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Dieter Mitternacht
The Bible as Book and as LibraryA. A Library with many voices
Many writings from many different time periods
Not a book, not written at one time, not by one author But a library, a collection of booksMany genres, purposes and agendas
Historical, biographical and folkloric stories Love poetry, proverbs, prayers Philosophical reflection and dialogue Real and literary letters Encouraging and polemical texts Plain and symbolic languageSituational and general
Holy writ Inner critical dialogue
New Testament IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
Dieter Mitternacht
The Bible as Book and as LibraryA. A Library with many voices
B. Tanak = Hebrew Bible (~ Old Testament)
New Testament IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
Torah = 5 books of MosesGenesis (Beresht)
In the beginning
Exodus (Shemt)
(These are) the names
Leviticus (Wajjiqr)
(The Lord) called
Numeri (Bemidbr)
In the desert
Deuteronomy (Devarm)
These are the words
Prophets (Neviim)The former
Joshua, Judges, Samuel,
Kings
The latter
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel
The Twelve
Hosea, Joel, Amos,
Obadiah, Jonah, Micah,
Nahum, Habakkuk,
Zephaniah, Haggai,
Zachariah, Malachi
Writings (Ketuvim)Job, Psalms, Proverbs,
Ruth, Song of Salomon,
Ecclesiastes
Lamentations,
Esther, Daniel,
Ezra-Nehemiah,
Chronicles
Dieter Mitternacht
The Bible as Book and as LibraryA. A Library with many voices
B. Tanak = Hebrew Bible (~ Old Testament)
C. The New Testament
New Testament IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
GospelsMatthew
Mark
Luke
John
HistoryActs
Pauline LettersRomans
1 & 2 Corinthians
Galatians
Philippians
1 Thessalonians
Philemon
DisputedEphesians
Colossians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Other lettersHebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Apocalyptic writingRevelation
Dieter Mitternacht
The Bible as Book and as LibraryA. A Library with many voices
B. Tanak = Hebrew Bible (~ Old Testament)
C. The New Testament
D. A Library with siblingsTanak Septuagint Vulgate
New Testament IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
Tanak LXX (~200 BCE) Vulgate (~400 CE)
Torah
5 books of Moses (Beresht,
Shemt, Wajjiqr, Bemidbr,
Devarm)
Prophets (Neviim)
The former
Joshua, Judges
Samuel (one book)
Kings (one book)
The latter
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel
The Twelve (one book): Hosea, Joel
Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah,
Nahum Habakkuk, Zephaniah,
Haggai, Zachariah Malachi
Writings (Ketuvim)
Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ruth, Song
of Salomon, Ecclesiastes
Lamentations, Esther, Daniel
Ezra-Nehemiah (one book)
Chronicles (one book)
Historical books
5 books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus,
Leviticus, Numeri, Deuteronomy)
Joshua, Judges, Ruth
1 + 2 Kings (=1+2 Sam)
3 + 4 Kings (=1+2 Kings)
1 + 2 Chronicles (incl. Manassas
prayer)
1 Esdras
2 Esdras (= Ezra, Nehemiah)
Poetic books
Psalms(+151), Proverbs, Ecclesiastes,
Song of Solomon, Job, Wisdom of
Salomon, Wisdom of Jesus Sirach
Esther (with additions), Judith, Tobit,
Prophets
Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, Obadiah,
Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah,
Haggai, Zachariah, Malachi
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Baruch,
Lamentations,
Jeremiah's letter, Ezekiel,
Daniel (+Susanna, Bel and the Dragon)
1 + 2 Maccabees
Historical books
5 books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus,
Leviticus, Numeri, Deuteronomy)
Joshua, Judges, Ruth
Samuel (one book)
Kings (one book)
Chronicles (one book)
Ezra (=Ezra, Nehemiah)
Tobit, Judith, Ester, Job
Poetic books
Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song
of Solomon, Wisdom of Salomon,
Wisdom of Jesus Sirach
Prophets
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations,
Baruch, Ezekiel, Daniel
The Twelve (one book): Hosea, Joel,
Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah,
Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah,
Haggai, Zachariah, Malachi
Additions
Manassas prayer
3 + 4 Ezra
New Testament IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
Dieter Mitternacht
The Bible as Book and as LibraryA. A Library with many voices
B. Tanak = Hebrew Bible (~ Old Testament)
