A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament, Vol. II. — Context and Discussion

Irenaeus and the Number of the Beast

Scrivener devotes careful attention to Irenaeus's treatment of Revelation 13:18, where the Greek text reads either χξϛʹ (666) or χιϛʹ (616). He reproduces the Latin and Greek of Irenaeus's argument, noting that the father attributes the variant to a scribal error—iota (10) mistaken for xi (60)—and grants forgiveness to those who erred innocently. Scrivener draws three observations from this passage: it confirms Irenaeus's acceptance of the Apocalypse as Johannine, it shows the living interest second-century Christians had in preserving minutiae, and it proves that the original autograph was already lost within seventy years of composition. The discussion illustrates how patristic citations serve as both witnesses to the text and evidence of early textual transmission.

Clement and Origen on Manuscript Diversity

Scrivener turns to Clement of Alexandria (fl. 194) and Origen (185–253) as key witnesses to the state of the New Testament text in the second and third centuries. He notes that Clement's citations are numerous but not always careful, and that he complains of those who tamper with the Gospels for sinister ends. Origen, whom Scrivener calls the highest name among early critics, is described as perpetually engaged in discussing various readings. Scrivener quotes Origen's remark that there is διαφωνία (disagreement) among copies of the Gospels on many points, language that would be strong even for the present state of the text after sixteen more centuries of change. Origen, like Irenaeus, shows no curiosity about the fate of the autographs; they had simply passed out of reach.

The Role of Patristic Citations in Textual Criticism

Chapter VI of the volume is devoted to citations from the Greek New Testament or its versions made by early ecclesiastical writers, especially the Christian fathers. Scrivener treats these citations as a distinct category of evidence, alongside manuscripts and versions. He emphasizes that fathers like Irenaeus and Origen provide not only textual variants but also commentary on the reliability of copies and the methods of scribes. The excerpts show Scrivener's own method: he cites the fathers in their original languages (Greek and Latin) and evaluates their testimony critically. For instance, he notes that Mill's praise of Clement as creber est et castus (frequent and pure) in citing New Testament passages is perhaps too high, indicating that Scrivener applies a skeptical eye even to revered authorities.

Internal Evidence and the Principles of Criticism

Later chapters of the volume address internal evidence and the history of the text. Scrivener outlines principles for weighing variant readings, such as the preference for the harder reading and the importance of transcriptional probability. The excerpts do not provide full details of these principles, but the table of contents shows that Chapter VIII is devoted to internal evidence, Chapter IX to the history of the text, and Chapter X to recent views of comparative criticism. Scrivener's approach is cumulative: he first surveys the external witnesses (versions, fathers, editions), then turns to internal criteria. The final chapter applies these materials to select passages of the New Testament, offering concrete examples of how the critic decides between variants.

Scrivener's volume is best read as a practical handbook rather than a theoretical treatise. The reader is encouraged to follow the progression from external evidence (versions, fathers) to internal criteria, and to test the principles against the select passages in Chapter XII. The excerpts reveal a scholar who values precision and is willing to acknowledge the limitations of the evidence. For a first reading, focus on the concrete examples—Irenaeus on Revelation, Origen on manuscript diversity—as they illustrate the challenges that textual criticism seeks to address.

I found myself lingering over Scrivener’s careful work on Revelation’s varied readings, remembering how quietly comforting it is to trace a thread through old manuscripts. That patient attention to each word reminded me of another volume on my shelf, The Revelation Explained An Exposition, Text by Text, of the Apocalypse of St. John — Edition Insights, where the same verses seemed less like puzzles and more like familiar rooms I’d walked through before.