Re: Teeth and Others.

From: Michael Holmes (holmic@bethel.edu)
Date: Wed Jan 28 1998 - 08:59:47 EST


Regarding Nichael's account of "Teeth will be provided,", Bruce Metzger
(whose doctoral advisor was the P. R. Coleman-Norton, a Latin prof at
Princeton U, mentioned by Nichael), and from whom I first heard the story,
writes about the article in question in his _Reminiscences of an
Octagenarian_ (Hendrickson, 1997) 136-139. Bruce recalls first hearing the
anecdote in class, and relates how the article was rejected by other
journals before being accepted by CBQ. He suggests it is a _pia fraus_ by
Coleman-Norton; his account of the matter is nearly as amusing as the anecdote.

Mike Holmes
Bethel College

At 08:53 PM 1/27/98 -0500, you wrote:
>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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