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Eshbaugh - Textual Variants Galatians Theology P46
Eshbaugh - Textual Variants Galatians Theology P46
p.186.
90.
the
Ibid.
fact,
a
p.201.
91.
Ibid.
92.
Usually
Introduction
93.
In
same
for
reasons
similar to those
Wilke, op.cit.
Kümmel,
p.443.
Howard
given by
pp.58-60.
Eshbaugh
Burgettstown, Pennsylvania
15021
Several recent studies have shown the theological significance of textual variants.
By a comparison of the Galatian
text of P46 (the earliest extant witness of the Pauline
corpus) with other witnesses, several variants (3:19, 17;
4:6,7; 1:6; 2:20) have been found to be theologically significant.
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61
15:51/4/.
A monongraph by Eldon J. Epp further explores the relationship of textual criticism and exegesis by examining a larger block
of scripture, the book of Acts, noting the differences between the
Western and Neutral texts. Epp finds that the Western text has an
anti-Judaic tendency that is shown by a threefold thrust: (1) In
are
assigned
are more
hostile to
death; (2) the Western text minimizes the response of the Jews and
the importance of Judaism to the new faith; and (3) the Western
text portrays the Jews, and especially their leaders, as more hostile towards the apostles and as persecuting them more vigorously
/5/.
Another contribution to the study of the theological importance of textual variants is a doctoral dissertation by M.R. Pelt,
In this work, 175
written under the supervision of K.W. Clark.
New Testament passages have been selected &dquo;in which an important
difference of theological interpretation rests upon the choice
between two or more variant readinqs/6/. The variants have been
discussed under the headings: God, Jesus Christ, and the Life of
the Christian Community.
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62
63
find this text to be obscure, and that this obscurity has produced
the textual chanqes/15/.
In the UBS reading of 3:19 the use of the verb form &dquo;it was
added&dquo; has been interpreted as showing that the law &dquo;is a mere addition to the main stream of Gods purpose/16/. The lack of a verb
in P46 and the verb of the Western uncials, &dquo;was established,&dquo;
makes interpretation of the law as an insignificant, parenthetical
afterthought less likely, if not impossible. Deletion of the verb
&dquo;was added&dquo; also makes this passage more in harmony with 3:15 that
states &dquo;no one annuls even a mans will, or adds to it/17/.
The UBS
in two ways:
phrase
(1)
While it is possible to interpret the UBS text as a disparagelaw, it is impossible to do so with the text of P46 and its
supporting manuscripts. The law in P46 is either to contain and
check evil deeds or to produce good deeds. This latter interpretation is supported by the Greek text of Claromontanus. This positive interpretation of the law is also found elsewhere in the Pauline corpus:
&dquo;The law is good&dquo; (Rom. 7:12, 16b); and the law is one
of the privileged possessions given to Israel by God (Rom.9:5).
ment of
Gal. 3:17
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64
(3:15)
God has
In Gal. 4:1-6 Paul explains the benefits of sonship.
bestowed a twofold gift upon his people: the sending of his son,
and the sending of the Spirit. The consensus text, by use of a
genitive phrase, clearly indicates that this &dquo;Spirit&dquo; is the
&dquo;Spirit&dquo; of his Son.&dquo; This passage from the UBS text along with
John 15:26 are the classical proof texts for the doctrine that the
Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son (filioque)/24/. This
doctrine has been a continuing focal point for theological controversy throughout the history of the church/25/.
II
In contrast the text of P46 states merely that God has sent
his Spirit.
If P46 is a secondary text, its deletion may imply
that this was done to show that the Spirit proceeds only from the
Father. However, if it is original, it may imply: (1) The Spirit
does not come from the Son; or (2) the origin of the Spirit has not
yet been considered a theological problem.
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65
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66
Christs
Christologically barren.
Chri~t.&dquo;
phrahe.
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67
sible
Gal. 2:20
Both readings are unique. While Paul many times speaks about
&dquo;faith in Christ&dquo; and its cognates, he never elsewhere uses the
II
The P46 reading &dquo;faith in God
phrase &dquo;faith in the Son of God.&dquo;
and Christ&dquo; is the sole occurrence of a double object of faith.
statement that &dquo;Paul1 nowhere else expressly
the object of a Christians faith&dquo;/29/ is true,
there is the possibility that the reading of P46 is a subjective
genitive and should be translated &dquo;I live by the faith (fulness)
of God and Christ/30/.
