Michaelis: Griesbach's GNT

17. Dr. John James Griesbach's edition of the Greek Testament was first printed in the year 1775. Since that time it has been re-printed ; and in 1785 he printed the first volume of his Symbols critics ad supplendas et corrigendas variarum N. T. lectionum collectiones : a work which is necessary for every man, who uses his Greek Testament. This edition is chiefly an extract from that of Wetstein, whose numbers and figures, used to denote the manuscripts, are retained by Griesbach.

But he has likewise made very considerable additions, which consist partly in extracts from manuscripts, which he collated on his travels ; partly in those readings, which were written by Mill in the margin of his Greek Testament, and were copied by Griesbach ; partly in extracts from the works of Origen, which he has made his principal study, and has collated more accurately, than any of his predecessors.

The manuscripts which he has collated, at least so many of them as he has described in his Symbolae critica, I have noticed ch. viii. § 6. He has also quoted extracts from manuscripts, which had been lately collated by other critics, for instance, by Treschow.

This edition, which is of a very convenient and portable size, is that which is principally used by the students in our Universities : it is at the same time an edition, with which no Prosessor can dispense, though every man, who makes a profession of literature, would wish to see an edition by the same editor, in which no various reading is omitted, which had been accurately quoted by Wetstein. It is true, that in consequence of many omissions that have been made by Griesbach, his book has become more convenient and portable, and is therefore admirably adapted to the use of students. And it was certainly his design to omit only such readings as appeared to him to be of little or no importance : but as this is mere matter of opinion, and one critic may consider a reading as important, which appears trifling to another, we cannot consider Griesbach's as the principal edition, but must also have recourse to that of Wetstein.

The following are examples of various readings, quoted by Wetstein, but omitted by Griesbach :

The examples, which I have here produced, are not all of equal importance, but they are such as most critics would expect to find in a collection of various readings. But as different persons examine the same subject from different points of view, it necessarily follows, that what appears important to one, will sometimes appear unimportant to another.

It may be also mentioned, that there are many other various readings of great importance, which are not contained in Griesbach's edition. The readings, to which I now allude, are such as are not to be found in Wetstein, and Griesbach himself has not examined all the documents, which are known at present, not even the Latin versions. But as no one can be expected to perform more than he has promised, the foregoing observation implies only that Griesbach's edition has not exhausted all the critical sources, to which we have access ; and that we must live in hopes of a more perfect edition, which I could wish to see from the same hand.

As Griesbach has collated the writings of Origen more accurately than any of his predecessors, and yet has neglected to quote him in many instances, where the Greek father is quoted by Wetstein, I wish that he would publish a catalogue of those readings, which his predecessors had quoted falsely, or, which would be still more advantageous, his extracts from Origen entire. This might be done in his Symbols, and would remove those doubts, which neccessarily arise, where Origen is quoted by Wetstein, but not by Griesoach.