Part I of this book considers Augustine's use of and attitude towards the Gospels and biblical manuscripts. His comments on the history of the Latin Bible are assembled, along with references to the use of codices in liturgy, debates and the composition of theological works. Augustine's method of citation is also described, introducing the concepts of ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ citations, ‘flattening’, ‘conflation’ and ‘mental text’. Some of his explicit observations about New Testament readings are quoted, together with an assessment of the evidence his citations provide for different traditio ... More

Part I of this book considers Augustine's use of and attitude towards the Gospels and biblical manuscripts. His comments on the history of the Latin Bible are assembled, along with references to the use of codices in liturgy, debates and the composition of theological works. Augustine's method of citation is also described, introducing the concepts of ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ citations, ‘flattening’, ‘conflation’ and ‘mental text’. Some of his explicit observations about New Testament readings are quoted, together with an assessment of the evidence his citations provide for different traditions of the Bible: Old Latin, Vulgate, Greek and Diatessaron. Part II compares all Augustine's citations of John in individual works, mostly in chronological order. It is shown that Augustine used a Vulgate text-type for his two commentaries, the Tractatus in Iohannis euangelium and De consensu euangelistarum, but in earlier works (e.g. De trinitate) and in sermons from all periods, especially those preached in Carthage, he bears witness to an Old Latin form of text. Part III is a verse-by-verse commentary on Augustine's text of John, focussing on non-Vulgate citations or distinctive Vulgate readings. It also has information about Augustine's exegesis of particular verses.