Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Matt 6:12 αφιεμεν

A few related manuscripts (ℵ* B Z f1 pc vg-mss) have the aorist αφηκαμεν, either a theological embellishment in view of 6:14–15 that follows (cf. also 5:23–24) or, more likely, a stylistic improvement toward the tense that traditionally expresses custom or habit. All other manuscripts and versions have the present αφιεμεν/αφιομεν (including ℵ1 D E G K L M S U W Δ Π* Σ Φ Ω f13 565 1424 it vg sy-c sa bo; Didache). Some claim the Peshitta in support of the aorist, but as Cook (54–56) rightly notes, that version "has ܫܒ݂ܰܩܢ [šəḇaqn] the first person plural of Peal, which however stands for the present when it denotes a habit or condition." This point is further substantiated by the fact that the Peshitta has the same word in Luke 11:4, where all Greek manuscripts have the present.
     Bloomfield (GNT, 1:44-5) remarks, "I can scarcely doubt . . . that αφηκαμεν was an alteration proceeding from the Alex[andrian] Critics, who thought that the Aorist expressive of custom would be better Greek." Conversely, others claim that the present tense is a harmonization to Luke 11:4 (cf. Metzger, 13, et al.), but such is not convincing. For which is more likely: that about six related Greek manuscripts from before the 14th century should use an alternate and more polished way to express the custom of the Koine present, or that all other Greek manuscripts and even the Greek origin from which all subsequent translations descended should have harmonized the text away from the more famous version of the Lord's Prayer and toward the less famous one? The paucity of the witnesses for αφηκαμεν combined with their frequent alliance elsewhere indicates that they likely represent merely a relatively late and localized intrusion into the manuscript tradition that should therefore be rejected.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Matt 6:10 της

A few notable witnesses (ℵ B W Z Δ Σ Φ f1 pc; Cl Or-pt Chr-pt) do not have the definite article before γης as most witnesses do (including D E G K L M S U Θ Π Ω f13 565 1424; Or-pt Eus Chr-pt). The fact that the expression occurs far more often with the article (i.e., επι της γης or επι την γην) than without might suggest that it was added in conformation with its more common usage elsewhere. Nevertheless, Bloomfield (Annotations, 5) remarks that the article "was doubtless removed for the sake of adaptation to εν ουρ[ανω]," which appears without the article. There is also the possibility that the three-letter word, two letters of which are identical with the three-letter word that follows, dropped out accidentally (cf. Matt 1:22 του) or even intentionally since it is unnecessary. Cf. also Matt 28:18, where a few manuscripts (B D 892 pc) add the article, perhaps in accordance with common usage, and 1 Cor 8:5, where many manuscripts do the same (probably for the same reason).
     From a strictly theoretical perspective, the Byzantine-priority suggestion of the article's possible authenticity here is no different than Nestle-Aland's suggestion of its possible authenticity in Matt 28:18: the manuscripts that are deemed to be habitually more accurate on internal grounds can never easily be dismissed. Consequently, as there are internal reasons why the article could have been omitted in a few manuscripts regardless of time and place, the tentative retention of the article here in accordance with most manuscripts does not seem inappropriate.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Matt 6:7 βαττολογησητε

Although the word βαττολογησητε is spelled variously in a minority of manuscripts, the main question regards whether the letter preceding -λογησητε should read -ο- or -α-. A few manuscripts (ℵ B D2 W 13 33 pc) support -α- (i.e., βατταλογησητε), but the overwhelming consensus supports -ο- (including D* E G K L M S U Z Δ Θ Π Σ Φ Ω f1.13 565 1424). The unique spelling of D* βλαττολογησηται here is not maintained in its singular interpolation in Luke 11:2, where it reads βαττολογειτε. Griesbach prints βαττολογησητε and comments (1:67), "Uneducated scribes variously corrupted the rarely occurring word βαττολογειν." Likewise, other editors such as Lachmann, Tregelles, von Soden, etc., also follow the consensus and print βαττολογησητε.
     There is little reason why the orthographical preference for the internal -α- by a scribe here and there should be preferred to the -ο- that predominates in every Greek textual stream. Perhaps the change came about from the intentional or unintentional identification and conformation of the beginning of this NT hapax legomenon with βατταριζω, to stammer, stutter, or other Greek cognate words that begin with βατ(τ)α-. Furthermore, the very existence of such words beginning with βατ(τ)α- in Greek makes it highly improbable that so many scribes would have altered the spelling away from such; in fact, the very opposite is expected, namely, that some scribes should alter the spelling toward the -α-, as appears to have happened here. Cf. also Matt 5:1 προσηλθον for a similar localized orthographical peculiarity that need not be maintained (ℵ* B* pc: προσηλθαν).

