sinaiticus codex

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sinaiticus codex - Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary :

  Sinaiticus codex
  usually designated by the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet,
  is one of the most valuable of ancient MSS. of the Greek New
  Testament. On the occasion of a third visit to the convent of
  St. Catherine, on Mount Sinai, in 1859, it was discovered by Dr.
  Tischendorf. He had on a previous visit in 1844 obtained
  forty-three parchment leaves of the LXX., which he deposited in
  the university library of Leipsic, under the title of the Codex
  Frederico-Augustanus, after his royal patron the king of Saxony.
  In the year referred to (1859) the emperor of Russia sent him to
  prosecute his search for MSS., which he was convinced were still
  to be found in the Sinai convent. The story of his finding the
  manuscript of the New Testament has all the interest of a
  romance. He reached the convent on 31st January; but his
  inquiries appeared to be fruitless. On the 4th February he had
  resolved to return home without having gained his object. "On
  that day, when walking with the provisor of the convent, he
  spoke with much regret of his ill-success. Returning from their
  promenade, Tischendorf accompanied the monk to his room, and
  there had displayed to him what his companion called a copy of
  the LXX., which he, the ghostly brother, owned. The MS. was
  wrapped up in a piece of cloth, and on its being unrolled, to
  the surprise and delight of the critic the very document
  presented itself which he had given up all hope of seeing. His
  object had been to complete the fragmentary LXX. of 1844, which
  he had declared to be the most ancient of all Greek codices on
  vellum that are extant; but he found not only that, but a copy
  of the Greek New Testament attached, of the same age, and
  perfectly complete, not wanting a single page or paragraph."
  This precious fragment, after some negotiations, he obtained
  possession of, and conveyed it to the Emperor Alexander, who
  fully appreciated its importance, and caused it to be published
  as nearly as possible in facsimile, so as to exhibit correctly
  the ancient handwriting. The entire codex consists of 346 1/2
  folios. Of these 199 belong to the Old Testament and 147 1/2 to
  the New, along with two ancient documents called the Epistle of
  Barnabas and the Shepherd of Hermas. The books of the New
  Testament stand thus: the four Gospels, the epistles of Paul,
  the Acts of the Apostles, the Catholic Epistles, the Apocalypse
  of John. It is shown by Tischendorf that this codex was written
  in the fourth century, and is thus of about the same age as the
  Vatican codex; but while the latter wants the greater part of
  Matthew and sundry leaves here and there besides, the Sinaiticus
  is the only copy of the New Testament in uncial characters which
  is complete. Thus it is the oldest extant MS. copy of the New
  Testament. Both the Vatican and the Sinai codices were probably
  written in Egypt. (See VATICANUS.)