C. The New Testament
D. A Library with siblingsTanak Septuagint Vulgate
Apocrypha, Deutero-Canonical writings
New Testament IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
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Dieter Mitternacht
Apocryphal or Deutero-Canonical writingsas defined by the Council of Trent are:
Tobit
Judith
Additions to Esther
Wisdom of Solomon
Sirach, also called Ben Sira or Ecclesiasticus
Baruch, including the Letter of Jeremiah (Additions to Jeremiah in the Septuagint)
Additions to Daniel:
Song of the Three Children (in Vulgate = Daniel 3:24-90)
Story of Susanna (in Vulgate = Daniel 13, Septuagint prologue)
Bel and the Dragon (in Vulgate = Daniel 14, in Septuagint = Epilogue)
1 Maccabees
2 Maccabees
New Testament IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
Dieter Mitternacht
The Bible as Book and as LibraryA. A Library with many voices
B. Tanak = Hebrew Bible (~ Old Testament)
C. The New Testament
D. A Library with siblingsTanak Septuagint Vulgate
Apocrypha, Deutero-canonical writings
The Hebrew Bible The Christian Old Testament
New Testament IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
Tanak Protestant OT Catholic OT Orthodox OT
Torah5 books of Moses (Beresht, Shemt, Wajjiqr, Bemidbr, Devarm)
Prophets (Neviim)The early
Joshua, Judges, Samuel (one book), Kings (one book)The latter
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, The Twelve (one book): Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zachariah, Malachi
Writings (Ketuvim)Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ruth, Song of Salomon, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther, Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah (one book), Chronicles (one book)
Pentateuch5 books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numeri, Deuteronomy)
Historical booksJoshua, Judges, Ruth,1 + 2 Samuel1+ 2 Kings 1 + 2 Chronicles Ezra, NehemiahEsther
Poetic booksJob, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon,
ProphetsMajor: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, DanielMinor: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zachariah, Malachi
Separate sectionTobit, Judit, Ester (greek text) 1 + 2 MaccabesWisdom of Salomon Wisdom of Jesus SyrachBaruch, Jeremiahs letter, Add. to Daniel, Susannah, Asarjas prayer, Song of the three men, Bel and the Dragon, Manassahs prayer.
Pentateuch5 books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numeri, Deuteronomy)
Historical booksJoshua, Judges, Ruth,1 + 2 Samuel1+ 2 Kings 1 + 2 Chronicles Ezra, NehemiahTobit, Judith, Esther (with add.)1 + 2 Maccabes
Poetic booksJob, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon,Wisdom of Salomon Wisdom of Jesus Syrach
ProphetsIsaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations,Baruch, Jeremiahs letterEzekiel, DanielSusannah, Asarjas prayer, Song of the three men, Bel and the Dragon, Manassahs prayerHosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zachariah, Malachi
Pentateuch5 books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numeri, Deuteronomy)
Historical booksJoshua, Judges, Ruth,1 + 2 Kings3 + 4 Kings 1 + 2 Chronicles Ezra, Nehemiah1 Esdras2 Esdras (= Esra, Nehemja)(!)Ester (with add.), Tobit, Judit1,2 and 3 Maccabes
Poetic booksPsalms(+151), Manassahs prayer, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Wisdom of Salomo, Wisdomof Jesus Sirach
ProphetsIsaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, Jeremiahs letterEzekiel, DanielSusannah, Asarjas prayer, Song of the three men, Bel and the Dragon, Manassahs prayerHosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zachariah, Malachi
Separate section
4 Maccabes
New Testament IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
Fragment from the book of Enoch - Qumran
Establishing the original textA. Fragments and manuscripts
New Testament IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
Column X fromHabakkuk-commentary (1QpHab)
Note that thetetragrammatonJHVH is written withold hebrew letters
P75 (omkr 100)
- ,
, , . . , . , , . ,
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P52 (~125) Joh 18:31-33
. , , . []
, -. - , ;
P66
Papyrus Bodmer II
(~200)
75 sheets and 39 fragments.
Originally 39 double sheets that were folded to form a total of 156 pages.