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Matt 6:6 εν τω φανερω

As in Matt 6:4, after αποδωσει σοι some witnesses (ℵ B D Z f1 [+20 mss] aur ff1 k vg sy-s.c co; Or Eus) do not have the expression εν τω φανερω, which is retained in most Greek witnesses, the Old Latin, and Peshitta Syriac (including E G K L M S U W X Δ Θ Π Σ Φ Ω 047 055 0211 0257 f13 33 399 461 565 566 892 1080 1424 1500 2224 [+1425 mss] it sy-p.h). For explanation on why the expression came to be omitted in some (e.g., it appeared difficult, less orthodox, and different from the wording of 6:18), see note on Matt 6:4 εν τω φανερω.


Text und Textwert #18 results:

1    σοι εν τω φανερω
07 011 017 019 021 028 030 032 033 037 038 041 042 043 045 047 055 0211 0257 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 33 34 35 36 37 39 40 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 63 64 65 66 67 68 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 80 83 84 86 89 90 98 99 100 105 106 107 108 109 111 112 113 114 116 117 118C 119 120 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135S 137 138 140 141 142 143 144 146 147 149 150 151 152 153 154C 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 167 169 170 171 173 174 175 178 179 180 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 198 199 200 201 202 204 207 208 210 211 212 213 214 215 217 218 219 220 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 240 243 244 245 246 247 248 251 259 260 261 262 263 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 293 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 303 304 305 306 310 324 329 330 331 333 334 335 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 355 358 359 360 361 363 364 365 366 367 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 379 380 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 399 402 405 408 410 411 412 413 414 415 417 418 419 420 422 423 428 431 435 438 439 440 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 461 470 471 473 475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 489 490 491 492 493 494 495 496 497 498 500 501 504 505 506 507 509 510 511 512 513 515 516 517 518 519 520 521 522 523 524 525 527 528 529 530 532 534 535 537 543 546 547 548 549 550 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 560 561 563 564 565 566 568 569 571 574 575 577 578 579 580 581 582 583 584 585 586 587 588 591 592 594 595 597 600 645 649 651 652 655 657 660C 662 663 664 666 668 672 676 677 679 680 683 684 685 688 689 690 691 692 693 694 696 697 699 700 703 706 707 708 711 713 714 715 716 717 718 720 722 724 725 726 727 728 729 730 731 732 734 735 738 740 741 744 745 746 747 750 751 752 753 754 755 757 758 759 760 761 762 763 765 766 768S 769 772S 773 774 775 776 777 778 779 780 781 782 783 784 785 786S 787 788 789 790 791 792 793 794S 795 796 797 798 799 800 801 803 804 805 806 808 809 811 817 818 819 820 822 824 825 826 827 828 830 833 834 835 836 839 843 844 845 851 852 854 855 856 858 860 861 863 864 867 873 875 877 878 880 881 886 888 889 890 892 893 895 896 898 899 900 901 902 903 904 905 906 922 923 924 925 926 927 928 929 930 931 932 933 934 935 937 938 939 940 941 942 943 944 945 946 948 949 951 952 953 954 955 956 957 958 959 960 961 962 963 964 965 966 968 969 970 971 972 973 974 975 978 979 980 982 983 986 987 988 989 991 992 994 995 996 997 998 999 1000 1001 1003 1004 1005 1006 1007 1008 1009 1010 1011C 1012 1013 1014 1015 1017 1018 1019 1020 1021 1023 1024 1025 1026 1028 1029 1030 1032 1033 1035 1036 1037 1038 1039 1040 1041 1042S 1043 1044 1046 1047S 1048 1050 1052 1053 1054S 1056 1058 1059 1060 1061 1062 1063 1064 1065 1068 1071 1072 1073 1074 1075 1076 1077 