Syriac Sinaiticus

The Syriac Sinaitic (syr^s), known also as the Sinaitic Palimpsest, of Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai is a late 4th century manuscript of 358 pages, containing a translation of the four canonical gospels of the New Testament into Syriac, which have been overwritten by a vita (biography) of female saints and martyrs with a date corresponding to AD 778. This palimpsest is the oldest copy of the gospels in Syriac, one of two surviving manuscripts (the other being the Curetonian Gospels) that possibly predate the Peshitta (although this is debated), the standard Syriac translation of the Bible.

Text

Both syr^s and syr^cur contain similar renderings of the gospel text, exhibiting conformity with the Greek. Even so, syr^s retains some readings from even earlier lost Syriac gospels and from the 2nd century Greek manuscripts, which brought the four gospels into harmony with one another through selective readings and emendations.^[1]

The importance of such early, least conforming texts is emphasized by the revision of the Peshitta that was made about 508, ordered by bishop Philoxenus of Mabbog. His revision, it is said, skilfully moved the Peshitta nearer to the Greek text; "it is very remarkable that his own frequent gospel quotations preserved in his writings show that he used an Old Syriac set of the four gospels".^[2]

History

The palimpsest was identified in the library at St. Catherine's in February 1892 by Agnes Smith Lewis and her sister Margaret Dunlop Gibson, who returned with a team of scholars that included J. Rendel Harris, to photograph and transcribe the work in its entirety.^[3]

The German theologian Adalbert Merx devoted much of his later research to the elucidation of the Sinaitic Palimpsest, the results being embodied in Die vier kanonischen Evangelien nach dem ältesten bekannten Texte (1897-1905).

The Sinaitic Palimpsest immediately became a central document in tracing the history of the New Testament. The palimpsest's importance lies especially in making the Greek New Testament manuscripts understandable to Aramaic speaking communities during that period.

Notable readings

The palimpsest lacks the last 12 verses of Mark, Christ's agony (Luke 22:43-44), the Pericope Adulteræ (John 7:53-8:11), and the reconciliation of Pilate with Herod (Luke 23:10-12).^[4]

In Matthew 4:10, it contains a singular reading reflecting the Greek ὕπαγε ὀπίσω σου (get you behind or get behind you).

Matthew 12:47 is omitted, as in א*, B, L, Γ, 1009, ℓ 12, ff¹, k, syr^c, cop^sa.^[5]

In Matthew 14:12, it reflects πτωμα (corpse) with א B C D L Θ f¹ f¹³ 33 565 700 892 1241 1424 e k ℓ 844 ℓ 2211 syr^{c, p} cop^bo

In Matthew 16:12, it reflects της ζυμης (leaven) with D, Θ, f¹³, 565, a, b, ff²

Matthew 21:44 is omitted, as in $\mathfrak{P}$¹⁰⁴, D, 33, it^a.b.d.e, ff¹, ff², r¹, Irenaeus^lat, Origen, Eusebius

In Matthew 27:9, text reflecting Ιερεμιου (Jeremiah) is omitted, as in Φ 33 it^a it^b syr^p cop^bo

In Matthew 27:16, it reflects Ἰησοῦν τὸν Βαραββᾶν (Jesus the Barabbas) with Θ f¹ 700* arm geo²

In Mark 2:26, the phrase when Abiatar was high priest is omitted, as in D, W, 1009, 1546, it^{a.b.d.e.ff2.i.r1.t}

In Mark 10:2, the phrase the Pharisees came is omitted, as in D, it^a.b.d.k.r1, (syr^cur)

In Mark 10:7, the phrase and be joined to his wife is omitted, as in א, B, Ψ, 892*, 2427, ℓ 48, goth.^[6]

In Luke 4:17, it reflects ἀνοίξας (opened) with A, B, L, W, Ξ, 33, 579, 892, 1195, 1241, Ambrose

In Luke 23:34, the phrase And Jesus said: Father forgive them, they know not what they do is omitted, agreeing with $\mathfrak{P}$⁷⁵, א¹, B, D*, W, Θ, 0124, 1241, a, Bezae^lat, cop^sa, cop^bo.^[7]

Luke 24:40 is omitted, as in D it^{a.b.d.e.ff2.l.r1}, syr^cur

In Luke 24:52, the phrase after worshiping him is omitted, as in D it^{a.b.d.e.ff2.geo2.l} (syr^cur)

In Luke 24:53, it reflects εὐλογοῦντες (blessing) with $\mathfrak{P}$⁷⁵ א B C* L

In John 1:34, it reflects ὁ ἐκλεκτός (the Elect One) with $\mathfrak{P}$⁵ $\mathfrak{P}$^106vid א* it^b.e.ff2* syr^cur

In John 6:23, the phrase the Lord having given thanks is omitted, as in D 091 it^a.e syr^cur

In John 6:42, the phrase and his mother is omitted, as in א* W it^b syr^cur

In John 6:46, it contains a singular reading reflecting the Greek θεον πατερα (God the Father).

