Josep Rius-Camps, «The Variant Readings of the Western Text of the Acts of the Apostles (XIX) (Acts 13:13-43).», Vol. 20 (2007) 127-146
In Acts 13:13-43, Paul and Barnabas are seen continuing their missionary activity, notably in Antioch of Pisidia where Luke describes their visit to the synagogue. He recreates in some detail Paul’s first speech, which is noteworthy for the way in which he presents Jesus as the Messiah first and foremost for Israel, a perspective with which Luke is at odds in Codex Bezae. Paul’s overriding concern for his own people, the Jews, to accept his message is strongly in evidence. However, their negative reaction when he extends the message of Jesus to Gentiles causes him, together with Barnabas, to turn from the Jews to the Gentiles. In the Alexandrian text, their announcement of this fact refers to a change on a local scale within Antioch, but in the Bezan text they make a declaration that represents a radical decision and an event of momentous significance in the history of Israel: in view of the Jews’ hostility to the message of Jesus, they will no longer have privileged possession of the Word of God, the Torah that had originally been entrusted to Israel, since it is to be henceforth shared with the Gentiles. The idea of the sharing of the heritage of Israel with the Gentiles is one that will provoke opposition to Paul wherever he preaches to the Jews in future locations, and a theme that Luke will develop over the subsequent chapters.
134 Josep Rius-Camps and Jenny Read-Heimerdinger
the impression of deference and hesitation. The genitive λόγου of D05
(and possibly the two genitives following, too, as explained in the next
paragraph) express a thing possessed or a quality, a use of the genitive
that is found on other occasions in the New Testament with a similar
force (cf. Mk 5:42: ἦν Î³á½°Ï á¼Ï„ῶν δώδεκα; see Winer, Grammar, p. 244,
and cf. Robertson, Grammar, p. 497).
The three nouns λόγου, σοφίαϛ and παÏακλήσεωϛ can be understood
as parallel to each other, expressing three distinct notions. In this case,
the meaning of λόγοϛ is general, conveying the sense of ‘a person who can
speak’ (cf. 1 Cor. 2:1; and Lk. 24:19; Acts 7:22; also 13:44b D05 below).
Alterna-tively, σοφίαϛ qualifies λόγου in order to define a particular
kind of speech (cf. 1 Cor. 2:4.13; 12:8). The position of παÏακλήσεωϛ at
the end of the sentence confers on it a special importance (contrary to
Delebecque’s view that, having replaced παÏακλήσεωϛ by σοφίαϛ, D05
then omitted to remove the second noun [Les deux Actes, p. 86]). The
whole request is hesitant, as if those asking knew what they wanted (an
exhortation from Barnabas, υἱὸϛ παÏακλήσεωϛ, 4.36) but were not bold
enough to ask for it directly. The result was that it was Paul, a man of
much speech (cf. 13:44b D05.45 D05) who responded to the request.
13:16 ὠΠαῦλοϛ D ‖ Παῦλοϛ B P74 ) rell.
The article before the name of Paul is in accordance with the position
he has assumed of leader, for it indicates that he was expected to be the
person to speak (Read-Heimerdinger, The Bezan Text, p. 134).
13:17 (τοῦ λαοῦ) τοῦ ἸσÏαήλ B Ψ 1175 bo | ἸσÏ. 181 vg aeth ‖ τούτου
ἸσÏ. D, populi huius Istrahel d P74 ) A C 33. 81. 323. 945. 1270. 1739.
1891. 2344 | τούτου E H L P 049. 056. 614 M.
Israel is normally arthrous in Luke-Acts, except in the genitive where
the presence of the article depends on the context. It can be seen from
the follow-ing list of references that in the expression ‘the people of Is-
rael’, as well as the synonymous ‘sons/house of Israel’, Israel is regularly
anarthrous, without any other variation between D05 and )01/B03 con-
cerning the presence of the article: arthrous ἸσÏαήλ: Lk. 1:68, God of I.;
Lk. 2:25, the consolation of I.; Lk. 22:30, judges of I.; Acts 4:8 D05 (om.
)01/B03), the elders of I.; Acts 28:20 (D05 lac.), the hope of I.; anarthrous
ἸσÏαήλ: Lk. 1:16; Acts 7:23.37; 9:15 (D05 lac.); 10:36, the sons of I.; Lk.
2:32, the glory of your people, I.; Acts 2:36; 7:42, the/every house of I.;
Acts 4:10; 13:24, the people of I.; Acts 4:27, the nations and people (pl.) of
I.; Acts 5:21, the senate of the people of I.
The only variation in the presence of the article before ‘the people of Is-
rael’ is here at 13:17. In consequence, this articular reading in B03 is anom-
FOLLOW US