Smyrna times., 1881-06-15
For Me SmNna Times
TOT Ule NWyTNu IIltS
The Omission of the DOxology in the
Lords Prayer, in the Revised
Version of the New
Testament,
BY PRESRUTEROS.

The omission OF this ancient, and sub
lime doxology has disturbed the minds of
many devOut Christians. 1t is not to be
wondered at when we consider that all
English speaking Christians have read,
and repeated il according to the Authori-
zcd Version for more than $50 years and
have regarded it--With the exception of
critical scholars-without doubt, as part of
the sacred text. Had a revision been
made 80 years ago, in the then imperfect
state of Oriental scholarship, and Biblical
criticism, the probabilities are, it would
have been omitted in the text; and the
present generation would have known
little, if anything about it, unless they had
seen it referred to in the margin, or in a
previous version. The doXOlogy, as schol-
ars well know, has always been regarded
as of doubtful authority. What has been
confined to them for centuries in this, and
other particulars is now made patent to all
the world. This instead of shaking the
faith of any in the scriptures, should
awaken a desire for version of them as
pure and simple, and as near the original
as possible and the idiom of our language
will admit.
The external evidences for the genuine
ness of the dOxology are ~ 1t is found in
all the Syriac Versions, and in the Pes
chito, or old Syriac Version, dating prOba-
bly, as early as the second century; al.
though manysmake it the third, and some
even the fifth century (2) also in the
Sahidic or Thebaic Version, made for the
early christians of Upper Egypt, as some
maintain about the middle of the second
century, but most probably in the third
century. 1t is found in perhaps most of the
later versions. t3) 1t is found in many
manuscripts, and some ancient, though
not the oldest
The internal, or subjective grounds fol
it's insertion in the text are (1) The in
completeness of the prayer without it
~ The beauty, sublimity, and appro
priateness of the clause. (3) The pre-
sumption that it was purpOsely omitted b!
the Latin Fathers to remove discrepancy
between Matthew, and Luke.
The evidences against its genuinenes
are, ~ 1t is not found in the Vetus italia
or old Italic Version, translated from tn
Greek; which we have every reason t
believe was executed in the early part O
the second century; at least it was quote,
by Tertullidn before the close of that cen
tury. ~ 1t is not found in the Vulgate
/ the revision of the old Latin Bible (whic
had become corrupted by alteration
either designed or accidental made b.
transcribers) by Jerome in the fourth cen
tury, a most reverential, and conservative
as well as able, and impartial critic. "a
1t is not found, in fact there is dbsOlutel
no trace Of 1t in early times, in any faml
of manuscripts or in any expositOrs. a
The manuscripts in which the doxology
added, although some of them ancien
but by no means the oldest, have it VI
riously written; and in several of them i
a different character, or in red ink, and
the margin. Some of them have it in FIJI
as in the Authorized Version. Othel
have it, "FOr thine is the Kingdom. Amen
Others have it, For thine is the kingClOr
and the polUer, and the glory Of the Fdthe
and of the Son, and Of the Holy Spirit
= emitting the" Amen" o. 1t is passed b
in silence by the earliest Latin Fathers
and even the Greek commentators whe
expounding thisprayer, make no referen'
whatever to the doxology.
u Had the doxology formed part of Il
original text, it is absolutely inconceiv
BILE that all the most ancient authoriti
:, should with one consent have omitted
Although it is found in the Old Syri
Version, it wants the "Amen," which Il
doxology, if genuine, could hardly ha
" wanted AS doxologies of this kind we
in much use among the Jews ever sin
:, David's exuberant doxology in l. Chro
29:11, as may be seen in all their liturgi,
they naturally passed over into the Chr
tian Church; and we find that the habit
nm the early Christians was to terminate tn,
sm prayers with similar Inscriptions of prai
; Our Lord, it would seem, designedly Il
this model prayer to be concluded me
80 or less fully as circumstances might dire
1t is, therefore, easily to be conceived ht
that the fondness Of the early Christia
for doxologies, would naturally sugg
Il some such ending, and make its inserti
-. - u.