Chapter II (2)
_Exact._ | _Slightly | _Variant._ | _Remarks._
| variant._ | |
| | |
|Apol. 1.59, Gen. | |
| 1.1-3. | |
Dial. 62, Gen. 1. | | |
26-28. | | |
|Dial. 102, Gen. | |free quotation
| 3.15. | | (Credner).
D.62, Gen. 3.22. | | |
|D.127, Gen. | |
| 7.16. | |
|D.139, Gen. 9. | |
| 24-27. | |
|D.127, Gen. 11.5. | |free quotation
| | | (Cr.)
D.102, Gen. 11.6. | | |
|D.92, Gen. 15.6. | |free quotation
| | | (Cr.)
| |Dial.10, +Gen. |
| | 17.14. |
D.127, Gen. 17.22.| | |
|D.56, +Gen. 18. | |ver. 2 repeated
| 1, 2. | | similarly.
| +Gen. 18. 13, 14. | |repeated,
| | | slightly more
| +Gen. 18. 16-23, | | divergent.
| 33. | |
| +Gen. 19. 1, 10, | |
| 16-28 (om. 26). | |marked exactness
| | | in the whole
| | | passage.
D.56, Gen. 21. | | |
9-12. | | |
D.120, Gen. 26.4. | | |
D.58, Gen. 28. | | |
10-12. | | |
|D.58, +(v.l.) Gen. | |
| 28. 13-19. | |
| +(v.l.) Gen. 31. | |
| 10-13. | |
| |D.59, Gen. 35.1. |free quotation
| | | (Cr.)
D.58, Gen. 35. | | |
6-10 (v.l.) | | |
D. 52, Gen. 49. | | |repeated
8-12. | | | similarly.
D. 59, Ex. 2. 23. | | |
D. 60, Ex. 3.2-4+.| |A.1. 62, Ex. 3. 5. |from memory
| | | (Cr.)
|D. 59, Ex. 3. 16. | |
| |A. 1.63, Ex. 3.16 |ver.16 freely
| | (ter), 17. | quoted (Cr.)
| | | [Greek: eirae-
| | | tai pou.]
|D. 126, Ex.6.2-4. | |
| |D. 49, Ex. 17.16. |free quotation
| | | (Cr.)
| |D. 94, Ex. 20.4. |ditto (Cr.)
|D. 75, Ex. 23.20, | |from Lectionary
| 21. | | (Cr.)
D.16, Lev. 26.40, | |D. 20, Ex. 32. 6. |free (Cr.)
41 (v.l.) | | |
|D. 126, Num. 11. | |
| 23. | |
| |A.1.60 (or. obl.), |free (Cr.)
| | D. 94, Num. 21. |
| | 8,9. |
|D. 106, Num. 24. | |through Targum
| 17. | | (Cr.)
| |D. 16, Deut. 10. |from memory
| | 16, 17. | (Cr.)
| |D.96, Deut. 21.23. |both precisely
| | Deut. 27.26. | as St. Paul in
| | | Galatians, and
| | | quoted thence
| | | (Cr.)
D. 126, Deut. 31. | | |
2, 3 (v.l.) | | |
D. 74, Deut. 31. | | |
16-18 (v.l.) | | |
D. 131, Deut. 32. | | |
7-9 (tr.) | | |
|D.20, Deut. 32.15. | |
D. 119, Deut. 32. | | |Targum (Cr.)
16-23. | | |
D. 130, Deut. 32. | | |
43 (v.l.) | | |
|D. 91, +Deut. 33. | |
| 13-17. | |
A.1. 40, Ps. 1 and| | |parts repeated.
2 entire. | | |
|D.97, Ps. 3. 5, 6. | |repeated, more
| | | freely.
D.114, Ps. 8.4. | | |
D.27, Ps. 14.3. | | |
D.28, Ps.18.44,45.| | |
D. 64, Ps.19.6 | | |perhaps from
(A.1.40, vv.1-5). | | | different
| | | MSS., see
| | | Credner.
