Lectionary 183
Encyclopedia
Lectionary 183, designated by siglum ℓ 183 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering) is a Greek manuscript
of the New Testament
, on parchment, written in uncial letters. Westcott and Hort
labelled it by 38e, Scrivener
by 257e. Paleographically
usually it has been assigned to the 10th century. The manuscript has some lacunae
at the end and inside, but they were supplied by a later hand. It is faded in parts.
Textually it often agrees with old uncial manuscript of the New Testament, but it has some unique variants. It has numerous errors, but unequally distributed in the codex. It was examined by several palaeographers.
It forms part of the British Library Arundel Manuscripts
.
contains Lessons from the Gospel
s of John
, Matthew
, Luke
lectionary
(Evangelistarium), on 329 parchment leaves (29.4 cm by 23.2 cm). 9 leaves of the original codex were lost, but they were supplied by a later hand on paper.
The codex contains all the Church lessons from Easter
to Pentecost
, for every Saturday and Sunday for the rest of the year.
The leaf with text of John 20:19–30 is on paper, part of the first leaf (John 1:11–13) is on paper and was supplied by later hand.
The supplied leaves are also written in uncial letters, but in a widely in different style, "with thicker downstrokes and very thin upstrokes".
It contains music notes and portraits of the Evangelists in colours and gold before each Gospel (folios 1v, 63v, 94v, and 131v). There are 16 headpieces in colours and gold. According to Scrivener it is splendidly illuminated. The decorations are zoomorphic (birds, fishes) or anthropomorphic (human figures, hands, other body parts), also harpies, or vases.
The text is written in Greek uncial letters, in two columns per page, 22 lines per page. The margins are wide, the text measures 24.5 by 16.5 cm. The first page is in red and gold, the rest pages in black ink, much faded in parts. The handwriting is large and elegant. The large initial letters are rubricated, the headpieces are decorated in colours and gold (folios 1r, 64r, 95r, 132r, and 238r). The small initials in red ink. The breathings (rough breathing, smooth breathing), and accents in red, they are given correctly, without any pretensions to correctness. The words are written continuously without any separation. The nomina sacra
are written in an abbreviated way.
The itacistic error occurs very frequently, much often than in Codex Alexandrinus
, and almost so frequently as in Codex Bezae
, but they are unequally distributed over the different parts of the manuscript. The change ι into ει is not so perpetual as in these two manuscripts. There is no iota adscript
um or iota subscript
um in the codex. N ephelkystikon occurs almost constantly. According to Scrivener the grammatical forms of the manuscript usually are considered as Alexandrian.
There are many marks in red ink, some erasures and corrections made by a later hand. A few corrections were made by modern hand.
and it is closer to the Textus Receptus
than many other manuscript of much later date, but some readings of the codex can be found in the uncial manuscripts: Alexandrinus
, Vaticanus
, Ephraemi recriptus
, Bezae
, Cyprius
, Regius
, and Campianus
. It agrees with these manuscripts in following texts: Matthew 6:32; 7:2.12.13; 8:18; 9:22.27; 18:14; 22:13; 23:10.25;27.28; 24:6; 26:71; 27:41.45; Mark 1:9; 13:9; 16:9; Luke 1:65; 2:25; 3:16; 4:16.25; 9:31.33; 12:7.8.11.12; 18:21.43; 22:47; 23:15.28.38.48; 24:10; John 12:34; 13:2; 19:27.
It has also a number of unique readings in following texts: Matthew 2:15
; 3:16
; 9:10; 17:17; 20:5; 23:35; 24:4.42.43; 27:1.56; Mark 1:7; 6:8.10.16; 12:30.32; 13:11; 15:26.33; Luke 7:24.28; John 1:29; 7:41; 8:44; 12:20.35.47; 15:8; 18:33.
Textual variants
The words after the brackets are the readings of the codex.
stated that on the palaeographical ground it should be dated earlier, even to the 7th or 8th century, but liturgical books usually were written in an older letters than in other documents. Scrivener dated this manuscript to the 9th century. Gregory refers the manuscript even later, to the 10th century. It is presently assigned by the INTF
to the 10th century.
