A Course of Developed Criticism, Passages Materially Affected by Various Reading, Green

7/27/2019 A Course of Developed Criticism, Passages Materially Affected by Various Reading, Green

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TRINITY UNIVERSITYLIBRARY,.,,S,H No,..


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UNIVERSITY

A COURSEDEVELOPED CRITICISM

PASSAGES OF THE NEW TESTAMENTMATERIALLY AFFECTED BY

VARIOUS READINGS.

THE REV, THOMAS SHELDON GREEN, M.A.LATE FELLOW OF CUBIST S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE; HEAD MASTER OF TIIE GKAMMAB SCHOOL,

ASHBT-DE-LA-ZOUCH.

LONDON:SAMUEL BAGSTER AND SONS;AT THE WAREHOUSE FOK BIBLES, NEW TESTAMENTS, CHUKCH SERVICES, 1 BAYER BOOKS,

P8ALTEKS, AND CONCORDANCES, IN ANCIENT AND MODERN LANGUAGES;15, PATERNOSTER ROW.

nOAAAl MEN 6NHTOIS TAOITAI, MIA A A9ANATOI2IN.


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iNOV

i ; ;

1 1984


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INTRODUCTION.THE books of the New Testament have been no more exemptfrom corrupting influences on their text than other writings ofantiquity ; and hence has arisen the task of the critic to make,by the use of all available means, as near an approach as maybe to purity; a task the importance of which may be best ratedby that of the writings themselves.

This importance, however, has been strangely disregarded :in proof of which it is enough to point to laboured expositionsof matter undoubtedly spurious, encounters Avith difficulties thatexist only in corruptions, and controversial citations where thereading is so questionable as to leave only the unhappy alternative of ignorance or disingenuousness. The same thing alsoappears in the circumstance, that calls are being made from timeto time for new or revised versions of Scripture without betrayingany consciousness of the necessity of a certain preliminary to suchproceedings, namely, the determination of the text to be represented in such version or revision.The purpose of these statements is not, however, to introduce

an expression of censure, but rather to specify a circumstancewhich might furnish a plea in excuse for the disregard that hasbeen thus noticed. This circumstance shall now be explained.A critical edition of the New Testament offers on its pages


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iv INTRODUCTION.two distinct things, the text itself as determined by the judgmentof the critic, or, at least, furnished with indications of the formwhich he thinks it ought to take, and a register of the authoritieson which, in each several case, his decision has been made to rest,as well as of variations in general. The latter is presented ina shape necessarily compressed, and apt to offer to an untrainedeye an appearance of intricacy and confusion. Of the steps ofreasoning connecting the resulting text with the cited authoritiesthere are no intimations, except such as may be gathered froma few prefatory statements of general principles which the critichas thought proper to adopt ; with which, too, an occasionaldecision may have at least the appearance of inconsistency.The tendency of these circumstances is unfavourable to an

interest in the important subject, and they may often have issuedin an entire disregard of it. The present attempt has been madein the hope of meeting in some degree this difficulty, by offeringcomplete discussions of places affected by such variations as arematerial to the careful reader and the interpreter of the NewTestament. Not that any variation is in itself immaterial : to thecritic each has its significance, and its consideration makes itscontribution to the perfection of his art.The reader is merely supposed to be acquainted with the age

and character of the principal MSS., and the notation by whichthey are conventionally cited, and with the history of the ancientversions.* In this place, accordingly, it will be sufficient tospecify the various kinds of corruption to which the text hasbeen exposed, and afterwards to notice some preliminary pointsof importance.

