About the Mystery of the Letters
Encyclopedia
About the Mystery of the Letters is an anonymous Christian treatise containing a mystical doctrine about the names and forms of the Greek
and Hebrew
letters. It was probably written in the 6th century Byzantine Palaestina Prima.
manuscript copies written between the 14th and 16th centuries, and one Coptic
–Arabic
bilingual translation from the late 14th century. The first modern edition of the Coptic text was published in 1900/1901. The Greek text was first described in 1931, but published for the first time only in 2007.
, which had been founded by Sabas. A certain anti-philosophical polemic tendency expressed by the text can be related to the Origen
ist controversies of the mid-6th century, in which Mar Saba had played an important role.
, I am the Alpha and Omega
, and that he subsequently received a vision about them on Mount Sinai
.
The author proposes a re-modelled Greek alphabet reduced to 22 letters on the model of the 22 letters of Hebrew (discounting Xi Ξ and Psi
Ψ), and with the Hebrew letter names. He then interprets these letters as symbolic figures of 22 works of divine creation in the biblical Creation according to Genesis
, and of 22 corresponding works of salvation by Christ
, elaborating this theory through descriptions of the various letters and interpretations of their shapes. This is followed by an account of the history of the alphabet, which weaves together elements of Greek mythology and the Hebrew Bible as well as several Jewish and pagan texts: according to this account, the Hebrew alphabet was first handed down to mankind by divine inspiration during the generation of Enoch
, but was lost during the Confusion of Tongues
. God subsequently revealed the Greek alphabet on a tablet of stone, which, after the Deluge, was brought to Phoenicia
and Greece
by Cadmos
.
A long section of the text is devoted especially to the letter Waw and its Greek equivalent, Digamma
(called Episemon in the treatise), the numeral sign for "6". This sign is interpreted as a special symbol of Christ. At a later point in the text, this idea is further connected to the interpretation of all three extra-alphabetic numeral signs of Greek ("Episemon" for 6, Koppa for 90, and Sampi
for 900) as symbols of the Holy Trinity, i.e. Christ, the Holy Ghost and God the Father respectively.
The final chapters of the treatise engage in speculation about more general topics, including the history of mankind – whose key events are related symbolically to the sequence of vowels and consonants in the alphabet –, a discussion of Christology
dealing with issues related to the Council of Chalcedon
, and reflections upon the name of Adam
.
Greek alphabet
The Greek alphabet is the script that has been used to write the Greek language since at least 730 BC . The alphabet in its classical and modern form consists of 24 letters ordered in sequence from alpha to omega...
and Hebrew
Hebrew alphabet
The Hebrew alphabet , known variously by scholars as the Jewish script, square script, block script, or more historically, the Assyrian script, is used in the writing of the Hebrew language, as well as other Jewish languages, most notably Yiddish, Ladino, and Judeo-Arabic. There have been two...
letters. It was probably written in the 6th century Byzantine Palaestina Prima.
Textual tradition
The text is known from three GreekGreek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
manuscript copies written between the 14th and 16th centuries, and one Coptic
Coptic language
Coptic or Coptic Egyptian is the current stage of the Egyptian language, a northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt until at least the 17th century. Egyptian began to be written using the Greek alphabet in the 1st century...
–Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
bilingual translation from the late 14th century. The first modern edition of the Coptic text was published in 1900/1901. The Greek text was first described in 1931, but published for the first time only in 2007.
Origin and authorship
The text was originally written in Palaestina Prima and in the Greek language. The Coptic manuscripts names its author as Apa Seba (Arabic: Saba), referring to Saint Sabas of Palestine (439–532). Internal evidence, however, leads to a somewhat later dating of the text, in the second half of the 6th century. It has been hypothesized that it was written by a follower of Sabas, possibly a monk in the monastery of Mar SabaMar Saba
The Great Lavra of St. Sabbas the Sanctified, known in Arabic as Mar Saba , is a Greek Orthodox monastery overlooking the Kidron Valley in the West Bank east of Bethlehem. The traditional date for the founding of the monastery by Saint Sabas of Cappadocia is the year 483 and today houses around 20...
, which had been founded by Sabas. A certain anti-philosophical polemic tendency expressed by the text can be related to the Origen
Origen
Origen , or Origen Adamantius, 184/5–253/4, was an early Christian Alexandrian scholar and theologian, and one of the most distinguished writers of the early Church. As early as the fourth century, his orthodoxy was suspect, in part because he believed in the pre-existence of souls...
ist controversies of the mid-6th century, in which Mar Saba had played an important role.
