Meaning of VULGATE

(lat.: "of universal use"). This is the name generally given to the Latin version of the Scriptures, meaning that it is the commonly received one; It is the official version accredited by the Church of Rome.

There was an earlier Latin version. Paul stated in his Epistle to the Romans that it had been his desire to visit them for "many years" (Rom. 15:23).

It is therefore very possible that already in this period of time the believers in Rome had obtained copies of the OT in Latin, and of the writings of the NT as the Gospels and Epistles were being written.

Jerome (346-420) and Augustine of Hippo (350-430) give evidence that in the 4th century there were a great variety of Latin versions, although it is modernly accepted that many of them may come from some unknown recension.

As for the OT, these versions were translated from the LXX. Augustine mentions, however, that one of these versions stood out from the others for its clarity and fidelity, distinguishing it by the name Itala.

This has led to associating the oldest Latin codices with Italy, where already in the days of the apostles there were certain assemblies (Acts 28:1315; Heb. 13:24).

Others, comparing the oldest copies with the writings of some Latin Fathers, are persuaded that the early translation into Latin took place in Africa. This view was accepted by Lachmann, Tischendorf, Davidson and Tregelles.

It is possible that there were versions carried out in both places. The main mss. that textual critics cite as prior to the time of Jerome are called Vetus Latina, represented, it seems, by the European line, or Itala, and by the African, and are:

(a) Code “Vercellensis”. Contains the Gospels. IV century.

(b) Code “Veronensis”. The Gospels. Somewhat after (a), it is a good example of Vetus Latina.

(c) Code “Colbertinus”. The entire NT, but only the Gospels are from the Vetus Latina. Eleventh century.

(d) Code “Bezae”. The Latin sections of the Gospels and Acts. 6th or 7th centuries.

(e) Code “Claromontanus”. The Epistles of Paul. 6th or 7th centuries.

(f) Code “Palatinus”. The Gospels. 4th or 5th centuries. Mixed text.

(g) Code “Laudianus”. The Acts of the Greek Codex E.

(h) Code “Sangermanensis”. The Epistles of Paul. The Latin text of the Greek Codex E, but is considered to be a copy of (d).

(i) Code “Boernerianus”. Paul's Epistles. The Latin interlinear text of the Greek Codex G. 9th or 10th centuries.

(j) Code "Claromontanus". The Gospels. But only Mateo in the Vetus Latina version. 4th or 5th centuries.

(k) Codex “Bobbiensis”. Sections of Matthew and Mark. It is considered by some authorities to be the oldest representative of the African type. 4th or 5th centuries.

(l) Of a "speculum", an outstanding ancient work. It contains some texts from the OT and the NT, without notes or comments, arranged under doctrinal headings.

This text is considered African in contrast to the Italic. It contains twice 1 Jn. 5:7, known as "the heavenly witnesses." 6th or 7th centuries. There are many other portions, with difficulty in assigning them to Africa, Italy or Europe. There are also Spanish examples of the Vetus Latina.

The Latin copies having multiplied greatly in the 4th century, and evident corruptions appearing in some of them, it became clear that it was necessary to carry out a revision and standardization, and Damasus, bishop of Rome, entrusted Jerome with this task.

Jerome, aware of the difficulties that he was going to have to face, and the prejudices that such a work would arouse, was, however, aware of the need for it.

He states that there were errors "due to false transcriptions, crude corrections, and negligent interpolations." These evils could only be remedied by returning to the originals.

Since the defects mainly affected the Gospels, he devoted himself first to them, although not by retranslating them, but by revising the Vetus Latina. His revision of the Gospels appeared in 384, with a preface to Damasus, who died that same year.

It is likely that he finished the NT in 385. His version of the OT was done directly from Hebrew, except for the Psalms, which he translated from the LXX.

In the following 400 years, errors were again introduced with the multiplication of copies, until Charlemagne sought a remedy for this by commissioning Alcuin to revise the text for public reading.

This revision came to light in the year 802, and is called the Charlemagne Bible. However, the copies continued to multiply, and with them the errors.

When the invention of the printing press arrived, several editions were published, with divergences between them. In the end, the popes undertook the task of preparing a correct edition, which was completed by Sixtus V in 1590; However, the result was not very satisfactory, so further revisions were carried out.

In 1592 Clement VIII published one, in 1593 another, and a third in 1598, with a list of errata for all three. Modern copies bear the date 1592.

In giving the Vulgate as authority for the various readings of the NT, the printed editions are not frequently cited, but the mss. still extant from Jerome's revision. The main ones are:

A.M. Cod. «Amitianus», containing the entire Bible. 6th century. fuld. Cod. «Fuldensis». The NT. 6th century. tol. Cod. «Toletanus». The entire Bible in Gothic letters. for. Cod. «Forojuliensis». Parts of the Gospels. per. Fragments of Luke. harl. Cod «Harleian». The Gospels.

7th century. There are also portions and fragments of many others. The passage from Jn. 7:53-8:11, "the woman taken in the act of adultery" (which is omitted from many others.

Greeks, including A B C L T

This illustrates how the Vetus Latina, preserved in the Vulgate, can be the means of authenticating true readings that would otherwise be rejected due to the supposed preponderance (in importance, not quantity) of mss. Greeks against them.

Augustine (354-430) and Nicon (10th century) explain that this passage was omitted because it was believed "that it gave license to sin" (!).

The text of the Vulgate, and the Vetus Latina behind it, has, as a witness, great importance in studies of textual criticism, like other ancient versions, in addition to its great role in the transmission of the Word of God in the world. Latin of the past.

For this reason, in addition to being of great interest to critics, it also has great interest as a historical legacy.