ARABIC TRADITION OF CATENA

The Monophysite Coptic chain of the four Gospels has been preserved in full in a series of Arabic manuscripts. F. J. Caubet-Iturbe has edited the part that concerns the Gospel of Matthew from nine Arabic manuscripts (Vatican Library, Arabic 452 [1214], 410 [thirteenth to fourteenth century], 411 [fourteenth century]; Göttingen, Arabic 103 [thirteenth to fourteenth century]; Bodleian Library, Hunt. 262 [sixteenth century]; Strasbourg, Arabic 4315 [sixteenth century]; Paris, Arabic 55 [1619]; Cairo, 195 [1735]; Vatican Library, Karshuni Syriac 541 [1555]; cf. Graf, 1944, p. 482).

Caubet-Iturbe’s edition comprises two volumes (1969-1970). Liturgical references found in the margins of certain manuscripts have been assembled in Volume 2 (pp. 52-55).

From this abundant Arabic tradition, the manuscript closest to the Coptic model is Vatican Arabic 452. In the Arabic texts certain citations have been omitted. The identification of the citations has not yet been made for the three chains of Mark, Matthew, and John.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Caubet-Iturbe, F. J. La cadena arabe del evangelio de San Mateo, 2 vols. Vatican City, 1969-1970.

MICHEL VAN ESBROECK