The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration / Edition 4

by Bruce M. Metzger, Bart D. Ehrman

Overview

This thoroughly revised edition of Bruce M. Metzger's classic work is the most up-to-date manual available for the textual criticism of the New Testament. The Text of the New Testament, Fourth Edition, has been invigorated by the addition of Bart D. Ehrman—author of numerous best-selling books on the New Testament—as a coauthor. This revision brings the discussion of such important matters as the early Greek manuscripts and methods of textual criticism up to date, integrating recent research findings and approaches into the body of the text (as opposed to previous revisions, which compiled new material and notes into appendices). The authors also examine new areas of interest, including the use of computers in the collection and evaluation of manuscript evidence and the effects that social and ideological influences had upon the work of scribes. The standard text for courses in biblical studies and the history of Christianity since its first publication in 1964, The Text of the New Testament is poised to become a definitive resource for a whole new generation of students.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195161229
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	04/28/2005
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	481,121
Product dimensions:	5.74(w) x 8.42(h) x 0.70(d)
Lexile:	1600L (what's this?)

About the Author

Princeton Theological Seminary (Emeritus)

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Table of Contents

, Figures, Preface, Preface to the First EditionPART I. THE MATERIALS FOR THE TEXTUAL CRITICISM OF THE NEW TESTAMENTChapter 1. The Making of Ancient BooksI. The Materials of Ancient Books1. Papyrus2. Parchment3. Ink MakingII. The Forms of Ancient BooksIII. Ancient Scribes and Their HandiworkAdded Note on ColophonsIV. "Helps for Readers" in New Testament Manuscripts1. Chapter Divisions2. Titles of Chapters3. Eusebian Canons4. Hypotheses, Bioi, Euthalian Apparatus5. Superscriptions and Subscriptions6. Punctuation7. Glosses, Scholia, Commentaries, Catenae, Onomastica8. Artistic Adornment9. Cola and Commata10. Neumes11. Lectionary EquipmentV. Statistics of Greek Manuscripts of the New TestamentChapter 2. Important Witnesses to the Text of the New TestamentI. Greek Manuscripts of the New Testament1. Important Greek Papyri of the New Testament2. Important Greek Majuscule Manuscripts of the New Testament3. Important Greek Minuscule Manuscripts of the New Testament4. Other Noteworthy ManuscriptsII. Ancient Versions of the New Testament1. The Syriac Versions2. The Latin Versions3. The Coptic Versions4. The Gothic Version5. The Armenian Version6. The Georgian Version7. The Ethiopic Version8. The Old Slavonic Version9. Other Ancient VersionsIII. Patristic Quotations from the New TestamentPART II: THE HISTORY OF NEW TESTAMENT TEXTUAL CRITICISM AS REFLECTED IN PRINTED EDITIONS OF THE GREEK TESTAMENTChapter 3. The Precritical Period: The Origin and Dominance of the Textus ReceptusI. From Ximenes and Erasmus to the ElzevirsII. The Collection of Variant ReadingsChapter 4. The Modern Critical Period: From Griesbach to the PresentI. The Beginnings of Scientific Textual Criticism of the New TestamentII. The Overthrow of the Textus ReceptusPART III: THE APPLICATION OF TEXTUAL CRITICISM TO THE TEXT OF THE NEW TESTAMENTChapter 5. The Origins of Textual Criticism as a Scholarly DisciplineChapter 6. Modern Methods of Textual CriticismI. The Classical Method of Textual CriticismII. Reactions Against Classical Textual Criticism1. Joseph Bédier2. Albert C. ClarkIII. Local Texts and Ancient Editions: Burnett Hillman StreeterIV. Alternative Methods of Textual Criticism1. The Majority Text2. Thoroughgoing EclecticismV. Conjectural EmendationVI. Methods of Determining Family Relationships Among Manuscripts1. The Claremont Profile Method2. The Alands' Use of iTeststellen/i3. The Comprehensive Profile MethodVII. The Use of Computers in New Testament Textual Criticism1. The Collection, Recording, and Storage of Data2. The Presentation of the Data3. Statistical Analyses4. Hypertext PossibilitiesVIII. Significant Ongoing Projects1. The Institut fur neutestamentliche Textforschung2. The International Greek New Testament ProjectChapter 7. The Causes of Error in the Transmission of the Text of the New TestamentI. Unintentional Changes1. Errors Arising from Faulty Eyesight2. Errors Arising from Faulty Hearing3. Errors of the Mind4. Errors of JudgmentII. Intentional Changes1. Changes Involving Spelling and Grammar2. Harmonistic Corruptions3. Addition of Natural Complements and Similar Adjuncts4. Clearing up Historical and Geographical Difficulties5. Conflation of Readings6. Alterations Made Because of Doctrinal Considerations7. Addition of Miscellaneous DetailsChapter 8. History of the Transmission of the Text of the New TestamentI. Complications in Establishing the Original TextII. Dissemination of Early Christian LiteratureIII. The Rise and Development of the New Testament Text Types1. The Western Text2. The Alexandrian Text3. The Byzantine TextIV. The Use of Textual Data for the Social History of Early Christianity1. Doctrinal Disputes of Early Christianity2. Jewish-Christian Relations3. The Oppression of Women in Early Christianity4. Christian Apologia5. Christian Asceticism6. The Use of Magic and Fortune-Telling in Early ChristianityChapter 9. The Practice of New Testament Textual CriticismI. Basic Criteria for the Evaluation of Variant ReadingsII. The Process of Evaluating Variant Readings1. External Evidence2. Internal EvidenceIII. The Textual Analysis of Selected Passages, Bibliography, General Index, Index of New Testament Passages

Editorial Reviews

Praise for the previous edition: "Professor Bruce M. Metzger. . . remains the dean of New Testament textual criticism. For more than thirty years his encyclopedic knowledge and prolific pen have kept New Testament scholars current in manuscript studies. . . . Other manuals in textual criticism are now available, but none is more serviceable than Metzger's."—Southwestern Journal of Theology

"The fourth edition may be declared an unqualified success. The authors have evidently gone over every line of text with great care, [and] those paragraphs that have been rewritten seem to be genuine improvements. The appearance of this revised edition is a delight, and it assures that The Text of the New Testament will continue to serve students and scholars for a long time to come."—Westminster Theological Journal

"Well-researched and expressed, with that rare elegance of style that graces the English language. It is a model for scholarly endeavor, as well as the definitive text in English on the subject."—Louis I. Hodges, Columbia Bible College and Seminary

"The best in its field. Indispensable!"—Jarl Fossum, University of Michigan

From the Publisher