1078 1079 1080 1081 1082 1083 1084 1085 1086 1088 1089 1090 1091 1092 1093 1095 1096 1097 1110 1111 1113 1114 1117 1118 1120 1121 1122 1123 1125 1126 1127 1130 1131 1132 1133 1135 1136 1138 1139 1144 1145 1146 1148 1149 1152 1155 1158 1159 1160 1163 1164 1165 1167 1168 1169 1170 1171 1172 1173 1174 1178 1179 1180 1181 1182 1185 1186 1187 1188 1189 1190 1191 1193 1194 1195 1196 1197 1198 1199 1200 1202 1203 1204 1205 1206 1207 1208 1210 1211 1212 1213 1214 1215 1216 1217 1218 1219 1221 1222 1223 1224 1225 1226 1227 1228 1229 1230 1232 1233 1234 1235 1236 1237 1238 1239 1240 1241 1242 1243 1247 1248 1250 1252 1260 1261 1262 1263 1266 1268 1269 1272 1273 1278 1279 1280 1281 1282 1285 1288 1289 1290 1291 1292 1293 1294 1296 1297 1298 1299 1301 1303 1305 1309 1310S 1312 1313 1314 1315 1316 1317 1318 1319 1320 1322 1323 1324 1325 1326 1327 1328 1329 1330 1331 1333 1334 1335 1336 1338 1339 1340 1341 1342 1343 1345 1346 1347 1348 1350 1352 1353 1354 1355 1356 1357 1358 1359 1362 1364 1365 1367 1375 1377 1383 1384 1385 1386 1387 1388 1389 1390 1391 1392 1393 1394 1395 1396 1397 1399 1400 1401 1402 1403 1404 1406 1407 1408 1409 1410 1413 1414S 1415 1418 1420 1421 1422 1424 1432 1434 1435 1436 1438 1439 1441 1442 1443 1444 1445 1446 1447 1448 1449 1450 1451 1452 1453 1454 1455 1456 1457 1458 1460 1461 1462 1463 1464 1465 1466 1467 1468 1470 1471 1472 1473 1474 1475 1476 1477 1478 1479 1480 1481 1482 1483 1484 1485 1486 1487 1488 1489 1490 1491 1492 1493 1494 1495 1496 1497 1498 1499 1500 1501 1502 1503 1505 1506 1508 1510 1511 1519 1521 1528 1530 1531 1532 1533 1535 1536 1538 1539 1540 1541 1542C 1543 1544 1545 1546 1547 1548 1549 1550 1551 1552 1553 1555 1556 1557 1558 1559 1560 1562 1563 1564 1570 1572 1573 1575 1576 1577 1578 1579 1580 1581 1582C 1583 1584 1585 1586 1587 1588 1589 1590 1591 1592 1594 1595 1597 1600 1601 1602 1603 1604 1605 1606 1609 1613 1615 1616 1617 1620 1622 1623 1624 1625 1628 1629 1630 1631 1632 1633 1634 1635 1637 1639 1640 1641 1642 1643 1645 1646 1647 1649 1651 1652 1653 1659 1660 1661 1664 1665 1666 1667 1668 1670 1671 1672 1675 1676 1677 1678 1680 1682 1685 1686 1687 1688 1690 1691 1692 1693 1694 1695 1697 1698 1699 1700 1701 1702 1703 1704 1712 1713 1780 1797 1800 1802 1804 1808 1813 1814 1816 1823 1901 1966 2095 2097 2099 2101 2107 2108 2109 2112 2117 2118 2120 2122 2123 2127 2131 2132 2133 2135 2139 2141 2142 2146 2147 2148 2159 2172 2173 2174 2175 2176 2177 2178 2181 2182 2191 2193 2195 2199 2201 2204 2213 2215 2217 2220 2221 2223 2224 2229 2236 2255 2260 2261 2263 2265 2266 2267 2273 2277 2278 2280 2281 2283 2284 2287 2290S 2291 2292 2295 2296 2297 2301 2304 2307 2314 2315 2317 2321 2322 2323 2324 2352 2354 2355 2356 2362 2367 2369 2370 2371 2372 2373 2374 2375 2381 2382 2383 2386 2387 2388 2390 2394 2396 2397 2398 2400 2404 2405 2406 2407 2411 2414 2415 2420 2422 2426 2430 2439 2442 2444 2446 2451 2452 2454 2458 2460 2465 2470 2471 2472 2474 2476 2477 2478 2479 2482 2483 2487 2488 2489 2490 2492 2494 2496 2497 2499 2502 2503 2507 2508 2509 2510 2511 2515 2518 2520 2521 2523 2524 2525 2528S 2530 2533 2539 2545 2546 2549 2550 2551 2554 2555 2557 2559S 2561 2562 2567 2571 2577 2578 2579 2581 2583 2585 2586 2590 2591 2592 2598 2603S 2604 2605 2606 2608S 2610 2612 2613 2614 2615 2616 2620 2622 2623 2624 2633 2634 2635 2636 2637 2645 2646 2650 2653 2656 2658 2660 2665 2670 2673 2676 2680 2684 2685 2687 2689 2691 2692 2693S 2694 2695 2702 2703 2705 2706 2707 2708 2709 2710 2713 2714 2715 2718 2721 2722 2724 2726 2727 2728S 2729 2730 2734 2735 2737 2745 2749 2754 2756 2757 2760 2765 2766 2767 2770 2774 2775 2779 2780 2781 2786C 2787 2788 2806 2809 2810 2812 2819 2831 2836
NUMBER OF WITNESSES: 1462

