Sayings in Additions to New Testament
Manuscripts
Some manuscripts of the Greek New Testament have unique variations that
record alternate versions or even completely different sayings of Jesus. Most
of the sayings in this section are taken from what is known as Codex Bezae, a
fifth-century document with the text of the Gospels and Acts in both Greek and
Latin. It has a number of unique readings and is known for its idiosyncrasies,
particularly in the book of Acts. One reading (an insertion at Mark 16:14 known
as the “Freer Logion”) is taken from Codex Washingtonianus, a fourth- or
fifth-century document. The following variations are examined here:
• Matthew
20:28 (Bezae)
• Mark
9:49 (Bezae)
• Mark
16:14 (Washingtonianus)
• Luke
6:4 (Bezae)
• Luke
10:16 (Bezae)
• John
8:7, 10–11 (Bezae)
Each of these will be briefly discussed below. The
English translation of each passage is by the author unless otherwise
specified.
Matthew 20:28 (Bezae)
This agraphon, which Metzger calls “a piece of
floating tradition,” is inserted at the end of the pericope where the mother of
James and John requests that her sons sit in an exalted place in the kingdom
(Matt 20:21). After disqualifying them from such an honor (22–23) and dealing
with the ruckus caused among the other disciples by the request (24–25), Jesus
goes on to teach that the one who wants to be great must become a servant,
following the model of the Son of Man (27–28). In this context, it is an
expansion that gives the disciples specific instruction on how to serve.
Parallels
Luke 14:8–10 offers what Metzger terms “an expanded
but inferior version” of this material. It is also similar in conception to Jas
2:1–7.
Translation
“But you, seek to increase from what is small and
to be less from what is more. And upon entering and being called in to eat, do
not recline in the place of prominence, else someone more esteemed than you
might come in and the one who invited you to dinner might come and say to you,
‘Move down further.’ and you will be shamed. But if you move back into the
lower place and a person less important than you comes, the one who invited you
to dinner will say, ‘Come still higher’ and this will be to your benefit.” (Mt
20:28 Brannan)
Mark 9:49 (Bezae)
Bezae as well as manuscripts that reflect the Old
Latin tradition have this instead of “For everyone will be salted with fire.”
Some other manuscripts, including Alexandrinus, include both forms: “For
everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be salted with
salt.”
Mark 9:42–49 is about withstanding the temptation
to sin. Jesus states that it is better to lose the offending body part than to
succumb to sin (43–47). Fire is introduced with the notion of being in hell,
“where the worm does not die and the fire is not extinguished” (48), a
quotation of Isa 66:24. After this comes the saying about salt. The version in
Bezae recalls Lev 2:13, “Also all of your grain offerings you must season with
salt; you must not omit the salt of your God’s covenant from your offering,”
focusing on the salt and recalling sacrifice. The canonical version instead focuses
on the believer and foresees persecution (fire).
Parallels
As mentioned above, the version in Bezae may be a
recollection of Lev 2:13. Evans notes that Ezek 43:24 mentions similar things
(salt and burnt offering).
Translation
For every sacrifice will be salted with salt. (Mk
9:49 Brannan)
Mark 16:14 (Washingtonianus)
This interpolation, also known as the “Freer
Logion” is found in Codex Washingtonianus, a fourth- or fifth-century Gospel
codex. It occurs after Mark 16:14, in which the eleven disciples are rebuked
for unbelief. The Freer Logion provides the disciples a chance to explain their
unbelief, and for the risen Christ to explain more about his task and the
gospel. Verse 15 follows, with Christ exhorting the disciples to “go into all
the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
Parallels
There are no close parallels to this agraphon.
Translation
They offered this excuse: “This lawless and
faithless age is under Satan, who does not allow what is unclean and dominated
by spirits to grasp the true power of God. Therefore,” they said to Christ,
“reveal your just authority now.” Christ replied: “The measure of the years of
Satan’s power has been fulfilled, but other terrible things are imminent. Yet
it was for the sake of sinners that I was handed over to death, that they might
return to the truth and sin no more, and inherit the spiritual and immortal
glory of justification in heaven.” (Mk 16:14 NAB)
Luke 6:4 (Bezae)
Luke 6:1–5 is the account of Jesus and his
disciples picking and eating heads of grain on the Sabbath. The Pharisees
interrupt with their accusation (2) and Jesus responds (3–4), noting David’s
eating of the bread of presentation. In Bezae, this agraphon comes next. Verse
5 ends with Jesus proclaiming the Son of Man as “Lord of the Sabbath,” but
Bezae moves verse 5 to follow verse 10, which has the effect of including
Luke’s account of the man with the withered hand (6–10) as the third example of
Jesus’ lordship over the Sabbath in a single group.
Parallels
There are no close parallels to this agraphon.
Fitzmyer notes some similarity with Gos.
Thom. 3, 14.
