John of Jerusalem (3)

John Of Jerusalem (3)

[or OF DAMASCUS, 2]. Three extant pieces relating to the Iconoclastic controversy bear the name of John of Jerusalem, but it is doubtful how far they may be ascribed to the same author, hence we add them herein simply under a separate heading. They are,

1. Ι᾿ωάννου εὐλαβεστάτου τοῦ ῾Ιεροσολυμίτου μοναχοῦ Διήγησις, or Joannis Hierosolymitani reverendissimi Monachi Narratio, a very brief account of the origin of the Iconoclastic movement, published by Combefis among the Scriptores post Theophanem (Par. 1685, fol.), and reprinted at Venice, A.D. 1729, as part of the series of Byzantine historians; it is also included in the Bonn edition of that series. It is also printed in the Bibliotheca Patrum of Gallandius, 13, 270: —

2. Διάλογος στηλιτευτικὸς γενόμενος παρὰ πιστῶν καί ὀρθοδόξων καὶ πόθον καὶ ζῆλον ἐχόντωνπρὸς ἔλεγχον τῶν ἐναντίων τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς διδασκαλίας τῶν ἁγίων καὶ ὀρθοδόξων ἡμῶν πατέρων or Disceptatio invectiva quoe habita est a fidelibus et orthodoxis, studiumque ac zelum habentibus ad confutandos adversarios fidei atque doctrinoe sanctorum orthodoxorumque patrum nostrorum, first published by Combefis in the Scriptores post Theophanen as the work of an anonymous writer, and contained in the Venetian, but not in the Bonn edition of the Byzantine writers. It is also reprinted by Gallandius (ut supra), p. 352, and ascribed to John of Damascus or John of Jerusalem, some MSS. giving one name, and others giving the other. Gallandius considers that he is called Damascus from his birthplace. The author of this invective is to be distinguished from the greatly celebrated John of Damascus (q.v.), his contemporary, to whom, perhaps, the transcribers of the manuscripts, in prefixing the name Damascus, intended to ascribe the work: —

3. Ι᾿ωάννουμοναχοῦ καὶ πρεσβυτέρου τοῦ Δαμασκηνοῦ λόγος ἀποδεικτιὸς περὶ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ σεπτῶν εἰκόνων,πρὸς πάντας Χριστιανοὺς καὶ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Κονσταντῖνον τὸν Καβαλῖνον καὶ πρὸς πάντας αἱρετικούς, or Joannis Damasceni Monachi ac Presbyteri Oratio demonstrativa de sacris ac venerandis imaginibus, ad Christianos omnes, adversusque Imperatorem Constantinum Cabalinum. The title is given in other MSS., Ε᾿πιστολὴ Ι᾿ωάννου ῾Ιεροσολύμων ἀρχιεπισκόυ, κ. τ. λ.. — Epistola Joannis, or Hierosolysmitani Archiepiscopi, etc. The work was first printed in the Auctarium Novum of Combefis (Paris, 1648, folio), vol. 2, and was reprinted by Gallandius (ut supra), p. 358, etc. Fabricius is disposed to identify the authors of Nos. 1 and 3, and treats No. 2 as the work of another and unknown writer; but Gallandius, from internal evidence, endeavors to show that Nos. 2 and 3 are written by one person, but that No. 1 is by a different writer, and this seems to be the preferable opinion. He thinks there is also internal evidence that No. 3 was written in the year 770, and was subsequent to No. 2. See Fabricius, Bibl. Gr. 7, 682; Gallandius, Bibl. Patrum, 13, Prolegomena, ch. 10, p. 15; Smith, Dict. Gr. and Rom. Biog. 2, 596.