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Great Tidbits from William Norton
#1
Shlama Akhay,

Here's an interesting portion of Norton's Introduction in his book 'A Translation of the Syriac-Peshito Text.'

****{Quote}*** The Nestorians never treated the Greek text as of higher authority than that of the N. C. (stands for New Covenant <!-- sSmile --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/smile.gif" alt="Smile" title="Smile" /><!-- sSmile -->) Peshito. Wichelhaus says (pg. 187,) that "the Nestorians had no social union with Western Christians; and that they held the text of the Greek New Testament in almost no esteem, and deemed the ancient Peshito to be in all things authentic." At page 153 he says, "In the history of the Nestorians, it was never found, so far as I know, that learned men took the trouble to compare the Syriac text of the New Testament with the Greek, and to conform it to that." (Also page 266.)
The terms applied to the Peshito prove the general belief of its divine origin. Wichelhaus says, (page 153), "It was extolled with the greatest praises; it was esteemed to be exactly what was written in the first times by apostolic authority; it was called, not only ancient, but sacred and blessed."
The extreme care taken to preserve its text in purity implies that every part of it was believed to be from God. The care taken was like that which the Jews took of their inspired Hebrew text. Wichelhaus says, "It is a proof of the extreme accuracy of the Syrians in treating the sacred text, that, like the Jews, they have their Masora," a collection of critical comments on correct readings; "not only do they divide the text into chapters and lections, but they also number the comma-divisions of each book." (P. 156.) Monasteries abounded in the East from the fourth century. When the city of Edessa was taken by the Saracens, 300 monasteries were found in it, (p. 126.) The monks of that time devoted their time chiefly to copying the scriptures, and making known the gospel. Wichelhaus attributes the great accuracy of the copies of the Peshito, and especially of the Nestorian copies, to the following causes. 1st. Many copies were written in monasteries, by skilled men, from approved examples, and with the utmost care and attention. 2ndly. Those copies were read and examined many times by ministers and monks. 3rdly. In the time of Ephraem, cent. iv., deep interest was taken in the letter of Scripture, and many Syrians are mentioned who had committed almost the whole New Testament to memory. 4thly. In schools, in church-assemblies, and in monasteries, there was such constant communication between the teachers and the taught, that if any differences crept into the text, they could scarcely escape notice, nor become fixed by custom. 5thly. A large part of the Christians of that region had been Jews, they were compelled to discuss points with Jews, they had Jewish schools near them, and were thus accustomed to consider the words of sacred scripture, to be themselves sacred and inviolable, and almost to number the very letters." (p. 151.) ***{End of Quote}***

How do ya like dem apples? <!-- sSmile --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/smile.gif" alt="Smile" title="Smile" /><!-- sSmile -->

Shlama w'Burkate, Larry Kelsey
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Messages In This Thread
Great Tidbits from William Norton - by Larry Kelsey - 01-17-2004, 06:59 AM
. - by drmlanc - 01-17-2004, 07:51 AM
[No subject] - by Paul Younan - 01-17-2004, 03:02 PM
[No subject] - by Larry Kelsey - 02-08-2004, 02:01 AM

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