Minuscule 544 is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament Gospels, written on parchment. It is designated by the siglum 544 in the Gregory-Aland numbering of New Testament manuscripts, and ε337 in the von Soden numbering of New Testament manuscripts.[1] The manuscript has complex contents. Using the study of comparartive writing styles (palaeography), it has been assigned to the 13th century.[2] It was not adapted for liturgical use. Biblical scholar Frederick H. A. Scrivener labelled it as 557.[1]

It came from Epeiros and is currently housed at the University of Michigan. It was digitised and is available online.

Description

The manuscript is a codex (precursor to the modern book format), containing the text of the four Gospels written on 256 parchment leaves (size ). The text is written in one column per page, 22 lines per page.[2] It is neatly written in a minute hand. The style of writing has been considered to resemble the same in codex 542 (Scrivener's 555).[3]: L

The text is divided according to the chapters (known as κεφαλαια / kephalaia), whose numerals are given in the margin written in red ink, with the titles (known as τιτλοι / titloi) written at the top and bottom of the pages. There is also a division according to the smaller Ammonian Sections (in Mark 235 Sections, the last section in 16:12) in red, but no references to the Eusebian Canons (both early divisions of the Gospels into sections).[4][5] The κεφαλαια and the Ammonian Sections are often put in wrong places. There are no lectionary markings at the margin for liturgical use.[3]: L

It contains lists of the chapters (also known as κεφαλαια) to the last three Gospels, and pictures of the Evangelists: Matthew, Mark, and John.[5][4] Decorated head-pieces stand at the beginning of each Gospel.[3]: L It does not have lectionary markings in the margin (for liturgical use).[5] It contains the nomina sacra contracted in the usual way.

Errors

Errors of iotacism (especially ει or ι for η, ο for ω, and vice versa) are rare in the first two Gospels, but more frequent afterwards.[3]: L The omissions by homoioteleuton (meaning "the same endings") are frequent (e.g. Matthew 10:37; Mark 9:43-46; 10:27.42; 12:39; 14:19; 15:14; Luke 10:27; John 3:31; 4:5; 5:32; 6:11.32.42; 8:14; 9:7; 12:34; 13:34; 14:17; 17:21).[3]: L Removal of the final-nu is very common, and though the punctuation is accurate, the sign of interrogation never occurs.[3]: L

This copy was transcribed from an older copy which was defective in Luke.[3]: L It has an unusual number of variations from the ordinary text, though none of the first rate of importance.[3]: LI

Text

Scholar Hermann von Soden classified the Greek text of the codex to his group Ia.[6] Biblical scholar Kurt Aland did not place it in any Category of his New Testament manuscript classification system.[7] According to the Claremont Profile Method (a specific analysis of textual data), it has an eclectic text. In Luke 1 it represents Πa, in Luke 10 a mixed Byzantine text, and in Luke 20 it reflects the text of Kx.[6]

Some notable readings
Matthew 2:19 — εν Αιγυπτω ] omitted
Matthew 12:40 — καρδια ] κοιλια
Matthew 16:21 — απο ] παρα
Matthew 17:22 — ανθρωπων ] ανθρωπων αμαρτωλων
Matthew 18:25 — ακρασιας ] αδικιας
Matthew 18:28 — ανομιας ] αδικιας
Mark 1:2 — εν τω ησαια τω προφητη ] εν βιβλω λογων ησαιου του προφητου
Mark 8:14 — οπου ου δει ] εν τοπω αγνω
Mark 14:3 — πιστικης ] μυστικης
Mark 15:8 — καθως αει εποιει αυτοις ] τον βαραββαν (similar to Θ 565, and 700)
Luke 1:48 — της δουλης ] του δουλου
Luke 1:48 — κατα το ρημα σου ] omitted
Luke 3:25 — του Μααθ του Ματταθιου ] omitted
John 16:13 — το πνα της αληθειας ] omitted
John 19:38 — του ιυ ] του κυ

History

Location

Nothing is known of the codex's history until the year 1864, when it was in the possession of a dealer at Janina in Epeiros. It was then purchased from him by a representative of Baroness Burdett-Coutts (1814–1906), a philanthropist,[8] along with other Greek manuscripts (among them codices 532-546).[4] They were transported to England in 1870-1871.[9]

The manuscript was presented by Burdett-Coutts to Sir Roger Cholmely's School, and was housed at the Highgate (Burdett-Coutts III. 9), in London.[3] In 1922 it was acquired for the University of Michigan.[10] It is currently housed at the University of Michigan (shelf number Ms. 25) in Ann Arbor.[2]

Examination

It was added to the list of New Testament manuscripts by scholars Scrivener and Caspar René Gregory.[5] Gregory saw it in 1883.[4]

Scrivener examined, described and collated its text. His collation was edited posthumous in Adversaria critica sacra in 1893.[3]: 61–162 It is rarely cited in the critical editions of the Greek New Testament.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ Gregory, Caspar René (1908). Die griechischen Handschriften des Neuen Testament [The Greek Manuscripts of the New Testament] (in German). Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs. p. 67.
  2. ^ Aland, Kurt; M. Welte; B. Köster; K. Junack (1994). Kurzgefasste Liste der griechischen Handschriften des Neues Testaments [A Concise list of the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament]. Berlin, New York: Walter de Gruyter. p. 79. ISBN 3-11-011986-2.
  3. ^ Scrivener, Frederick Henry Ambrose (1893). Adversaria Critica Sacra: With a Short Explanatory Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. L.
  4. ^ Gregory, Caspar René (1900). Textkritik des Neuen Testaments [Textual Criticism of the New Testament]. Vol. 1. Leipzig: J.C. Hinrichs. p. 201.
  5. ^ Scrivener, Frederick Henry Ambrose & Edward Miller (1894). A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament. Vol. 1. 4 ed. London: George Bell & Sons. p. 255.
  6. ^ Wisse, Frederik (1982). The Profile Method for the Classification and Evaluation of Manuscript Evidence, as Applied to the Continuous Greek Text of the Gospel of Luke. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. p. 62. ISBN 0-8028-1918-4.
  7. ^ 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. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. pp. 133, 139. ISBN 978-0-8028-4098-1.
  8. ^ Parker, Franklin (1995). George Peabody, a biography. Vanderbilt University Press. p. 107. ISBN 9780826512567.
  9. ^ Mathiesen, Robert (1983). "An Important Greek Manuscript Rediscovered and Redated (Codex Burdett-Coutts III.42)". The Harvard Theological Review. 76 (1): 131-133. JSTOR 1509440
  10. ^ Kenneth W. Clark, A Descriptive Catalogue of Greek New Testament Manuscripts in America (Chicago, 1937), p. 294.
  11. ^ Aland, Kurt; Black, M.; Carlo Maria Martini; B. Metzger; Allen Wikgren (1983). The Greek New Testament. 3 ed. Stuttgart: United Bible Societies. p. XXIII. (UBS3)

Further reading

  • E. Colwell, The Four Gospels of Karahissar (Chicago 1936), vol. I, pp. 9. 204 ff.