Place of origin is unknown. It has been suggested Eastern Mediterranean (Cappadocia?) or South Italy. According to the subscription it was written in the "monastery of the Holy Trinity on the island of Chalce".
The manuscript once belonged to Thomas Howard
(1585–1646), 2nd earl of Arundel, 4th earl of Surrey, and 1st earl of Norfolk, art collector and politician; probably he acquired the manuscript by his agents Petty or Thomas Roe
in 1626. Then it belonged to Henry Howard
(1628–1684), 6th duke of Norfolk, who presented the manuscript to the "Royal Society
" in London in 1667 (along with Minuscule 476
and Lectionary 187
). It was later purchased by the British Museum
from the Royal Society along with more than 500 other Arundel manuscripts in 1831. Since 1973 it is housed in the British Library
.
The manuscript was examined by Richard Bentley
, who made the first partial collation of the codex. The collation of Bentley is still preserved at the Trinity College
(B. XVII. 8). Scrivener made its new "exact and full" collation in 1852 (together with the ℓ 184
). It was published in 1853. Scrivener stated: "I regard Codex x – Lectionary 183 – as perhaps the most valuable manuscript I have collated."
The manuscript was not known for Scholz and it was not catalogued in his list. It was added to the list of New Testament manuscripts by Scrivener (number 257e) and Gregory
(number 183e). Gregory saw the manuscript in 1884. Brooke Westcott and Fenton Hort
labelled it by 38e.
It was examined by Walter de Gray Birch and Henry Jenner, E. Maunde Thompson, J. A. Herbert, John Bradley, Kurt Weitzmann, and David Buckton. Gregory saw the manuscript in 1883. William Hatch
edited one facsimile page of the codex.
The codex was rebound and renovated in 1963.
The manuscript is sporadically cited in the critical editions of the Greek New Testament (UBS3). It is not cited in UBS4.
Currently the codex is located in the British Library
(Arundel 547) at London
.
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
of the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
, on parchment, written in uncial letters. Westcott and Hort
The New Testament in the Original Greek
The New Testament in the Original Greek is the name of a Greek language version of the New Testament published in 1881. It is also known as the Westcott and Hort text, after its editors Brooke Foss Westcott and Fenton John Anthony Hort...
labelled it by 38e, Scrivener
Frederick Henry Ambrose Scrivener
The Reverend Frederick Henry Ambrose Scrivener, LL.D. was an important text critic of the New Testament and a member of the English New Testament Revision Committee which produced the Revised Version of the Bible...
by 257e. Paleographically
Palaeography
Palaeography, also spelt paleography is the study of ancient writing. Included in the discipline is the practice of deciphering, reading, and dating historical manuscripts, and the cultural context of writing, including the methods with which writing and books were produced, and the history of...
usually it has been assigned to the 10th century. The manuscript has some lacunae
Lacuna (manuscripts)
A lacunaPlural lacunae. From Latin lacūna , diminutive form of lacus . is a gap in a manuscript, inscription, text, painting, or a musical work...
at the end and inside, but they were supplied by a later hand. It is faded in parts.
Textually it often agrees with old uncial manuscript of the New Testament, but it has some unique variants. It has numerous errors, but unequally distributed in the codex. It was examined by several palaeographers.
It forms part of the British Library Arundel Manuscripts
Arundel Manuscripts
The Arundel Manuscripts are a collection of manuscripts purchased by the British Museum in 1831 which are now part of the manuscript collection of the British Library.The manuscripts were collected by Thomas Howard, 2nd Earl of Arundel...
.
Description
The codexCodex
A codex is a book in the format used for modern books, with multiple quires or gatherings typically bound together and given a cover.Developed by the Romans from wooden writing tablets, its gradual replacement...
contains Lessons from the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
s of John
Gospel of John
The Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...
, Matthew
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
, Luke
Gospel of Luke
The Gospel According to Luke , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Luke or simply Luke, is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension.The...
lectionary
Lectionary
A Lectionary is a book or listing that contains a collection of scripture readings appointed for Christian or Judaic worship on a given day or occasion.-History:...
(Evangelistarium), on 329 parchment leaves (29.4 cm by 23.2 cm). 9 leaves of the original codex were lost, but they were supplied by a later hand on paper.