1B    σοι εν τω φανανερω
136
NUMBER OF WITNESSES: 1

1C    σοι εν φανερω
409
NUMBER OF WITNESSES: 1

2    σοι
01 03 05 035 1 5 22 118* 148 205 209 406 544 660* 871 1011* 1057 1166 1192 1251 1321 1542* 1582* 2126 2328 2516 2701S 2786* 2808
NUMBER OF WITNESSES: 29

3    εν τω φανερω
38 590
NUMBER OF WITNESSES: 2

V    Omission of και ο πατηρ to αποδωσει σοι
154* 354 596 719 723 733 737 842 1137 1302 1803 2100 2206
NUMBER OF WITNESSES: 13

Monday, July 9, 2012

Matt 6:6 ταμιειον

Although a minority of witnesses (ℵ B D E L W Θ Σ 35 700 1241 al [ℵ D W Θ: ταμιον]) and the so-called revised Koine text (Kr/f35) have the more common contracted form ταμειον (cf. Matt 24:26; Luke 12:3, 24), most manuscripts and many editors (e.g. Lachmann, Tregelles, von Soden, NA25, etc.) retain the uncontracted ταμιειον (including K M S U X Z Δ Π Φ Ω f1.13 33 579 1424; Or). For the other occurrences of the word in the NT most manuscripts have the contracted form with only a small minority retaining the uncontracted form:

Matt 24:26 ταμειοις (but ταμιειοις: L S X Γ Ω f1 33 pc; Or)
Luke 12:3 ταμειοις (but ταμιειοις: K S Ψ Ω f1 pc)
Luke 12:24 ταμειον (but ταμιειον: F M S U Ω f1 33 579 1424 pc)

This circumstance heightens preference for the uncontracted ταμιειον here, since there is no reason why most scribes would have written the uncontracted form only here. In other words, the nonconformed reading, in this case ταμιειον, is to be preferred. Von Soden (1:1370) also suggests that the uncontracted form represented by a minority of manuscripts in Matt 24:26, Luke 12:3, 24 further corroborates the original presence of that form in Matt 6:6. Lastly, the accidental dropping of the letter iota in words of similar spelling is observed elsewhere, such as, e.g., συνειτε in B in Mark 8:17 (instead of συνιετε).

