Copyright ©2011 by Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Institute
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Greek philosopher and lay theologian. A native of Alexandria, he studied
under the Neoplatonist philosopher Ammonius (of whose works he was an
editor). The epithet philoponos, ‘lover of labour’,
was probably given him in view of his industriousness. As a philosopher John
has been described as one of the most original thinkers of his time, notable
especially for his criticism of the prevailing Aristotelian doctrine of the
eternity of the world. His writings prior to ca. 553 dealt with many
different aspects of Aristotelian philosophy and survive only in Greek. It
seems that it was the Council of Constantinople of 553 that led him to turn
his attention to theology (
CPG
7260–7274, and
Supplement); most of this is known only in Syriac translation. This applies
in particular to his main surviving theological work, the Diaitētēs, or ‘Arbiter’, on the Union (in the incarnate Christ).
His Tmemātā, or ‘Sections’ against the Councils of
Chalcedon (451) and Constantinople (553) are summarized in