Мемра прва Мар Исака Учитеља Сиријца о љубави према учењу
First Memra of Mar Isaac Teacher Syrian on the Love for Learning

Summary/Abstract: The author dedicates the first part of this paper to the presentation of the problem regarding identity of Isaac mentioned in the title of Memra. He begins by analysing the letter written by Jacob of Edessa (died in 708), which is one of the oldest perserved sources related to this issue. This letter actually presents three Isaacs who (at least partially) lived in the 5th century in the same area. After this part of the work, author consults “Foreword” by P. Bedjan, publisher of Memra’s Syriac text, and several studies by T. Bou Mansour, showing that scholars since 19th century had different opinions regarding the number of persons who wrote under the name Isaac during this same period. Following the analysis of Bou Mansour, the author proposes that the writer of Memra was probably Isaac who was known as Isaac of Antioch, opponent to Chalcedonian faith. The author also points out a certain dramatization that is inherent in the Memra. He notes that the text of the Memra is vivid and in dialogical form. Through it, Isaac gradually leads the reader/listener to the climax of its message, and that is the importance of constantly reading and learning the Scriptures. The author then reviews the contents of Memra and comments of Isaac’s idea that the very reading of text is actually a conversation with its writer and, in this case, with the writers of Holy Scriptures. This commentary is followed by the Syriac text of Memra and its translation into Serbian language.

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