b.
Probably a mistaken rendering of the ordinary Syriac reading.
Luke ix. 13b; considerably changed.
John vi. 10b; and Luke ix. 14b, 15a.
Mark vi. 41a.
Matt. xiv. 19b.
Matt. xiv. 20a; John vi. 12.
cf. Syriac versions.