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).» filologia-neotestamentaria, Vol. 26 (2013) 127-163 page 133

Vol 26 (2013)

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.

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The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles 133 The absence of the article in D05 causes the reference to the synagogue to be highlighted, as an unexpected locality for Apollonius to carry out his teaching. ἀκούσαντεϛ δὲ αὐτοῦ B P74 ‫ א‬rell | καὶ ἀκ. αὐ. DA, et cum audissent eum d syp || καὶ ἀκούσαντοϛ αὐ. D* p* s vgDO bomss. B03 reintroduces the characters of Priscilla and Aquila as a new devel- opment (δέ), building on Apollos’ speaking in the synagogue. D05, on the other hand, uses καί to tie their intervention more closely to Apollonius activity in the synagogue, as part of the same narrative development. The singular genitive absolute in D05 is an evident error for the nominative plural. Πρίσκιλλα καὶ Ἀκύλαϛ B P74 ‫ א‬A E 33 pc vg bo; Chr || Ἀκ. κ. Πρ. D, Aquilas et Priscilla d H L P Ψ 0120. 049. 056. 614. 1739 M gig sy samss geo; Aug Cass. The placing of Aquila’s name before that of Priscilla in D05 has been interpreted as an anti-feminist tendency (Barrett, II, p. 889). Such an interpretation ignores the positive approbation of the female disciples that is more marked in the Bezan text of Luke’s work (cf. Rhoda, Acts 12:13-15; see The Message of Acts, II, pp. 361–162). B03 repeats the order found at the previous mention of the couple, at 18:18. Placing the woman first in the context of teaching may diminish their authority, and thus account for the doubts Paul expresses in 1 Corinthians concerning the teaching by Apollos. The order of D05 reflects the dominant position that Aquila occupied in the opening verses of ch. 18, especially in D05 where the role of Aquila is strengthened (see The Message of Acts, III, pp. 371–72 [18:2], 376 [18:7]). τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ θεοῦ B P74 ‫ א‬A 33. 69. 88. 181. 307. 453. 610. 614. 927. 1175. 1270. 1409. 1611. 1678. 1837. 2147. 2344. 2412 al vg syh sa bo arm | τὴν τ. θεοῦ ὁδόν H L P Ψ 049. 056 M | τ. ὁδ. τ. κυρίου E 36. 1505. 2495 it vgcl syp; Hier Aug | τὸν λόγον τοῦ κυρίου 323. 945. 1739. 1891 pc || τὴν ὁδόν D, viam d gig; Heslat. The reading of B03 is difficult to account for in view of the reading τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου at 18:25; the witnesses that attest the emphatic word order τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ὁδόν appear to consider it to stand in contrast to the previous reference. τὴν ὁδόν on its own in D05 may be taken as a reference to the group within Judaism known as ‘the Way’ (cf. Acts 9:2; 19:9.23; 22:4; 24:14.22, where ἡ ὁδόϛ is always used without qualifica- tion).