On this work Mar Ephraem wrote an exposition; and its commencement
was--_In the beginning was the Word_. Elias of Salamia, who is also
called Aphthonius, constructed a gospel after the likeness of the
_Diatessaron_ of Ammonius, mentioned by Eusebius in his prologue to
the Canons which he made for the Gospel. Elias sought for that
_Diatessaron_ and could not find it, and in consequence constructed
this after its likeness. And the said Elias finds fault with several
things in the Canons of Eusebius, and points out errors in them, and
rightly. But this copy (work) which Elias composed is not often met
with." [148:1]
This information regarding Ephraem--who died about A.D. 373--be it
remembered, is given by a writer of the twelfth century, and but for
this we should not have known from any ancient independent source that
Ephraem had composed a commentary at all, supposing that he did so. It
is important to note, however, that a second _Diatessaron_, prepared by
Ammonius, is here mentioned, and that it was also described by Eusebius
in his Epistle to Carpianus, and further that Bar-Salibi speaks of a
third, composed on the same lines by Elias. Dr. Lightfoot disposes of
the _Diatessaron_ of Ammonius in a very decided way. He says:
"It was quite different in its character from the _Diatessaron_ of
Tatian.
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