* The necessary information may be found in several quarters, especiallyin the prefatory matter of various critical editions ; among which Tischen-dorfs may be particularly named.The MSS. of the Old Latin will be cited according to the notation usedby Tischendorf. This title is here employed comprehensively for theAntehieronymian Latin in both its phases, the African and the Italic. Its


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INTRODUCTION. VThe work of transcription can never be altogether exempt

from the corruptions of mere accident, arising from the wanderings of the eye and the slips of the pen. A place affected byvarious readings should, therefore, be carefully scanned for thedetection of any probable mechanical cause of such mischief,anything likely to betray a copyist into unwitting mistakes. Ofthe endless shapes which these might take two kinds may beespecially mentioned, the interchange of words slightly differingin form, and omissions of words and clauses by oversight.Another process of corruption is the encroachment on the textof marginal or interlineary matter, which may, for the sake ofconvenience, be comprehended under the term glossarial. First,there is the gloss properly so called, namely, a term serving tofurnish an explanation or attach a precise interpretation to onein the text. These may either become simply intrusive andproduce accretion, or may be substituted for the genuine readingand exhibit usurpation. Again, this class embraces supplementsof various extent, where the text may have been elliptical orseemed defective : these are a great source of accretion. Thereis, also, other matter coming under this head, in the way of illustration or comment, ready materials of accretion.* It is scarcelynecessary to observe, that the writings of the New Testamentimportance can hardly be overrated : its rival in this respect would be thePeshito, if tlie text of this latter were settled by the aid of copies oflike antiquity and value with the imperfect Nitrian MS. of the Gospels.Whenever the Peshito is cited from this copy, the citation will be distinguished by the letter N. The writer is indebted for the means of doingit to the kindness of Dr. Tregelles, whose undaunted zeal and unweariedlabours in the cause of sacred criticism are beyond all praise.* Of the corrupting process thus described the reader may furnishhimself with abundant illustration, unattended by alarm or prejudice,by comparing the text of some of the more familiar orations of Demosthenes, as settled by recent criticism, with its previous form. The ThirdPhilippic may be named as affording a good specimen in this way.Accretion is not merely a corruption of a writer s matter, but disguises

the finer features of his manner, as much as smoke, dirt, and daubing, thetouches and colouring of an old master.


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yi INTRODUCTION.would from their peculiar character especially gather aroundthem matter of this kind. Here it is the business of the criticto exercise discernment and reasoning on the facts which researchhas in each case brought forward, in order to discriminate theincrustation from the original substance, and the germ amidstthe motley growth that overlies it.

Corruption may also be the work of wilful tamperings ; andwhat is possible must not be left out of sight by the critic.Whether such a process has been perpetrated on the text of theNew Testament, so as to leave still existing traces, is a questionthat must not be passed over without notice. Charges of falsification have been boldly launched by ecclesiastical writers ; but,when unattended with specification of particulars in evidence,they must be allowed to have no more weight than is due topolemical criminations in general ; and such particulars as havebeen actually advanced, will on due examination be found toleave at the most but a slender ground for the belief, that muchmischief was effected in that way. Besides, a disposition tofalsify, wherever it might exist, would hardly be able to freeitself from the restraining consciousness, that the attempt wouldbe a bootless one. The idea, therefore, of falsification can onlybe admitted into the realm of criticism under check of suchconsiderations as these. Least of all should a ready recoursebe had to wilful suppression to account for the absence of anyportion of text from important documents. There is reason,however, to admit the existence of meddlings of a less seriouskind, in the way of improvements in grammar and expression :but among a group of rival readings there can in general beno great difficulty in distinguishing that which bears the stampof such interference. It is also a fair supposition, that copyistswould make mischief by arbitrary and inconsiderate correctionsof imaginary mistakes, and of some, too, which were real.

Lastly, there is a particular form of corruption, to which other


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INTRODUCTION. Vllwritings might be occasionally open, but to which the volumeof the New Testament, and more especially the Gospels, wasexposed in a manner peculiar to itself, namely, the process bywhich passages originally possessing some resemblance in matterand language would be brought into a still closer agreement,and which may be properly styled assimilation. By this term,however, it is not intended to imply of necessity an immediateinterference with the text, with the direct purpose of producinga closer conformity than originally existed. In undoubted casesthere are circumstances to be observed scarcely compatible witha deliberate operation of that kind ; while, on the other hand,appearances in general may be accounted for on the supposition,that the matter which, when introduced into the text, had anassimilative effect, was, in the first instance, simply marginalor interlinear.

