Steven Avery
Well-known member
Speculum: Liber de divinis scripturis
Here we have another wonderful confirmation that the heavenly witnesses was solidly in the OId Latin line from early days.
The honest contras will give up the myth that the verse was created after Nicaea, in the Arian controversies. If they cannot accept authenticity, they can try the fallback position of the verse being created in the 2nd century. A very difficult position, but not totally absurd like 4th century creation.
This evidence of the Speculum is right in the mix with the Latin writings:
Tertullian,
Cyprian (x2)
Hundredfold Martyrs
Potamius of Lisbon
Confessio fidei Catholicae
Symboli Apostolici et Athanasii Enarratio
Priscillian
De Trinitate (about 4 refs)
Contra Varimadum
Phoebadius of Agen
Speculum
Vulgate Prologue of Jerome
Freisinger Fragment
Council of Carthage of AD 484,
Codex Fuldensis (Vulgate Prologue)
Pseudo-Fulgentius
Eleutherius
Fulgentius
Cassiodorus
Isidore of Seville
Etheiius and Beatus
Leon Palimpsest
Corbie 13174 (shows Speculum text transmitted as Augustine)
Regensburg ms (explains Augustine not using verse)
Codex Cavensis
And I left off a number of good allusions from around AD 400-450, just to stay with items that are early, special or clear verse quotes.
A few, mostly the last ones, could be hybrid or Vulgate, in which case they also support Jerome's original Vulgate having the verse. Every Latin evidence must support the Old Latin, or the Vulgate, or a hybrid reference can support both.
================================
There are two textual traditions called Speculum, one is in Bible book order and is often ascribed to Augustine and does not have the heavenly witnesses. While this one with the heavenly witnesses is topically arranged.
Here are the two Latin sections of the Speculum.
This Speculum is called Audi Israhel and is also known as Speculum: Liber de divinis scripturis and (PS-AU spe).
==========================================
Latin: Item illic:
Quoniam tres sunt qui testimonium dicunt in terra, spiritus, aqua et sanguis: et hii tres unum sunt in christo iesu. et tres sunt qui testimonium dicunt in caelo, pater, uerbum et spiritus: et hii tres unum sunt.
(Speculum: Liber de divinis scripturis. Chapter I, CSEL 12:314; Mai 1852: p. 6)
Weihrich - 1887
https://archive.org/details/corpusscriptorum12auguuoft/page/314/mode/2up
==========================================
Latin: Item iohannes in epistula I:
Spiritus est qui testimonium reddit, quia spiritus est ueritas. Item illic:
Tres sunt qui testimonium dicunt in caelo, pater, uerbum et spiritus, et hii tres unum sunt.
(Speculum: Liber de divinis scripturis. Chapter III, CSEL 12:325-326; Mai 1852, p. 9-10)
Weihrich - 1887
https://archive.org/details/corpusscriptorum12auguuoft/page/324/mode/2up
==========================================
Grantley McDonald in Raising the Ghost of Arius only had one of these texts, the second one, without in christo iesu.
Grantley also omitted the critical question of date of composition.
==========================================
The Latin New Testament: A Guide to its Early History, Texts, and Manuscripts
Hugh Houghton
p. 38-39 - Speculum
One of Augustine’s last works was a collection of testimonia, the Speculum quis ignorat (AU spe). There are many unusual features to this selection of biblical passages .. doubt has been cast on its authenticity. However, the composition of the Speculum is described in the biography of Augustine written by Possidius (POS vi), and the handful of quotations in the authorial sections do correspond to Augustine’s characteristic forms in other works.60 It therefore appears that biblical text was substituted at a relatively early point in the textual tradition, affecting all surviving copies.
Another collection of biblical testimonia with the title Speculum is attributed to Augustine, also known as the Liber de diuinis scripturis (PS-AU spe). This seems not to be authentic, but is an earlier compilation made in Italy around the year 400. The passages are arranged thematically under 144 headings with extensive quotation from the whole New Testament apart from Hebrews, 3 John, and Philemon. Both the order of the Gospels and the textual affiliation confirm that the scriptural sources were Old Latin. This work features in the apparatus of several editions of the New Testament, sometimes with the siglum m even though it is not a biblical manuscript.61
60 See Vaccari 1961.
61 See Appendix 1; m derives from Mai, who rediscovered the original form. The siglum in NA and UBS is Spec.
Vaccari, A. (1961). ‘Les traces de la Vetus Latina dans le Speculum de Saint Augustin.’ Studia Patristica 4.2: 228-33.
Alberto Vaccari (1875-1965)
==========================================
Hugh Houghton is saying that Speculum with the heavenly witnesses is around AD 400, and its composition actually precedes the Augustine (354-430) Speculum, which would be around AD 425, shortly before he passed. And clearly this is a powerful witness to the extensive Old Latin tradition of our verse.
When Houghton says "This seems not to be authentic" he is simply saying that it is not believed to be by Augustine. However, there are not any internal claims in the document that it is by Augustine, so his phrasing is awkward at best.
===========================================
Corbie 13174 confirms the heavenly witnesses text in the Speculum (placing it as Augustine) showing that it had been subject to transmission for a long period.
This is from Corbie 13174:
[a]ug[ustinus]: Quoniam tres sunt qui testimonium dicunt in terra, spiritus aqua et sanguis, et hi tres unum sunt in Christo Jhesu; et tres sunt qui testimonium dicunt in caelo, Pater Verbum et Spiritus, et hi tres unum sunt.
This is the first one, the one that Grantley missed when describing the Speculum.
===========================================
Btw, I believe it is possible that the two Speculums are connected, and that each one can be connected to Augustine. The coincidence gives one pause. However, the powerful early Speculum evidence stands either way.
