Textual Criticism

Part I

BeginningsTasksTermsManuscriptsCriteriaNew Finds

© Peter Arzt-Grabner 2006

Textual Criticism – Beginnings

Erasmus of Rotterdam, March 1, 1516Novum Instrumentum omne(own translation of Rev. 22:16–21 into Greek)

Complutensian Polyglot, July 10, 1517 (March 22, 1520 papal authorization)Cardinal and archbishop of Toledo, XiménesUniversity of Alcalá (= Roman Complutum)

Textual Criticism – Tasks

Collecting manuscripts Developing methods Conjectures Nowadays: conjectures amount to

capitulation before the difficulties and are themselves violations of the text.

Terms

Hebrew Bible, Septuagint, Targums, Christian

Bible (Old Testament – New Testament)

Hebrew, Greek

Translations

Manuscripts

Book (Printing)

Computer

Manuscripts

Papyri:

52

about 125 CE

John 18:31–33.37–38

John Rylands Library,

Manchester (Gr. P 457)

Manuscripts

Uncials: a 01, A 02, … Minuscules: 1, 2, … Translations: Greek (LXX), Latin

(Vulgate), Syriac (Peshitta), Ethiopic, Coptic, Old Slavonic, Gothic …

(Church Fathers)

Papyri: P

Textual Criticism Today

Institut für Neutestamentliche Textforschung in

Münster: http://www.uni-muenster.de/INTF/

Nestle-Aland, 27th edition

Greek New Testament, 4th edition

Editio critica maior

Forthcoming: Nestle-Aland, 28th edition

Digital Nestle-Aland: prototype

http://nestlealand.uni-muenster.de/

Textual Criticism – Selected Criteria

Greek (Hebrew) Text – Translations – Church Fathers

Manuscripts should be weighed, not counted Older reading is more probable reading lectio difficilior lectio potior lectio brevior lectio potior

New Finds – Qumran

Old Testament: Isaiah (Scroll), Commentary on Habakkuk

New Finds – Qumran

Old Testament: Isaiah (Scroll), Commentary on Habakkuk

New Testament – Sorry, no! 7Q5

New Finds – Qumran: 7Q5

11 (?) letters Jose O’Callaghan

Carsten Peter Thiede

Mark 6:52–53

New Finds – Qumran: 7Q5

Stefan Enste

Some sensations can actually fail to just one letter

New Finds – P.Oxy. LXVI 4499

Published 1999 Juan Chapa Oldest fragments

of a codex with Revelation (late 3rd/early 4th cent.)(2:1–3.13–15.27–29; 3:10–12; 5:8–9; 6:5–6; 8:3–8.11–9:5.7–16.18–10:4.8–11:5.8–15.18–12:5.8–10.12–17; 13:1–3.6–16.18–14:3.5–7.10–11.14–15.18–15:1.4–7)

New Finds – P.Oxy. LXVI 4499

New Finds – P.Bingen 16

Published 2000 Peter Arzt-Grabner

and Michael Ernst Ps. 43:21–24.27

and Ps. 44:1–2 LXX 4th/5th cent.