D.97 ff., Ps. 22. | | |quoted as
1-23. | | | _whole_ Psalm
| | | (bis).
D.133 ff., Ps. 24 | | |
entire. | | |
|D.141, Ps. 32. 2. | |
D.38, Ps. 45.1-17.| | |parts repeated.
D.37, Ps. 47.6-9. | | |
D.22, Ps. 49 | | |
entire. | | |
| |D.34} |{from Eph. 4.8,
| |D.37} Ps. 68.8. |{ Targum.
D.34, Ps. 72 | | |
entire. | | |
D. 124, Ps. 82 | | |
entire. | | |
D.73, Ps. 96 | | |note Christian
entire. | | | interpolation
| | | in ver. 10.
D.37, Ps. 99 | | |
entire. | |D. 83, Ps. 110. |from memory
D.32, Ps. 110 | | 1-4. | (Cr.)
entire. | | |
| |D.110, Ps. 128.3. |from memory
D.85, Ps. 148. | | | (Cr.)
1, 2. | | |
A.1. 37, Is. 1. | | |
3, 4. | | |
| |A.1. 47, Is. 1.7 |sense only
| | (Jer. 2.15). | (Cr.)
| |D.140 (A.1. 53), |
| | Is. 1.9. |
| |A.1. 37, Is. 1. |from memory
| | 11-14. | (Cr.)
|A.1. 44 (61), Is. | |omissions.
| 1.16-30. | |
| |D.82, Is. 1. 23. |from memory
A.1. 39, Is. 2. | | | (Cr.)
3,4. | | |
|D.135, Is. 2. 5,6. | |Targum (Cr.)
D. 133, Is. 3. | | |
9-15 (v.l.) | | |
| |D.27, Is. 3.16. |free quotation
| | | (Cr.)
|D.133, Is. 5. 18- | |repeated.
| 25 (v.l.) | |
|D.43 (66), Is. 7. | |repeated, with
| 10-17 (v.l.) | | slight
| | | variation.
| | A.1.35, Is. 9.6. |free (Cr.)
D.87, Is. 11.1-3. | |[A.1.32, Is. 11.1; |free combination
| | Num. 24.17. | (Cr.)]
|D.123, Is. 14.1. | |
D.123, Is. 19.24, | | |
25+. | | |
|D.78, Is. 29.13,14.| |repeated (v.l),
| | | partly from
| | | memory.
D.79, Is. 30.1-5. | | |
|D.70, Is.33.13-19. | |
|D.69, Is. 35.1-7. |A.1.48, Is. 35.5,6.|free; cf. Matt.
| | | 11.5 (var.)
D.50, Is. 39. 8, | | |
40.1-17. | | |
| |D.125} Is.42.1-4. |{cf. Matt. 12.
| |D.135} |{ 17-21,
| | | Targum (Cr.)
D.65, Is. 42.6-13 | | |
(v.l.) | | |
| |D.122, Is. 42.16. |free (Cr.)
|D.123, Is. 42.19, | |
| 20. | |
D.122, Is. 43.10. | | |
| |A.1.52, Is. 45. |cf. Rom. 14.11.
| | 24 (v.l.) |
D.121, Is. 49.6 | | |
(v.l.) | | |
D.122, Is. 49.8 | | |
(v.l.) | | |
|D.102, Is. 50.4. | |
A.1.38, Is. 50. | | |Barn., Tert.,
6-8. | | | Cypr.
D.11, Is. 51.4, 5.| | |
D.17, Is. 52.5 | | |
(v.l.) | | |
D.12, Is. 5 2, | | |
10-15, 53.1-12, | | |
54.1-6. | | |
|A.1. 50, Is. 52. | |
| 13-53.12. | |
| |D.138, Is. 54.9. |very free.
D.14, Is. 55.3-13.| |[D.12, Is. 55. 3-5.|from memory
| | | (Cr.)]
D.16, Is.57.1-4. | | |repeated.
D.15, Is.58.1-11 | | |[Greek:
(v.l.) | | | himatia] for
| | |[Greek: iamata];
| | |so Barn., Tert,
| | |Cyp., Amb., Aug.
