Church Policy
Justinian I (b.483- r.527-d.565)
Justinian’s “dialogue” with a Nestorian.
St. Emperor Justinian:
DIALOGUE WITH PAUL OF NISIBIS
The Dialogue with Paul of Nisibis is a transcript of a debate which occurred between theological delegations headed by Justinian and Paul of Nisibis concerning whether Christ had one or two hypostases/qnome, which is partially preserved in a Syriac manuscript connected with the Monothelites. The occurrence of the debate is attested to in several independent sources, the most important of which is the Nestorian History:
It is said that after the conclusion of the peace with Khosroes, Justinian asked him to send him some wise Persians. Khosroes sent him Paul the Metropolitan of Nisibis, Mari Bp. of Belad, Bar-Sauma Bp. of Qardou, Isaiah a teacher in Seleucia, Iso-yahb of Arzoun who became Catholicos of the Church of the East, and Babai Bp. of Sinjar. [Justinian] honored them all.
The Debate, which was recorded, lasted three days. They made known the Orthodox Faith. [Justinian] said to Babai, “I wish that you tell me some of the passages from the Scriptures and the commentaries of the Fathers which you allege.” [Babai] cited many passages which the soul of the Emperor was inclined to receive. They made him to understand that neither the nature is able to exist without the hypostasis nor the hypostasis without the nature, and that by consequence the two natures are not able to be a single hypostasis. [Justinian] heard them, and they returned filled with honor. Justinian changed afterwards when he anathematized Diodore and his companions.
The descriptions of the debate in these sources are consistent with the contents of the existing Dialogue.
The Nestorian History dates the debate to after a peace between Justinian and Khosroes. These rulers concluded two major peace treaties in 532 and 561 with two five year truces being made following the Persian invasion in 540. A. Scher and Arthur Voobus identify the debate with the first treaty and Justinian’s colloquy with the Monophysites in 532, but for this reason are forced to conclude that the references to Paul of Nisibis attending as a bishop are anachronisms because he was consecrated after 551. In support of an early date for the debate, the Nestorian History ascribes Justinian’s condemnation of Diodore and his companions to after the debate, which would imply a date prior to 543. In contrast, A. Guillamont has argued that the Nestorian History is placing the debate after the peace of 561.
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