Text Und Textwert Der Griecheschen Handschriften Des Neuen Testaments: Die Paulinschen Briefe (Arbeotem Zir Neutestamentlichen Texforschung) [Hardcover]

Kurt Aland (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 625 pages
• Publisher: Walter De Gruyter Inc (November 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 311013442X
• ISBN-13: 978-3110134421
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

Customer Reviews

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Aland's ANTF - Pauline Epistles, March 29, 2000

By 

Mr. Gary Dykes (Visalia, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Text Und Textwert Der Griecheschen Handschriften Des Neuen Testaments: Die Paulinschen Briefe (Arbeotem Zir Neutestamentlichen Texforschung) (Hardcover)

This multi-volume set sets forth the final results of Aland's New testment textual analyses. He examines each of the Pauline epistles in a very limited set of sample passages (a few varaints selected from each book). He then lists the Greek manuscripts which support or differ from his favored reading.

Such an indepth review of the selected passages (often citing over 600 manuscripts) seems impressive. But the work is fatally marred for three reasons:

(1) The data base is corrupt. It has been recopied numerous times, and the number of errors is unacceptable, in fact the original data "tapes" with the digital data are no longer readable. The original collations were done by a variety of collators, some not so competent. Most of the collations are from black and white films, many of which are in very poor shape (such as their film of MS 1115).

(2) The selection of passages is biased, that is only those which show a sharp cleavage between the Egyptian text-type and the Byzantine text-type are favored: including numerous readings which show splits within the Byzantine text-type. Finally the selection is very very narrow, for example for the text of I Corinthians with its 437 verses, only 59 variants are shown, out of the thousands which exist. No explanations are given as to why certain variants were selected and others not selected (many very important ones omitted) for this work!

(3) The database is incomplete, for example MS 712 (at UCLA) is not listed as are numerous others.

On top of this, each volume is priced excessively high, over 200 hundred dollars, and that for a work which needs correcting!

The work is useful in a very limited way, it does give a user a broad general picture of the manuscript groupings, but these are very general, and conclusions can be dangerous when derived from this data. The Institute at Munster (which the late Kurt Aland once ruled over) does just this, they supply many conclusions based upon this erroneous database.

The volumes are nicely printed, and well bound. But the errors are excessive, for a small list of errors in the "Acts" and "Galatians" edition of the ANTF, Dr. Reuben Swanson's work is recommended. This series by Aland (et al) needs serious correcting, it is not recommended.