Subject: Re: tc-list text problems in Galatians

From: "Ulrich Schmid" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 12:14:12 +0100

On Thu, 15 Dec 1998, Jeffrey B. Gibson wrote:

>I am about to embark on writing a commentary on Galatians and need some
>help on text critical issues. Since part of my brief is to deal with how
>text critical matters have a bearing on exegesis, I am intent to become
>aware of all the text critical issues that the text history of Galatians
>exhibits. In the light of this, I wonder if list-members might be kind
>enough to send me text critical issues or notations of variants in the
>text tradition of the Epistle that you know are not discussed, or which
>you view as inadequately discussed, by Metzger in his textual
>commentary.

In order to get familiar with textual features displayed by the extant greek
textual transmission I suggest you consult the pertinent volume of
Text und Textwert der griechischen Handschriften des Neuen Testaments II:
Die Paulinischen Briefe, vol. 3: Galaterbrief bis Philipperbrief, de Gruyter
1991 [vol. 18 of the series Arbeiten zur Neutestamentlichen Textforschung,
ed. K. Aland].
Herein you will find all the available greek manuscript evidence for 17
selected Teststellen.

The syriac tradition is available in:
Das Neue Testament in syrischer Überlieferung II: Die Paulinischen Briefe,
Teil 2: Korintherbrief, Galaterbrief,..., de Gruyter 1995 (edd. B. Aland, A.
Juckel) [vol. 23 of the series Arbeiten zur neutestamentlichen
Textforschung]

Unfortunately, the pertinent Vetus Latina volume is not available.

In order to get familiar with the highest standards obtainable in textual
studies related to Galatians I strongly recommend two articles published by
Tjitze Baarda:
Marcion's Text of Gal 1,1. Concerning the Reconstruction of the First Verse
of the Marcionite Corpus Paulinum; Vigiliae Christianae 42, 1988, 236-256.
Gal 5,1: hH ELEYTERIA... Over de 'Westerse Tekst' en de Tekst van Marcion;
Christologische Perspectieven. Exegetische en hermeneutische studies
(Festschrift H. Baarlink), Kampen 1992, 173-193.

If you wish to get familiar with extended information related to the
Marcionite version of Galatians, I may humbly recommend my own book:
Marcion und sein Apostolos. Rekonstruktion und historische Einordnung der
marcionitischen Paulusbriefausgabe, deGruyter 1995 (Arbeiten zur
neutestamentlichen Textforschung 25) including discussion of earlier
literature (Th. Zahn, A Harnack, J.J. Clabeaux) on the subject.

On the broader issue of early collections of Paul's letters you may want to
consult:
E.H. Lovering, jr., The Collection Redaction, and Early Circulation of the
Corpus Paulinum, diss. Southern Methodist University 1988
David Trobisch, Die Entstehung der Paulusbriefsammlung. Studien zu den
Anfängen christlicher Publizistik, 1989 (Novum testamentum et orbis antiquus
19), and my own comments in the above mentioned publication.

Ulrich Schmid