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Codex Macedoniensis

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Uncial 034
New Testament manuscript
Folio 1 recto
Folio 1 recto
NameMacedoniensis
SignY
TextGospels
Date9th century
ScriptGreek
Now atCambridge University Library
Size18 cm by 13 cm
TypeByzantine text-type
CategoryV

Codex Macedoniensis or Macedonianus is a Greek uncial manuscript of the Gospels written on parchment. It is designated by Y or 034 in the Gregory-Aland numbering of New Testament manuscripts, and ε 073 in the von Soden numbering of New Testament manuscripts.[1][2][3][4] Using the study of comparative writing styles (palaeography), it has been dated to the 9th century.[3][5][6] The manuscript has several gaps.[3][5] Historian William C. Braithwaite described the manuscript as "very carefully written."[7]

Description

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The manuscript is a codex (precursor to the modern book) containing an almost complete text of the four Gospels on 309 parchment leaves (sized 18 cm by 13 cm).[5][7][8] The text is written in one column per page, and 16-21 lines per column.[5][7][8] There are six gaps (known as lacunae): Matthew 1:1-9:11; 10:35-11:4; Luke 1:26-36; 15:25-16:5; 23:22-34; and John 20:27-21:17.[1][7] The manuscript originally would have consisted of 42 quires made of 8 folio's for a total of 674 pages.[7] The missing pages total 66 pages.[7] The text is written in black and brown ink, including Greek accents and breathing marks.[7][8] Greek punctuation is used throughout the manuscript, using the high, middle, and low phrase mid-dots, along with the comma.[7][8]

The chapters (known as κεφαλαια / kephalaia) are included, with their titles (known as τιτλοι / titloi) written at the top and bottom of the pages.[7][8] The Ammonian sections and Eusebian canons are also included (these being early divisions of the for Gospels into sections), with the chapter numbers written in the side margins.[7][8] The chapter lists (also known as κεφαλαια) are written before the Gospels of Mark, Luke, and John (due to the missing first portion of Matthew, unable to determine whether a chapter list was before the Gospel of Matthew as well), with brief subscriptions written at the end of each Gospel.[7][8] There are ornamented headpieces (beginning titles) at the start of Mark, Luke, and John (again, due to beginning of Matthew missing unable to determine whether it was the same there).[7] The beginning (τελος / telos) and ending (αρχη / arche) signs for the weekly lecton readings of the Church calendar are also inserted.[7][8] The chapter titles, Ammonian and Eusebian numbers, lecton markings, and initial letters of each new section are written in carmine ink, except for the text comprising Luke 1:1-11:26 which are all written in black ink.[7]

Text

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The Greek text of this codex is considered a representative of the Byzantine text-type.[2][5][7] Biblical scholar Kurt Aland placed it in Category V of his New Testament manuscript classification system.[5] Category V manuscripts are described as "manuscripts with a purely or predominantly Byzantine text."[5]: 336 

According to textual critic Hermann von Soden, the manuscript belongs to his Ik text grouping.[1][6] Biblical scholar Kirsopp Lake found that this manuscript shares traits with the textual Family Π, and specifically with Codex Alexandrinus.[2][6] The texts of Matthew 16:2b–3 (Signs of the Times) and Jesus and the woman taken in adultery (known as the Pericope Adulterae, John 7:53-8:11) are omitted.[8][9] The longer ending of Mark (16:9-20), Luke 22:43 and John 5:4 are also included, however there are no signs to indicate suspected spuriousness or non-canonicity for the verses.[8]

History

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The earliest history of the manuscript is unknown. The codex was acquired by stockbroker Joseph Bevan Braithwaite from Macedonia in 1901, which was given to his brother, the historian William C. Braithwaite who described it in volume 13 of the Expository Times.[7][3] Based on the writing graphical style, Braithwaite dated it to the 9th century CE, which is still the date assigned to it.[2][3][7][10] Due to some of the letter formations in the titles and in the main text itself, Braithwaite suggested the manuscript was copied from a 7th century CE manuscript.[7] It was inadequately cited by textual critic Constantin von Tischendorf in his critic edition of the Greek New Testament.[2][6] Gregory provided a collation of the manuscript in his Textkritik des Neuen Testaments, volume 3 page 1028.[2][3][6]

According to Biblical scholar Bruce M. Metzger, the manuscript "deserves to be studied more thoroughly than has hitherto been the case".[2] A similar sentiment was earlier voiced by Lake, who said "[i]ts complete study remains a problem for the future."[6] The manuscript is currently located in the Cambridge University Library (additional manuscripts shelf number 6594) in Cambridge, England.[5][10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c von Soden, Hermann (1902). Die Schriften des neuen Testaments, in ihrer ältesten erreichbaren Textgestalt / hergestellt auf Grund ihrer Textgeschichte. Vol. 1. Berlin: Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht. p. 132.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Metzger, Bruce Manning (1963). Chapters in the History of New Testament Textual Criticism. Leiden: Brill. pp. 39–40.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Kenyon, Frederick (1912). Handbook to the Textual Xriticism of the New Testament. London: MacMillan & Co. p. 116.
  4. ^ Gregory, Caspar René (1908). Die Griechischen Handschriften des Neuen Testament. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichsg. p. 36.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Aland, Kurt; Aland, Barbara (1995). The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism. Translated by Erroll F. Rhodes (trans.). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. p. 118. ISBN 978-0-8028-4098-1.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Lake, Kirsopp (1936). Family Π and the Codex Alexandrinus: The Text According to Mark. London: Christophers. p. 57. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Braithwaite, William Charles (1901–1902). "A New Uncial of the Gospels". Expository Times. 13 (XIII): 114–117.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Hatch, William Henry Paine (1939). The Principal Uncial Manuscripts of the New Testament. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. Plate 49 (XLIX).
  9. ^ Gregory, Caspar René (1909). Textkritik des Neuen Testaments. Vol. 3. Leipzig: J.C. Hinrichs. p. 1027.
  10. ^ a b "Liste Handschriften: Codex Macedoniensis (Y)". Münster: Institute for New Testament Textual Research. Retrieved 23 January 2025.

Further reading

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