Via AWOL I learn that an edition and translation of Bar Hebraeus’ scholia on the Old Testament is now available in PDF form online from the University of Chicago. The PDF is here (linked on that page under the red down-arrow next to the text “Terms of Use”.
In addition, an interesting volume, The Early Text of the New Testament, ed. Charles E. Hill and Michael J. Kruger, Oxford, has appeared and is discussed by Larry Hurtado here. It has wider interest than merely biblical scholars:
There are cogent discussions of wider issues, including in particular Harry Gamble, “The Book Trade in the Roman Empire” (pp. 23-36), and Kruger (a former PhD student), “Early Christian Attitudes toward the Reproduction of Texts” (pp. 63-80). …
Charles Hill (“‘In These Very Words’: Methods and Standards of Literary Brorowing in the Second Century,” pp. 261-81) provides a valuable study showing that pagan and Christian authors followed a different set of conventions in citing texts than used by copyists of texts. …
This volume (though expensive!) is now probably the most up to date analysis of earliest evidence about the state and transmission of NT writings in the second century CE. Given the limitations of our evidence, scholars are required to make the best inferences they can. This volume provides essential resources in doing so, and largely shows that we can with some confidence posit that the NT writings, essentially as we know them, were copied for both ecclesial and private reading.
Which is what we would tend to expect, surely, of any ancient literary text not belonging to the corpus of astrological handbooks or similarly fluid literature?
Michael Kruger adds a note here.
I’d very much like to read this volume: it seems likely to be relevant to classical and patristic scholars. It’s about $175, tho, which is a bit above my budget!
UPDATE: A corrrespondent writes to point out that I have confused two books in the above. I referred to The Text of the New Testament in Contemporary Research: Essays on the Status Quaestionis. Second Edition (eds M.W. Holmes & B.D. Ehrman; NTTSD 42; Leiden: E.J. Brill, 2012), which appeared at a ridiculous price ($314). But the book that I was discussing was actually the Charles Hill volume! Many thanks for the correction. Friday night tiredness, I’m afraid, is responsible.
The Holmes volume, however, is also likely to be interesting, as may be seen from the list of chapters given by Peter Head here. But at $341 is way out of reach. However I suspect it will be quickly pirated in PDF form, unless students have become wealthy in the last few weeks!