MANUSCRIPTS OF THE GREEK BIBLE: An Introduction to Palaeography
Oxford University Press, September 1981. Hardcover with Dust Jacket. 150 pp. 4to, Khaki cloth. Just a few flecks of foxing to the top edge, very clean and sharp otherwise with clean pages and tight binding; DJ with a few knicks and a short tear to the front head, front flap creased, now wrapped in mylar. 'Until the invention of printing with movable type in the fifteenth century, the text of the Bible, like the text of every ancient document, could be transmitted only by the laborious method of copying by hand. The study of the processes involved in the making and writing of manuscripts is thus of the utmost importance to the student of the Bible. In Manuscripts of the Greek Bible, Professor Metzger provides an authoritative and absorbing account of the palaeography of Greek manuscripts of both the Old and New Testaments. Part One surveys the fundamentals of Greek palaeography: the Greek alphabet and its pronunciation; the materials and techniques used in the making of ancient books; such elements of manuscript transcription as handwriting styles, abbreviations, and punctuation; and the distinctive features of biblical manuscripts, such as chapter divisions and head-ings, musical neumes, lectionaries, glosses, and commentaries. Appendices teach the student how to estimate the date of a Greek manuscript, how to collate a manuscript, and provide statistics relating to manuscripts of the New Testament. Part Two, the heart of the book, is a collection of forty-five facsimile pages from thirteen manuscripts of the Old Testament and thirty-two manuscripts of the New Testament. Most are reproduced in actual size. Each facsimile is accompanied by an analysis and bibliography on the facing page. No other volume contains such a wide variety of information and illustration. Manuscripts of the Greek Bible will be essential reading for beginners in the field, while scholars will appreciate the full references and ample bibliography.' (From the DJ). NEAR FINE / Very Good. Item #515108
ISBN: 0195029240
Price: $75.00