Minuscule 1

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Coddex Basiliensis, 10th Century manuscript of the New Testament

Minuscule 1 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering), δ 254 (von Soden); formerly it was designated by 1^eap (to distinguish it from minuscule 1^rK, which previously used number 1). It is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, usually dated paleographically to the 12th century.[1]

The codex is located now at the University of Basel at Basel with the shelf number A. N. IV, 2 (earlier B. VI. 27).[2]

Description

The codex contains the entire New Testament except of Book of Revelation in the order: Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, General epistles, and Pauline epistles (Hebrews is the last book in Paul). Written in one column per page, 38 lines per page, on 297 parchment leaves (18.5 by 11.5 cm),[1] with a beautiful miniatures which were stolen before 1860-1862, except one before Gospel of John. [3] The dimensions of the text 13.6 by 6.8 cm.[2] It was written on parchment continuously and without separation in "elegant and minute" minuscule, furnished with breathings, accents, and ascript. The initial letters are gilt, and on the first page of each Gospel the full point is a large gilt ball.[3] The Ammonian sections presented (Mark 236), but the Eusebian Canons absent. It contains Prolegomena, τιτλοι, synaxaria, and pictures. Acts and epistles have the Euthalian apparatus.[1]

It contains a scholion questioning the authenticity of Mark 16:9-20. The Pericope Adultera is placed after John 21:25.[1]

Text of the codex

The Greek text of the Gospels is a representative of the Caesarean text-type. Aland placed it in Category III. In rest of the books of the New Testament the text of this codex is a representative of the Byzantine text-type. Aland placed it in Category V. [4] It belongs to the Family 1 together with manuscripts 118, 131, and 209.

Griesbach was the first who remarked its similarities to the text of Origen's commentary to Matthew.<ref>Griesbach, Symb. crit. 1, S. CCII-CCXXIII. </ref> According to Hort its text preceded the byzantine text-type.

In Matt. 27:16 it has famous textual variant "Ιησουν τον Βαραββαν". This variant contain Codex Koridethi, Minuscule 700, and other members of textual family f¹.

History of the codex

Old University Basel

Dated to the 12th century, because the frequent occurrence of enlarged letters, rounded breathing marks, flourishes, and ligatures would seem to eliminate earlier date.<ref name = Anderson108/> The manuscript was presented to the monastery of the Preaching Friars by Cardinal Ragusio (1380-1443), general of Dominicans.<ref name = Gregory>C. R. Gregory, "Textkritik des Neuen Testaments", Leipzig 1900, vol. 1, p. 127. </ref> It borrowed by Reuchlin and used by Desiderius Erasmus in the first edition of his Novum Testamentum (1516). In result some of its readings came to Textus Receptus. Erasmus used this codex very little, because its text was different from other manuscripts with which he was acquainted. Oecolampadius and Gerbelius, Erasmus's subeditors, insisted to him for using more readings from this codex in the third edition, but according to Erasmus the text of this codex was altered from the Latin manuscripts, and had secondary value.<ref> S. P. Tregelles, An Introduction to the Critical study and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, London 1856, p. 208. </ref> Since 1559 it was held in the University of Basel.<ref name = Gregory/> Its later story is the same as that of Codex Basilensis and Minuscule 2.

Bengel made a few extracts from the codex. Wettstein was the first who thoroughly examined this codex. According to him in the Gospels its text agrees with the most ancient codices and patristic quotations.<ref>J.J. Wettstein, Prolegomena ad Novi Testamenti Graeci, 1730, p. 57. </ref> In 1751 he changed his high opinion (Novum Testamentum Græcum). Wettstein dated codex to the 10th century. Wettstein collated this manuscript twice, but with many errors. According to Tregelles his collation was incorrect in more than 1200 readings. Tregelles, and Roth collated its again. Tregelles noticed that this codex is similar to minuscule 118. Dean Burgon noticed that also codices 131 and 209 are similar. All this group was examined by Kirsopp Lake in 1902.<ref>Kirsopp Lake, Codex 1 of the Gospels and its Allies, Texts and Studies, volume vii, Cambridge, 1902, collates 1 with 118, 131, and 209. </ref> It was named "the Lake Group", or Family 1.

See also

• List of New Testament minuscules
• Novum Instrumentum omne
• Textual criticism

References

• 1. K. Aland, M. Welte, B. Köster, K. Junack, Kurzgefasste Liste der griechischen Handschriften des Neues Testaments, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York 1994, p. 47.
• 2. Amy S. Anderson, The Textual tradition of the Gospels: Family 1 in Matthew, Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2004, p. 108.
• 3. Scrivener, Frederick Henry Ambrose, A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament, 1894, London, p. 190-191
• 4. Kurt Aland, Barbara Aland, "The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism", transl. Erroll F. Rhodes, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1995, p. 129.
• 5. Bruce M. Metzger, Bart D. Ehrman, "The Text Of The New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption and Restoration", Oxford University Press, 2005, pp. 86-87.

Further reading

• Henri Omont, Catalogue des mss grecs des bibliotheques de Suisse, Leipzig 1886.
• Kirsopp Lake, Codex 1 of the Gospels and its Allies, Text and Studies VII 3, Cambridge 1902.

External links

• Minuscule 1 at the Encyclopedia of Textual Criticism