Abouna Robert Matheus: CHRISTOLOGY OF MAR BABAI THE GREATLifeBabai (553-628) belonged to the Mesopotamian Syrian Tradition. He was born in the Northern region oftoday's Turkey. He had his early education in the School of Nisibis under Mar Abraham of Beth Rabban. Heentered the Monastery of Izla founded by Mar Abraham of Kashkar in 571. Later he left, founded a schooland monastery in his homecountry of Bet Zabdai. He was soon called back to the Great Monastery of Izla tobe its third head. In 608, in the absence of a Catholicos in the Persian Church, he became the visitor of themonasteries of the Northern regions of Persia till his death.WorksBabai wrote extensively. He wrote 83 books (8 Christological works): Tractatus Vaticanus, The SmallExtract, and The Book of Union (Tractatus Mar Babai de divinitate et de humanitate et de Persona Unionis;Liber de Unione = LU), the most important Christological writing in the Mesopotamian tradition. It consistsof 7 memre (treatises); each memra is subdivided into reshe (chapters) and the numeration of chapters one to21 goes on to the end of memra VI, but memra VII has no such division. Memre I and II treat on the unityand Trinity of God, the incarnation. It is the first major Christological work in Persia; it is the Christology ofthe Persian Church. He was influenced by several previous writers. He clarified obscure portions of hissources, liable to misinterpretation by opponents and refuted accusations levelled against the PersianChristological tradition.TrinityMysteries are beyond human comprehension and have to be accepted in faith. He accepts the union of thetwo natures in Christ. He sees a duality in Christ: He is "of the two". This view is biblical and traditional.The Word is the second Qnoma of the Trinity, united to our humanity. At the annunciation, a perfect andeverlasting union was effected in Mary's womb, of the divinity and of the humanity in the one Parsopa ofFiliation of the second Qnoma of the Trinity. The union of ...