Friday, July 6, 2012

Matt 6:5 οτι

The optional conjunction οτι appears after αμην λεγω υμιν in most witnesses (including E K L M S U W Δ Θ Π Σ Φ Ω 565 579 1241 1424 f; Or-pt Bas-pt) but not in a few others (ℵ Β D Z 047 f1.13 28 33 700 pc lat; Or-pt Bas-pt Chr). Griesbach (1:66–7) reasons, "Some omit οτι both here and in vs. 16, because it is not employed in vs. 2." Von Soden similarly, but printing οτι within brackets, writes, "In 6:5, 16 the omission of οτι after υμιν (cf. 6:2) is to be judged in the same way [as the omission of αν {6:5}, which is secondary, being conformed to 6:2]" (1:1424).
     The expression αμην λεγω υμιν appears 25 times in Matthew, seven uncontested with οτι following (18:13, 18; 19:23, 28; 21:31; 24:47; 26:21) and 13 uncontested without οτι (6:2; 8:10; 10:15, 42; 11:11; 18:3, 18; 21:21; 24:2; 25:12, 40, 45; 26:13). The three contested places where RP adds and NA27 omits οτι are: 6:5, 16; 23:36. The two contested places where RP omits and NA27 adds οτι are: 16:28; 24:34.
     In the present unit of variation the internal argument of Griesbach and von Soden is sensible. As in Matt 6:4 αυτος, Matt 6:4 εν τω φανερω, and Matt 6:5 αν, the less harmonized reading is generally preferable to the more harmonized one. In 6:16 the witnesses that omit οτι (ℵ B D 0233 0250 f1.13 565 700 al it) are similar to the ones that do so here. Thus in a few largely related manuscripts the second and third appearances of the expression in 6:5, 16 (αμην λεγω υμιν οτι απεχουσιν τον μισθον αυτων) were conformed to the first in 6:2 (αμην λεγω υμιν απεχουσιν τον μισθον αυτων), i.e., without οτι. This internal factor combined with the observation that οτι is completely unnecessary sufficiently explains why it came to be omitted here in some witnesses. Cf. also the note on Matt 5:31 οτι.

Other cases of omission of οτι in a minority of witnesses in Matthew:
5:32 (D 1506 it; Aug)
9:18 (ℵ D M f1.13 33 205 892 pc lat)
10:7 (B 1506 sy-s)
11:24 (ℵ*.2 33 pc; Ir-lat)
13:11 (M pc)
16:17 (B* 1424*)
16:18 (Θ 1 1506 1582 ff2 g1; Eus Chr Phot)
19:9 (B D Z 1424 pc it)
20:12 (ℵ B C2 D 085 f1 33vid 1424 lat sy-s.c.p; Or Chr)
21:16 (ℵ D S 983 1506 pc it vg-mss; Ir-lat)
21:43 (ℵ B* Θ 205 209 565 700 892 1506 pc)
23:36 (p77 ℵ B D L Θ f1.13 205 579 700 892* pc it)
26:29 (p45 ℵ B D Z Θ 0281 f1.13 33 205 892* al; Ir-lat)
26:65 (ℵ2 B C2 D L Z Θ 0281 33 700 892 pc latt; Or Cyr Chr)
26:72 (ℵ D pc)
26:75 (D pc it)
27:47 (ℵ D L Θ 33 700 892 1424 pc lat sy-s.p)
28:13 (33)  