Contents
The anonymous author of the treatise declares he was prompted to the study of the secret meanings of the letters by the words of the ApocalypseApocalypse
An Apocalypse is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament...
, I am the Alpha and Omega
Alpha and Omega
The term Alpha and Omega comes from the phrase "I am the alpha and the omega" , an appellation of Jesus in the Book of Revelation ....
, and that he subsequently received a vision about them on Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai , also known as Mount Horeb, Mount Musa, Gabal Musa , Jabal Musa meaning "Moses' Mountain", is a mountain near Saint Catherine in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. A mountain called Mount Sinai is mentioned many times in the Book of Exodus in the Torah and the Bible as well as the Quran...
.
The author proposes a re-modelled Greek alphabet reduced to 22 letters on the model of the 22 letters of Hebrew (discounting Xi Ξ and Psi
Psi (letter)
Psi is the 23rd letter of the Greek alphabet and has a numeric value of 700. In both Classical and Modern Greek, the letter indicates the combination /ps/ . The letter was adopted into the Old Italic alphabet, and its shape is continued into the Algiz rune of the Elder Futhark...
Ψ), and with the Hebrew letter names. He then interprets these letters as symbolic figures of 22 works of divine creation in the biblical Creation according to Genesis
Creation according to Genesis
The Genesis creation narrative describes the divine creation of the world including the first man and woman...
, and of 22 corresponding works of salvation by Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
, elaborating this theory through descriptions of the various letters and interpretations of their shapes. This is followed by an account of the history of the alphabet, which weaves together elements of Greek mythology and the Hebrew Bible as well as several Jewish and pagan texts: according to this account, the Hebrew alphabet was first handed down to mankind by divine inspiration during the generation of Enoch
Enoch (ancestor of Noah)
Enoch is a figure in the Generations of Adam. Enoch is described as Adam's greatx4 grandson , the son of Jared, the father of Methuselah, and the great-grandfather of Noah...
, but was lost during the Confusion of Tongues
Confusion of tongues
The confusion of tongues is the initial fragmentation of human languages described in the Book of Genesis 11:1–9, as a result of the construction of the Tower of Babel....
. God subsequently revealed the Greek alphabet on a tablet of stone, which, after the Deluge, was brought to Phoenicia
Phoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...
and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
by Cadmos
Cadmus
Cadmus or Kadmos , in Greek mythology was a Phoenician prince, the son of king Agenor and queen Telephassa of Tyre and the brother of Phoenix, Cilix and Europa. He was originally sent by his royal parents to seek out and escort his sister Europa back to Tyre after she was abducted from the shores...
.
A long section of the text is devoted especially to the letter Waw and its Greek equivalent, Digamma
Digamma
Digamma is an archaic letter of the Greek alphabet which originally stood for the sound /w/ and later remained in use only as a numeral symbol for the number "6"...
(called Episemon in the treatise), the numeral sign for "6". This sign is interpreted as a special symbol of Christ. At a later point in the text, this idea is further connected to the interpretation of all three extra-alphabetic numeral signs of Greek ("Episemon" for 6, Koppa for 90, and Sampi
Sampi
Sampi is an archaic letter of the Greek alphabet. It was used in addition to the classical 24 letters of the alphabet to denote some type of a sibilant sound, probably or , in some eastern Ionic dialects of ancient Greek in the 6th and 5th centuries BC...
for 900) as symbols of the Holy Trinity, i.e. Christ, the Holy Ghost and God the Father respectively.
The final chapters of the treatise engage in speculation about more general topics, including the history of mankind – whose key events are related symbolically to the sequence of vowels and consonants in the alphabet –, a discussion of Christology
Christology
Christology is the field of study within Christian theology which is primarily concerned with the nature and person of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament. Primary considerations include the relationship of Jesus' nature and person with the nature...
dealing with issues related to the Council of Chalcedon
Council of Chalcedon
The Council of Chalcedon was a church council held from 8 October to 1 November, 451 AD, at Chalcedon , on the Asian side of the Bosporus. The council marked a significant turning point in the Christological debates that led to the separation of the church of the Eastern Roman Empire in the 5th...
, and reflections upon the name of Adam
Adam
Adam is a figure in the Book of Genesis. According to the creation myth of Abrahamic religions, he is the first human. In the Genesis creation narratives, he was created by Yahweh-Elohim , and the first woman, Eve was formed from his rib...
.