chapter three
from all the conveniences and attractions of Rome.^55 When Jerome
grew older and was losing his eyesight, he needed more and more help
preparing his publications. He used scribes not only to take down his
dictation but he also had texts read to him because he was no longer able
to read Hebrew and Greek script without effort.^56 Keeping this in mind,
it is easy to understand why some of the fragments have double or triple
attributions. Jerome was not able—and he had no need—to hide the fact
that the fragment in the hands of the assisting scribes was in Greek or
had other attributions because he could always claim that he had in fact
alsotranslated the passage into Latin or that the gospel from which the
fragment came wasalsoused by the Nazarenes.
Especially when Jerome had much at stake in his argumentation, it
weighed in his favor if he was able to trace an apocryphal saying back
to theGospel of the Hebrewsthat had a sort of semi-canonical status (cf.
Eusebius,Hist. eccl. .)^57 and hint at the possibility that it may even
have been in the original Hebrew text of Matthew.
All this is clearly illustrated by an introduction to a fragment in
Jerome’sDialogue Against Pelagius. Pelagius was Jerome’s old enemy who
had arrived in Jerusalem and against whom Jerome wrote a treatise in
. Thus, there was much at stake.
In theGospel according to the Hebrewswhich waswritten in the Chal-
daic and Syriac language but with Hebrew letters,andisusedup to
present dayby the Nazarenes,Imeanthataccording to the Apostles,or,
as many maintain,according to Matthew, which is also available in the
Library of Caesarea, the story runs. (Pelag. .; trans. Klijn ).In this connection, Jerome presents two quotations one after another. The
exceptionally high number of attributions (five if the language and script
are counted as one) in the first introduction is probably due to the fact
that Jerome presents two fragments in the same context and has placed
all the relevant titles at the beginning of the first one. The second one is
introduced simply with the words: “And in the same volume.. .”
After the quotations (which also include a short reference to Psalms),
Atticus, who represents Jerome’s stance against the Pelagians states: “If
you do not allow the authority of this evidence, at least admit its antiquity,
and see what has been the opinion of all good churchmen.” Thus, it is
clear that for Jerome, the reference to theGospel of the Hebrews,theSyriac
(^55) See, Kelly , –; Grützmacher –, :–.
(^56) Kelly , –. See also above ...
(^57) For Eusebius’ canon, see Chapter ...