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The Reading Culture of Early Christianity

In exploring the textual landscape of Matthew 9:14, we confront a variant that poses intriguing questions about the practices and perceptions of fasting among the Pharisees, John’s disciples, and the followers of Jesus. This passage’s examination is predicated on a meticulous analysis of documentary evidence, with particular attention to the earliest and most reliable manuscripts.

Main Reading (TR NU):

Text: οἱ Φαρισαῖοι νηστεύομεν [πολλά] (“the Pharisees fast often”)
Support: Manuscripts א2, C, D, L, W, Θ, 0233, f,13, 33, Maj

Variant 1:

Text: οι Φαρισαιοι νηστευομεν πυκνα (“the Pharisees fast frequently”)
Support: Codex Sinaiticus corrector (א1)

Variant 2/WH:

Text: οι Φαρισαιοι νηστευομεν (“the Pharisees fast”)
Support: Codex Sinaiticus original scribe (א*), Codex Vaticanus (B), Manuscript 0281

The discussion revolves around the presence or absence of an adverb describing the frequency of the Pharisees’ fasting. The addition of πολλά (“often”) and its variant πυκνα (“frequently”) suggest attempts by scribes to articulate a contrast between the Pharisees’ observance and the perceived laxity of Jesus’ disciples concerning fasting. The nuanced difference between these adverbs points to the scribal efforts to clarify or emphasize the regularity of the Pharisees’ fasting practices.

Considering the documentary evidence, the earliest manuscripts (particularly א* and B) do not include any adverb, presenting a more straightforward statement: “the Pharisees fast.” This simpler construction aligns with the broader narrative context, where the emphasis lies not on the frequency of fasting but rather on the act itself and its theological and communal implications.

The historical scrutiny reveals that the insertion of πολλά, likely influenced by parallel accounts in Luke 5:33, may have been an editorial decision by later scribes to draw a more explicit contrast or to mitigate concerns that Jesus’ teaching undermined traditional fasting practices. The corrective scribal activity observed in Codex Sinaiticus (from πολλά to πυκνα and back) underscores the textual fluidity and the scribes’ attempts to navigate the interpretive challenges posed by this passage.

Bruce M. Metzger’s analysis, noting the Committee’s decision to enclose πολλά within square brackets, reflects the ambivalence surrounding this variant. This editorial choice signifies recognition of the strong manuscript evidence against the adverb’s inclusion while acknowledging the complexities of the text’s reception and transmission history.

In light of the documentary method and the principles of textual criticism, the original reading of Matthew 9:14 likely omitted any adverbial qualification, simply stating “οι Φαρισαιοι νηστευομεν” (“the Pharisees fast”). This reading, supported by the most ancient and authoritative manuscripts, preserves the passage’s focus on the act of fasting itself, devoid of any explicit commentary on its frequency.

This textual inquiry not only enriches our understanding of Matthew’s narrative and theological concerns but also exemplifies the rigorous and reflective engagement required to approach the New Testament text’s original form. Through such analysis, we gain a deeper appreciation for the dynamic interplay between tradition, textual transmission, and the quest for fidelity to the earliest witnesses of the Christian faith.

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).