Subject: Luke 24.51 and Acts 1.2

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 00:09:28 -0400

I recently read a conjecture by a scholar that since Luke and Acts were
originally a part of one history when they were separated certain editiorial
changes had to be made.  This would mean the addition of "and was carried up
into heaven" in Luke, and the addition of "was taken up" in Acts 1:2.  The
only manuscript which omits both passages is D.  The original scribe of Aleph
leaves out the Luke 24:51 phrase.  That appears to sum up the manuscript
evidence (a Westcott-Hort non-interpolation).

I have a conjecture.  Aleph's columns are 12-13 characters in length, and,
depending upon whether or not the original's lines were of the same length,
the omission of 'and was carried up into heaven' is 25 characters in the
Greek.  Parablepsis from the kai in "and was carried up into heaven" to the
kai at the beginning of line 52 would explain it.  The corrector could have
easily put it in proofing from the same manuscript, but someone more familiar
with the info on the correctors of Aleph and their aproximate dates would
have to verify that, since UBS 3 does not give the corrector in this case.
 If nothing else, someone posting the approximate dates of the correctors of
Aleph, as well as which one may have been the responsible party here, would
be appreciated.

Any comments as to the readings of D being original or not, additional
manuscript evidence, or any comments on the correctors of Aleph would be
appreciated.

Mark Billington
Fayetteville, NC