xv. 8, by the
choice deliberately made of that place by Dr. Tregelles in order to
establish the peculiar theory of Textual Revision which he advocates so
strenuously; and which, ever since the days of Griesbach, has it must be
confessed enjoyed the absolute confidence of most of the illustrious
editors of the New Testament. This is, in fact, the second example on
Tregelles' list. In approaching it, I take leave to point out that that
learned critic unintentionally hoodwinks his readers by not setting
before them in full the problem which he proposes to discuss. Thoroughly
to understand this matter, the student should be reminded that there is
found in St. Matt. xv. 8,--and parallel to it in St. Mark vii. 6,--

St. Matt.

'Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you saying, "This people
draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips
([Greek: engizei moi ho laos houtos to stomati auton, kai tois cheilesi
me tima]), but their heart is far from Me."'

St. Mark.

'Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, hypocrites, as it is written, "This
people honoureth Me with their lips ([Greek: houtos ho laos tois
cheilesi me tima]), but their heart is far from Me."'

The place of Isaiah referred to, viz. ch. xxix. 13, reads as follows in
the ordinary editions of the LXX:--[Greek: kai eipe Kyrios, engizei moi
ho laos houtos en to stomati autou, kai en tois cheilesin auton timosi
me].

Now, about the text of St. Mark in this place no question is raised.
Neither is there any various reading worth speaking of in ninety-nine
MSS. out of a hundred in respect of the text in St. Matthew. But when
reference is made to the two oldest copies in existence, B and [Symbol:
Aleph], we are presented with what, but for the parallel place in St.
Mark, would have appeared to us a strangely abbreviated reading. Both
MSS. conspire in exhibiting St. Matt. xv. 8, as follows:--[Greek: ho
laos houtos tois cheilesi me tima]. So that six words ([Greek: engizei
moi] and [Greek: to stomati auton, kai]) are not recognized by them: in
which peculiarity they are countenanced by DLT^{c}, two cursive copies,
and the following versions:--Old Latin except f, Vulgate, Curetonian,
Lewis, Peshitto, and Bohairic, (Cod. A, the Sahidic and Gothic versions,
being imperfect here.) To this evidence, Tischendorf adds a phalanx of
Fathers:--Clemens Romanus (A.D. 70), Ptolemaeus the Gnostic (A.D. 150),
Clemens Alexandrinus (A.D. 190), Origen in three place