Introduction to the textual criticism of the Greek New TestamentNestle, Eberhard
Religion
Introduction to the textual criticism of the Greek New Testament
Nestle, Eberhard
Bible. New Testament -- Criticism, Textual
guard against a morbid preference for every interesting and fanciful
excrescence of the riotous tradition of the second and third centuries.
Such a preference would logically imply that the scholars who took in
hand to revise the text about the beginning of the fourth century simply
corrupted it, somewhat after the fashion of those who set themselves to
“improve” our Church hymns in the age of Rationalism. More than twenty
years ago, when I was a Tutor at Tübingen, I had the impression to which
I frequently enough gave utterance in debate with my colleagues, that
modern textual criticism is going altogether on the wrong tack. The
textual study of the New Testament was out of my province at that time,
and is really so still, were it not that, as Augustine says, it is
necessary for everyone who devotes himself to the holy Scriptures to
take up such studies. Nor am I inclined thus far to fall foul of the
system to which Westcott and Hort devoted the labours of a lifetime, and
in the building up of which they had at their command such an apparatus
as is far beyond the reach of a German, especially of one who is not
attached to any University. And as for the results of Zahn’s researches,
I prefer to look upon myself here as a mere learner and admirer. In the
presence of such doughty warriors I feel like a spectator upon the
battlefield of New Testament textual criticism, and I would beg that
what follows, as well as what has been already said, be regarded as but
suggestions, the acceptance or rejection of which by others may
perchance serve to bring a younger generation nearer to the goal. In
this spirit I have in my _Philologica Sacra_ (1-15th March 1896) taken
as a starting-point the reading in Luke xxii. 52, λαοῦ = ναοῦ = ἱεροῦ,
which is not mentioned at all by Tischendorf, and have sought by means
of one or two analogous cases to show “how frequently D preserves the
correct reading.” I have instanced ἑπταπλασίονα, Luke xviii. 30;
φάντασμα, xxiv. 37; δέρριν καμήλου, Mark i. 6 ; ἠνοιγμένους, i. 10,
which might, however, be inserted from Matt. iii. 16, Luke iii. 21 ;
ὀργισθείς, Mark i. 40; ὁμοιάζει, Matt. xxvi. 73.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account