§ 5.
Doctrinal.
The question of Matrimony was one of those on which the early heretics freely dogmatized. Saturninus[492] (A.D. 120) and his followers taught that marriage was a production of Hell.
We are not surprised after this to find that those places in the Gospel which bear on the relation between man and wife exhibit traces of perturbation. I am not asserting that the heretics themselves depraved the text. I do but state two plain facts: viz. (1) That whereas in the second century certain heretical tenets on the subject of Marriage prevailed largely, and those who advocated as well as those who opposed such teaching relied chiefly on the Gospel for their proofs: (2) It is accordingly found that not only does the phenomenon of 'various readings' prevail in those places of the Gospel which bear most nearly on the disputed points, but the 'readings' are exactly of that suspicious kind which would naturally result from a tampering with the text by men who had to maintain, or else to combat, opinions of a certain class. I proceed to establish what I have been saying by some actual examples[493].
St. Matt. xix. 29.
η γυναικα,
—BD abc Orig.
St. Mark x. 29.
η γυναικα,
—[Symbol: Aleph]BDΔ, abc, &c.
St. Luke xviii. 29.
η γυναικα,
all allow it.
'οταν δε λεγη; 'οτι "πας 'οστις αφηκε γυναικα," ου τουτο φησιν, 'ωστε απλως διασπασθαι τους γαμους, κ.τ.λ. Chrys. vii. 636 E.
Παραδειγματισαι (in St. Matt. i. 19) is another of the expressions which have been disturbed by the same controversy. I suspect that Origen is the author (see the heading of the Scholion in Cramer's Catenae) of a certain uncritical note which Eusebius reproduces in his 'quaestiones ad Stephanum[494]' on the difference between δειγματισαι and παραδειγματισαι; and that with him originated the substitution of the uncompounded for the compounded verb in this place. Be that as it may, Eusebius certainly read παραδειγματισαι (Dem. 320), with all the uncials but two (BZ): all the cursives but one (I). Will it be believed that Lachmann, Tregelles, Tischendorf, Alford, Westcott and Hort, on such slender evidence as that are prepared to reconstruct the text of St. Matthew's Gospel?
It sounds so like trifling with a reader's patience to invite his attention to an elaborate discussion of most of the changes introduced into the text by Tischendorf and his colleagues, that I knowingly pass over many hundreds of instances where I am nevertheless perfectly well aware of my own strength,—my opponent's weakness. Such discussions in fact become unbearable when the points in dispute are confessedly trivial. No one however will deny that when three consecutive words of our Lord are challenged they are worth contending for. We are invited then to believe (St. Luke xxii. 67-8) that He did not utter the bracketed words in the following sentence,—'If I tell you, ye will not believe; and if I ask you, ye will not answer (Me, nor let Me go).' Now, I invite the reader to inquire for the grounds of this assertion. Fifteen of the uncials (including AD), and every known cursive, besides all the Latin and all the Syriac copies recognize the bracketed words. They are only missing in [Symbol: Aleph]BLT and their ally the Bohairic. Are we nevertheless to be assured that the words are to be regarded as spurious? Let the reader then be informed that Marcion left out seven words more (viz. all from, 'And if I ask you' to the end), and will he doubt either that the words are genuine or that their disappearance from four copies of bad character, as proved by their constant evidence, and from one version is sufficiently explained?
FOOTNOTES:
[441] ψευδωνυμου γνωσεως 1 Tim. vi. 20.
[442] 1 Tim. iv. 1-3.
[443] ii. 17.
[444] Acts xx. 29.
[445] Rev. ii. 6.
[446] Rev. ii. 15.
[447] Rev. ii. 13.
[448] Chiefly the Low Latin amongst them. Tradit. Text. chap. vii. p. 137.
[449] 'Ausus fuit et Basilides scribere Evangelium, et suo illud nomine titulare.'—Orig. Opp. iii. 933 c: Iren. i. 23: Clem. Al. 409, 426, 506, 509, 540, 545: Tertull. c. 46: Epiph. 24: Theodor. i. 4.
