Subject: Re: P45 and SHEM-TOB's Hebrew Matthew

From: "Stephen C. Carlson" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 1997 23:22:37 -0500

At 05:18  3/7/97 -0500, William L. Petersen wrote:
>The article mentioned is by R.F. Shedinger;  it  has some errors in fact as
>well as in its presuppositions.  Additionally, it (inexplicably?) fails to
>address points I raised in my review (in JBL 108 [1989], pp. 722-726) of the
>first edition of Howard's book (which was titled *The Gospel of Matthew
>according to a Primitive Hebrew Text* [1988];  the second, revised edition
>is more modestly titled, *Hebrew Gospel of Matthew* [1995]).  The remarks in
>my review are self-explanatory, and supported by textual evidence;  I am
>preparing a critique of Shedinger's article for publication.

My thanks to this list for pointing out both Shedinger's and Petersen's
articles.  My biggest problem with Shedinger's article is his use of
P45's readings in Luke and Mark.  For example, Lk11:13 is understood
to be from Greek Q, not a Hebrew Matthew.  So how does a Hebrew Matthew
fit in?

Petersen, p. 723, criticized Howard's first edition for presenting 21
variants explanable on the presumption that Greek Mt is based on a
Hebrew text.  (Howard's second edition, which I have, handles this
point better.)  Petersen pointed out that requires the following assump-
tions: (a) Greek Matthew depends on a Hebrew Matthew and (b) Shem-Tob's
Hebrew Matthew is faithful to original Hebrew text of Mt.  In my view,
Shedinger's article requires the additional assumptions: that (c) Luke
[and Mark!] too depends on Hebrew Matthew and (d) P45 is more faithful
to Lk's Greek text.

Stephen Carlson
--
Stephen C. Carlson                   : Poetry speaks of aspirations,
[email-masked]              : and songs chant the words.
http://www.mindspring.com/~scarlson/ :               -- Shujing 2.35

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From: Michael Collins <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 1997 09:10:30 -0500 (EST)

You do know the work of Bill Farmer (William R.) et al.?  They posit 
Matthean priority in a form that includes Mark and Q and M material.  
They would love more grist for their mill!  But it just won't work for a 
large number of reasons.  Cheers!  --  John Hurd