Codex Washingtonianus
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| Uncial 032 | |
| Name | Washingtonianus (Freer Gospel) |
|---|---|
| Sign | W |
| Text | Gospels |
| Date | c. 400 |
| Script | Greek |
| Found | Egypt (purchased by Charles Lang Freer) |
| Now at | Freer Gallery of Art |
| Size | 187 leaves; 20.75 x 13.75 cm |
| Type | eclectic text-type |
| Category | III |
| Note | unique insertion following Mark 16:14 |
The Codex Washingtonianus, (Gregory-Aland no. W or 032) also called the Washington Manuscript of the Gospels, The Freer Gospel, and Codex Washingtonensis contains the four biblical gospels and was written in Greek on vellum and palimpsest in the fourth or fifth century[1]. The codex was apparently copied from several different manuscripts and is the work of two scribes. It is located in Smithsonian Inst. at the Freer Gallery of Art (06. 274) in Washington, D.C., United States of America, and some of it can be viewed on-line. Complete images of the codex are available from the Rights and Reproductions office at the Freer Gallery of Art.
The codex is a book of 187 leaves of 20.5-21cm by 13-14.5cm with painted wooden covers. There are numerous corrections made by the original scribe and a few corrections dating to the late fifth or sixth century. John 1:1-5:11 is a replacement of a presumably damaged folio, and dates to around the seventh century. It is missing Mark 15:13-38 and John 14:26-16:7. The codex was purchased by Charles Lang Freer on a trip to Egypt in 1906[2].
Contents |
[edit] Text of codex
The Codex is cited as a "consistently cited witness of the first order" in the critical apparatus of the Novum Testamentum Graece. The text-type is eclectic:
- Matth. 1-28; Luke 8:13–24:53 – Byzantine text-type;
- Mark 1:1–5:30 – Western text-type similar to old-latin Versions;
- Mark 5:31 – 16:20 – Caesarean text-type near to p45;
- Luke 1:1 – 8:12, and J 5:12 – 21:25 – Alexandrian text-type;
- John 1:1 – 5:11 – mixed with some Alexandrian and Western readings. This text was added in 7th century, probably for replacement of damaged text[3].
The ending of Mark is especially noteworthy because it includes a unique insertion after Mark 16:14 not found in any other manuscript, but partially quoted by Jerome:
"And they excused themselves, saying, "This age of lawlessness and unbelief is under Satan, who does not allow the truth and power of God to prevail over the unclean things of the spirits [or: does not allow what lies under the unclean spirits to understand the truth and power of God]. Therefore reveal thy righteousness now" - thus they spoke to Christ. And Christ replied to them, "The term of years of Satan's power has been fulfilled, but other terrible things draw near. And for those who have sinned I was delivered over to death, that they may inherit the spiritual and incorruptible glory of righteousness which is in heaven"[4]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Codex Washingtonianus Or Washington Ms. Of The Gospels, at Islamic Awareness
- ^ Freer + Sackler Galleries
- ^ B. Metzger, The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration, 4th ed., Oxford University Press.
- ^ Metzger, Bruce M.; Bart D. Ehrman (2005). The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration, 4th ed., Oxford. ISBN 0-19-516122-X.
[edit] Further reading
- F.G. Kenyon, Our Bible and the Ancient Manuscripts (4th ed.), London 1939.
- L.W. Hurtado, Text-Critical Methodology and the Pre-Caesarean Text: Codex W in the Gospel of Mark, Studies and Documents 43, Eerdmans 1981.
- L.W. Hurtado, The Freer Biblical Manuscripts. Fresh Studies of an American Treasure Trove, Brill 2007.
- H.A. Sanders, The New Testament Manuscripts in the Freer Collection, The Macmillan Company, New York – London 1918.