[450] 'Evangelium habet etiam suum, praeter haec nostra' (De Praescript., ad calcem).
[451] Origen (commenting on St. Luke x. 25-28) says,—ταυτα δε ειρηται πρως τοις απο Ουαλεντινου, και Βασιλιδου, και τους απο Μαρκιωνος. εχουσι γαρ και αυτοι τας λεξεις εν τωι καθ' 'εαυτους ευανγελιωι. Opp. iii. 981 A.
[452] 'Licet non sint digni fide, qui fidem primam irritam fecerunt, Marcionem loquor et Basilidem et omnes Haereticos qui vetus laniant Testamentum: tamen eos aliqua ex parte ferremus, si saltem in novo continerent manus suas; et non auderent Christi (ut ipsi iactitant) boni Dei Filii, vel Evangelistas violare, vel Apostolos. Nunc vero, quum et Evangelia eius dissipaverint; et Apostolorum epistolas, non Apostolorum Christi fecerunt esse, sed proprias; miror quomodo sibi Christianorum nomen audeant vindicare. Ut enim de caeteris Epistolis taceam, (de quibus quidquid contrarium suo dogmati viderant, evaserunt, nonnullas integras repudiandas crediderunt); ad Timotheum videlicet utramque, ad Hebraeos, et ad Titum, quam nunc conamur exponere.' Hieron. Praef. ad Titum.
[453] 'Hi vero, qui sunt a Valentino, exsistentes extra omnem timorem, suas conscriptiones praeferentes, plura habere gloriantur, quam sint ipsa Evangelia. Siquidem in tantum processerunt audaciae, uti quod ab his non olim conscriptum est, Veritatis Evangelium titulent.' Iren. iii. xi. 9.
[454] See, by all means, Epiphanius, Haer. xxx. c. xiii; also c. iii.
[455] 'Tanta est circa Evangelia haec firmitas, ut et ipsi haeretici testimonium reddant eis, et ex ipsis egrediens unusquisque eorum conetur suam confirmare doctrinam. Ebionaei etenim eo Evangelio quod est secundum Matthaeum, solo utentes, ex illo ipso convincuntur, non recte praesumentes de Domino. Marcion autem id quod est secundum Lucam circumcidens, ex his quae adhuc servantur penes eum, blasphemus in solum existentem Deum ostenditur. Qui autem Iesum separant a Christo, et impassibilem perseverasse Christum, passum vero Iesum dicunt, id quod secundum Marcum est praeferentes Evangelium; cum amore veritatis legentes illud, corrigi possunt. Hi autem qui a Valentino sunt, eo quod est secundum Joannem plenissime utentes,' &c. Iren. iii. xi. 7.
[456] 'ηρακλεων, 'ο της Ουαλεντινου σχολης δοκιμωτατος. Clem. Al. p. 595. Of Heracleon it is expressly related by Origen that he depraved the text of the Gospel. Origen says (iv. 66) that Heracleon (regardless of the warning in Prov. xxx. 6) added to the text of St. John i. 3 (vii. after the words εγενετο ουδε εν) the words των εν τω κοσμωι, και τη κτισει. Heracleon clearly read 'ο γεγονεν εν αυτω ζωη ην. See Orig. iv. 64. In St. John ii. 19, for εν τρισι, he wrote εν τριτη. He also read (St. John iv. 18) (for πεντε), εξ ανδρας εσχες.
[457] Celsus having objected that believers had again and again falsified the text of the Gospel, refashioning it, in order to meet the objections of assailants, Origen replies: Μεταχαραξαντας δε το ευαγγελιον αλλους ουκ οιδα, 'η τους απο Μαρκιωνος, και τους απο Ουαλεντινου, οιμαι δε και τους απο Λουκανου. τουτο δε λεγομενον ου του λογου εστιν εγκλημα, αλλα των τολμησαντων 'ραδιουργησαι τα ευαγγελια. Opp. i. 411 B.
[458] De Praesc. Haer. c. 51.
