The Septuagint and New Testament Textual Criticism

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Electronic New Testament Textual Studeis, vol.1, 2001.

The Septuagint and New Testament Textual Criticism

Hyeon Woo Shin

1. While G.D. Kilpatrick remarked that scribes injected a lot of Attic expressions into the New Testament text,⁽¹⁾ G.D. Fee suggested that scribes introduced Septuagintal expressions instead of Attic ones.⁽²⁾ To know whether one may utilize Septuagintal expressions for textual criticism or not, one needs to test whether MSS exhibit a scribal tendency of altering the style of the text in direction of more Septuagintal expressions. On the basis of the frequency of occurrence (of similar words) in the LXX, "more Septuagintal expressions" could be distinguished from "less Septuagintal expressions" even though distinguishing "Septuagintal expressions" from "non-Septuagintal expressions" is difficult. One may not claim that an expression‎ is Septuagintal even though it frequently occurs in the LXX, since it could be a Greek expression‎ which also frequently occurs in other Greek sources. Likewise, one may not claim that an expression‎ is non-Septuagintal even though the expression‎ does not frequently occur in the LXX, since the word could occur in the LXX alone. However, the frequency of occurrence an expression‎ in the LXX may be compared to its textual variant(s) to distinguish a more Septuagintal from a less Septuagintal expression‎.

2. Secondary readings which show the alterations into more Septuagintal expressions or alterations into less Septuagintal expressions may be used for this test (For a comparison, f¹ and f¹³ are also tested even if these are groups of MSS). Knowledge of secondary readings, however, presupposes knowledge of the original text which we have not yet attained. Thus, in the initial stage of textual criticism, "singular readings" may be used as provisional representatives of secondary readings for our test. Even though seeming singular readings on the basis of our information may not actually be singular, and some singular readings might be original, they could more probably be secondary than others.

3. Table 1 indicates that, in Mt's MSS, alterations into less Septuagintal expressions occurred more frequently (10 times in singular readings of the observed MSS!) than alterations into more Septuagintal expressions (only once in singular readings of the MSS observed). (Especially, codex D seems to exhibit a tendency of introducing less Septuagintal expressions.) Hence, in Mt, more Septuagintal expressions may not be considered to have resulted from corruptions.

Table 1: Alterations into expressions which are more Septuagintal than they replace (More) and alterations into the opposite direction (Less) in Mt's MSS (for the evidence, see Appendix)

MSS	a	B	D	L	W	Q	f1	f13	33	Total
More	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Less	-	1	5	-	1	1	1	-	1	10

4. In contrast to Mt, in Mk scribal alterations took place in direction of more Septuagintal expressions (see table 2). Thus, in Mk one may suspect that more Septuagintal expressions might have arisen from scribal corruptions.

Table 2: Alterations into expressions which are more Septuagintal than they replace (More) and alterations into the opposite direction (Less) in Mk's MSS (for the evidence, see Appendix )

MSS	P45	a	A	B	D	L	Q	f1	f13	33	Total
More	1	2	1	-	4	-	2	-	1	-	11
Less	1	-	-	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	4

5. In Lk, alterations occurred in both directions, more Septuagintal and less Septuagintal (table 3). So, in this Gospel, it is difficult to decide whether Septuagintal expressions resulted from scribal corruptions or not.

Table 3: Alterations into expressions which are more Septuagintal than they replace (More) and alterations into the opposite direction (Less) in Lk's MSS (for the evidence, see Appendix)

MSS	P45	P75	a	A	B	D	L	Q	f1	f13	33	Total
More	1	2	2	1	1	8	1	1	1	-	-	18
Less	2	1	-	1	1	9	-	-	-	1	-	15

6. Considering the Synoptics together, we attain the following statistics. It shows that no general tendency is observed with regard to Septuagintal expressions in the Synoptics' MSS (With regard to singular readings observed, the totals for alterations into mroe Septuagintal expressions and alterations into less Septuagintal expressions are almost the same, as table 4 shows), even if one can find particular tendencies, in Mt's MSS (making less Septuagintal) and in Mk's MSS (making more Septuagintal). Therefore, one may not use the criterion of more/less Septuagintalisms for textual criticism as a general rule, even though it could be used in case of Mk. This conclusion shows that in utilization of the canons of criticism, one needs to consider the characteristics of each text (author) and its transmission.

Table 4: Alterations into expressions which are more Septuagintal than they replace (More) and alterations into the opposite direction (Less) in the MSS of the Synoptics

MSS	P45	P75	a	A/W	B	D	L	Q	f1	f13	33	Total
More	2	2	4	2	1	13	1	3	1	1	-	30
Less	3	1	-	2	2	17	-	1	1	1	1	29

7. In conclusion, Fee's suggestion to regard more Septuagintal expressions as scribal alterations is questionable, even though it seems to be valid for Mk. Nevertheless, our conclusion is no more than a provisional one, sine it depends on the reliability of the use of singular readings and the validity of identification of singular readings on the basis of NA²⁷. NA²⁷ does not contain all the singular readings, and some singular readings in it may not be a real singular reading, since NA²⁷ does not collate all the MSS. Further, the statistics on the basis of singular readings could be a distortion of what can be found when we examine all the secondary readings.

