Picturing Theology

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P i c t u r i n g T h e o l o g y

An Example of the Practice of Textual Criticism Adapted from R. C. Briggs, Interpreting the New Testament Today .

Mark 1.1 The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (the Son of God) According to the critical apparatus, the following manuscripts (or group of manuscripts) read    

A ( Codex Alexandrinus ). Fifth century. Byzantine text (in the Gospels). B ( Codex Vaticanus ). Fourth century. Alexandrian text (in the Gospels and Acts). D ( Codex Bezae ). Fifth or sixth century. Western text. W ( Washington Codex ). Fifth century. Western text (in Mark 1.1-5.30).

 ( koine ). Group of late uncial and minuscule manuscripts dating from the seventh century. Western text.  ( Family 1, Lake Group ). Twelfth century and later. Akin to fourth- and fifth-century Caesarean text.  ( Family 13, Ferrar Group ). Twelfth century and later. Akin to Caesarean text. it ( Itala or Old Latin ). Eleventh century and later. Text is early Western (prior to date of Vulgate). vg ( Vulgate ). Authorized Latin translation, completed by Jerome in A. D. 405 (Gospels A. D. 385). Western text. sy P ( Peshitta ). Authorized fifth-century Syriac translation. Akin to the Byzantine text (in the Gospels). sa ( Sahidic ). Fourth-century Coptic (Egyptian) translation. Alexandrian text, with Western influence. bo ( Bohairic ). Coptic translation, later than Sahidic. Western text. The critical apparatus also lists two significant manuscripts which preserve the shorter reading. S also designated ~ ( Codex Sinaiticus ). Fourth century. Like B, a primary representative of the Alexandrian text.  ( Codex Koridethi ). Ninth century. Text akin to third- and fourth-century Alexandrian text.