Minuscule 238
Encyclopedia
Minuscule 238 A145 (Soden), is a Greek
minuscule manuscript
of the New Testament
, on parchment. Palaeographically
it has been assigned to the 11th or 12th century. It has marginalia
.
s, on 581 parchment leaves (size ), in two volumes (355 + 227) with lacunae
. The text is written in one column per page, 24 lines per page.
The text is divided according to the Ammonian Sections
, whose numbers are given at the margin, with references to the Eusebian Canons.
It contains tables of the (tables of contents) before each Gospel, lectionary markings at the margin, and pictures. The biblical text is surrounded by a commentary (catena
), Victor's in Mark. Biblical text is written in red, the text of the commentary in black ink.
did not place in any of his Categories
. Wisse did not examine it by using his Profile Method.
at Athos. Formerly the manuscript was held in the monastery Philotheus
at Athos
peninsula, then in Dionysius
monastery. It was brought to Moscow, by the monk Arsenius, on the suggestion of the Patriarch Nikon
, in the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov (1645-1676). The first part of the manuscript (Matt.-Mark) was collated by C. F. Matthaei
. The second part (Luke-John) was sold by Matthaei to the library in Dresden
. This part was examined by Tregelles
and H. v. Gebhardt. It was held in Saxon State Library
(A 100) until to the World War II
. After war it was brought to Moscow.
The Gospel of Matthew and Mark of the manuscript is currently housed at the State Historical Museum
(V. 91, S. 47, 355 fol.) at Moscow
, the Gospels of Luke and John in the State Archive (F. 1607, No. 3,226 fol.) in Moscow.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
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....
, on parchment. 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...
it has been assigned to the 11th or 12th century. It has marginalia
Marginalia
Marginalia are scribbles, comments, and illuminations in the margins of a book.- Biblical manuscripts :Biblical manuscripts have liturgical notes at the margin, for liturgical use. Numbers of texts' divisions are given at the margin...
.
Description
The codex contains the text of the four 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, on 581 parchment leaves (size ), in two volumes (355 + 227) with lacunae
Lacuna (manuscripts)
A lacunaPlural lacunae. From Latin lacūna , diminutive form of lacus . is a gap in a manuscript, inscription, text, painting, or a musical work...
. The text is written in one column per page, 24 lines per page.
The text is divided according to the 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...
, whose numbers are given at the margin, with references to the Eusebian Canons.
It contains tables of the (tables of contents) before each Gospel, lectionary markings at the margin, and pictures. The biblical text is surrounded by a commentary (catena
Catena (Biblical commentary)
A catena is a form of biblical commentary, verse by verse, made up entirely of excerpts from earlier Biblical commentators, each introduced with the name of the author, and with such minor adjustments of words to allow the whole to form a continuous commentary.The texts are mainly compiled from...
), Victor's in Mark. Biblical text is written in red, the text of the commentary in black ink.
Text
The Greek text of the codex AlandKurt 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...
did not place in any of his Categories
Categories of New Testament manuscripts
New Testament manuscripts in Greek are categorized into five groups, according to a scheme introduced in 1981 by Kurt and Barbara Aland in Der Text des Neuen Testaments. The categories are based on how each manuscript relates to the various text-types. Generally speaking, earlier Alexandrian...
. Wisse did not examine it by using his Profile Method.
History
The manuscript in 1482 belonged to the monastery Great LavraGreat Lavra
This is the monastery on Mount Athos. For the monastery associated with Saint Sabbas, see Mar Saba.The Monastery of Great Lavra is the first monastery built on Mount Athos. It is located on the southeastern foot of the Mount at an elevation of 160 metres...
at Athos. Formerly the manuscript was held in the monastery Philotheus
Philotheou monastery
Filotheou monastery is an Eastern Orthodox monastery at the monastic state of Mount Athos in Greece. It stands on the north-eastern side of the peninsula.It was founded by the Blessed Philotheus, in the end of the 10th century...
at Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
peninsula, then in Dionysius
Dionysiou monastery
Dionysiou monastery is an Eastern Orthodox monastery at the monastic state of Mount Athos in Greece in southwest part of Athos peninsula. The monastery ranks fifth in the hierarchy of the Athonite monasteries...
monastery. It was brought to Moscow, by the monk Arsenius, on the suggestion of the Patriarch Nikon
Patriarch Nikon
Nikon , born Nikita Minin , was the seventh patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church...
, in the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov (1645-1676). The first part of the manuscript (Matt.-Mark) was collated by C. F. Matthaei
Christian Frederick Matthaei
Christian Frederick Matthaei , a Thuringian, palaeographer, classical philolog, professor first at Wittenberg and then at Moscow.- Life :...
. The second part (Luke-John) was sold by Matthaei to the library in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
. This part was examined by 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 H. v. Gebhardt. It was held in Saxon State Library
Saxon State Library
The Saxon State Library in Dresden is the Staatsbibliothek of Saxony and the academic library of the Technische Universität Dresden. It is one of the main public archival centers of Germany. Its treasures, collected over four centuries, were located in the Japanisches Palais and in temporary...
(A 100) until to the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After war it was brought to Moscow.
The Gospel of Matthew and Mark of the manuscript is currently housed at the State Historical Museum
State Historical Museum
The State Historical Museum of Russia is a museum of Russian history wedged between Red Square and Manege Square in Moscow. Its exhibitions range from relics of the prehistoric tribes inhabiting present-day Russia, through priceless artworks acquired by members of the Romanov dynasty...
(V. 91, S. 47, 355 fol.) at Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, the Gospels of Luke and John in the State Archive (F. 1607, No. 3,226 fol.) in Moscow.
See also
- List of New Testament minuscules
- Biblical manuscriptBiblical manuscriptA biblical manuscript is any handwritten copy of a portion of the text of the Bible. The word Bible comes from the Greek biblia ; manuscript comes from Latin manu and scriptum...
- 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
- Kurt TreuKurt TreuKurt Treu , German classical philologist, was a son of a German parson on the island Saaremaa, the largest island of Estonia. In 1940, because of World War II, the Treu family was forced to leave their homeland. Kurt Treu studied in a Gymnasium in Hohensalza. AS levels were studied by him after the...
, Die Griechischen Handschriften des Neuen Testaments in der UdSSR; eine systematische Auswertung des Texthandschriften in Leningrad, Moskau, Kiev, Odessa, Tbilisi und Erevan, T & U 90 (Berlin, 1966), pp. 276-277. - H. Gebhardt, Untersuchungen zu der Evangelienhandschrift 238, ZNW 7 (1906), 120-122.
External links
- Ch. F. Matthäi, Victor. Antioch. cat. in Me. (Moskau 1775).