Arabic versions of the New Testament have been overlooked for too long. The Sinai New Finds of 1975 unearthed Codex Sinaiticus Arabicus which preserves an Arabic translation of the Gospels differing markedly from the Majority Text.
Here Robert Turnbull undertakes a wide-ranging study of this version, discovering many lectionary manuscripts with the same text. Several open-access datasets are made available. Bayesian phylogenetics and other computational techniques are used to draw insights into the transmission history of this version and its place in the wider New Testament textual tradition. This Arabic version will be indispensable in future textual scholarship on the Gospels.
Robert Turnbull, Ph.D. (2021), is a Senior Research Data Specialist at the University of Melbourne in the Melbourne Data Analytics Platform. He engages in diverse data-intensive academic collaborations whilst continuing research in textual criticism and Arabic manuscripts.
Acknowledgements List of Figures List of Tables Abbreviations Nomenclature
1 Introduction
1.1 The Textual Character of the Arabic Versions
1.2 Codex Sinaiticus Arabicus and its Family
1.3 Distinctives
1.4 Conclusion
2 Previous Research
2.1 Ignazio Guidi
2.2 F.C.Burkitt
2.3 Anton Baumstark
2.4 Bernhard Levin
2.5 Georg Graf
2.6 Joshua Blau
2.7 Gérard Garitte
2.8 Samir Arbache
2.9 Amy G.Garland
2.10 Sidney H.Griffith
2.11 Jean Valentin
2.12 Hikmat Kashouh
2.13 My Previous Research
2.14 Miriam Hjälm
2.15 Conclusion
3 D-Codex: A Software Framework for Manuscript Analysis
3.1 The Virtual Manuscript Room Collaborative Research Environment (VMR CRE)
3.2 D-Codex Architecture
3.3 Core D-Codex Models
3.4 User Interface
3.5 Admin Interface
3.6 D-Codex Bible
3.7 D-Codex Lectionary
3.8 Configuration and Deployment
3.9 Other Extensions and Future Development
3.10 Transcriptions of arb
3.11 Conclusion
4 Verse Metrics
4.1 An Algorithm for Theologians Pressed for Time
4.2 Pairwise Sequence Comparison
4.3 A Probabilistic Model for Determining Textual Relationships Between Manuscripts
4.4 Datasets
4.5 Parameter Optimisation
4.6 Cross-Validation
4.7 Integration into D-Codex
4.8 Limitations of the Method and Further Possibilities
4.9 Application to the Manuscripts of Family B
4.10 Conclusion
5 Lectionaries
5.1 Method
5.2 A Jerusalemite Lectionary (sel Jerus.)
5.3 Sunday Lectionaries (k)
5.4 Saturday-Sunday Lectionaries (sk)
5.5 Saturday-Sunday Lectionaries with Weekdays from Easter to Pentecost (esk)
5.6 Weekday Lectionaries (e)
5.7 Lists
5.8 Discussion
5.9 Conclusion
6 Transmission History
6.1 Definitions
6.2 Phylogenetic Analysis and Textual Traditions
6.3 Objections to Applying Phylogenetic Techniques to Literary Traditions
6.4 Alignment
6.5 Bayesian Phylogenetics
6.6 Results with the Lewis Mk Transition Model
6.7 Transition Classification
6.8 Ancestral State Reconstruction and Scribal Habits
6.9 Conclusion
7 Jerusalemite Lectionary Headings
7.1 Lectionary Systems
7.2 Periods in the Liturgical Year
7.3 Conclusion
8 The Textual Character of arb: Text und Textwert
8.1 Collation of arb With the Greek Readings of Text und Textwert
8.2 Matthew
8.3 Mark
8.4 Luke
8.5 John
8.6 Quantifying Similarity
8.7 Agreement with the Majority Text
8.8 Agreement with the ‘Ancient’ (UBS) Text
8.9 Special Readings
8.10 Similarity to Specific Manuscripts
8.11 Conclusion
9 The Place of arb in the Wider Gospel Tradition: The UBS Apparatus
9.1 Apparatus
9.2 Quantitative Analysis
9.3 Phylogenetic Analysis
9.4 State Reconstruction
9.5 Conclusion
10 Conclusion
10.1 The Findings of This Study
10.2 Implications
10.3 Recommendations
References Subject Index Manuscript Index Author Citation Index
Text Critics, New Testament scholars, historians of Arabic Christianity, philologists, digital humanities scholars