While
Metzgers
speaks of God
as
ChristoGod&dquo; shows
which makes
theological significance
they
or
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68
While this
are compared are the original readings/31/.
quest is beyond the scope of this investigation, some perspective
on the theological significance may be gained by viewing the Christoloqical variants in P46, as a whole, first as secondary and then
which they
as
original readings.
Christology.
On the other hand if P46 is the original text, the other text
has embellished these readings and established a broader, higher
Christology. In 4:6 the scribe-theologian has added the phrase
&dquo;of his Son.&dquo; 4:7 shows the agency of Christ. In 1:6 it is the
grace &dquo;of Christ.&dquo; 2:20 has the Son alone as the object of faith
In 3:17 Christ is not only pre-existhat enables Paul to live.
tent but works in history before the incarnation. Thus, if P46 is
original, this later text has added material in order to present
II
higher Christology/34/.
Where does P46 fit into church history? Some scholars have
The Nestle text (25th ed.) cona relationship with Marcion.
jectures that Marcion utilized the reading of P46 that omits the
phrase &dquo;of his Son&dquo; in 4:6. Harnack, as cited by Blackman,&dquo;probably&dquo;lists 1:6 as found in P46 as a Marcionite tendentious emendation/35/. However, no explanation is given for this omission.
On the other hand, Schlier and others have noted that 3:19 of P46
is probably a reaction to the theology of Marcion/36/.
noted
CONCLUSION
This paper is the beginning of a complete study of the signiGalatians was chosen at random
ficance of textual variants in P46.
as a starting point, and some theologically significant readings
have been found. Whether other letters will be as fruitful remains
to be discovered.
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69
In such
precise methodology
must be
NOTES
/1/ Note the frequency of "accidentally" in B.M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (New York, 1971,passim.
/2/ H.C. Kee, F.W. Young, and K. Froelich, Understanding the New
Testament (Englewood Cliffs, 1963), "Introduction (n.p.). Others
one (variant) affecting the subVaganay, An Introduction to the
Textual Criticism of the New Testament, cited by K.W. Clark,
1953),
pp. 69-80.
(Cambridge, 1966),
p.
165.
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70
p. 252.
/13/ The Greek New Testament of the United Bible Societies, ed. K.
Aland, M. Black, B.M. Metzger, and A. Wikgren (Stuttgart, 1969)
will be used for comparison with P46. When P46 agrees with the
consensus text of the UBS, other manuscripts will be used for comparison. Such a methodology will be employed in this preliminary
If a complete study of the theological textual variants
paper.
is carried out, a more reasoned methodology, probably utilizing
text types, will be used.
(London, 1896),
to the Galatians
p. 144.
argument.
This
interpretation
(2)
ϵις
of the covenant.
χριστ&ogr;ν could
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71
preposition ϵι&sfgr; can have the same meaning as the preposition ϵν. Hence, it is possible that the phrase ϵι&sfgr; χριστ&ogr;ν
shows Christ as a personal agent. This interpretation is shared
by the Latin witnesses of the western text, for the Latin preposition in also can show agency. This alternative is taken as more
probable because of the united testimony of the Greek and Latin
witnesses.
the
/24/
n.q.
/25/
37, n.2.
well as many commentators make this phrase an objective genitive. Some as H. Ljungman, Pistis: A Study of Its
Presuppositions and Its Meaning in Pauline Use (Lund, 1964), p. 38;
and M. Barth, "Galatians" (unpublished, Pittsburgh), p. 421 take
this to be a subjective genitive and translate the phrase as "by
the faithfulness of the Son of God." The possibility that the text
of P46 is a subjective genitive will be discussed below.
as
1971),
on
(New York,
p. 593
/30/ See Rom. 3:3 for this usage (the faithfulness of God).
/31/ In 3:17 the UBS text is the same as P46 and other mss.
used for
are
comparison.
/32/ P46 may have done this to keep from confusing the persons of
the Trinity.
E.g., The Shepherd of Hermas, Sim. 5,5,2 and 9,9,1
equates the Spirit and the Son.
/33/ The dual function was suggested by K.W. Clark.
/34/ Further research must be carried out in order to see if this
pattern exists elsewhere in the Pauline corpus. If it does not
exist in the corpus as a whole, it may be indicative that each
letter has had its own textual history.
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