The work to which the critic of the New Testament is called,must consist to a considerable extent in disentangling the textfrom intrusive and usurping matter, having its origin in themargin ; in detaching accretions, and replacing whatever mayhave been dislodged by a spurious rival : and with this view oneleading principle must be especially noticed.

Corruption of this particular kind must be the work of time,because the growth of such matter itself would be gradual, andits sliding into the text by the agency of reckless, ill-taught, andfoolish hands, and through the general propensity of copyists foramplification, would be likewise gradual : the evil, too, uncheckedin its earlier stages by due watchfulness or control, would go onspreading with the advance of time. It follows of necessity fromthis, that the more ancient documents will in general exhibita greater approach to purity in this particular respect than thoseof later date, and, as a practical consequence, that the adversetestimony of but a few witnesses of high antiquity, in the case


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viii INTRODUCTION.of matter of questioned genuineness, must receive the first andforemost regard, even though it were certain that their text wasunsound in certain other respects, as, for instance, in the touchesof critical hands. Fewness must not discourage a reliance ontheir testimony, because, if an intrusion took place at a particularpoint at a remote date and there is sufficient proof that suchmischief was very early at work such a numerical disparityis precisely the state of things to be encountered in the bodyof surviving documents, where the really ancient must, fromthe very nature of things, form but a small minority, and even ofthese all cannot be expected to have escaped intrusive influence.

This canon, as it may be called, does not rest on an unreasoningprepossession in favour of antiquity, but is a logical consequencefrom unquestionable premises.

Since in citing the MSS. which exhibit a certain reading, agreat preponderance of mere numbers is imposing in appearance,and may seem to be a circumstance that cannot lightly be setaside or countervailed by other considerations, it will be wellto state fairly and precisely how much may be concluded fromthe circumstance.

Out of the entire body of existing copies, as has already beenremarked, those of high antiquity form a very small portion ;and, accordingly, any great majority of the whole must be almostentirely composed of those of later date. Whenever, therefore,a particular reading is supported by a greatly preponderatingpart of the mass in contrast with a group of distinctively ancientcopies, all that can be at once concluded from this bare fact is,that the reading in question had a settled currency in later times.This narrow conclusion is all that in such a case can be takeninto account from MSS. alone in a discussion of the claims ofa reading; without any prejudice, however, to arguments forantiquity and genuineness which may be derivable from otherquarters notwithstanding.


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INTRODUCTION. IXIn one particular way mere numbers would be important

evidence of genuineness, namely, in case there were somethingin the character of the reading itself adverse to its acceptancein the presence of rivals, and, therefore, to that currency whichthose numbers indicate.

Mere numerical considerations do not therefore possess thatprime importance which they might at first sight seem to claim,and which they have too frequently been allowed to exercise.

Instead of proceeding to detail in this place other guidingprinciples, they will be severally stated as cases occur in discussion where they will respectively require to be applied.

That the mass of MSS. appears to fall into certain divisions,grouped by features of resemblance exhibited by their text, hasbeen remarked by independent observers, who at the same timediffered in their views of the precise number and character ofthe groups. Such division cannot therefore be viewed as purelya thing of fancy. Indeed, some such result must be regardedas almost inevitable from the very nature of things. Particularreadings being established in the text, by whatever means, ina certain quarter would there maintain a widening currency withlittle or no interference from tendencies of the same kind elsewhere ; and thus there would spring up distinct streams of text,as they may be termed, which would not be obliterated evenby a partial commixture in after time. Thus much may wellbe admitted, but not allowed to stand as a reality so palpableand well-defined as to furnish the groundwork for a formalscheme of critical operation.

One circumstance, however, of this class may be ascertainedwith tolerable distinctness. A certain portion of MSS. exhibitpeculiar forms of words which marked the dialect of Alexandria.These forms are a sufficient indication that the text belongsto that quarter. For, if the writers of the New Testament


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X INTRODUCTION.themselves used them, their elimination from copies is the workof transcribers, and would take place wherever the current formof the language did not acknowledge them : they would therefore, be retained only in the quarter where such influence didnot exist. If, on the contrary, they were not originally in thetext, their presence is the work, in the first instance at least,of an Egyptian copyist. This last must not be identified withan Alexandrian critic ; and it should be remembered that thesame document may exhibit readings derived from the improvements of a learned man, and also the vulgarisms and peculiaritiesof a scribe.

