Codex Boernerianus, known in the academic community as Gp or 012 according to the Gregory-Aland numbering system, and as α 1028 in the von Soden catalog, is a significant New Testament manuscript from the 9th century. This document is primarily composed of parchment and encompasses most of the epistles attributed to the Apostle Paul. Its connection to Christian Frederick Boerner, a notable theology professor and its previous owner, is reflected in its name. Despite its importance, the manuscript is not complete and contains several gaps within its text. This artifact of early Christian writings offers valuable insight into the textual traditions of the Pauline epistles, making it a subject of ongoing study and reverence in the field of biblical textual criticism.

Content

Codex Boernerianus, known in scholarly circles as Gp has the collection of Pauline epistles, presented in Greek with a Latin translation provided in an interlinear format. This means that for each line of Greek text, the Latin translation is inserted directly above, allowing for comparative study of the two languages. Notably, after the Epistle to Philemon, there is an intriguing mention of an Epistle to the Laodiceans. However, this reference is followed by a notable absence — the text itself does not continue with the content of this mentioned epistle. This detail adds a layer of mystery and scholarly intrigue to the manuscript, inviting questions about early Christian texts and their circulation.

Date

Ninth century C.E.

Physical Features

Codex Boernerianus includes most of the letters written by Paul in the New Testament, except for Hebrews. This special book from the 9th century consists of 99 parchment pages, each about 9.8 inches by 7.1 inches in size. What makes this manuscript unique is its layout: the main text is in Greek, with a Latin translation written directly above it, making it a bilingual document. This setup is similar to another ancient book, Codex Sangallensis 48.

However, there are some parts of the text missing from this codex, specifically sections from Romans, 1 Corinthians, Colossians, and Philemon. When quoting from the Old Testament, the codex marks these references with a special symbol in the margin, and the Latin version notes where the quote is from, such as Isaiah.

Interestingly, the manuscript doesn’t stick strictly to capital Greek letters; it occasionally uses smaller versions of α, κ, and ρ, blending in elements typically seen in later manuscripts. It’s also worth noting that the codex doesn’t include certain standard Greek notations for pronunciation, like rough or smooth breathing marks, or accents.

The Latin portion of the text, written in smaller letters, showcases some characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon alphabet, especially noticeable in the shapes of the letters r, s, and t.

In an unusual twist, the phrase “in Rome” is replaced in Romans 1:7 with “in love” (in the Latin, “in caritate et dilectione”), and it’s completely left out in Romans 1:15 in both Greek and Latin. At the end of Philemon, there’s a heading for an Epistle to the Laodiceans, but, intriguingly, no text for this epistle follows, leaving us with a hint of a lost work.

Textual Character

Codex Boernerianus is a significant manuscript that contains the text of the Pauline epistles in Greek, with an intriguing characteristic: it represents what scholars call the Western text-type. This classification is part of a system that sorts New Testament manuscripts based on their shared textual characteristics, with the major groups being Alexandrian, Western, and Byzantine. Each of these groups offers insights into the historical and geographical variations of the New Testament text as it was copied over centuries.

Kurt Aland, a noted expert in the field of textual criticism, assigned Codex Boernerianus to Category III in his classification system. This category includes manuscripts that, while containing a notable number of early textual readings, also show a significant influence from the Byzantine text-type and possess unique readings from sources that are yet to be fully identified.

One of the distinctive features of Codex Boernerianus is the placement of 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 at the end of chapter 14, after verse 40. This arrangement is also observed in several other manuscripts associated with the Western text-type, such as Codex Claromontanus (Dp), Codex Augiensis (Fp), and certain Latin Vulgate manuscripts. Additionally, Codex Boernerianus is notable for the absence of the doxology typically found at the end of Romans (Romans 16:25–27). Instead, there’s an empty space after Romans 14:23, suggesting that the scribe intended to include it but ultimately did not.

The Latin portion of Codex Boernerianus bears similarities to the text of the Latin lectionary manuscript, Liber Comicus (t), which contains an Old Latin version of the New Testament. This connection highlights the manuscript’s role in bridging the textual traditions of the early Christian Church and providing critical insights into the development of the New Testament canon.

