This companion to the Greek New Testament discusses textual variations based on the critical apparatus. It contains a thorough explanation of each textual decision that appears in UBS4.
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As one of the world's best-known scholars on the text of the New Testament, Bruce M. Metzger has taught for many years at Princeton Theological Seminary.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
86 of 88 people found the following review helpful
Format:Imitation Leather
This volume provides an insightful commentary on the Greek text of the United Bible Societies' 4th edition Greek New Testament. In producing a copy of the Greek New Testament many variant readings have to be analyzed and decided upon. Metzger has provided in this commentary an answer as to why one reading was chosen over another. In doing so he seeks to highlight the problem(s) involved with each set of alternative readings and also provides an explanation of the Bible Committee's evaluation and resolution of those problems.
A helpful introduction is provided wherein the history and basic rules of textual criticism are canvassed in order to show how the committee made their decisions. Metzger provides a brief introduction to the art and science of textual criticism. He provides an "outline of criteria" which was used by the committee. External evidence evaluates such things as the date of the textual witnesses, the geographical distribution of the manuscripts, the relationship of text families, and the understanding that witnesses should be weighed not counted. Under the internal evidence he highlights that the more difficult and shorter reading is to be preferred and that there needs to be a consideration of the context of each author and what they probably would have written.
The commentary itself follows a verse-by-verse canonical approach and provides a comment on the many textual variants found in the UBS4. About 30% (225 pages) of the commentary is on the book of Acts given the difficulty of the two differing text types in early circulation (Western and Alexandrian). Helpful discussion is also provided on such controversial passages as the ending of Mark's Gospel and 1 John 5:7.
The art and science of textual criticism is an important task for both scholars and preachers in seeking to establish the text of the New Testament. This tool will help aid that task immensely. However it should not be used as a substitute for doing the hard work first. This tool should be used as a check in confirming one's own work. Nevertheless this tool provides the "voice" of many scholars in how they decided one text over another - a gift for the student of the Greek New Testament.
45 of 46 people found the following review helpful
Format:Imitation Leather
This textual commentary is designed to be used in conjunction with the United Bible Societies' (UBS) Greek New Testament 4th ed. and its greatest utility will be found within that scope of use. Nevertheless, there are uses for others, even non-greek readers; however, the utility will obviously be less as this book was not written with you in mind. The pupose of this commentary is best given through a quote from the book's introduction:
"Most commentaries on the Bible seek to explain the meaning of words, phrases, and ideas of the scriptural text in their nearer and wider context; a textual commentary, however, is concerned with the prior question, What is the original text of the passage? That such a question must be asked - and answered! - before one explains the meaning of the text arises from two circumstances: (a) none of the original documents of the Bible is extant today, and (b) the existing copies differ from one another."
The commentary is basically a verse-by-verse list of the all of the verse's identified by UBS as having variant readings in the Greek texts from which the 4th ed was compiled. Without such a tool we are left to look at the readings which were chosen, perhaps the variants which were provided, and guess why UBS made the decision that was made. Looking at variant readings in both English and Greek texts one has very little indication of what sort of weight which variant carries. So, the commentary is basically a verse-by-verse, variant-by-variant list of variant readings along with the determination made by UBS along with the the following categories regarding the certainty of the reading which has been chosen:
A: The text is certain
B: The text is almost certain
C: The committee had difficulty in deciding which variant reading to place in the text
Each decision is accompanied by a paragraph-form (often many paragraphs) explanation of why the committee's determination was made in the way it was making great use of major texts and transmission lines.
This commentary has proven very useful to me. In my opinion the introduction alone, explaining textual transmission and the issues at hand, is worth the purchase price alone, but once you purchase this commentary and realize its usefulness, it will likely become an oft-referred to member of your library.
The only thing keeping me from offering 5 stars to the book is that the only book with a thorough textual transmission introduction is Acts. This is extremely helpful and deals with issues which are only superficially, ignorantly, or inadequately dealt with in other commentaries. I am very greatful for the work of Metzger and UBS for writing it. However, I think that if an intro were available for the rest of the books, the commentary would be very well rounded. Nevertheless, the Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament accomplishes its stated purposes very well and has proven extremely useful to me.
-Jacob Hantla
"Most commentaries on the Bible seek to explain the meaning of words, phrases, and ideas of the scriptural text in their nearer and wider context; a textual commentary, however, is concerned with the prior question, What is the original text of the passage? That such a question must be asked - and answered! - before one explains the meaning of the text arises from two circumstances: (a) none of the original documents of the Bible is extant today, and (b) the existing copies differ from one another."
The commentary is basically a verse-by-verse list of the all of the verse's identified by UBS as having variant readings in the Greek texts from which the 4th ed was compiled. Without such a tool we are left to look at the readings which were chosen, perhaps the variants which were provided, and guess why UBS made the decision that was made. Looking at variant readings in both English and Greek texts one has very little indication of what sort of weight which variant carries. So, the commentary is basically a verse-by-verse, variant-by-variant list of variant readings along with the determination made by UBS along with the the following categories regarding the certainty of the reading which has been chosen:
A: The text is certain
B: The text is almost certain
C: The committee had difficulty in deciding which variant reading to place in the text
Each decision is accompanied by a paragraph-form (often many paragraphs) explanation of why the committee's determination was made in the way it was making great use of major texts and transmission lines.
