Tue Apr 23 13:22:49 1996

From majordom  Tue Apr 23 13:22:49 1996
Return-Path: 
Received: by scholar.cc.emory.edu (5.0/SMI-SVR4)
	id AA13512; Tue, 23 Apr 1996 13:22:49 +0500
Message-Id: <9604231722.AA13506@scholar.cc.emory.edu>
Date:     Tue, 23 Apr 96 13:16:47 EDT
From: Nichael Cramer 
To: tc-list@scholar.cc.emory.edu
Cc: jvanderh@maths.adelaide.edu.au
Subject:  Re: Sinaiaticus
Content-Length: 3351
Sender: owner-tc-list@scholar.cc.emory.edu
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: tc-list@scholar.cc.emory.edu

[Note:  This failed before, so I'm going to try sending it from another
host -- N]

To: tc-list@scholar.cc.emory.edu
cc: tc-list@scholar.cc.emory.edu,
        John van der Hoek 
Subject: Re: Sinaiaticus

On Wed, 24 Apr 1996, John van der Hoek wrote:
> Dear Jim West,
> > Is there an edition available which contains Sinaiaticus alone?
> > Thanks,
> > Jim West
> There is a book which I came accross : The New Testament: Sinaitic Version
> in Greek and English, edited and translated by a Dalmer R.Ford, published by
> Vantage Press, NY 1993 [0-533-10622-2].
> 
> Perhaps some scholars reading this list can comment on its merit.

While, I'm not a scholar, but I do know (and own) the book so perhaps I 
can give some comments.

First Vantage Press is a "vanity" press; i.e. the authors pay to have 
their work published.  

(Many here may be familar with Vantage Press without knowing it.  They are
responsible for one of my favorite bits in the NYTimes Book Review.  Each
Sunday Vantage Press runs a listing several of their new books --I presume
this is part of the package deal for the author.  Wonderful stuff; very
"earnest":  "A heartwarming saga of twelve years as a teacher in a small
rural junior highschool in western Kansas."  "Robust, life affirming
poetry written by an ex-ships cook in the Canadian navy."  "Build your 
own fuel-free auto!"  As I say, I never miss it.)

So, as I say, this book translated by Mr Ford was also published by this
firm.  As I said above, I'm not equipped to comment in detail, but a
couple of points come directly to mind. 

1] The Greek text (NT only) is printed without any critical apparatus (as 
a result, no notice is made of the various correctors, etc.)

2] Concerning the English text, whatever the merits of Mr Ford as a
transcriber, many of his renderings raise questions as to his skill as a
translator.  To take a single example in the final clause of Luke 2:14, now
famous for its text-critical problems, Mr Ford's transcription reads (with
most modern editions):
 
       ...EN ANThRWPOIS EUDOKIAS

This raises two issues.

First --according to the apparatus in the UBS3 here in my office-- at
least one of the correctors of Sinaiticus "corrected" this to the later
"TR" reading by removing the final Sigma.  Even if we agree with the
majority of modern scholarship that the above is the "correct" reading, it
would be useful to know that such a variation exists.  Again, a reader of
Mr Ford's book has no way of knowing this. 

Second, more seriously, Mr Ford sticks to the "traditional" translation, 
("... peace and goodwill towards men") ignoring the reading that he 
himself gives in the Greek[!]

3] On a similar note, no mention is made of how the transcription of the
Greek text was undertaken.  Given that this publisher is clearly not
exactly expert in these matters --and given the sorts of error mentioned
above-- I think it seems safe to say that one should approach the Greek
text with caution, also. 

So, in short, my advice would be that, unless one were equipped to judge
individual readings independently, this edition be taken primarily as an
interesting curiosity.  OTOH it is only US$24.95; where else are you going
to find a copy of the NT text of Sinaiticus for that price?  ;-)

Nichael
nichael@sover.net
http://www.sover.net/~nichael/

Back