Another relatively unknown fact to much of Christendom, is the existence of two ancient Aramaic manuscripts of the Four Gospels, dating back to the Fourth century. The first was discovered by Dr. William Cureton in 1842. It was found in a monastery at the Naton Lakes Valley in Egypt. This manuscript is known as Codex Syrus Curetonianus or, the Cureton, and is catalogued as British Museum Add. No. 14451. The second was discovered by Mrs. Agnes Smith Lewis in 1892. It was found at St. Catherine’s Monastery, at the foot of traditional Mount Sinai in Egypt. This manuscript is known as Codex Syrus Sinaiticus or the Syriac Siniatic, and is catalogued as Ms. Sinai Syriac No. 30. After making his profound discovery, Dr. Cureton studied the Old Syriac text of the manuscript in detail. Cureton concluded that at least the version of Matthew found in the Old Syriac, has its basis in the original Semitic text, and was not merely a translation from the Greek or Latin. Cureton published his findings to the world saying:

….this Gospel of St. Matthew appears at least to be built upon
the original Aramaic text, which was the work of the Apostle
himself.
(Remains of a Very Ancient Recension of the Four
Gospels in Syriac; 1858; p. vi)

 

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