[Greek: hypo Theou hagioi]) Theophylact
is the sole patron[86]. The consequence of all this might have been
foreseen: (4) it came to pass that from a few Codexes, both [Greek: apo]
and [Greek: agioi] were left out,--which accounts for the reading of
certain copies of the Old Latin[87]. Unaware how the blunder began,
Tischendorf and his followers claim '(2)', '(3)', and '(4)', as proofs
that '(1)' is the right reading: and, by consequence, instead of '_holy_
men of God spake,' require us to read 'men spake _from_ God,' which is
wooden and vapid. Is it not clear that a reading attested by only BP and
four cursive copies must stand self-condemned?

Another excellent specimen of this class of error is furnished by Heb.
vii. 1. Instead of [Greek: Ho synantesas Abraam]--said of
Melchizedek,--[Symbol: Aleph]ABD exhibit [Greek: OS]. The whole body of
the copies, headed by CLP, are against them[88],--besides
Chrysostom[89], Theodoret[90], Damascene[91]. It is needless to do more
than state how this reading arose. The initial letter of [Greek:
synantesas] has been reduplicated through careless transcription:
[Greek: OSSYN]--instead of [Greek: OSYN]--. That is all. But the
instructive feature of the case is that it is in the four oldest of the
uncials that this palpable blunder is found.

Sec. 6.

I have reserved for the last a specimen which is second to none in
suggestiveness. 'Whom will ye that I release unto you?' asked Pilate on
a memorable occasion[92]: and we all remember how his enquiry proceeds.
But the discovery is made that, in an early age there existed copies of
the Gospel which proceeded thus,--'Jesus [who is called[93]] Barabbas,
or Jesus who is called Christ?' Origen so quotes the place, but 'In many
copies,' he proceeds, 'mention is not made that Barabbas was also called
Jesus: and those copies may perhaps be right,--else would the name of
Jesus belong to one of the wicked,--of which no instance occurs in any
part of the Bible: nor is it fitting that the name of Jesus should like
Judas have been borne by saint and sinner alike. I think,' Origen adds,
'something of this sort must have been an interpolation of the
heretics[94].' From this we are clearly intended to infer that 'Jesus
Barabbas' was the prevailing reading of St. Matt. xxvii. 17 in the time
of Origen, a circumstance which--besides that a multitude of copies
existed as well as those of Origen--for the best of reasons, we take
leave to pronounce incr