Translation
That same day, seeing someone working on the
Sabbath, he said to him, “Man, if you know what you do, you are blessed. But if
you do not know, you are a curse and a transgressor of the law.” (Luke 6:4 Brannan)
Luke 10:16 (Bezae)
The larger pericope is Luke 10:1–20, the appointing
and sending out of the 72 disciples. Jesus appoints the 72, gives them
instructions, and sends them out (1–12). He issues woes to Chorazin and
Bethsaida for their lack of repentance (13–14), and then similarly condemns
Capernaum (15). Then he returns to the 72, stating “The one who listens to you
listens to me, and the one who rejects you rejects me.” In the standard edition,
the rejection of Jesus is extended to a rejection of the one who sent Jesus;
instead, in Bezae the heeding of Jesus is extended into also heeding the one
who sent Jesus. This changes the focus of the section from negative (rejecting
Jesus) to positive (heeding Jesus). Some other manuscripts append the ending
found in Bezae onto what is considered the standard text, covering both
options.
Parallels
Similar statements by Jesus found in the gospels
include Matt 10:40; John 5:23; 12:44–45; 13:20.
Justin uses similar language in 1 Apol. 16.10 and 63.5.
Translation
“But the one who hears me hears the one who sent
me.” (Lk 10:16 Brannan)
John 8:7, 10–11 (Bezae)
The account found in Codex Bezae, while differing
from the standard text, does not substantively change the understanding of the
event. In verse 7, Bezae omits “him” after “asking.” The larger changes are in
verses 10–11. In verse 10, the standard text “said, ‘Woman’ ” becomes
“said to the woman.” In verse 11, “And she said” becomes “And that woman said to
him,” while “Go and” becomes “Go away.”
Parallels
There are no close parallels to this agraphon.
Translation
And when they persisted in asking, he straightened
up and said to them, “The one of you without sin, let him first throw a stone
at her.” (John 8:7 Brannan)
And Jesus, straightening up, said to the woman,
“Where are they? Does no one condemn you?” And that woman said to him, “Nobody,
Lord.” And Jesus said “Neither do I condemn you. Go away, from now on, sin no
longer.” (Jn 8:10–11 Brannan) (Rick Brannan, Greek Apocryphal Gospels, Fragments
and Agrapha: Introduction and Translations [Bellingham, Wash.: Lexham
Press, 2013], 15-19)
The Greek of the above texts read as
follows:
Matthew 20:28 (Bezae)
20 υμεις δε ζητειτε· εκ μεικρου αυξησαι και εκ
μειζονος ελαττον ειναι. Εισερχομονεοι δε και παρακληθεντες δειπνησαι· μη
ανακλεινεσθαι εις τους εξεχοντας τοπους μη ποτε ενδοξοτερος σου επελθη και
προσελθων ο δειπνοκλητωρ ειπη σοι ετι κατω χωρει· και καταισχυνθηση. εαν δε
αναπεσης· εις τον ηττονα τοπον και επελθη σου ηττων ερει σοι ο δειπνοκλητωρ·
συναγε ετι ανω και εσται σοι τουτο χρησιμον.
Mark 9:49 (Bezae)
9 πασα γαρ θυσια αλι αλισθησεται.
Mark 16:14
(Washingtoniensis)
16 κακεινοι απελογουντο λεγοντες οτι ο αιων ουτος
της ανομιας και της απιστιας υπο τον σαταναν εστιν, ο μη εων τα υπο των
πνευματων ακαθαρτα την αληθειαν του θεου καταλαβεσθαι δυναμιν· δια τουτο
αποκαλυψον σου την δικαιοσυνην ηδη εκιενοι ελεγον τω χριστω. και ο χριστος
εκεινοις προσελεγεν οτι πεπληρωται ο ορος των ετων της εξουσιας του σατανα,
αλλα εγγιζει αλλα δεινα· και υπερ ων εγω αμαρτησαντων παρεδοθην εις θανατον ινα
υποστεψωσιν εις την αληθειαν και μηκετι αμαρτησωσιν ινα την εν τω ουρανω
πνευματικην και αφθαρτον της δικαιοσυνης δοξαν κληρονομησωσιν.
Luke 6:4 (Bezae)
6 τη αυτη ημερα θεασαμενος τινα εργαζομενον τω
σαββατω ειπεν αυτω ανθρωπε, ει μεν οιδας τι ποιεις μακαριος ει. ει δε μη οιδας
επικαταρατος και παραβατης ει του νομου.
Luke 10:16 (Bezae)
10 ο δε εμου ακουων ακουει του αποστειλαντος με.
John 8:7 (Bezae)
8 ως δε επεμενον ερωτωντες ανεκυψεν και ειπεν
αυτοις· ο αναμαρτηετος υμων πρωτος επ αυτην βαλετω λιθον.
John 8:10–11 (Bezae)
8 ανακυψας δε ο Ιη(σου)ς ειπεν τη γυναικει που
εισιν ουδεις σε κατεκρεινεν κακεινη ειπεν αυτω ουδεις κ(υρι)ε ο δε ειπεν ουδε
εγω σε κατακρεινω υπαγε απο του νυν μηκετι αμαρτανε. (Rick Brennan, Greek
Apocryphal Gospels, Fragments, and Agrapha: Texts and Transcriptions
[Bellingham, Wash.: Lexham Press, 2013])
