corpus SCRIPTORUM CHRISTIANORUM ORIENTALIUM tt SUBSIDIA ToMUS 79 STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF THE GOSPEL TEXT IN SYRIAC NEW CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SOURCES ELUCIDATING THE HISTORY OF THE TRADITIONS " WITH AN APPENDIX: “THE DISCOVERY ON NEW SOURCES FOR THE. [ARCHAIC TEXT OF THE BOOK OF ACTS ‘Anriur VOOBUS Go. OF LOVANIE IN AEDIBUS E. PEETERS 1987 na SHO(© 1987 y Caps Spam Ciao Oritim Drseposos mone Onna, a. Lowa ele) PREFACE ‘Tee fis volume of this work appeared thee and a half decades ‘go! andthe event ofits publication forever remain indi imprinted pon my mind because it brought my very fist contact ith Prt FR Drapuet—acontat which was to develop into a ating relationship, tne which have held the highest honor aro the yar ews an ae ff thanksgiving for me tobe able to express my profound gratitude to thi giant among scholars ina tangiie fasion by dedicating he volume ‘The Hexopa andthe Syro-Hexapla? ohm and placing tom his sk on bie 7h birthday 38a token of my admiration ad ester, “An explanation forthe long delay inthe appearance ofthis volume in corer to explain why I have run so far bend in several undertakings find works planned and promised, i in order. This all the more eosary Beeauie Ihave Fequenlresvedinguties about the mater. Tithe ist instance, the research program wich had tobe conducted inthe preparation of tht volume demanded an extraordinary investment of ne and energy. Not even the best of planning could have prepared tne forthe actual reality wat ed int a veritable labyrinth of deanery 25 beare invlved in the quest for new sources. That intra, had me ‘bark on a massive, systematic sate and recovery program both ia Europe and then in the Neat and Middle Eat te contusion of which ould not postiby be predicted whether o the bass of energy ot ine, ‘cep forthe probability that it would requie more of both than any Tn addition, however, it was not possible for me to purse this ‘program to the exclusion of other conceas. Unlike so many of my Callesgues who bave ben allowed to conduct thi esearch at wil, T have felt mse bound to discharge heavy hie cbliains, which have vweihed on my heat ike heay tones, obligation having to do withthe fae visited upon my native land. Out of eompasio othe peop of my homeland and out of sulleiag over the tragedy which has ben Visited ‘pon my country whos fe and clure have been profoundly affect * oni 8, 1 Td te Sie: Yer IpesBres Satestandin peslous danger, have felt in mandatory for me todo what ould about it Since I had been a pastor inthe mary church of my tion, became a voice forthe voceles>, Having served asx profeane of the University of Tartu, a prises privilege, I felt the ned to immortalie the Ife and work of this academic institution. Having recrved so mach fom my own country, I considered it requisite to salvage what could be salvaged from the ruins and to wit compre, eave history of my people, a task which tuned out be sang itwas arduous. The sxeenth volume ofthat projet ow reaching tt completion. Amite, tere have been times when I have envied ny collegues who have enjoyed th inestimable Blesting of having ther hhands fee to do that which they wished to do In the source ofthe research effort, there emerged the vison to produce an addtional volume devoted othe history and evolution of th {ext ofthe Book of Acts. Fortunately, I wis able to incorornte i parla proj into the overall program at avery erly slagein te ‘earch and recovery journeys and to catty ion in thorough and systematic way. However, when T came to a review of my work sureing the ist of orks which have been pt on had and of the ine ‘needed to complete them, I have had to comet the tlutanteondision ‘at this particular volume would have o be abandoned Buin ode to salvage something rom the labor and effort invested, seemed tobe the best option to attach and appendix to this volume to introduce this satel 3thow mich Tove to th National Endowment forthe Humans mich has enabled me to venture forth on intensive search and recovery Jooreys i the quest for new manuscripts both ia Europe and slog ‘many routes inthe Near and Middle East, has long since pase) overs of gratefl expression. Lam profoundly thankful that has beee posible forme to register that gratitude with tangible resls, nt only ‘hough the discovery of many previously unknown manuscripts but ao of totaly unkown manuseript calltion in the Sytian Orit By SuPPor of such advancements in manuscript research, the Nail 2 The Marys of ai Scan 9) see yey ar iad Wa, Moon * Sine he sy of Eno Pl tcl 1407 Endowment forthe Humanities ha pt teenie word of arias nits ee Tn submitng this volume fo the CSCO, Lam especially aware of and thankfl for, the many Kindneses which Ihave recived fom Prot Andrt de Hallux in so many way, one of wich I wih i particule to refer Tt has happened repeatedly whea, a the tie of the final ‘tein of proof, Ihave bee beyond conse long distant outs a the Near and Middle East chat he has most graciously taken ove that tious burden from me, For that, and much more, {give my snere sppecation, Seldom thanked publicly in my works, but whose contusion eres warm words of gatiudes thousand ines over, my i, Ise ‘She has, with «quit patience, competence and sees eae, ured my ‘materi oflen annotated and eovered wih notes inthe mari, ito & Slay typed mansserit. Some sections have ben typed seer tines ‘over, alway in a spirit of good cheer. Warm appeciaton is tendered to Prof. Walter Freitag, my former pep and now extemed colleague: My requests fo tap his git of language have always been generously recived. His response to my appeal to examine the English ofthis manuscript met with the same Inimitable kindness that he bas shown throughout decades. December, 1986, Ta asta of Sine Masur Susie, xr Yoon: