Collectanea Christiana Orientalia 22 (2025): 125-139
Beniamin Zakhary
Yale University
Deification in the Medieval Copto-Arabic Writing of Ibn Sabbā‘
The thirteenth and fourteenth centuries in Egypt comprised a very dynamic time in Arabic
Christian theology. Some scholars have described this period as the “golden age” for the
production of Arabic theological writing in Egypt.
1
Unfortunately, Egyptian Christian thought
from that period had received little attention from modern researchers, particularly in the West,
although some scholars are persistently attempting to change this status quo.
The Writing
2
of Ibn Sabbā‘
In a period shrouded in mystery for many scholars, an especially enigmatic figure is present—
Yūḥannā Ibn Abī Zakariyyā, who was known as Ibn Sabbā‘ (sometimes transliterated as Ibn
Sabā‘ or Ibn Sibā‘). Not much is known about this obscure figure in Egyptian history; he was
not a well-known figure or a prominent writer.
3
There is even uncertainty regarding the century
in which he lived. Certain scholars such as Jean Périer and Milad S. Zakhary place Ibn Sabbā‘ at
This paper is an expanded and edited version of a paper presented at the Patristic, Medieval, and Renaissance
Conference, Villanova University 2022, titled “Deification in the Copto-Arabic Writing of Ibn Sabbā‘.” I would
like to thank Fr. Alexis Torrance (University of Notre Dame) who introduced me to much of the patristic
writing on deification utilized in this paper.
1
Stephen J Davis. “The Copto-Arabic Tradition of Theosis: A Eucharistic Reading of John 6:51-57 in Būlus al-
Būshī’s Treatise On the Incarnation.” In Partakers of the Divine Nature, ed. M. J. Christensen and J. A. Wittung
(Madison, NJ: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2007), pp. 163-174, esp. 163.
2
All translated passages of Ibn Sabbā‘ in this paper are my own translation, unless otherwise specified.
3
Arsenius Mikhail, Guides to the Eucharist in Medieval Egypt: Three Arabic Commentaries on the Coptic Liturgy: Yūannā
Ibn Sabbāʻ, Abū Al-Barakāt Ibn Kabar, and Pope Gabriel V (New York, NY: Fordham University
Press, 2022), p. 7.
Beniamin Zakhary
126
the end of the 13
th
century.
4
On the other hand, Fr. Vincentio Mistrīḥ
5
and Fr. Arsenius Mikhail
place him in mid-14
th
century due to Ibn Sabbā‘s own words, “Those who believe it [the Gospel]
have been for years, mounting to one thousand three hundred years”.
6
There is only one work that bears his name, and it is titled al-Jawhara al-nafīsa fi ‘ulūm al-kanīsa
(The Precious Jewel in the Ecclesiastical Sciences), often mentioned as The Precious Pearl or The Precious
Jewel. This work remains largely untranslated, with only academic translations into French and
Latin, the first of which was a translation of 56 chapters by Périer, published under the title La
Perle Précieuse in 1924.
7
The partially-translated 113-chapter work is described by Périer as an
encyclopedia of “theological dogmatics of morality, liturgical matters, and ecclesiastical
disciplines; in short, the doctrines utilized in the Coptic Church”.
8
A few decades later, Mistrīḥ
translated the entire work into Latin.
9
Recently, a few liturgical chapters (58–73, 83, 84) have
been translated and published in English.
10
For most of the English academic world, The Precious
Jewel remains largely untouched, waiting to be mined. This paper will explore this valuable
resource to uncover the understanding of deification in the mind of the Medieval Egyptian
thinker.
Deification
Deification is a difficult concept to define in such a short paper, but it would help to echo
another enigmatic figure, (pseudo) Dionysius the Areopagite (5
th
-6
th
c). He writes, “Deification is
attaining the likeness of God and union with Him, as far as is possible”.
11
Early Christian fathers
have utilized an exchange formula to ground deification in Christology, “God became human,
so that we may become God”.
12
4
Jean Périer, Yoūḥannā Ibn Abī Zakariyā Ibn Sabbāʻ, La Perle Précieuse, in Patrologia Orientalis, ed. R Graffin and
F Nau (Paris: Librairie de Paris, 1924), pp. 593-760, esp. 593. Cf. Milad Sidky Zakhary, De la Trinit à la Trinit:
la christologie liturgique d’Ibn sabbāʻ, auteur copte du XIIIe Sicle (Roma: Ed. Liturgiche, 2007).
5
Vincentio Mistrīḥ, “Pretiosa Margarita de Scientiis Ecclesiasticis, Ioannis Ibn Abî Zakarîâ Ibn Sibâʿ (praefatio
et Introductio),” In Studia Orientalia Christiana. Collectanea (SOCC), 11 (1966), pp. 319-360, esp. 325.
6
Mikhail, Guides, p. 29, n21. Cf. Ibn Sabbāʻ, al-Jawhara, XXVI.
7
J. Périer, La Perle Précieuse, pp. 593-760. This translation only has the first 56 chapters.
8
J. Périer, La Perle Précieuse, p. 593.
9
Vincentio Mistrîḥ, Yuanna Ibn Abi Zakaria Ibn Siba‘, Pretiosa margarita de scientiis ecclesiasticis, (Cairo: Centrum
Franciscanum Studiorum Orientalium Christianorum, 1966).
10
Yoūḥannā ibn Abī Zakariyā ibn Sabbāʾ, “The Precious Jewel on the Ecclesiastical Sciences (al-Jawharah al-nafīsah
fī ʿulūm al-kanīsah)” in Mikhail, Guides, pp 60-107.
11
“Ἡ δὲ θέωσίς ἐστιν ἡ πρὸς Θεόν, ὡς ἐφικτόν, ἀφομοίωσίς τε καὶ ἕνωσις”. Dionysius, EH 1.3, PG 3.376A. English
translation from Norman Russell, The Doctrine of Deification in the Greek Patristic Tradition (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2009), p. 248. Cf. Daniel A. Keating, “Typologies of Deification”, International Journal of
Systematic Theology 17/3 (2015), pp. 267-283, esp. 275.
12
Athanasius. De Inc., 54. Translation is mine.
Deification in the Medieval Copto-Arabic Writing of Ibn Sabbā‘
127
Russell breaks down the overall methodology of understanding deification into four
approaches: nominal, analogical, ethical, and realistic deification.
13
The nominal approach
interprets words such as “gods” as honorary titles, when Biblically attributed to humans.
14
The
analogical approach forms imagery that ties the nominal to a sketch of divinity; for example,
Moses being a god to Pharaoh.
15
Ethical deification centers around reproducing divine virtue in
one’s life through ascetic and moral efforts; this approach focuses on imitation of divine
attributes to model the likeness of God.
16
Finally, there is the realistic approach, which accepts
that human beings are divinely transformed through deification.
17
In examining al-Jawhara al-nafīsa (the Precious Jewel), this paper will investigate deification in the
theological understanding of Ibn Sabbā‘. Russell’s nominal deification might be easily excluded,
since Ibn Sabbā‘ does not use the word “deification” or “gods,” when referring to humans.
However, this paper demonstrates that the other three approaches to deification are present to
varying degrees.
Vocabulary
Admittedly, there are several key words and references that are completely missing. The word
(literal Arabic equivalent of “deification”) is not in this work at all. References to “partakers
of Divine nature”
18
and “you are gods”
19
are all absent.
Yet, other important words and references are present. The word (“unity/united”) is
strongly used to allude to deification. The word is used by Ibn Sabbā‘ in describing the creation
of humanity, the incarnation of the Word, and the sacramental life. The Eucharist and Baptism
are especially important for Ibn Sabbā‘, as evident by the number of chapters he dedicates to
them. One concept that resonates throughout the work is identifying the Holy Spirit as life.
In his work, Ibn Sabbā‘ also uses the word (“perfected”) to describe an elevated state of
humanity. This perfection is tied into his sacramental view of the church and the believer, again
drawing from the Holy Spirit’s identity as life itself manifested through the mysteries. The
perfection is also described adjacent to the incarnation, the redeeming works of Christ, and the
hypostatic union which elevated humanity.
13
N. Russell, Doctrine of Deification, p. 3.
14
N. Russell, Doctrine of Deification, 1.
15
N. Russell, Doctrine of Deification, 1-2.
16
N. Russell, Doctrine of Deification, 2.
17
N. Russell, Doctrine of Deification, 2.
18
2 Pet 1:4
19
Psa 82 and Jn 10.
Beniamin Zakhary
128
Deification of Humanity Through Christ
The patristic tradition is full of statements regarding the deification of Christ’s humanity, which
extends to all believers by participation. In continuity with the patristic tradition, Ibn Sabbā‘
appears to have a very similar understanding.
Patristic Background
Origen of Alexandria (c. 185 – c. 253) sees the deification of human nature in the union of the
incarnation. Origen highlights the deification of Christ’s own humanity, which participated in
the very Logos (τὴν ἄκραν μετοχὴν τοῦ αὐτολόγου).
20
Christ’s human soul was “united by supreme
participation” (φάσκοντες τῇ ἄκρᾳ μετοχῇ) to the divinity
21
and by “the utmost participation in the
Logos Himself” (τῇ ἄκρᾳ μετοχῇ τοῦ αὐτολόγ).
22
Origen then extends this deified humanity to all
the believers, saying:
For Christians see that with Jesus human and divine nature began to be woven together, so that
by fellowship with divinity, human nature might become divine, not only in Jesus, but also in all
those who believe and go on to undertake the life which Jesus taught.
23
Athanasius (c. 298-373) focuses on the place of humanity in the redeeming works of Christ,
saying, “For if the works of the Word’s Godhead had not taken place through the body, man
had not been deified; and again, had not the properties of the flesh been ascribed to the Word,
man had not been thoroughly delivered from them”.
