Minuscule 1
Encyclopedia
Codex Basilensis A. N. IV. 2, Minuscule 1 (on the list of Gregory-Aland), δ 254 (in von Soden's numbering); formerly it was designated by 1eap (to distinguish it from minuscule 1rK
, which previously used number 1). It is a Greek minuscule manuscript
of the New Testament
, usually dated palaeographically
to the 12th century.
The codex has complex contents.
The codex is located now at the Basel University Library
with the shelf number A. N. IV, 2 (earlier B. VI. 27).
except of Book of Revelation
in the order: Gospel
s, Acts of the Apostles
, General epistles
, and Pauline epistles
(Hebrews
is the last book in Paul). The text is written in one column per page, 38 lines per page, on 297 parchment leaves , with a beautiful miniatures which were stolen before 1860-1862, except one before Gospel of John.
The dimensions of the text are . It was written on parchment continuously and without separation in "elegant and minute" minuscule, furnished with breathings (spiritus asper
and spiritus lenis
), and accents. It uses Iota adscript
. The initial letters are gilt, and on the first page of each Gospel the full point is a large gilt ball.
The text is divided according to the κεφαλαια (chapters), whose numbers are given at the margin, with their the (titles) at the top of the pages. The text of the Gospels is also divided according to the smaller Ammonian Sections
(in Matthew 352, in Mark 236 with last numbered section in 16:12, in Luke 340, in John 227), but a references to the Eusebian Canons are absent.
It contains Prolegomena, synaxaria
, lectionary markings at the margin (for liturgical use), and pictures (portrait of John the Evangelist and Prochorus
). It has also (lessons) at the margin of the text in the Gospels, but they were added by a later hand. In Matthew – 116 αναγνωσεις, in Mark – 70, in Luke – 114, in John – 67. Book of Acts and epistles have the Euthalian Apparatus
. Lectionary markings and αναγνωσεις were added by a second hand (in red). In the 15th century the later hand added Prolegomena.
It contains a scholion questioning the authenticity of Mark 16:9-20
. The Pericope Adulterae (John 7:53-8:11) is placed after John
21:25.
s is a representative of the Caesarean text-type
. According to Kurt
and Barbara Aland
it agrees with the Byzantine standard text 119 times, and 80 times with the Byzantine when it has the same reading as the original text, it agrees 60 times with the original text against the Byzantine, it has 69 independent or distinctive readings in the Gospels. Alands placed it in Category III. In rest of the books of the New Testament the text of this codex is a representative of the Byzantine text-type
. Aland placed it in Category V.
It belongs to the Family 1
together with the manuscripts 118
, 131
, and 209
. It was supported by the Claremont Profile Method.
Griesbach
was the first who remarked its similarities to the text of Origen
's commentary to the Gospel of Matthew
. According to Hort
its text preceded the byzantine text-type
.
Kirsopp Lake
compared the text of the codex with the text of Stephanus
and showed that in the sections comprising Matthew 1-10; Matthew 22 – Mark 14; Luke 4-23; John 1-13; 18 there are in this codex 2243 variants from the Textus Receptus.
In Matthew 27:16 it has famous textual variant "Ιησουν τον Βαραββαν". This variant also appears in the Codex Koridethi
, Minuscule 700
, and in other members of the group f1
.
Wettstein
, Tischendorf
, Scrivener, and Gregory dated the manuscript to the 10th century. Henri Omont
and Kirsopp Lake
dated it to the 12th century, Dean Burgon dated to the 12th or 13th century. Actually it is dated to the 12th century, because the frequent occurrence of enlarged letters, rounded breathing marks, flourishes, and ligatures would seem to eliminate earlier date.
The manuscript was presented to the monastery of the Preaching Friars
by Cardinal Ragusio
(1380–1443), general of Dominicans
. It was borrowed by Reuchlin
and was used by Desiderius Erasmus
in the first edition of his Novum Testamentum
(1516). In result some of its readings came to the Textus Receptus
. Erasmus used this codex very little, because its text was different from other manuscripts with which he was acquainted. Oecolampadius
and Gerbelius, Erasmus's sub-editors, insisted that he use more readings from this codex in his third edition, but according to Erasmus the text of this codex was altered from the Latin manuscripts, and had secondary value. Since 1559 it was held in the University of Basel
. Its later story is the same as that of Codex Basilensis and minuscule 2 (GA).
