Codex Tischendorfianus III – designated by siglum Λ or 039 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering), ε 77 (von Soden) – is a Greek uncial manuscript of the Gospels on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 9th or 10th century.
It is one of very few uncial manuscripts of the New Testament with full marginal apparatus.
The manuscript was brought from the East by Constantin von Tischendorf (hence the name of the codex), who also examined, described, and was the first scholar to collate its text. The manuscript was also examined by scholars like Samuel Prideaux Tregelles, Ernst von Dobschütz, and Gächler. It is housed in the Bodleian Library.
Description
The codex contains the complete text of the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of John on 157 parchment leaves ( by ). The leaves are arranged in quarto, that is four leaves folded in quires. The text is written in two columns per page, 23 lines per page. There are no spaces between letters, and the words are not separate but written in scriptio continua. The uncial letters are small, not beautiful and slanting. The letters are characterized by Slavonic uncials. The writing is similar to that of Codex Cyprius.
It has breathings and accents, diaeresis, there is no interrogative sign. The errors of iotacism are rare, it has iota adscriptum. All errors are infrequent and it has good grammar.
It has the ornamented headpieces before each Gospel and the decorated initial letters.
Before Gospel of Luke it contains subscription to Mark.
The nomina sacra are written in an abbreviated way; all abbreviations are written in a usual way. In the end of each Gospel stands the Jerusalem Colophon.
The text is divided according to the (chapters), whose numbers are given at the left margin of the text, and their (titles) at the top of the pages. The lists of the are placed before each Gospel. There is also a division according to the smaller Ammonian Sections, with a references to the Eusebian Canons (in red).
It contains lectionary markings in the margin; thus the manuscript could be useful for Church reading. The marginal apparatus (marginal equipment) of the codex is full, indicating two systems of text division and lectionary directions.
It has also occasional scholia in uncials at the margin, with some critical notes.
Before Gospel of Luke stands a subscription to the Gospel of Mark.
It has Jerusalem colophon at the end of each Gospel. At the end of Matthew we read: Gospel according to Matthew: written and corrected from the ancient manuscripts in Jerusalem: those kept in the holy mountain: in 2514 lines and 355 chapters At the end of Mark: Gospel according to Mark: written and corrected likewise from the carefully prepared ones in 1506 lines, 237 chapters At the end of Luke: Gospel according to Luke: written and corrected likewise in 2677 lines, 342 chapters At the end of John: Gospel according to John: written and corrected likewise from the same copies in 2210 lines, 232 chapters.
Text
Text type
The Greek text of this codex is a representative of the Byzantine text-type, but slightly different from typical Byzantine text. It has some Caesarean readings. Tischendorf as the first found some textual affinities to the textual family today known as f13. Tischendorf found its text is of the same type as the manuscripts: Basilensis, Boreelianus, Seidelianus I, Seidelianus II, Cyprius, Campianus, Vaticanus 354, Nanianus, and Mosquensis II. Hermann von Soden classified it to the textual family Ir. It is close to the textual family E.
Kurt Aland placed it in Category V. According to the Claremont Profile Method it represents textual family Kx in Luke 10 and Luke 20. In Luke 1 its text is mixed.
According to Tischendorf in John 5:1-36 in 17 places it 13 times agrees with Alexandrinus, twice with Vaticanus, one with Ephraemi, and one with G H M U V.
Questionable texts
It contains the questionable text of the Pericope Adulterae (John 7:53-8:11), but at the margin of verse 8:11 (not 7:53) it has questionable scholion: τα οβελισμενα εν τισιν αντιγραφαις ου κειται, ουδε Απολιναριου εν δε τοις αρχαις ολα μνημονευουσιν της περικοπης ταυτης και οι αποστολοι παντες εν αις εξεθεντο διαταξεσιν εις οικοδομην της εκκλησιας (Marked by an obelus in some copies, and Apollinary, one of the ancients, argued that all apostles ordered to read it for edification of the church).
It contains text of Luke 22:43-44 and John 5:4, but text of John 5:4 is marked by an obelus as a doubtful.
Textual variants
In Luke 1:28 – αυτην + ευηγγελισατο αυτην και, the reading is supported by the codices: Minuscule 164, Minuscule 199, 262, 899, 1187, 1555, and 2586.