Codex Sinaiticus — Aleph / 01

Physical Description

A large parchment codex written principally in four columns per page, usually with forty-eight lines per column. Several scribes participated in its production. Numerous corrections and annotations were added during its history. The manuscript originally contained a substantial Greek Bible.

Dating the Manuscript

Generally dated to the middle of the fourth century through examination of its Greek majuscule handwriting and physical characteristics.

Discovery and Preservation

The manuscript was preserved for centuries at Saint Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai. Constantin von Tischendorf obtained portions during visits in the nineteenth century. The largest surviving portion was subsequently held in Russia and was purchased by the British Museum in 1933. Additional leaves and fragments were discovered at Saint Catherine's Monastery in 1975.

Historical Context

Codex Sinaiticus is the earliest surviving manuscript containing the complete Greek New Testament. Its preservation provides an extraordinary view of the biblical text as it existed in the fourth century.

Textual Characteristics

Sinaiticus is one of the principal witnesses used in reconstructing the early Greek New Testament. Its original readings and numerous corrections reveal both the stability of much of the transmitted text and the copying variations that scholars must evaluate.

Significance for Gospel Preservation

Sinaiticus provides a complete fourth-century text of all four Gospels. Its wording can be compared with earlier papyri, Codex Vaticanus, and later Greek manuscripts. These comparisons demonstrate substantial continuity in the Gospel text while allowing individual textual differences to be identified and studied.

Related Investigations

Sources and Further Reading

1. Codex Sinaiticus Project
   Codex Sinaiticus Project. Digital edition of Codex Sinaiticus, launched 2009.
   Official Codex Sinaiticus digital edition.
2. Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts Digital Collection
   Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts. Digital Manuscript Collection.
   CSNTM manuscript catalogue and digital research resources.
3. New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room
   Institute for New Testament Textual Research. New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room.
   INTF manuscript identification and catalogue evidence.