Teeth and Others.

From: Nichael Cramer (nichael@sover.net)
Date: Tue Jan 27 1998 - 20:53:46 EST


I suspect that most folks here know one or another of the many versions of
the old shaggy dog story whose punchline is "... Teeth will be provided!"
[NOTE*]

Fewer, however, I suspect are familar with an article (published in
Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 12 (1950), 439-49) which purports to
establish a textual witness for this story... [NOTE**]

Under the title "An Amusing Agraphon", a P. R. Coleman-Norton tells of
being stationed in Morroco during WWII. In brief, one day, at a nearby
mosque, he reports that he chanced upon a manuscript containing a portion
of a:

    ...Greek translation of the Latin OPUS IMPERFECTUM IN
    MATHEAEUM, which is a collection of fifty-four homilies
    constructed in the form of a commentary on St. Matthew's
    Gospel (chapters 1-13 and 19-25), once ascribed to the
    authorship of St. John Chrysostom [...] but now commonly
    considered anonymous ..." [p440f]

Again summarizing, the manuscript is reported to contain an insertion
between Mt 24:51 and 25:1. Coleman-Norton continues:

   Then appears the agraphon with this introduction, which to
   all indications seems to be scriptural:

    KAI IDOU, TIS TWN MA(QHT)WN AUTOU EFESTOTWN AUTWi
    ELEGEN. 'RABBI, hO LEGETAI ME(QER)MHNEUOMENON DIDASKALE
    PWS DUNHSETAI TAUTA GENES(QAI), EAN WSIN ANODONTES;
    APOKRIQEIS DE hO IHSOUS EIPEN. OLIGOPISTE, MH SKULLOU. EI
    ARA TINWN hUSTERHSONTAI, hOI ODONTES PROSPARASKEUASONTAI.
    [NOTE***]

Which is accompanied by a footnote reading:

    This may be translated thus: "And behold, a certain one of
    his disciples standing by said unto him: 'Rabbi (which is
    to say, being interpretted, Master), how can these things
    be, if they be toothless?' And Jesus answered and said:
    'O thou of little faith, trouble not thyself; if haply
    they will be lacking any, teeth will be provided.'" [p443]
    

While I think it is safe to say that it is not unreasonable to expect that
this all be taken with a not particularly small grain of salt, I offer it
here in hopes that some may find it, if not as interesting as adultery, at
least amusing or perhaps --with the season for oral Doctoral defenses soon
to be upon us-- useful.

Nichael

 [NOTE* A much-abridged version:
     The old-timey minister is in the pulpit, raining
     fire-and-brimstone down on his audience. His text is
     Matthew's "There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth".
     From the back of the room a smart-alecky voice asks: "But
     Rev'r'nd --what if a man ain't got no teeth?" The
     minister thunders: "Teeth will be provided!" ]

 [NOTE** OTOH, maybe _I'm_ the only one here who's never seen
     this article before. ;-) ]

 [NOTE*** Please forgive my transliteration; I am typing
     this while away from my usual office.]



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