Notable Readings

Codex Boernerianus, known in scholarly circles as Gp, offers a unique perspective on the New Testament, especially in its presentation of the Pauline epistles. Its text often diverges from what is found in the majority of other manuscripts, showcasing variations that are noteworthy for their insight into the early Christian texts’ transmission and evolution. Here are some significant examples of how Codex Boernerianus differs from the wider textual tradition:

• Romans 6:5: While the majority of manuscripts read “but also of the resurrection,” Codex Boernerianus presents this as “simultaneously of the resurrection,” hinting at a nuanced understanding of Christian eschatology.
• Romans 12:11: In a deviation from the common rendering “Lord,” Codex Boernerianus uses “time,” suggesting a focus on timeliness or opportunity in serving.
• Romans 15:31: Codex Boernerianus uses “gift offering” (in Greek), contrasting with the “service” found in most texts, indicating a specific type of contribution to the saints in Jerusalem.
• Romans 16:15: Where most manuscripts name “Julian,” Codex Boernerianus mentions “Junian,” indicating a possible different individual or a textual misinterpretation over time.
• Galatians 6:2: The manuscript encourages believers to “fulfill” one another’s burdens, a directive that is more a general call to action in the majority of other texts.
• Philippians 3:16: Here, Codex Boernerianus expands on the idea of “following the same line,” possibly emphasizing unity and conformity within the Christian community.
• Philippians 4:7: The text uniquely mentions “bodies” being guarded by God’s peace, unlike the “minds” protected in most other manuscripts, suggesting a more holistic safeguarding of the believer.
• Romans 8:1: Codex Boernerianus specifies those “in Jesus” without the additional context of living “according to the Spirit” rather than “according to the flesh,” found in the broader manuscript tradition.
• 1 Corinthians 2:4: It mentions “plausible wisdom,” compared to the more elaborate “words of human wisdom” in the wider text tradition, possibly indicating a simpler message of divine truth.

These deviations underscore the mixture of early Christian textual traditions and the complex history of the New Testament’s transmission. Codex Boernerianus, through its unique readings, contributes to our understanding of how these sacred texts were read, interpreted, and valued in different Christian communities.

The Old Irish Poem in the Codex Boernerianus

In the Codex Boernerianus there lies an intriguing addition on the back of the 23rd leaf — an Old Irish poem. This verse captures the reflections of a pilgrim who has journeyed to Rome, only to find the experience lacking in spiritual gain:

“Setting out for Rome,
Great effort, little profit: the King you seek there,
If you do not bring Him with you, you will not find Him.
Great death, great folly,
Great loss of sense, great madness,
Taking the road to death is certain,
Being under the displeasure of the Son of Mary.”

This translation conveys the original’s message: that embarking on a pilgrimage to Rome, in hopes of finding Christ, proves futile unless one already embraces Him in their heart. The poem reflects a critical stance towards the physical journey for spiritual enlightenment, emphasizing the inner spiritual journey as paramount. It’s a rare and poignant reflection, suggesting that true connection with the divine transcends physical places, lodged instead within one’s faith and inner life. This verse, penned by what seems to be a disenchanted pilgrim, serves as a timeless reminder of where true spiritual fulfillment lies.

History of the Codex Boernerianus

The Codex Boernerianus, classified as G in the Gregory-Aland numbering, is an ancient manuscript believed to have been penned by an Irish monk residing in the Abbey of St. Gall in Switzerland sometime between 850 and 900 C.E. This conclusion is drawn from several distinctive features: the script’s style, the presence of smaller Greek uncial letters, the use of Anglo-Saxon minuscule for the Latin interlinear annotations, and the practice of word separation.

The manuscript’s journey through history saw it in the possession of P. Junius in Leiden by 1670. Its namesake, Christian Frederick Boerner, a professor at the University of Leipzig, acquired the codex in the Dutch Republic in 1705, bringing it into scholarly attention. Ludolph Kuster was the first to suggest the manuscript’s 9th-century origins, a dating later reinforced by Johann Jakob Wettstein‘s designation of the manuscript with the symbol G. The codex was extensively studied and published by Christian Frederick Matthaei in 1791, who dated its creation to between the 8th and 12th centuries, a broad estimate that highlighted the challenges in pinpointing its exact age.

The theory that Codex Boernerianus and Codex Sangallensis (Δ 037) were once part of the same volume has been entertained by some scholars, including Rettig, further adding to the intrigue surrounding its history.

Tragically, the manuscript was significantly damaged by water during World War II, making the 1909 facsimile publication an essential resource for its study. Today, the Codex Boernerianus is preserved in the Saxon State Library in Dresden, Germany, ensuring its continued availability to scholars and historians interested in the textual history of the New Testament.

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