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Line 1: {{italic title}} The '''''Book of Steps''''' ({{~~lang-~~langx\|syr\|ܟܬܒܐ ܕܡܣ̈ܩܬܐ}}, ''Kṯāḇâ ḏ-Masqāṯâ''; also known by the [[Latin]] name ''Liber Graduum'') is an [[anonymity\|anonymous]] [[Syriac language\|Syriac]] [[treatise]] on [[spiritual direction]], probably written in the late fourth century AD (or possibly early fifth century). The author appears to be living in the [[~~Persia\|Persian~~Sasanian Empire]], perhaps somewhere near the [[Lesser Zab]], as it is mentioned in Memra Thirty, and addresses the author's own [[Christian Church\|Christian community]]. == Summary == The ''Book of Steps'' is divided into thirty chapters, or ''discourses'' ({{lang\|syr\|ܡܐܡ̈ܖܐ}}, ''mêmrê''). The first discourse, and subsequent ones (especially number 14), divides the community into two groups. One group is called the ''perfect'' ({{lang\|syr\|ܓܡܝ̈ܖܐ}}, ''gmîrê''), to whom the stricter ''major commandments'' apply. The other group is called the ''upright'' ({{lang\|syr\|ܟܐ̈ܢܐ}}, ''kênê''), who seem to comprise the remainder of the community, to whom only ''lesser commandments'' (which are described as ''spiritual milk'' to the ''solid food'' of the major commandments — [[epistle to the Hebrews\|Hebrews]] {{bibleverse-nb\|\|Hebrews\|5.13-14\|68}}) apply. The lesser commandments are outworkings of the [[Ethic of reciprocity\|Golden Rule]] ([[Gospel of Matthew\|Matthew]] {{bibleverse-nb\|\|Matthew\|7.12\|68}} and [[Gospel of Luke\|Luke]] {{bibleverse-nb\|\|Luke\|6.31\|68}}), and represent a life devoted to charity. On the other hand, the 'perfect' are expected to renounce family, marriage and property so as to receive [[baptism]] of fire and [[Holy Spirit\|Spirit]]. This division of the community echoes a similar division in [[Manichaeism]]. The teaching of the ''Book of Steps'' has been described as [[Euchites\|Messalian]] by some scholars (including Kmoskó the editor of the critical Syriac edition). However, [[Sebastian Brock\|Brock]] has demonstrated that the ''Book of Steps''{{'}} emphasis on the structure of the ''visible church'' (particularly strong in discourse 12) shows that its doctrine is quite removed from Messalianism. An English translation of the entirety of the ''Book of Steps'' by Kitchen and Parmentier has recently been published. Line 16 ⟶ 19: # On the advantage we have when we endure evil while performing good; and on fasting and humiliation of body and soul. # On hearing the Scriptures, and when the Law is read before us. # On the ministry of the hidden and the revealed church (English trans. in {{cite book\|last=Murray\|title=Symbols}} and {{cite book\|last=Brock\|title=Syriac Fathers\|year=1988 \|url=https://archive.org/details/teachingofsyrian0000seba}}). # On the way of life of the upright. # On the upright and the perfect. Line 22 ⟶ 25: # On how a person grows as a result of the major commandments. # On the sufferings of our Lord, by which an example is provided for us. # On the tears of prayer (English trans. in {{cite book\|last=Brock\|title=Syriac Fathers\|year=1988 \|url=https://archive.org/details/teachingofsyrian0000seba}}). # On the distinguishing characteristics of the way of perfection. # On the hard steps on the way. Line 38 ⟶ 41: ==References== * {{cite book\|last=Brock\|first=Sebastian P\|pages=42–61\|chapter=The Book of Steps\|title=The Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life\|publisher=Cistercian\|location=Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA\|series=Cistercian studies series 101\|isbn=0-87907-901-0\|authorlink=Sebastian Brock\|year=1987}} * {{Cite book~~\|ref=harv~~\|last=Brock\|first=Sebastian P.\|authorlink=Sebastian P. Brock\|title=A Brief Outline of Syriac Literature\|year=1997\|location=Kottayam\|publisher=St. Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institute\|isbn=978-1-61143-563-4 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZB1jAAAAMAAJ}} * {{cite book\|last=Guillaumont\|first=A\|year=1974\|series=Orientalia Christiana analecta 197\|title=Symposium Syriacum 1972\|chapter=Situation et signification du «Liber Graduum» dans la spiritualité syriaque\|language=French\|pages=311–325\|location=Rome\|publisher=Pontificalum Institutum Orientalium Studiorum}} * {{cite book\|title=The Book of Steps: The Syriac Liber Graduum\|first=RA\|last=Kitchen\|author2=MFG Parmentier\|series=Cistercian Studies 196\|publisher=Cistercian\|location=Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA\|year=2004}} * {{cite book\|last=Kmoskó\|first=Mihály\|year=1926\|pages=285–304, 433–444\|language=Syriac, Latin\|chapter=Liber graduum = Ketava de-maskata\|title=Patrologia syriaca = Malfanuta da-abahata Suryaye t.3\|publisher=Firmin-Didot\|location=Paris}} * {{cite book\|last=Murray\|first=Robert\|year=2004\|~~origyear~~orig-year=1975\|publisher=Gorgias\|location=Piscataway, New Jersey, USA\|isbn=1-59333-150-9\|title=Symbols of Church and Kingdom: A Study in Early Syriac tradition}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:~~Syriac~~Texts ~~literature~~in Syriac]] [[Category:4th-century books]] [[Category:4th-century Christian texts]] [[Category:Christianity in the Sasanian Empire]]