D.27, Is. 58. | | |
13, 14. | | |
|D.26, +Is. 62.10- | |[Greek:
| 10-63.6. | | susseismon] for
| | |[Greek:
| | | sussaemon].
D.25, Is. 63.15- | | |
19, 64.1-12. | | |
D.24, Is. 65. 1-3.| |[A.1.49, Is. 65. |from memory
| | 1-3. | (Cr.)]
D.136, Is. 65.8. | | |
D.135, Is. 65.9-12| | |
D.81, Is. 65.17-25| | |
| |D.22, Is. 66.1. |from memory
| | | (Cr.)
D.85, Is. 66.5-11.| | |
| |D.44, Is. 66. 24 |from memory
| | (ter). | (Cr.)
| |D.114, Jer. 2.13; |as from
| | Is. 16.1; | Jeremiah,
| | Jer. 3.8. | traditional
| | | combination;
| | | cf. Barn. 2.
|D.28, Jer. 4.3, 4 | |
| (v.l.) | |
| |D.23, Jer. 7.21,22.|free quotation
| | | (Cr.)
|D. 28, Jer. 9.25,26|[A.1.53, Jer. 9.26.|quoted freely
| | | as from
| | | Isaiah.]
|D.72, Jer. 11.19. | |omissions.
| |D. 78, Jer. 31.15 |so Matt. 2.18
| | (38.15, LXX). | through
| | | Targum (Cr.)
| |D.123, Jer. 31.27 |free quotation
| | (38. 27). | (Cr.)
|D.11, Jer. 31.31, | |
|32 (38.31, 32). | |
| |D.72. |a passage quoted
| | | as from
| | | Jeremiah,
| | | which is not
| | | recognisable
| | | in our present
| | | texts.
| |D. 82, Ezek. 3. |free quotation
| | 17-19. | (Cr.)
| |D.45} Ezek. 14. |} repeated
| | 44} 20; cf. 14, |} similarly and
| | 140} 16, 18. |} equally
| | |} divergent from
| | |} LXX.
D.77, Ezek. 16. 3.| | |
D.21, Ezek. 20. | | |
19-26. | | |
D.123, Ezek. 36. | | |
12. | | |
| |A.1.52, Ezek. |very free (Cr.)
| | 37. 7. |
[Footnote: Justin has in Dial. 31 (also in Apol. 1. 51, ver. 13, from memory) a long quotation from Daniel, Dan. 7. 9-28; his text can only be compared with a single MS. of the LXX, Codex Chisianus; from this it differs considerably, but many of the differences reappear in the version of Theodotion; 7. 10, 13 are also similarly quoted in Rev., Mark, Clem. Rom.]
_Exact._ | _Slightly | _Variant._ | _Remarks._
| variant._ | |
| |D.19, Hos. 1.9. |
| |D.102, Hos.10.6. |referred to
| | | trial before
| | | Herod (Cr.)
| |D.87, Joel 2.28. |from memory
| | | (Cr.)
|D. 22, +Amos | |
|5.18-6. 7 (v.l.) | |
|D. 107, Jonah 4. | |
| 10-11 (v.l. Heb.)| |
|D. 109, Micah 4. | |divergent from
| 1-7 (Heb.?) | | LXX.
| |A.1.34} Micah 5.2. |{precisely as
| |D.78 } |{ Matt. 2.6.
| | |
| |A.1.52, Zech. 2.6. |{free quotations
| |D. 137, Zech. 2. 8.|{ (Cr.)
|D. 115, Zach. 2. |[D. 79, Zech. 3. |freely (Cr.)]
| 10-3. 2 (Heb.?) | 1, 2. |
D.106, Zach. 6.12.| | |
| |A.1.52, Zech. 12. |repeated di-
| | 11,12,10. | versely [note
| | | reading of
| | | Christian ori-
| | | gin (Cr.) in
| | | ver. 10:
| | | so John 19.37;
| | | cp. Rev. 1.7].
