The Questions of Theodore

Anthony Alcock

The following is a very brief summary of the 23 questions posed by an otherwise unknown presbyter Theodore and
answered by the Patriarch John III (677-686).

There are versions in Coptic, Arabic and Ethiopic. This is a summary of the Sahidic Coptic text, which survives in its
entirety and was published by A. van Lantschoot Les questions de Théodore (1957), the Introduction of which contains
a summary.

It is not known whether this Q & A session actually took place, but as a teaching vehicle it would have been ideally
suited for an audience, perhaps in the bishop's palace. It is not a work of great speculative theology, but rather one that
seems to address the concerns of simple pious Christians,1 particularly with its emphasis on becoming and remaining a
Christian through baptism and a strong faith in Christ. Those who have neither, e.g. Jews, will not be saved. The work
was not considered important enough to be mentioned in the brief biographical sketch of John History of the Patriarchs2

The notice about John in the History of the Patriarchs indicates that when he succeeded Agathon as patriarch, there
were coastal regions of Egypt still not under Muslim control. John was arrested by the Muslim governor Abd-el-Aziz
for inadvertently insulting him, with instructions that John was to remain in custody until he paid a fine of 100,000
dinars. Unable to pay, John was condemned to death, but on the eve of the execution the governor's wife became ill he
was reprieved and entrusted to a certain Samad, who tried to bully John into paying up. One of the threats he levelled at
the patriarch was to clothe him in Jewish garments and cover him with ashes. The debt was finally reduced to 10,000
dinars, and it was agreed that the bishops together would find the money so that the Church did not have to pay.
Thereafter, relations between the patriarch and the governor improved. Some years later John died.

1 The late Shenouda III used to hold weekly Q&A sessions at Abbasiya, even during his confinement in the Wadi
Natrun. I was fortunate enough to be at one and have the services of a translator. It was good-humoured and well-
attended.
2 https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/severus_hermopolis_hist_alex_patr_03_part3.htm#JOHN_III
The text is characterized as a logos, often rendered as 'discourse', which originated in questions on
matters of Scripture put to the Patriarch by an unknown presbyter Theodore. John expresses a
certain diffidence about his ability to deliver the discourse, but is ultimately confident enough to
embark upon it 'composedly' (xNoumotnes) with the help of the Lord, and this help is later
clarified by his statement that the words he speaks are not his but those of the Holy Spirit.3

1. Theodore wants to know about the breath of life mentioned in Gen. 2, 7. John explains that Adam
received it at creation but lost it when he sinned (Gen. 3, 6). It was restored by the resurrected
Christ. to those who became Christians (John 20, 22).

2. This question is prompted by Luke 11, 24-26: an unclean spirit leaves man, goes out into
waterless land to seek rest, finds none and returns with seven more spirits, each more virulent than
the other. John explains that the presence of demons is related to the firmness of belief and those
whose faith becomes weak are more liable to attack by demons (2 Pet. 2, 20).

3. Theodore wishes to know if, at death, one goes immediately before God. John quotes a passage
from Isaiah 26, 10 that the impious will not see God and quotes Psalms 25, 9, where the 'humble'
(Christians) will be led before God. Supplementary question about those who have led a righteous
life but have not been baptized. The answers are all framed in the negative interrogative: 'Do you
not know . . . ?' Ultimately, those who do not accept the word of God are as damned as the residents
of Sodom and Gomorrah and will be punished until they have paid for their sins and then released
from punishment (Ps. 65, 10) from 'the fire to eternal life.'

4. Theodore asks if the claim in Psalm 116, 11 that all men are liars is true. John replies that no man
is born without sin and lying is a sin. Those who deny Christ are liars and sinners (John 8, 44), but
those who repent will reap the rewards of repentance.

5. This question concerns the passage in Isaiah 65, 8 about preserving the grain4 in the grape cluster
and the passage in James 2, 10 about obeying the law in its entirety. John replies that the grain is the

3 Question 23: +ermNtre nhtn je mpijeou<aje xaroi mmauaat eimhtei nentapePNA etouaab taau
etatapro ' I bear witness you that I have not spoken a word of my own but those put in my mouth by the Holy
Spirit.'
4 Coptic blbile cf. Crum Coptic Dictionary 37b ('single fruit')
goodness of anything rotten and should be preserved and that if the law is not obeyed in its entirety,
it will rot.

6. This question concerns the difference between sheep and goats (Matth. 25, 32). John explains that
the sheep are Christians and the goats are non-Christians. Christ became synonymous with the
lamb. Those who do not believe in Christ believe in the devil, e.g. Jews.

7. This question involves several passages from John (8, 38 and 5,24 and 3, 18) and judgement of
the living and the dead. John distinguishes between Christians, the living, and non-Christians, the
dead. Christians who deny Christ become dead and, like Judas, are not worthy of mercy.

8. Theodore wants to know what Ps. 1,5 means: if the impious do not rise on the day of judgement,
how are they to be judged ? John explains that all have a chance to repent on judgement day.

9. Theodore does not understand 2 Peter 2, 22 about dogs that return to their vomit and pigs that
wallow in their mud. John explains that the former are Christians who have received a cure for their
sickness, but reject it and go back to their old sickness; that the latter have been cleansed by Christ
but return to their old ways.