The codex contains all the Church lessons from Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
to Pentecost
Pentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
, for every Saturday and Sunday for the rest of the year.
The leaf with text of John 20:19–30 is on paper, part of the first leaf (John 1:11–13) is on paper and was supplied by later hand.
The supplied leaves are also written in uncial letters, but in a widely in different style, "with thicker downstrokes and very thin upstrokes".
It contains music notes and portraits of the Evangelists in colours and gold before each Gospel (folios 1v, 63v, 94v, and 131v). There are 16 headpieces in colours and gold. According to Scrivener it is splendidly illuminated. The decorations are zoomorphic (birds, fishes) or anthropomorphic (human figures, hands, other body parts), also harpies, or vases.
The text is written in Greek uncial letters, in two columns per page, 22 lines per page. The margins are wide, the text measures 24.5 by 16.5 cm. The first page is in red and gold, the rest pages in black ink, much faded in parts. The handwriting is large and elegant. The large initial letters are rubricated, the headpieces are decorated in colours and gold (folios 1r, 64r, 95r, 132r, and 238r). The small initials in red ink. The breathings (rough breathing, smooth breathing), and accents in red, they are given correctly, without any pretensions to correctness. The words are written continuously without any separation. The nomina sacra
Nomina sacra
Nomina sacra means "sacred names" in Latin, and can be used to refer to traditions of abbreviated writing of several frequently occurring divine names or titles in early Greek language Holy Scripture...
are written in an abbreviated way.
The itacistic error occurs very frequently, much often than in Codex Alexandrinus
Codex Alexandrinus
The Codex Alexandrinus is a 5th century manuscript of the Greek Bible,The Greek Bible in this context refers to the Bible used by Greek-speaking Christians who lived in Egypt and elsewhere during the early history of Christianity...
, and almost so frequently as in Codex Bezae
Codex Bezae
The Codex Bezae Cantabrigensis, designated by siglum Dea or 05 , δ 5 , is a codex of the New Testament dating from the 5th century written in an uncial hand on vellum. It contains, in both Greek and Latin, most of the four Gospels and Acts, with a small fragment of the 3 John...
, but they are unequally distributed over the different parts of the manuscript. The change ι into ει is not so perpetual as in these two manuscripts. There is no iota adscript
Iota adscript
In Greek polytonic orthography, the iota adscript is a iota written after a long vowel in a long diphthong, as opposed to below the vowel as a small vertical stroke ....
um or iota subscript
Iota subscript
Iota subscript in Greek polytonic orthography is a way of writing the letter iota as a small vertical stroke beneath a vowel. It was used in the so-called "long diphthongs" in Ancient Greek, that is, diphthongs the first part of which is a long vowel: and...
um in the codex. N ephelkystikon occurs almost constantly. According to Scrivener the grammatical forms of the manuscript usually are considered as Alexandrian.
There are many marks in red ink, some erasures and corrections made by a later hand. A few corrections were made by modern hand.
Text
The text of the codex is a representative of the Byzantine text-typeByzantine text-type
The Byzantine text-type is one of several text-types used in textual criticism to describe the textual character of Greek New Testament manuscripts. It is the form found in the largest number of surviving manuscripts, though not in the oldest...
and it is closer to the Textus Receptus
Textus Receptus
Textus Receptus is the name subsequently given to the succession of printed Greek texts of the New Testament which constituted the translation base for the original German Luther Bible, the translation of the New Testament into English by William Tyndale, the King James Version, and for most other...
than many other manuscript of much later date, but some readings of the codex can be found in the uncial manuscripts: Alexandrinus
Codex Alexandrinus
The Codex Alexandrinus is a 5th century manuscript of the Greek Bible,The Greek Bible in this context refers to the Bible used by Greek-speaking Christians who lived in Egypt and elsewhere during the early history of Christianity...
, Vaticanus
Codex Vaticanus
The Codex Vaticanus , is one of the oldest extant manuscripts of the Greek Bible , one of the four great uncial codices. The Codex is named for the residence in the Vatican Library, where it has been stored since at least the 15th century...