| |D.43, Zech. 13. 7. |diversely in
| | | Matt. 26.31,
| | | proof that
| | | Justin is
| | | not dependent
| | | on Matthew
| | | (Cr.)
|D.28, 41, Mal. 1. |D. 117, Mal. 1. |
| 10-12 (v.l.) | 10-12. |
|D.62, +Joshua 5. | |omissions.
| 13-15; 6.1, 2 | |
| (v.l.) | |
| |D.118, 2 Sam. 7. |from memory
| | 14-16. | (Cr.)
| |D.39, 1 Kings 19. |freely (Cr.);
| | 14, 15, 18. | cf. Rom. 11.3.
A.1.55, Lam. 4. | | |
20 (v.l.) | | |
| |D.79, Job 1.6. |sense only
| | | (Cr.)
|D.61, +Prov. 8. | |coincidence
| 21-36. | | with Ire-
| | | naeus.
[Footnote: D. 72 a passage ostensibly from Ezra, but probably an apocryphal addition, perhaps from Preaching of Peter; same quotation in Lactantius.]
It is impossible not to be struck with the amount of matter that Justin has transferred to his pages bodily. He has quoted nine Psalms entire, and a tenth with the statement (twice repeated) that it is given entire, though really he has only quoted twenty- three verses. The later chapters of Isaiah are also given with extraordinary fulness. These longer passages are generally quoted accurately. If Justin's text differs from the received text of the LXX, it is frequently found that he has some extant authority for his reading. The way in which Credner has drawn out these varieties of reading, and the results which he obtained as to the relations and comparative value of the different MSS., form perhaps the most interesting feature of his work. The more marked divergences in Justin may be referred to two causes; (1) quotation from memory, in which he indulges freely, especially in the shorter passages, and more in the Apology than in the Dialogue with Tryphon; (2) in Messianic passages the use of a Targum, not immediately by Justin himself but in some previous document from which he quotes, in order to introduce a more distinctly Christian interpretation; the coincidences between Justin and other Christian writers show that the text of the LXX had been thus modified in a Christian sense, generally through a closer comparison with and nearer return to the Hebrew, before his time. The instances of free quotation are not perhaps quite fully given in the above list, but it will be seen that though they form a marked phenomenon, still more marked is the amount of exactness. Any long, not Messianic, passage, it appears to be the rule with Justin to quote exactly. Among the passages quoted freely there seem to be none of greater length than four verses.
The exactness is especially remarkable in the plain historical narratives of the Pentateuch and the Psalms, though it is also evident that Justin had the MS. before him, and referred to it frequently throughout the quotations from the latter part of Isaiah. Through following the arrangement of Credner we have failed to notice the cases of combination; these however are collected by Dr. Westcott (On the Canon, p. 156). The most remarkable instance is in Apol. i. 52, where six different passages from three separate writers are interwoven together and assigned bodily to Zechariah. There are several more examples of mistaken ascription.
* * * * *
The great advantage of collecting the quotations from the Old Testament is that we are enabled to do so in regard to the very same writers among whom our enquiry is to lie. We can thus form a general idea of their idiosyncracies, and we know what to expect when we come to examine a different class of quotations. There is, however, the element of uncertainty of which I have spoken above. We cannot be quite clear what text the writer had before him. This difficulty also exists, though to a less degree, when we come to consider quotations from the New Testament in writers of an early date whom we know to have used our present Gospels as canonical. The text of these Gospels is so comparatively fixed, and we have such abundant materials for its reconstruction, that we can generally say at once whether the writer is quoting from it freely or not. We have thus a certain gain, though at the cost of the drawback that we can no longer draw an inference as to the practice of individuals, but merely attain to a general conclusion as to the habits of mind current in the age. This too will be subject to a deduction for the individual bent and peculiarities of the writer. We must therefore, on the whole, attach less importance to the examples under this section than under that preceding.
I chose two writers to be the subject of this examination almost, I may say, at random, and chiefly because I had more convenient access to their works at the time. The first of these is Irenaeus, that is to say the portions still extant in the Greek of his Treatise against Heresies, [Endnote 49:1] and the second Epiphanius.