Here we have another wonderful confirmation that the heavenly witnesses was solidly in the OId Latin line from early days.
The honest contras will give up the myth that the verse was created after Nicaea, in the Arian controversies. If they cannot accept authenticity, they can try the fallback position of the verse being created in the 2nd century. A very difficult position, but not totally absurd like 4th century creation.
This evidence of the Speculum is right in the mix with the Latin writings:
Tertullian,
Cyprian (x2)
Hundredfold Martyrs
Potamius of Lisbon
Confessio fidei Catholicae
Symboli Apostolici et Athanasii Enarratio
Priscillian
De Trinitate (about 4 refs)
Contra Varimadum
Phoebadius of Agen
Speculum
Vulgate Prologue of Jerome
Freisinger Fragment
Council of Carthage of AD 484,
Codex Fuldensis (Vulgate Prologue)
Pseudo-Fulgentius
Eleutherius
Fulgentius
Cassiodorus
Isidore of Seville
Etheiius and Beatus
Leon Palimpsest
Corbie 13174 (shows Speculum text transmitted as Augustine)
Regensburg ms (explains Augustine not using verse)
Codex Cavensis
And I left off a number of good allusions from around AD 400-450, just to stay with items that are early, special or clear verse quotes.
A few, mostly the last ones, could be hybrid or Vulgate, in which case they also support Jerome's original Vulgate having the verse. Every Latin evidence must support the Old Latin, or the Vulgate, or a hybrid reference can support both.
================================
There are two textual traditions called Speculum, one is in Bible book order and is often ascribed to Augustine and does not have the heavenly witnesses. While this one with the heavenly witnesses is topically arranged.
Here are the two Latin sections of the Speculum.
This Speculum is called Audi Israhel and is also known as Speculum: Liber de divinis scripturis and (PS-AU spe).
==========================================
Latin: Item illic:
Quoniam tres sunt qui testimonium dicunt in terra, spiritus, aqua et sanguis: et hii tres unum sunt in christo iesu. et tres sunt qui testimonium dicunt in caelo, pater, uerbum et spiritus: et hii tres unum sunt.
(Speculum: Liber de divinis scripturis. Chapter I, CSEL 12:314; Mai 1852: p. 6)
Weihrich - 1887
https://archive.org/details/corpusscriptorum12auguuoft/page/314/mode/2up
==========================================
Latin: Item iohannes in epistula I:
Spiritus est qui testimonium reddit, quia spiritus est ueritas. Item illic:
Tres sunt qui testimonium dicunt in caelo, pater, uerbum et spiritus, et hii tres unum sunt.
(Speculum: Liber de divinis scripturis. Chapter III, CSEL 12:325-326; Mai 1852, p. 9-10)
Weihrich - 1887
https://archive.org/details/corpusscriptorum12auguuoft/page/324/mode/2up
==========================================
Grantley McDonald in Raising the Ghost of Arius only had one of these texts, the second one, without in christo iesu.
Grantley also omitted the critical question of date of composition.
==========================================
The Latin New Testament: A Guide to its Early History, Texts, and Manuscripts
Hugh Houghton
p. 38-39 - Speculum
One of Augustine’s last works was a collection of testimonia, the Speculum quis ignorat (AU spe). There are many unusual features to this selection of biblical passages .. doubt has been cast on its authenticity. However, the composition of the Speculum is described in the biography of Augustine written by Possidius (POS vi), and the handful of quotations in the authorial sections do correspond to Augustine’s characteristic forms in other works.60 It therefore appears that biblical text was substituted at a relatively early point in the textual tradition, affecting all surviving copies.
Another collection of biblical testimonia with the title Speculum is attributed to Augustine, also known as the Liber de diuinis scripturis (PS-AU spe). This seems not to be authentic, but is an earlier compilation made in Italy around the year 400. The passages are arranged thematically under 144 headings with extensive quotation from the whole New Testament apart from Hebrews, 3 John, and Philemon. Both the order of the Gospels and the textual affiliation confirm that the scriptural sources were Old Latin. This work features in the apparatus of several editions of the New Testament, sometimes with the siglum m even though it is not a biblical manuscript.61
60 See Vaccari 1961.
61 See Appendix 1; m derives from Mai, who rediscovered the original form. The siglum in NA and UBS is Spec.
Vaccari, A. (1961). ‘Les traces de la Vetus Latina dans le Speculum de Saint Augustin.’ Studia Patristica 4.2: 228-33.
Alberto Vaccari (1875-1965)
==========================================
Hugh Houghton is saying that Speculum with the heavenly witnesses is around AD 400, and its composition actually precedes the Augustine (354-430) Speculum, which would be around AD 425, shortly before he passed. And clearly this is a powerful witness to the extensive Old Latin tradition of our verse.
When Houghton says "This seems not to be authentic" he is simply saying that it is not believed to be by Augustine. However, there are not any internal claims in the document that it is by Augustine, so his phrasing is awkward at best.
===========================================
Corbie 13174 confirms the heavenly witnesses text in the Speculum (placing it as Augustine) showing that it had been subject to transmission for a long period.
This is from Corbie 13174:
[a]ug[ustinus]: Quoniam tres sunt qui testimonium dicunt in terra, spiritus aqua et sanguis, et hi tres unum sunt in Christo Jhesu; et tres sunt qui testimonium dicunt in caelo, Pater Verbum et Spiritus, et hi tres unum sunt.
This is the first one, the one that Grantley missed when describing the Speculum.
===========================================
Btw, I believe it is possible that the two Speculums are connected, and that each one can be connected to Augustine. The coincidence gives one pause. However, the powerful early Speculum evidence stands either way.
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