Bengel
made a few extracts from the codex. Wettstein
was the first who thoroughly examined this codex. According to him in the Gospels its text agrees with the most ancient codices and patristic quotations. Wettstein gave for it number 1. In 1751 he changed his high opinion (Novum Testamentum Græcum). Wettstein dated codex to the 10th century. Wettstein collated this manuscript twice, but with many errors. According to Tregelles his collation was incorrect in more than 1200 readings. Hug supported last opinion of Wettstein that codex was latinizated. Tregelles
, and Roth collated the text of this codex again. Tregelles noticed that this codex is similar to minuscule 118. Dean Burgon
noticed that also codices 131 and 209 are similar. All this group was examined by Kirsopp Lake
in 1902. It was named "the Lake Group", or Family 1
. The text of the family was established on the basis of minuscule 1.
F. H. A. Scrivener
(1813–1891) showed, that at least 22 verses of Erasmian text came from minuscule 1:
Minuscule 2814
Minuscule 2814 , Aν20 . Formerly it was labelled as 1rK in all catalogues, but it was renumbered as a 2814 by Aland. It is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, dated palaeographically to the 12th century....
, which previously used number 1). It is a Greek minuscule manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
of the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
, usually dated palaeographically
Palaeography
Palaeography, also spelt paleography is the study of ancient writing. Included in the discipline is the practice of deciphering, reading, and dating historical manuscripts, and the cultural context of writing, including the methods with which writing and books were produced, and the history of...
to the 12th century.
The codex has complex contents.
The codex is located now at the Basel University Library
Basel University Library
The University Library of Basle is one of the biggest libraries in Switzerland. It is located at the University of Basel, at 18 – 20 Schönbeinstrasse. It is also Kantonsbibliothek of Basel-City....
with the shelf number A. N. IV, 2 (earlier B. VI. 27).
Description
The codex contains the entire New TestamentNew Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
except of Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
in the order: Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
s, Acts of the Apostles
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of the Apostles , usually referred to simply as Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament; Acts outlines the history of the Apostolic Age...
, General epistles
General epistles
General epistles are books in the New Testament in the form of letters. They are termed "general" because for the most part their intended audience seems to be Christians in general rather than individual persons or congregations as is the case with the Pauline epistles...
, and Pauline epistles
Pauline epistles
The Pauline epistles, Epistles of Paul, or Letters of Paul, are the thirteen New Testament books which have the name Paul as the first word, hence claiming authorship by Paul the Apostle. Among these letters are some of the earliest extant Christian documents...
(Hebrews
Epistle to the Hebrews
The Epistle to the Hebrews is one of the books in the New Testament. Its author is not known.The primary purpose of the Letter to the Hebrews is to exhort Christians to persevere in the face of persecution. The central thought of the entire Epistle is the doctrine of the Person of Christ and his...
is the last book in Paul). The text is written in one column per page, 38 lines per page, on 297 parchment leaves , with a beautiful miniatures which were stolen before 1860-1862, except one before Gospel of John.
The dimensions of the text are . It was written on parchment continuously and without separation in "elegant and minute" minuscule, furnished with breathings (spiritus asper
Spiritus asper
In the polytonic orthography of Ancient Greek, the rough breathing , is a diacritical mark used to indicate the presence of an sound before a vowel, diphthong, or rho. It remained in the polytonic orthography even after the Hellenistic period, when the sound disappeared from the Greek language...
and spiritus lenis
Spiritus lenis
The smooth breathing is a diacritical mark used in polytonic orthography. In ancient Greek, it marks the absence of the voiceless glottal fricative from the beginning of a word....
), and accents. It uses Iota adscript
Iota adscript
In Greek polytonic orthography, the iota adscript is a iota written after a long vowel in a long diphthong, as opposed to below the vowel as a small vertical stroke ....
. The initial letters are gilt, and on the first page of each Gospel the full point is a large gilt ball.
The text is divided according to the κεφαλαια (chapters), whose numbers are given at the margin, with their the (titles) at the top of the pages. The text of the Gospels is also divided according to the smaller Ammonian Sections
Ammonian Sections
Eusebian canons or Eusebian sections, also known as Ammonian Sections, are the system of dividing the four Gospels used between late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. The divisions into chapters and verses used in modern texts date only from the 13th and 16th centuries, respectively...
(in Matthew 352, in Mark 236 with last numbered section in 16:12, in Luke 340, in John 227), but a references to the Eusebian Canons are absent.
It contains Prolegomena, synaxaria
Synaxarium
Synaxarion, Synexarion, pl. Synaxaria —Latin: Synaxarium, Synexarium—the name given in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches to a compilation of hagiographies corresponding roughly to the martyrology of the Roman Church.There are two kinds of synaxaria:*Simple...
