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BUSCHMANN, Gerd, Das Martyrium des Polykarp (Kommentar zu

den apostoli schen Vtern [KAV], 6; Gttingen: Vandenhoeck &
Ruprecht, 1998), 452 pp. ISBN 3-525-51681-9. LONA, Horacio E.,
Der erste Clemensbrief (Kommentar zu den apostolischen Vtern
[KAV], 2; Gttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1998), 677 pp.
ISBN 3- 525-51682-7. PROSTMEIER, Ferdinand R., Der
Barnabasbrief (Kommentar zu den apostolischen Vtern [KAV], 8;
Gttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1999), 648 pp. ISBN 3525-51683-5
Journal for the Study of the New Testament 2000; 22; 116
DOI: 10.1177/0142064X0002207809
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116
BETZ, Hans Dieter, Antike und Christentum: Gesammelte Aufsätze IV
(Tübingen:
Mohr Siebeck,1998), x + 309 pp. ISBN 3-16-147008-7.
Hans Dieter Betz continues to collect together sets of papers arranged on various
topics. This collection, focused on the interface of antiquity and Christianity, has
ten papers in English, and three in German. Three of the essays are previously
unpublished: one on the changing self of the magician in the Greek magical papyri
(essay 8), another on hermeticism and gnosticism (essay 10), and a third on Paul
between Judaism and Hellenism (essay 12). Although the re-published essays are
virtually unchanged, they have been re-typeset, but with the original page numbers
indicated. Most of the re-published essays are fairly easy to access, but it is still a
tremendous help to have these essays gathered together in one place. Betzs views
come through very clearly in these essays. For example, his analysis of Wellhausens Dictum that Jesus was not a Christian, but a Jew (essay 1 ) sees Wellhausen to be the progenitor of subsequent positions that wish to emphasize Jesus
uniqueness, including those of recent vintage, such as the cynic hypothesis, which
he also criticizes (in essay 2). Two other essays are also devoted to the magical
papyri (essays 7 and 9). One is devoted to a critique of the work of the converted
Jewish scholar Eduard Norden and his relationship to Christian literature (essay 4).
There are also essays on Jesus and the purity of the Temple (essay 3), the birth of
Christianity as a Hellenistic religion (essay 5), hero worship and Christian faith
(essay 6), orphism (essay 1]), and antiquity and Christianity, his SBL presidential
address, a fitting conclusion to the volume (essay 13). Betz has done an excellent
job of selecting essays that clearly enlighten the title of the volume.
SEP

BUSCHMANN, Gerd, Das Martyrium des Polykarp (Kommentar zu den apostolischen Vätern [KAV], 6; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1998), 452 pp. ISBN
3-525-51681-9.

LONA, Horacio E., Der

Vätern [KAV], 2;
525-51682-7.

erste

Göttingen:

Clemensbrief (Kommentar zu den apostolischen

Ruprecht, 1998), 677 pp. ISBN 3-

Vandenhoeck &

PROSTMEIER, Ferdinand R., (Kommentar

Der Barnabasbrief zu den apostolischen
Vätern [KAV], 8; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1999), 648 pp. ISBN 3525-51683-5.
The editors of this series, and the publishers, are to be congratulated on these three
commentaries that they have produced. Each commentary provides a full introduction regarding the text, and then a detailed commentary. Each editor has taken it
upon himself to deal with the introductory questions of relevance to his particular

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2000 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
distribution.

117
text. All

of them, however, have discussed in some detail the text-critical and

manuscript issues. Several observations may be made. One is that it becomes clear
what a fortunate situation New Testament commentators are in when it comes to
textual evidence. The text of the Maryrdom of Polycarp, for example, the only
commentary to provide a Greek text, is based upon six Greek manuscripts, none
dating earlier than the tenth century. Clearly there are a number of earlier
manuscripts for Barnabas, since it is found in Codex Sinaiticus. However, the
number of manuscripts is still small, and the commentator provides a discussion of
the relationships of these manuscripts. The relationship of these particular books to
the New Testament is also pursued to varying degrees in these commentaries. A
particularly helpful feature of the commentary on I Clement is the section on language and style. This includes a list of rhetorical figures and liturgical elements.
The commentary on the Martyrdom of Polycarp also provides notes on how this
martyrology compares to many others, including New Testament texts such as the
passion narrative. My only criticism is that it is too bad that the occasion was not
taken to establish the Greek text for each of these authors, so that the commentary is
usually based upon the German translation of the commentator, although with
plenty of reference to the original. It is clear from the past scholarship on these
letters that, of course, German scholarship has been fundamental to past research, as
it has been in most text-based disciplines especially of the nineteenth century.
However, there have been a number of English-speaking scholars who have also
played important roles in this area, such as Lightfoot. A set of commentaries in
English to rival these is clearly a desideratum.
SEP

COMFORT, Philip W. and David P. Barrett (eds.), The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1999), 652 pp.
US$49.99. ISBN 0-8010-2136-7.
This volume

brings together what are called transcriptions of about fifty papyrus

and
five of what are called uncial (parchment) manuscripts, dating
manuscripts
from around AD 100 to AD 300. There is introductory information regarding
manuscripts, their dating, handwriting analysis, and bibliography. There is also a
section on what is called abbreviations, where modern abbreviated works are
included with discussion of scribal abbreviations (including nomina sacra), number
equivalents and handwriting types. For each manuscript, there is introductory
information (extent, date, provenance, current location, bibliography of editio princeps and other sources, physical features and textual character), often a photograph,
and then often extended discussion depending upon the importance of the
manuscript. This is then followed by the transcription, in lower case Greek (with
Byzantine medial and final sigmas), according to the folios and columns of the
manuscript concerned. These manuscripts are arranged in New Testament canonical
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2000 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized
distribution.