On the Possible Sources of the Apocryphal Motif “Satanael Refuses to Bow to Adam” in One Early Christian Passion Cover Image

За възможните източници на апокрифния мотив „Сатанаил отказва да се поклони на Адам“ в едно раннохристиянско мъчение
On the Possible Sources of the Apocryphal Motif “Satanael Refuses to Bow to Adam” in One Early Christian Passion

Author(s): Ana Stoykova
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, History, Ancient World, Theology and Religion, Biblical studies, History of Religion
Published by: Instytut Slawistyki Polskiej Akademii Nauk
Keywords: Old Testament apocrypha; Satanael; Adam; Slavonic Passion of St. George;

Summary/Abstract: The article discusses the medieval literary works containing one of the variants of the apocryphal motif “the fall of the Rebel Angel from Heaven,” where Satanael calls himself “a fire flame” and refuses to bow to Adam, who was created “from mud.” A variant of this motif is found in the Slavonic version of an early anonymous Passion of St. George, while its Latin, Coptic and Ethiopian versions contain a more simplified variant – the reason for the refusal of the angel is his superior position in comparison to man. It seems possible that the Slavonic version preserved the original variant of the motif, known in the same form in only two more works – the Greek-Slavonic Apocalypse of Baruch (3 Baruch) and the Syriac Cave of Treasures, both of which preserved archaic features, whereas the Latin and the Oriental versions show traces of later changes. If this is indeed the case, the replacement of the earlier version occurred at a very early stage of the development of the text, probably already during the circulation of the Passion in Palestine or in Sinai.

  • Issue Year: 2016
  • Issue No: 16
  • Page Range: 138-153
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Bulgarian