Constantin von Tischendorf
Praise God Friedrich Konstantin von Tischendorf ( born January 18, 1815 in Lengenfeld, † December 7, 1874 in Leipzig ) was a German Protestant theologian.
Life
Tischendorf was the son of a doctor, who came from a paper miller dynasty, and enjoyed his first schooling in Lengenfeld. From 1829, he attended high school in Plauen. From 1834 he studied at the University of Leipzig theology and philology. He finished his studies in 1838 with a doctorate and was two years later, also in Leipzig, habilitate.
1838-1839 he was a teacher at the educational institution of the pastor Zehme in Großstädteln near Leipzig. Here he met his future wife Angelika Zehme, the daughter of the house, whom he married in 1845. In marriage eight children were born.
After his habilitation he became private, but was hardly active as such but made several extended study trips to France, Britain, Italy and the Middle East. In 1845 he returned to Leipzig and began to evaluate its research results. End of 1845 Tischendorf was an associate professor and in 1851 appointed honorary professor. Eight years later, he was entrusted with the chair of theology and Biblical paleography.
As one of the most important explorer of the textual history of the New Testament, he contributed significantly to a scientifically proven Bible text. Among other things, he deciphered the Codex Ephraemi Syri, discovered the Codex Sinaiticus and explored the Septuagint.
On May 5, 1873 Tischendorf suffered a stroke from which he never recovered. Nearly sixty years old, he died on December 7, 1874 in Leipzig. His work continued Caspar René Gregory continued.
Honors
- Already during his studies Tischendorf in 1836 and 1838 awarded by the Faculty of Theology of the University of Leipzig with prices for custom built in studying scriptures.
- 1843 received from the Breslau Theological Faculty of the honorary doctorate.
- 1865 appointed him to the University of Cambridge Dr. of Law and the University of Oxford Dr. of Civil Law.
- In 1867 he was the Royal Saxon Privy Councilor.
- In 1869 he was elevated to the hereditary Russian nobility.
Works
One of his most important works is the 1869-72 published in two volumes octavo critical edition of the text of the New Testament (Editio critica maior octava ) accompanied by a critical apparatus with all the text variants that had found he and his predecessors in manuscripts and church fathers.
- Codex Ephraemi Syri Rescriptus, immersive Fragmenta Novi Testamenti, Lipsiae 1843
- Codex Ephraemi Syri Rescriptus, immersive Fragmenta Veteris Testamenti, Lipsiae 1845
- Notitia editionis codicis Bibliorum Sinaitici (Leipzig 1860)
- Anecdota sacra et profana (Leipzig 1861)
- Editio critica maior octava (1869-1872)
- Journey to the Orient (1854-1846)
- When was our gospel written? (1866 )
The Codex Sinaiticus
Throughout his life sought by Tischendorf old manuscripts of the Bible because he considered it his duty to ask the theologians Greek New Testament available, based on the text of the oldest manuscripts. He wanted to stay as close to the original sources. His greatest discovery was Tischendorf in the monastery of St. Catherine in the Sinai Peninsula, which he visited in May 1844 again in 1853 and 1859 with the financial support of the Russian Tsar.
1862 Tischendorf published the text of the Codex Sinaiticus found there to the 1000th anniversary of the Russian monarchy in a magnificent four-volume facsimile edition and also an inexpensive text output, so that every theologian the text of this ancient Bible manuscript itself should be able to study.