Ancient Manuscripts

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Their name: Masorah (“tradition”).Their name: Masorah (“tradition”). Jewish community of Tiberius.Jewish community of Tiberius.

Their name: Masorah (“tradition”).Their name: Masorah (“tradition”). Jewish community of Tiberius.Jewish community of Tiberius. Vowel pointsVowel points ( ) versus ( ) ( ) versus ( ) ~yhil{a/ hw"hy> ~yhil{a/ hw"hy> ~yhla hwhy ~yhla hwhy

Their name: Masorah (“tradition”).Their name: Masorah (“tradition”). Jewish community of Tiberius.Jewish community of Tiberius. Vowel points.Vowel points. Careful rules regarding the copying of the ScripturesCareful rules regarding the copying of the Scriptures

Textual FamilyDescriptionDates Proto Alexandrian Siniaticus, Vaticanus 2 nd – 4 th Century Alexandrian Ephraemi Rescriptus 3 rd – 12 th Century WesternLatin 3 rd – 13 th Century Byzantine Textus Receptus, KJV 5 th – 10 th Century

Written 450 A.D.Written 450 A.D. Septuagint & New TestamentSeptuagint & New Testament Kept in AlexandriaKept in Alexandria Patriarch of Constantinople presented to England in 1627.Patriarch of Constantinople presented to England in 1627.

Septuagint and New Testament.Septuagint and New Testament. Dated to 350 A.D.Dated to 350 A.D. Missing 71 pages.Missing 71 pages. Napoleon took the Vatican Library to Paris in 1809.Napoleon took the Vatican Library to Paris in Codex returned to Vatican in 1815.Codex returned to Vatican in Codex B

Samuel TregellesSamuel Tregelles permitted to examine it in The entire manuscript was photographed and published in Codex B

Greek translations of sermons of Father Ephraem the Syrian ( ).Greek translations of sermons of Father Ephraem the Syrian ( ). A Palimpsest: “Scraped again.” These sermons copied in 12 th century.A Palimpsest: “Scraped again.” These sermons copied in 12 th century.

Protestant pastor Pierre Allix discovered the writing underneath the palimpsest in late 1600’s.Protestant pastor Pierre Allix discovered the writing underneath the palimpsest in late 1600’s. Dated to early 5 th Century.Dated to early 5 th Century. Contains some of the Septuagint, but most surviving pages are from the New Testament.Contains some of the Septuagint, but most surviving pages are from the New Testament. Contains the long ending of Mark.Contains the long ending of Mark.

Count Konstantin von Tischendorf visited St Katherine’s Monastery in 1844.Count Konstantin von Tischendorf visited St Katherine’s Monastery in 1844.

129 pages initially discovered.129 pages initially discovered. Written around 350 A.D.Written around 350 A.D.

Count Konstantin von Tischendorf visited St Katherine’s Monastery in 1844.Count Konstantin von Tischendorf visited St Katherine’s Monastery in pages initially discovered.129 pages initially discovered. Written around 350 A.D.Written around 350 A.D. Tischendorf permitted to take 43 pages.Tischendorf permitted to take 43 pages. The manuscript was eventually given to Czar Nicholas of Russia.The manuscript was eventually given to Czar Nicholas of Russia.

The U.S.S.R. sold the codex to the British Museum in 1933 for 100,000 pounds.The U.S.S.R. sold the codex to the British Museum in 1933 for 100,000 pounds. A forgotten room was discovered in 1975 containing more ancient manuscript fragments.A forgotten room was discovered in 1975 containing more ancient manuscript fragments. Another page was found in 2009.Another page was found in 2009.

Grenfell & Hunt were doing an excavation south of the Faiyum Oasis in Egypt.Grenfell & Hunt were doing an excavation south of the Faiyum Oasis in Egypt.

Stuffed crocodiles.Stuffed crocodiles. Portions of New Testament.Portions of New Testament.

Purchased from an antiquities dealer by American millionaire Chester Beatty.Purchased from an antiquities dealer by American millionaire Chester Beatty.

Epistles of Paul dated to 2 nd Century.Epistles of Paul dated to 2 nd Century. Now at University of Pennsylvania.Now at University of Pennsylvania. Purchased from an antiquities dealer by American millionaire Chester Beatty.Purchased from an antiquities dealer by American millionaire Chester Beatty.

Epistles of Paul dated to 2 nd Century.Epistles of Paul dated to 2 nd Century.

Palestine1947

Qumran

ISAIAH SCROLL

Jerusalem Bethlehem Qumran

Qumran Jerusalem Bethlehem

Qumran Jerusalem Bethlehem

Hebrew University of Jerusalem Incomplete manuscript of Isaiah reflecting old HebrewIncomplete manuscript of Isaiah reflecting old Hebrew Thanksgiving HymnsThanksgiving Hymns War ScrollWar Scroll

Metropolitan of the Syrian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem Isaiah Scroll reflecting editorial changesIsaiah Scroll reflecting editorial changes Community RuleCommunity Rule Pesher HabakkukPesher Habakkuk Genesis ApocryphonGenesis Apocryphon

Moved to the United StatesMoved to the United States Put the scrolls up for sale in a newspaper advertisementPut the scrolls up for sale in a newspaper advertisement

Son of Eleazar Sukenik General in Israeli army Purchased through an intermediary the four scrolls for the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Languages RepresentedLanguages Represented –Mostly Hebrew text –Few Aramaic –Even fewer Greek

Languages RepresentedLanguages Represented Writing MaterialsWriting Materials –Mostly Parchment –Few Papyri –One Copper Scroll

Languages RepresentedLanguages Represented Writing MaterialsWriting Materials Subject MatterSubject Matter –Biblical texts (Old Testament) –Jewish books –Books used of a unique Jewish sect