Ephrem's text of the gospel might be useful at this juncture.
After these things , he came to his town and was teaching them in their synagogues.1 Was there not another people , or another land apart from that of the Jews ? But , in order that Marcion's lie be refuted , [ the evangelist ] said after this , He entered the synagogue as was his custom , on the Sabbath day.2 What was the custom of him who had come just now ? He had come to Galilee , and had begun to teach , not outside of the synagogue , but within it . Since the matter was known through their cultic service , he [ came ] to talk to them about their God .Otherwise it would have been in order for him to proclaim to them outside their synagogue . He therefore entered Bethsaida3 among the Jews . [ The evangelist ] does not indicate that they said anything to him other than , Physician, heal yourself . They seized him and brought him out to the side of the mountain . It is not likely that the word they had spoken was leading them to anger.6 For , if he had been speaking to them concerning the Creator , and [ if ] this was why they had given him the response. They seized him that they might cast him down , 7 why then did [ the evangelist ] not record in other places that it was like this too ? That the people of the town hated him , there is this testimony : A prophet is not accepted in his own town.8 $ 24 . For Anathoth did not receive Jeremiah , 9 nor the Tishbites Elijah , nor Abelmeholah Elisha , nor Ramah Samuel , 10 nor the synagogue Moses , nor Israel our Lord . Elijah accordingly despised their wives , 11 and Elisha their men.12 They were called lacking in faith to their shame.13 But [ the 1 Matt 13:54 ; Luke 4:15 . 2 Luke 4:16 . 3 Ephrem incorrectly refers to Bethsaida here instead of Nazareth . 4 Luke 4:23 . 5 Luke 4:29 . 6 It is not clear who " they " are . It may refer to the Marcionites , and " the word they had spoken " could refer to their belief that the Lord would have angered the Jews in placing their inferior God in opposition to the supreme God , whom Jesus had come to reveal to humanity. . 7 Luke 4:29 . 8 Luke 4:24 . 9 Cf. Jer 11:21 . 10 Cf. 1 Sam 8 : 1-22 . 11 Cf. 1 Kgs 17 : 17-24 . 12 Cf. 2 Kgs 5 : 1-14 . 13 Cf. Matt 6:30 ; 8:26 ; 17:17 .
the Lord ] honoured the Arameans more than these.1 This is why they were filled with anger.2 The reason for this was as follows : Physican , heal yourself , that is , " Save yourself from us , instead of seeking to heal [ us ] ! " Although they were in need of healing , he was not able to heal them because of their lack [ of faith ] . By reason of their freewill , they were casting him down , but because of his divinity he did not fall . Audacity was casting him . Audacity was casting him down , but the submissive air received him on its wings , and he did not fall , so that through this he might perhaps procure faith for those who did not believe . Perhaps [ it was ] on this account that the Galileans received him.5 From the moment when they saw him passing through their midst , 6 they did not dare do anything more to him . This was his first healing , that of the right hand which was ill . Consequently , through the influence of the Prince of the Left , the Nazarenes were murmuring against him , envious of the healing of this Right [ hand ] , which was envious of the healing of this Right [ hand ] , which was established in the solemn mystery , and released unto every divine use.
A prophet is not received in his own town , 8 that is , in his own people . Elijah was from Tishbi , and [ Scripture ] does not say that Elijah was not received in Tishbi , but in all Israel.9 If this is not so , let it be proved that the inhabitants of Tishbi persecuted him , and the Israelites received him . But who [ received him ] , if not the widow from Zarephath , of the Gentiles ? 10 There were many widows , not at Tishbi , but in the house of Israel . But he was not sent to any of these. Likewise , in the case of lepers , not in the town of Elisha , but in the house of Israel.11 [ The Lord ] underlined thus that he was not able to reveal miracles , not only in Nazareth , but in the house of Israel.12
1This statement is interesting in the light of Ephrem's Syrian ( = Aramean ) origins . 2 Luke 4:28 . 3 Luke 4:23 . 4 Luke 4:29 . 5 John 4:45 . 6 Cf. Luke 4:30 . 7 Cf. Luke 6 : 6-10 . 8 Luke 4:24 . 9 Cf. 1 Kgs 19 : 10,14 . 10 1 Kgs 17 : 7-24 . 11 Luke 4 : 25-27 . 12 Mark 6 : 5 .
$ 26 . The people of Nazareth saw that he 187.