, lectionary markings at the margin (for liturgical use), and pictures (portrait of John the Evangelist and Prochorus
Prochorus (deacon)
Prochorus was one of the Seven Deacons chosen to care for the poor of the Christian community in Jerusalem . According to the later tradition he was one of the Seventy Apostles sent out by Jesus in Luke 10....
). It has also (lessons) at the margin of the text in the Gospels, but they were added by a later hand. In Matthew – 116 αναγνωσεις, in Mark – 70, in Luke – 114, in John – 67. Book of Acts and epistles have the Euthalian Apparatus
Euthalian Apparatus
The Euthalian Apparatus is a collection of additional editorial material, such as divisions of text, lists, and summaries, to the New Testament's Book of Acts, Catholic epistles, and Pauline epistles. This additional material appears at the beginnings of books, in the margin of the text, and at the...
. Lectionary markings and αναγνωσεις were added by a second hand (in red). In the 15th century the later hand added Prolegomena.
It contains a scholion questioning the authenticity of Mark 16:9-20
Mark 16
Mark 16 is the final chapter of the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It begins with the discovery of the empty tomb by Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome — there they encounter a man dressed in white who announces the Resurrection of Jesus.Verse 8 ends...
. The Pericope Adulterae (John 7:53-8:11) is placed after John
Gospel of John
The Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...
21:25.
Text of the codex
The Greek text of the GospelGospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
s is a representative of the Caesarean text-type
Caesarean text-type
Caesarean text-type is the term proposed by certain scholars to denote a consistent pattern of variant readings that is claimed to be apparent in certain Greek manuscripts of the four Gospels, but which is not found in any of the other commonly recognized New Testament text-types; the Byzantine...
. According to Kurt
Kurt Aland
Kurt Aland was a German Theologian and Professor of New Testament Research and Church History. He founded the Institut für neutestamentliche Textforschung in Münster and served as its first director for many years...
and Barbara Aland
Barbara Aland
Barbara Aland, née Ehlers is a German theologian and was a Professor of New Testament Research and Church History at Westphalian Wilhelms-University of Münster until 2002.- Biography :...
it agrees with the Byzantine standard text 119 times, and 80 times with the Byzantine when it has the same reading as the original text, it agrees 60 times with the original text against the Byzantine, it has 69 independent or distinctive readings in the Gospels. Alands placed it in Category III. In rest of the books of the New Testament the text of this codex is a representative of the Byzantine text-type
Byzantine text-type
The Byzantine text-type is one of several text-types used in textual criticism to describe the textual character of Greek New Testament manuscripts. It is the form found in the largest number of surviving manuscripts, though not in the oldest...
. Aland placed it in Category V.
It belongs to the Family 1
Family 1
Family 1 is a group of Greek Gospel manuscripts, varying in date from the 12th to the 15th century. The group takes its name from the minuscule codex 1, now in the Basel University Library. "Family 1" is also known as "the Lake Group", symbolized as f1. Hermann von Soden calls the group Ih...
together with the manuscripts 118
Minuscule 118
Minuscule 118 , ε 346 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment leaves. Paleographically it has been assigned to the 13th century...
, 131
Minuscule 131
Minuscule 131 , δ 467 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment leaves. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 15th century. It has marginalia.- Description :...
, and 209
Minuscule 209
Minuscule 209 , δ 457 and α 1581 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Paleographically it has been assigned to the 14th century, with an exception to the Book of Revelation which was added to the codex in the 15th century...
. It was supported by the Claremont Profile Method.
Griesbach
Johann Jakob Griesbach
Johann Jakob Griesbach , German biblical textual critic, was born at Butzbach, a small town in the state of Hesse, where his father, Konrad Kaspar , was pastor...
was the first who remarked its similarities to the text of Origen
Origen
Origen , or Origen Adamantius, 184/5–253/4, was an early Christian Alexandrian scholar and theologian, and one of the most distinguished writers of the early Church. As early as the fourth century, his orthodoxy was suspect, in part because he believed in the pre-existence of souls...
's commentary to the Gospel of Matthew
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
. According to Hort
Fenton John Anthony Hort
Fenton John Anthony Hort was an Irish theologian and editor, with Brooke Westcott of a critical edition of The New Testament in the Original Greek.-Life:...
its text preceded the byzantine text-type
Byzantine text-type
The Byzantine text-type is one of several text-types used in textual criticism to describe the textual character of Greek New Testament manuscripts. It is the form found in the largest number of surviving manuscripts, though not in the oldest...
.
