TIP of the day: Interactive: Manuscript Explorer (Logos Now only)

MJ. Smith
MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 53,405
edited November 20 in English Forum

1. Logos comes with three Manuscript Explorer Interactives - Hebrew Bible, Septuagint and New Testament. They all are opened in the normal manners, have the usual history functions, information panels and resource panel menus. They all have faceted filtering, documentation available under "About", expandable entries that sometimes explain the codes, and very similar data.

2. Clicking on About brings up documentation that includes the scope of the Interactive, acknowledgements, data/facet definitions, references ...; the x in the upper right of the documentation dismisses About.

Because I am not an original languages scholar, information that is obvious to those in the field is mumbo-jumbo to me. Therefore, I created for myself a table assembled from the About documentation that includes everything I need to know or learn. I use it much as some would use flash cards, trying to be honest with myself as to whether the words have meaning to me or I just recognize them.

Manuscript Explorer Tools

 

 

Hebrew Bible

Septuagint

New Testament

Scope

Manuscript data presently includes information about the following manuscripts:

  • Codex Leningradensis
  • The Aleppo Codex
  • The Nash Papyrus
  • The Biblical Dead Sea Scrolls
  • Manuscripts catalogued by Kennicott and de Rossi

 

This manuscript information at present only includes rudimentary manuscript information and contains comparatively few links to manuscript images. Manuscripts with images include:

  • Codex Sinaiticus
  • Codex Vaticanus and over 20 other manuscripts housed at the Vatican
  • Nearly 30 manuscripts housed at the British Library
  • Three manuscripts housed at the Bodleian Library

 

The vast majority of data that the New Testament Manuscript Explorer relies upon is accessed from the New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room (NTVMR). The NTVMR is a place where scholars can come to find the most exhaustive list of New Testament manuscript resources, can contribute to marking attributes about these manuscripts, and can find state of the art tools for researching this rich dataset.

Manuscript Groups / Rahlfs Manuscript Groups

Manuscript Groups: Unlike New Testament manuscripts which have a well defined order, and unlike Septuagint manuscripts which can utilize the ordering specified by Rahlfs, there is no overarching categorization of Hebrew Bible manuscripts by group. For this interactive, the following grouping is used:

  • Group I: Codex Leningradensis (L), the Aleppo Codex (A), and the Nash Papyrus (N).
  • Group II: Material from the Biblical Dead Sea Scrolls.
  • Group III: Manuscripts (apart from L and A) catalogued by Kennicott and de Rossi.
  • Group IV: Other Hebrew Bible Manuscripts. There are presently no manuscripts catalogued in this group.

 

Rahlfs Manuscript Groups: The existing catalog of Septuagint manuscripts is based on work done by Alfred Rahlfs, which itself was based on manuscript listings in Holmes and Parsons' edition of the Septuagint. Today, Rahlfs' work places manuscripts in one of ten different categories. Unlike Greek New Testament groupings based loosely on handwriting and writing material, these groups are a bit more ad hoc.

  • Group I, A–Z: Majuscules
  • Group II, 13–311: Manuscripts, both majuscule and minuscule, remaining from Holmes and Parsons' initial classification of 311 manuscripts.
  • Group III, 312–800: Non-Psalter manuscripts
  • Group IV, 801–1000: Smaller non-Psalter manuscripts
  • Group V, 1001–1400: Psalter manuscripts earlier than and including the 12th century
  • Group VI, 1401–2000: Psalter manuscripts from after the 12th century
  • Group VII, 2001–3000: Smaller Psalter fragments earlier than and including the 8th century
  • Group VIII, 3001–5000: Non-Psalter manuscripts (a continuation of Group III)
  • Group IX, 5001–7000: Smaller non-Psalter manuscripts (a continuation of Group IV)
  • Group X, 7001+: Psalter manuscripts

 

 

Type

 

 

Type: The types of manuscripts classed by textual critics are PapyrusMajuscule (or Uncial), Minuscule, and Lectionary.

Contents

Contents: There are five major groupings of content. Each are represented by a single lower-case letter. These groupings include:

  • l: Law (Pentateuch)
  • h: History (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Esther, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah)
  • w: Wisdom/Poetry (Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticles (Song of Solomon), Job)
  • p: Prophets (Major prophets including Daniel)
  • t: The Twelve (Minor prophets)

 

Contents: There are five major groupings of content. Each are represented by a single lower-case letter. These groupings include:

  • l: Law (Pentateuch)
  • h: History (Joshua – 4 Maccabees)
  • w: Wisdom/Poetry (Psalms, Odes, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticles (Song of Solomon), Job, Wisdom, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Psalms of Solomon)
  • p: Prophets (Major prophets including the Septuagint additions to Jeremiah and Daniel)
  • t: The Twelve (Minor prophets)

 

Contents: There are four major groupings of content. Each are represented by a single lower-case letter, the origin of which hearkens to the Latin for the term. These groupings include:

  • e: Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)
  • a: Apostles (Acts, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1-3 John, and Jude)
  • p: Pauline Epistles (Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and Hebrews). The inclusion of Hebrews among the Paulines is a simple realization that collections of Pauline epistles often included Hebrews.
  • r: Revelation (Revelation)

 

Date

Date: The century or centuries in which the manuscript is likely to have been copied.