24
For Athanasius, redemption must happen
through Christ’s humanity, or more specifically through His human body. To that end, humans
cannot be deified apart from this salvific work.
The Cappadocian fathers, especially Gregory Nazianzus (329-390), also expressed the
deification of Christ’s humanity in the hypostatic union and our share in this deified humanity.
20
Origen, C. Cel. 5.39 trans. Chadwick, Contra Celsum (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1980), p. 146. For
a study of Origen’s thought on the deification of humanity see: Beniamin Zakhary, “Μετοχῇ θεότητος: Partakers
of Divinity in Origen’s Contra Celsum.” Journal of Early Christian Studies 32/3 (2024), pp. 315-340.
21
Origen, C. Cel. 6.47.
22
Origen, C. Cel. 7.17.
23
Origen, C. Cel. 3.28 English text from H. Chadwick, Contra Celsum, p. 146. The Greek text in context reads:
ὁρῶσιν ὅτι ἀπ' ἐκείνου ἤρξατο θεία καὶ ἀνθρωπίνη συνυφαίνεσθαι φύσις, ἵν' ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη τῇ πρὸς τὸ θειότερον κοινωνίᾳ
γένηται θεία οὐκ ἐν μόνῳ τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς μετὰ τοῦ πιστεύειν ἀναλαμβάνουσι βίον, ὃν Ἰησοῦς ἐδίδαξεν,
ἀνάγοντα ἐπὶ τὴν πρὸς θεὸν φιλίαν καὶ τὴν πρὸς ἐκεῖνον κοινωνίαν πάντα τὸν κατὰ τὰς Ἰησοῦ ὑποθήκας ζῶντα; Origen, C.
Cel. 3.28.
24
Athanasius, CA, 3.33, English text from NPNF (1994) 2.4: pp. 303-447. The Greek text in context reads: Εἰ γὰρ
τὰ τῆς θεότητος τοῦ Λόγου ἔργα μὴ διὰ τοῦ σώματος ἐγίνετο, οὐκ ἂν ἐθεοποιήθη ἄνθρωπος· καὶ πάλιν, εἰ τὰ ἴδια τῆς σαρκὸς
οὐκ ἐλέγετο τοῦ Λόγου, οὐκ ἂν ἠλευθερώθη παντελῶς ἀπὸ τούτων ὁ ἄνθρωπος.
Deification in the Medieval Copto-Arabic Writing of Ibn Sabbā‘
129
Gregory makes this clear when he says, “What greater destiny can befall our humility than that
humanity should be intermingled with God, and by this intermingling should become divine?”
25
The “intermingling” of Christ’s divinity and humanity is usually described through the patristic
image of iron and fire. In this analogy neither fire nor iron lose its property, but the iron becomes
red hot with the fire that is contained within it.
26
Overall, the patristic passages mentioned can
be reduced to three main points here: (1) Christ’s humanity was deified through the hypostatic
union, (2) Christ’s redeeming works were done through His humanity, and (3) the deified
humanity is expanded to all the believers.
The Hypostatic Union
In harmony with the patristic tradition, Ibn Sabbā‘ highlights the incarnation as the root and
cause of the renewed humanity. First, Ibn Sabbā‘ sees a true unity in the incarnation of Christ,
saying, “He cannot be called Christ except from two different sides—one is His divinity and the
other is His humanity—for both have become together one Christ and one Lord”.
27
Using the
patristic imagery of fire and iron, he explains the hypostatic union as such:
Mixing and confusion can only occur when two things are both material
28
—water and wine or
sdrā
29
and flour—but the union is different than mixing or confusion; it is like the union of fire
with iron or the soul with the flesh, the immaterial with the material.
30
To this measure was the
unity of Christ’s divinity with His flesh, without mixing or confusion.
31
25
Gregory, Or. 30.3. English text from NPNF 2.7.
26
The analogy of iron and Fire are seen throughout the writings of the fathers, beginning with Origen who
introduces this analogy in Origen, De princ. II, 6, 6: 181-195. Cf. Basil of Caesaria, Idem, C. Eun. III, 2, 29-53:
PG 29b, 660. Cf. Cyril, Theasurus, PG 75, 200A; Cyril, Comm Jo. IV, 3, 57. For a more comprehensive list of
Fathers who have used this analogy see Dmitry Biriukov, “Penetration of Fire into Iron,” Scrinium 15/1 (2019),
pp. 143-162.
27
“
”, Ibn Sabbā‘, al-
Jawhara, XXI.
28
The word used by Ibn Sabbā‘ is (kaṯīf), which literally means “heavy” or “dense,” he uses this word often
to describe material or corporeal things.
29
This is an uncommon word. Périer translates it as “le fruit de lotus” (The fruit of the Lotus flower), J. Périer,
La Perle Précieuse, p. 714.
