Causes of Variations

 •  10 min. read  •  grade level: 8
 
BESIDES the dangers that existed of mistakes being made in copying the ancient manuscripts, because of the way in which they were written, we must point out how other mistakes arose where the copy was not indistinct.
A large body of variations come under the head of what are called Itacisms [a name probably from the interchange of eta (η) for iota (ι)]; that is, a change of vowels; as ει for ι, and aι for ε. This may have been caused by a different pronunciation coming into use; or from some copies being written from dictation; or from mere preference of spelling a word in a different manner. Thus a great many of these variations may be dismissed as of no consequence, and indeed they cannot be called various (or different) readings, being only a different mode of spelling a word; in a similar way to which some prefer to write honor for honor, color for color; or, as another class of words, wroth for wrath, spake for spoke, &c.
This however does not account for and dispose of all the cases where only a single letter has been changed. When we remember that the inflexions of nouns and verbs are effected in Greek (as other languages) by a change of some part of the word itself, the alteration of a single letter may materially alter the sense of the passage.
πληρώσατε aorist imperative active, ‘fill ye up.’
πληρώσετε future indicative active, ‘ye will fill up.’
By one letter the sense is materially altered. Without a doubt the first is the right word.
λαλήσετε future indicative active, 'ye shall speak.'
λαλήσητε aorist subjunctive active, 'ye should speak.'
ἔχομεν present indicative, 'we have.'
ἔχωμεν present subjunctive, ‘we should have,’ or ‘let us have.'
Sometimes the sense is altered by such variations and sometimes it is not.
There are also many variations where two or three letters are different, some of little consequence and some more material.
There are also mistakes from two or three letters being added or omitted at the ends of words, which may seem to us singular mistakes, but which were easily made when there were no spaces between the words: thus in Luke 7:2121And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. (Luke 7:21),
ἐχαρίσατο βλέπειν, 'he granted to see.'
ἐχαρίσατο τὸ βλέπειν
The first line would stand thus in the old copies ΕΧΑΡΙΣΑΤΟΒΛΕΠΕΙΝ, which has been copied as above, and divided into three words, where there were but two. The sense is not altered.
καὶ πύλαι, ‘and gates.'
καὶ αἱ πύλαι, ‘and the gates.'
The latter is incorrect, being merely an error of the copyist.
πάντα ἔθνη, ‘all nations.'
πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, ‘all the nations.'
Here the latter is correct, the article being omitted by mistake.
Some such errors occur only in two or three copies, leaving no doubt as to which is the true reading.
Other variations have been caused by the similar appearance of words, especially when they were written in capitals. Thus in Mark 5:1414And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. (Mark 5:14) we have ΑΝΗΓΓΕΙΛΑΝ, 'announced,' for ΑΠΗΓΓΕΙΛΑΝ ‘told;' and in Luke 16:2020And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, (Luke 16:20) ΗΑΚΩΜΕΝΟΣ for ΕΙΛΚΩΜΕΝΟΣ, both ‘being afflicted with sores.' Many variations occur by the transposition of words, but which in most cases do not affect the sense. The words Jesus Christ are often changed for Christ Jesus. Doubtless most of these are through carelessness and with the thought that it was of no consequence so long as both words were inserted, indeed some might have thought it an improvement if they read of ‘Jesus Christ' in one verse to make it ‘Jesus Christ' in another to make it uniform. But surely God does not make a difference without a reason. Without doubt there is a reason why Jesus is put before Christ in some places and after it in others. It is for us to discover why it is; certainly not to alter what God had caused to be written.
Another class of mistakes has been caused by omissions. Whole words or sentences have been omitted. These mistakes have been caused sometimes by what has been called Homœarkton, or similar beginnings, which may be illustrated thus:
Blessed are the poor in spirit:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn
for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek:
for they shall inherit the earth.
Suppose a person was copying the above and he had read off the first two lines, when he had written them in looking to the copy again his eye might catch the third 'blessed' instead of the second, and he would write the third clause, and omit the second altogether. Thus in Heb. 2:1313And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. (Hebrews 2:13) there are two clauses commencing with καὶ πάλιν, and again,' two copies in existence omit the part after the first καὶ πάλιν, the eye having gone to the second by mistake.