, Ephraemi recriptus
Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus
Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus is an early 5th century Greek manuscript of the Bible, the last in the group of the four great uncial manuscripts...
, Bezae
Codex Bezae
The Codex Bezae Cantabrigensis, designated by siglum Dea or 05 , δ 5 , is a codex of the New Testament dating from the 5th century written in an uncial hand on vellum. It contains, in both Greek and Latin, most of the four Gospels and Acts, with a small fragment of the 3 John...
, Cyprius
Codex Cyprius
Codex Cyprius, designated by Ke or 017 , ε 71 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the four Gospels, on parchment. It was variously dated in the past , currently it is dated to the 9th century. It was brought from Cyprus to Paris...
, Regius
Codex Regius (New Testament)
Codex Regius designated by siglum Le or 019 , ε 56 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the New Testament, dated paleographically to the 8th century. The manuscript is lacunose. It has marginalia....
, and Campianus
Codex Campianus
Codex Campianus designated by M or 021 , ε 72 , is a Greek uncial manuscript of the New Testament, dated palaeographically to the 9th century...
. It agrees with these manuscripts in following texts: Matthew 6:32; 7:2.12.13; 8:18; 9:22.27; 18:14; 22:13; 23:10.25;27.28; 24:6; 26:71; 27:41.45; Mark 1:9; 13:9; 16:9; Luke 1:65; 2:25; 3:16; 4:16.25; 9:31.33; 12:7.8.11.12; 18:21.43; 22:47; 23:15.28.38.48; 24:10; John 12:34; 13:2; 19:27.
It has also a number of unique readings in following texts: Matthew 2:15
Matthew 2:15
Matthew 2:15 is the fifteenth verse of the second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. Joseph has taken Jesus and his family to Egypt to flee the wrath of King Herod.In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:-References:...
; 3:16
Matthew 3:16
Matthew 3:16 is the sixteenth verse of the third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. Jesus has just been baptized by John the Baptist and in this verse the Holy Spirit comes to him like a dove....
; 9:10; 17:17; 20:5; 23:35; 24:4.42.43; 27:1.56; Mark 1:7; 6:8.10.16; 12:30.32; 13:11; 15:26.33; Luke 7:24.28; John 1:29; 7:41; 8:44; 12:20.35.47; 15:8; 18:33.
Textual variants
The words after the brackets are the readings of the codex.
- Matthew 2:15 – ινα ] οπως
- Matthew 3:16 – εμεινεν ] ερχομενον
- Matthew 9:10 – πολλοι ] πολλαι
- Matthew 17:17 – φερετε μοι αυτον ωδε ] φερετε αυτον προς με
- Matthew 20:5 – ωσαυτως ] ωσαυτος
- Matthew 23:35 – ελθη ] επελθη
- Matthew 24:4 – μη τις υμας πλανηση ] μη πλανηθηναι
- Matthew 24:42 – γρηγορειτε ] γρηγορειται
- Matthew 24:43 – φυλακη ] φυλακει
History
Josiah Forshall, palaeographer, dated the manuscript to the 9th century (Catalogue of Manuscripts in the British Museum, 1834–1840). ScrivenerFrederick Henry Ambrose Scrivener
The Reverend Frederick Henry Ambrose Scrivener, LL.D. was an important text critic of the New Testament and a member of the English New Testament Revision Committee which produced the Revised Version of the Bible...
stated that on the palaeographical ground it should be dated earlier, even to the 7th or 8th century, but liturgical books usually were written in an older letters than in other documents. Scrivener dated this manuscript to the 9th century. Gregory refers the manuscript even later, to the 10th century. It is presently assigned by the INTF
Institute for New Testament Textual Research
The Institute for New Testament Textual Research at the University of Münster, Westphalia, Germany, is an institute for the investigation of the text of the New Testament. The INTF was founded in Münster in 1959 by Professor Kurt Aland , the first director of the Institute...
to the 10th century.
Place of origin is unknown. It has been suggested Eastern Mediterranean (Cappadocia?) or South Italy. According to the subscription it was written in the "monastery of the Holy Trinity on the island of Chalce".