30
(literally “the soft with the dense” or “the thin with the thick”). He uses these words throughout the
work to indicate the difference between immaterial and material or incorporeal and corporeal. Perier translates
them as “subtil avec le grossier”, J. Périer, La Perle Précieuse, 714. Mistrīḥ translates them as “subtile et crasso”,
Mistrīḥ, Pretiosa Margarita, p. 456.
31
“
”, Ibn Sabbā‘,
al-Jawhara, XXXIV.
Beniamin Zakhary
130
In his discussion of the censer, Ibn Sabbā‘ mentions a similar analogy, but using coal and fire
imagery.
32
To echo his earlier statements, he adds, “When the immaterial divinity, united with
the material humanity, and through the union they became One, only then was He called
‘Christ”.
33
Another way Ibn Sabbā‘ describes the hypostatic union, is through the union of mercy and
justice. He says, “If you desire to explain this, then know that that it is the union of divinity with
humanity and His manifestation to the creation. For justice is divinity, and mercy is humanity”.
34
At first glance it may seem as if he is separating God’s mercy and justice, but later he explains
this in a similar fashion to the divine dilemma of Athanasius.
35
The just punishment would be
for Adam and his children to suffer eternally, but the incarnation of mercy Himself took the
form of a human to bear the punishment. Here, Ibn Sabbā‘ cites the verse “mercy and justice
have met”
36
as summary of the hypostatic union of the incarnation.
Anthropological Considerations
The anthropological understanding of Ibn Sabbā‘ is also based on unity. Truly, Ibn Sabbā‘ sees
the human as a union of material and immaterial, which he ties to the hypostasis of the Son.
“The human also, being an immaterial soul and material body, united from their creation by the
Only Son…every immaterial united with material—like the heaven or the human—they were
(came into being) through the Son”.
37
He further places the union of human soul and body as a sign of the hypostatic union.
However, he acknowledges that humanity can never behold “the first light,” which is the “first
sign” of the hypostatic union.
38
Thus, he sees the human being as a limited symbol of the
hypostatic union. This limitation grows exponentially after Adam’s transgression. Ibn Sabbā‘
32
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, LXV
33
“ ”, Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIV.
34
“ ”, Ibn Sabbā‘,
al-Jawhara, XXXII
35
Athanasius. De Inc., 11-18.
36
Psa 85:10
37
“ ...
”, Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIII.
38
“ .
”. “No one from the people could look to that first light, which is the first sign to the union of
the divinity with the humanity. After this, He created what he created until the sixth day when He created our
father Adam and gave him a soul like the angels and a bovid body like the animal—immaterial and material.
This is the second sign to the union of the divinity with the humanity”, Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, III.
Deification in the Medieval Copto-Arabic Writing of Ibn Sabbā‘
131
sees the soul as angelic and the body as animalistic;
39
thus after the fall, the natural animal desires
became inflamed and restless in the human.
40
To put it in English words, this is “the fallen state
of humanity” in the eyes of Ibn Sabbā‘.
Christological Deification
When putting his Christology and anthropology together, deification flourishes. Much like earlier
patristic fathers, Ibn Sabbā‘ sees that Christ’s humanity was deified, although he does not use
the word. Instead, he paints an image of elevation and centers Christ’s humanity within it.
He sat at the right of the Father, meaning the humanity with which the eternal Son united and
lifted in the air by His exalted power until it reached the highest of the high regions; then He sat
this body in His simple pure light, and this light became inside the body through the union,
emanating out of it to enlighten the worlds above the highest. There was never separation after
the union.
41
There is little doubt that Ibn Sabbā‘ sees Christ’s humanity deified in this passage. The assertion
that Christ’s humanity is exalted to heaven, sitting at the right of Father, and radiating light all
point to a deified humanity.
This deified humanity is then transferred to the believers in a few ways. The first, is through
the salvific redemption. The Egyptian writer believes that Christ redeemed the “entire nature”
of humanity on the cross.
42
Since Christ defeated Satan while participating in our humanity, we
all became victorious through the inheritance he has given us. Here, Ibn Sabbā‘ sees that
humanity itself defeated Satan and reigned over him through the cross of Christ. He uses the
motifs of kingship, victory, and inheritance to describe humanity’s deification through the cross,
as summarized in his meditation on the Lord’s Prayer:
Concerning the essence of humanity, taken from Mary, when the Creator’s simple essence united
with it, it became Creator and Lord through the union. When this human essence battled the devil
and defeated him through the cross and reigned (became king) over him, the kingship over the
39
“When He created our father Adam and gave him a soul like the angels and a bovid body like the animal”, Ibn
Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, III.
40
“ ”, “Then, ever since Adam ate from the
tree, he has become inflamed with the animalistic desire, formed in him, and he became restless”. Ibn Sabbā‘,
al-Jawhara, V.
41
“
”, Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIV.
42
“ ”, “When He redeemed him [Adam], and redeemed
us with him by His cross, meaning that He redeemed the entire nature; this was [done] for us and on our behalf”,
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIV.
