Studia Theologica 2025, 27(2):1-26 | DOI: 10.5507/sth.2025.009840

Mk 3:14/6–14 and the Coherence­‑Based Genealogical Method

Magdalena Vytlačilová
Univerzita Karlova
Husitská teologická fakulta
Pacovská 350/4
140 21 Praha

I present in this study a less frequently discussed passage, Mark 3:14/6–14, and make use of a genealogical method based on coherence to consider which of its surviving variants is the original part of the text. I introduce the method in this study since it is relatively new and there is a limited amount of literature on it (although the New Testament text in the Editio Critica Maior is produced with its use). The verse, Mk 3:14/6–14, has survived in ten variants, which I divide into shorter and longer readings. In the verse, Jesus appoints the Twelve, and, according to witnesses in a longer reading, Jesus calls this group the Apostles (ℵ 01, B 03, C 04, W 032, Θ 038, ƒ 13). A shorter reading, in which Jesus does not call the members of the Twelve apostles, is attested to by most witnesses (e.g. A 02, B 05, L 019, 565, ƒ1). I argue for the originality of the shorter reading.

Keywords: Textual Criticism; Gospel of Mark; Textual Variants; Manuscripts; Apostles; The Twelve

Received: December 2024; Revised: March 2025; Accepted: April 2025; Published: October 2025  Show citation

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Vytlačilová, M. (2025). Mk 3:14/6–14 and the Coherence­‑Based Genealogical Method. Studia Theologica, 27(2), 1-26. doi: 10.5507/sth.2025.009
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