Subject: Re: tc-list Mt 17.2 Tatian and Legg

From: [email-masked] (U.B.Schmid)
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 1999 17:48:02 +0200

Jean Valentin wrote:
> Dear TC-ers,
>
>
> I have a question about the end of Mt 17.2 "ta de imatia autou egeneto leuka
>  ws to fws". According to most Greek witnesses, Jesus' clothes became white
>  "as light". Some witnesses, including D, the old latin and sy.c, have "as
>  snow" (possible harmo with Mt 28.3).
>
> Now there seems to be a third variant: "as the lightning" (sicut splendor
>  fulguris). I met it in one of my Arabic manuscripts, which I suspect to be
>  closely apparented to some form of the vetus syra. But I didn't find
>  parallels. My question is: where does Legg meet this variant, as in his
>  patristical apparatus he mentions that Tatian has it? After going through
>  most of the diatessaronic editions and repertories of citations I have here,
>  I found only the two variants mentioned above, but not the third one. Where
>  did Legg get this information, or is there some diatessaric witness that
>  escapes me?

Jean,

did you check the Arabic Harmonies? In D. Plooij, A Primitive Text of the 
Diatessaron, Leyden 1923, p. 54 I found the following remark (s.v. Mt 17.1f) : 
"The Arabic Tatian has combined the 'snow' and the 'light of lightning'."

------------------------------------------
Dr. Ulrich Schmid
[email-masked]

---

From: "William L. Petersen" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 1999 14:02:14 -0400

RE Jean Valentin's question (and some other matters):
>
>I have a question about the end of Mt 17.2 "ta de imatia autou egeneto
leuka ws to fws". According to most Greek witnesses, Jesus' clothes became
white "as light". Some witnesses, including D, the Old Latin and sy.c, have
"as snow" (possible harmo with Mt 28.3).
fulguris). I met it in one of my Arabic manuscripts, which I suspect to be
closely apparented to some form of the vetus syra. But I didn't find
parallels. My question is: where does Legg meet this variant, as in his
patristical apparatus he mentions that Tatian has it? After going through
most of the diatessaronic editions and repertories of citations I have
here, I found only the two variants mentioned above, but not the third one.
Where did Legg get this information, or is there some diatessaric witness
that escapes me?
>Thank you for your help.
>Jean V.

I note already Ulrich Schmid's reply;  indeed, there is such a variant.

In the edition of Marmardji (1935, pp. 228[Arab.] and 229 [French], lines
9-13), the Arabic Diatessaron reads (as per his French translation):  "(Mt.
XVII,2a) Jesus changea (d'aspect), (Lc. IX, 29b) et devint selon la forme
d'une autre personne.  (Mt. XVII,2c) Et son visage brilla comme le soleil.
(Lc. IX, 29c) Et ses vetements etaient blancs, (Mc. IX,3b) extremement,
comme la neige, (Lc. IX,29d) et (etincelaient) comme l'etincellement de
l'eclair."  Note that Marmardji ascribes the reading to Mark, where it does
exsit, as a variant, in some MSS.

The reference is from chap. 24 of the Arabic Harmony.  Ciasca's edition
(1888), pp. 42-43 (Latin translation) also gives the same reading (more or
less), also indicated as a harmonization:  "Matth. XVII, 2b. et resplenduit
facies eius sicut sol, Luc. IX, 29b.  et vestitus eius factus [pg. 43] est
candidus nimis velut nix, et sicut splendor fulguris."  Note that Ciasca
ascribes it to Luke.  Why, I do not know...

This same harmonization also turns up in the West, in at least the Middle
Dutch Liege Harmony (I've not taken the time to check any other texts):  in
Plooij's edition the reference is to page 265, where he gives an extensive
apparatus.  Plooij notes that the reading--in Matthew--is found in the
Sinaitic Syriac (Syr-s;  Syr-c deest), the Vetus Latina (ex. *q*), Bezae
(already noted by Jean...), the Old-Hebrew (du Tillet), the Old German
(*Die Erste Deutsche Bibel,* ed. W. Kurrelmeyer [Tuebingen, 1904]), the Old
French (*Bible Historiale*), the Pepysian Harmony.  Plooij then goes on to
give a *long* list of Marcan MSS which interpolate "as snow."

So the reading is well-known (as a pointer, always check the Vetus Latina
on such readings, for it is an exceptionally rich tradition for such
harmonizations:  here, see Juelicher, *Itala--Matthaeus-Ev.* [1938], p.
119, where it is the standard Old Latin reading....).  The reading is also
that of the Vulgate.  Hence, the Western harmonies may well be giving
simply the dominant Vetus Latina and Vulgate reading.

