Brooke Foss Westcott (1825-1901) and Fenton John Anthony Hort (1828-1892) were two Anglican scholars and theologians who are most well known for their work on producing a critical text of the New Testament. In the late 19th century, Westcott and Hort edited and published a landmark edition of the Greek New Testament which laid the foundation for nearly all subsequent New Testament textual criticism.
Westcott and Hort were colleagues at Cambridge University and collaborated together for 28 years on studying and comparing biblical manuscripts to determine the earliest attainable text of the New Testament. They believed that by thoroughly evaluating the extant manuscript evidence, they could reconstruct an accurate representation of the original autographs. This stood in contrast to the Textus Receptus (“Received Text”) that was the primary Greek text used for English Bible translations at the time.
Some key facts about Westcott and Hort:
- Brooke Foss Westcott (1825-1901): English bishop, biblical scholar and theologian. Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge.
- Fenton John Anthony Hort (1828-1892): Irish theologian and editor. Hulsean Professor of Divinity at Cambridge.
- Collaborated together from 1853 to 1881.
- Published The New Testament in the Original Greek in 1881, which set forth their critical Greek text based on primary manuscript evidence.
- Championed the Alexandrian text-type exemplified in manuscripts like Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus, rather than the Byzantine text-type underlying the Textus Receptus.
- Developed reasoned eclectic textual criticism principles for weighing manuscript evidence and determining the most likely original reading.
- Westcott and Hort’s Greek New Testament shaped all major modern English Bible translations.
Background Behind Westcott and Hort’s Greek New Testament
For centuries, the primary Greek text used for translating the New Testament into English was the Textus Receptus (“Received Text”). This text was based heavily on Byzantine manuscripts and was compiled in the 16th century by Desiderius Erasmus, Robert Estienne, and the Elzevir brothers.
By the 19th century, many more ancient Greek biblical manuscripts had been discovered, including Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus. Scholars like Westcott, Hort, and Tischendorf argued that these older Alexandrian manuscripts represent a more accurate transmission of the original New Testament texts. They believed that critical analysis of the manuscript evidence was needed to produce the closest achievable text to what the biblical authors originally wrote.
To this end, Westcott and Hort spent 28 years comprehensively studying Greek manuscripts to construct a revised Greek text that they considered more historically authentic than the Textus Receptus. They developed methodical principles for weighing textual variants to determine, in their view, the most likely original readings. Their landmark edition of The New Testament in the Original Greek was published in 1881.
Westcott and Hort made the following assertions in their work:
- They claimed the Textus Receptus was too heavily dependent on late manuscripts of the Byzantine text-type, rather than on older Alexandrian manuscripts.
- They categorized New Testament manuscripts into text types: Alexandrian, Western, Caesarean, Byzantine. They favored the Alexandrian.
- They believed that through textual criticism, they could reconstruct an accurate Greek text close to the original autographs.
- They relied heavily on Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus as premier witnesses among manuscripts.
Principles and Methodology of Westcott and Hort
Westcott and Hort established some key principles and methodology for weighing textual variants when constructing their Greek New Testament text:
- Textual criticism – They fully embraced textual criticism of the New Testament, rigorously evaluating manuscripts to judge the most likely original readings.
- Primary manuscripts – They relied heavily on Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus as two of their primary manuscripts.
- Text types – They categorized manuscripts into text types (Western, Alexandrian, etc.) and favored the Alexandrian text type as earliest.
- Majority text – They rejected relying solely on majority readings and emphasized internal considerations for determining the best texts.
- Canons of criticism – They established canons of criticism for weighing evidence and evaluating variant readings to determine the most likely original text.
- Conflation – They argued that mixture of texts (conflation) is a sign of later editorial work rather than original readings.
- Difficult reading – They gave preference to the more difficult reading as it less likely to be an alteration. Easier readings could be scribal emendations.
- Shorter reading – They favored shorter readings over longer, based on a tendency of scribes to add details or embellish. The shorter reading was viewed as more reliable.
Influence and Legacy of Westcott-Hort Greek New Testament
The Westcott-Hort Greek New Testament was highly influential in subsequent Bible translation and textual criticism work. Their edition formed the predominant basis for nearly every modern English Bible translation, including the Revised Version, American Standard Version, and the Revised Standard Version.
Some of the lasting impacts of Westcott and Hort’s work include:
- Supplanted the Textus Receptus (“Received Text”) that had been the standard text for centuries.
- Established the framework for modern textual criticism methodologies used today.
- Championed the Alexandrian text-type as the earliest and most reliable form of transmission.
- Textual decisions helped shape the Greek foundation for essentially all modern Bible versions in English.
- Popularized eclectic text principles for weighing evidence to determine original readings.
- Relied heavily on Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, cementing their premier status among NT manuscripts.
- Westcott-Hort text remained standard until surpassed by Nestle-Aland editions which built on their work.
However, the Westcott-Hort text has also received criticism from some scholars over the years. Concerns include:
- Minority text decisions in places based on eclectic principles, versus majority readings.
- Weighing factors for internal evidence now reconsidered by some textual critics.
- Questions over whether Alexandrian manuscripts truly represent the earliest text form.
- Too much reliance on a small number of manuscripts, like Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus.
Nevertheless, Westcott and Hort made an enormous contribution to New Testament textual studies. All Bible readers subsequently have been influenced by the monumental work of these two late 19th century Anglican scholars.
Examples of Textual Choices by Westcott and Hort
Westcott and Hort made a number of significant textual decisions in places where variants exist among the manuscript evidence. Here are a few representative examples:
The Longer Ending of Mark
Westcott and Hort concluded that the longer ending of Mark (Mark 16:9-20) is not authentic. They relegated it to a footnote, affirming the shorter ending at Mark 16:8. Key factors:
- Not in the two earliest manuscripts, Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus.
- Absent in other old manuscript evidence like Codex Regius.
- Variety of endings and manuscript evidence indicates later additions.
- Stylistically different vocabulary and writing style.
John 7:53-8:11, the Pericope Adulterae
Westcott and Hort had doubts about this passage, the story of the woman caught in adultery. They marked the passage as one of their most substantial textual criticsm issues. Factors included:
- Absent from early manuscripts like P66, P75, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus.
- Not in manuscripts before the 5th century.
- Not referenced by early church fathers.
- Style and vocabulary differences from rest of John’s gospel.
The Comma Johanneum, 1 John 5:7-8
Westcott and Hort rejected the Trinitarian statement in the Johannine Comma as an inauthentic text addition. Their reasoning included:
- Only in a few late manuscripts.
- Not cited by any of the early church fathers.
- Appears to have originated as a marginal note that was later copied into the text itself in some manuscripts.
The Angel and the Agony, Luke 22:43-44
Westcott and Hort had reservations about the verses describing the angel and Jesus’ agony. But they included it due to the strength of manuscript evidence. Reasons for hesitation:
- Absent from early witnesses like P75, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus.
- May have been brought in from parallel accounts in other gospels.
Conclusion
Brooke Foss Westcott and Fenton John Anthony Hort were renowned biblical scholars and textual critics of the 19th century. As Cambridge professors, they collaborated from 1853 to 1881 to produce a landmark Greek New Testament text based on extensive manuscript evidence.
In contrast to the Textus Receptus (“Received Text”), Westcott and Hort championed the Alexandrian text-type found in ancient manuscripts like Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus. Their Greek New Testament shaped the foundation of nearly all modern Bible translations in English.
While not without criticism, few scholars have influenced the modern text of the New Testament as profoundly as Westcott and Hort. Their principles and textual decisions continue to impact Bible readers to this day.