Unfortunately I can't get the information from p 188. If anyone can help I would appreciate. It begins with "The people of Nazareth saw that he" and then Let's try my cell phone. from here we segue to the Syro-Phoenician woman (like Adversus Marcionem) and then the Leper narrative. Let's see the order from McCarthy:
Jesus in Nazareth ( cf. Matt 13 : 53-58 ; Mark 6 : 1-6 ; Luke 4 : 16- 30 )
The Death of John the Baptist ( cf. Matt 14 : 1-12 ; Mark 6 : 14- 29 ; Luke 9 : 7-9 )
Bread Multiplied and Water Changed into Wine ( cf. John 6 : 1-13 ; 2 : 1-11 )
Jesus Walks on the Water ( cf. Matt 14 : 22-33 ; Mark 6 : 45-52 ; John 6 : 16-21 )
The Bread of Life ( cf. John 6 : 30-51 )
Respect for Parents ( cf. Matt 15 : 3-14 ; Mark 7 : 10-11 )
The Canaanite Woman ( cf. Matt 15 : 21-28 ; Mark 7 : 24-30 )
The Samaritan Woman ( cf. John 4 : 5-42 )
The Healing of the Leper ( cf. Matt 8 : 1-4 ; Mark 1 : 40-45 ; Luke 5 : 12-16 ) XIII , §§1-7
The Healing of a Paralytic ( cf. John 5 : 1-18 )
The Son Is Equal to the Father ( cf. John 5 : 19-47 )
The Healing of a Blind Man at Bethsaida ( cf. Mark 8 : 22-26 )
Let's get rid of almost all the Johannine narratives for a moment:
Jesus in Nazareth ( cf. Matt 13 : 53-58 ; Mark 6 : 1-6 ; Luke 4 : 16- 30 )
The Death of John the Baptist ( cf. Matt 14 : 1-12 ; Mark 6 : 14- 29 ; Luke 9 : 7-9 )
Bread Multiplied and Water Changed into Wine ( cf. John 6 : 1-13 ; 2 : 1-11 )
Jesus Walks on the Water ( cf. Matt 14 : 22-33 ; Mark 6 : 45-52 ; John 6 : 16-21 )
Respect for Parents ( cf. Matt 15 : 3-14 ; Mark 7 : 10-11 )
The Canaanite Woman ( cf. Matt 15 : 21-28 ; Mark 7 : 24-30 )
The Healing of the Leper ( cf. Matt 8 : 1-4 ; Mark 1 : 40-45 ; Luke 5 : 12-16 ) XIII , §§1-7
The Healing of a Paralytic ( cf. John 5 : 1-18 )
The Healing of a Blind Man at Bethsaida ( cf. Mark 8 : 22-26 )
We can start to see a synoptic narrative emerging from the Diatessaron which approximates (I would argue) the parallel material in the Marcionite gospel. As I said that I can't get the info for p 188 but when we pick up the material for the healing of the leper we read:
The Canaanite Woman
She was crying out [ as ] she was following after him , Have mercy on me . But he did not reply to her.5 The silence of our Lord engendered an even deeper cry in the mouth of the Canaanite woman . He spurned her by his silence , but she did not give up . He despised her by his word , but she did not hold back . He showed honour to Israel who had spurned him , but she was not envious . On the contrary , she again humbled herself and again magnified Israel , by [ her words ] , Even the dogs eat from their masters ' [ crumbs ] , 6 as though the Jews were masters of the Gentiles . His disciples therefore drew near and begged him to send her away . ? He gave them an example of the insistent love of the Gentiles . He called them dogs , and Israel , sons . The Gentiles , symbolized as dogs , possess the daring of dogs and the love of dogs . But the Israelites , symbolized as sons , possess the frenzy of dogs . People do not take the bread of the sons and throw it to the dogs . He poured forth and filled her ears with a great reproach , so that her faith might be revealed . Listen to her response ! Yes , indeed , My Lord.9
1 Mal 1 : 6 . 2 Matt 15 : 4-5 . 3 Cf. Matt 15 : 6 . Matt 15:13 . Matt 15 : 22-23 . Matt 15:27 . 7 Cf. Matt 15:23 . Matt 15:26 . 9 Matt 15:27 .
But she was not ashamed , to her own benefit 196.
