The Gospel Commentary of Theophylact, and a Neglected Manuscript in Oxford

Abstract

A notable manuscript of Theophylact's commentary on the Gospels, formerly owned by William Grocyn and Thomas Linacre, has belonged to Corpus Christi College, Oxford, for 470 years. The same volume also contains two leaves from a Gospel lectionary. Long overlooked by textual critics, this codex has at last attained its place as Greek New Testament minuscule 2879 and lectionary 2436. In editing the Greek New Testament text from 1514 onwards, Erasmus made considerable use of Theophylact manuscripts at Basle, whereby the work of Theophylact became a major ingredient in the formation of the Textus Receptus. There remains a need for a reliable critical edition of Theophylact's commentaries.