ABSTRACT
After Theodore’s condemnation at Constantinople II, only the Christians belonging to the East Syrian Church, for the most part, valued Theodore’s teaching and person. In the fifth century, Ibas, the Syrian bishop (436-57) of Edessa, played a large role in promoting this influence by having Theodore’s works translated into Syriac. He also steadfastly defended Theodore after the Council of Ephesus and was later condemned for this at the “Robbers’ Council” in 449. Though he was reconciled at the Council of Chalcedon, the letter he wrote to Mari the Persian in which he praises Theodore was condemned at the Second Council of Constantinople in 553.1 Narsai (c.410-500?), who was the “rabban” (or head) of the Persian school at Edessa, until forced sometime in the mid 450s to flee for his life, labored ceaselessly to inculcate Theodore’s teaching within his students.2 As the co-founder of the famed School of Nisibis in the Persian empire, he formed the minds of the Syrian hierarchy, insisting that Theodore was to be their, as he was his, principal “Interpreter,” because
All who have grown rich from the treasure of his books have been very well rewarded and have acquired an ability to interpret as he has done. I who learned [to do this] in a stammering way have learned from him, and by my involvement with him I have acquired a way to be involved in the study of [scriptural] words. I consider my study of him has guided me to [interpret] in the right way what has been written [there].