Another class of mistakes are called Homœoteleuton, similar endings; that is, where two lines end with the same word, or there are two words of which the end letters are the same, the eye in returning to the copy catches the second word instead of the first, and omits the piece in between. Omissions from similar endings are much more frequent than from similar beginnings.
An instance of this is in 1 John 2:2323Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. (1 John 2:23), which stands in our Testament with the last half of the verse in italics as not being in the Greek; but it is in many Greek copies (except the word ‘but') and is undoubtedly genuine. Its omission is believed to have occurred because both clauses end with the words τὸν πατέρα ἔχει, ‘has the Father.'
Another class of variations are generally believed to have been caused in this way. Some one reading his Greek Testament made a remark in the margin, intending it only as a note (a practice which is common with some people). But when a copy was made from that Greek Testament the copyist, supposing the note in the margin to be a part of the text which had been left out by mistake, would forthwith insert it as a part of the scripture. This is perhaps the explanation of the clause added in 1 John 5:7, 87For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. (1 John 5:7‑8). It has often been a difficulty to understand how additions could be made to scripture: omissions might occur, as we have seen; but who would think of adding to the word of God? Well, additions may have been made in the manner above suggested. It is certain that comments were made in the margins, and it is quite possible they found their way into the text by mistake.
1 John 5:7, 87For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. (1 John 5:7‑8), would stand thus if read without the words in brackets: "For there are three that bear record [in heaven, the Father, the Word, the Holy Ghost; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth], the Spirit, the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.”
This may also account for single words being added. Such, for instance, as the word "unworthily" in 1 Cor. 11:2929For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. (1 Corinthians 11:29), which some believe to be an addition; the word being supposed to be an ‘explanation' placed in the margin, and from thence copied into the text. Some of the oldest MSS omit the word.
Another source of various readings has been caused by dividing the gospels into portions to be read in the churches. If a portion commenced by "And he said," they would alter this into "And Jesus said," so as to make it apparent who was speaking. This accounts for the addition of the words "And the Lord said" at the commencement of Luke 7:3131And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? (Luke 7:31). Instead of commencing "Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation," they made it begin, "And the Lord said, Whereunto," &c.
In those days there was perhaps no copy of the scriptures in an assembly but that which was publicly read; and from a good motive these alterations were made to render the sense more intelligible to the hearers. Still they are alterations, and have to be corrected in order to be exact.
Another source of many vexatious variations is the attempt to make the Gospels harmonize, as it is called. Thus, if a scribe in copying one of the Gospels had noticed a particular passage, and in copying a second Gospel he noticed a passage similar, but different, he would perhaps think that they ought to be both alike and so would alter the second. Some persons may have compared the Gospels one with another in a more systematic manner and made alterations; and some of the alterations may originally have been marginal notes. In some way or another many such alterations have been made in the Gospels. Of course they are only in some of the Greek copies; and we have other Greek copies by which to correct them. We need point out only one or two of such alterations that have crept into the Authorized version.
Thus the harmonizers have done a great deal of mischief. For the most part they did it innocently, for but few have seen that the differences in the gospels were of God; but it was doing mischief; for God caused the gospels to be written as it pleased Him, and with a wise purpose. It is for us to ask for wisdom to discover what the purpose is, and not to alter them as we please.
Another mistake made was to alter the quotations from the Old Testament in the New, generally by adding to them.
These many causes of variations will give the reader some idea of the actual state of the manuscripts still in existence. Thus having many manuscripts is a great blessing; because they correct one another. A variation may be in a few copies only; and there may be abundant evidence to prove that it is not the correct reading. Everything is very earnestly to be avoided that in any way unsettles the word of God; but carefully and prayerfully attending to the variations is not to unsettle the word of God, but to settle it. It is surely not the work of every one nor of many; but it is the work of those whom God has gifted and called to the work. We enter into their labors and reap the fruit. Still it is important to know that everything respecting the word of God will bear the fullest investigation, when set about in a right and reverent spirit. Nothing has to be avoided; nothing to be hidden. The word of God has come to us through the various vicissitudes attending ancient books in general; each manuscript has its mistakes, which are corrected in a similar manner as in other books, by comparing copy with copy. But, as we have seen, its Author lives and has watched over and preserved His book from the beginning.