Please Support the Bible Translation Work of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

$5.00

The Reading Culture of Early Christianity

In examining the textual variations of Matthew 6:15, our goal is to discern the original wording of the verse as closely as possible, leveraging documentary evidence and internal textual analysis while acknowledging the complexities inherent in the manuscript tradition. This investigation is predicated on a preference for the documentary method, giving weighted consideration to the physical manuscripts themselves, alongside a careful assessment of internal evidence. Our analysis favors the Alexandrian text-type, known for its older and often more reliable manuscripts, while still considering the breadth of textual witnesses across the manuscript tradition.

Matthew 6:15 presents us with a significant variant that has implications for understanding the conditions of forgiveness as taught by Jesus. The main textual variation concerns the presence or absence of the phrase “τα παραπτωματα αυτων” (“their trespasses”). The variant readings can be summarized as follows:

The shorter reading, represented by Codex Sinaiticus (א), Codex Bezae (D), and a few other witnesses, omits “τα παραπτωματα αυτων,” thus reading simply as “ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀφῆτε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις” (“but if you do not forgive people”).
The longer reading, supported by Codex Vaticanus (B), Codex Washingtonianus (W), and a majority of Byzantine manuscripts, includes the phrase, thus reading “εαν δε μη αφητε τοις ανθρωποις τα παραπτωματα αυτων” (“but if you do not forgive people their trespasses”).

In assessing the documentary evidence, it is essential to note that the manuscripts supporting the longer reading include some of the most respected witnesses of the Alexandrian text-type, such as Codex Vaticanus, which dates to between 300-330 C.E. This suggests that the longer reading has early support. However, the presence of the shorter reading in Codex Sinaiticus, roughly contemporaneous to Vaticanus, illustrates that the textual tradition for this verse was divided relatively early in the history of the New Testament text.

From an internal evidence perspective, two primary considerations emerge: the argument of redundancy and the thematic consistency. Some might argue that the phrase “τα παραπτωματα αυτων” could have been omitted by scribes who deemed it redundant, given its proximity to a similar phrase in verse 14 and its repetition in the latter part of verse 15. Conversely, the inclusion of “their trespasses” might be seen as providing a specific and deliberate emphasis on the nature of what is to be forgiven, thus reinforcing the didactic point.

In determining the most probable original reading, one must consider the tendency of scribes towards clarifying and expanding rather than omitting details, especially those that are theologically significant. The argument from difficulty further suggests that the shorter reading may have been more challenging to early Christians, prompting some scribes to add clarifying detail to align with the surrounding context and theological expectations.

Consequently, while acknowledging the divided nature of the textual evidence and the internal considerations, the balance of probabilities leans toward the originality of the shorter reading. This conclusion is drawn from the principle of lectio difficilior potior (the more difficult reading is stronger) and an understanding of scribal tendencies towards expansion. The original text likely included a more concise admonition regarding forgiveness, with the specification of “τα παραπτωματα αυτων” being a later clarifying addition.

In sum, the examination of both documentary and internal evidence, with a preference for the Alexandrian manuscripts yet a comprehensive consideration of the wider textual tradition, supports the view that the original reading of Matthew 6:15 was indeed more succinct. This analysis, grounded in a rigorous and objective historical-grammatical approach, underscores the nuanced and careful work required in the field of textual criticism to approach the autographs of the New Testament writings.

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is the CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored more than 220 books and is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).