The manuscript once belonged to Thomas Howard
Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel
Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel KG, was a prominent English courtier during the reigns of King James I and King Charles I, but he made his name as a Grand Tourist and art collector rather than as a politician. When he died he possessed 700 paintings, along with large collections of sculpture,...
(1585–1646), 2nd earl of Arundel, 4th earl of Surrey, and 1st earl of Norfolk, art collector and politician; probably he acquired the manuscript by his agents Petty or Thomas Roe
Thomas Roe
Sir Thomas Roe was an English diplomat of the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods. Roe was an accomplished scholar and a patron of learning.-Life:...
in 1626. Then it belonged to Henry Howard
Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk
Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk was the second son of Henry Howard, 22nd Earl of Arundel and Lady Elizabeth Stuart. He succeeded his brother Thomas Howard, 5th Duke of Norfolk after his death in 1677...
(1628–1684), 6th duke of Norfolk, who presented the manuscript to the "Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
" in London in 1667 (along with Minuscule 476
Minuscule 476
Minuscule 476 , α 1126 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 11th century. The manuscript was adapted for liturgical use. It has full marginalia. Scrivener labelled it by number 566...
and Lectionary 187
Lectionary 187
Lectionary 187, designated by siglum ℓ 187 is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment leaves. Scrivener labelled it by 256e. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 13th century. The manuscript is lacunose. It forms part of the British Library Arundel Manuscripts...
). It was later purchased by the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
from the Royal Society along with more than 500 other Arundel manuscripts in 1831. Since 1973 it is housed in the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
.
The manuscript was examined by Richard Bentley
Richard Bentley
Richard Bentley was an English classical scholar, critic, and theologian. He was Master of Trinity College, Cambridge....
, who made the first partial collation of the codex. The collation of Bentley is still preserved at the Trinity College
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
(B. XVII. 8). Scrivener made its new "exact and full" collation in 1852 (together with the ℓ 184
Lectionary 184
Lectionary 184, designated by siglum ℓ 184 is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Westcott and Hort labelled it by 39e, Scrivener by 259e...
). It was published in 1853. Scrivener stated: "I regard Codex x – Lectionary 183 – as perhaps the most valuable manuscript I have collated."
The manuscript was not known for Scholz and it was not catalogued in his list. It was added to the list of New Testament manuscripts by Scrivener (number 257e) and Gregory
Caspar René Gregory
Caspar René Gregory was a American-born German theologian theologian.-Life:Gregory was born in Philadelphia. He studied theology at two Presbyterian seminaries: in 1865-67 at the University of Pennsylvania and at Princeton Theological Seminary...
(number 183e). Gregory saw the manuscript in 1884. Brooke Westcott and Fenton Hort
Fenton John Anthony Hort
Fenton John Anthony Hort was an Irish theologian and editor, with Brooke Westcott of a critical edition of The New Testament in the Original Greek.-Life:...
labelled it by 38e.
It was examined by Walter de Gray Birch and Henry Jenner, E. Maunde Thompson, J. A. Herbert, John Bradley, Kurt Weitzmann, and David Buckton. Gregory saw the manuscript in 1883. William Hatch
William Hatch
William Henry Paine Hatch, Ph.D., D.D. was an American theologian, born at Camden, N. J. He attended Harvard, graduating in 1898 . Afterward, he graduated at the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and from the General Theological Seminary in New York City...
edited one facsimile page of the codex.
The codex was rebound and renovated in 1963.
The manuscript is sporadically cited in the critical editions of the Greek New Testament (UBS3). It is not cited in UBS4.
Currently the codex is located in the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
(Arundel 547) at London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
See also
- List of New Testament lectionaries
- Biblical manuscriptBiblical manuscriptA biblical manuscript is any handwritten copy of a portion of the text of the Bible. The word Bible comes from the Greek biblia ; manuscript comes from Latin manu and scriptum...
- Textual criticismTextual criticismTextual criticism is a branch of literary criticism that is concerned with the identification and removal of transcription errors in the texts of manuscripts...
- Minuscule 71Minuscule 71Codex Ephesinus, minuscule 71 , ε 253 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment, illuminated, and elegantly written. It is dated by the colophon to 1160. In the 15th century the manuscript was prepared for liturgical use...
External links
- Arundel 547 at the British Library