Commentarius Iohannis, auctore Symeone Metaphrasta
Standard abbreviation: Hypom. John
Other titles: none
Clavis numbers: ECCA 191; CANT 221
Category: Apocryphal Acts
Related literature: Acts of John by Prochorus; Encomium on John the Evangelist by Blemmydes; John and the Robber; Memorial of John; Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopogate, Epistle 10
Compiled by: Tony Burke, York University ([email protected])
Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Hypomnema on John, by Symeon Metaphrastes.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/hypomnema-on-john-by-symeon-metaphrastes/.
Created October 2023.
1. SUMMARY
Symeon’s encomium begins with praise of John for rising out of poverty in Galilee and despite his lack of education, becoming a great theologian. He is lauded also for his lifelong devotion to virginity and for his prominent roles in several Gospel stories—he was present at the Transfiguration, aided Peter in investigating who would be Jesus’ betrayer, became surrogate son of Mary, and was a witness with Peter to the empty tomb.
After the ascension of Jesus, John is sent out to gather other sheep and bring them into his fold. He reaches Ephesus where he overthrows the temple consecrated to idols and converts the priests. As a result, he comes into conflict with the emperor Domitian. At an interrogation before the emperor, John is asked about proof for his claims about Christ; in response John dispels demons and diseases and mocks the worship of Saturn and Jupiter. Angered, Domitian, banishes John to Patmos. Inserted at this point is the tenth letter of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, comforting the apostle that his imprisonment on Patmos would soon be over.
Under the emperor Nerva, and then under Trajan, those exiled by Domitian are able to return to their lands. The people in John’s community on Patmos are sorrowful that John will soon depart. But he consoles them with the promise that he will leave behind his teachings for them. He takes Prochorus up on a mountain. Thunder and lightning fill the sky and a voice from the thunder begins dictating the Gospel of John. Prochorus writes down everything he hears and John is described like Moses: coming down from the mountain with a new law. John journeys to Ephesus and establishes bishops both there and in neighboring cities.
The next section of the text is an excerpt of the story of John and the Robber from Clement of Alexandria. Then follows a story not attested elsewhere. In this tale, a faithful man who has lived a comfortable life falls into poverty and debt. He decides to kill himself, so he seeks out a sorcerer (said to be “dressed like a Jew”) adept in the art of poisons. The man equivocates about taking it, but he finally commits and, making the sign of the cross, he swallows the poison. To his surprise, he does not perish. But his problems remain so he goes back to the sorcerer and asks for stronger poison. Once more he does the sign of the cross, swallows the poison, and does not die. He goes back to the sorcerer who asks him to describe exactly how he took the poison. When he hears about the sign of the cross, the sorcerer realizes that the power behind the cross was stronger than the poison. John finally joins the story when he encounters the man begging for alms. John has no money, but he gives the man handfuls of grass. With a prayer and the sign of the cross, the grass turns into gold, which the man uses to pay his debts.
The text concludes with the story of John’s metastasis, drawn from Acts of John by Prochorus. John leaves Ephesus and tells his disciples to follow him with pickaxes and shovels. They climb a mountain where today a temple stands (a shrine to John). The disciples dig, and John lays his cloak in the hole and lies down upon it. The disciples return the next day and find only John’s cloak. Symeon states that on the day of his metastasis a feast is celebrated attended by people of every kind and age. On this day dust flows and rises from John’s tomb, healing every disease.
Named historical figures and characters: Andrew (apostle), Clement of Alexandria, Dionysius the Aeropagite, Domitian, Elisha (prophet), Enoch (patriarch), James (son of Zebedee), John (son of Zebedee), Jupiter, Luke (evangelist), Mary (Virgin), Moses (patriarch), Nerva, Paul (apostle), Peter (apostle), Samuel (prophet), Saturn, Titus (emperor), Trajan (emperor), Vespasian.
Geographical locations: Asia Minor, Athens, Ephesus, Galilee, Ionia, Nazareth, Palestine, Patmos.
2. RESOURCES
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
3.1 Manuscripts and Editions
3.1.1 Greek (BHG 919–919b; Pinakes)
Chicago, University of Chicago, Joseph Regenstein Library, 938, fols. 181v–191v (11th/12th cent.)
London, British Library, Add. 11870, fols. 197v–218v (11th cent.)
Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, gr. 1489, fols. 188v–200r (11th cent.)
Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. gr. 2044, fols. 196r–207v (11th cent.) ~ Pinakes; BAV
Donato, Benardino, ed. Expositiones antiquae … ex diuersis sanctorum patrum commentariis ab Oecumenio et Aretha collectae. Veronae: Apud Stephanum & fratres Sabios, 1532 (Greek edition, pp. 999–1008).
Morel, F. Oecumenii commentarii. Paris, 1631 (Greek text and Latin translation, vol. 2, pp. 838–52).
Surius, Laurentius. Historiae seu vitae sanctorum, juxta optimam coloniensem editionem. 1570–1575. 13 vols. Turin: Marietti, 1875–1880 (Latin translation, vol. 12, pp. 463–74).
Migne, Jacques Paul. Patrologiae cursus completus: Series graeca. Vol. 116. Paris: Apud Garnier Fratres et J.-P. Migne Successores, 1891 (Greek edition and Latin translation from Morel, pp. 684–705).
3.1.2 Compilation (BHG 918h; uses Hypom. John, Acts of John by Prochorus, and other material)
Jerusalem, Patriarchē bibliothēkē, Hagiou Saba 30, fols. 29–38 (10th/11th cent.) ~ Pinakes; IMAGES
3.1.3 Georgian; translation by Euthymus the Hagiorite (attributed to Prochorus but includes also material shared with Acts of John in Rome and Symeon)
MSS: A-70 (13th cent.) fols. 1r-36v; Q 662 (17th cent.), fols. 127v-143v; S 1697 (17th/18th cent.), fols. 19r-49v; S 60 (18th cent.), pp. 277-450; S 4932 (1791), pp. 19-51; A 1050 (1801), fols. 139r-177v; S 139 (18th/19th cent.), pp. 377-385; A 1493 (19830), fols. 2r-44r; also Jerusalem 18 (143th/14th cent.), fols. 120r-153v
Xaxanašvili, A. Atonis Iveriis Monasteris 1074 ce. hetnaceeri agapebit (Manuscript of the Year 1074 of the Monastery of Iviron with the Memoirs of the Deceased). Tiflis, 1901 (edition, pp. 111–76).
Esbroeck, Michel van. “Les formes géorgiennes des Acta Iohannis.” AnBoll 93 (1975): 11–19 (discussion pp. 6–8).
Esbroeck, Michel van, trans. “Les Acta Iohannis traduits par Euthyne L’Hagiorite.” Bedi Kartlisa 33 (1975): 73–109 (French translation).
3.2 Modern Translations
3.3 General Works
Boxall, Ian. Patmos in the Reception History of the Apocalypse. Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 2013 (p. 111).
Junod, Eric, and Jean-Daniel Kaestli. Acta Iohannis. CCSA 1–2. Turnhout: Brepols, 1983 (pp. 408–11, 704).
Lipsius, Richard A. Die Apokryphen Apostelgeschichten und Apostellegenden. Ein Beitrag zur altchristlichen Literaturgeschichte. 2 vols. Braunschweig: Schwetschke, 1883–1887 (see vol. 1, pp. 365–66).