Irenaeus is described by Dr. Tregelles 'as a close and careful quoter in general from the New Testament' [Endnote 49:2]. He may therefore be taken to represent a comparatively high standard of accuracy. In the following table the quotations which are merely allusive are included in brackets:--
_Exact._ | _Slightly | _Variant._ | _Remarks._
| variant._ | |
I. Praef. Matt. 10.26.| | |
I.3.2,Matt. 5.18. | | |quoted from
| | | Gnostics
I.3, 3, Mark 5.31. | | |Gnostics.
| |I.3.5, Luke 14.27. |Valentinians.
|I.3.5, Mark 10. | |the same.
I.3.5, Matt. 10.34. | 21 (v.l.) | |the same.
I.3.5, Luke 3.17. | | |the same.
I.4.3, Matt. 10.8. | | |
[I.6.1, Matt. 5. | | |
13, 14, al.] | |I.7.4, Matt. 8.9.} |}the same.
| | Luke 7.8. } |}
| |I.8.2, Matt. 27.46.|Valentinians.
I.8.2. Matt. 26.38. | | |the same.
|I.8.2, Matt. | |the same.
| 26.39. | |
| |I.8.2, John 12.27. |the same.
| |I.8.3, Luke |the same.
| | 9.57,58. |
| |I.8.3, Luke |the same.
| | 9.61,62. |
|I.8.3, Luke | |the same.
| 9.60. | |
|I.8.3, Luke 19.5.| |the same.
| |I.8.4, Luke 15,4. |the same.
|[I.8.4, Luke | |the same.
| 15.8, al.]| |
|I.8.4, Luke 2.28.| |the same.
[I.8.4., Luke | | |the same.
6.36, al.] | | |
I.8.4, Luke 7.35 | | |the same.
(v.l.) | | |
I.8.5, John 1.1,2. | | |the same.
I.8.5, John 1.3 | | |the same.
(v.l.) | | |
I.8.5, John 1.4. | | |the same.
(v.l.) | | |
| |I.8.5, John 1.5. |the same.
I.8.5, John 1.14. | |I.8.5, John 1.14. |[the same
| | | verse rep-
| | | eated dif-
| | | ferently.]
| |[I.14.1. Matt. |Marcus.
| | 18.10,al.] |
|[I.16.1, Luke | |Marcosians.
| 15.8,al.]| |
| |[I.16.3, Matt. |the same.
| | 12,43,al.] |
|I.20.2, Luke | |the same.
| 2.49. | |
| |I.20.2, Mark 10.18.|['memoriter'-
| | | Stieren; but
| | | comp. Clem.
| | | Hom. and
| | | and Justin.]
|I.20.2, Matt. | |Marcosians.
| 21.23.| |
| |I.20.2, Luke 19.42.|the same.
I.20.2, Matt. | | |the same.
11.28 (? om.).| | |
| |I.20.3, Luke 10.21.|the same;
| | (Matt. 11.25 | [v.l., comp.
| | 25.) | Marcion,
| | | Clem. Hom.,
| | | Justin, &c.]
| |I.21.2, Luke 12.50.|Marcosians.
|I.21.2, Mark | |Marcosians.
| 10.36. | |
III.11.8, John | | |
1.1-3 (?). | | |
III.11.8, Matt. | | |
1.1,18 (v.l.)| | |
|III.11.8, Mark | |omissions.