This commentary has proven very useful to me. In my opinion the introduction alone, explaining textual transmission and the issues at hand, is worth the purchase price alone, but once you purchase this commentary and realize its usefulness, it will likely become an oft-referred to member of your library.
The only thing keeping me from offering 5 stars to the book is that the only book with a thorough textual transmission introduction is Acts. This is extremely helpful and deals with issues which are only superficially, ignorantly, or inadequately dealt with in other commentaries. I am very greatful for the work of Metzger and UBS for writing it. However, I think that if an intro were available for the rest of the books, the commentary would be very well rounded. Nevertheless, the Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament accomplishes its stated purposes very well and has proven extremely useful to me.
-Jacob Hantla
52 of 57 people found the following review helpful
Format:Imitation Leather
If you find learning all of the details associated with manuscripts and text transmission difficult and too time-consuming to master, this work will give you a quick overview of arguments pro and con on the major variant readings of the New Testament. It is a very helpful quick resource. You may not use it everyday, but it will be a great helper when you need it.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Best text critical book ever written
This book has been an enormous help to me in trying understand the text of the new testament.bruce metzger was the greatest textual critic of the 20th century,He will be greatly... Read more
Published 17 days ago by andy f
Hubby loved his Christmas present!!
My husband was VERY pleased to receive Metzger's book for Christmas. It is just the right size to pack into his laptop case, for on-the-go studying. Great reference book!!!
Published 16 months ago by Kristie G. Blasi
A classic of textual commentary
I'd been wanting this book for quite some time; when it comes to familiarity with the text of the New Testament, you can't beat Metzger. This book does not disappoint. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Cory Howell
It's all Greek to me
I really love reading this. Checking passages from my devos to see if there is any kind of issue with the translation. Read more
Published on May 10, 2010 by J. Storm
For our Spanish Speaking Friends
Hay edición en español publicada por las Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas, titulada «Un comentario textual al Nuevo Testamento griego». ISBN 978-3-438-06014-3. Read more
Published on December 4, 2009 by Buen Lector
The First Step in Biblical Interpretation
This text is clear and concise. Metzger has been the preeminent voice in New Testament textual criticism for decades, yet gives a balanced view of the evidence for each variant. Read more
Published on April 14, 2008 by Adam J. Wehrley
What a deception!
I bought this book from Amazon with great expectations. However, considering that: 1. It is a second "revised" edition. 2. Read more
Published on March 28, 2008 by Marcos A. A. Santos
Textual criticism
A very readable commentary on the variant readings of the New Testament, written by a famous scholar.
Published on July 20, 2007 by A. Vermeulen
Essential
The Reviews by Turner, Bohiken, Tucker, Glaaser, and Bielby are excellent and explain in some detail why this book is essential If you are a student or user of the New... Read more
Published on May 18, 2007 by Harold Molitor
Review of Texual Commentary
The book was in excellent shape. It was also delivered in a timely fashion.
Published on May 14, 2007 by C. Hagen
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Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs):
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Textus Receptus, New Testament, Old Latin, Byz Lect, Old Testament, Harclean Syriac, New York, Journal of Theological Studies, Latin Vulgate, Old Syriac, Fourth Gospel, Rendel Harris, Sinaitic Syriac, Lord's Prayer, Select Readings, Eberhard Nestle, Expository Times, Journal of Biblical Literature, Apostolic Decree, Der Codex, Lord Jesus Christ, Bvz Lect, Curetonian Syriac, Synoptic Gospels, The Text of the Epistles New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Textus Receptus, New Testament, Old Latin, Byz Lect, Old Testament, Harclean Syriac, New York, Journal of Theological Studies, Latin Vulgate, Old Syriac, Fourth Gospel, Rendel Harris, Sinaitic Syriac, Lord's Prayer, Select Readings, Eberhard Nestle, Expository Times, Journal of Biblical Literature, Apostolic Decree, Der Codex, Lord Jesus Christ, Bvz Lect, Curetonian Syriac, Synoptic Gospels, The Text of the Epistles New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
100
books
cite this book:
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- Apostelgeschichte Als Kirchengeschichte: Text, Texttradition Und Antike Auslegungen (Beihefte Zur Zeitschrift Fur Die Neutestamentliche Wissenschaft Und Die Kunde Der Alteren Kirche) by Tobias Nicklas on 13 pages
- The Text of the Apostolos in Epiphanius of Salamis (The New Testament in the Greek Fathers) by Carroll D. Osburn on 4 pages
- Choosing the Better Part?: Women in the Gospel of Luke (Message of the fathers of the Church) by Barbara E. Reid on page 128, page 149, and Back Matter
- Christology and Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark (Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series) by Suzanne Watts Henderson on page 20, page 186, and Back Matter
- The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the First Woman Apostle by Karen L King in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
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