Nti - Identifying The Best Text

Front 1

1. Count the number of mss that support each possible reading, and measure each mss against a standard text that results from such a process.

Back 1

-method supported by Zane Hodges
-assumes the numerical superiority of Greek witnesses is the key to the oldest, and thus, the original
-leads to preference for the Byzantine text type

Front 2

2. Observe which reading has been preserved through the providence of God.

Back 2

-Supported by E.J. Hills
-Assumes that divine providence has protected from corruption the Protestant Bible in English (KJV) based on the earliest printed Greek text (“Textus Receptus”)
-Essentially a Byzantine text-type
-Significant number of readings is not found in the Byzantine text-type

Front 3

3. Consider major families (Western, Alexandrian, Byzantine) to e of 2nd century origin and accept reading supported by any combination of two of these when agree against third

Back 3

-Advocated by Harry Sturz
-Assumes Western, Alexandrian and Byzantine text-types are of EQUAL VALUE and either is to be given preference
-Results in dominantly Byzantine text types

Front 4

4. Choose the one supported by the oldest testimony

Back 4

-Advocated by Clark
-Assume oldest is best because it is closest in time to the autographs
-Results in preference to for the Western text-type

Front 5

5. Use the oldest Greek text to determine the correct reading

Back 5

-Westcott & Hort came close to following this in practice
-Preferred Vaticanus and Sinaiticus
-Results in a preference for the Alexandrian text-type

Front 6

6. The use of sensible criteria of internal evidence

Back 6

-Advocated by Westcott & Hort in theory
-Assumes transcriptional and intrinsic probability yields an understanding of which choice a scribe would have made and which way an author most likely wrote originally
-The resultant text, for the most part, is Alexandrian