Book of Steps: Difference between revisions

The '''Book of Steps''' ({{lang-syr|ܟܬܒܐ ܕܡܣ̈ܩܬܐ}}, ''{{unicode|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 [[4th century|fourth century AD]] (or possibly early fifth century). The author appears to be living in the [[Persia|Persian Empire]], perhaps somewhere near the [[Zab River|River Zab]], as it is mentioned, and addresses the author's own [[Christian Church|Christian community]]. The Book of Steps is divided into thirty chapters, or ''discourses'' ({{lang|syr|ܡܐܡ̈ܖܐ}}, ''mêmrê''). The very 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.