Editing Constantin von Tischendorf (section)

=== Novum Testamentum Graece – publication with 21 editions ===
In the winter of 1849 the first edition of his great work now titled ''[[Novum Testamentum Graece]]. Ad antiquos testes recensuit. Apparatum criticum multis modis'' appeared (translated as ''Greek New Testament. The ancient witnesses reviewed. Preparations critical in many ways''), containing [[wiktionary:canon|canon]]s of criticism, adding examples of their application that are applicable to students today:

<blockquote>Basic rule: "The text is only to be sought from ancient evidence, and especially from Greek manuscripts, but without neglecting the testimonies of versions and [[Fathers of the Church|fathers]]."
#"A reading altogether peculiar to one or another ancient document is suspicious; as also is any, even if supported by a class of documents, which seems to evince that it has originated in the revision of a learned man."
#"Readings, however well supported by evidence, are to be rejected, when it is manifest (or very probable) that they have proceeded from the errors of copyists."
#"In parallel passages, whether of the New or Old Testament, especially in the [[Synoptic Gospels]], which ancient copyists continually brought into increased accordance, those testimonies are preferable, in which precise accordance of such parallel passages is not found; unless, indeed, there are important reasons to the contrary."
#"In discrepant readings, that should be preferred which may have given occasion to the rest, or which appears to comprise the elements of the others."
#"Those readings must be maintained which accord with [[Koine Greek|New Testament Greek]], or with the particular style of each individual writer."<ref name = "Bible Researcher"/></blockquote>

These were partly the result of the tireless travels he had begun in 1839 in search of unread manuscripts of the New Testament, "to clear up in this way," he wrote, "the history of the sacred text, and to recover if possible the genuine [[Twelve apostles|apostolic]] text which is the foundation of our faith."

In 1850 appeared his edition of the ''[[Codex Amiatinus]]'' (in 1854 corrected)<ref>Constantinus Tischendorf, [https://books.google.com/books?id=x0opAAAAYAAJ&q=NOVUM_TESTAMENTUM_LATINE ''Codex Amiatinus. Novum Testamentum Latine interpreter Hieronymo''] (Lipsiae 1854).</ref> and of the [[Septuagint]] version of the Old Testament (7th edition, 1887); in 1852, amongst other works, his edition of the ''[[Codex Claromontanus]]''. In 1859, he was named ''professor ordinarius'' of theology and of Biblical [[paleography]], this latter professorship being specially created for him; and another book of travel, ''Aus dem heiligen Lande'', appeared in 1862. Tischendorf's Eastern journeys were rich enough in other discoveries to merit the highest praise.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

Besides his fame as a scholar, he was a friend of both [[Robert Schumann]], with whom he corresponded, and [[Felix Mendelssohn]], who dedicated a song to him. His colleague [[Samuel Prideaux Tregelles]] wrote warmly of their mutual interest in textual scholarship. His personal library, purchased after his death, eventually came to the [[University of Glasgow]],<ref name = "Univ Glasgow">[https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/archivespecialcollections/discover/specialcollectionsa-z/tischendorfcollection/ Tischendorf] at the [[University of Glasgow]], Scotland.</ref> where a commemorative exhibition of books from his library was held in 1974 and can be accessed by the public.