The Appendices to the Gospel according to Mark. 401 



D 



iscussion. 



In the Bobbio MS now numbered G. vii. 15 in the National Library 

 at Turin, usually called Codex Bobiensis (k) we have the only instance 

 as yet discovered of a Greek or Latin MS which contains the shorter 

 ending alone without the longer. 



But k is a codex of unusual interest and importance; "perhaps 

 the most important of the Old Latin MSS" (Nestle). "It is a book 

 of the highest interest, being undoubtedly the oldest existing represen- 

 tative of the African version of the Gospels, and as such is historically 

 and critically inferior to none of our Old Latin Biblical texts." 

 (Wordsworth, Old Latin Biblical Texts No. II, p. v.) 



What then was the origin, the source, and the relations of the Old 

 Latin version represented by k ? 



In the past it has been pretty generally acknowledged that the 

 birthplace of the Old Latin version was to be found in Roman North 

 Africa. Recently some have dissented from this view, but at any 

 rate the oldest O.L. MSS seem to come from that region and to be 

 connected with the Fathers there. 



The 'African' text, as Dr. Hort called it, of the O.L. is represented 

 in the Gospels by k ande, in the Acts and the Apocalypse by h. Dr. 

 Hort was the first to call attention to the fact that a large proportion 

 of these two texts of the Gospels are "absolutely identical with 

 that of Cyprian where he differs from European MSS and Fathers ; 

 but each has also an admixture of other readings." (WH II, p. 81.) 



As to the source of this version it is possible to suppose that it came 

 to North Africa from Rome or from Alexandria. Upon this problem 

 an examination of the text will throw some light, but at present we 

 recall the words of Kennedy in H.D.B. "The Old Latin Version" 

 p. 56. 



"Perhaps the translation came there by way of Rome, whose 



connection with Africa and Carthage at this time was as intimate as 



can be conceived. Perhaps it traveled westward through upper 



Egypt. Indeed certain phenomena bearing upon the underlying 



Greek text seem to favor this hypothesis, notably a remarkable 



affinity here and there in the O.L. with the recension of Hesychius, 



and in both O.T. and N.T. with Cod. Alex." 



In a note Kennedy suggests that "perhaps this affinity is better 

 explained by later revisions." 



As to the Codex Bobiensis itself, it once contained the four Gospels, 

 probably in the order John, Luke, Mark, Matthew (so Wordsworth). 

 At present we possess, roughly speaking, only Mk. vii— xvi and 

 Mt. i— xv. 



