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Document Details : Title: La critique textuelle dans les commentaires de Cyrille d'Alexandrie sur Isaïe et les Douze Prophètes Author(s): ZAGANAS, Dimitrios Journal: Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses Volume: 100 Issue: 2 Date: 2024 Pages: 289-304 DOI: 10.2143/ETL.100.2.3293345 Abstract : Biblical exegesis occupied a central place in Cyril of Alexandria’s long career (in office 412-444 AD). Among his extant works on the Old Testament, the Commentary on Isaiah and the Commentary on the Twelve Prophets are the only ones that provide a verse-by-verse interpretation and are fully preserved. Moreover, in these works one founds most of the differences between the Hebrew text, the Septuagint and other Greek translations of the Bible, which Cyril deemed necessary to note. Their study is therefore important in order not only to gain a comprehensive understanding of the attention given to, and of the function of, various readings, but also to assess their value for biblical scholarship. In this article, it is argued that Cyril shows a rather limited interest in biblical textual criticism, especially regarding the book of Isaiah. Various readings of the Bible are usually introduced with a phrase like 'one must know that'. Depending on the case, they are presented without any comment, that is, provided only for information; they are harmonized with the Septuagint text; they are integrated in the commentary; they are commented on for themselves; sometimes they give rise to a long interpretation. These readings are certainly not devoid of interest and usefulness for the (ancient) understanding and (modern) study of the biblical text, yet they must be scrutinized. Because apart from the fact that their use by Cyril involves a good deal of subjectivity, there can be errors of attribution or assessment, as well as textual variants that are otherwise unknown. |
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