Subject: Re: tc-list Comfort's new book

From: Jim West <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 20 May 1999 10:26:36 -0400

At 07:55 AM 5/20/99 -0500, you wrote:
>
>
>Maurice has been most helpful in detailing the problems he found.  Can you
>specify which of the major papyri you have found worthy of our trust, so
>that the rest of us can similarly benefit from your time?
>
>Bruce Morrill   [email-masked]

Let me understand what your asking.  You wish me to list the texts where the
transcription of comfort is the same as the mss he is transcribing?

Ok- presuming this is what you want,
take a look at
p75- Lk 3:18-19
p75- Lk 9:1
p75 Lk 13:28-30

Every single letter is precisely the same here (in this small sampling) in
comforts book as it is in P75.  Examples could be listed for every single
page of the manuscript.

Get Comfort's book.  Its a treasure in spite of a few mistakes.  Again, the
correct passages FAR outweigh any errors- just as the Alexandrian texts far
outweigh in value the Byzantine.

Best,

Jim

+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jim West, ThD
email- [email-masked]
web page-  http://web.infoave.net/~jwest

---

From: "Robert B. Waltz" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 20 May 1999 09:49:05 -0500

>comforts book as it is in P75.  Examples could be listed for every single

You're willing to certify the accuracy of the transcription based on
checking six verses? No wonder there is controversy about the book's
value. :-)

This is simply not an acceptable sample; it's too small to tell
us anything.

Note that this is not a comment on the accuracy of the book; I haven't
seen it and cannot comment. However, Robinson has supplied a significant
list of mistakes. Given that this is a published book, not a manuscript,
we have the right to expect accuracy. 

Given the large number of errors already listed, we would need to
see hundreds of verses tested before we could certify it as
generally accurate. Saying that it is accurate here and there
is simply anecdotal evidence.

>outweigh in value the Byzantine.

This analogy simply doesn't hold water. The accuracy of a transcription
can be proved: You compare the transcription with the original. The
accuracy of a text-type can only be assumed -- particularly since that
text-type does not exist in any extant manuscript.

Note that I am not disagreeing with the premise that the Alexandrian
manuscripts are more accurate than the Byzantine (though Robinson
would :-). I am simply stating that this is completely irrelevant.

At this point, I cannot see that anything has been offered on this
list to refute Robinson's criticisms.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

                        Robert B. Waltz
                     [email-masked]

Want more loudmouthed opinions about textual criticism?
Try my web page: http://www.skypoint.com/~waltzmn
(A site inspired by the Encyclopedia of NT Textual Criticism)

---

From: "Prof. Ron Minton" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 20 May 1999 15:55:21 -0500 (Central Daylight Time)

On Thu, 20 May 1999, Jim West wrote:
> Get Comfort's book.  Its a treasure in spite of a few mistakes...

Here is a comforting solution:  Have Maurice Robinson do a thorough
critique of the Comfort text and have Baker re-issue it (free to all who
had to pay something for the trial edition).  For his work, which will be
as hard as putting together the original text, Baker will split the
rewards to give Robinson one third.

Ron Minton

---

From: "Prof. Ron Minton" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 20 May 1999 16:04:04 -0500 (Central Daylight Time)

On Thu, 20 May 1999, Jim West wrote:
> just as the Alexandrian texts far outweigh in value the Byzantine.

Jim,
Judging by the way you defended Comfort's book for its accurate copying,
you should prefer the BYZ because its scribes seem much more careful
and accurate copiers than the leading ALEX copies  :)

Ron Minton

---

From: M A Robinson <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 23:30:08 EDT

On Thu, 20 May 1999 15:55:21 -0500 (Central Daylight Time) "Prof. Ron

>critique of the Comfort text and have Baker re-issue it (free to all 
>who had to pay something for the trial edition).  For his work, which
will 
>be as hard as putting together the original text, Baker will split the

Thank you for the suggestion, Ron, but I will demur, since there is no
time available for such an extensive project, and insufficient
inclination to do such (though a list of errata may well be limited
enough so as not to become a major publishing burden if issued as a
supplement, should anyone be inclined to compile such) .  

I do suspect Baker will _not_ be inclined to offer any free reissues to
anyone, however, especially with a limited and specialist-oriented market
for this book.

==============================================================
Maurice A. Robinson, Ph. D.
Professor of Greek and New Testament
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Wake Forest, North Carolina, USA.