Rethinking Irenaeus and the Diatessaron: A Case for Early Gospel Harmonization

It is widely accepted that Irenaeus's writings are among the first to reference the four separate canonical gospels. However, a closer examination of his works, alongside the writings of Tertullian and Ephrem, suggests that Irenaeus might have been using a gospel harmony similar to the Diatessaron. This hypothesis challenges the traditional view and offers new insights into early Christian textual traditions.

The Canaanite Woman and the Samaritan Woman: Evidence from Ephrem and Irenaeus

Ephrem's commentary on the Diatessaron places the story of the Canaanite Woman (Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30) alongside the narrative of the Samaritan Woman (John 4:5-42). Interestingly, Irenaeus's citation in Against Heresies (Book 4) echoes this arrangement:

"But as many as feared God, and were anxious about His law, these ran to Christ, and were all saved. For He said to His disciples: 'Go ye to the sheep of the house of Israel, which have perished.' And many more Samaritans, it is said, when the Lord had tarried among them, two days, 'believed because of His words, and said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for we ourselves have heard [Him], and know that this man is truly the Saviour of the world.'"

This alignment suggests that Irenaeus might have been using a gospel harmony similar to the Diatessaron, rather than four separate gospels.

Implicit Assumptions in Irenaeus's Texts

In Against Heresies (Book 3), Irenaeus makes an implicit assumption that the announcement regarding the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" occurred early in the gospel narrative:

"For why did the Lord send the twelve apostles to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, if these men did not know the truth? How also did the seventy preach, unless they had themselves previously known the truth of what was preached?"

This placement is significant because it implies an early positioning of this announcement, which aligns with the structure of a gospel harmony rather than a later chapter of a 24-chapter gospel.

The Acts of Paul and the Early Announcement

The Acts of Paul also aligns with the notion that the announcement to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" was made early in the gospel narrative:

"For to this end did God Almighty who made heaven and earth first send the prophets unto the Jews, that they might be drawn away from their sins. For he designed to save the house of Israel: therefore he conferred a portion of the spirit of Christ upon the prophets and sent them unto the Jews first, and they proclaimed the true worship of God for a long space of time."

This early announcement fits better with the structure of a gospel harmony rather than being confined to a single gospel account.

Diatessaronic Readings in Tertullian

Tertullian, in Prescription Against Heretics, demonstrates another Diatessaronic reading by connecting various gospel accounts seamlessly:

"The Jews had formerly been in covenant with God; but being afterwards cast off on account of their sins, they began to be without God. The Gentiles, on the contrary, had never been in covenant with God; they were only as 'a drop from a bucket,' and 'as dust from the threshing floor, and were ever outside the door ... Now, the Gentiles knew nothing either of Him, or of any of His promises. Therefore it was to Israel that he spoke when He said, 'I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' Not yet had He 'cast to the dogs the children's bread;' not yet did He charge them to 'go into the way of the Gentiles.' It is only at the last that He instructs them to 'go and teach all nations, and baptize them,' when they were so soon to receive 'the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, who should guide them into all the truth.'"

Tertullian’s use of various gospel accounts in a harmonized fashion supports the idea that he, like Irenaeus, might have been using a gospel harmony.

Origen and the Early Placement of Matthew 15:27f

Origen's Contra Celsum provides further support for the early placement of Matthew 15:27f:

"These prophecies clearly refer to the age still to come, and they are addressed to the children of Israel in their captivity, to whom He was sent and came, who said, 'I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.'"

Origen’s alignment of this passage with an early announcement in the gospel narrative suggests a harmonized gospel structure, much like the Diatessaron.

Conclusion

The evidence from Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Ephrem, along with corroborations from Origen and the Acts of Paul, strongly suggests that early Christian writers were using a gospel harmony similar to the Diatessaron. This harmonized gospel likely preceded the separation of the canonical gospels, offering a more unified and coherent narrative of Jesus’s life and teachings. Recognizing this usage challenges the traditional view of early gospel transmission and highlights the fluid and dynamic nature of early Christian scriptural traditions.