Abstract
The four canonical gospels present the consistent sequence ἀλέκτωρ + φωνέω for the cock’s crow in Peter’s actual denial and its prediction by Jesus. The compound ἀλεκτοροφωνία in Mark 13:35 is the only alternative lexeme for the cock’s crow and, due to its single occurrence in the Greek Bible a hapax legomenon. In this study I follow up the variae lectiones in Matt 26:34 and 26:75, where the compound is backed by considerable and distinguished textual witnesses. By means of a validation of the attestation of these variae lectiones in the established critical editions of the New Testament it will be shown that their representation is often insufficient and incomplete. A speculative scenario will be created on the basis of the quality of the attestation of ἀλεκτοροφωνία in Matt 26:34 and 26:75 in order to make the compound plausible as the original reading. In addition, all this relativizes the importance and validity of the term hapax legomenon.
Kraus, Thomas J