| New Testament manuscript | |
| Text | Gospels |
|---|---|
| Date | 12th century |
| Script | Greek |
| Now at | Biblioteca Ambrosiana |
| Cite | Scholz,Biblisch-kritische Reise (1823) |
| Size | 22.3 cm by 16.5 cm |
| Type | Caesarean text-type |
| Category | III |
| Hand | carelessly written |
| Note | member ofƒ13 |
Minuscule 346 is aGreekminusculemanuscript of theNew Testament, written on parchment. It is designated by thesiglum346 in theGregory-Aland numbering ofNew Testament manuscripts, and ε 226 in thevon Soden numbering of New Testament manuscripts.[1] Using the study of comparative handwriting styles (palaeography) it has been assigned to the 12th century.[2] It has notes in the margin (known asmarginalia).
The manuscript is acodex (precursor to the modernbook format), containing the complete text of the fourGospels on 168 parchment leaves (22.3 cm by 16.5 cm), with onelarge gap (John 3:26–7:52).[2] It also has the liturgical book with hagiographies:Synaxarion (a list ofsaint's days) andMenologion (a list of readings to be read each calendar month).[3]
The text is written in one column per page, with 31–32 lines per page.[2] According to Biblical scholarF. H. A. Scrivener, it was carelessly written.[4]
The text is divided according to the chapters (known asκεφαλαια / kephalaia), whose numbers are given at the margin, and their titles (known asτιτλοι / titles) at the top of the pages. There is also a division according to theAmmonian Sections (inMark 234 Sections – the last in 16:9), whose numbers are given at the margin, but without references to theEusebian Canons (an early system of dividing the four Gospels into different sections).[3]
It contains the tables of contents (also known asκεφαλαια) before each Gospel, lectionary markings in the margin (for liturgical use), subscriptions at the end of each Gospel, numbers of "remata", and numbers ofστιχοι /stichoi (the list of lines written in each gospel).[3]
The Greek text of the codex has been considered a representative of theCaesarean text-type. The text-types are groups of different New Testament manuscripts which share specific or generally related readings, which then differ from each other group, and thus the conflicting readings can separate out the groups. These are then used to determine the original text as published; there are three main groups with names:Alexandrian,Western, andByzantine.[5] The Caesarean text-type however (initially identified by biblical scholar Burnett Hillman Streeter) has been contested by several text-critics, such asKurt andBarbara Aland.[6]: 55–56 Aland placed it inCategory III of his New Testament manuscript classification system.[6] 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."[6]: 335
It is a member of the textual familyƒ13.[3] According to theClaremont Profile Method it belongs to ƒ13 as a core member.[7]
It has many unusual readings (e.g. Matt 1:16 — ω μνηστευθεισα παρθενος Μαριαμ εγεννησεν Ιησουν τον λεγομενον χριστον (to whom the virgin Mary had been betrothed, begat Jesus, the one called Christ)).[4]
Gregory dated the manuscript to the 12th century.[3] It is currently dated by theINTF to the 12th century.[2]
The manuscript was bought in 1606 at "Callipoli in Salentinis" (Calabria).[3] The manuscript was examined by Scholz andBurgon. It was added to the list of New Testament manuscripts byScholz (1794–1852).[4]: 225 Text of the codex was collated byAbbott and edited by Ferrar.[8]C. R. Gregory saw it in 1886.[3]
The manuscript is currently housed at theBiblioteca Ambrosiana (S. 23 sup.) inMilan.[2]