Cases of addition of οτι in a minority of witnesses in Matthew:
6:2 (Zvid 157 pc h)
8:25 (Δ)
9:33 (V Θ 35 1424)
12:23 (D*)
14:4 (M pc)
16:28 (ℵ B L Θ f13 33 579 700 1424 al it)
17:11 (ℵ)
17:20 (C pc co; Or)
19:24 (ℵ C L M Z 0281 579 892 al aur)
21:11 (N)
23:39 (D Θ f1.13 205 it; Or)
24:2 (D sy-p)
24:5 (C* Φ pc f; Or)
24:34 (B D F L Θ f1.13 33 205 700 892 1424 al latt; Or)
26:64 (D pc bo)
27:63 (D 157 pc; Chr Or-lat)
27:64 (33 al a ff2 sy-s.p)

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Matt 6:5 αν

After οπως a minority of witnesses omit the superfluous particle αν (ℵ Β D K L Z Π* Ω f1.13 33 1424 al; Or Chr), but most retain it (including E M S U W Δ Θ Π1 Σ Φ 28 565 700 1241). Griesbach (1:66) writes: "[The particle] αν either arose from the ΦΑΝωσι immediately following or was omitted on account of the word itself, whether by a scribe easily skipping over a particle introduced merely to take up space, it being useless, or through eagerness to avoid cacophony, or because in vs. 2 οπως and in vs. 16 the very same οπως φανωσι appear without αν. Therefore, arguments are not lacking with which αν may be defended." Von Soden (1:1424) similarly judges: "The omission of αν after οπως (cf. 6:2, 16) is secondary, since there is no conceivable reason for K [i.e., the Koine tradition] to have inserted αν only here."
      The construction οπως αν is relatively rare in the NT, being used only four times elsewhere (Luke 2:35; Acts 3:20; 15:17; Rom 3:4), two of which within LXX quotations. In Matt 6:16 only a few manuscripts (Δ pc) add αν after οπως (probably in conformation to 6:5), as similarly happens in 23:35 (ℵ2 C2 Mmg 33 pc). A number of the primary witnesses that omit αν here also omit it elsewhere in Matthew: 5:18 (B*); 5:26 (33 pc); 12:20 (L X pc); 12:50 (D pc); 24:34 (ℵ 1241 pc); 24:43 (D 33 pc). Furthermore, the particle αν is likely original in Matt 6:5 due to its being omitted by some for the following reasons: (1) accident, of which kind this especially characterizes the early period (cf. note on Matt 1:22 του), and aided by the possibility of initial homoeoteleuton error (αν . . . αν, producing οπως ανωσιν), which later was easily corrected by adding Φ in view of 6:2, 16; (2) it was thought superfluous; (3) conformation to 6:2, 16, where it is absent; (4) the rarity of the expression οπως αν (4x in the NT) yielded to the more general usage without αν (more than 50x in the NT); (5) the sound ΑΝΦΑΝ- was thought undesirable (cf. Griesbach above).

Monday, July 2, 2012

Matt 6:5 ωσπερ

Instead of ωσπερ as most witnesses show (including E K L M S U W Δ Θ Π Σ Φ Ω f1.13; Or Chr), a handful of often-related manuscripts read the synonym ως (ℵ B D Z 33 372). In Matthew this relatively insignificant variation is replicated in more or less the same witnesses in 5:48, 6:16, and 24:38. Various factors converge in preferring ωσπερ over ως: (1) the proven antiquity (Origen, 3rd cent.) and variety (Byzantine, Alexandrian, Western, Caesarean) of its witnesses; (2) the greater likelihood that scribes would change the less common ωσπερ (36x in the NT) into the more common ως (500x in the NT) than vice versa; (3) the greater likelihood that Matthew himself would have written ωσπερ (at least 10 occurrences in Matthew vs. only 7 occurrences in Mark, Luke, John, and Acts combined); (4) the general axiom that, all things being equal, an occasional scribe here and there would not have preferred to write with five letters what could be written with but two; (5) the circumstance that the just preceding correction of εση into εσεσθε, if made by erasure in a manuscript, would have left only space for two letters (i.e., for ως) before the following οι υποκριται. And so the oldest, less common, most varied and widespread reading is to be preferred. Cf. also the notes on Matt 5:48 ωσπερ, Matt 6:16 ωσπερ, and Matt 24:38 ωσπερ.