I can't get the information for p. 197. Then we pick up the narrative:
4 The Healing of the Leper
If you are willing , Lord , you can cleanse me.5 This leper had thought that he was observing the Law like Elisha , for [ Elisha ] had not gone forward to Naaman.6 [ The Lord ] resolved this [ doubt ] , in that he touched him , in order Or , [ the leper ] was certainly thinking that [ the Lord ] was a stranger to the Law , and so he healed him both secretly and openly at the same time , lest he , who was healed corporeally , be wounded spiritually . Go, show yourself.3 This was for the sake of the priests. For the leper was afraid to touch him lest he defile him. But the Lord touched him to show him that he would not be defiled, he, at whose rebuke the defilement fled from the defiled one. . Did not Moses carry Joseph's bones ?? When [ God ] chose him , did he not indeed make him a leper when he said to him , Put your hand into your bosom ? 10 Samson ate honey from the dead body of an impure animal , 11 and with the jawbone of a dead ass he was victorious and rescued Israel.12 Furthermore , God gave him water from the dead jawbone . He gave him to drink and he was refreshed.1 Just as [ Paul ] has said , The Law was not laid down for the just.2 What our Lord had showed the leper through a tangible experience , the [ woman ] of the haemorrhage knew through faith , before ( any ) experience . ( The need for ) experience is for the foolish. Accordingly our Lord was refuting two things . If he had not touched the leper he would have been confirming [ the leper ] with regard to what he had conjured up in his thought , that [ the Lord ] was indeed afraid of leprosy But if he had touched him , the other [ thought ] would have had free course in his mind , that he was a stranger to the Law . Therefore , by stretching out his hand , he showed his divinity and drove impurity away , and by the word of his mouth he showed his familiarity [ with the Law ] and put flight to the [ possibility of ] being a stranger [ to it ] . Because this [ leper ] was a Jew , and had heard it [ said ] by the priests that this Jesus was opposed to the Law and an enemy to the [ Mosaic ] precept , accordingly , he had thought that he was not positively disposed towards the positively disposed towards the healing of the Jews .
§22 . If you are willing , you can cleanse me.4 The formula is one of petition and the word is one of fear . " That you are able to I know , but whether you are willing , I am not certain . " Therefore our Lord showed him two things in response to this double [ attitude ] : reproof through his anger , and mercy through his healing . For , in response to if you are willing , he was angry , and in response to you can , he was healed . In order to cleanse the leper's soul of his [ unwise ] thoughts , just as [ he had cleansed ] his body from its defilement , he taught him , Go !, to those corrupt ones who taught you , and make the offering for your purification , as Moses prescribed , 5 and , Do not speak of it to anyone , 6 lest the priests think that it was because they had complained , that he was pleasing them and offering the sacrifice . Be silent , " he said , " and when you draw near to them , and they ask you how it was that you were healed, they will learn that I am concerned for the commandments of Moses , lest these be despised .
1 Cf. Judg 15 : 18-19 . 21 Tim 1 : 9 . 3 Cf. Mark 5 : 27-28,34 . Matt 8 : 2 . 5 Luke 5:14 . Matt 8 : 4 .
23 . If you are willing , you can cleanse me.1 This man was taking note that [ the Lord ] was not raising all dead people to life , and that he was not healing all those who were blemished . He therefore thought , " He is healing whomsoever he wishes . " So he said to him , Lord , If you are willing , you can cleanse me . Through his anger , [ the Lord ] showed that he was healing without exception of persons . But , because the leper had believed that if you are willing , you can , he showed that he did not spurn this faith . Moreover , [ the leper ] had seen that the priests were not cleansing [ the lepers ] , but [ instead ] were burdening them by means of the prescriptions in the Law concerning leprosy , and [ thus ] the service of the Law was belittled in his eyes. . Wherefore , he said , If you are willing , you can cleanse me.2 [ The Lord ] was angry with regard to this line of reasoning , and so [ he ordered ] secondly , " Go , show yourself to the priests , 3 and fulfil that Law which you are despising . " [ The Lord ] also [ commanded him thus ] , because [ the leper ] had been thinking about him in this manner , [ because ] he had seen him relax some elements of the Law . It is also said that [ the Lord ] was not angry with him , but with his leprosy . $ 24 . If you are willing , you can cleanse me . So he stretched out his hand . In this stretching out of his hand was the abrogation of the Law . . For [ it is written ] in the Law that whoever approaches a leper becomes impure . He [ himself ] did not approach the leper , but [ rather ] his right hand that was full of healing , and he extended it to him . Indeed , he did not show himself to be opposed to the Law , as the Scripture which follows narrates . . He showed that nature was good in that he repaired its defect . Because he sent him to the priests , he thereby upheld the priesthood . He also ordered him to make an offering for his cleansing.19 Did he not thus uphold the law, as Moses had commanded? There were many prescriptions concerning leprosy. . But they were unable to procure any benefit. Then the Messiah came, and, with his word, bestowed healing and abolished these many precepts which the law had reckoned should exist for leprosy ,
1 Matt 8 : 2 . In the Syriac text the personal suffix attached to the verb here , and in the next citation of this verse three sentences later , is in the first person plural form , but , in the remaining citations of the verse , it is in the singular . 2 Idem . Matt 8 : 4 . 3 4 Matt 8 : 2-3 . 5 Luke 5:14 .
Go, therefore , to the priests for their testimony , 1 since it was prescribed for them that , before the cleansing , they must examine the leper , and after the cleansing , they must be witnesses . These things were the Law of Moses in the Old [ Testament ] . The Messiah invoked them as testimony to his teaching , [ saying ] , As Moses commanded , so that these [ precepts ] would not take flight before him , but [ instead ] become his heralds before the people . 1 Matt 8 : 4 .