Beniamin Zakhary
132
devil was extended to humans…this kingship itself is for the human essence…this kingship and
victory—in the image of Adam—over the devil, through Christ the dual-essence in hypostasis—
the divine and human essence—He has given inheritance in it to his brethren; through his humility
he called them brethren because of His union with their humanity.
43
This passage contains all the patristic points mentioned earlier. The deification of Christ’s
humanity is clear, especially as Ibn Sabbā‘ explains that Christ’s humanity itself “became Creator
and Lord through the union.” Next, Ibn Sabbā‘ attributes kingship and victory to Christ’s
humanity, then he extends this kingship and victory to all his “brethren.”
Deification and Grace
Although Ibn Sabbā‘ exalts humanity in the battle and victory over Satan, at no point does he
disregard grace. Understandably, Ibn Sabbā‘ condemns any attempt of self-deification apart from
grace, using the example of Satan, who “desired divinity for himself, and immediately God cast
him down from his rank to the deepest depth”.
44
Interestingly, Ibn Sabbā‘ continues the thought
after this passage to show that the one creature who replaced Satan’s former heavenly rank was
the human.
45
Thus, Ibn Sabbā‘ sees that humans received a special grace from creation, that was
not given to any other creature.
God nurtured humanity, after the fall, through teaching and preparing it for the incarnation.
46
For Ibn Sabbā‘, the appearance of God in the human form was done in a child’s progress to
prepare humanity for such an event.
47
This progression model is also seen in the understanding
of Irenaeus of Lyon (c. 130-c. 202), who highlights progress in God’s grace.
48
At the incarnation, Ibn Sabbā‘ sees that “in the same truth, if the Lord, the eternal Son, had
not put on the form of a servant to save Adam and his seed, none of them would have been
saved”.
49
Thus, he highlights the role of the grace given by the incarnation in the redemptive
43
“
... ...
”, Ibn
Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIII.
44
“ ... ”, Ibn Sabbā‘, al-
Jawhara, IV.
45
“His rank remained empty, until the day of humans…and he remained waiting to see whom the exalted God
would create to fill it, but He did not create any one else except Adam. At this, the devil knew and confirmed
that this image is different than the images of animals”, Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, IV.
46
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXIII.
47
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXIII.
48
Cf. Irenaeus, AH, 4.38-39.
49
“
”, Ibn Sabbā‘, al-
Jawhara, XXXVII.
Deification in the Medieval Copto-Arabic Writing of Ibn Sabbā‘
133
works of salvation.
50
After the incarnation, Ibn Sabbā‘ sees that Christ’s victory was “by the
power of His divinity”.
51
Moreover, he further clarifies that our victory over the tempter is
impossible except through Christ.
52
Finally, Ibn Sabbā‘ sees a connection between the vision of God and the light of the intellect.
He discusses Jacob who saw God in the vision of the ladder.
53
He also discusses Moses who saw
God in the burning bush, which Ibn Sabbā‘ sees as the unity of the divinity and humanity.
54
In
a similar, yet nuanced unity, he explains the unity of the Logos with a person’s intellect, which
allows the mind to see the higher things, moving from the sensible world to the logical world.
55
Hence, Christ graces people with the vision of higher things, and even God Himself. Then, Ibn
Sabbā‘ asserts that Christ made the unity of logic and intellect natural through the incarnation.
56
Additionally, when commenting on the Lord’s prayer, this writer connects divine
enlightenment and graced higher knowledge to acts of forgiveness. He asserts that by “the
Divine light,” the human was enlightened and transformed from animal captivity to the
“perfection of humanity” through forgiveness.
57
Overall, Ibn Sabbā is positioning the grace of God central by showing that humanity was
favored at creation, nurtured after the fall, victorious through Christ after the incarnation, and
enlightened through forgiveness. Also, since “victory” and “kingship” are his ways of expressing
deification, Ibn Sabbā‘ highlights the role of grace in such a victorious state of humanity is key.
Human Responsibility in Deification: Ascesis and Ethical Deification
Although there is a place for grace in the understanding of Ibn Sabbā‘, this does not translate to
a lack of responsibility on the part of the believer. There is a place for ascesis, forgiveness, and
mercy in the heart of human deification. This understanding, which Russell describes as “ethical
deification”, is consistent with certain patristic writings.
50
Aside from patristic thought, there seems to be some clear parallels here with the Narrative of Salvation typically
found in post-sanctus prayers of early Christian liturgies, see Beniamin Zakhary, “Imago Dei in Early Christian
Anaphoras,” Studia Liturgica 53/1 (2022), pp. 24-36. These prayers may have influenced his thinking as it is clear
that Ibn Sabbā‘ is well-acquainted with the liturgies as he dedicates multiple chapters to them. Moreover, he
mentions the liturgies of St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian, and St. Cyril of Alexandria by name
(al-Jawhara, LVIII).
51
“ ”, Ibn Sabbā‘, La Perle Précieuse, XXIII.
