ŚLĄSKIE STUDIA HISTORYCZNO-TEOLOGICZNE

Aphrahat, On humility (Demonstratio IX. De humilitate. Patrologia Syriaca I, 408-441)
Demonstration on humility appears as a ninth homily in an acrostically ordered collection of works by Aphrahat, following the texts dealing with the issues of faith, charity, fasting, prayer, wars, “sons of the covenant”, penitents and resurrection. In J. Parisot’s critical edition (Patrologia Syriaca I) it is called De humilitate. The composition of the demonstration dates to the years 336-337 CE . The ideal of humility is Christ, the only son of God and He serves as a model for the “sons of covenant”. Aphrahat discusses at length the concepts of innocence and justice, which are fundamental in his ascetic teaching, identifying them with humility, moderation and purity.