| 1.1,2. | |
III.22.2, John 4.6. | | |
III.22.2, Matt. 26.38.| | |
|IV.26.1, } Matt. | |
|IV.40.3, } 13.38.| |
|IV.40.3, Matt. | |
| 13.25. | |
V.17.4, Matt. 3.10. | | |
| |V.36.2, John 14.2 |
| | (or obl.) |
| |Fragm. 14, Matt. |
| | 15.17. |
On the whole these quotations of Irenaeus seem fairly to deserve the praise given to them by Dr. Tregelles. Most of the free quotations, it will be seen, belong not so much to Irenaeus himself, as to the writers he is criticising. In some places (e.g. iv. 6. 1, which is found in the Latin only) he expressly notes a difference of text. In this very place, however, he shows that he is quoting from memory, as he speaks of a parallel passage in St. Mark which does not exist. Elsewhere there can be little doubt that either he or the writer before him quoted loosely from memory. Thus Luke xii. 50 is given as [Greek: allo baptisma echo baptisthaenai kai panu epeigomai eis auto] for [Greek: baptisma de echo baptisthaenai kai pos sunechomai heos hotou telesthae]. The quotation from Matt. viii. 9 is represented as [Greek: kai gar ego hupo taen emautou exousian echo stratiotas kai doulous kai ho ean prostaxo poiousi], which is evidently free; those from Matt. xviii. 10, xxvii. 46, Luke ix. 57, 58, 61, 62, xiv. 27, xix. 42, John i. 5, 14 (where however there appears to be some confusion in the text of Irenaeus), xiv. 2, also seem to be best explained as made from memory.
The list given below, of quotations from the Gospels in the Panarium or 'Treatise against Heresies' of Epiphanius [Endnote 52:1], is not intended to be exhaustive. It has been made from the shorter index of Petavius, and being confined to the 'praecipui loci' consists chiefly of passages of substantial length and entirely (I believe) of express quotations. It has been again necessary to distinguish between the quotations made directly by Epiphanius himself and those made by the heretical writers whose works he is reviewing.
_Exact._ | _Slightly | _Variant._ | _Remarks._
| Variant._ | |
426A, Matt. 1.1; | | |
Matt. 1.18, | | |
(v.l.) | | |
|426BC, Matt. | |abridged, diver-
| 1.18-25+.| | gent in middle.
| |430B, Matt. 2.13. |Porphyry & Celsus.
| |44C, Matt. 5.34,37|
|59C, Matt. | |
| 5.17,18.| |
180B, Matt. 5.18+.| | |Valentinians.
| |226A, Matt. 5.45. |
|72A, Matt. 7.6. | |Basilidians.
404C, Matt. 7.15. | | |
| |67C. Matt. 8.11. |
| |650B. Matt. |
| | 8.28-34 (par.)|
|303A, Matt. | |Marcion.
| 9.17,16.| |
|71B, Matt. 10.33.| |Basilidians.
|274B, Matt. | |
| 10.16.| |
88A, Matt. 11.7. |143B, Matt. | |Gnostics.
| 11.18.| |
|254B, Matt. | |Marcosians.
| 11.28.| |
| |139AB, Matt. |Ebionites.
| | 12.48 sqq. (v.l.)|
174C, Matt. 10.26.| | |
| |464B, Matt. |Theodotus.
| | 12.31,32.|
|33A, Matt. 23.5. | |
| |218D, Matt. 15.4-6|Ptolemaeus.
| | (or. obl.)|
| |490C, Matt. 15.20.|
| | Mark 7.21,22.|
| |490A, Matt. 18.8. |}compression
| | Mark 9.43. |}
| |679BC, Matt. |Manes.
| | 13.24-30,37-39.|
| |152B, Matt. 5.27. |
|59CD, Matt. | |
| 19.10-12.| |
|59D, Matt. 19.6. | |
| |81A, Matt. 19.12. |
| |97D, Matt. 22.30. |
| |36BC, Matt. 23. |remarkable compo-
| | 23,25; 23.18-20.| sition, probably
| | | from memory.
| | (5.35); Mark |
| | 7.11-13; Matt. |
| | 23.15. |
| |226A, Matt. 23.29;|composition.
| | Luke 11.47.|
| |281A, Matt. 23.35.|
| |508C, Matt. 25.34.|
| |146AB, Matt. 26. |narrative.
| | 17,18; Mark 14. |
| | 12-14; Luke 22. |
| | 9-11. |
| |279D, Matt. 26.24.|
| |390B, Matt. 21.33,|
| | par. |
|50A, Matt. 28.19.| |
|427B, Mark 1.1,2.| |
| (v.1.)| |
|428C, Mark 1.4. | |
| |457D, Mark 3.29; |singular
| | Matt. 12.31; |composition.
