Lectionary

The Lectionary played a crucial, dual role in the preservation of Scripture and as source material for textual study during the Middle Ages, particularly from the 9th to the 15th century.

Here is an explanation of how the Lectionary functioned in these centuries:

 

1. Retention of Scripture (9th to 15th Century)

A Lectionary (also known as an Evangeliarium for the Gospels, or an Epistolarium for the Epistles) is a liturgical book that contains biblical passages (pericopes, or "cut out" portions) appointed to be read during Mass and other religious services throughout the Church year.

 

A. Standardization and Stability

• The Liturgical Calendar: The Lectionary organized Scripture readings according to the annual cycle of the church (Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time). This structure standardized the selection of texts across the Western Church, especially after Charlemagne's efforts to unify liturgical practice in the Carolingian Empire (starting in the late 8th century and continuing into the 9th). This standardization ensured that a core body of Scripture was consistently preserved and recited.
• A "Plenarium" of Readings: In its complete form, the Lectionary (sometimes called a Plenarium) contained the full text of the assigned lessons, rather than just a list of references (which was known as a Comes or Capitulary). This meant the Lectionary manuscripts themselves were direct textual witnesses to the Scripture.
• Focus on Essential Texts: The medieval Lectionary, while often criticized later for its limited scope compared to the whole Bible, ensured that the most theologically significant passages—especially the Gospels and Epistles related to the life of Christ and the major feasts—were copied, read, and maintained with meticulous care.

B. Continuity through Copying

• Scribal Tradition: During the Middle Ages, the primary method of book production was manual copying by scribes, largely within monasteries or, later, in secular scriptoria associated with cathedrals and universities. Because Lectionaries were essential for daily and weekly worship, they were continually being copied and recopied.
• High-Value Production: Lectionaries were often among the most important and beautiful manuscripts produced. Their role in public worship led to them being decorated with elaborate illumination and expensive materials (gold leaf, fine parchment), ensuring their preservation and longevity. This dedication to their production also encouraged textual stability.

 

2. Lectionary Manuscripts for Textual Study

Lectionary manuscripts became invaluable as witnesses to the biblical text for later textual scholars for several key reasons:

A. Witnesses to Ancient Texts

• Early Evidence: Since the Lectionary system's origins date back to the early Christian period (and Jewish practices), the manuscripts can preserve textual variants or readings that might be older than those found in some complete Bible manuscripts (Pandects). This provides a separate line of textual tradition for comparison.
• "Fixing" the Text: The liturgical purpose of the Lectionary often meant that the scriptural passages it contained were viewed as fixed and authoritative for worship. This "fixity" can make them a conservative source, less prone to the scribal revisions or harmonization that sometimes occurred in other types of biblical manuscripts.

B. Textual Criticism

• Comparative Analysis: Textual scholars who try to reconstruct the original biblical text by comparing different manuscript sources—examine Lectionaries to see if their pericopes agree or disagree with the text found in full Bible manuscripts from the same period. For example, a Lectionary might contain a passage that helps confirm or reject a particular reading found only in a small number of complete Bible codices.
• Identifying "The Text Type": Lectionaries often belong to distinct "families" or "text types" (groups of manuscripts that share common readings). Identifying the text type of a Lectionary (e.g., Byzantine, Alexandrian, or Western) helps scholars map the diffusion and development of the biblical text across geographical and chronological lines.

 

In summary, the Lectionary from the 9th to the 15th century acted as a preservative force for Scripture by standardizing and ensuring the continual, high-quality copying of essential biblical passages for the central act of Christian worship. Subsequently, the large number of surviving Lectionary manuscripts are now primary sources for textual study, providing crucial comparative evidence to help reconstruct the earliest form of the New Testament text.