[459] Ουτος δε δημιουργος και ποιητης τουδε του παντος κοσμου και των εν αυτω ... εσται μεν καταδεεστερος του τελειου Θεου ... ατε δη και γεννητος ων, και ουκ αγεννητος. Ptolemaeus, ap. Epiph. p. 217. Heracleon saw in the nobleman of Capernaum an image of the Demiurge who, βασιλικος ωνομασθη 'οιονει μικρος τις βασιλευς, 'υπο καθολικου βασιλεως τεταγμενος επι μικρας βασιλειας, p. 373.
[460] Ο Ιωαννης ... βουλομενος ειπειν την των 'ολων γενεσιν, καθ' ην τα παντα προεβαλεν 'ο Πατηρ, αρχην τινα 'υποτιθεται, το πρωτον γεννηθεν 'υπο του θεου, 'ον δη και 'υιον Μονογενη και Θεον κεκληκεν, εν 'ω τα παντα 'ο Πατηρ προεβαλε σπερματικως. 'υπο δε τουτου φησι τον Λογον προβεβλησθαι, και εν αυτω την 'ολην των Αιωνων ουσιαν, ην αυτος 'υστερον εμορφωσεν 'ο Λογος.... Παντα δι' αυτου εγενετο, και χωρις αυτου εγενετο ουδε 'εν; πασι γαρ τοις μετ' αυτον Αιωσι μορφης και γενεσεως αιτιος 'ο Λογος εγενετο.
[461] Εν τω Πατρι και εκ του Πατρος 'η αρχη, και εκ της αρχης 'ο Λογος. Καλως ουν ειπεν; εν αρχη ην 'ο Λογος; ην γαρ εν τω 'υιω. Και 'ο Λογος ην προς τον Θεον; και γαρ 'η 'Αρχη; και Θεος ην 'ο Λογος, ακολουθως. Το γαρ εκ Θεου γεννηθεν Θεος εστιν.—Ibid. p. 102. Compare the Excerpt. Theod. ap. Clem. Al. c. vi. p. 968.
[462] Ap. Orig. 938. 9.
[463] So Theodotus (p. 980), and so Ptolemaeus (ap. Epiph. i. 217), and so Heracleon (ap. Orig. p. 954). Also Meletius the Semi-Arian (ap. Epiph. i. 882).
[464] See The Traditional Text, p. 113.
[465] Clem. Al. always has ουδε 'εν (viz. pp. 134, 156, 273, 769, 787, 803, 812, 815, 820): but when he quotes the Gnostics (p. 838) he has ουδεν. Cyril, while writing his treatise De Trinitate, read ουδεν in his copy. Eusebius, for example, has ουδε 'εν, fifteen times; ουδεν only twice, viz. Praep. 322: Esai. 529.
[466] Opp. ii. 74.
[467] Ap. Iren. 102.
[468] Ibid. 940.
[469] Ap. Clem. Al. 968, 973.
[470] Philosoph. 107. But not when he is refuting the tenets of the Peratae: ουδε 'εν, 'ο γεγονεν. εν αυτω ζωη εστιν. εν αυτω δε, φησιν, 'η Ευα γεγονεν, 'η Ευα ζωη. Ibid. p. 134.
[471] Opp. 114, 218, 1009.
[472] Cels. vi. 5: Princip. II. ix. 4: IV. i. 30: In Joh. i. 22, 34: ii. 6, 10, 12, 13 bis: In Rom. iii. 10, 15: Haer. v. 151.
[473] Psalm. 146, 235, 245: Marcell. 237. Not so in Ecl. 100: Praep. 322, 540.
[474] Αναγκαιως φησιν, "'ο γεγονεν, ενι αυτω ζωη ην." ου μονον φησι, "δι αυτου τα παντα εγενετο," αλλα και ει τι γεγονεν ην εν αυτω 'η ζωη. τουτ' εστιν, 'ο μονογενης του Θεο λογος, 'η παντων αρχη, και συστασις 'ορατων τε και αορατων ... αυτος γαρ 'υπαρχων 'η κατα φυσιν ζωη, το ειναι και ζην και κινεισθαι πολυτροπως τοις ουσι χαρισεται. Opp. iv. 49 e.