| | Luke 12.10. |
|400D, Matt. 19.6;| |
| Mark 10.9. | |
| |650C, Matt. 8. |narrative.
| | 28-34; Mark 5. |
| | 1-20; Luke 8. |
| | 26-39. |
[These last five quotations have already been given under Irenaeus, whom Epiphanius is transcribing.]
|464D, Luke 12.9; | |composition.
| Matt. 10.33.| |
|181B, Luke 14.27.| |Valentians.
|401A, Luke 21.34.| |
|143C, Luke 24.42.| |
| (v. 1.)| |
|349C, Luke 24. | |Marcion.
| 38,39| |
384B, John 1.1-3. | | |
148A, John 1.23. | | |
|148B, John | |
| 2.16,17.| |
|89C, John 3.12. | |Gnostics.
|274A, John 3.14 | |
59C, John 5.46. | | |
| |162B, John 5.8. |
66C, John 5.17. | | |
|919A, John 5.18. | |
| |117D, John 6.15. |
|89D, John 6.53. | |the same.
|279D, John 6.70. | |
| |279B, John 8.44. |
|463D, John 8.40. | |Theodotus.
| |148B, John 12.41. |
| |153A, John 12.22. |
|75C, John 14.6. | |
919C, John 14.10. | | |
921D, John 17.3. | | |
| |279D, John |
| | 17.11,12.|
|119D, John 18.36.| |
It is impossible here not to notice the very large amount of freedom in the quotations. The exact quotations number only fifteen, the slightly variant thirty-seven, and the markedly variant forty. By far the larger portion of this last class and several instances in the second it seems most reasonable to refer to the habit of quoting from memory. This is strikingly illustrated by the passage 117 D, Where the retreat of Jesus and His disciples to Ephraim is treated as a consequence of the attempt 'to make Him king' (John vi. 15), though in reality it did not take place till after the raising of Lazarus and just before the Last Passover (see John xi. 54). A very remarkable case of combination is found in 36 BC, where a single quotation is made up of a cento of no less than six separate passages taken from all three Synoptic Gospels and in the most broken order. Fusions so complete as this are usually the result of unconscious acts of the mind, i.e. of memory. A curious instance of the way in which the Synoptic parallels are blended together in a compound which differs from each and all of them is presented in 437 D ([Greek: to blasphaemounti eis to pneuma to hagion ouk aphethaesetai auto oute en to nun aioni oute en to mellonti]). Another example of Epiphanius' manner in skipping backwards and forwards from one Synoptic to another may be seen in 218 D, which is made up of Matt. xv. 4-9 and Mark vii. 6-13. A strange mistake is made in 428 D, where [Greek: paraekolouthaekoti] is taken with [Greek: tois autoptais kai hupaeretais tou logou]. Many kinds of variation find examples in these quotations of Epiphanius, to some of which we may have occasion to allude more particularly later on.
It should be remembered that these are not by any means selected examples. Neither Irenaeus nor Epiphanius are notorious for free quotation--Irenaeus indeed is rather the reverse. Probably a much more plentiful harvest of variations would have been obtained e.g. from Clement of Alexandria, from whose writings numerous instances of quotation following the sense only, of false ascription, of the blending of passages, of quotations from memory, are given in the treatise of Bp. Kaye [Endnote 56:1]. Dr. Westcott has recently collected [Endnote 56:2] the quotations from Chrysostom _On the Priesthood,_ with the result that about one half present variations from the Apostolic texts, and some of these variations, which he gives at length, are certainly very much to the point.
I fear we shall have seemed to delay too long upon this first preliminary stage of the enquiry, but it is highly desirable that we should start with a good broad inductive basis to go upon. We have now an instrument in our hands by which to test the alleged quotations in the early writers; and, rough and approximate as that instrument must still be admitted to be, it is at least much better than none at all.
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The Gospels in the Second CenturyChapter II (2)
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