Here's an interesting point I thought I would also share here, which I shared over
here.
This was in a conversation with Avery, the "you" in the text.
Some of
the earliest Latin NT manuscript "evidences" (as you call them)
only read "the Spirit" (with "HOLY" missing) instead of "the HOLY Spirit" in the Comma/Parenthetical text of 1 John 5:7(Clause-C).
Codex Fuldensis (circa. 7th century A.D.) in the Paratextual commentary to the "Canonical Epistles", only has
"Spiritus" in reference to the specific words that are supposedly "omitted" ( actually "committentes" in the manuscript - See links here and here) in comparison and contradistinction to the words of the psuedographic commentator's eisegetical theological comment in the following sentence of "Patris et Fili ("and the Son") et
Spiritus Sanctus" ("and the HOLY Spirit").
Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 6436 (circa. 7th century A.D.) is damaged in the Comma-inclusive text, leaving open the legitimate possibility that it may have only read
"SPS" ("Spiritus" abbreviated) instead of "SPS SCS" ("Spiritus Sanctus" abbreviated). Note [ ] bracketed text in printed references to this manuscript.
León, Archivo Catedralicio Ms. 15 (first copied circa. 7th century A.D. and palimpsested 10th century A.D.) is likewise damaged, and similarly may have only read
"SPS" ("Spiritus" abbreviated) instead of "SPS SCS" ("Spiritus Sanctus" abbreviated) as well as "XPS est veritas" in verse 6 (see previous post over on Syriac thread). Note [ ] bracketed text in the printed references to these verses in this manuscript.
The next oldest NT manuscript is similar, except more conclusive.
Verona, Biblioteca Capitolare X (8), (circa. 7th-8th century A.D.) 1 John 5:6-8 is found on Folio 131 [Pg 264-265 / 322]. It only reads
"SPS" ("Spiritus" abbreviated) instead of "SPS SCS" ("Spiritus Sanctus" abbreviated).
“…hic est qui venit ex aqua et sanguine IHS XPS ; non in aqua solum ; sed [Folio 131] in aqua et sanguinem et SPS est qui testifcator qm XPS est veritas ; qm tres sunt qui testimonium dant in caelo Pater, Verbum,
et SPS, et tres unum sunt ; Si testimonium hominum accipimus, testimonium DI maius est…”
Also, the so-called “earthly witnesses” (Spiritus, aqua, sanguine) have been completely erased and/or supplanted by the heavenly witnesses "Pater, Verbum,
et Spiritus".
So, when looking
exclusively at the early
NT Latin manuscript evidence, it shows potentially that, rather than originality, in verse 7 (Clause-C), the Latin Comma-inclusive version in it's earliest stage of construction and subsequent development actually gives more evidence of remodeling or manipulation and/or adding/constructing onto the original Comma-less text of verse 7, by virtue of the manuscripts mirroring (and/or potentially mirroring) verse 7's original "et Spiritus" reading instead of "Spiritus Sanctus".
This is additional evidence, and strengthens the idea that "the Spirit" (with
the context of water + blood) in verse 8 (KJV-numbering) and "the Spirit of the truth" in verse 6 (same
context = water + blood) most probably are identical.