The *Synopse* (Tuebingen:  JCB Mohr, 1981) of Heinrich Greeven (ob. 1990 or
so...) also provides an excellent apparatus on this point (he notes
additional Greek evidence).  This Greek synopsis, which was begun by Albert
Huck, has gone through various editions;  Greeven presents his own *very*
well-constructed text (at many points I prefer it to the NA/UBS text), with
his own, very complete and very helpful apparatus.  I always keep it on my
desk, for it is a very useful complement to the Aland *Synopsis.*

I have been on the road a lot recently, and just escaped from the horrors
of the end of semester;  Jean, your earlier question about Shem-Tob will
get an answer, however it will take time to check it all out.  This
response has (so far) taken over an hour to prepare....

One final remark on the new Comfort book:  as I returned, and skimmed
through all the e-mail it generated, five thoughts crossed my mind.
First, harkening back to something I wrote on the list two or more years
ago, not all books are equal, not all scholars are equal.  Some people are
satisfied with less, some are more demanding.  In part, this depends on the
level at which one works.  For the person who dabbles in textual criticism
but never publishes, Comfort may be an interesting addition to their
library.  For the person who publishes and for whom textual criticism is
his or her profession, the book will not be used.
Second, accuracy is the name of the game in textual studies.  Indeed, every
book has errors.  But there are three concerns about the errors in this
book.  (A) They strike at the raison d'etre for the book:  it is supposed
to be *an edition* of these papyri.  These are not minor errors--1914 being
printed for 1941, or Berlin printed for the place of publication when it is
actually Bonn--these errors strike at the whole purpose of the volume.  (B)
The errors represent, in some cases, a *decline* in accuracy from the
*editio princeps*--something which is astonishing.  One would hope that,
given the *editio princeps* from which to work, accuracy would only
*increase*.  (C) More than a few of the errors (as per the lists provided
by Maurice Robinson) are significant:  whole words being interpolated or
omitted (articles, *de*, etc.).  This is mind-boggling in an edition.
Third, for a recitation of some of the historical errors in Comfort's
earlier work, see my review in *JBL* 113 (1994), pp. 529-531, of his *The
Quest for the Original Text of the New Testament.*  Given the level of
scholarly diligence displayed there, the problems with this new volume are
not surprising.
Fourth, the real danger of such books is that *some* people, unwittingly,
will *use* them, and write whole articles, preach entire sermons on the
basis of a "reading" found in this "edition"--which proves, in the end, to
be nothing more than an error of the editors!  This is how nonsense
multiplies in textual studies:  erroneous or partial or one-sided data in
means erroneous or partial or one-sided conclusions out.  Serious
scholars--and not all people are either scholars or serious--are always
horrified by such erroneous information.
Pause, for a moment, and think:  Have *errors* been a problem with the work
of the Muenster Institute?  I think not.  Their accuracy has been--and I
use the word in its very *best* sense--"Teutonic":  meticulous, thorough,
detailed, exhaustive.  We may quibble with what was or was not included in
the apparatus of a *pocket* edition--which is what NA-27/UBS4 is;  we may
argue over what reading they took into the text.  But errors?  No.
Muenster's accuracy is, in an imperfect, error-plagued world, astonishing.
That is why its work is and continues to be the "gold standard."

--Petersen, Penn State Univ.

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1999 08:55:24 +0200

Dear list-members 

As you all probably know by now the AIBI (Association 
Internationale Bible et Informatique)-6 congress will take place in 
Stellenbosch, SOUTH AFRICA 17-21 July 2000. I have had good reaction 
from collegues working in the fields of Hebrew Bible and Septuagint, 
even though we would welcome additional proposals. However, as far 
as the NT goes not many have reacted upon my call for papers. I am 
still trying to find someone who will be willing to take 
responsibility for the keynote address. I would appreciate it very 
much if someone would come forward in this regard. 

The level of academic activity concerning the NT is high on this 
list (as is the HB and LXX). I would welcome you all to Stellenbosch. 
This will present a perfect opportunity to see SOUTH AFRICA. The 
International SBL meeting will take place in Cape Town just after 
AIBI-6 from the 24-28th of July. Cape Town is 50 km from here!!

With kind regards

Johann Cook 
Prof. Johann Cook
Department of Ancient Studies
UNIVERSITY OF STELLENBOSCH, PRIVATE BAG X1 MATIELAND ZA-7602 
SOUTH AFRICA
TEL:(0027-21) 8083203; 8083207	
FAX: (0027-21) 8083480
E-mail: [email-masked]
HOMEPAGES: 
http://www.sun.ac.za/as (Ancient Studies)
http://www.sun.ac.za/as/journals/jnsl 
(Journal of Northwest Semitic Languages)