He understood the Evangelist to declare concerning the Λογος, that, παντα δι' αυτου εγενετο, και ην εν τοις γενομενοις 'ως ζωη. Ibid. 60 c.
[475] Ουτοι δε βουλονται αυτο ειναι κτισμα κτισματος. φασι γαρ, 'οτι παντο δι' αυτου γεγονε, και χωρις αυτου εγενετο ουδε 'εν. αρα, φασι, και το Πνευμα εκ των ποιηματων 'υπαρχει, επειδη παντα δι' αυτου γεγονε. Opp. i. 741. Which is the teaching of Eusebius, Marcell. 333-4. The Macedonians were an offshoot of the Arians.
[476] i. 778 D, 779 B. See also ii. 80.
[477] Opp. viii. 40.
[478] Consider 1 John ii. 3, 4: and read Basil ii. 188 b, c. See p. 207, note 4. Consider also Gal. iv. 9. So Cyril Al. [iv. 655 a], και προεγνω μαλλον 'η εγνωσθη παρ' 'ημων.
[479] Chrysostom alone seems to have noticed this:—'ινα μη της γνωσεως ισον τον μετρον νομισηις, ακουσον πως διορθουται αυτο τηι επαγωγηι; γινωσκω τα εμα, φησι, και γινωσκομαι 'υπο των εμων. αλλ' ουκ ιση 'η γνωσις, κ.τ.λ. viii. 353 d.
[480] P. 38. (Gall. vii. 26.)
[481] i. 298, 613.
[482] viii. 351, 353 d and e.
[483] iv. 652 c, 653 a, 654 d.
[484] i. 748: iv. 374, 550.
[485] In Dionys. Ar. ii. 192.
[486] Φησι δε 'ο αυτος Μανης ... τα εμα προβατα γινωσκει με, και γινωσκω τα εμα προβατα. (Epiphan. i. 697.)—Again,—'ηρπασεν 'ο 'αιρετικος προς την ιδιαν κατασκευην της βλασφημιας. ιδου, φησιν, ειρηται; 'οτι γινωασουσι (lower down, γινωσκει) με τα εμα, και γινωσκω τα εμα. (Basil ii. 188 a, b.)
[487] Εν ταξει τη οικεια και πρεπωδεστατη των πραγματων εκαστα τιθεις. ου γαρ εφη, γινωσκει με τα εμα, και γινωσκω τα εμα, αλλ' 'εαυτον εγνωκατα προτερον εισφερει τα ιδια προβατα, ειθ' ουτως γνωσθησεσθαι φησι παρ αυτων ... ουχ 'ημεις αυτον επεγνωκαμεν πρωτοι, επεγνω δε 'ημας πρωτον αυτος ... ουχ 'ημεις ηρξαμεθα του πραγματος, αλλ' 'ο εκ Θεου Θεος μονογενης.—iv. 654 d, 655 a. (Note, that this passage appears in a mutilated form, viz. 121 words are omitted, in the Catena of Corderius, p. 267,—where it is wrongly assigned to Chrysostom: an instructive instance.)
[488] In Ps. 489: in Es. 509: Theoph. 185, 258, 260.
[489] ii. 188 a:—which is the more remarkable, because Basil proceeds exquisitely to shew (1886) that man's 'knowledge' of God consists in his keeping of God's Commandments. (1 John ii. 3, 4.) See p. 206, note 1.
[490] So Jerome, iv. 484: vii. 455. Strange, that neither Ambrose nor Augustine should quote the place.
[491] See Revision Revised, p. 220.
[492] Or Saturnilus—το δε γαμειν και γενναν απο του Σατανα φησιν ειναι. p. 245, l. 38. So Marcion, 253.
[493] [The MS. breaks off here, with references to St. Mark x. 7, Eph. v. 31-2 (on which the Dean had accumulated a large array of references), St. Mark x. 29-30, with a few references, but no more. I have not had yet time or strength to work out the subject.]
[494] Mai, iv. 221.