Content: Joh 1:1--6:11; 6:35--14:26, 29-30; 15:2-26; 16:2-4, 6-7, 16:10--20:20, 22-23, 20:25--21:9
P77
Recto Matt 23:35-39
Verso Matt 23: 30-34
(01) Codex Sinaiticus, Egypt or Israel, middle of 4th century Half of LXX, whole NT, Letter of Barnabas Hermas; since 1933 in British Museum.
A (02) Codex Alexandrinus, Egypt, 5th century Almost whole LXX and NT (missing parts of Matt, Joh, 2 Kor), 1/2 Clement, British Museum.
B (03) Codex Vaticanus, Egypt, beginning sof 4th century Most of LXX and NT (not Hebr, Past, Filem and Rev); since end of 15th century in Vatican library.
C (04) Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus, 5th century, NT, except Rev. Bibliothque Nationale , Paris.
D1 (05) Codex Bezae Cantabrigiensis, 4th to 6th century (uncertain) in the West Gospels and Acts, bilingual (greek-latin), Cambridge University Library.
New Testament IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
Establishing the original textA. Fragments and manuscripts
B. Codices
Codex
Sinaiticus (aaaa)c. 330-360
Septuagint and
New Testament
(partly incomplete)
This page:
Gospel of John
Codex
Alexandrinus (A)400-440
Septuagint and
New Testament
(partly incomplete
This page:
Gospel of Matthew
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Codex
Vaticanus (B)c. 325-350
Septuagint and
New Testament
(partly incomplete)
This page:
Letter to the
Hebrews
Establishing the original textC. External evidence: text traditions (families)
The Eastern text (Byzantine, Syriac, Antiochean)
Least reliable, embellishing, improves language,
Harmonizes parallel texts, Combines contradictory readings
Codex Alexandrinus. Base for TEXTUS RECEPTUS
The Western text
Paraphrasing, harmonizes and adds other traditions
Book of Acts, almost 10% longer than original text
Occasionally better readings than even the Alexandrian
The Caesarea text
Complicated prehistory, Eastern text with typically Byzantine tendencies towards elegance,
Mixture of Alexandrian and Western readings
The Alexandrian text
Most reliable, short and unpolished, closest to original
Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Vaticanus
New Testament IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
The original manuscripts(not preserved)
West Africa
Carthage
W, k, e
33, bo B, , (sa)
Italy
France
D, a, b
Antiochia
Syrs, Syrc
Text revision by
Lucianus app. 310
The Byzantine text tradition
or The standard text
TEXTUS RECEPTUS
Caesarea text
P45,
The Alexandrian
text tradition
P45, 46, 66, 75, , Barchetype fr. 3rd cent
The Eastern
text tradition
A, E, F, G, H,
K, P, S, V, W
The Western
text tradition
P29, 38, 48
New Testament IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
Establishing the original textC. External evidence: Conclusions
1. Manuscripts must be grouped and weighed as groups
2. Number and age is secondary to group importance
3. Geographical spreading has primary significance
New Testament IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
2. Establishing the original textD. Internal evidence
Shorter reading to be preferred
More difficult reading (for the copyist) to be preferred
Incoherent reading to be preferred
Less eloquent style to be preferred
Author-typical vocabulary or style to be preferred
New Testament IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
2. Establishing the original textE. EditionsBiblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia
New Testament
IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
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2. Establishing the original textE. EditionsBiblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia
Septuagint - Rahlf Edition
New Testament
IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
2. Establishing the original textE. EditionsBiblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia
Septuagint - Rahlf Edition
Novum Testamentum
Nestle-Aland 27th ed.
New Testament
IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
2. Establishing the original textE. EditionsBiblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia
Septuagint - Rahlf Edition
Novum Testamentum
Nestle-Aland 27th ed..
Greek New Testament - GNT
New Testament
IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
2. Establishing the original textE. EditionsBiblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia
Septuagint - Rahlf Edition
Novum Testamentum
Nestle-Aland 27th ed.
Greek New Testament GNT
Greek-English Interlinear Editions
New Testament
IntroductionT e x t & C o n t e n t
The Book of Kells(around 800 CE)Folio 27V
Beautifully illuminated manuscript that contains the four Gospels in Latin.
Written on vellum (calf-skin) with insular majuscules.
Matthew Man
MarkLion
Luke Oxe
JohnEagle