52
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXIII.
53
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XII.
54
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XIV.
55
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIII.
56
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIII.
57
“ ”, Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara,
XXXIII.
Beniamin Zakhary
134
For example, John Chrysostom (c. 347-407) sees that mercy is the “queen” of virtues,
“making humans like God”.
58
Chrysostom also highlights that in giving secret alms, the believers
“become like God”.
59
In continuing this patristic understanding, Ibn Sabbā‘ sees an imitation to the likeness of
Christ in ascetical efforts and virtue. In general, the human ethical behavior is a subject of interest
of Ibn Sabbā‘ and comprises key sections in his book. These sections are grouped and labeled
as Pars mystico-moralis (the mystical-moral portion) by Vincentio Mistrîḥ; they contain remarks on
topics such as fasting, speech, and virtues.
60
Deification themes are intertwined throughout these
sections. For instance, in his discussion of fasting, there is a sense of Christosis where the
believers become just like Christ through enduring the suffering of hunger and thirst.
61
hrough
ascetical works, such as fasting, the believer shares in Christ’s passion.
Generally, virtues are seen by Ibn Sabbā‘ to be a direct imitation of Christ. Humility makes
us look like Christ who humbled Himself taking the form of a servant and also humbled Himself
to wash feet.
62
Purity is a great virtue that brings the servant closer to the Creator Christ.
63
Every
baptized person must give alms because “blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy”.
64
Forgiveness makes us resemble Christ who forgave and prayed for those who crucified Him.
65
On forgiveness, Ibn Sabbā‘ also adds:
Christ did not come—out of His abundant mercy and compassion—except to perfect the human
nature. Thus, He instructed people in prayer to seek forgiveness from another first, then he alerted
58
“For mercifulness is as it were a most excellent art, and a protector of those who labor at it…For she is truly a
queen indeed, making men like God. For, he says, you shall be merciful, as your Heavenly Father is
merciful…She has saved the race of humankind: For unless she had pitied us, all things would have perished.
When we were enemies, she reconciled us, she wrought innumerable blessings; she persuaded the Son of God
to become a slave, and to empty Himself.” John Chrysostom, Hom. Heb., 32.7, English text from NPNF 1.14.
59
“You have become like to God in giving alms; be thou then like Him in not making a display. For even He said,
when healing, that they should tell no man.” John Chrysostom, Hom. Mt., 71.13, English text from NPNF 1.10.
60
Mistrīḥ, “Pretiosa Margarita”, (SOCC), p. 327.
61
“Our fathers the apostles have organized those two fasting days [referring to Wednesday and Friday] on every
baptized person, whether male or female, because we were like Christ—first in rebuking the devil, second in
fasting, third in prayer, and fourth in His suffering—thus we ought to suffer willingly as He willingly suffered.
Suffering willingly is fasting…when a person endures the lack of power willingly, this is willing endurance of
suffering, just as Christ endured suffering willingly...crucifixion and true suffering was in it [Friday], in which
Christians take on the likeness of His suffering by voluntary hunger and thirst”, “
...
...
”, Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXII.
62
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXVIII.
63
Ibn Sabbā‘ al-Jawhara, LV.
64
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXVI. cf. Mt 5:7.
65
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIX.
Deification in the Medieval Copto-Arabic Writing of Ibn Sabbā‘
135
them, secondly, that they are reaching perfection and being honored with the honor lordship by
them saying “as we forgive those who trespass against us”.
66
Thus, he sees the act of forgiving one another as a direct link to the honor of lordship bestowed
upon us. Because the one who forgives is the Lord, by practicing such function ourselves, we
are honored with Lordship.
In connecting virtue and ascesis, Ibn Sabbā‘ tells a story of Abraham’s servant. In this story,
the servant gives one of his meals to a person in need and immediately his hand become radiant.
Marveling at this, he abstained from food longer and gives his nourishment to another person
in need. Immediately, both his arms became white as snow. He fasts longer, giving his own food
to a third person; this action “pleased the Lord, so He sent His own light and it descended upon
him, making him entirely white as snow”.
67
This story is certainly apocryphal, but its inclusion uncovers Ibn Sabbā‘s reception of ethical
deification. The term “white as snow” was used in Psalm 51 as a request for God’s forgiveness
and holiness.
68
In the mind of the Psalmist, when one’s sins are blotted out and the person
becomes perfectly holy, he is likened to being washed “whiter than snow”. This imagery was
also used during the Transfiguration of Christ, which certain church fathers have linked to
deification.
69
In using the language of light and whiteness as snow, the story is directly connecting
the charitable servant to a deified state mentioned in the psalm and materialized in Christ’s
transfiguration.
Deification and Sacramental Life of Prayer
In his work, Ibn Sabbā‘ sees that the holy apostles were opened to the mysteries of the Spirit
when Christ breathed onto them saying receive the Holy Spirit. For him, the Holy Spirit lifted
their humanity to praise and sanctification.