Kirsopp Lake
Kirsopp Lake
Kirsopp Lake was a New Testament scholar and Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Harvard Divinity School. He had an uncommon breadth of interests, publishing definitive monographs in New Testament textual criticism, Greek palaeography, theology, and archaeology...
compared the text of the codex with the text of Stephanus
Robert Estienne
Robert I Estienne , known as Robertus Stephanus in Latin and also referred to as Robert Stephens by 18th and 19th-century English writers, was a 16th century printer and classical scholar in Paris...
and showed that in the sections comprising Matthew 1-10; Matthew 22 – Mark 14; Luke 4-23; John 1-13; 18 there are in this codex 2243 variants from the Textus Receptus.
In Matthew 27:16 it has famous textual variant "Ιησουν τον Βαραββαν". This variant also appears in the Codex Koridethi
Codex Koridethi
The Codex Koridethi, also named Codex Coridethianus, designated by Θ, 038, or Theta , ε 050 , is a 9th century manuscript of the four Gospels. It is written in Greek with uncial script in two columns per page, in 25 lines per page...
, Minuscule 700
Minuscule 700
Minuscule 700 , ε 133 , is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the Gospels. Formerly it was labelled as 604 in all catalogues , Gregory gave it the number 700....
, and in other members of the group f1
Family 1
Family 1 is a group of Greek Gospel manuscripts, varying in date from the 12th to the 15th century. The group takes its name from the minuscule codex 1, now in the Basel University Library. "Family 1" is also known as "the Lake Group", symbolized as f1. Hermann von Soden calls the group Ih...
.
History of the codex
Johann Jakob Wettstein
Johann Jakob Wettstein was a Swiss theologian, best known as a New Testament critic.-Youth and study:...
, Tischendorf
Constantin von Tischendorf
Lobegott Friedrich Constantin Tischendorf was a noted German Biblical scholar. He deciphered the Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus, a 5th century Greek manuscript of the New Testament, in the 1840s, and rediscovered the Codex Sinaiticus, a 4th century New Testament manuscript, in 1859.Tischendorf...
, Scrivener, and Gregory dated the manuscript to the 10th century. Henri Omont
Henri Omont
Henri Auguste Omont, was a librarian, philologist and French historian, born on September 15, 1857, died December 9, 1940.- Life :In 1881 he wrote a thesis De la ponctuation and was employed in the École Nationale des Chartes as an archivist. He became general inspector in the Bibliothèque...
and Kirsopp Lake
Kirsopp Lake
Kirsopp Lake was a New Testament scholar and Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Harvard Divinity School. He had an uncommon breadth of interests, publishing definitive monographs in New Testament textual criticism, Greek palaeography, theology, and archaeology...
dated it to the 12th century, Dean Burgon dated to the 12th or 13th century. Actually it is dated to the 12th century, because the frequent occurrence of enlarged letters, rounded breathing marks, flourishes, and ligatures would seem to eliminate earlier date.
The manuscript was presented to the monastery of the Preaching Friars
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
by Cardinal Ragusio
John of Ragusa
John of Ragusa was a Croatian Dominican theologian. He died at Lausanne, Switzerland in 1443.He was president of the Council of Basle, and a legate to Constantinople...
(1380–1443), general of Dominicans
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
. It was borrowed by Reuchlin
Johann Reuchlin
Johann Reuchlin was a German humanist and a scholar of Greek and Hebrew. For much of his life, he was the real centre of all Greek and Hebrew teaching in Germany.-Early life:...
and was used by Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus , known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, and a theologian....
in the first edition of his Novum Testamentum
Novum Instrumentum omne
Novum Instrumentum omne was the first published New Testament in Greek . It was prepared by Desiderius Erasmus and printed by Johann Froben of Basel. Although the first printed Greek New Testament was the Complutensian Polyglot , it was the second to be published...
(1516). In result some of its readings came to the Textus Receptus
Textus Receptus
Textus Receptus is the name subsequently given to the succession of printed Greek texts of the New Testament which constituted the translation base for the original German Luther Bible, the translation of the New Testament into English by William Tyndale, the King James Version, and for most other...
. Erasmus used this codex very little, because its text was different from other manuscripts with which he was acquainted. Oecolampadius
Johannes Oecolampadius
Johannes Œcolampadius was a German religious reformer. His real name was Hussgen or Heussgen .-Life:He was born in Weinsberg, then part of the Electoral Palatinate...
and Gerbelius, Erasmus's sub-editors, insisted that he use more readings from this codex in his third edition, but according to Erasmus the text of this codex was altered from the Latin manuscripts, and had secondary value. Since 1559 it was held in the University of Basel
University of Basel
The University of Basel is located in Basel, Switzerland, and is considered to be one of leading universities in the country...
