I. Life. John of Damascus, Saint and Doctor of the Eastern Church, last of the Greek Fathers,^872was born in the city of Damascus in the fourth quarter of the seventh century.^873 His common epithet
of Chrysorrhoas (streaming with gold) was given to him because of his eloquence, but also probably
in allusion to the river of that name, the Abana of Scripture, the Barada of the present day, which
flows through his native city, and makes it a blooming garden in the desert. Our knowledge of his
life is mainly derived from the semi-legendary account of John of Jerusalem, who used an earlier
Arabic biography of unknown authorship and date.^874
The facts seem to be these. He sprang from a distinguished Christian family with the Arabic
name of Mansur (ransomed). His father, Sergius, was treasurer to the Saracenic caliph, Abdulmeled
(685–705), an office frequently held by Christians under the caliphs. His education was derived
from Cosmas, a learned Italian monk, whom Sergius had ransomed from slavery. He made rapid
progress, and early gave promise of his brilliant career. On the death of his father he was taken by
the caliph into his service and given an even higher office than his father had held.^875 When the
emperor Leo the Isaurian issued his first edict against images (726)^876 , he prepared a circular letter
upon the subject which showed great controversial ability and at once raised him to the position of
leader of the image worshippers. This letter and the two which followed made a profound impression.
They are classical, and no one has put the case better.^877 John was perfectly safe from the emperor’s
rage, and could tranquilly learn that the letters everywhere stirred up the monks and the clergy to
fanatical opposition to Leo’s decrees. Yet he may well have found his position at court
uncomfortable, owing to the emperor’s feelings towards him and his attempts at punishment.
However this may be, shortly after 730 John is found as a monk in the Convent of St. Sabas, near
the shore of the Dead Sea, ten miles southeast from Jerusalem. A few years later he was ordained
priest.^878 His last days were spent in study and literary labor. In the closing decade of his life he is
said to have made a journey through Palestine, Syria, and even as far as Constantinople, for the
purpose of exciting opposition to the iconoclastic efforts of the Emperor Copronymus. He died at
St. Sabas; the exact date is not known, probably 754.^879 The Greek Church commemorates him
upon Dec. 4th (or Nov. 29 in some Menologies); the Latin upon May 6.
Many legends are told of him. The most famous is that Leo the Isaurian, enraged at his
opposition to the iconoclastic edicts, sent to the caliph a letter addressed to himself which purported
to have come from John, and was written in imitation of his hand and style, in which the latter
proposed to the emperor to capture Damascus—a feat easily accomplished., the writer said, because
of the insufficient guard of the city. Moreover, in the business he could count upon his support.
(^872) Grundlehner, p. 22; Langen, p. 20.
(^873) The usual date is 676. Grundlehner says (p. 19), "probably about the year 680."
(^874) This Life is summarized by Lupton, pp. 22-36.
(^875) The term isπρωτοσύμβουλος, " chief councillor." This is commonly interpreted " vizier," but that office did not then
exist. Langen (p. 19) thinks " chief tax-gatherer" a more likely translation. Cf. Lupton, p. 27.
(^876) See this vol. p. 456.
(^877) See analysis, p. 630.
(^878) Lequien (i. § 452) conjectures that he was ordained before the iconoclastic controversy broke out, because in a sermon
he alludes to the peaceful condition of the empire, which was not applicable to the time after that event. Cf. Lupton, p. 57.
(^879) Grundlehner (p. 55, n.1) accepts the statement of the Menaea Graecorum that John of Damascus died at the age of
104, and sets the date at "about 780."