70
By the descent of the Holy Spirit, humans become
“equal to angels” through engaging in “praise and glorification”.
71
Through praise we become
“like the angels”
72
and through prayer we are identified as Christ’s brethren:
66
“
”, Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIII.
67
“ ”, Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, IX.
68
Psa 51:7.
69
Cf. Mt 17:1-8, Mk 9:2-8, Lk 9:28-36. Cyril connects the Transfiguration of Christ with the deified believer and
eschatological transformation our bodies to conform to Christ’s body of glory (Phil. 3:21). (In Luc. Frag. on
Luke 9: 32 f., TU 34. 4. 3: 81). cf. Russell, Doctrine of Deification, p. 200.
70
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXV.
71
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIII.
72
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, VII.
Beniamin Zakhary
136
He [Christ] lifted human nature to the honor of Lordship when He became our equal in everything
except for sin alone. He bestowed upon us the exaltation to the position of Lordship by teaching
us in prayer to say to His Father, “Our Father,” thus making us His brethren and fellow heirs in
the inheritance of His Father through His equality with us in the humanity.
73
It is clear that Ibn Sabbā‘ sees a divinizing role for prayer, and most notably the Lord’s prayer.
He also sees a continuum of prayer between this life and the eschaton. He notes the after our
resurrection, “we share with the angels in their praise, especially this angel to whom He [Christ]
gave the praise of victory, power, and kingship at the time of His revealing of this weakness for
our sake”.
74
For Ibn Sabbā‘, sacramental life begins when the Holy Spirit becomes fastened to the souls
of the believers, allowing them to see the hidden mysteries of God.
75
The Holy Spirit gives
immortal life from Spiritual death, through Christ’s saving works received at baptism.
76
Moreover, believers become like Christ when they die like Him in baptism.
77
Baptism becomes
the gateway to the mysteries, particularly the Eucharist. He expands further on the sacraments
saying:
Then, when the baptized eats from the tree of life, which is the flesh of Christ, and drinks His
blood, he becomes connected to the gifts of eternal life and his soul lives. A relationship forms
between himself and Christ, first because the Holy Spirit gave him life from spiritual death, and
second because eating His flesh and drinking His blood, as He said, “whoever eats my body and
drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him”.
78
Thus, if a human abides in Christ and Christ in him
then he must walk in His way.
79
73
“
”, Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara,
XXXIII.
74
“
”, Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIII.
75
“If the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth, is fastened to your souls, then He would direct you to all
of truth. I [speaking as Christ] mean that He would make known to you all the hidden mystery in My economy
of your salvation, so that you may praise Me and glorify Me”, Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIII.
76
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXI.
77
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIV.
78
Cf. Jn 6:56.
79
“
”, Ibn Sabbā‘,
al-Jawhara, XXXI.
Deification in the Medieval Copto-Arabic Writing of Ibn Sabbā‘
137
The deified humanity of Christ, through which He did the redemptive works, becomes available
to us by the Holy Spirit through the sacraments. Through baptism we inherit immortality and
through the Eucharist we share in His very body. In such mysteries, we become participants in
Christ through “abiding” in Him.
The bread of the Eucharist for Ibn Sabbā‘ is not confined to the physical realm, but it
transcends to the spiritual reality.
80
He sees that the human is liberated through the Eucharist.
He connects the bread of the Eucharist to the bread mentioned in the Lord’s Prayer; for Ibn
Sabbā‘, the Eucharist is the bread that we ask for when saying, “give us today our daily bread”.
81
In his thought, the human was imprisoned, and becomes free through the “bread” of the
Eucharist; thus when praying for bread in the Lord’s prayer, humanity is praying for liberation.
This liberation will come through the events of the passion and resurrection of Christ, but such
events include the giving of bread in the Last Supper. Thus, Ibn Sabbā‘ understands Christ to
have taught the prayer “give us today our daily bread” two years before the institution of the
sacrament, in anticipation of the liberation that would occur through the Eucharist.
82
For Ibn
Sabbā‘, the bread and wine of the Eucharist represent the unity of humanity and divinity,
83
bestowing the grace of immortality and eternal glory to those who partake of them.
84
Furthermore, Ibn Sabbā‘ uses biblical passages connecting the Eucharist to a very real unity
with God that leads to immortality. Psalm 34:8 “Taste and See that the Lord is good” is used in
conjunction with John 6:56: “Whoever eats my body and drinks my blood abides in me and I in
him,” to make the case that tasting God from the Psalm is connected to the Eucharist. Whoever
partakes “worthily” of the Eucharist, becomes united to Christ to the point that the
communicant “is praised by the exalted angels, the Cherubim, and the Seraphim. They give him
the praise of victory over his foe, just like they gave the Lord Christ the praise of victory over
the devil our enemy, when [Christ] defeated him and reigned over him”.
85
For Ibn Sabbā‘, the
partaking of the Eucharist allows one to become so united with Christ, to the point of prompting
the praise of angels.
