Part 11 (1/2)

[158] Pp. 78-80.

[159] See Traditional Text, Appendix VII.

[160] Bp. C. Wordsworth. But Alford, Westcott and Hort, doubt it.

[161] Thus Codex [Symbol: Xi] actually interpolates at this place the words--[Greek: ouketi ekeinois elegeto, alla tois mathetais.] Tisch. _ad loc_.

[162] Cyril Alex, (four times) and the Verona Codex (b), besides L and a few other copies, even append the same familiar words to [Greek: kai pasan malakian] in St. Matt. x. 1.

[163] Investigate Possinus, 345, 346, 348.

[164] It is surprising to find so great an expert as Griesbach in the last year of his life so entirely misunderstanding this subject. See his Comment. Crit. Part ii. p. 190. 'Nec ulla ... debuerint.'

[165] [Greek: tous sozomenous kathemeran en te ekklesia. epi to auto de (Te S' TeS DIAKINeSIMOU) Petros kai Ioannes, k.t.l.] Addit. 16,184, fol.

152 _b_.

[166] Bede, Retr. 111. D (add. [Greek: hoi en t. ekkl.]). Brit. Mus.

Addit. 16, 184. fol. 152 _b._ Vulgate.

[167] So the place stands in Evan. 64. The liturgical notes are printed in a smaller type, for distinction.

[168] The Revision Revised, 34-6.

[169] See The Traditional Text, p. 104.

[170] [Greek: alla kai hemas epi tes Eucharistias legontas, 'eis tous aionas ton aionon,' k.t.l.] Contra Haer. lib. i. c. 3.

[171] But the words of Gregory of Nyssa are doubtful. See Scrivener, Introduction, ii. p. 325, note 1.

[172] See my Textual Guide, Appendix V. pp. 131-3 (G. Bell & Sons). I have increased the Dean's list with a few additional authorities.

CHAPTER VII.

CAUSES OF CORRUPTION CHIEFLY INTENTIONAL.

I. Harmonistic Influence.

[It must not be imagined that all the causes of the depravation of the text of Holy Scripture were instinctive, and that mistakes arose solely because scribes were overcome by personal infirmity, or were unconsciously the victims of surrounding circ.u.mstances. There was often more design and method in their error. They, or those who directed them, wished sometimes to correct and improve the copy or copies before them.

And indeed occasionally they desired to make the Holy Scriptures witness to their own peculiar belief. Or they had their ideas of taste, and did not scruple to alter pa.s.sages to suit what they fancied was their enlightened judgement.

Thus we can trace a tendency to bring the Four Records into one harmonious narrative, or at least to excise or vary statements in one Gospel which appeared to conflict with parallel statements in another.

Or else, some Evangelical Diatessaron, or Harmony, or combined narrative now forgotten, exercised an influence over them, and whether consciously or not,--since it is difficult always to keep designed and unintentional mistakes apart, and we must not be supposed to aim at scientific exactness in the arrangement adopted in this a.n.a.lysis,--induced them to adopt alterations of the pure Text.

We now advance to some instances which will severally and conjointly explain themselves.]

-- 1.

Nothing can be more exquisitely precise than St. John's way of describing an incident to which St. Mark (xvi. 9) only refers; viz. our Lord's appearance to Mary Magdalene,--the first of His appearances after His Resurrection. The reason is discoverable for every word the Evangelist uses:--its form and collocation. Both St. Luke (xxiv. 3) and previously St. Mark (xvi. 5) expressly stated that the women who visited the Sepulchre on the first Easter morning, 'after they had entered in'