Date: The century or centuries in which the manuscript is likely to have been copied.

Date: The century or centuries in which the manuscript is likely to have been copied.

Textual Categories

 

 

Textual Categories: Five categories numbered I, II, III, IV, V. These are based on the work of Kurt and Barbara Aland in their book The Text of the New Testament, pp. 138–142; 159–162. While the Alands refer to their categories strictly by roman numeral in order to not perpetuate the vocabulary of text-types (e.g. “Alexandrian” or “Western”), there are affinities between the Alands' categorization and the traditional application of text-types. So for ease of applying these terms, though the groups are not exactly equivalent, the following labels are also used for each group:

  • Category I: Alexandrian
  • Category II: Egyptian
  • Category III: Eclectic
  • Category IV: Western
  • Category V: Byzantine

 

NTVMR Coverage

 

 

NTVMR Coverage: The NTVMR provides a minimum amount of information about every known New Testament manuscript in Greek. For several manuscripts, however, they also have access to images and transcriptions. This NTVMR Coverage facet is a simple measure to convey how much of a particular manuscript (transcriptions and/or images) the NTVMR may have information about. The scale ranges as follows:

  • Exact
  • Many
  • Medium
  • Few
  • None

 

Language

Language: The Language facet allows one to find manuscripts that contain Hebrew and another particular language. Supported languages include:

  • Hebrew
  • Aramaic
  • Latin
  • Arabic
  • Persian

 

Language: The Language facet allows one to find manuscripts that contain Greek and another particular language. Supported languages include:

  • Greek
  • Arabic
  • Coptic
  • Hebrew
  • Latin
  • Syriac

 

Language: The NTVMR primarily aggregates information about New Testament manuscripts in Greek. However, some of these manuscripts are diglots or triglots; they have the text in Greek and at least one other language. For example,Codex Bezae (D 05) is a well-known Greek-Latin diglot. And majuscule 078 is a Greek-Arabic diglot. The Language facet allows one to find manuscripts that contain Greek and another particular language. Supported languages include:

  • Greek
  • Coptic
  • Latin
  • Arabic
  • Armenian
  • Slavonic
  • Syriac

 

Script

Script: The Script facet allows one to facet based on the script used by a manuscript.

  • Ashkenazic
  • Sephardic
  • Rabbinic
  • Unknown

 

 

 

Tags

Tags: The Tags facet allows several different types of manuscript-level information to be included in a view. For the manuscript features (e.g. handwriting style or types of content) the tags are not to be considered comprehensive but only as pointers to examples of the feature. These different tags include:

  • Available in Logos: A transcription of the manuscript is available as a resource in Logos Bible Software.
  • Has Images: Images of the manuscript are available on the internet.
  • Dead Sea Scrolls: The manuscript is part of the collection known as the Dead Sea Scrolls.
  • Nahal Hever: The manuscript is part of the cache of manuscripts located in the Nahal Hever region, which is associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls.
  • Has Masora: The manuscript description indicates the manuscript contains masoretic information.
  • Has Commentary: The manuscript description indicates the manuscript contains rabbinic commentary.
  • Has Interlinear: The manuscript description indicates the manuscript contains interlinear material.
  • Has Targum: The manuscript description indicates the manuscript contains targum material.
  • Aphtarot: The manuscript description indicates the manuscript includes the Aftarot.