Finally, Ibn Sabbā‘ sees an important function for the priesthood. Because of the heavenly
and spiritual essence of the sacraments, the priesthood itself, which presides over such
sacraments, is then seen as angelic and heavenly.
86
Through praying and sanctification, the priest
becomes a divine angel on earth.
87
The priest becomes an intercessor at the rank of the angels,
80
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIII.
81
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIII.
82
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIII.
83
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIV.
84
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, XXXIII.
85
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, LXXXIV. Cf. Mistrīḥ, Pretiosa Margarita, pp. 267-268,
.
86
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, LVIII.
87
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, LVIII.
Beniamin Zakhary
138
even having an angelic spirit.
88
In a sense, because prayer and sacraments are both channels for
deification, the priest who practices both becomes a heavenly agent of deification.
Conclusion
This paper demonstrated that several deification motifs are present in The Precious Jewel of Ibn
Sabbā‘. This Copto-Arabic writer clearly sees that the humanity was exalted to the honor of
Creator and Lord through the hypostatic union. He also asserts that humanity battled and
defeated Satan through the cross of Christ, meaning that victory and kingship over the devil is
given to humans. Building upon the patristic tradition, Ibn Sabbā‘ is consistent with Origen,
Athanasius, and Gregory Nazianzus who see that the humanity of Christ was deified, and this
deified humanity spread to the believers. The means by which we participate in such deified state
of humanity would be through the Holy Spirit who manifests Himself in the sacramental life of
the church. A focus on Baptism and the Eucharist become evident, but the priesthood is also
discussed. Through prayer, and especially the Lord’s prayer, we become Christ’s brethren and
share the same Father.
Additionally, Ibn Sabbā‘ sees a place for grace in deification through the favor bestowed on
us in creation, the nurturing given to us after the fall, the redemption provided through the
incarnation, the victory given to us through Christ, and the illumination given to us through
forgiveness. He also sees a responsibility that the believer carries in ascetical efforts and striving
for virtue. Thus, ethical deification, consistent with John Chrysostom, can also be seen in The
Precious Jewel.
Although on the surface deification might seem absent within the Copto-Arabic work due to
the lack of vocabulary, upon a closer examination, one finds that deification motifs flourish
throughout. The patristic views on deification, rooted in Christology, appear vividly throughout
the work. Overall, it can be concluded that Ibn Sabbā‘ has clear deification theology consistent
with earlier patristic thought, even if lacking the explicit vocabulary.
88
Ibn Sabbā‘, al-Jawhara, LVIII.
Deification in the Medieval Copto-Arabic Writing of Ibn Sabbā‘
139
Abstract: In Egypt, during the thirteenth and
fourteenth centuries, Christian theological
writing in Arabic began to reach new heights.
Within this period, there is an especially
enigmatic figure present—Yūḥannā Ibn Abī
Zakariyā, who was known as Ibn Sabbā‘. His
work titled al-Jawhara al-nafīsa fi ‘ulūm al-kanīsa
(The Precious Jewel in the Ecclesiastical Sciences), is
an important work for understanding Copto-
Arabic thought within this time period. This
paper explores this work to uncover
deification motifs and their relationship to
earlier patristic thought. Although Ibn Sabbā‘
does not use the explicit vocabulary of
deification, the concept is vividly present in
his Christology and anthropology. He
presents the deification of Christ’s humanity
through descriptive imagery and then extends
this deified humanity to all believers. He also
has a role for grace and human virtue,
working together in a model of ethical
deification.
Resumen: En Egipto, durante los siglos XIII
y XIV, las obras teológicas cristianas en árabe
alcanzaron un nuevo apogeo. En este periodo
destaca la figura de Yūḥannā Ibn Abī
Zakariyā, conocido como Ibn Sabbā‘. Su
obra, titulada al-Jawhara al-nafīsa fi ‘ulūm al-
kanīsa (La Joya Preciosa sobre las ciencias
eclesiásticas), es fundamental para captar el
pensamiento copto-árabe de este periodo.
Este artículo explora esta obra para descubrir
los motivos de la deificación y su relación con
el pensamiento patrístico anterior. Aunque
Ibn Sabbā‘ no utiliza el vocabulario explícito
de la deificación, el concepto está muy
presente en su cristología y antropología.
Presenta la deificación de la humanidad de
Cristo mediante imágenes descriptivas y, a
continuación, extiende esta humanidad
deificada a todos los creyentes. La gracia y la
virtud humana también desempeñan un
papel, trabajando juntas en un modelo de
deificación ética.
Keywords: Yūḥannā Ibn Abī Zakariyā; Ibn
Sabbā‘; al-Jawhara al-nafīsa fi ‘ulūm al-kanīsa;
Deification; Christ’s humanity.
Palabras clave: Yūḥannā Ibn Abī Zakariyā;
Ibn Sabbā‘; al-Jawhara al-nafīsa fi ‘ulūm al-
kanīsa; Deificación; Humanidad de Cristo.
