Josep Rius-Camps - Jenny Read-Heimerdinger, «The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Aspostles (XXV) (Acts 18:24–19:40).», Vol. 26 (2013) 127-163
In the text of Acts according to Codex Bezae, a fourth and final part of the book begins at 18.24. It is Paul’s ultimate goal of Rome that separates it from the earlier missionary phases and confers unity on the remainder of the book. In this opening section (Section I), his activity will be centred for three years in Ephesus, the main city of Asia, where he will meet with some success despite hostility from some of the Jews. In his dealings with the Gentiles, opposition will also be encountered because of the threat posed by his teachings to the trade of the city. The Bezan narrator indicates plainly that Paul’s travel to Ephesus should have been the initial stage of his journey to the imperial capital. Additional references in Codex Bezae to the directions given to Paul by the Holy Spirit make clear that his visit had been prepared for by the work of Apollos; however, it was contrary to his own intentions, which were rather to go back to Jerusalem. The struggle against the divine leading is seen as Paul terminates his stay in Asia once he has carefully prepared for his return to Jerusalem.
132 Josep Rius-Camps and Jenny Read-Heimerdinger
τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου B P41 242. 614. 927. 1270. 2401 pc | τ. ὁδ. τοῦ κυρίου א
A rell || τὸν λόγον τοῦ κυρίου D, verbum domini d 36. 242. 323. 431. 440.
453. 522. 945. 1739. 1891. 2298.
Both B03 and א01 speak about the ‘way of the Lord’, with the absence
of the article before κυρίου in B03 echoing the reference to the way of
Yahweh in the lxx (e.g. Isa. 40:3), whereas τοῦ κυρίου in א01 could refer
to Jesus (cf. τὰ περὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, at the end of the verse). The reading of
D05, τὸν λόγον τοῦ κυρίου, is a reference to the message about Jesus,
the phrase being carefully distinguished by Luke from ὁ λόγοϛ τοῦ θεοῦ
in that MS (see The Message of Acts, III, Excursus 1, pp. 47–51).
ἐλάλει δέ B | ᾧ ἐλ. | *אἐλ. א2 Ds.m. A rell || ἀπελ. D*, eloquebatur d gig.
The compound verb in D05 expresses the idea of speaking inappro-
priately, at inopportune moments (Bailly, ἀπολαλέω, ‘parler à tort et à
travers’).
(τὰ περὶ) τοῦ Ἰησοῦ B P74vid אA E L Ψ 0120. 36. 181. 307. 453. 610. 614.
945. 1175. 1241. 1409. 1505. 1678. 1739. 2495 al || Ἰησοῦ D, (de) Iesu d
33. 2344 pc | τ. κυρίου H L P 049. 056. 69 M; Chr | τ. Χριστοῦ P41vid 1837.
The article in B03 assumes that Jesus as the content of the teaching
of Apollos is given information; in א01, it is consistent with the earlier
reference to Jesus as ‘the Lord’ (see above). The anarthrous mention of
Jesus in D05 can be accounted for by the fact that Jesus is mentioned by
name for the first time, underlining his identification as κύριοϛ. Alterna-
tively, the absence of the article may highlight the contrast between Jesus
and John, since Apollonius is said to have taught accurately about Jesus
even though he knew only the baptism of John. That said, the omission of
the article before John can be accounted for by the fact that his name is
regularly anarthrous in the set phrase τὸ βάπτισμα Ἰωάννου (see Read-
Heimerdinger, The Bezan Text, pp. 127, 137).
18:26 οὗτόϛ τε B P74 אrell, adque hic d || οὗτοϛ DD (ητοc D*) H 483.
1270. 1799 gig sa arm.
The connective τε in B03 presents the new clause as information to
be added to the previous one, thus establishing two parallel sentences
in vv. 25 and 26: οὗτοϛ ... οὗτοϛ τε.... D05 begins a new sentence here
using οὗτοϛ for the first time and with no connective to join it to the
preceding material; the effect of the asyndeton is to distinguish the onset
of Apollonius’ teaching in the synagogue from the prior description of
his general practice.
ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ B P74 אDD rell | εἰϛ τὴν συναγωγήν Ψ || ἐν συναγωγῇ D*.
FOLLOW US