Appendix: Alterations into More/Less Septuagintal Expressions in the Manuscripts of the Synoptics

To see whether scribes altered the expressions of their Vorlagen in the direction of more Septuagintal expressions or not, the following test has been carried out. For the test, singular readings are used on the hypothesis that these readings reflect later scribal corruptions. To determine the alterations into more/less Septuagintal expressions, their frequencies of occurrence in the LXX are compared to each other. For convenience, the early papyri and Proto-Alexandrian MSS a B, Later Alexandrian MSS L, 33, a Western MS codex D, Byzantine MSS A (in Mt, W) M, and the so called Caesarean MSS Q f¹ f¹³ are taken into consideration. An abbreviated form "A (x) => B (y)" is introduced. It means "alteration from A which occurs in the LXX x times to B which occurs in the LXX y times." For example, evkaqezo,mhn (0) ekaqhmhn (4) in I.A below signifies that a scribe (of codex D) altered evkaqezo,mhn which occurs in the LXX 0 times into ekaqhmhn which occurs in the LXX 4 times.

The text of Septuaginta, ed. A. Rahlfs, Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft 1935 is used as a basis of counting. For Joshua 15:21b - 62 the text of codex B, and for Judges the text of codex A is used. (In Judges, the text of codex B seems to be a revised text contained in few MSS.⁽³⁾ For Tobias, the text of Rahlfs based on codices B and A instead of the text of codex a is used. The text(s) of the LXX the scribes of the Synoptic Gospels used may have more or less dissimilar to Rahlfs' edition which is an eclectic text.⁽⁴⁾ Since the quotations of the authors of the Synoptics are similar to the text of codex A, ⁽⁵⁾ one may suppose that the scribes of the Synoptics' MSS also possibly used (and were influenced by) the texts which are similar to that of codex A. However, the similarity between the quotations and the text of codex A could also occur by codex A's assimilation to the text of the Synoptics.⁽⁶⁾ Besides, quotations from Psalms are closer to the text of codex B.⁽⁷⁾ Thus, for convenience, the present writer uses the text of Rahlfs' edition on the working hypothesis that the language of this text can reflect that of the LXX text(s) which could have influenced the scribes of the Synoptics.⁽⁸⁾

In this appendix, variants which are accepted by NA²⁷ are typed with accents. Singular readings are observed by the utilization of NA²⁷, just for convenience. It's critical apparatus about readings of minor variation (cf. NA²⁷, 719-747) is also considered.

I. Matthew

A. Alterations into more Septuagintal expressions in Mt's Manuscripts (MSS)

MSS / Places / Contents

a -

B -

D 26:55 evkaqezo,mhn (0) => ekaqhmhn (4)

L -

W -

Q -

f¹ -

f¹³ -

33 -

B. Alterations from more Septuagintal expressions to less Septuagintal expressions in Mt's MSS

MSS / Places / Contents

a -

B 12:32 avfeqh,setai (14) => afeqh (1)

D 10:6 poreu,esqe (34) => upagete (0)

D11:3 evrco,menoj (6) => ergazomenoj (0)

D 13:49 aivw/noj (196) => kosmou (23)

D 16:3 ouvrano,j (46) => ahr (2)

D 19:16 ei=pen (2758) => legei (739)

L -

W 21:18 evpana,gwn (2) => upagwn (0)

Q 9:4 kai. ivdw.n (20) => eidwj de (0)

f¹ 12:16 evpeti,mhsen (2) => epeplhssen (0)

f¹³ -

33 23:21 katoikou/nti (3) => oikhsanti (0)

II. Mark

A. Alterations into more Septuagintal expressions in Mk's MSS

MSS / Places / Contents

P⁴⁵ 7:8 paradosin (0) => entolhn (27)

a 11:25 sth,kete (0) => sthte (8)

a 14:35 proelw.n (0) => parelqein (11)

A 10:34 evmptu,sousin (0) => mastigwsousin (2)

B -

D 4:1 pro.j th.n qa,lassan (0) => peran thj qalasshj(6) or en tw aigialw (0)

D 7:28 paidi,wn (3) => paidwn (63)

D 14:61 avpekri,nato (4) => apekriqh (95)

D 15:46 kaqelw.n (0) => labwn (53)

L -

Q 10:17 prosdramw.n (1) => dramwn (2)

Q 10:27 evmble,yaj (1) => apokriqeij (30)

f¹ -

f¹³ 11:1 evggi,zousin (3) => hggisan (16) or hggizen (2)