In John 6:47, it reflects ὁ πιστεύων εις θεον ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον (he who is believing in God has life everlasting) in agreement only with syr^cur.

In John 6:51, it reflects του εμου ἄρτου (my bread) with א it^a.e.r1

In John 6:64, the text who they are who are not believing, and is omitted, as in $\mathfrak{P}$^66* it^e syr^cur

In John 7:32, the phrase the chief priests and the Pharisees is omitted, as in 118 it^b.e

In John 8:16, text reflecting πατήρ (father) is omitted, as in א* D 1655* it^d syr^cur

In John 8:53, the phrase our father is omitted, as in D W it^{a.b.c.d.e.ff2.j.l} cop^pbo

In John 9:18, the phrase had been blind and had received sight is omitted, as in $\mathfrak{P}$^66* f¹ 565 it^mss cop^bo

In John 9:35, it reflects υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου (Son of Man) with $\mathfrak{P}$⁶⁶ $\mathfrak{P}$⁷⁵ א B D W cop^mss

In John 11:25, the phrase and the life is omitted, as in $\mathfrak{P}$⁴⁵ it^l Diatessaron^syr Cyprian

In John 11:39, the phrase the sister of the deceased is omitted, as in Θ it^{aur.b.c.e.ff2.l} ac²

In John 11:51, the phrase of that year is omitted, as in $\mathfrak{P}$⁴⁵ it^e.l

John 12:8 is omitted, as in D it^d

In John 13:32, the phrase If God has been glorified in him is omitted, as in $\mathfrak{P}$⁶⁶ א* B C* D L W 579 it vg^mss syr^h ac² mf co^bomss

In John 14:1, the phrase And he said to his disciples starts the passage, as in D it^a.aur.c

John 14:14 in omitted, as in X Λ* 0141 f¹ 565 it^b vg^ms arm

John 16:3 is omitted.

In John 16:28, the phrase I came forth from the Father is omitted, as in D W it^b.d.ff2 ac² cop^pbo

In John 17:14, the phrase just as I am not of the world is omitted, as in $\mathfrak{P}$^66* D f¹³ it

In John 18:5, the phrase the one betraying him is omitted, as in $\mathfrak{P}$^66*vid

In John 18:13-24, the verse order is 13, 24, 14-15, 19–23, 16–18

In John 20:1, the text reads from the opening of the tomb with א W f¹ 22 565 579 it^d.f.r1 vg^ms cop^bo cop^pbo

John 20:13 contains an interpolation (in bold): Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you seeking? This reading is supported by A* D 579 1424

John 20:26 contains a singular reading (in bold): And after eight days, on the first day of the Sabbath (week?)

In John 21:4, the passage concludes with yet, they knew not as with $\mathfrak{P}$⁶⁶ א L Ψ 33 844 lat

In John 21:13, it reflects ευχαριστησας εδωκεν αὐτοῖς (upon giving thanks, he gave it to them) as with D it^f.r1 vg^mss

See also

• Aramaic primacy

References

1. ^ See Gospel harmony.
2. ^ Steven Ring: Ancient Syriac New Testament Versions.
3. ^ A. S. Lewis and her sister M. D. Gibson and the discovery of the Sinaitic Palimpsest.
4. ^ H. Schumacher, A Handbook of Scripture Study (B. Herder Book Co.: London 1923), p. 39.
5. ^ NA26, p. 46.
6. ^ UBS3, p. 164.
7. ^ UBS4, p. 311.

External links

• Agnes Smith Lewis, Catalogue of the Syriac mss. in the Convent of S. Catharine on Mount Sinai (1894)
• "Ancient Syriac New Testament Versions": summary of how these ancient Syriac versions of the gospel are related and the context of their creation
• Dr Francis Crawford Burkitt and the Sinaitic Palimpsest