In a review of authorities special regard will reasonably bepaid to antiquity: but this must not be overstrained into asummary neglect of more recent witnesses, as necessarily offeringnothing worthy of notice.The critic should not suffer himself to be encumbered by

prepossessions or assumptions, nor bind himself to the routineof a mechanical method of procedure. If he allows himself tobe thus warped and trammelled, instead of ever maintaining thefree employment of a watchful, calm, and unfettered mind, heabandons his duty and mars his work.


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INDEX OF PASSAGES.


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xn INDEX OF PASSAGES.

ACTS,xviii. 17 .21 .


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DEVELOPED CRITICISM

TEXT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

MATTHEW I. 25.JEcof ov ere/ce TOV viov avrrjs rov

* Till she had broughtforth \JierJirstborn son X a son].

THE variation which will demand notice in this place, gives occasion, at the outset, to certain general observations, preliminaryto the consideration not only of the present instance but of manyothers of like complexion.

It is clear, from the nature of the case, that the intrusion ofglossarial matter into the text must be a gradual process, and,as such, favoured by lapse of time. From this it follows, asa general principle, that documents of a later age would be moreextensively infected Avith such corruption, and that the circumstances of the more ancient are favourable to their purity in thisparticular respect. Accordingly, a shorter reading, especially ifit be of a kind to call forth glosses, provided it is supported bya few authorities of high antiquity, has at once a strong presumption in its favour : though before such presumption is accepted, itshould be ascertained that there is no reason either in the outward

* In order to furnish the ordinary reader of tlie English Bible with, someinformation of the matters with which the criticism of the original text isconcerned, the Authorised Version of each passage is added, having thoseportions, the entire omission of which is the point in question, simplyincluded in brackets ; but when the discussion relates to the claims of arival reading, a rendering of that reading is inserted within the brackets,preceded by the mark X.

2

1


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2 DEVELOPED CRITICISMshape of the passage for referring the briefer form to accidentalcurtailment in transcription, or

in itspurport

for suspecting wilfulsuppression.

In the present place, instead of the common reading, a shorterone, eo>? ov ereicev vlov, is exhibited by B, Z, and supported by theSyriac (N), by the Old Latin in a, b, c, g l , as well as the Copticand Sahidic versions. Another of the same class of Latin documents (y2) adds unigenitum. The remaining mass of authoritieshave the common form, except that D sec. man. and L omit avrfy.

If the text stood originally as it is presented by the few authorities just cited, the bare statement furnished by the words eo>5 overetcev vlov would leave a blank respecting the subsequent condition of the mother of Jesus, which thought or fancy would notfail to occupy. Another evangelist, indeed, undoubtedly suppliesrbv TrpwroroKov (Lu. ii. 7); but this term, though it might beregarded as looking towards a certain conclusion, that Mary wasthe mother of other children, still does not absolutely imply somuch and bar the exercise of opinion.

Under these circumstances, the simpler reading, if original,could hardly escape the application of supplementary glosses,perhaps of opposite tendencies; and, since it is supported by cleartestimony, the fuller form must fall under the suspicion of havingits origin in the accretion of such matter, especially if, as in thepresent case, this is at once supplied by a parallel passage.To append in the margin rov TrpwroroKOv from the other Gospelwould be a simple proceeding, but having a ready issue in theamplification of the text itself. The Latin addition unigenitum,already noticed, is the bolder expression of an opinion, widelyheld and stoutly maintained, as may be seen in the commentof Chrysostom.When these considerations are taken into account, it is unreasonable to acquiesce confidently in the common reading : and,

notwithstanding the great preponderance in the amount of theopposing documentary evidence, the few, but ancient, Greek,Syriac, Latin, and other witnesses for the shorter form pressstrongly for the conclusion, that the longer reading is the resultof assimilation, and that the original shape of the clause wassimply etw

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A Course of Developed Criticism, Passages Materially Affected by Various Reading, Green