. Its later story is the same as that of Codex Basilensis and minuscule 2 (GA).
Bengel
Johann Albrecht Bengel
Johann Albrecht Bengel , Lutheran pietist clergyman and Greek-language scholar known for his edition of the Greek New Testament and his commentaries on it.-Life and career:Bengel was born at Winnenden in Württemberg, Germany....
made a few extracts from the codex. Wettstein
Johann Jakob Wettstein
Johann Jakob Wettstein was a Swiss theologian, best known as a New Testament critic.-Youth and study:...
was the first who thoroughly examined this codex. According to him in the Gospels its text agrees with the most ancient codices and patristic quotations. Wettstein gave for it number 1. In 1751 he changed his high opinion (Novum Testamentum Græcum). Wettstein dated codex to the 10th century. Wettstein collated this manuscript twice, but with many errors. According to Tregelles his collation was incorrect in more than 1200 readings. Hug supported last opinion of Wettstein that codex was latinizated. Tregelles
Samuel Prideaux Tregelles
Samuel Prideaux Tregelles was an English biblical scholar, textual critic, and theologian.- Life :Tregelles was born at Wodehouse Place, Falmouth, of Quaker parents, but he himself for many years was in communion with the Plymouth Brethren and then later in life became a Presbyterian...
, and Roth collated the text of this codex again. Tregelles noticed that this codex is similar to minuscule 118. Dean Burgon
John William Burgon
John William Burgon was an English Anglican divine who became the Dean of Chichester Cathedral in 1876. He is remembered for his passionate defence of the historicity and Mosaic authorship of Genesis and of Biblical inerrancy in general.-Biography:Burgon was born at Smyrna, the son of an English...
noticed that also codices 131 and 209 are similar. All this group was examined by Kirsopp Lake
Kirsopp Lake
Kirsopp Lake was a New Testament scholar and Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Harvard Divinity School. He had an uncommon breadth of interests, publishing definitive monographs in New Testament textual criticism, Greek palaeography, theology, and archaeology...
in 1902. It was named "the Lake Group", or Family 1
Family 1
Family 1 is a group of Greek Gospel manuscripts, varying in date from the 12th to the 15th century. The group takes its name from the minuscule codex 1, now in the Basel University Library. "Family 1" is also known as "the Lake Group", symbolized as f1. Hermann von Soden calls the group Ih...
. The text of the family was established on the basis of minuscule 1.
F. H. A. Scrivener
Frederick Henry Ambrose Scrivener
The Reverend Frederick Henry Ambrose Scrivener, LL.D. was an important text critic of the New Testament and a member of the English New Testament Revision Committee which produced the Revised Version of the Bible...
(1813–1891) showed, that at least 22 verses of Erasmian text came from minuscule 1:
- Matthew 22:28; 23:25; 27:52; 28:3.4.19.20;
- Mark 7:18.19.26; 10:1; 12:22; 15:46;
- Luke 1:16.61; 2:43; 9:1.15; 11:49;
- John 1:28; 10:8; 13:20.
See also
- List of New Testament minuscules
- Novum Instrumentum omneNovum Instrumentum omneNovum Instrumentum omne was the first published New Testament in Greek . It was prepared by Desiderius Erasmus and printed by Johann Froben of Basel. Although the first printed Greek New Testament was the Complutensian Polyglot , it was the second to be published...
- Textual criticismTextual criticismTextual criticism is a branch of literary criticism that is concerned with the identification and removal of transcription errors in the texts of manuscripts...
Further reading
- Amy S. Anderson, The Textual tradition of the Gospels: Family 1 in Matthew, Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2004.
- Kirsopp LakeKirsopp LakeKirsopp Lake was a New Testament scholar and Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Harvard Divinity School. He had an uncommon breadth of interests, publishing definitive monographs in New Testament textual criticism, Greek palaeography, theology, and archaeology...
, Codex 1 of the Gospels and its Allies, Text and Studies VII 3, Cambridge 1902. - Henri OmontHenri OmontHenri Auguste Omont, was a librarian, philologist and French historian, born on September 15, 1857, died December 9, 1940.- Life :In 1881 he wrote a thesis De la ponctuation and was employed in the École Nationale des Chartes as an archivist. He became general inspector in the Bibliothèque...
, Catalogue des mss grecs des bibliothèques de Suisse, Leipzig 1886.
External links
- Minuscule 1 at the Encyclopedia of Textual Criticism
- IDS BS BE Archive
- Images NT.VMR