 

Tags: The Tags facet allows several different types of manuscript-level information to be included in a view. For the manuscript features (e.g. handwriting style or types of content) the tags are not to be considered comprehensive but only as pointers to examples of the feature. These different tags include:

  • Available in Logos: A transcription of the manuscript is available as a resource in Logos Bible Software.
  • Has Images: Images of the manuscript are available on the internet.
  • Majuscule Handwriting: The manuscript is known to use majucscule (uncial) handwriting.
  • Minuscule Handwriting: The manuscript is known to use minuscule handwriting.
  • Holmes and Parsons: The manuscript is listed in Holmes and Parsons' edition of the Septuagint.
  • Swete: The manuscript is listed in H.B. Swete's edition of the Septuagint.
  • Rahlfs: The manuscript is listed in Alfred Rahlfs' edition of the Septuagint.
  • No Longer Extant: The manuscript is known to be destroyed or otherwise lost.
  • Dead Sea Scrolls: The manuscript is part of the collection known as the Dead Sea Scrolls.
  • Nahal Hever: The manuscript is part of the cache of manuscripts located in the Nahal Hever region, which is associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls.
  • Oxyrhynchus: The manuscript is part of the collection known as the Oxyrhynchus Papyri.
  • Psalter: The manuscript is considered to be a Psalter.
  • Catena: The manuscript is considered to be a catena (collection of excerpts).
  • Interlinear: The manuscript is declared to be an interlinear manuscript.
  • Contains Commentary: The manuscript is a non-continuous manuscript that contains commentary as well as Septuagint material.
  • Whole Bible: The manuscript contains both Septuagint and New Testament material.
  • Has New Testament Portions: The manuscript contains some portion of New Testament material.

 

Tags: The Tags facet allows several different types of manuscript-level information to be included in a view. For the manuscript features (e.g. Purple ParchmentIlluminationsPericope Markers) the tags are not to be considered comprehensive but only as pointers to examples of the feature. These different tags include:

  • Consistently Cited in NA28: The NA28 edition of the Greek New Testament lists the manuscript as “consistently cited” for some grouping of material.
  • Frequently Cited in NA28: The NA28 edition of the Greek New Testament lists the manuscript as “frequently cited” for some grouping of material.
  • Cited in UBS5: The UBS5 edition of the Greek New Testament lists the manuscript as cited by the edition.
  • Family 1: The manuscript has been listed in a study of the so-called Family 1 group of manuscripts.
  • Family 13: The manuscript has been listed in a study of the so-called Family 13 group of manuscripts.
  • Available in Logos: A transcription of the manuscript is available as a resource in Logos Bible Software.
  • NTVMR Images: The NTVMR has at least one page image of the manuscript in question.
  • NTVMR Transcriptions: The NTVMR has at least one page transcription of the manuscript in question.
  • Contains Commentary: The manuscript is a non-continuous manuscript that contains commentary as well as the New Testament text.
  • Purple Parchment: The manuscript is a parchment manuscript with pages that have been dyed purple.
  • Gold Ink: The manuscript uses gold ink.
  • Silver Ink: The manuscript uses silver ink.
  • Illuminated Letters: The manuscript contains examples of illuminated letters.
  • Illuminations: The manuscript contains examples of illuminations.
  • Headpieces: The manuscript contains examples of headpieces.
  • Pericope Markers: The manuscript contains examples of pericope markers.

 

Holding Institutions

Holding Institutions: A Holding Institution is an institution (typically a library or museum) that houses a manuscript. Several house more than one manuscript. This facet allows one to query the holdings of a particular institution or group of institutions.

Holding Institutions: A “Holding Institution” is an institution (typically a library or museum) that houses a manuscript. Several house more than one manuscript. This facet allows one to query the holdings of a particular institution or group of institutions.

Holding Institutions: A “Holding Institution” is an institution (typically a library or museum) that houses a manuscript. Several house more than one manuscript. This facet allows one to query the holdings of a particular institution or group of institutions.

 

3. On the facets sidebar, one may choose either a sort by count or by alphabet. Here it is shown in count sequence.

4. Here it is in alphabetic sequence.

5. By default All entries are shown so the filter line defaults to All. Each manuscript line has a show detail arrow head. There are also live links within the information - here it is shown for detail information. Later a main manuscript entry live link will be shown.

6. An example of where the live link might take you ... there are several sites that you may reach.

7. Here a series of filters are shown. They are selected by clicking on a facet on the sidebar which is then added to the filter list, narrowing further the subset of manuscripts that are shown. About offers advice on the ordering of your facet selection. Note that one one value for a facet type may be selected.

8. Clicking on the x before a facet removes the facet but leaves the facets before and after it unchanged.

9. Clicking on the All will delete all facet filters.

10. Here is an example of a live link on a manuscript title.

10. A live link on the manuscript name will always open a resource within your Logos library that contains the manuscript - image or transcription.

Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."

Comments

  • Allen Browne
    Allen Browne Member Posts: 1,892 ✭✭✭

    MJ. Smith said:

    1. Logos comes with three Manuscript Explorer Interactives - Hebrew Bible, Septuagint and New Testament.

    Are these part of Logos Now, or something else I don't have?

  • MJ. Smith
    MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 53,405

    I erroneously thought one was Logos 6 and two were Logos Now. I'll change the heading.

    Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."