From: Steven Craig Miller (scmiller@www.plantnet.com)
Date: Tue Dec 07 1999 - 16:38:23 EST
<x-flowed>To: Blahoslav Cicel,
<< I'm just a poor boy... I admit that I don't understand the TC. But my
question is very pragmatic. What makes the difference different? Or what is
the difference in the message? >>
I'm just a poor simple soul myself, but I will take a stab at answering
your question.
There are two problems with the variant reading of hINA + THRHSHI. First,
the syntax is hard to understand (perhaps because it contains an elliptical
statement). It is possible to understand this variant reading as: << And so
Jesus said, "Let her alone; (she did this) in order to keep it for the day
of my burial" >>. The second problem is how is it possible for this
woman to "keep" ointment which she has already used?
The variant reading which omits hINA, plus reads TETHRHKEN, appears to be
an attempt to alleviate both of these problems. First by improving (or
smoothing out) the syntax, and second, by suggesting that only a small part
of the ointment had been used and that the rest would be preserved for
later. It can be translated as: << But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has
kept this for the day of My burial" >> (NKJV).
The reading of hINA + THRHSHi is supported by eight pre-ninth century MSS;
namely: the third century P66 & P75vid; the fourth century Siniticus
(Aleph) & Vaticanus (B); the fifth century Bezae (D), Guelferbytanus B (Q),
& Freerianus (W); and the eighth century Regius (L). The reading omitting
hINA + TETHRHKEN is supported by only one pre-ninth century MS; namely the
fifth century Alexandrius (A). If one is impressed by the early date of
pre-ninth century MSS, then such external support is extremely lopsided in
favor of hINA + THRHSHi. On the other hand, for those not impressed by the
MAJORITY of pre-ninth century MSS, these MSS cited are only a small part of
our over all MS evidence.
Perhaps I've (over?) simplified a number of things here, for example, there
are more ways one could translate the Greek text than what I've presented
above; also, textual criticism is not simply a matter of counting pre-ninth
century MSS; but I hope this gives some indication of the problems involved
here, and what ramifications they might have.
-Steven Craig Miller
Alton, Illinois (USA)
scmiller@www.plantnet.com
Disclaimer: "I'm just a simple house-husband (with no post-grad degree),
what do I know?"
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