chapter three
According to Eusebius, the gospel he uses “has come to us” (Theo-
phania). This expression would seem to suggest that Eusebius (as well as
Pamphilus?) had the whole gospel at his disposal. However, in connec-
tion with the other quotation he says that it is to be found “somewhere in
the gospel which exists among the Jews in Hebrew language” (Theopha-
nia Syriaca.), which makes it more probable that he only had access
to some quotations that were derived from a gospel used by the “Jews.”
Theophania
InTheophania, Eusebius paraphrases a version of the Parable of the
Talents (Matt :–), which has come to him “in Hebrew letters:”
Since the Gospel that has come to us in Hebrew letters directs it threat
not against the one who has hidden (his talent) but against the one who
lived in extravagance. For he [the master] possessed three slaves, one spent
the fortune of his master with harlots and flute-girls, the second who
multiplied his trade and the third who hid his talent. One of them was
accepted, one rebuked only, and one thrown into prison. I wonder whether
the threat in Matthew, which, according to the letter was spoken against
the one who did nothing, applies not to him but to the earlier one who was
eating and drinking with the drunkards, by way or resumption.
(Theoph. ., trans. Klijn , modified).Matthew’s version of the Parable of the Talents, which is Eusebius’ point
of comparison, has three servants of whom two double their money (of
two and five talents). The gospel in Hebrew letters obviously has replaced
one of these traders with a servant who spent his fortune. Consequently,
this servant who lived in extravagance is also the one who is thrown
into prison, not the one who only hid the talent. This gives Eusebius a
reason to wonder if this is also the case in Matthew: The worthless slave
“to be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will beweeping and
gnashing of teeth” (Matt :) is not really referring to the slave who
hid the talent. Instead, it is the “wicked servant” whose actions were
described a bit earlier in Matthew’s Gospel (Matt :–). The wicked
servant had started to beat his fellow servants and “eat and drink with
the drunkards,” wherefore he was to be put with “the hypocrites where
there will beweeping and gnashing of teeth.” Notably, the destiny of the
punished person is described similarly in both cases, which may also have
drawn Eusebius’ attention to these passages.
Because Eusebius only summarizes the parable, it is not possible to
compare it with the synoptic stories in detail. However, Klijn has drawn
attention to the fact that the phrase “spent the fortune of his master