10. Theodore asks why Peter stated that all who are just are pleasing to the Lord (Acts 10, 35). John
quotes Isaiah (unidentifiable passage) about the 'living water', which flows from a place called
Asadek (truth). Various NT passages declaring that Jesus is the truth are cited.

11. This question concerns the opening passage of John and the existence of Jesus. Pagans claim
that Jesus came into existence only when he was conceived and before that he was only a word.
John explains that the Word was God and created everything. Supplementary question; why was sin
allowed to exist ? Answer: God created man with free will.

12. Theodore wants to know the meaning of Isaiah 45, 7, in which God says he created evil while
establishing peace. John explains that evil results from following the devil, who was originally a
good angel but was brought low by arrogance. Man has a choice: follow the devil or God.

13. Theodore asks about John 3, 13: only the Son of Man, who comes from heaven, can go up to it.
John advises Theodore not to consider the letter of the statement but its spirit. John speaks of the
teaching he received from Agathon about the subdivisions of heaven through which which one
passes before reaching God. The statement of the Evangelist refers to these various divisions of
heaven.

14. This question is prompted by Isaiah 66, 1: why does God not live in buildings made by man ?
Reference is made to God's dismissive attitude to Solomon's proposal to build his temple. Theodore
broaches the widely-held belief that Jesus descends from heaven and stands on the altar during the
Offering. John is equally dismissive of this. Buildings are perishable and will perish.

15. Theodore asks about Ps. 21, 7, in which David admits that he is a worm5 and not a man. John
explains that a worm here means a bee and, describing the development of the bee, concludes that it
is sexless and pure,6 but still produces offspring, like God. John adds a passage about beeswax and
the Divinity.7

16. Theodore asks about the sea monster8 created by God for his amusement (Psalms 103, 26). John
explains that the monster is the devil, who is always subdued by the Cross.

17. John 10, 2 is a warning that only those who enter the sheepfold by the main entrance will gain
admittance, all other access being illegitimate. John explains that this entrance is the Jordan river
and the guardian of the entrance9 John the Baptist.

18. Ps. 73, 13 declares that God smashed the sea monster's head in the Jordan. Theodore asks: 'Why
then is the monster not dead ?' John explains that the when the sea monster, the devil, prevails over
man and makes him sin, all those sins are linked together, and at the Feast of the Epiphany Jesus
comes to the Jordan, attended by all who have sinned. He destroys this chain of sin by drowning it
in the Jordan and all sinners are purified.10

19. Matth. 10, 16 speaks of the apostles being sent like sheep among wolves, and their survival
strategy is to be as clever as serpents and simple as doves.11 John explains that the wolves are
pagans. Whatever injuries Christians suffer at their hands, they must always think of the body and
blood of Jesus. Like serpents, they must keep their head in order to survive. As for doves, they stay
5 Spelt bnT cf. Crum 623b
6 In Plutarch Quaestiones Naturales §36 bears the title: 'Why bees are quick to sting those who have just had
improper sexual intercourse.'
7 John Chrysostom speaks highly of the bee in Homily 12.
8 The LXX has δράκων and the Hebrew ‫ליותנ‬
9 Crum 176b: mnout
10 The image of the Coptic is that man <af+fwte (Crum 625a) 'sweats out' the sin, like a fever.
11 The passage of Matth. is taken up in the Physiologus (attributed to Epiphanius), § 13 of which is devoted to an
interpretation of the verse. The treatment of the serpent is actually quite extensive (§§ 14-16).
close to a tree called life (Christ) surrounded by serpents that wish to eat them. Like the doves,
Christians should remain close to Christ.12

20. Theodore asks why Jesus calls himself Son of Man so often. John explains that the choice of
this self-designation stresses the humility of Jesus as well as his identification with man, who is
after all the image of God.

21. Matth. 13, 16 quotes Jesus as complimenting his disciples for being able to see and hear what
the prophets could not. Theodore asks if Christians are superior to the prophets, and John says that
they are, and quotes John 15, 15 to confirm this. He says that Moses was unable to see God13 and
his difficulties convincing the Israelites that he had really seen God. Christians have no difficulty
seeing God. As further proof of the superiority of Christians is Moses' inability to cure his leprous
sister (Num. 12, 10ff.), whereas Christians know the cure for leprosy.14

22. This question is about who the wise and foolish virgins are (Matth. 25, 1ff.). The wise virgins
are Christian and the oil in their lamps is baptism and the lamp is the light of Christ and the oil-
sellers are the apostles. The bridegroom is Christ, who will not come until the world ends. While the
foolish virgins go looking oil, Christ arrives, and the bridal festivities begin. Those present will be
invited into the wedding hall (heaven) and those who arrive late will be excluded. The answer is
followed by a mini-sermon on the woes that will overtake those who have 'forgotten' (eire mpwb<)
God and advice to heed and respect priests 'who are closer to God than you are'. The final remarks
of John give the impression that this marks the end of the text as a whole.

23. The final question concerns the suffering of Jesus: did God suffer or man ? John explains that
there is no division between the human and divine aspects of Jesus: the hands that performed
miracles are those that were nailed to the cross, and those who believe otherwise are heretics.

12 This passage seems to come from the Coptic text M 574, in which the Physiologus is called Solomon.
13 Because he could not perform a certain task. The ref. but not the story is Ex. 33, 20
14 No evidence is adduced to prove this.