| New Testament manuscript | |
.JPG) Matthew 20:33-34 | |
| Name | Dublinensis |
|---|---|
| Sign | Z |
| Text | Gospel of Matthew |
| Date | 6th century |
| Script | Greek |
| Found | Barrett 1787 |
| Now at | Trinity College Library, Dublin |
| Size | 27 cm by 20 cm |
| Type | Alexandrian text-type |
| Category | III |
Codex Dublinensis is a Greekuncialmanuscript of theNew TestamentGospels, written onparchment. It is designated byZ or035 in theGregory-Aland numbering of New Testament manuscripts, and ε 26 in thevon Soden numbering of New Testament manuscripts. Using the study of comparative writing styles (palaeography), it has been dated to the 6th century CE.[1] The manuscript has severalgaps.[2]
It is a palimpsest manuscript, the upper layer containing excerpts from commentaries by early Church fathers.
The manuscript is acodex (precursor to the modernbook), containing a portions of the text ofGospel of Matthew on 32 parchment leaves (sixed 27 cm by 20 cm), with numerousgaps. The manuscript itself is apalimpsest (a manuscript with the initial text washed off, and then written over again with a different text), currently consisting of 110 folios from a likely total of 120, with 69 of these being palimpsest.[3]: 4 The upper text is a patristic commentary written in a minuscule hand, with most of the commentary from the works ofJohn Chrysostom. Other present comments are from the writings of Basil, Anastasius, Epiphanius, and Theodorus Abucara.[3]: 3 The upper text is written with "no elegance" or "magnificence", and is much mutilated.[3]: 4 The under-text is written in one column per page, 21 lines per column, with 27 letters per line.[2] The originalparchment was purplish in colour, rather thin, and the writing on one side shows through to the other in many places, and there are many holes present.[3]: 4 The manuscript has been rebound at some point between 1801 and 1853, to which biblical scholarSamuel Tregelles decries:
The binder simply seems to have known of the Greek book in the cursive letters, which are all black and plain to the eye. And so the pages have been unmercifully strengthened in parts, by pasting paper or vellum over the margins, leaving indeed the cursive writing untouched, but burying the uncial letters, of so much greater value... Also in places there were fragments all rough at the edges of the leaves, and these have been cut away so as to make all smooth and neat ; and thus many words and parts of words read by Dr. Barrett are now gone irrecoverably.[3]: 5-6
According to biblical scholarBruce Metzger, the uncial letters are large and broad,[4] and biblical scholar T. K Abbott describes the letters as "beautifully formed."[3]: 6 The letters are larger than in codicesAlexandrinus andVaticanus, but smaller than inCodex Petropolitanus Purpureus.[5]Itacistic errors are present, e.g. αι confused with ε, and ι with ει.[5] The letters have no breathings or accents, and the Old Testament quotations are indicated by a diplai (>).[3]: 6 The letter μ (mu) is very peculiar, looking more like an inverted Π (pi). The codex contains the Ammonian Sections, but there is noEusebian Canons.[6][3]: 8 The conventionalnomina sacra are present, with several sometimes being written out in full (μητηρ /mother,ουρανος /heaven/sky,ανθρωπος /man/human, andυιος /son).[3]: 8
Matthew 1:17-2:6, 2:13-20, 4:4-13, 5:45-6:15, 7:16-8:6, 10:40-11:18, 12:43-13:11, 13:57-14:19, 15:13-23, 17:9-17, 17:26-18:6, 19:4-12, 21-28, 20:7-21:8, 21:23-30, 22:16-25, 22:37-23:3, 23:15-23, 24:15-25, 25:1-11, 26:21-29, 62-71.[7]
The Greek text of this codex is considered a representative of theAlexandrian text-type, with many alien readings. The Alexandrian text is similar to that seen inCodex Sinaiticus.[4] Textual critic and biblical scholarKurt Aland placed it inCategory III of his New Testment manuscript classification system.[2] Category III manuscripts are described as having "a small but not a negligible proportion of early readings, with a considerable encroachment of [Byzantine] readings, and significant readings from other sources as yet unidentified."[2]: 335
TheLord's Prayer (Matthew 6:13) does not contain the usual doxology:οτι σου εστιν η βασιλεια και η δυναμις και η δοξα εις τους αιωνας (because the kingdom and the power and the glory is yours, forever) as in codicesאBD0170ƒ1.[8]: 13
InMatthew 20:23 it does not containκαι το βαπτισμα ο εγω βαπτιζομαι βαπτισθησεσθε (and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with), as in codicesאBDLΘ085ƒ1ƒ13 it syrs, csa.[9]: 56
The history of the codex is unknown until the underlying text was discovered byJohn Barrett in 1787, under some cursive writing. Barrett published its text in 1801,[3]: 3 but with errors. The codex was exposed to chemicals by Tregelles, and was deciphered by him in 1853.[10] Tregelles added about 200 letters to the text of Barrett. A further edition was published by T. K. Abbott in 1880.[4][3]
The codex is currently located in theTrinity College Library (shelf number K 3.4) inDublin,Ireland.[2][11]
