Subject: Re: tc-list Mk 16:19-20 KURIOS IHSOUS

From: "Ulrich Schmid" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1998 18:30:24 +0100

Below you will find the pertinent information from the "Text und Textwert"
volumes on Mark (16:19):

a) KURIOS is given by 1521 witnesses.

b) The whole of Mk 16:9-20 is absent from 3 witnesses.

c) IHSOUS is given by three witnesses.

d) KURIOS IHSOUS is given by 85 witnesses.

e)  KURIOS IHSOUS CHRISTOS is given by one witness (032).

f) KURIOS IHSOUS omitted by one witness (minuscule 2693)

g) A total of 134 witnesses are either illegible from microfilm or
lacuneous.

Note: The denominator "witness" does NOT EQUAL manuscript. One manuscript
can testify to more than one reading at a given place by giving, e.g.
corrections, marginal notes, etc.). Unfortunately, one has to emphasize the
obvious, since even scholars reviewing "Text und Textwert" confuse the two.

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Dr. Ulrich Schmid
[email-masked]

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From: Jim West <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 04 Nov 1998 08:35:33 +0000

Though the evidence presented below is interesting, important, and
worthwhile, it is not realy helpful.  First, witnesses are weighed, not
counted.  Here we have stones on a scale but we dont know if they are lumps
of coal or diamonds in the rough.  For instance, the fact that 16:9-20 is
absent from 3 witnesses may lead some to say- "ahah! see, ONLY three
witnesses lack it, so it must have been dropped by them" when in fact the
contrary is equally possible.  Further, the weighing of manuscripts says
nothing about quality, textual affinity, or usefulness in TC.

Now, let me hasten to say that I dont think Ulrich is weighing mss.  I
simply wanted to point out the danger for those who do.

best,

Jim