Codex Alexandrinus — A / 02

Physical Description

Codex Alexandrinus is a large parchment manuscript of the Greek Bible, now bound in four volumes. Its biblical text is written principally in two columns of Greek majuscule script. The manuscript preserves ancient headings, divisions, and other features associated with the reading and organization of Scripture.

Dating the Manuscript

Generally assigned to the fifth century through paleographical and codicological examination.

Discovery and Preservation

The manuscript was preserved in the eastern Mediterranean and subsequently associated with Alexandria. Cyril Lucaris, Patriarch of Constantinople, presented it to King Charles I of England in 1628. It later entered the collections of the British Museum and is now preserved in the British Library.

Historical Context

Codex Alexandrinus is one of the great surviving Greek biblical manuscripts. Produced approximately a century after Vaticanus and Sinaiticus, it provides extensive evidence for the continuing transmission of the Gospels during the fifth century.

Textual Characteristics

The manuscript contains readings associated with different textual traditions. Its Gospel text is especially useful when compared with Vaticanus, Sinaiticus, and the early papyri. Its headings and divisions also illustrate the organization of the Gospels for reading and study.

Significance for Gospel Preservation

Alexandrinus provides an extensive fifth-century witness to the Gospel text. Its substantial agreement with earlier manuscripts supports continuity in transmission, while its distinctive readings help scholars identify and evaluate differences among copying traditions. The manuscript demonstrates that recognizable forms of the four Gospels continued to be preserved and copied across successive centuries.

Related Investigations

Sources and Further Reading

1. British Library Manuscripts Catalogue
   British Library. Manuscripts and Archives Catalogue, including Codex Alexandrinus, Royal MS 1 D V-VIII.
   British Library catalogue for Codex Alexandrinus.
2. Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts Digital Collection
   Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts. Digital Manuscript Collection.
   CSNTM manuscript catalogue and digital research resources.
3. New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room
   Institute for New Testament Textual Research. New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room.
   INTF manuscript identification and catalogue evidence.