33 -

B. Alterations to less Septuagintal expressions in Mk's MSS

MSS / Places / Contents

P⁴⁵ 8:12 zhtei/ (24) => aitei (1)

a -

A -

B -

D 3:20 e;rcetai (44) => eisercontai (0) or ercontai (50)

D 6:14 e;legon (26) => elegosan (0)

D 13:18 ge,nhtai (116) => genwntai (17)

L -

Q -

f¹ -

f¹³ -

33 -

III. Luke

A. Alterations to more Septuagintal expressions in Lk's MSS

MSS / Places / Contents

P⁴⁵ 11:12 wv|o,n (0) => arton (99)

P⁷⁵ 5:1 evge,neto de (60) => kai egeneto (559)

P⁷⁵ 11:53 e,xelqo,ntoj (1) => exelqontej (10)

a 2:37 ovgdoh,konta (37) => ebdomhkonta (111)

a 24:30 evpedi,dou (1) => edi,dou (4)

A 23:34 e;legen (20) => eipen (2758)

B 16:15 tou/ qeou/ (697) => kuriou (2482)

D 1:21 prosdokw/n (0) => prosdecomenoj (2)

D 5:7 sullabe,sqai (0) => bohqein (8)

D 9:6 dih,rconto (0) => hrconto (10)

D 9:10 kaloum,enhn (0) => legomenhn (3)

D 12:30 evpizhou/sin (0) => zhtei (24) epizhtei (1)

D 18:43 ai=non (3) => doxan (156)

D 22:55 me,soj auvtw/n (0) => met autwn (85)

D 24:51 die,sth (3) => apesth (45)

L 24:17 evsta,qhsan (0) => esthsan (87)

Q 10:20 evgge,graptai (0) => gegraptai (25)

f¹ 6:9 evperwtw/ (1) => erwthsw (5) or eperwthsw (0)

f¹³ -

33 -

B. Alterations to less Septuagintal expressions in Lk's MSS

MSS / Places / Contents

P⁴⁵ 11:15 ei=pon (196) => elalhsan (47)

P⁴⁵ 11:36 me,roj (50) => meloj (7)

P⁷⁵ 12:42 dido,nai (8) => diadidonai (0) diadounai (1) dounai (141)

a -

A 24:13 hmera (852) => wra (19)

B 23:26 avph,gagon (5) => aphgon (0)

D 2:21 evklh,qh (18) => wnomasqh (5)

D 3:18 parakalw/n (12) => parainwn (0)

D 4:40 du,nontoj (2) => dusantoj (0)

D [6:3] ei=pen (2758) => elegen (20)⁽⁹⁾

D 8:12 avkou/santej (19) => akolouqountej (0)

D 19:14 avpe,steilan (35) => enepemyan (0)

D 14:21 eivsa,gage (5) => enegke (2)

D 20:13 i;swj (9) => tucon (0)

D 22:26 new,teroj (31) => mikroteroj (1)

D 24:37 pneu/ma (248) => fantasma (0)

L -

Q -

f¹ -

f¹³ 22:40 ei,jelqei/n (45) => empesein (3)

33 -

IV. Conclusion

The test above shows that in Mt, alterations into more Septuagintal expressions occurred less frequently than alterations into less Septuagintal expressions (see table 1 above). In Mk, however, alterations into more Septuagintal expressions occurred more frequently than alterations into less Septuagintal expressions (see table 2). In Lk, alterations into more Septuagintal expressions took place as frequently as alterations into less Septuagintal expressions (see table 3). Considering the Synoptics together, no general tendency is observed with regard to alterations into more Septuagintal expressions and alterations into less Septuagintal expressions (see table 4).

1. 'Atticism and the Text of the Greek New Testament,' in Neutestamentliche Aufsaetze, FS Prof. J. Schmid, Regensburg: Friedrich Pustet 1963, p.132.

2. 'Rigorous or Reasoned Eclecticism - Which?,' in Studies in the Theory and Method of New Testament Textual Criticism, by G.D. Fee & E.J. Epp, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993, p.131.

3. See S. Jellicoe, The Septuagint and Modern Study, Oxford: Clarendon 1968, p.178.)

4. Cf. E. Tov, Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible, Maastricht: Van Gorcum 1992, p.140-41).

5. K. Stendahl, The School of St. Matthew and its Use of the Old Testament, 2^nd ed., Lund: Gleerup 1967, p.174),

6. D.S. New, Old Testament Quotations in the Synoptic Gospels, and the Two-Document Hypothesis, SBLSCS 37, Atlanta: Scholars Press 1993, pp.58-59, 86.n).

7. New, Old Testament Quotations, 26).

8. For counting, M.S. Bushell, Bible Works for Windows, version 3.5, Montana: Hermeneutika Software 1996 is used.)

9. This alteration could be harmonization to Mk 2:25 (B 565. 2427 bo^pt).