Subject: Re: Collation

From: DC PARKER <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 15:55:30 GMT

Jim West observes that NA27 does not record the v.l. _skoteia_ for 
_skotia_  (twice) at Jn 1.5 in P75.  Such v.ll. are recorded in our IGNTP 
_The Gospel According to St John 1.  The Papyri_ (NTTS 20), Brill, 
1995.  We also include transcriptions and plates of all Johannine 
papyri except P66 and P75, which are readily available in facsimile.  
The rationale for this, covering most of the points raised in the 
discussion, is given in the Introduction

There is also much useful information in Toshio Hirunuma's _The 
Papyri bearing the NT Text_ Vol. 1, Osaka, 1994, which covers P1 to 
P45.

The move towards electronic formats is important.  But I must add a 
word of caution.  Little of the MS evidence (especially the papyri and 
fragmentary majuscules) is unambiguous.  You can't just sit down 
and collate it.  There are endless details of reading and interpretation. 
 It takes a lot of experience, and even then some things have to be 
left to the judgement of a full-time papyrologist.

I note this, not as discouragement, but because electronic apparatus 
critici still require the care and skill of traditional books, and it's too 
easy to think that the new medium will resolve all difficulties.

David Parker
DC PARKER
DEPT OF THEOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
TEL. 0121-414 3613
FAX  0121-414 6866
E-MAIL [email-masked]