Minuscule 390 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering; also designated as GA 390) is a Greek manuscript of the New Testament, written in a minuscule hand on paper. It is dated by paleography to the 13th century. It is an important witness to the Byzantine text-type and belongs to the significant textual Family 1.
Description
The codex contains the text of the Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, Catholic Epistles, and Pauline Epistles, thus presenting a complete New Testament except for the Book of Revelation. It is composed of 354 paper leaves, measuring approximately 25.2 cm by 18 cm. The text is arranged in one column per page, with 27 lines of text per page. The script is a small, neat minuscule hand. It includes lectionary markings in the margins, indicating passages for liturgical readings.Textual Character
The Greek text of Minuscule 390 is a representative of the Byzantine text-type, which is the predominant text-type found in the majority of New Testament manuscripts. Critically, it belongs to the textual family known as Family 1 (f¹), also sometimes referred to as the "Lake Group" or "Ferrar Group." This family is a distinct subgroup of Byzantine manuscripts, characterized by a unique set of shared textual variants that differentiate it from both the standard Byzantine text and other major text-types (like the Alexandrian or Western). Other prominent members of Family 1 include Minuscule 1, Minuscule 118, Minuscule 131, and Minuscule 209.Scholars such as Caspar René Gregory and Kirsopp Lake have examined and cataloged Minuscule 390. Its readings are valuable for textual critics, particularly in studies concerning the precise composition and development of Family 1 and its relationship to the broader Byzantine tradition.
History
The manuscript was copied in the 13th century by a monk named John, reportedly for a priest also named John. Its exact provenance before its acquisition by the Bodleian Library is not fully documented.Current Location
The codex is presently housed at the Bodleian Library (shelfmark: Auct. D. 5. 16) at Oxford University, United Kingdom.See Also
- Minuscule manuscripts
- Biblical manuscript
- Textual criticism
- Family 1 (textual criticism)
- Gregory-Aland numbers
References
- Aland, Kurt; Aland, Barbara (1995). The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism. Erroll F. Rhodes (trans.). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-8028-4098-1. (Standard reference for Minuscule manuscripts and Gregory-Aland numbering).
- Gregory, Caspar René (1900). Textkritik des Neuen Testaments, Vol. 1. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs'sche Buchhandlung. (Provides information on GA 390 and Family 1).
- Lake, Kirsopp (1902). The Text of the New Testament. London: Rivingtons. (Discusses Family 1).
- "Liste Handschriften". Münster: Institute for New Testament Textual Research. Retrieved October 26, 2023. (Official database for New Testament manuscripts).