Addresses on the Revised Version of Holy ScriptureEllicott, C. J. (Charles John)
Religion
Addresses on the Revised Version of Holy Scripture
Ellicott, C. J. (Charles John)
Bible. English -- Versions -- Revised
In the second place, in the really important matter of the nomenclature
of the ancient types of text which, since the days of Griesbach, and to
some extent before him, have been recognized by all critical scholars, it
does not seem possible to accept the titles of the fourfold division of
these families of manuscripts which have been adopted by Westcott and
Hort. Griesbach, as is well known, adopted the terms Western,
Alexandrian, and Constantinopolitan, for which there is much to be said.
Westcott and Hort recognize four groups. To the first and considerably
the largest they give the title of Syrian, answering to some extent to
the Constantinopolitan of Griesbach; to the second they continue the
title of Western; to the third they give the title of Alexandrian, though
of a numerically more restricted character than the Alexandrian of
Griesbach; to the fourth, an exceedingly small group, apparently
consisting of practically not more than two members, they give the title
of Neutral, as being free alike from Syrian, Western, and Alexandrian
characteristics. On this Neutral family or group Westcott and Hort lay
the greatest critical stress, and in it they place the greatest reliance.
Such is their distribution, and such the names they give to the families
into which manuscripts are to be divided and grouped.
The objections to this arrangement and to this nomenclature are, as Dr.
Salmon very clearly shows, both reasonable and serious. In the first
place, the title Syrian, though Dr. Salmon allows it to pass, is very
misleading, especially to the student. It is liable to be confounded
with the term Syriac, with which it has not and is not intended to have
any special connexion, and it fails to convey the amplitude of the family
it designates. If it is to be retained at all, it must be with the
prefix suggested by Dr. Schaff--the group being styled as the
Graeco-Syrian. But this is of slight moment when compared with the
serious objections to the term Neutral, as this term certainly tends in
practice to give to two manuscripts or even, in some cases, to one of
them (the Codex Vaticanus), a preponderating supremacy which cannot be
properly conceded when authorities of a high character are found to be
ranged on the other side. There are also other grave objections which
are convincingly put forward by Dr. Salmon in the chapter he has devoted
to the subject of the nomenclature of the two editors.
We shall be wise therefore if we cancel the term Neutral and use the term
Older Alexandrian, as distinguished from the later Alexandrian, and so
fall back on the threefold division of Alexandrian (earlier and later),
Graeco-Syrian, and Western, though for this last-mentioned term a more
expressive designation may perhaps hereafter be found.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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