Re. NT Aposrypha

Rod Decker (rdecker@bbc.edu)
Wed, 27 Nov 96 08:39:15 -0500

In response to my query for Greek texts of the NT apocrypha, several pointed out that Synopsis Quattuor Evangeliorum has NT parallels from the apocryphal writings. True (and I have a copy), but that is not quite the same as the entire text.

I've found a few items. Our library has the original publication of _Fragments of an Unknown Gospel_ (Egerton Papyrus 1Ð4) that includes photographs of the fragments. I'm going to use them one week for students to actually grapple with uncial script in a papyrus.

More useful for class purposes, I've discovered that Allen Wikgren's _Hellenistic Greek Texts_ (U/Chicago, 1947) is still listed as in print--50 years later! (I haven't ordered one yet to confirm that.) This is in typescript format, but contains extensive readings (over 250 pgs.) from a wide variety of Hellenistic Greek texts, including: LXX, OT apoc. & pseud., NT, Philo, Josephus, apostolic fathers, NT apocrypha, Greek papyri & inscriptions, and pagan Hellenistic Greek. Looks like a very useful tool.

It would seem to me that someone ought to revise it and publish it in a more readable format (i.e., typeset instead of typescript). I also noted that the earlier edition that Wikgren published in 1939 (_A Hellenistic Greek Reader_, with J. Mantey) included fairly extensive grammatical notes. These notes have been omitted (but text base expanded) in the 1947 ed. (on which the names of E. C. Colwell and R. Marcus also appear as "in collaboration").

Rod

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Rodney J. Decker, Asst. Prof./NT Baptist Bible Seminary
rdecker@bbc.edu Clarks Summit, PA
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